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girl for seventeen years after the war is over. And that's Gibetti's story.' He puffed at his cigarette
and then went on: 'He told me all about it. Originally he wanted to take the girl home. He dressed
her up in an army uniform and with the help of his comrades started to carry out this plan. Then
his unit was encircled by the Russians and because he was afraid she might be shot he sent her
away. He gave her all the tins of rations that he could get out of his friends and told her to hide
out in an abandoned isba, where he promised to pick her up again if they escaped from the
Russians' clutches. 'But if we're killed or captured,' he said, 'wait until it's all over and then go
home. You can say that the Italians carried you away.'
'The battle lasted three days, and at the end the Russians had to beat a retreat for fear of
being encircled in their turn. Gibetti returned to the isba, but she was no longer there. He went
back to Italy with the thought of her still haunting his mind. After the armistice he took to the
mountains as a Partisan, but he still hadn't forgotten her. At the end of the war he joined the
Party, but even that was no help to him in retracing the girl. Ah he could do was send letters to
her by any Party comrade who went to Russia. Either the letters never got mailed or else they
didn't reach their destination; in any case he had no reply. Finally, seventeen years later, he
found a chance to come to Russia himself, and at this particularly favourable time when the
tension between the two countries is relaxed.'
'On our original programme we were to visit Stalino, and the girl supposedly lives close by.
But there has been a change of plans, and he doesn't know what to do. That's why he told me the
story. "You're on good terms with Comrade Nadia Petrovna," he said. "See if you can't do
something for me. I'm willing to stay here, if necessary; I'd do anything to find that girl."'
'I told him to leave it to me and trust my discretion. Then I went to Comrade Nadia. She's a
woman with a head on her shoulders and the first thing she said was that she must look into the
girl's present situation. I gave her the name and address and she wrote to a friend of hers who
holds down an important post in Stalino.
Scamoggia paused and took a typewritten sheet from his pocket.
'Here's the reply,' he said.
Don Camillo turned the paper over in his hands.
'This doesn't mean anything to me,' he said.'I don't know Russian.'
'Here's Comrade Nadia's Italian translation,' said Scamoggia, handing him another sheet of
paper.
 The letter was brief. It said that a Soviet mechanized unit had found the girl, clad in an Italian
army coat, at an isba near the enemy lines. She claimed that the Italians had brought her there
after they had withdrawn from the village of K., against her will, but that she had finally escaped
them. She was taken back to K., handed over to the village authorities, accused of collaboration
with the enemy and executed on the spot.
'But I can't tell this to Gibetti,' Scamoggia concluded.'lf you think he ought to be told, go
ahead and tell him. If you don't, remember that he's dead set on staying here because he thinks
he can find her. It's too much for me, and I'm washing my hands of it.'
And he strode out of the room leaving Don Camillo alone. The Soviet Union has more than its
share of devils and one of them began tugging a Don Camillo's cassock, the cassock which he
still wore in spirit beneath his disguise. The devil whispered:'Go ahead, Don Camillo! Here's your
chance to sink Gibetti!' But Don Camillo booted him away. A moment later Peppone came
through the door and Don Camillo grabbed his arm.
'After all, you do outrank me,' he said, shoving the papers into his hand.'I'm putting this little
affair right in your lap.'
Then since the papers alone were not sufficient to make his point he proceeded to furnish a
full explanation. Peppone turned around to lock the door and then gave vent to his feelings.
'The élite!' he shouted.'Ten hand-picked men! And what do we see? Rondella made trouble
from the start and had to be sent home. Scamoggia came with bottles of perfume in his pocket
and the idea of playing Don Juan, and Capece went and set himself up as his rival. Bacciga's
purpose was to deal on the black market, Tavan's to light a candle on his brother's grave. Peratto [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]