MARTELLO: And who would furnish me with such guarantees? The accused? The situation appears to refuse any explanation that doesn’t have a political dimension, especially considering you’re stringing together facts that don’t belong together: it’s the rules of the game. I’ve been here for three years, and my aims are to pierce through the secrets of this country and the people that live in it: to observe, to understand. Semereth’s tragedy gave me the inclination to do so. I say inclination to emphasise that it wasn’t strictly a choice. At the time, I tried to intervene in order to save Ferdinando’s life, but I achieved nothing. I envied that giant, and everything he owned. I offered him my friendship, and even offered to visit him. He welcomed me courteously, gave me a tour of his house, bu
