‘Good morning, Castellani,’ Balestra greeted him, extending his hand with a certain cordiality. ‘Welcome to Volterra. Have you found a place to stay?’

‘Good morning, sir. Yes, thanks to my father. A nice little house on the Semprini farm in Val d’Era. It’s not far from the city but very peaceful. I think I’ll like it very much.’

‘I’ve had a look at your request. I see you are interested in a very important piece. That’s fine with me. It’s only right that a young man like yourself should aim high; do something that will get you noticed. I just hope you’ve taken a careful look at the existing bibliography. There’s quite a bit of high-calibre material, as I’m sure you’ll have realized.’

Fabrizio had the impression that Balestra was feeling him out; trying to understand what was behind his request.

‘I’ve been working on this for quite some time and I’ve thoroughly examined all the material I’ve found,’ he answered. ‘I’m eager to begin my own personal research. I don’t foresee any problems and, with a little bit of luck, I should be able to complete my studies in no time. If everything goes smoothly, of course.’

Balestra offered him a cup of coffee, a very good sign indeed according to the grapevine, and after drinking it and exchanging a few more pleasantries Fabrizio made to take his leave.

‘The permit I’ve given you is quite wide-ranging, Castellani, allowing you to remain in the museum even after closing hours. Mario, the security guard, will show you how to set the alarm and turn it off, and he’ll give you an emergency number for the Carabinieri, just in case you should need it. I hope you realize what a privilege this represents. I’d ask you to respect this show of trust and to be as responsible and careful as possible.’

‘This is quite an opportunity for me and I can’t tell you how grateful I am, sir. You have my word that I’ll take every precaution and won’t cause any problems for you. When I’ve finished, if my research produces the results I’m hoping for, you’ll be the first to know.’