A Bell for Adano (32 page)

I-„

The Major broke off and went over to Borth and took him by the arm, to try to lead him out.

“Take your hands off me,” Borth said. He reached in his pocket and said: “Here, read that.”

Major Joppolo read the order recalling him from Adano.

“Where did you get this?” he asked.

Borth was crying again. “Your desk. I wanted to keep you from seeing it until after the party.”

The Major walked out of the room.

Victor Joppolo put up a beautiful front for the rest of the evening, until the very moment when he was saying good night to Tina just inside her front door. Then he put his arms around her and said miserably: “I’m so unhappy.”

Tina pushed back and looked at his face. She put her hands on his shoulders and said: “But I thought you were so happy?”

The Major was in control of himself again. “I am,” he said, “I’m sorry.”

“Is it because of your wife?” Tina asked.

“No, Tina, it’s nothing.” Then, in the shadow of the stairway of her house, he kissed her tenderly and said: “Till I see you again.”

She was frightened and she said: “What is the matter? Why did you say good-bye instead of good night? What is the matter?”

“Nothing, Tina. Good night, Tina.”

Chapter
37

IT was the middle of the morning before Major Joppolo could get his papers straightened up and his last-minute directions given. Sergeant Borth was the one who helped him get everything arranged. Captain Purvis did not have the courage to show himself all morning.

The Major called the motor pool and asked for a jeep to take him to Vicinamare.

Then he told Borth: “I don’t want to say good-bye to anyone, Borth. I don’t know whether I could.”

Borth did not mock this morning. He said: “I am sorry about last night, Major. My intentions were good. I wanted you to have a good time at the party.”

“I know.”

The Major thought a minute and then said: “Borth, try to help whoever takes my place to try to do a good job in Adano.”

Borth said: “I’m afraid it will be that awful dope from Pontebasso.” “

The Major said: “I hope not. Adano needs an understanding man.”

Borth said. “Adano needs you, Major.”

The Major said: “Too late to talk about that. I wondef how Marvin ever found out about the carts.”

Borth suspected Captain Purvis, but he said: “One of his staff must have driven through or something.”

The Major said: “Yes, I guess so.”

The jeep came. So as not to arouse suspicion, Borth went with the driver to the Major’s house and got his baggage. His entire possessions consisted of a bedroll, with his clothes rolled into it.

When the jeep got back to the Palazzo, Major Joppolo took his portrait under his arm and went downstairs and got in.

He shook Borth’s hand but he did not say good-bye. The lazy Fatta, standing on the sidewalk, said by way of making conversation: “Going somewhere?”

Major Joppolo tried to sound cheerful as he said. “Not far. How is Carmelina this morning?”

The lazy Fatta said: “She is making a rabbit stew.” The driver said: “Where to, Major?”

The Major did not want to say Vicinamare so that Fatta or anyone else could hear it. Perhaps he could not say it. Anyhow, he just said: “This way,” and he pointed out the Corso Vittorio Emanuele.

About four miles outside the town the Major said to the driver: “Stop a minute, would you, please?”

The driver stopped the jeep.

“Listen,” the Major said. “Do you hear something?” It was a fine sound on the summer air. The tone was good and it must have been loud to hear it as far as this. “Just a bell,” the driver said. “Must be eleven o’clock.” “Yes,” the Major said. He looked over the hills across the sea, and the day was as clear as the sound of the bell itself, but the Major could not see or think very clearly. “Yes,” he said, “eleven o’clock.”