II
MARTELLO: We chatted for a long time while those two boys sat on the bench and stared speechlessly at us. I wonder why they were so curious? Ferdinando was very bashful. As for the other one, who I learned is called Abdelkarim, he’s an average sort of chap. Which is exactly why Ferdinando stood out so prominently, even though they were dressed more or less alike, but obviously incognito. Claiming I didn’t know where the goldsmiths’ market was situated, even though it’s a stone’s throw from here, I asked my gracious host if I could take Ferdinando with me. And so it was I went for a stroll with the boy, who was enormously embarrassed. I steered the conversation to this exact topic and tried to question him on his origins, of which he knows nothing. Then I asked him why he didn’t go back
