OCR Text |
Show tiifrh John Ilcrseu W&J' , , 5"" ,, far: Th Amerl-STOT",, Amerl-STOT",, Ad.no, with Major determined to re-?V re-?V MJl .Men by lh. Nazi.. L me tn M ,0 build confidence ol"r , )s wn"d ,tart tW 0P , .rain and arrnnced Ural- tt their boat.. Ho ' " l.nlu order, from Gcn- S" Vurvl. reported to head- 'v.rt order, liven by the And the Major said quickly to Captain Purvis in English. "Arrest him, Purvis, show this gang that you're arresting him." This was the-kind of thing Captain Cap-tain Purvis enjoyed, and as he clapped his hand heavily on Mayor Nasta's shoulder he shouted: "I wish I understood Eyetalian. This is wonderful." The crowd broke up slowly, mumbling mum-bling Its protests at being deprived of revenge. Purvis said: "Who 1 this little squirt, anyway? They sure hate him, don't they?" Maior JoddoIo said: "He's the This hurt. "Who is this Mayor?" "Bellanca the Notario, an honest man, much more honest than the former Mayor." And the former Mayor said: "Yes, Bellanca is honest. But surely you have something for Nasta to do? I would accept something less than Mayor." Nasta rubbed the wood of the desk wistfully. "There is not much left of the old Nasta," he said. "I would accept something less than Mayor." Major Joppolo's eyes grew angry. an-gry. He stood up abruptly. "Oh, you would, would you? Yes, I hav something for vou to do. Ynn nri to report every morning to Sergeant Ser-geant Borth of the American Army. You will find him in the Fascio. That is all you have to do each day. But see that you do it, Nasta, Nas-ta, or you will be put In jail." "You mean that Nasta has become be-come a common probationer?" "Oh, so Nasta is familiar with the practice of putting people on probation? proba-tion? That is very genteel of you, Nasta. I thought all your punishments punish-ments were more ingenious than that." "Please be generous with me," Nasta said. "Please give me some ( ' Shatters k meafthere were also s "f . fc e place, but they ' to Wen to th. ".StUrty broadcast, from " jt that Mayor Nasta ' Wf from the hills. Major ' TdCapUin Purvis had just t Ktf&S. and were talk- " 'Tl when they hard an un-: un-: "SS,t It m the street. There -ger.andwhisUes. outside grew, and one who used to be Mayor." "Oh, he Is, Is he? Well, according to what Borth says, they've got plenty plen-ty of reason to hate him." And the Captain kicked Mayor Nasta in the seat of the pants simply because he didn't know the Italian for: "You're a little squirt." Mayor Nasta whimpered In Italian: Ital-ian: "What are you going to do with me? If you are going to kill me, please tell me first. Don't shoot me from behind." What Major Joppolo did with Mayor May-or Nasta was to take him up to his office. Everyone, even little Zito work to do." "Generous? Nasta, what do you expect? For the crimes you have committed against the people of Adano, you deserve to be shot outright, out-right, without a trial. .You certainly certain-ly never would give a fair trial, unless un-less it brought you some kind of profit. I am being more than generous. gen-erous. I am putting you on proba- who had once worked for Mayor Nasta, even D'Arpa, the weasel-like vice mayor who had once worked with him, everyone made faces of disgust when they saw Mayor Nasta, Nas-ta, and some made obscene remarks within his hearing. v When word passed around the Palazzo Pa-lazzo that Mayor Nasta was back, B:;; , coming up the street. ; ? 1 several of the Idlers who ts" stening to the radio in alTuranufn out As the noise ? louder the two women i Pl up handfuls of fruit and ran I tsued by their guests. Then of the place and his wue "' r: ran i with their mouths n ad pasta and eggplant Ftally Major Joppolo said: Zlo see what it is." So he t J Captain Purvis ran out too, t Slteir napkins to their hands. This is what they saw: rjpthe center of the street a tor-booking tor-booking man walked He was k short, and rather heavy-set. Clothes were dirty and torn. His B m were covered with dust. H te was very sad, and he walked H hanging his head There V tl! only one proud touch to his flgure, and that was a pair of pe-nei spectacles balanced on his il nose. Behind the man, keeping a safe stance as If there stiU might be : ! ome dynamite in him, a large ; I mwi walked, shouting and whis-j whis-j fcg its derision. The derision was ' let times louder than it would other- A rise have been because this was tion. See that you behave, you t as- . cist." Mayor Nasta was obsequious now. "Yes, Mister Major," he said. "What did you say was the name of the American officer to whom I must report?" "His name Is Borth, and he is not an officer. He is a sergeant. You are not worth an officer, Nasta." Nas-ta." "Yes, Mister Major." This is how it happened that Mayor May-or Nasta reported once every morning morn-ing to Sergeant Borth at the Fascio. Fas-cio. Because four or five people followed the Mayor everywhere he went out of curiosity and hatred, there was a small audience on hand the next morning when he reported to Sergeant Borth for the first time. The audience enjoyed what it saw and heard, for this kind of situation was meat for Sergeant Borth, who thought the whole war was a joke. W be first time the people oi a IS lad ever been able to express their Minis toward this man. .Even be- fed their own closed doors they ud held their tongues about Mayor Sisla in the past-, because he liemed to have ears in every house, ud his eyes peeked in every win-low, win-low, and bis punishments were lidistic. - But now they shouted what they taught "Fascist Pig," they shouted. This j0 na what they shouted most. ! But they also shouted: "The mur-(tier mur-(tier always goes back to the scene The tattered Nasta stepped into one of the M.P. offices, rearranged his pince-nez, and said: "Where will I find the Sergeant Borth?" "I am Borth." T am Nasta." "Oho," roared Sergeant Borth. Ht stood up, rubbing his hands. "So you are the Mayor. I understand that you have come to Adano to repent re-pent your sins. Is that right, noble Mayor?" "I was told that I was to report here each morning. I was to report, re-port, not be humiliated, Sergeant. "You will call me Mister Ser- ll in crime! They also shouted: "Where is 1 Kajor Nasta's whip now?" Curiously the two women shout-jj shout-jj id, ud there was a kind of pride In the way they shouted. 