soon looked almost like a proper family. But you know what, priest?
Well, I don’t need to tell you, a leopard doesn’t change its spots.’
Vivaldi nods briefly, terrified of stopping her story with
another question, even for an instant.
‘Back on the drink, of course. And the brothers every bit as
bad as their father. Then all mayhem broke loose again. Oh, I am
so glad Giorgio isn’t here to go through it anymore. But it’s worst
for that wee Anna. You wouldn’t believe, priest, what I’ve been
through. The neighbours round there all the time. But those boys,
well, they were getting bigger by the day and so you needed to
watch your step with them. I went to see Father Gianfranco and he
had a word with Giraud. But that only made things worse. If you
ask me, it’s revenge, priest. That Giraud is still mad at his wife for
running off, and he takes it out on the child. It’s a scandal the
church hasn’t done anything about it! And now it’s probably too
late. But don’t say I didn’t warn you. May God and Holy Maria be
my witness, I warned you!’
The priest takes a deep breath. ‘Tell me now what has
happened recently?’
She makes another sign of the cross. ‘I saw it happen,
priest, from here, through that very window. It was early in the
evening and my shutters were open, and so were those on the other
side of the street. That’s the sisters’ bedroom and… oh, priest, it’s
too ghastly for words.’
The old woman has begun to shake. Vivaldi’s heart heaves
in his chest at the thought of what might have befallen Paolina and
Anna. He lays his hand on her wrinkled one again.
‘Go on, good woman, your secret is safe with me.’
‘That animal! Giraud must have been out drinking the
whole afternoon. I was having my lie-down and had fallen asleep,
but then I got woken up with the screaming. It was really bad this
time. I heard Annina screeching in fear and Paolina shouting at her
father; he must have been outside their room. When I opened my
blinds I looked in and saw the moment that monster broke down
the door and fell in upon them. Completely out of his mind, you
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