A Bell for Adano Read Online Free PDF Page A

your mass tomorrow morning about the Americans. I shall leave it to you to say what you wish, if you will merely add that there are certain proclamations which the Americans have posted which ought to be read
    Father Pensovecchio said: “That I can easily do.” Major Joppolo said: “I myself am a Catholic. If you will have me, I should like to attend your mass.”
    The priest said: “It will be a pleasure to have you.” Major Joppolo was glad that he did not say it would be an honor.
    Major Joppolo said: “I shall see you tomorrow then.” Father Pensovecchio said, just to make sure: “At the Church of Sane Angelo. It is by the Piazza of that name. At seven in the morning. Until then, son
    When the priest had left, Giuseppe said in his brand of English: “You doing okay, a boss. All you got a do now is fix a food.”
    “Yes,” said Major Joppolo, “food. We’ll go to the bakeries. But first, do you have a crier here?”
    Giuseppe said to Zito in Italian: “What is the name of the crier? Did he run into the hills with the others?”
    Zito said: “No, he is here. Mercurio Salvatore. He is here. Only, Mister Major, he does not always say exactly what you tell him to say. He will say the general meaning of what you wish, but he will change it some. Even if you write it down, he will change it some.”
    Major Joppolo said: “Will you get him, please, Zito? I want to send him out to tell the people to read the proclamations. “
    Zito went. Major Joppolo said to Giuseppe: “We will go to the bakeries, then we will post the proclamations.” Giuseppe said: “Okay, a boss.”
    Major Joppolo looked down at his desk and saw Craxi’s telegram. He undid the safety pin and unfolded the paper and read:
    “To Franklin D. Roosevelt, Capitol Building, Washington D.C. Fremente di gioia per la lbertá da molto tempo attesa the i vostri valorosi soldati anno dato alla città d’Adano stop vi prego accettare i sentimenti sinceri della mia gratitudine e riconoscenza. Antifascista Giovanni Craxi fu Pietro.”
    “Giuseppe,” the Major said, “let’s see how good you are as an interpreter. Now, this is for President Roosevelt. You must make it as eloquent as you can. What does it say?”
    “To Franklin D. Roosevelt and a so forth,” said Giuseppe. “Crazy with joy because of a liberty so long time awaited which your brave a soldier have a give to a town of Adano. What’s a stop?”
    “That’s just the end of a sentence, Giuseppe.”
    “End a sentence. I beg a you accept a sincere sentiments of my gratitude and a recognition. Signed a this Craxi. You going to deliver it, a boss?”
    “Sure,” the Major said, “the President will be glad to hear.”
     

 
     
    Chapter 2
     
     
     
    MERCURIO SALVATORE, crier of the town of Adano, took a little time to show up, because he had to get into his uniform. His face was happy when he did arrive, because he had thought that his crying days were over. Having been a voice of Fascism for seventeen years, he thought that the newcomers would not want his loud shouts. He had taken his uniform off and hidden it in the house of Carmelina the wife of Fatta. He had then awkwardly paraded himself in civilian clothes and the people, having seen him in uniform for seventeen years, laughed at him.
    “Where is the crier?” they asked each other in his presence.
    “He has disappeared into the clothes of Fatta which do not fit him,” they shouted, and laughed.
    Therefore Mercurio Salvatore was happy and grateful when he presented himself to Major Joppolo. “I am glad to be able to serve you and I kiss your hand,” he said in his husky Voice. Indoors he had learned to speak in a kind of whisper, because he knew the strength of his throat.
    Mercurio Salvatore stood before Major Joppolo in tawdry splendor. He wore a uniform of the eighteenth century, and looked as if he had been wearing it ever since that time. The tights had once been blue, but now they were a light and spotted grey. The