and would have rather remained there forever, but he was obliged to go
back into his uncomfortable bedroom at last.




CHAPTER XV.

SILVIO'S WISHES PRODUCE RESULTS.


But the excitement had not subsided in Silvio's mind, by any means; and
now that he knew that two days must elapse before Rico could come again,
he began to cry early in the morning, "Rico won't come to-day! Rico
won't come to-day!" and scarcely ceased until the evening; and the
second day it was the same, but on the third,--he was tired out by that
time, and seemed like a little heap of straw, that the least spark could
have reduced to ashes.

In the evening Rico made his appearance, quite worn out with the noise
and tumult of the dances for which he had been obliged to play. Since he
had fully realized that he had no home on the earth, the thought of
Stineli had become of more importance than ever, and he said to
himself,--

"There is only Stineli in the whole world to whom I belong, or who
troubles her head about me!" And he felt a terrible homesickness for
Stineli. He had scarcely reached the side of Silvio's bed when he said,
"Do you know, Silvio, with Stineli only can one feel perfectly well, and
nowhere else." These words were scarcely out of his mouth before the