"
When he had finished, the pale face of a little boy was suddenly raised
from the pillows of the bed; and Rico heard the words,--
"Play again."
Rico played another tune.
"Play again" was repeated. This went on for five or six times, until
Rico had exhausted his stock of songs and tunes; and he put his fiddle
under his arm, and was moving away, when the little boy began to call
out piteously,--
"Oh, do stay! Do play again! Play something else!" Then the woman stood
up, and came towards Rico.
She placed something in his hand, and at first he did not understand
what she wanted; but presently he remembered what Stineli had said, that
if he went to a door, and played on his fiddle, the people would give
him something. The woman asked him kindly where he came from, and where
he was going to; but he could not answer her. She then asked if he were
with his parents? He shook his head. If he were alone? He nodded assent.
Where he was going so late in the evening? Rico shook his head, to
denote uncertainty. A great pity took possession of the woman for the
little stranger; and she called to the boy who worked in the garden, and
bade him conduct the fiddler to the inn of the "Golden Sun." Perhaps the
landlord would understand his language, for he had been away in foreign
parts for a long time. She bade the gardener to say to the landlord that
she wished him to let the lad stay there over night, that she would pay
for it; and, in the morning, set the little fellow off in the right
direction towards his destination.
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