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〃what a pity。 i try to give you a present and you dont want it。〃
〃i must go and do the washing up。 the signora will be cross if she cant find me。〃
〃dont you want a present ？〃
〃what are you going to give me now ？〃
〃e and see。〃
he took her hand again and led her through the flower…beds。
〃i must get back to the kitchen soon； libereso。 theres a chicken to pluck； too。〃
〃poof！〃
〃why poof？〃
〃we dont eat the flesh of dead birds or animals。〃
〃why； are you always in lent ？〃
〃what do you mean ？〃
〃well； what do you eat then ？〃
〃oh； all sorts of things； artichokes； lettuces； tomatoes。 my father doesnt like us to eat the flesh of dead animals。 or coffee or sugar； either。〃
〃what dyou do with your sugar ration； then ？〃
〃sell it on the black market。〃
they had reached some climbing plants； starred all over with red flowers。
〃what lovely flowers；〃 said maria…nunziata。 〃dyou ever pick them ？〃
〃what for ？〃
〃to take to the madonna。 flowers are for the madonna。〃
〃mesembryanthemum。〃
〃whats that ？〃
〃this plants called mesembryanthemum in latin。 all flowers have latin names。〃
〃the mass is in latin； too。〃
〃i dont know about that。〃
libereso was now peering closely between the winding branches on the wall。
〃there it is；〃 he said。
〃what is ？〃
it was a lizard green with black markings； basking in the sun。
〃ill catch it。〃
〃no。〃
but he got closer to the lizard； very slowly； with both hands open； a jump； and hed caught it。 he laughed happily； showing his white teeth。 〃look out； its escaping！〃 first a stunned…looking head； then a tail； slithered out between his closed fingers。
maria…nunziata was laughing too； but every time she saw the lizard she skipped back and pulled her skirt tight about her knees。
〃so you really dont want me to give you anything at all ？〃 said libereso； rather sadly； and very carefully he put the lizard back on the wall； off it shot。 maria…nunziata kept her eyes lowered。
〃e along；〃 said libereso； and took her hand again。
〃id like to have a lipstick and paint my lips red on sundays to go out dancing。 and a black veil to put on my head afterwards for benediction。〃
〃on sundays；〃 said libereso； 〃i go to the woods with my brother and we fill two sacks with pine cones。 then； in the evening； my father reads out loud from kropotkin。 my tither has hair
down to his shoulders and a beard right down to his chest。 and he wears shorts in summer and winter。 and i do drawings for the anarchist federation windows。 the figures in top hats are business men； those in caps are generals； and those in round hats are priests； then i paint them in water colours。〃
they came to a pond with round water…lily leaves floating on it。
〃quiet； now；〃 manded libereso。
under the water a frog could be seen swimming up with sharp little strokes of its green arms and legs。 it suddenly surfaced； jumped on to a water…lily leaf and sat down in the middle。
〃there；〃 cried libereso and put out a hand to catch it； but maria…nunziata let out a cry； 〃ut！〃 and the frog jumped back into the water。 libereso began searching for it； his nose almost touching the surface。
〃there it is。〃
he thrust in a hand and pulled it out in his closed fist。
〃two of them together；〃 he cried。 〃look。 two of them； on top of each other。〃
〃why ？〃 asked maria…nunziata。
〃male and female stuck together；〃 said libereso。 〃look what they are doing。〃 and he tried to put the frogs into maria…nunziatas hand。 maria…nunziata wasnt sure if she was frightened because they were frogs； or because they were male and female stuck together。
〃leave them alone；〃 she said。 〃you mustnt touch them。〃
〃male and female；〃 repeated libereso。 〃theyre making tadpoles。〃 a cloud passed over the sun。 suddenly maria…nunziata began to feel anxious。
〃its late。 the signoras sure to be looking for me。〃
but she did not go。 instead they went on wandering around though the sun did not e out again。 and then he found a snake： it was a tiny little snake behind a hedge of bamboo。 libereso wound it round his arm and stroked its head。
〃once i used to train snakes。 i had a dozen of them； one was long and yellow； a water snake。 but it shed its skin and escaped。 look at this one opening its mouth； look how its tongue is forked。 stroke it； it wont bite。〃
but maria…nunziata was frightened of snakes too。 then they went to the rock pool。 first he showed her the fountains； and opened all the jets； which pleased her very much。 then he showed her the goldfish。 it was a lonely old goldfish； and its scales were already whitening。 at last； maria…nunziata liked the goldfish。 libereso began to move his hands round in the water to catch it； it was very difficult； but when hed caught it maria…nunziata could put it in a bowl and keep it in the kitchen。 he managed to catch it； but didnt take it out of the water in case it suffocated。
〃put your hands clown here； stroke it；〃 said libereso。 〃you can feel it breathing； it has fins like paper and scales that prickle。 not much though。〃
but maria…nunziata did not want to stroke the fish either。
in the petunia bed the earth was very soft； and libereso dug about with his fingers and pulled out some long； soft worms。
but maria…nunziata ran away with little shrieks。
〃put your hand here；〃 said libereso； pointing to the trunk of an old peach tree。 maria…nunziata did not understand why； but she put her hand there； then she screamed and ran to dip it in the pool。 for when she had pulled her hand away it was covered with ants。 the peach tree was a mass of them； tiny black 〃argentine〃 ants。
〃look；〃 said libereso and put a hand on the trunk。 the ants could be seen crawling over his hand but he didnt brush them off。
〃why ？〃 asked maria…nuuziata。 〃why are you letting yourself get covered with ants ？〃
his hand was now quite black； and they were crawling up his wrist。
〃take your hand away；〃 moaned maria…nunziata。 〃youll get them all over you。〃
the ants were crawling up his naked arm； and had already reached his elbow。
now his whole arm was covered with a veil of moving black dots； they reached his armpit but he did not brush them off。
〃get rid of them； libereso。 put your arm in water！〃
libereso laughed； some ants now even crawling from his neck on to his face。
〃libereso！ ill do whatever you like！ ill accept all those presents you gave me。〃
she threw her arms round his neck and started to brush off the ants。
smiling his brown and white smile； libereso took his hand away from the tree and began nonchalantly dusting his arm。 but he was obviously touched。
〃very well； then； ill give you a really big present； ive decided。 the biggest present i can。〃
〃whats that ？〃
〃a hedgehog。〃
〃mammamia！ the signora！ the signoras calling me！〃
maria…nunziata had just finished washing the dishes when she heard a pebble beat against the window。 underneath stood libereso with a large basket。
〃maria…nunziata； let me in。 i want to give you a surprise。〃
〃no； you cant e up。 what have you got there ？〃
but at that moment the signora rang the bell； and maria…nunziata vanished。
when she returned to the kitchen； libereso was no longer to be seen。 neither insid