The Deserter - Part Five. Summer Tales reflects thus found himself in front of his house.
stopped to look at the façade, the small leads to a chestnut leaf alone in the center flanked by two small windows fitted with shutters strictly closed, attacked from one side to another smaller house also cleared by the epidemic of cholera that had decimated the first 10 years Montiferru Bonarcanto countries and, despite boasting the protection of a miraculous Madonna, had been one of the most affected and at the end of the epidemic its population was more than halved.
The particular violence of the epidemic was probably due to the habit of burying the dead almost inside the town, behind the Basilica, in our main fields where the waters flow that fed Canturu ‘ezzu, la sorgente principale da cui ci si approvvigionava dell’acqua utilizzata per bere e cucinare. Nel centro abitato erano presenti, se non addirittura all’interno delle case stesse, animali domestici come maiali, galline, asini che ricoprendo le strade con i loro escrementi non contribuivano di certo a migliorare la situazione ma anzi creavano terreno fertile alla diffusione dell’epidemia mortale. Si aggiunga infine che la popolazione stessa, per effettuare i propri bisogni corporali si recava in punti prefissati lungo sentieri poco trafficati e adibiti a gabinetti a cielo aperto per cui le malattie infettive collegate alla scarsa igiene, non avevano di certo ostacoli per la loro propagazione.
Grigula escaped the contagion was only because he was in Tanca Regia, away from sources of infection. His parents and his sister instead of 8 years but had not had a chance. As hundreds of people perished during the summer of 1907 when he was 15. The news was announced just after two weeks, when it had already been buried and Marshal Mariani prevented him from returning to Bonarcanto for fear of infection and also the futility of the gesture that would have been only the result of exposing to danger without the ability to change events.
Antonio beginning hated him for this but over time he recognized that he was right at the bottom, you can change this but you can not do anything about the past except learn from them and to make that unpleasant things are not repeated.
He looked away from the house and remember going towards the back wall of the courtyard and along the once safe from prying eyes, stepped over him easily. Once inside the courtyard, walked between the equipment and tools, now abandoned, which in the past his father had used for his job as a tanner.
was mainly Baptist Grigula them that for years had worked skins then resold to various craftsmen who used it. Shoemakers and saddlers in the district were among its most loyal customers even if the majority of orders came from but where Tanca Regia Marshal Mariani had elected a single supplier because of its hard-working, timing of delivery and quality of its products.
The two eventually became friends thanks to the fact that the Baptist had cured the disease by a marshal annoying he suffered for some time, had the backs of his hands almost completely covered with leeks and so ashamed that he used the gloves also summer.
Antonio had heard the story from his mother. She told him that his father knew how to "know meighìna de sos porros , which this was a family tradition handed down from father to son and which was also transmitted to him.
Intrigued he asked in what constituted this meighìna but his mother told him it was no secret that not even know her.
only said that once her husband got up at night, the moon was full and had to be about midnight or later still, she secretly followed him to the courtyard where she had seen him give back to the well, muttering unintelligible words while throwing shoulders above what looked like rock salt and which fell exactly into the same pit.
He also said that a couple of days later Marshal Mariani had come from them and the Baptist had rubbed on the hands of the herbs he had brought from the country, reassuring him that within a few days the warts would disappear and the hands would come back as healthy as he was a child.
When this actually happened, the sergeant proclaimed eternal gratitude to the tanner and their friendship was strengthened even more so when he was asked to take Anthony with him and teach him the trade willingly consented and when the child was 10 years old took him under his custody and took her with him to Tanca Regia as his father wished.
Now as he entered his father's house by the courtyard door, he thought with Grigula rammarico che insieme al padre era scomparso anche il segreto de sa meighìna de sos porros e che lui sarebbe stato il primo dei Grigula maschi a non poter tramandare ai propri figli quell’antica e magica arte retaggio di un popolo che ormai non esisteva più.