3 Were was a priest in the crowd, fi; ltd he shouted: "Blasphemerl" i There were some children In the Sr mwd, and they ran along shouts' shout-s' he "Pig pigi Pigi" The anger of the mob bordered m violence. When the unhappy H Major got opposite the Albergo dei 'I)1! Ptscatori one of the women raised 1 t he, .-J 1 t llm Captain Pnrvis pulled his pistol ont of his pocket many people stuck their heads In Se door at the end of the Major: s office, which had once been the Mayor's May-or's office, to have a look at him In his disheveled condition, and to laugh at him to his face. Major Joppolo said to Zito and Giuseppe: "I want to have a talk with Mayor Nasta alone. Go ana TeU the people In the other office, that I do not want to be d'ed not even by a cracking open oi ttat Hnnr. I do not even want to be dis Mayor Nasta snorted, from his long habit of snorting. Borth said sharply: "Listen, Nasta Nas-ta I know more about you, than you know about yourself. You be care-fill care-fill how you behave here. Now, an-swer an-swer my questions civilly. Is t correct cor-rect that you came to Adano to repent your sins?". Mayor Nasta was white with anger an-ger but he said: "I suppose you mhanlyyo0u," Borth said with ex aggerated politeness. "In that case vou will repent one sin each morn- ( w arm and threw a plum at him. I c It missed him and splashed in the t i A ltet 4 f A boy of twelve threw a stone. 1 then several brickbats flew, and 0t h shouts of long repressed hatred I ktarae ahrieks of revenge, lijs Captain Purvis looked at Major i 'oppolo and Major Joppolo said: "Wve got to put a stop to this." tgj.1 Captain Purvis was not a subtle "jTi American, but he was a brave one. lor Be ran out in the street between " Uajor Nasta and the crowd. He ' up his hand and shouted: f "Stopl Stop," you ignorant fools." tf'i The crowd kept coming. A stone j? ! !t past Captain Purvis toward "'yor Nasta. Captain Purvis pulled his pistol jSl J? 01 Ul Pocket. That was enough. i tts ones in front held back the oth-Jp oth-Jp "', and the mob halted in the fceet Captain Purvis went back f, the sidewalk. Mayor Nasta, seeing that he was Mveili ran over to his deliverers, j! 1 he iooi in gutter blubber-f blubber-f "t bis thanks. "Americansl Oh, jjVd friends. Thank vou for saving turned by the brushing oi ears Mfsier Major." Zito said. -No!' Mister Major." Giuseppe "Major Joppolo sat at the desk and said brusquely: "Sit down. Mayor Nasta sat in one of the chairs in front of the I -well what is it that you wish? MTaltaEibrushed his hand XJTto the wrong d0 you want? nged the pincU nose .but he did not b'llusfrn-nce! Mister Major." var,rPi" Major Jop- "Vou want a ancei Mj . p0lo spoke " you ever give aa.ntC'veri.. Mayor ! "I have though It ove ing when you report to serge-m Bo'rth. Would you like to choose vour own sins, or would you like fergeaTBorth to choose them for yMayor Nasta couldn't keep him- ST-ITA, with his over-politeness, over-politeness, "you would like Borth to cion.Wha"seUiis sin called. Mf.atadoayou mean, what i, it ' C"Vou"are at a loss for words? ii i north will answer hu Very well. Bortb w own question. It is of cowardice." Mavor Nasta snorted. "No matter what side you were mtter if you were on the nof The crooks it wa, a sin to slde of the cro Mayor?.. t oive rifles to me did you not give " Finmce 8 make tt em a beautiful GUarh' about fighting to the last Speech about hiUs?.. man, and e"ld with a trem-Mayor trem-Mayor Nasta ld wi bling voice. xou Sergeant." shouted: "Answer Sergeant Boring -MaNaaid quietly: "I did J Sergeant.' . -Mister Sergeant! NNaSsta could hear the pec r n-:T, nut- F He said meekly. Sergeant(TO BE CONTINUED) a "I have been au bki NaS!? '. It was awful at night. I 1 ?. were ,ou in eine, Mister Mfr,-offlcei "After n;e.tyrover, have you? help, do vou? ists in office "You have other r D,Arpa g here- I saw who minUte 8 Maresc alio of Finance. I was my Maresc . blnierl. If cGoulf-etfhfse. why not Na, uv.T 8nd 8 bet' ter one." jjjfc U110111 'hese ungrateful people. jd 1 b,ve terved them for years and how they behave. I am aU f,: ericans. I have been In pj hills U alone for days. No one Hd itay with me. All the othors. "'"fi fvt 'hsmselves up. I have thought "erything over. I wish to help you 1""' r 1 can- . ." And he rattled on, jd .; Mi voice going higher and higher, .n" a',: ,J5meorie In the mob shouted: I ,tV lsler Major, If you help that man :.: I"' not our friend." u JPPl0 acted quickly to f J'' a' situation. He walked into .;, street and held up his hand for 'J,:; he was careful to make it i s left hand, so that it would not !vj ,,")lstaken for a Fascist salute. 1 1 6 ta hme' PePle- I will take 9 S ? I I. t5 01 is man as he deserves. He k toier arrest." |