Naples, 3rd of July, 23:30
I walked away slowly along Via Nilo, enjoying the coolness that had somehow crept its way into the alleys of the city centre, not entirely sure what I was about to do.
The wound in my arm still hurt, but luckily the bullet had only grazed me. I would have a scar, fortunate hero of an ‘esoteric war’ which, unfortunately, had also produced real victims. Like poor Hašek, deceived by his own student, or the Bulgarian who had killed the old Bohemian, or even Professor Ricciardi, who had died of a heart attack. What madness.
I crossed Via dei Tribunali, completely unmoved by the usual noisy crowd at the pizzeria on the corner. There was still an incredible sense of peace and harmony in my soul, and the little conflicts of everyday life seemed to have disappeared, dissolved in the music of the cathedral.
I smiled and went on my way.
I walked along Via Atri until I was in front of a building. I could not explain why, but that evening I was sure I would find the door I was looking for. I entered the courtyard, and to my right I saw it. Not rotten planks, but the door.
I knocked.
“It’s open!”
I went inside. She was there, behind the table with the pentacle, as mystically beautiful as before. I felt no physical attraction for her, though. I knew she belonged to another dimension.
Sofia’s magnetic eyes penetrated me, but I was not afraid.
“I’ve brought it back,” I said, pulling out the big bronze key and placing it upon the table.
“Did you find the treasure?” she asked in her warm, deep voice.
“I think I did.”
Sofia put the key in the jar from whence she had taken it about a fortnight earlier.
“It will serve to open another lock.”
I nodded and turned to leave.
“Wait,” she said, pulling out the tarot cards. She shuffled them and then turned over three.
“The hermit, the house of God and the sun.”
She looked up and smiled at me.
“Now he will be at peace.”
I returned her smile and went back into the courtyard, but I did not turn round. I did not want to see that door disappear again, even though I was already convinced that it would be there for me if I needed it. With a key ready to open other locks.
I went out onto Via Atri and found myself in front of the lad who had brought me there a few days earlier. The mysterious little scugnizzo.
I waited for him to say something, but he, for the first time, just smiled, then turned and started off down Via dei Tribunali.
“Hey, boy – wait!”
The boy stopped and turned round, without saying anything.
“What’s your name?”
He smiled again.
“Matteo,” he said, before running off and disappearing into the night.
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