But I added that I hoped they would not permanently supplant me.

If they did I knew I should be ruined.

Then I told Mariuccia that I was going away for some days to the country, and I left her the money to pay the rent, and her wages, and a little more, so that she might be provided for if I were detained very long.
I went out again and telegraphed to Nino to say I was going at once in search of the Liras, and begging him to come home as soon as he should have finished his engagement.
To tell the truth, Mariuccia was very curious to know where I was going, and asked me many questions, which I had some trouble in answering.

But at last it was night again, and the old woman went to bed and left me.

Then I went on tiptoe to the kitchen, and found a skein of thread and two needles, and set to work.
I knew the country whither I was going very well, and it was necessary to hide the money I had in some ingenious way.