The Mistery of Belicena Villca that only lasted a few hours until the Police , thanks to the data provided by a professional snitch , could derail it .
Chapter VIII Things happened like this : my parents had traveled to Cairo – the family Refinery is a few kilometers from this city-- in order to make purchases .
While Mom entertained herself in the vast premises of the English Store I , greedy for mischief , slipped with great disguise towards the street . A moment later I was running several blocks from the Store innocently attracted by the bustle of the " Black Market ", labyrinthine neighborhood of miserable street stalls and safe haven for beggars and petty criminals .
That day the human tide was dense in the narrow streets in which the distance between two sales positions barely left an aisle to pedestrian traffic . Pottery , fruits , carpets , animals , everything imaginable was sold there and before each merchandise my curious eyes stopped . I was not afraid because I wasn ' t too far away and it would be easy to go back or for Mom to find me .
Following an alley , I came to a wide cobbled square , with fountain , into which lead an infinity of streets and alleys that only the irregular layout of those neighborhoods of Cairo can justify . There were hundreds of vendors , bums , beggars , and women with their faces covered by the chador , who collected water in clay jugs .
I approached the fountain trying to orient myself , without noticing a group of Arabs that surrounded singing a snake charmer . This show is very common in Egypt so it would not have caught my attention , unless by the unusual fact that when the Arabs saw me , they lowered the tone of the chant until becoming completely silent . At first I did not realize this because the charmer continued to play the flute while the green eyes of the cobra , hypnotized by the music , seemed to look only at me . Suddenly the piper also joined the group of silent Arabs and I , realizing that something abnormal was happening , one after another I took cautious steps back .
The spell was broken when one of them , giving a hideous howl , yelled in Arabic , --The Sign ! while he pointed awkwardly at me . It was like an indication . All at once shouted in excitement and ran towards me with the naked intention of my capture .
There was a terrible commotion for I , being a child , ran between the crowd with greater speed , while my pursuers were hampered by various obstacles , which were eliminated by the expeditious system of throwing to the ground everything that crossed their paths . Luckily the crowd was large and many witnesses to the episode were then able to inform the Police .
The persecution did not last long as the frenzied fanaticism that animated those men multiplied their forces , while mine was consumed quickly .
Initially I took a street full of merchants , escaping in the opposite direction employed to get to the square , but after a few blocks , trying to dodge a crowd of salespeople and customers , I stepped into an alley . This was not straight , but kept narrowing more and more , until becoming a path one meter wide between the walls of two neighborhoods that had advanced from different directions , without respecting the street .
As I ran , the alley seemed cleaner of obstacles , and consequently , my pursuers gained ground , until a protruding stone from the uneven ground made me roll defeated . I was immediately surrounded by the excited Arabs who did not take a moment to wrap me with one of their capes and carry me imprisoned in powerful arms . The impression was great and unpleasant , and as much as I screamed and cried , nothing seemed to affect my captors running now , faster than before .
A while later we reached our destination . Although I couldn ' t see , I understood Arabic perfectly and inferred then that the fanatics were calling with loud voices someone they called Naassene Master .
At last they released me from the hooded wrap that blinded me , depositing me on a soft silk cushion , of regular size . When I accustomed my eyes to the gloom of the place , I verified that I was in a wide room , dimly lit with oil lamps . The floor , covered with rich rugs and cushions , was attended by a dozen men kneeling , with their foreheads on the ground , those who from time to time raised their eyes and looked at me and then , clasping their hands over their heads , raised their lost eyes to the sky crying Ophis ! Ophis !
Of course all this frightened me because , although I had not suffered damage , the memory of my parents , and the fact of being a prisoner , gave me great grief . Sitting on the cushion , surrounded by so many men , it was impossible to think about running away and this certainty made me cry painfully . All of a sudden , a kind voice came from behind me bringing momentary hope and consolation to my sufferings . I turned around and saw that an old man of white beard , wearing a turban , reached towards me .
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