Chapter 10, "For a Couple of Bucks" Summary

Berendt is sitting for lunch with Ludovico de Luigi. Berendt is surprised at the headline of the newspaper. The newspaper has published a story in which the fire at the Fenice has been officially declared arson. Ludovico cannot believe that Berendt is surprised. Berendt responds with, "why wouldn't I be?". The fire was determined to be an accident in January after the occurrence and now in June the supposed cause is arson. Berendt asks Ludovico if he has known it was arson all along and Ludovico responds with the fact that he's not even sure at this moment. All of a sudden, before their very eyes, a seagull lands and pecks the heart out of a pigeon. Ludovico uses this as an example of the strong versus the weak.

Now that...