As S. and Osfour are fleeing towards the waterfront, the bird theme is continued: “Birds flee the city, speeding out over the water, their wings beating a terrified static in the air.”

Eric notes, “only a few people in Maraú know who [FXC] is. She’s been living as ‘Ermelinda Pega’ since FXC’a ‘death’ in Feira Nova.” 

“pega= Portugese for magpie”

“She said she couldn’t resist. She was smiling when she said it.”

Because “straka” is Czech for magpie, this is a romantic gesture as F.X.C. takes her lover’s last name after his death. Taking a man’s last name is customary after marriage, so it is interesting that F.X.C. chose to do this after Straka’s death.