Scacciò i ricordi tristi e si diresse verso una cassapanca che era nella camera dei genitori. Fece scorrere le mani sui fregi e gli intagli con cui suo nonno materno aveva decorato quel mobile prima di regalarlo alla sua unica figlia il giorno del matrimonio.
Sa càssia conteneva il corredo matrimoniale di Bonacatu Ledda, madre di Grigula e veniva conservata gelosamente nella camera dei genitori per impedire che i bambini curiosity or for the game opened and caught wind of its contents. Now that there was no danger. He grew up and his little sister was gone just like their parents, but almost out of obedience to the wishes of the mother as a child, Anthony had never opened the chest and was not known what its contents. He refused to do so as that would raise the ancient landscape desecrated the memory and the memories of his mother.
then he laid on top of it rifle, cartridge belt and haversack. He moved into his old room and poured water into a washbasin of enameled iron that went over the ledge of the small window overlooking the courtyard and from which came the last rays of the setting sun. Also some objects were arranged on the windowsill. A pair of scissors, a comb, a small mirror, a wide strip of leather that dangled linked to the grating of the window, a razor and a bar of soap.
He took scissors and with the help of the mirror began to cut his long hair and decided flicks. It went on for about ten minutes after that, satisfied with the result, he put the scissors and picked up the razor and sharpened with the help of the strip of leather. He lathered his face and gesture slowly and carefully shaved his face to get rid of all black beard that for a couple of days clouded his face.
Once having become more presentable in his opinion, went to a small cupboard with one door that when opened showed a couple of linen shirts, collarless as those used in Sardinia, a pair of velvet trousers that were almost new to her father, a couple of cosìnzos who used the military and that he had brought with him when he left the job Tanca Regia.
He dressed with clean clothes, keeping only those wearing the bodice first, put the revolver taken from the thief who had disarmed in the morning and slipped into a front trouser pockets capable of the big knife which never separated . He picked up the little mirror and slid slowly over the entire body, checking for what could be their appearance and making sure to make a good impression with Annetta whose rating was holding more than anything in the world.
Just thought that soon he could see her again. Revise its blacks and bright eyes and his lips that hid rows of small pearls in the shape of teeth, smell the scent of his skin and hear his hoarse voice and melody that made him shiver and dizzy with passion.
With those images in his mind he found himself in the streets almost without realizing it and as the dusk turned to night walked with quick steps towards the house of the sisters Serchis while his heart beats more to speed up the emotion to physical exertion.
So he did not notice, as he passed in front of the Monte Granat, open the shutters of the window facing the street and Camillo Selegas who was watching from inside. He was detained until that late in his office because he needed that there was no one around while retouched falsified the books and the register in which shall indicate the quantities of grain in and out.
He had found another way to round off his salary. In addition to spy for the Corps, had an agreement in secret so don Tattanu as to show less grain in storage than it actually was. In this way it would distribute to every housewife Bonarcanto a smaller amount of wheat seed that they would have included gaining on the landowner who had in great abundance. In return
Tattanu Don's recognized a small percentage plus Selegas sold to a miller Santulussurgiu at a lower price than the market the grain that was disappearing from the records of Mt. In the aim to earn enough money to drop everything and disappear from the small town of Montiferru he regarded as a prison.
Just before the young man passed through the large wooden door and continued along the road, the administrator of Mount closed the shutters of the window and holding the key in his waistcoat pocket also the door of his office. He flung open the heavy door and walked outside where he saw the back of that Grigula turn right and disappeared from his view. Determined to find out what her goal, with the large central key lock secured the door and threw himself on his trail.
went on to guess along the direction in which she had seen him disappear and believed to have been lost, when the last glow of the sun almost completely set showed him that his pursuit stopped in front of the main door of a mansion. He stopped and sought refuge in a dark corner of a house about twenty feet across from one in which Grigula was preparing to knock. These, after a moment's hesitation and after taking off his cap from his head, grasped the knocker shaped metal hand holding a ball and tapped it with two shots and took a step back on hold.
spent a short time the door opened and a figure showing that because of the light that came from behind prevented Selegas identified with certainty. She knew only that it was a woman but could not see her face as he withdrew in order to allow the young visitor from entering the house.
