The Ancient Curse Read Online Free PDF Page B

Some of them get so caught up in what they’re doing that they even go back to school to brush up on their history!’
    Fabrizio seemed amused and Francesca continued: ‘In general, they think of themselves as being better at their jobs and more efficient than we are at the NAS. From a certain point of view, they’re right. Since they’re not bound by scientific methods, they can get straight to work and dig out everything they need in a couple of minutes. Seriously, they are far superior to us in one thing: how well they know the territory. They’re familiar with every centimetre of the land. They leave no stone unturned, literally. Some of them even believe they’re the reincarnation of someone from Etruscan times. But I’m sure you’ve heard all this before . . .’
    ‘No, not at all. You know, I’ve only worked at a university. Our excavations are always organized well ahead of time and are usually uneventful. You NAS people are always on the front lines. I imagine that your work must occasionally even be risky.’
    ‘Well, it can be, although it looks like this time our rivals were the ones who met up with something really terrifying. Let’s not talk about that now, though. Tell me how you’re getting on with the Rovaio tomb.’
    ‘There’s not much to say. You saw yourself that I’ve cleared the facade. But I found nothing in the sedimentary layer. Just earth. And nothing at the ground level either.’
    ‘Either they were cleanliness fanatics or no one ever came by . . .’
    ‘That’s what has me wondering. You know, cemetery sites always show signs of being well visited. Flattened areas where people have beaten a track, little objects that people lose over time and that get crushed beneath their feet. I saw absolutely none of that there. I’m sure about the layer. I got to the base of the monument, so there’s no doubt about that. So how could that be?’
    The waiter brought the wine and a plate of salami. Francesca put a slice into her mouth, savouring the strong flavour of the boar meat.
    ‘It’s too soon to say,’ she said, ‘but you’re right. The path leading to a tomb is always well worn, and that’s noticeable. That’s where you tend to find things. So these people never had a living soul come by with an offering or a prayer, as we’d say today. Did you see any marks on the stone?’
    ‘The only marking seems to be the sphere of the new moon.’
    ‘The dark moon, then.’
    ‘So something’s not right, you’re saying.’
    ‘Listen, it’s no use guessing. Tomorrow you’ll open the tomb and you’ll see what you find. I’m really sorry I won’t be able to be there. At least, not before noon.’
    ‘Do you want me to wait? I can finish the site survey, clean up a little . . .’
    ‘No, it’s already clean enough as it is. No, you go on with your work. You must be eager to get back to your research at the museum.’
    Fabrizio tried to shift the discussion around to more personal things, but Francesca was politely defensive and kept her distance, deftly steering him back to neutral topics. He felt discouraged and lonely, not seeing the point in continuing with such superficialities.
    ‘I was really scared last night,’ he said suddenly.
    ‘That’s right, you said you’d heard something.’
    ‘A scream or a howl. I really can’t describe it. It was atrocious. It didn’t sound human, that’s for sure. And it made my hair stand on end.’
    ‘And you think it’s connected to whatever killed Ronchetti.’
    ‘What do you think?’
    ‘I stopped at the place where it happened before coming to meet you. There’s not a sign on the ground. The bushes all around are untouched. If it had been an animal, I think you’d see something. You know – broken branches, clawed-up earth . . .’
    ‘Well, then?’
    ‘I have my suspicions.’
    ‘I’d like to hear about them. Maybe it would make me sleep easier tonight, in that isolated farmhouse! More wine?’
    Francesca nodded.