that! An Italian girl--and not know that! Last night, hour after hour, I
sit and think, 'Oh, there is Leo singing now--if I may go to the
theatre!--to sit and hear him--and think of the old days--and perhaps to
write home to the _maestro_, and tell him of the grand fame of his
scholar.' But no. I cannot go out. There is no time yet to see about
chaperon. When it comes eleven hour, I say, 'The theatre is ceased;' and
I go to bed. Then this morning I know no person; I say, 'Very well, I go
and see Leo; he will understand;' it is how I meet him in the Chiaja, and
he says, 'Good-morning, Nina; shall we go for a little walk out to
Pozzuoli'--it is just the same."

"Yes, I understand well enough, Nina," said he, good-naturedly, "and I
wasn't scolding you when I said you must get some better place to stay
at while you are in London. Well, now, I am going to tell you something.
I don't know much about what actors and actresses are in Italy, but here
in England they are exceedingly generous to any of their number who have
fallen into misfortune; and a case of the kind happened a little while
ago. An actor, who used to be well known, died quite suddenly and left
his widow entirely unprovided for; whereupon there was a subscription
got up for her, and a morning performance, too, in which nearly all the
leading actors and actresses managed to do something or other; and the
result is that they have been able to take the lease of a house in
Sloane Street, and furnish the rooms for her, and she is to earn her
living by keeping lodgers. Now, if you really want to remain in London,
Nina, don't you think that might be a comfortable home for you? She is a
very nice, ladylike little woman; and she's a great friend of mine, too;
she would do everything she could for you. There's a chaperon for you
ready-made!--for I'm afraid she has only one lodger to look after as
yet, though she has all the necessary servants, and the establishment is
quite complete. What do you say to that, Nina?"