Outside, the summer air smells of harbour salt and warm stone. The ceremony murmurs on through the walls. Flavio has established, with complete certainty, that the Bird is In There — and he stations himself below the open side window with his boutonnière wand raised and the patience of a very determined small person. Aurora studies the logistics. She lifts both arms at the observer, silent and absolute. The observer, who has no counter-argument that would survive a two-year-old's scrutiny, lifts her to the windowsill. She hooks her fingers over the stone ledge and peers in. The gull sits on the arch in full ceremonial calm, rotating one yellow eye toward the window the way diplomats regard visiting delegations. Aurora looks back down at them. Her whole face says: still there. Flavio stretches his wand upward in what is unmistakably a salute. The ceremony continues beautifully inside. The gull accepts the salute.