On reaching the Piazza, his manner showed still greater excitement.
"Venite!" [Footnote: "come here"] he exclaimed, leading the way to a small
shed back of the church where he was accustomed to keep his tools.
"Venite!" he repeated, entering by a rear into the gloomy interior.
It was several moments before the eyes of the children became sufficiently
accustomed to the dim light to really see what was being pointed out. High
above their heads was a small window, close to which had been placed a
wooden box.
The old man stopped a moment, listened, reached up his hand, then drew it
back with an air of satisfaction, while the youngsters, fascinated, watched
without in the least surmising what it was all about.
With a finger on his lips to enjoin silence, he suddenly seized Andrea and
raised him to the level of the window ledge.
"There!" he cried, "don't be afraid. Put your hand into the box."
As the boy timidly obeyed, he went on, "Now tell me, what do you feel?
Speak!"
The frightened look on Andrea's face gave way, first to one of
mystification, then to an expression of joy as his hand touched something
warm:
"L'uccello!" [Footnote: The bird.] he cried; then, in an ecstasy of
delight, "Is it mine?"
Paolo nodded, and, after putting the boy down on the floor, gently lifted
Maria so that she, too, might put her fingers into the nest he had made for
the fledgling he had found on the pavement the evening before.
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