Voyage of Slaves

The clowns did a clever routine, juggling with Indian clubs. One of the clubs was not made of hardwood like the others, but was fashioned from cork and balsa wood. This caused much hilarity when it kept hitting them on their heads whenever they missed catching it, with practised skill. Both clowns caused consternation when they hurled what appeared to be pails of water at the audience, followed by laughter when the water turned out to be paper confetti.

Next, Serafina heralded La Lindi with a rolling beat of her Kongo drum. The snake charmer had on a costume of gold and green sequins, with her arms and legs painted to match. She wore a tight headmask with dark slash markings around the eyes. The whole thing created a reptilian effect as she went into her dance, undulating and writhing like a snake. Sweeping the python, Mwaga, from its basket, La Lindi whirled sinuously about amidst the seated guests. They were slightly apprehensive, but fascinated by the gyrations of the snake lady and her live python. Sometimes it was hard to distinguish one from the other, they were so closely entwined.

After that, Otto entered, bowing and flexing his impressive muscles. The German strongman excelled himself. He balanced a great cart wheel on his chin, whilst expanding his chest and snapping a metal chain which had been tied around him. Everybody gasped as he bent a dagger by placing the top of the hilt against his biceps, and the blade tip on his forearm. Bending the arm slowly, he turned the dagger into a U shape, leaving only a deep dent where its tip had rested.

After several more feats, Otto coaxed three fat merchants from their cushions and sat them together on a bench. Crouching beneath the bench, he set his broad shoulders against it, then stood upright. Bearing the weight of the three fat men, he paced a dozen steps, with not the trace of a tremble to his sturdy legs.

Serafina watched from the doorway as the strongman concluded his act amid applause and cries of admiration for his Herculean strength. Turning, she gave Ben and Ned their cue. “You’re on now, good luck!”

Ben was garbed in baggy black trousers held up by a broad green sash, a sleeveless, embroidered bolero jacket and a light purple cloak, which Serafina had loaned him. The rest was from the company wicker basket, including a white turban decorated with a spray of green feathers. Ned wore his frilly neck ruffle and the small, conical clown hat.

With her fingers crossed, Serafina watched from the doorway as Signore Rizzoli announced them.

“Honoured guests, the Rizzoli Troupe has the pleasure to present, for your entertainment, a piece of real magic! Please welcome the Mysterious Benno, and his assistant, the Magnificent Neddo!”

The pair strode on confidently and went straight into their act. Ben already had a silken scarf ready. When he made a request for an audience member to blindfold him, Bomba swaggered out, winking broadly to his companion Ghigno. The big man bound the scarf cruelly tight around the boy’s eyes. Giving the knot a final twist, he smirked.

“If you can see anything through that, infidel, then surely you are mysterious!”

Ignoring the constricting blindfold, Ben explained in theatrical phrases what he was about to do. At his command, Ned trotted out into the audience and began collecting their offerings, whilst Ben kept up an amusing commentary with the guests.

At the doorway, Otto stood behind Serafina; he was impressed with the boy’s easy manner. “He has the tongue of silver, I could never find the courage to speak with an audience like that. Your Ben is a very good speaker, ja!”

Serafina was slightly taken aback. “My Ben?”

The strongman nodded his huge, shaven head. “Ja, your Ben. I am thinking you like him a lot, Fräulein.”

The girl tried to appear noncommittal. “Well, of course I like Ben. We all do. You, too, Otto?”

The big German smiled. “Hoho, yes, we all like him, but not the same way as you do, kleines Mädchen.”¹⁹ He tweaked Serafina’s ear lightly. “I think you would give your heart to that boy!”

To hide her confusion, she looked away from Otto, concentrating her attention on the performance. Serafina’s eyes picked up an odd movement between Ghigno and Bomba, which she pointed out quickly. “Otto, see that man with the scar? He was whispering to the one called Bomba, then he slipped something to him. Do you think they are planning on upsetting Ben and Ned’s act?”

Otto shrugged. “There is nothing we can do about it right now, just watch and hope for the best.”

The Corsair had indeed passed something to Bomba—it was a shark’s tooth on a thong, a talisman often worn by seafarers in that area. Bomba gave the tooth to Ned, who deposited it on the ground behind Ben, informing him mentally, “It’s a fish’s tooth on a neckthong, shark, I think. I saw the one with the wounded face pass it to Bomba. I think they’re cooking something up, mate, be careful!”