Hewastheleader.Herecruitedtheothers,whowereallcriminalsbefore.Santo doesn"tknowGiuseppe"srealname,norwherehecamefrom,norwherehe"sgone.
I"mafraidinthisinstanceSantospeaksthetruth."
"You"vedonemarvels,"Isaid.
Hecoughedmodestly."I"vebeenlucky.AndAndrew...betweenusprivatelyIwill admit.i.t...ithasbeenmosthelpfultotalktoyou.Itclearsthingsinmymind totellthemtoyou.Veryodd."
"Carryrighton,"Isaid.
"Yes.It"sapleasure,"hesaid;andhetelephonedthreedayslatertosaythey nowhadallsixgangmembersincustodyandhadrecoveredafurtherhundred millionlireofCenci"smoney.
"Wehavealsotakenrecordingsofallsixmenandhadvoice-printsmadeand a.n.a.lyzed,butnoneofthemisthevoiceonthetapes.Andnoneofthemisthe manyousaw,ofwhomwehavethepicture."
"Giuseppe,"Isaid."Onthetapes."
"Yes,"heagreedgloomily."Noneofthemknewhimbefore.Herecruitedoneasa strangerinabar,andthatonerecruitedtheotherfive.Wewillconvictthe six,there"snodoubt,but.i.t"shollowwithoutGiuseppe."
"Mm."Ihesitated."Enrico,isn"t.i.ttruethatsomeofthestudentswhojoined theRedBrigadesintheirhot-headedyouthgrewoutofitandbecameordinary blamelesscitizens?"
"I"veheardso,butofcoursetheykeepthepastsecret."
"Well...itjuststruckmeadayortwoagothatGiuseppemighthavelearnedthe techniquesofkidnappingfromtheRedBrigades,whenhewasastudent,perhaps, orevenasamember."
Pucinellisaiddoubtfully,"YourIdentikitpicturesdon"tmatchanyonewitha criminalrecord."
"Ijustwonderedifitmightbeworthwhiletoshowthosepicturestoex-students ofaboutthesameage,saytwenty-fivetoforty,atperhapssomesortof students"reunion.It"safaintchance,anyway."
"I"lltry,"hesaid."b.u.t.theRedBrigades,asI"msureyouknow,areorganized insmallcells.Peopleinonecellcan"tidentifypeopleinothercellsbecause theynevermeetthem."
"Iknowit"salongshotandinvolvesalotofprobablyfruitlesswork,"I agreed.
"I"llthinkabout.i.t."
"O.K."
"Alltheuniversitiesareclosedforsummervacations."
"Sotheyare,"Isaid."Butintheautumn..."
"Iwillthinkabout.i.t,"hesaidagain."Goodnight,friend.Sleepwell."
Alessiaheardfromherfatherabouttherecoveryofsomeoftheransomandfrom meofthecaptureofsixofthekidnappers.
"Oh,"shesaidblankly.
"Yourmanwiththemicrophoneisn"tamongthem."
"Oh."Shelookedatmeguiltily,hearing,asIdid,thefaintreliefinher voice.WeweresittinginPopsy"sminutetree-shroudedgardenwherefour loungingchairssqueezedontoasquareofgra.s.sandlowstonesurroundingwalls failedtoobscureviewsofstableyardonthreesides.Weweredrinkingiced coffeeintheheatwavewhichhadfollowedthestorms,clinkingthecubesand beingwatchedpolitelybyequineheadspeeringinrowsoverhalf-doors.
Ihadinvitedmyselfdownonmydayoff,amoveneitherAlessianorPopsyhad objectedto,andI"dfoundPopsyalonewhenIarrived,asusualoutinheryard.
"h.e.l.lo,"shesaid,asIdrewup."Sorryaboutthewet."Shewa.s.standingin greengumboots,hoseinhand,wateringthelowerhindlegofalargechestnut horse.Bobhelditshead.Itseyesblinkedatmeasifbored.Thewaterranina streamacrosstheyardtoadrain."It"sgotaleg,"Popsysaid,asifthat explainedthings.
IstifledadesiretosaythatasfarasIcouldseeithadfour.
"Alessiawalkedalongtotheshops,"shesaid."Shewon"tbelong."She squelchedawayandturnedoffatap,flingingthehoseinloosecoilsbesideit.
"That"lldofornow,Bob,"shesaid."GetJamietorollupthathose."Shedried herhandsontheseatofherpantsandgavemeabrightblazefromthegreen eyes.
"Sherides,youknow,"shesaidasBobledthewateredhorseofftoanempty box,"butonlyupontheDowns.ShegoesupanddownwithmeintheLandRover.
