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“Good.” Teresa nodded, and Renzo entered the room holding Dante, who squirmed in his grasp. Tearstains streaked the boy’s cheeks, and his hair was in disarray. His shirt and pants were dirty, and he was barefoot.
Vergenti frowned. “What happened to his shoes?”
“God knows.” Renzo rolled his eyes. “Boy, stop it, stop it! Stay still!”
“He had a brown jacket, too. Where is it?”
Teresa interjected, “I gave it to the laundry after he soiled it.”
“Oh.” Vergenti knew Renzo and Teresa had three sons, but he didn’t accuse them. The husband-and-wife team was invaluable to him, since he never went near the lunatics. “Renzo, set him down, please.”
“What if he bites me again?”
“I need to evaluate him.” Vergenti was required to diagnose the child, so the madhouse would receive its allotment for the boy’s support.
“Write that he’s violent and incorrigible.”
Vergenti patted the examining table. “Dante, sit down here and be still. I would like to talk to you.”
Dante struggled in Renzo’s arms, his eyes wide with fear.
Renzo snorted. “He won’t listen to anybody. He acts like a prince.”
Teresa shot him a look. “Renzo, set him down.”
“Are you crazy? He’ll run away!” Renzo set the boy down, and Dante bolted from the room, tripping on his leg rope.
“Oh no!” Vergenti sighed in dismay.
Teresa shook her head, clucking.
“Get back here!” Renzo grabbed the child. “Stand still!”
Teresa looked back at Vergenti. “You see how hard he is to manage?”
Vergenti’s patience evaporated. “Renzo, put him on the table.”
“Yes, Dottore.” Renzo brought the child to the table and sat him down. “Listen to the doctor, boy, or we’ll send you to the lepers. Your fingers will fall off, then your toes. You’ll be Prince of the Lepers.”
“Let me talk to him, Renzo.” Vergenti stood in front of the boy, who fidgeted in Renzo’s grasp. “Now, I want to ask you a question, Dante. You must tell me the truth. Why did you try to harm your brother? Were you jealous of him?”
“I have no brother,” Dante whispered.
“Lying is against the rules.” Vergenti picked up his pen and pad, then made a note,lies compulsivelyanddisobeys rules. Alsothrows food and feces, which revolted him even to write. “Dante, are you jealous of your little brother? Yes or no?”
Dante shook his head, frowning.
“Didn’t you wish your brother away? Didn’t you want your parents to yourself? That would be a natural wish of any firstborn child.” Vergenti made a note,delusional and wishful thinking. “Your parents brought you here—”
“That’s not how I came,” Dante interrupted, still in a whisper.
“Then how did you come?”
Renzo interjected, “You’re inviting him to lie, Dottore!”
Teresa chimed in, “Dottore, the boy is delusional. Asking that question will only encourage him.”
“Please, silence.” Vergenti turned to the child. “Dante, how did you get here?”
