Page 323 - The Grotesque Children's Book

Chapter 49.

Don’t blink, don’t startle

A week later, that is to say

mid-July, 1581

Initially, Santi was sure he was never going to steal the Duchess’s jewels for Allori. To
do so, Santi reasoned, would be near certain and immediate death. He wasn’t confident how
long he could put off Allori, however, and the consequences of waiting too long might be just as
dire, as Allori might grow suspicious that Santi would confide Allori’s traitory to someone, and
have him killed to silence him. Indeed, ever since the day that Allori had proposed the theft,
Santi had noticed he was being watched, constantly, by shadowy figures trailing him at a few
hundred yard’s distance, or someone across the aisle in church, making sure he spoke to no one.

He couldn’t confide in his poor father, of course, worrying him in his final weakening
days. Santi couldn’t sit side by side with Aurelio, writing in each other’s notebooks. Even if
they were to communicate in secret symbols and scribbles which no one else could decipher, it
would be clear to the shadowy figures what Santi was writing to Aurelio.

On the other hand, Santi was tempted to steal the jewels and disappear out of Italy. Not
for his own sake, but for his father’s. Flee to Austria or Switzerland perhaps and buy better
medical care for his father. Santi also considered England. True, England would be a more
treacherous passaging for his father over the water, but the English doctors were reputed to
include the finest in the world. Santi recalled that London was home to the doctor who taught
the deaf to speak. What was that doctor’s name, Cauldron or Coldano? Just imagine it, thought
Santi, a doctor to cure my Father and I could also pay for Aurelio’s passage and lessons with
that Doctor Cauldron. Then Aurelio might learn to speak, and take his place at the head of his
family, and the world would be arighted at last. A strong case to steal the jewels.

Would Aurelio make the journey, if Santi paid his way? Santi was fairly certain he
would. But how to speak with him about it? Again...secretly-coded notes for Aurelio could
certainly get either intercepted or at least observed, and Santi didn’t want to risk endangering
Aurelio.

That’s when it occurred to Santi he could bury his messages to Aurelio in symbols in the
ceiling frescos. Only Aurelio would be able to interpret them. Only Aurelio would recognize
their existence in the first place as communications. To everyone else they would simply be
bizarre images, not unlike the rest of the artwork in the ceilings. But if Santi were able to draw
Aurelio’s attention to certain symbols, and only certain ones, he might be able to convey to him
in symbols “Dear Aurelio. I’ve stolen jewels and run off to such-and-such a hiding place. Come
find me and the jewels and I’ll pay for that British doctor to teach you speak!” One of the

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