When the door closed, the sudden hound came up a few steps to the building and when it was safe to be in front Serchis home with a smile of satisfaction he turned his back and walked to the opposite side from which had come.
Ten minutes later he was knocking on the door side of the palace of Don Sebastian Selis.
was to open a tzeràcca who recognized him let him but left him waiting in the hallway while she went to warn his master, who at that time was preparing to dine.
A moment later the landlord appeared visibly annoyed with air and crashed so the visitor called out
- What do you want here at this hour? I told you to never come here alone! A Bonarcanto even the walls have eyes and ears and that your visit will certainly not go unnoticed ...
- Do not worry Don Tattanu. I was cautious and I took a tour off to come here. He did not see anyone. I come at this time because I need your help ...
- What? What happened to grave that can not wait until tomorrow?
- Mi serve un uomo a cavallo che arrivi velocemente a Seneghe e ho pensato che forse potreste incaricare uno dei vostri servi…
- Una richiesta di questo tipo deve avere una forte motivazione per essere esaudita, quindi non perdere tempo ulteriore e spiegami perché dovrei darti quello che chiedi.
Così Camillo Selegas velocemente spiegò i motivi della sua richiesta e man mano che andava avanti il volto di don Tattanu cambiava espressione. Realizzata l’importanza di quanto riferitogli, rassicurò il responsabile del Monte Granatico riguardo alle sue richieste e lo congedò with a couple of pats on the back.
once only sent for the person he trusted most and which relied on the most delicate tasks.
Austinu Zedda arrived within minutes and after listening carefully to the instructions of his master, went to the stables, saddled his horse and holding the halter and led him out to be "on corral." He closed the big door and after being mounted on the bike went out of the country towards Seneghe.
Annetta When she went to open the door to knock it was hoped that the young man who was just davanti. Appena lo riconobbe il viso le si illuminò e le gote si tinsero di un lieve rossore rivelando l’emozione che l’aveva assalita e che gli stringeva la gola impedendole di parlare, perciò, senza proferire verbo, si scostò dall’uscio per consentire l’ingresso al giovane che timidamente aspettava all’esterno.
Una volta all’interno Grigula si voltò verso Annetta che intanto aveva richiuso il portone e vi si appoggiava incapace di muoversi e di parlare.
- Anna… - iniziò a dire il giovane che la chiamava sempre con il suo nome e non Annetta come ormai era da tutti conosciuta. Lei gradiva particolarmente this difference that showed how strong was the feeling that united them, since the recognition otherwise would put them above the clichés and habits Bonarcanto.
- How are you? Karra had warned you that I would pass? - Continued while he approached and took both his hands in his.
The girl looked up and replied with a whisper - I'm 'well. You know that here I do not miss anything ... Peppe told me that we had a visit but did not speak to you. But I was hoping it was you ...
- E ' Now, almost a month since we last met but I seemed an eternity! The police are looking for me and I have to be on the move otherwise sooner or later be able to get me.
- I know, I know. And for this the night I can not sleep. I fear for you, someone to do the light and they can find ...
Grigula smiled, drew her towards you and to calm her while holding her breath the fragrance of her skin that intoxicated. Feeling the heat of the body that clung to her was wrapped in an indescribable feeling and hoarsely whispered
- No one can keep me away from you. Even though I tried a whole company of Police, nothing would prevent me from coming back to you! As soon as this war is over I'll take you on. We'll go where nobody knows us and where we can build a future together without being afraid of anything or anyone.
Before she could answer, they heard behind them - Po 'med'ancora teppeìs abarrare afferruzzaòs in s'or'e penzàis de sa jenna or at one of intrare dezidere finzas to coghìna?
The two young men broke the contact and turned in the direction whence came the voice.
Continued ...
