Malavita by Tonino Benacquista Read Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Tonino Benacquista
witness-protection programme strictly forbade protected families from appearing in any photos or making any public appearances. Belle began to resent those who even suggested that she play any part in this damned end-of-term show.
âYouâre just being shy, Belle. Appearing in public might help! A lot of people have conquered their shyness by acting in plays.â
Her, shy? She had the confidence of a film star! She was as bold as a saloon-bar singer! But she was forced to conceal the real reason for her refusal from those who were urging her to appear on stage:
Iâm not just a little idiot waiting to be begged â itâs just that I canât show myself anywhere, the United States of America have forbidden me. Apparently I would be risking my life and my familyâs life, and itâll be like that for as long as I live.
Still ten minutes till the lunch bell. Belle was getting impatient â she wanted to see Warren. He was the only one she could complain to, he who had long since given up complaining himself about this curse they lived under. She went back into the main building and sat down on the ground, opposite the classroom where her brother was having a history lesson.
Since early childhood, Warren had had an annoying habit of picking and choosing his educational options. By carefully planning for his adult life he had made a certain number of choices, making it possible, in his view, to concentrate only on essentials. For him the only two subjects which deserved a little of his attention were history and geography. The first was out of respect for his origins, the second in order to defend his territory. He had always felt the need to understand how the world worked, and how it had been organized before he was born. Even back in Newark he had been curious about his background, his descent, the history of his history. Where had his family come from and why had it left Europe? How had America become the United States? Why did his Australian cousins have that weird accent? How come the Chinese had built Chinatowns all over the world? Why had the Russians now got their own Mafia? The more answers he could get, the better he would be able to run the empire he intended to reconquer. Other subjects? What other subjects? Grammar was for lawyers, maths was for accountants and gym was for bodyguards.
The yearâs curriculum included, amongst other things, a brief overview of international relations before the Second World War, and the main events of the War itself throughout Europe. That morning the teacher had described the rise of fascism in Italy and the way in which Mussolini had seized power.
âThe march on Rome took place in 1922, and Mussolini took over the government. In 1924, after the assassination of the socialist Matteotti, he became dictator. He installed a totalitarian state in Italy and, dreaming of a colonial empire built on the model of ancient Rome, sent troops off to conquer Ethiopia. When France and Great Britain condemned his African invasions, he drew closer to the German Führer. He supported Francoâs troops during the Spanish Civil War. He met with no more opposition until the end of the War. At the same time, in France . . .â
History continued its march under the bored eyes of twenty pupils more interested in thoughts of the Friday lunch of fried fish. It was even warmer than the day before, one of those days when summer seems to have come early. Concerned with historical accuracy, Warren raised his hand.
âAnd what do you make of Operation Striptease?â
The word âstripteaseâ at this unexpected moment made the class sit up, wide awake now. All saw it as a splendid and timely intervention â they expected no less from the little new boy who had managed to control boys three times his size.
âWhat do you mean?â
âYou said that Mussolini met with no opposition until the end of the War. What about Operation
âYouâre just being shy, Belle. Appearing in public might help! A lot of people have conquered their shyness by acting in plays.â
Her, shy? She had the confidence of a film star! She was as bold as a saloon-bar singer! But she was forced to conceal the real reason for her refusal from those who were urging her to appear on stage:
Iâm not just a little idiot waiting to be begged â itâs just that I canât show myself anywhere, the United States of America have forbidden me. Apparently I would be risking my life and my familyâs life, and itâll be like that for as long as I live.
Still ten minutes till the lunch bell. Belle was getting impatient â she wanted to see Warren. He was the only one she could complain to, he who had long since given up complaining himself about this curse they lived under. She went back into the main building and sat down on the ground, opposite the classroom where her brother was having a history lesson.
Since early childhood, Warren had had an annoying habit of picking and choosing his educational options. By carefully planning for his adult life he had made a certain number of choices, making it possible, in his view, to concentrate only on essentials. For him the only two subjects which deserved a little of his attention were history and geography. The first was out of respect for his origins, the second in order to defend his territory. He had always felt the need to understand how the world worked, and how it had been organized before he was born. Even back in Newark he had been curious about his background, his descent, the history of his history. Where had his family come from and why had it left Europe? How had America become the United States? Why did his Australian cousins have that weird accent? How come the Chinese had built Chinatowns all over the world? Why had the Russians now got their own Mafia? The more answers he could get, the better he would be able to run the empire he intended to reconquer. Other subjects? What other subjects? Grammar was for lawyers, maths was for accountants and gym was for bodyguards.
The yearâs curriculum included, amongst other things, a brief overview of international relations before the Second World War, and the main events of the War itself throughout Europe. That morning the teacher had described the rise of fascism in Italy and the way in which Mussolini had seized power.
âThe march on Rome took place in 1922, and Mussolini took over the government. In 1924, after the assassination of the socialist Matteotti, he became dictator. He installed a totalitarian state in Italy and, dreaming of a colonial empire built on the model of ancient Rome, sent troops off to conquer Ethiopia. When France and Great Britain condemned his African invasions, he drew closer to the German Führer. He supported Francoâs troops during the Spanish Civil War. He met with no more opposition until the end of the War. At the same time, in France . . .â
History continued its march under the bored eyes of twenty pupils more interested in thoughts of the Friday lunch of fried fish. It was even warmer than the day before, one of those days when summer seems to have come early. Concerned with historical accuracy, Warren raised his hand.
âAnd what do you make of Operation Striptease?â
The word âstripteaseâ at this unexpected moment made the class sit up, wide awake now. All saw it as a splendid and timely intervention â they expected no less from the little new boy who had managed to control boys three times his size.
âWhat do you mean?â
âYou said that Mussolini met with no opposition until the end of the War. What about Operation