Little Julia squeezed her daddy´s hand tightly, as if asking for reassurance against the emotion growing inside her. Beyond the gate of Via San Francesco, in Thiene, there was more than just a house. There was a world. She had read the story of Snow White so many times that she could smell the scent of apples and the rustle of dwarfs´ clothes in the leaves. And now, there she was, with her heart pounding in her chest, almost expecting to see one of the dwarfs appear from a bush.The mansion stood before her like a castle from modern fairy tales, and behind her, majestic and solemn, the Cathedral of Thiene silhouetted against the sky. To Julia it seemed like a magical mountain, a gentle giant made of stone, watching over the secret garden.With a small jerk, she let go of her father´s hand and climbed the access staircase, her steps light on the stone. The balcony that ran along one side of the house instantly became her patrol path, from which a princess could scan the horizon of her kingdom. Beyond the large, dark wooden doorway, massive and ancient, the anticipation dissolved
into silent amazement.She found herself in a very long hallway, so bright that it seemed to be traversed by a sun of its own. Light danced across the floor and went to illuminate, at the far end, the elegant curve of a grand staircase. But that was not what stole her gaze. On the wall, a huge mirror with a carved, antique frame caught every reflection. “Look, Dad!“ she whispered, her voice a mixture of reverence and excitement. “It´s like the Queen´s! The one that talks!“ He approached slowly, almost on tiptoe. In the glitter of the glass, his image smiled at her, but for a moment, a distorted reflection showed her not only her parents behind her, but the rooms that opened like doors to parallel worlds: the living room, spacious and airy, a theater of light; the sitting room, cozy, with its large window that was a living picture of the garden.But it was as she passed through the dining room door that her breathing stopped. A large wooden table, solid and majestic, towered in the center. “All seven dwarfs can fit here!“ she exclaimed, turning in on herself with open arms.…
