x weeks till the sickness abated.

The Conservatory of Music stood at the corner of the Rue
Faubourg--Poissoniere and the Rue Bergere in the old part of the city of
Paris. They must take rooms as near it as possible so that Camilla would
not have too far to walk on stormy days. With all their hopeful
prospects and though they had quite a large sum of ready money in hand
they took simple quarters in a house on the Rue St. Nicholas d'Antin.

As soon as they were comfortably settled Salvatore Urso went to the
conservatory to ask if the little Camilla might be admitted as a pupil.

The Director, Auber, received him politely and asked what he wanted.
"Could Camilla enter the Conservatory?" The little shrivelled up
gentleman opened his small eyes as wide as he could and said, in a
squeaking voice, "Camilla! That's a girl!" Yes. Camilla was a girl. How
very shocking in her. Why was she not a boy? A girl. Oh! No it couldn't
be considered for a moment. A girl enter the great Conservatory of
Music! Such a thing had never been heard of in the whole history of the
world. The Conservatory was not for girls and they couldn't be admitted.

This was discouraging and M. Urso retired from the interview not knowing
what to do next. The idea that the great composer Auber would utterly
refuse to take the child had never entered his head. Of course, with her
undoubted genius the Conservatory would be proud to teach her. What
difference did it make if she did happen to be a girl?

It made a great deal of difference to the worthy officers of the
Conservatory. Not one of them would consider her case. The Secretary, De
Beauchesne was applied to with more success, but he was only one of the
officers and he could do nothing alone. He heard Camilla play and did
everything he could for her. He visited the family and was in every way
a friend. When Camilla's third brother, Salvatore, was born, he stood
Godfather to the child, so we may infer that he was quite intimate at
the Ursos'.

It would not do to give it up so. Day after day slipped past, the time
grew to weeks and still the doors of the Conservatory were fast closed
against the child. M. Urso called on Auber several times. Would he not
interest himself in the child? Would he only hear her play? No. It was
useless. She was a girl. She could not enter. Why had M. Urso been so
foolish as to come to Paris when he might have known that they never
took in girls. Besides, she was not old enough.