It is funny how you can hear better when you are in a mist. Professor Aldo Stern was explaining the invaders of the past -- Normans, Saracens, Greeks, Albanians -- but I was distracted by the sound of rapid, determined footsteps. These reminded me of my friend Prospero Pastorelli, eldest among the apprentices. Sure enough, the older boys dark shadow appeared just on the other side of the pit.
Ciao, Prospero, I called.
Ciao Fiorino, he called back, and then quickly came out of the shroud of the thick mist and added: Buona sera, Signor Professore.
Salve, Prospero, the professor called back. Come closer, but watch your step. Tell me if what is in this pit reminds you of anything that you have seen before.

Prospero crouched down to look at the contents of the dug-out. Wow! What a buried treasure! he exclaimed. It looks like the lions that are by the fortress.
Yes indeed, said the professor. Those are in stone but this lion is bronze. It is very curious, dont you think, Prospero?
Curious? Yes! Fantastic, really! But why should this bronze lion be found so far from the fortress? Isnt that fortress a bit ancient, Professor?

The professor nodded. It is from the 14th Century, I suspect. This bronze lion may be of the same era. This week some of our gardeners spotted a strange protrusion, so I ordered the workmen to dig here. This is what they found. As we keep digging, I suspect we may find some clues, with the remains of a structure.
Fantastic! Prospero repeated, then he asked: Are you going to close off this part of the land, Professor? When people see this they might just want to start digging all over.
Yes. We must be careful now. In fact, I am going to meet with the regency council now. However, I think you will both agree that this is an exciting discovery.
Yes, Professor, Prospero and I answered at the same time.
Take care, boys. I must hurry to the council meeting. I hope to see you tomorrow, the professor said, hurrying up the hill.
The professor said tomorrow, but we had told the professor and the baroness that we would be leaving tomorrow.

Maybe he forgot, Prospero said, reading my thoughts. I looked around to see if anyone was nearby, but the fog was too thick. I did not want to be overheard as I told Prospero about the captain of the Aurelia and his demand that I meet him at sunrise and serve as his cabin boy.
If that is the case, Fiorino, then we shall leave before dawn. If you join his crew, youll never get home. Besides, Rico has enough money now that we can fend for ourselves.
Right, I said.
We just have to stick together. The old woman who sells the herbs told me that if we stick together, Fortune will find us.
Somehow she scares me as much as the sea captain does, Prospero, I said, and sat on the mound of dirt by the pit. Nobody has paid attention to us for months except for the Principe, and now suddenly, when he is gone, many people are starting to treat us very nicely. It seems to me like a trap. It feels dangerous to stay here and dangerous to leave.
This professor seems like someone that we could trust, Prospero said. He has in mind to get the baker to expand production so as to sell supplies to the ships that come into port, especially the crews. I can see making a fortune right here.

Fortune there was that word again. Prospero went on for a couple of minutes to explain the professors plans and theories. I said nothing until he finally asked me: So, what do you think, Fiorino?
I think that we really need to find a way home. Your father expects you to run the Inn for him in Parma; Ricos father expects him to become an excellent typographer and to set up a print shop in Padua. Neither of you can stay here much longer. And I miss Don Angelo and Monsignor the Patriarch, who have cared for me since I was small. I want to return to San Pietro in Castello and finish my apprenticeship.
Prospero listened quietly and then said: Yes, you are right. We need to go home. Tomorrow we leave, before dawn, so that no one will stop us.

***

There was one more person that I needed to see, and that was the Earl of Essex. Prospero had given me all I needed to respond to the Captain of the Aurelia, but Essex had been a friend lately, and I wanted to say goodbye properly.

Did you tell the sea captain that you would join him? the Earl of Essex asked me after I recounted meeting the Captain of the Aurelia.
No, Excellency, I refused him twice.
Good. You did the right thing. Never entertain a dubious proposal, Fiorino. Even a hint at agreement can trap you for life. It is how this breed operates. They offer to do you a favor in exchange for a favor. If you accept, they will hold you to do them favors forever. If ever you refuse after that, they will kill you. Now you had better hurry back to the villa. It is getting too dark and there are many unsavory characters stalking the port lately.
Essex put his hand on my shoulder has he opened the door for me -- something that the Earl had never done before. He sounded very concerned when he gave me leave: Be safe, Fiorino, he said.

As I left the Earls house, the church bells rang. Did they toll a warning or an invitation?

Fiorino hears the church bells as darkness falls

[PS: A treasure hunt will take place at Melioria this weekend. Be sure to visit and see what you can find!!!]