But Phil's hope was that some money might be thrown him from a window of some of the fine houses before which he played, but he seemed likely to be disappointed, for he played ten minutes without apparently attracting any attention.

He was about to change his position, when the basement door of one of the houses opened, and a servant came out, bareheaded, and approached him.
Phil regarded her with distrust, for he was often ordered away as a nuisance.

He stopped playing, and, hugging his violin closely, regarded her watchfully.
"You're to come in," said the girl abruptly.
"Che cosa volete ?"( 1) said Phil, suspiciously.
(1) "What do you want ?" "I don't understand your Italian rubbish," said the girl.

"You're to come into the house." In general, boys of Phil's class are slow in learning English.

After months, and even years sometimes, their knowledge is limited to a few words or phrases.