by Giovanni Galavotti, translated into English by Ruth Stephens
Chapter 8 – The Photograph
When Marianna and Leonardo are sitting at a little table in the inn, with glasses of wine in front of them, Marianna replies to his question.
“A photograph.”
“A photograph?” says Leonardo in surprise.
“Yes, an old photograph. It’s of me when I was very small, with my mother.
And also my father, who died many years ago.
He travelled a lot for his work, so this is the only photograph that I have of him.
That’s why it’s so precious to me.”
“I see” says Leonardo
“Can I see it?”
Marianna looks into his eyes.
“Yes, for you, yes. But you must close your eyes.”
Leonardo closes his eyes and Marianna takes her purse out of her bag.
She takes out an old photograph from a section of the purse, and holds it in front of his eyes.
“Now you can open your eyes.”
In the photograph there is a small child in the arms of a young woman in her twenties.
They are inside a circus tent.
The child is smiling at a man in front of her.
He’s around thirty years old, with long hair and very tight clothing.
He is throwing balls high into the air above him.
He’s a juggler!
Leonardo is without words.
He looks at Marianna, and she smiles at him.
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