they indulged whole-heartedly,
like two regular tom-boys who loved to wrestle and punch each other. And
it put her in a good humor for the rest of the day. She went shopping
through the windows, only bought herself a spray of roses to fasten to her
bodice. She went to the Astrarium, walked in as though the place belonged
to her, followed by her maid. She examined the works with the eye of an
expert. Three days, three days more and she would begin to rehearse! Her
legs were itching to commence!

The alterations to the stage especially interested her. The door of the
cage remained closed and Lily looked at the auditorium:

"Is it possible, after all?" she thought.

And she measured the distance with her eye. It seemed enormous to her, but
never mind, she'd do it! And she grew wildly enthusiastic in the midst of
all that activity, of a theater which was being rearranged for her: "For
me, Glass-Eye! All of it for me! From here," she said, stamping her foot
on the stage, "from here to right up there!" And she pointed to the hole
in the sky. "All that on the bike! A somersault miles high!"

[Illustration: OLD MARTELLO]

Glass-Eye opened two terrified eyes, wondered if Lily was going mad....

Glass-Eye had become dulled through constant obedience, had lost her
memory, mixed up her yeses and noes, like those actors who forget their
parts through playing them too frequently; her recent life had excited her
too much, and never a sou in her pocket, only barely enough to eat ... it
was ten times worse than in Rathbone Place.... And then that new crotchet
of Lily's.

"Can I fly, Glass-Eye, or can't I? Am I a bird or am I not?" It was enough
to make Glass-Eye lose her head....

Glass-Eye was obliged to answer yes ... and that very quickly. But she
kept on trotting behind Lily, who, realizing that she would soon be taken
up with her rehearsals, took advantage of her last days of liberty to pay
visits and show herself a little, accompanied by her maid, like the fine
lady that she was. She went and took the Bambinis some candies. Poor kids!
Their games and laughter no longer filled the hotel with mirth and gaiety:
old Martello was getting worse and worse and was now not able to leave his
room at all. Lily found a kind word for everybody and was grieved at not
having any money, which would have allowed her to be generous. That would
come later. She worked out a scheme for occupying herself with the
children when the old man was g