It was quiet, and
but few passed through it during the busy hours of the day. But
Phil's hope was that some money might be thrown him from a window
of some of the fine houses before which he played, but he seemed
likely to be disappointed, for he played ten minutes without
apparently attracting any attention. He was about to change his
position, when the basement door of one of the houses opened, and
a servant came out, bareheaded, and approached him. Phil
regarded her with distrust, for he was often ordered away as a
nuisance. He stopped playing, and, hugging his violin closely,
regarded her watchfully.
"You're to come in," said the girl abruptly.
"Che cosa volete?"[1] said Phil, suspiciously.
[1] "What do you want?"
"I don't understand your Italian rubbish," said the girl.
"You're to come into the house."
In general, boys of Phil's class are slow in learning English.
After months, and even years sometimes, their knowledge is
limited to a few words or phrases. On the other hand, they pick
up French readily, and as many of them, en route for America,
spend some weeks, or months, in the French metropolis, it is
common to find them able to speak the language somewhat.
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