Free Voyage of Slaves by Brian Jacques Page A

Who’d believe us, mate?”
    Ben sighed. “You’re right, but it’s still up to us to do something about the problem. I think it’s best that Signore Rizzoli and the others know nothing about it for the moment. It would only create a lot of trouble and worry for them. We must really put our minds to reaching a solution. Let’s discuss this tonight, when everybody’s asleep.”
    They joined the rest of the troupe, who were sitting about on the wagon steps. Mamma looked curiously at the pair. “Well, have you finished your talk?”
    This took Ben by surprise. “Talk, Mamma, what talk?”
    She smiled shrewdly. “I was watching you both, you can’t fool me. Oh, your lips weren’t moving, there was no sound. It was the way you were staring at each other. You were making a contact somehow, I’m sure of it.”
    Serafina saved Ben further embarrassment. “I know what you mean, Mamma. I stare into Poppea’s eyes a lot, and she looks back at me. We don’t have to say anything, it’s just a feeling of friendship. Some animals have the most gentle eyes—Poppea does, and Ned, too.”
    Buffo interrupted. “Oh, I know that. I stared into the eyes of La Lindi’s serpent once, they were fascinating.”
    Mummo shuddered. “Ugh, that awful python, what happened?”
    Buffo grinned. “It hypnotised me and tried to swallow me whole!”
    Mamma cuffed him playfully. “A pity it never did, you great fool!”
    Signore Rizzoli began tuning his mandolin busily. “Come on, you lot, let’s work out this evening’s show.”
    Passing a huge hand over his shaven head, Otto flicked perspiration from it. “Ach, it is too hot to think in this heat of Libya, can we not just sit and rest awhile?”
    La Lindi stretched out lazily. “A good idea, Herr Kassel. Serafina, sing us a pretty song, you know, the one which goes, lala, lala, laaa . . .”
    Augusto picked up the melody on his mandolin. “You mean this one? It’s a sad song, but nice. Sing it for us, bella ragazza. ”
    The beautiful black girl waited for him to finish the introduction, then sang slowly in her hauntingly husky voice. It was a song of forlorn love.
     
“A long time ago, a lifetime away, I knew one who loved me, could it be the same today?
    Why does my heart still yearn, the way it used to do, old songs make teardrops fall, when I remember you.
    Lala lala lalala laaaaaaaah.
     
“If I saw you now, my poor heart would say, stay with me forever, never ever go away.
    Fools say that love is blind, I know that isn’t true, your face would tell me so, if I could look at you.
    Lala lala lalala laaaaaaaalah!”
     
The echoes of Serafina’s voice hung on the still, warm air. A feeling Ben had never known came over him; it was like an actual ache in his chest as he gazed longingly at the girl. Suddenly, Ned’s calls were echoing through his bitter-sweet thoughts.
    “Ben, Ben! Wipe it from your mind, it’s impossible! You know we will have to move on someday without her. Remember the angel’s command! You would have to watch Serafina growing older. What would happen if she saw the years passing, and you hadn’t aged by a day, what then?”
    Ben continued looking at the girl. However, he heard his dog’s impassioned plea, and cast his eyes down, blinking. “The angel’s command, eh, Ned, the words that change my blessing into a curse!”
    The faithful dog felt his friend’s single tear dampen his outstretched paw.
    Augusto Rizzoli broke the spell. Putting aside his mandolin, he rose energetically. “Friends, we cannot sit here idle all day. Ben, have you been thinking about an act for you and your fine dog? That is, if you wish to take part in our show?”
    The boy strove to shake off his feeling of sorrow and appear both eager and happy. “I’ll help with any work that needs doing, signore, but I haven’t really thought about performing.”
    Mamma shook a finger at her husband. “Augusto, leave the boy alone, maybe he doesn’t want to be a trouper like