Several days passed after the _debut_ without giving Nino an opportunity of speaking to Hedwig.

He probably saw her, for he mingled in the crowd of dandies in the Piazza Colonna of an afternoon, hoping she would pass in her carriage and give him a look.

Perhaps she did; he said nothing about it, but looked calm when he was silent and savage when he spoke, after the manner of passionate people.

His face aged and grew stern in those few days, so that he seemed to change on a sudden from boy to man.

But he went about his business, and sang at the theatre when he was obliged to; gathering courage to do his best and to display his powers from the constant success he had.