and talking. I continued to play, Zerbino and Dulcie went on with their
waltz. Perhaps if one decided to come over to us, a second would come,
then more and more.

I played on and on, Zerbino and Dulcie went round and round, but the
women in the doorways did not even look over at us. It was discouraging.
But I was determined not to be discouraged. I played with all my might,
making the cords of my harp vibrate, almost to breaking them. Suddenly a
little child, taking its first steps, trotted from his home and came
towards us. No doubt the mother would follow him, and after the mother a
friend would come, and we should have an audience, and then a little
money.

I played more softly so as not to frighten the baby, and also to entice
him to come nearer. With hands held out and swaying first on one foot,
then on the other, he came on slowly. A few steps more and he would have
reached us, but at that moment the mother looked round. She saw her baby
at once. But instead of running after him as I had thought she would,
she called to him, and the child obediently turned round and went back
to her. Perhaps these people did not like dance music; it was quite
possible.

I told Zerbino and Dulcie to lie down, and I began to sing my
_canzonetta_. Never did I try so hard to please.

I had reached the end of the second line, when I saw a man in a round
jacket, and I felt that he was coming towards me. At last! I tried to
sing with even more fervor.

"Hello, what are you doing here, young rogue?" he cried.

I stopped, amazed at his words, and watched him coming nearer, with my
mouth open.

"What are you doing here, I say?"

"Singing, sir."

"Have you got permission to sing on a public square in our village?"

"No, sir."

"Well, be off; if you don't I'll have you arrested."

"But, sir...."

"Be off, you little beggar."

I knew from my poor master's example what it would cost me if I went
against the town authorities. I did not make him repeat his order; I
hurried off.

Beggar! That was not fair. I had not begged; I had sung. In five minutes
I had left behind me this inhospitable, but well guarded, village. My
dogs followed me with their heads lowered, and their tails between their
legs. They certainly knew that some bad luck had befallen us. Capi, from
time to time, went ahead of us and turned round to look at me
questioningly with his intelligent eyes. Any one else in his place would
have questioned me, but Capi