The kingdom
Cosimo's family is at first confused and disappointed, and looks at his escapades in the trees with mistrust, but after a while they get used to it. They even feel shared excitement with him, of this new world that needs exploring. His brother is constantly trying to keep up with him, get on his good side. To Biagio, it seemed as if his brother opened the doors to a new kingdom.
Fear of crushing prolific dreams
The character of Abbé, the old school teacher, who even made an attempt to teach Cosimo in the trees, is a character divided between religious strictness and understanding of the new ways of thinking of new philosophers. He would go on mixed rants and Cosimo never dared to stop him, because he was trying as well to become more prolific in his studies. He was scared that his efforts would die as if in some marble cemetery, if he were to interrupt the old scholar.
Like a thread of ink
Biagio ends the story of his brother by wondering whether Ombrosa, the place, ever existed, or if it was there just so Cosimo could pass through it. He wonders if it was embroidered on nothing, just like thread of his ink which he had left running page after page.