exix worked and that my family were looking for me. That was the
reason that I was hurrying to Paris and that was why it had been
impossible for me to go and see Etiennette.

Naturally most of the talk was about my family, my rich family and all I
would do when I had money. I would make her father, brothers, sisters,
and above all herself, happy. Lise, unlike Mattia, was delighted. She
quite believed that if one had money one ought to be very happy,
because, would not her father have been happy if he had only had the
money to pay his debts? We took long walks, all three of us, Lise,
Mattia and I, accompanied by the doll and Capi. I was very happy those
few days. In the evening we sat in front of the house when it was not
too damp and before the fireplace when the mist was thick. I played the
harp and Mattia played his violin or cornet. Lise preferred the harp,
which made me very proud. When the time came and we had to separate and
go to bed, I played and sang her my Neapolitan song.

Yet we had to part and go on our way. I told her that I would come back
for her soon. My last words to her were: "I'll come and fetch you in a
carriage drawn by four horses."

And she quite believed me and she made a motion as though she were
cracking a whip to urge on the horses. She also, the same as I, could
see my riches and my horses and carriages.

I was so eager to get to Paris now that if it had not been for Mattia I
would have stopped only to collect what was absolutely necessary for our
food. We had no cow to buy now, nor doll. It was not for me to take
money to my rich parents.

"Let us get all we can," said Mattia, forcing me to take my harp, "for
we don't know if we shall find Barberin at once. One would think that
you had forgotten that night when you were dying of hunger."

"Oh, I haven't," I said lightly, "but we're sure to find him at once.
You wait."

"Yes, but I have not forgotten how I leaned up against the church that
day when you found me. Ah, I don't want to be hungry in Paris."

"We'll dine all the better when we get to my parents'," I replied.

"Well, let's work just as though we are buying another cow," urged
Mattia.

This was very wise advice but I must admit that I did not sing with the
same spirit. To get the money to buy a cow for Mother Barberin or a doll
for Lise was quite a different matter.

"How lazy you'll be when you're rich," said Mattia. The nearer we got to
Paris the gayer I became; and t