Camilla: A Tale of a Violin: Being the Artist Life of Camilla Urso — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Camilla: A Tale of a Violin: Being the Artist Life of Camilla Urso
John Stuart Mill · en
One day there came an invitation to spend the evening at some private
house and she prepared to go. She had passably good clothing and was, as
far as appearance was concerned, ready to go. Then came a dreadful
discovery. The wolf was at the door. He had come up the stairs and was
scratching and snarling at the threshold. What were they to do? There
was not a thing to eat in the house. The very last franc had been spent.
There was nothing left but that pearl cross the Countess had given her
at Manheim. They might sell it. No they could not and would not. They
would go supperless to bed first. But Camilla, poor child, was going
out. Perhaps she would have a supper at the friend’s house where she was
to play. And perhaps not. Besides, she had eaten nothing since morning.
She might faint before the supper hour came. She could not give it up
and go to bed as her brothers had done. In their perplexity and trouble
Aunt Caroline came with the joyful news that she had found a sou in an
old coat pocket. Only a sou—a copper cent. Camilla dressed hastily, and
with her father set out for the private concert where she was to play.
As they walked through the streets they stopped at one of the little
cooking stands that are so common in Paris. With the one cent they
bought a paper bag holding perhaps a pint of fried potatoes. M. Urso
carried the violin and Camilla took the bag and ate her supper as she
passed along. Franklin’s breakfast of rolls in the streets of
Philadelphia was a royal feast beside Camilla’s supper. Using her
handkerchief for a napkin she finished the meal and throwing the paper
bag away entered the grand mansion as the honored little guest and
artist. As for her father he had no supper at all.
It is always darkest just before dawn. They struggled through a few more
days of bitter poverty and then came a sudden burst of wealth and good
fortune that fairly took their breath away. It seemed as if a shower of
gold actually rained down upon them and a new and most remarkable
experience came in the history of the Urso family.