Wedon"tdiscussit.It"sroutine."
"Howissheotherwise?"
"Muchhappier,I"dsay."Shegrinnedhugelyandclappedmelightlyonthe shoulder."Don"tknowhowanyonesocoldcanbringsomeoneelsetolife."
"I"mnotcold,"Iprotested.
"No?"Sheconsideredmequizzically."There"safeelingofironaboutyou.Like arod.Youdon"tsmilemuch.You"renotintimidating...butI"msureyoucouldbe, ifyoutried."
Ishookmyhead.
"Doyouevergetdrunk?"shesaid.
"Notoften."
"Never,morelike."Shewavedahandtowardsthekitchen."Likeadrink?It"s...o...b..l.o.o.d.yhot."
Wewentintoacoolinteriorwithhershakingoffhergumbootsonthedoorstep, andshebroughtwhitewinefromtherefrigeratortothekitcheninfawnsocks.
"I"llbetforinstance,"shesaid,pouring,"thatyounevergethelplessgiggles orsingvulgarsongsorgenerallymakeana.s.sofyourself."
"Often."
Shegavemean"oh,yeah"lookandsettledherlargeselfcomfortablyontoa kitchenchair,puttingherheelsuponthetable.
"Well,sometimes,"Isaid.
Shedranksomewinecheerfully."Whatmakesyougiggle,then?"sheasked.
"Oh...onetimeIwaswithanItalianfamilyduringakidnapandtheyallbehaved likeacomicsoapoperaatthetopoftheirvoices,anditwaspainful.Ihadto goupstairssometimestostopmyselflaughing...awfulgigglesoverandover,when reallythewholethingwasdeadlydangerous.Ihadterribletrouble.Myfacewas achingwiththeeffortofkeepingitstraight."
"Likewantingtoexplodeinchurch,"Popsysaid,nodding.
"Justlikethat."
Wesippedthecoldwineandregardedeachotherwithfriendliness,andina momentortwoAlessiaappearedwithabagofgroceriesandawelcomingsmile.
Therewascolorinhercheeksatlast,andasortofrebirthtakingplaceofthe girlshemusthavebeenbefore.Icouldseeagreatdifferenceineventhe carriageofherhead;self-respectreturningtostraightenthespine.
Igotupatthesightofherandkissedhercheekingreetingandsheputthe groceriesonthetableandgavemeapositivehug.
"Hi,"shesaid."Pleasenote,I"vebeenshopping.That"sthethirdtime.Weare nowbackinbusiness...nonerves,nottospeakof."
"Terrific."
Shepouredherselfsomewineandthethreeofusamicablyatelunch,anditwas afterwards,whenPopsyhadgoneofftoherofficetodopaperwork,that.i.told Alessiainthegardenaboutthenewarrests.
"Doyouthinkthey"llcatchhim...themanwiththemicrophone?"sheasked.
"HecalledhimselfGiuseppe,"Isaid,"thoughthat"salmostcertainlynothis name.ThesixcapturedkidnappersknewhimjustasGiuseppe,andnoneofthem knowsanythingelse.Ithinkhe"scoolandintelligent,andI"mafraidPucinelli won"tfindhim...orthebulkofyourransom."
Shewasquietforawhileandthensaid,"PoorPapa.Poorallofus.Ilovethe houseonMikonos...sofullofbrilliantlight,rightbythesapphiresea...Papa saysthemoneysofarrecoveredwon"tbeenoughtosaveit.Hesayshekeeps postponingputtingitupforsale,justhoping...but.i.t"snotjust.i.t"svalue, there"stheupkeep,andthefarestheretwoorthreetimesayear.Itwasalways aluxury,evenbefore."Shepaused."Partofmychildhood.Partofmylife."
"Giuseppetookit,"Isaid.
Shestirredslightlyandfinallynodded."Yes,youareright."
Wedranktheicedcoffee.Timepa.s.sedtranquilly.
"Ithoughtofgoingtotheracesnextweek,"shesaid."ToBrighton.MikeNoland runsalotofhorsesthere,becauseheusedtotraininSuss.e.x,andmanyofhis ownersstilllivethere.Imayaswellgoandtalktothem...showthemI"mstill alive."
"IfIwent,"Isaid,"wouldIbeinyourway?"
Shesmiledoveratthestill-watchinghorses."No,youwouldn"t."
"Whichday?"
"Wednesday."
Ithoughtofswitchboardschedules."I"llfixit,"Isaid.
GerryClaytonhavingagreedwithathoroughlyfalsemartyredexpressiontosit informefromfourtomidnight,IdroveearlytoLambourntocollectAlessia, pausingonlyforcoffeeandencouragementfromPopsybeforesettingoffonthe three-hourtrektoBrighton.
