I ran to a bakery at the corner of the street and soon returned with a roll, which I offered him. He devoured it in a moment. "Now," I said, "what do you want to do?" "I don't know. I was trying to sell my violin when you spoke to me, and I would have sold it before, if I hadn't hated to part with it. My violin is all I have and when I'm sad, I find a spot where I can be alone and play to myself. Then I see all sorts of beautiful things in the sky, more beautiful than in a dream." "Why don't you play your violin in the streets?" "I did, but I didn't get anything." How well I knew what it was to play and not get a coin. "What are you doing?" he asked. I don't know why, but on the spur of the moment, I put up a ridiculous bluff. "I'm the boss of a company," I said proudly. It was true, but the truth was very near a falsehood. My "company" only consisted of Capi. "Oh, will you...." began Mattia. "What?" "Take me in your company?" Not wishing to deceive him, I smiled and pointed to Capi. "But that is all the company I have," I said. "Well, what does that matter? I'll be another. Oh, please don't leave me; I shall die of hunger!" Die of hunger! His words seemed to strike my very heart. I knew what it would be to die of hunger. "I can play the violin, and I can dislocate," said Mattia breathlessly. "I can dance on the tight rope, I can sing, I'll do anything you like. I'll be your servant; I'll obey you. I don't ask for money; food only. And if I do badly, you can beat me, that is understood. All that I ask is, that you won't strike me on the head; that also must be understood, because my head is very sore since Garofoli beat me so much on it." I felt like crying, to hear poor little Mattia speak so. How could I refuse to take him with me. Die of hunger! But with me there was also a chance that he might die of hunger. I told him so, but he would not listen to me. "No, no," he said; "when there are two, one doesn't starve, because one helps the other. The one who has it gives to the one who hasn't." I hesitated no longer. As I had some I must help him. "Well, then, it's understood," I said. Instantly he took my hand and actually kissed it in gratitude. "Come with me," I said; "not as a servant, Mattia, but as my chum." Shouldering my harp, I gave the signal: "Forward, march!" At the end of a quarter of an hour, we had left Paris behind. I left Paris by this route because I wanted to see Mother Barberin. How many times I had wanted to write to her and tell her that I thought of her, and that I loved her with all my heart, but the horrible fear of Barberin restrained me. If Barberin found me by means of my letter, he might take me and sell me to another man. He probably had the right to do so. I preferred that Mother Barberin should think that I was an ungrateful boy rather than run the risk of falling into Barberin's power.