GREEN, WHITE AND RED
The night of the 15th of May arrived, and both Salvani and Ticellini were very nervous about the first performance of the "Queen of Flowers." La Luciola was certainly the pet of the public, but the situation at Milan was such that it was a question whether the performance at the Scala would receive any attention. Even the day before, there had been very little call for tickets, and Salvani, who had spared no expense to mount the new opera properly, had awful dreams on the night of the 14th about deficits and bankruptcy.
At length, on the morning of the 15th, the demand became heavier, and after a few boxes had been taken, a negro appeared at the box-office about eleven o'clock, and pointed at a pack of tickets.
"Ah—your master desires a box?" asked Salvani, who did not disdain on special days to take charge of the box-office.
The negro laughed, so that the impresario could wonder at his white teeth, and shook his head, pointing once more at the tickets.
"You want two boxes, perhaps?"
Again the negro shook his head.
"Three boxes?"
"No."