"
Stineli had understood the whole story at the first word, and her face
beamed with unspeakable happiness.
Rico sat as if turned to stone, and made no sound; but Silvio broke out
into shouts of delight,--it was all a play to him.
"Oh! now the house belongs to Rico, where is he going to sleep?"
"He can sleep in any room he chooses, Silvio. He can sleep in them all
if he wishes to. He can turn us all out-of-doors if he has a mind to,
and stay all sole alone in this house."
"I am sure I should much prefer to go away with you, then," said Rico.
"Oh, you good Rico!" cried Mrs. Menotti. "If you will let us stay here,
we shall be so glad to remain. I have thought it out as I came along
towards home, and know how we can arrange it so that we shall be happy.
I will take half of the house of you, and the same with the garden and
all the land; so one half will be yours, and the other Silvio's."
"I shall give my half to Stineli," said the child.
"So shall I," said Rico.
"Oh, ho! now the whole thing belongs to her,--the garden, and the house,
and all that is in them; and Rico and his fiddle, and I too. Now let us
go on with our song."
But Rico did not take the same view of the affair as his little friend.
He had thought over Mrs. Menotti's words, and now asked, anxiously,--
"I do not understand how Silvio's house can belong to me because our
fathers were friends.
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