I think you would be pleased.'
'I cannot be more pleased than I am now,' said Sidonia. 'I am also
astonished.'
But here Baroni was obliged to scrape his fiddle, for the curtain moved.
'It is a triumph of art,' said Sidonia, as he beheld the immortal group
of Rubens reproduced with a precision and an exquisite feeling which no
language can sufficiently convey, or too much extol.
The performances were over, the little artists were summoned to the
front scene to be applauded, the scanty audience were dispersing:
Sidonia lingered.
'You are living in this house, I suppose?' he said to Baroni.
Baroni shook his head. 'I can afford no roof except my own.'
'And where is that?'
'On four wheels, on the green here. We are vagabonds, and, I suppose,
must always be so; but, being one family, we can bear it. I wish the
children to have a good supper to-night, in honour of your kindness. I
have a good deal to do. I must put these things in order,' as he spoke
he was working; 'there is the grandmother who lives with us; all this
time she is alone, guarded, however, by the dog. I should like them to
have meat to-night, if I can get it. Their mother cooks the supper.
Then I have got to hear them say their prayers. All this takes time,
particularly as we have to rise early, and do many things before we make
our first course through the city.
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