the
house. He soon saw them. They had secured the central places directly
below the large royal box where two quiet princesses and their
attendants were already seated.

When he found he was not too late to hear the overture, the
Chancellor's face become more genial than ever. He settled himself
down to an evening of enjoyment and evidently forgot everything else in
the world. Marco did not lose sight of him. When the audience went out
between acts to promenade in the corridors, he might go also and there
might be a chance to pass near to him in the crowd. He watched him
closely. Sometimes his fine old face saddened at the beautiful woe of
the music, sometimes it looked enraptured, and it was always evident
that every note reached his soul.

The pretty daughter who sat beside him was attentive but not so
enthralled. After the first act two glittering young officers appeared
and made elegant and low bows, drawing their heels together as they
kissed her hand. They looked sorry when they were obliged to return to
their seats again.

After the second act the Chancellor sat for a few minutes as if he were
in a dream. The people in the seats near him began to rise from their
seats and file out into the corridors. The young officers were to be
seen rising also. The rosy daughter leaned forward and touched her
father's arm gently.

"She wants him to take her out," Marco thought. "He will take her
because he is good-natured."

He saw him recall himself from his dream with a smile and then he rose
and, after helping to arrange a silvery blue scarf round the girl's
shoulders, gave her his arm just as Marco skipped out of his fourth-row
standing-place.

It was a rather warm night and the corridors were full. By the time
Marco had reached the balcony floor, the pair had issued from the
little door and were temporarily lost in the moving numbers.

Marco quietly made his way among the crowd trying to look as if he
belonged to somebody. Once or twice his strong body and his dense
black eyes and lashes made people glance at him, but he was not the
only boy who had been brought to the opera so he felt safe enough to
stop at the foot of the stairs and watch those who went up and those
who passed by. Such a miscellaneous crowd as it was made up of--good
unfashionable music-lovers mixed here and there with grand people of
the court and the gay world.

Suddenly he heard a low laugh and a moment later a hand lightly