Tuesday, 9th.
My mother is good, and my sister Silvia is like her, and has a large and
noble heart. Yesterday evening I was copying a part of the monthly
story, _From the Apennines to the Andes_,--which the teacher has
distributed among us all in small portions to copy, because it is so
long,--when Silvia entered on tiptoe, and said to me hastily, and in a
low voice: "Come to mamma with me. I heard them talking together this
morning: some affair has gone wrong with papa, and he was sad; mamma was
encouraging him: we are in difficulties--do you understand? We have no
more money. Papa said that it would be necessary to make some sacrifices
in order to recover himself. Now we must make sacrifices, too, must we
not? Are you ready to do it? Well, I will speak to mamma, and do you nod
assent, and promise her on your honor that you will do everything that I
shall say."
Having said this, she took me by the hand and led me to our mother, who
was sewing, absorbed in thought. I sat down on one end of the sofa,
Silvia on the other, and she immediately said:--
"Listen, mamma, I have something to say to you. Both of us have
something to say to you." Mamma stared at us in surprise, and Silvia
began:--
"Papa has no money, has he?"
"What are you saying?" replied mamma, turning crimson. "Has he not
indeed! What do you know about it? Who has told you?"
"I know it," said Silvia, resolutely. "Well, then, listen, mamma; we
must make some sacrifices, too. You promised me a fan at the end of May,
and Enrico expected his box of paints; we don't want anything now; we
don't want to waste a soldo; we shall be just as well pleased--you
understand?"
Mamma tried to speak; but Silvia said: "No; it must be thus. We have
decided. And until papa has money again, we don't want any fruit or
anything else; broth will be enough for us, and we will eat bread in the
morning for breakfast: thus we shall spend less on the table, for we
already spend too much; and we promise you that you will always find us
perfectly contented. Is it not so, Enrico?"
I replied that it was. "Always perfectly contented," repeated Silvia,
closing mamma's mouth with one hand. "And if there are any other
sacrifices to be made, either in the matter of clothing or anything
else, we will make them gladly; and we will even sell our presents; I
will give up all my things, I will serve you as your maid, we will not
have anything done out of the house any more, I will work all day long
with you, I will do everything you wish, I am ready for anything! For
anything!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around my mother's neck, "if
papa and mamma can only be saved further troubles, if I can only behold
you both once more at ease, and in good spirits, as in former days,
between your Silvia and your Enrico, who love you so dearly, who would
give their lives for you!"
Ah! I have never seen my mother so happy as she was on hearing these
words; she never before kissed us on the brow in that way, weeping and
laughing, and incapable of speech. And then she assured Silvia that she
had not understood rightly; that we were not in the least reduced in
circumstances, as she imagined; and she thanked us a hundred times, and
was cheerful all the evening, until my father came in, when she told him
all about it. He did not open his mouth, poor father! But this morning,
as we sat at the table, I felt at once both a great pleasure and a great
sadness: under my napkin I found my box of colors, and under hers,
Silvia found her fan.