Puzzle

An inspector of police was called in deeply night, he answered to phone with much curse since he was soon lay down on the bed; he answered and a voice tool: “Sorry for disturb but a theft is happened and it is very strange for his way, can you come here?”, Bernard therefore get up bed and dressed with much cure, but also with hurry, he got in car and drove till Museum of modern art, where homicide was happened; he got out car and looked an open bar, and without other words he got in and asked soon a coffee; barman served him and he drunk that coffee like if out waits guillotine, and that coffee was lost of his life. While he drunk looked around and soon touch his pockets for to search cigarettes, that he found soon, but before looked that bar sold also cigarettes, and with some dollars he bought it. By now the theft after then years in police were normal for his life, but very relevant was surprise when he went out and on theft scene he looked something very anomalous; in fact, a puzzle was to floor and tesserae were on disorder on floor, but these aren’t much, some tens, he noted this characteristic and his interest was soon took by this particular; he together all tesserae and saw corps, therefore went to district. On his table he set all tesserae and he started composed puzzle, he was very happy when mysterious become very dark, he composed all tesserae and he created a face, a man with hat with large peak, black and face was of a man around 50 old age with thick and white mustache, and look very intense. This face was for him very interesting because it seems a face of other century, perhaps at 17^th century, and he trayed to understand because a face of 17^th century was in floor and what was mean of this presence, very strange. By now awake and incapable for to sleep, Bernard was very intense involve to this case; he was a logic person and every strangeness attracted him always; coffee and cigarettes were his better friends for this moments, this face was very strange and for a man who lives in New York it was more strange, a face that isn’t among suspect, he trayed a report with somebody that he has arrested, and he thought some name, and on computer he saw some face but not was that, therefore got up, and he gone to worm drink machine and while he thought, and he thought that was a sign of thief; therefore he was searching on computer he wrote name of artist, and he found that this portrait was of Gian Lorenzo Bernini, baroque artist in Rome, he searched immediately among thief of art, and together some name, not much but important. Therefore at 6 am he waited that art gallery and other sellers are open. Bernard went in store and he saw a man with back to door, and busied to painting a portrait; Bernard listened soon a stroke with hammer on anvil but out store, and he turned immediately and he saw that city was despaired, he run to door and he saw a way with much slush and horses with carriages and smith who stroke on metal, horses and other. He was astonish and tried a reference for to understand where he was, and haired a voice: “Useless that you are searching your buildings, here you are in other country and other city”, Bernard turned soon and looked to eyes a man with mustache, and pointed beard. Bernard soon asked: “Who are you? And Where I am now?” man answered: “I am Gian Lorenzo and you are in Rome, during 1645”, Bernard more astonish than before looked around and he saw assistants who painted and above all sculptured, who drew, who chosen tools for marble and other. Bernard therefore looked Gian Lorenzo and said: “That is painting that I am searching”, and he approached to painting, Gian Lorenzo followed him with look and commented: “Yes that painting is my portrait, and is take again from a engraving of Ottavio Leoni at 1622, and a biographical author wrote, that I have witty and lively; then was with other portrait of Costanza Bonarelli but now it is lost, but I have sculptured Costanza”, Bernard therefore asked: “You have now this portrait and in Museum it isn’t”, and Gian Lorenzo: “Yes but don’t worry, because I have gat alone for a slight change, tomorrow it will be in his place. Bernard looked to floor and Gian Lorenzo: “If you want you can went out and go back to your city”, with these words Bernard goggle eyes and open soon the door, and he listened cars and confusion of city, he was very calmed and went out from store, that he looked soon and he saw same gallery went in. Day after he for curiosity Bernard went in Museum where was theft for a consideration of some particular, and he saw together much persons and he wanted entry; he saw a man back with black suit while he explication with delicate voice, Bernard approached to him and asked: “Who are you?”, man turned toward Bernard and answered: “Gian Lorenzo, here is your painting some brushstroke were necessary, but now is perfect”, and he continued with his explication. Somebody next Bernard asked: “Do you know him?”, and Bernard: “Yes I have knew him some years ago”, and visitor: “When?”, and Bernard: “At 1645”.

Alessandro Lusana