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help. Only in an emergency, of course" and I pushed his moccasins with my foot. "Once a year the meeting of all the members and the lunch on gold plates."

"A beautiful expense, the gold plates..." I said looking at his feet with short trimmed nails. I was sitting on the floor this time, too, which I found more comfortable than chairs."

"Only the members of the steering committee will be entitled to the solid gold plates. The others will have gold-plated plates, always engraved with W.T.I. and your name. The statute seems ready to me." he said, removing the sheet from the typewriter. "Did you tell Gianfranco to come?" 

"And already here." I said. You never heard him coming, Gianfranco. He was quieter than a cat.

Papa turned towards the door and as soon as Gianfranco had entered the room I began to read the statute. "What do you think about it?" he said when he was done. 

"It seems perfect to me," said Gianfranco. 

"Now the signatures. Each with their own blood." said Papa.

"With blood? Is it really necessary?" I said. 

"Gives more meaning to the signature. My knife is sharp, you won't feel anything" and with a quick gesture he cut his finger. After signing all three with blood, Papa put on his moccasins, bent down and took an empty bottle from under the desk, I rolled up the statute and put it inside. "Have you taken a good look to see if anyone is in the garden?" he asked Gianfranco.

"There is no one. We can go." 

"Let's go," said Papa, hiding the bottle under his shirt. We went down the steps of the Tower in single file. Near the cat room, where the frangipane shrub grew, Gianfranco took a shovel that was leaning against the wall.