"From the penitentiary, Bibi... was transferred to a job that entailed years in a cemetery." "Bibi started to read the names on the tombs, discovering the illustrious ones, learning the unknown ones." ""Everything comes to an end" was carved on one," ""I am life" was mentioned on another." "Here, the only hope." "There, a promise of eternal pain in the infinite kingdom of time." "The breeze blew over the just, the magnanimous and the great, who were so severe and exacting towards the living who can be dulled by the slightest thing, yet so generous with the others." "Alone, Bibi... sat on a bench to watch the busy traffic of ants." "An earthworm moved slowly across the pathway." "He picked it up and moved it to its destination." "Would it thank him?" "No, it stayed motionless, perhaps terrified." "It must have then been overtaken by a silent rage:" "It started to move again, turning back to its starting point." "Bibi moved on." "He went down an unexplored avenue." "Two grey stone Sphinxes watched over a large tomb surrounded by shining walls under a temple-like vault." "It had a small altar inside and a coat of arms in the centre of the lintel, the coat of arms being the Medicean one halved." "He saw an old gentleman on the steps, bending to lock the gate." "It appeared to be his boss." "Bibi came up behind him." ""I'm Royal," he said with a bow." ""Good for you," said the boss." ""Royal, the surveyor," clarified Bibi." ""I see," came the reply." ""I'm checking things here."" ""Keep up the good work,"" "His Excellency concluded, walking away." "Bibi bowed once again then caught up with him." ""I'll always lay flowers on it," he promised." ""Thank you," said the boss without looking at him." "There was a tub near the crossroads." "There he could obtain a few roses to lay at the threshold." "After dinner, before going home, he took his usual stroll." "He went as far as Porta Vecchia, then turned in the other direction for the main avenue." "Under the trees there were always two or three women in red or strawberry pink." "He passed the usual lonely way-farers, stray animals." "A small, fawn-coloured dog started to follow him." "He caught up with him, looked at him, disappeared, came up behind him." "As Bibi half-opened the little door, it came forward and waited." "It panted, wagging its tail gently." "Bibi went in quickly, leaving it outside." "The animal sensed he was still behind the door." "It puffed and panted, scratched and whined." "Bibi walked away on tip-toe;" "he continued his usual walk between the graves." "His footsteps resounded every now and then." "From the coloured lanterns, a feeble light illuminated some words low down:" ""Peace", "Prayer", "Lies"..." ""MDCCC, Antonia"." "All around, spectral forms and bodies shimmered whitely." "A gentle radiance suddenly appeared." "Not the red glow of the place he used to work at, not a harbinger of the moon or the reflection from a lamp:" "It was vast, diffuse, persistent, in midair;" "it was coming towards him." "He was surrounded by fireflies that hovered around him without touching him, cutting across the darkness." "Enchanted," "Bibi gazed at the phosphorescent stream, all bluish flashes." "They say that this is the hour of love." "The passage had already ended." "A weak voice called out his name." "The shadow was next to him, on his left, deformed, stiffened, like this." ""Aunt Rosina!"" "He stammered." ""Aunt Rosina!"" ""Miss Rosina!"" "And unusually for him, he cried." "He shouldn't have looked at, or touched her." ""If I could just remember her words."" ""Why such a long journey?"" ""Will Aunt Rosina come back?"" ""Will she come back?"" ""You only need think of me."" ""Think of me and call."" "Thank you." "I wanted to encourage you to read Pizzuto because he deserves to be read."