MERSA NASI 99 '■ 



piece-work and they had used their fists to get the job. They 



ate a basin of kneaded wheat per day and slept on the ground. \ 



For two months they had seen no one except the men who j 



came on the sambuk twice a week. ; 



'You are one of those ?' Cecco said. \ 



'I watch the gang. I am the trusted man of the boss.' \ 



*And who is the boss ?' 



'An Italian. He's a builder.' \ 



'And what are they going to build with this stone ?' I 



'A church.' i 



'Coptic?' 



'Catholic ! It's the Fathers who are building the church.' ] 



'What Fathers?' j 



'The priest Fathers.' \ 



'And are you a Muslim ?' 



'Catholic! Always been a Catholic. I was to have been a \ 



priest too.' I 



'And then?' \ 



'Then knew women, and kalàs.' 1 



'What's the meaning of kalàs?' \ 



'Finished, closed: kalàs.' ' 



'And where were you born ?' ' \ 



'In a village in Eritrea.' \ 



'And what do your people do ?' 



'My father dead in war with Italian. My mother work in 

 the fields. Good woman. Me wanted to be priest.' ì 



'And you instead . . .' ^ 



'Kalàs.' 



'What's your name?' 

 'Michael.' 



'Michael...?' ^ 



'Tesfankièl Berbè: Tesfankièl is like Michael in your i 



language.' ] 



