protection His guidance was understood and followed Wavering between wanting to run off and a rash desire to attack the guards the hidden figure shrank a little into the shadows It was from there that Manu watched the soldiers take Bento away Where he didn’t know but he would find out Even if it meant searching all over Lisbon
2 Manu Manu was exhausted and hungry very hungry A little cold too He needed to get something to eat and find a place to spend the night that was sheltered from the wind The past few days had been difficult the day before particularly upsetting Things had improved when Manu came to Lisbon with Bento but recently everything had turned bad again Very bad At first right after the fight and Bento’s arrest Manu managed to stay at the tavern working hard helping to serve tables carrying water washing dishes sweeping the floor In return he had enough to eat and a place to sleep There was more work now that Bento wasn’t there The innkeeper and his wife agreed to let Manu continue because they needed help even if it was a child’s help A kid’s work is only a trifle but anyone who doesn’t take advantage of it is crazy the boss would always say And his wife would sometimes acknowledge in a
The nickname stuck It was kid here kid there No one was interested in knowing his real name Kid go fetch a pail of water from the well there Take this to that table kid But be careful it’s hot Heavy or not Manu carried it taking small steps sometimes stumbling He did what was possible being slight and not yet twelve The child followed every order more than ever now that Bento was gone Desperate to find out where Bento was Manu struggled to overhear conversations while serving tables But the subject never came up No one seemed to remember what had happened Finally Manu drummed up the courage to ask the innkeeper’s wife Where did they take my brother To jail of course Where did you think he would be He’s probably been flung into a dungeon by now protective tone The kid works hard This was very vague Manu persisted And where is this dungeon I don’t know How can we find out The woman looked admiringly at the dirty little face with its delicate lines and bright curious expression I have no idea but I can ask my husband And she continued to scald the freshly slaughtered
chicken she was using to prepare soup A while later when the innkeeper came into the kitchen Manu reminded her Don’t forget to ask him please Ask what Where the dungeon is The woman turned to look at the child and took pity She faced her husband Tavares do you know where they took Bento To prison of course Manu could not help asking Where is this prison And what will they do with him I don’t know You never know But there’s usually a stiff penalty in such cases It wasn’t just a fight he’s accused of insulting the king That’s not true Manu protested We all know that it You think you can convince the guards The judges I don’t know But I can go there and explain what isn’t true said the man smiling happened The innkeepers laughed thinking that kids just didn’t understand how the world worked Just imagine a child being allowed to enter a prison or a court and arguing with the authorities But Manu insisted Where is this prison Where did
