AT sundown, just the hour when the Italians and everybody else in the village had gathered at the sidewalk tables of the cafes, freshly showered and dressed, staring at everybody and everything that passed by, eager for whatever entertainment the town could offer, Tom walked into the village wearing only his swimming shorts and sandals and Dickie's corduroy jacket, and carrying his slightly bloodstained trousers and jacket under his arm. He walked with a languid casualness because he was exhausted, though he kept his head up for the benefit of the hundreds of people who stared at him as he walked past the cafés, the only route to his beachfront hotel.
Eguzkia sartzean, italiarrak eta herriko beste guztiak kafe aurreko mahaietan bilduta zeuden orduan, dutxatu berriak eta apainduta, pasatzen zen edonori eta edozeri begira, herriak eskainitako zeinahi ikuskizunen irrikaz, Tom herrian sartu zen, soinean bainujantzia, sandaliak eta Dickieren panazko jaka besterik ez, pixka bat odolez zikindutako bere prakak eta jaka besapean Halako axolagabekeria makal batez ematen zuen pausoa leher jota zegoelako, nahiz eta kafeen ondotik pasatzean-hondartza aurreko bere hotelera joateko bide bakarra-buruari tente eutsi begira somatzen zituen ehundaka lagunengatik.