"Icouldhavegotalift,"Alessiasaid."Youdidn"thavetocomeallthishuge wayround."
"Sure,"Isaid.
Shesighed,butnotapparentlywithregret."Halfadozentrainersorjockeys willbedrivingfromheretoBrighton."
"Bullyforthem."
"SoIcouldalwaysgetaliftback."
Ilookedathersideways."I"lldriveyouunlessyoudefinitelyprefernot."
Shedidn"tanswer;justsmiled.WedrovetoBrightonandtalkedofmanythings forwhichtherehadneverbeenpeaceenoughbefore;oflikesanddislikes, places,books,people;cabbagesandkings.
Itwasthefirsttime,Ithought,thatIhadseenherinaskirt:ifone excepted,ofcourse,thedressIhadpulledoverherunconscioushead.Avision ofherleannakednessroseunbidden;anagreeablememory,tobehonest.For Brightonshehadcoveredthebasicswithaneatpale-coffee-coloreddress,and worebiggoldearringsunderhershortcurls.
Herreappearanceonaracecoursewasgreetedwithawarmththatalmost overwhelmedher,witheveryonewhosawherseeminglyintentonhuggingheruntil herbonescracked.Sheintroducedmevaguelymanytimesbutnoonetookany notice.Theeyeswereonlyforher,devouringherwithcuriosity,butalsowith love.
"Alessia!Howsuper!"
"Alessia!Fantastic!"
"Alessia!Marvellous...smashing...delirious...terrific..."
SheneednothavedoubtedthatMikeNoland"sownerswouldnoticeher reemergence.Atleastfourwidely-grinningcouplesa.s.suredherthata.s.soonas shewasfittheywouldbethrilledtohaveherbackintheirsaddles.Mike Nolandhimself,bigandfifty,toldheritwastimetoleavePopsy"sjumpersand cometorideworkonthetwo-year-olds;andpa.s.singbright-silkedjockeys,Iwas interestedtosee,greetedherwithgenuinepleasureundermorecasual greetings.
"h.e.l.lo,Alessia,how"sitgoing?"
"Howyadoing?"
"Welldone;gladyou"reback."
"Getyourbootson,Cenci."
Theirdirectcamaraderiemeantalottoher.Icouldseethefaintapprehension oftheoutwardjourneyvanishingminutebyminute,replacedbytheconfidenceof beingathome.Shekeptmebesideherallthesame,glancingatmefrequentlyto checkIwa.s.stillthereandnevermovingastepwithoutbeingsureIfollowed.
Onemighthavethoughtofitasacourtesyexceptforwhathadgonebefore.
Isawlittleenoughoftheracesthemselves,andnordidshe,fromthepressof peoplewantingtotalk;andtheafternoonwascutshort,asfarasIwas concerned,byamessagebroadcastovertheloudspeakersafterthefourthevent.
"WouldMr.AndrewDouglaspleasegototheClerkoftheCourse"soffice.Mr.
AndrewDouglas,please,gototheClerkoftheCourse"soffice."
Alessia,lookingworried,saidshe"dshowmewheretheofficewas,andtoldme thatmessagesofthatsortnearlyalwaysmeantbadnews."Ihopeit"snot...
Papa,"shesaid."Popsywouldaskforyou...soasnottofrightenme."
WewentquicklytotheClerk"soffice,brushingawaythenonstopclutching greetingswithquicksmiles.Alessia"sanxietydeepenedwitheverystep,but whenwearrivedattheofficetheClerkoftheCoursehimselfputherfearsto rest.
"I"msosorry,Mr.Douglas,"hesaidtome,"butwehaveadistressingmessage foryou.Pleasewouldyouringthisnumber..."Hehandedmeaslipofpaper."Your sisterhashadabadaccident...I"msosorry."
Alessiasaid"Oh!"faintly,asifnotsurewhethertobegladorhorrified,and Iputahandcomfortinglyonherarm.
"There"samoreprivatetelephonejustoverthere,"theClerksaid,pointingto asmallalcoveattherear."Douseit.Howsplendid,MissCenci,toseeyou back."
Shenoddedvaguelyandfollowedmeacrosstheroom."I"msosorry..."shesaid.
Ishookmyhead.Ihadnosister.Thenumberontheslipofpaperwasthatof theoffice.IdialedthenumberandwasansweredbyGerryClayton.
"It"sAndrew,"Isaid.
"ThankG.o.d.Ihadtotellallsortsofliesbeforethey"dputoutacallfor you."