Read Online Voices In The Evening by Natalia Ginzburg - Free Book Online
Authors: Natalia Ginzburg
Ads: Link
the war Catè and Xenia with their children had been at Sorrento. Sorrento had been Xeniaâs idea a happy idea because, in fact, the fighting ad not pass that way.
Later Catè and Xenia quarrelled, over a matter of linen. But it was an excuse, as their relations had deteriorated for some time through inscrutable reasons.
Catè went away from Sorrento and took a house in Rome in the Viale Parioli.
Mario returned from being a prisoner in Germany with his lungs in a bad state and with some internal trouble. He and Xenia went back to the Vila Rondine Xenia had a homoeopathic doctor brought from Switzerland, and installed him permanently in the house to look after Mario.
This doctor treated him, with minute doses of a green powder, and then with certain white pills, and ordered him a diet of raw vegetables which Xenia mixed in an electric shredder, a thing that had just come into fashion and was called a Gogo.
Mario was happy.
All the same, he died in a few months, always happy and foil of confidence in the doctor, with whom he played chess all day long. In these last days the doctor, being scared, had him moved to a clinic in the town, where he died.
Xenia left the Villa Rondine, and Purillo came to live there. Xenia established herself in the town with her children and married the Swiss doctor, continuing, however, always to wear a widowâs black clothes, and to have dozens and dozens of eggs sent in from the country, since those of the town did not seem any too fresh.
Raffaella, who had joined the partisans, did not manage to accustom herself to a quiet way of life again. She enrolled in the Communist Party, and toured the countryside on a bicycle with propaganda booklets. Tommasino was at school at Salice and came home when he had finished there, a tall thin youth of eighteen.
Tommasino and Rafiaella went to live together in a small apartment in the heart of the village, behind the works. They had their meals in the restaurant at the Concordia. But Purillo told them they could build themselves a good house.
Raffaella did not want to and said that the money was not theirs at all, but belonged to the workers.
However, âRaffaella and Tommasino did have a house built. A very modem house, quite circular, with a flat roof and an outside spiral staircase. It stands above the Villa Rondine on the brow of the hilL
Raffaella bought a horse. She had had a mania for horses from childhood.
Tommasino enrolled in the Agricultural Society and lived in the town. He came to the country on Saturdays. Raffaella had left the Communist Party, and had joined a little group of dissident Communists which had only three members in the whole district.
In contrast Vincenzino belonged to the Christian Left.
Vincenzino had served in the war on the Greek front, had been taken prisoner and sent to India. He returned to Italy more than a year after the end of the war. Catè and the children were in Rome.
They sent the children to boarding school. By now they were youngsters. Both Catè and Vincenzino were in agreement not to remain together.
Catè had now had her hair cut and wore it very short and brushed back. She had developed a thin hard face with the mouth somewhat drawn down.
As for Vincenzino, he was always just the same.
Only, he wore spectacles now for reading having become long-sighted.
They came back to the village together. Catè stopped at the Concordia, and he went to sleep at Casa Mercanti. They did not consider themselves now husband and wife any longer. They were very polite to one another; but every now and then quarrels broke out between them on the slightest pretext.
Raffaella came to the Concordia to look for Catè.
Catè wished to go to the cemetery to take some flowers for Balotta and Signora Cecilia. They went, she and Raffaella. Balotta and his wife were buried together in a tomb with a dome, like a small villa, surrounded by little trees. Balotta had bought the tomb a long time ago
Later Catè and Xenia quarrelled, over a matter of linen. But it was an excuse, as their relations had deteriorated for some time through inscrutable reasons.
Catè went away from Sorrento and took a house in Rome in the Viale Parioli.
Mario returned from being a prisoner in Germany with his lungs in a bad state and with some internal trouble. He and Xenia went back to the Vila Rondine Xenia had a homoeopathic doctor brought from Switzerland, and installed him permanently in the house to look after Mario.
This doctor treated him, with minute doses of a green powder, and then with certain white pills, and ordered him a diet of raw vegetables which Xenia mixed in an electric shredder, a thing that had just come into fashion and was called a Gogo.
Mario was happy.
All the same, he died in a few months, always happy and foil of confidence in the doctor, with whom he played chess all day long. In these last days the doctor, being scared, had him moved to a clinic in the town, where he died.
Xenia left the Villa Rondine, and Purillo came to live there. Xenia established herself in the town with her children and married the Swiss doctor, continuing, however, always to wear a widowâs black clothes, and to have dozens and dozens of eggs sent in from the country, since those of the town did not seem any too fresh.
Raffaella, who had joined the partisans, did not manage to accustom herself to a quiet way of life again. She enrolled in the Communist Party, and toured the countryside on a bicycle with propaganda booklets. Tommasino was at school at Salice and came home when he had finished there, a tall thin youth of eighteen.
Tommasino and Rafiaella went to live together in a small apartment in the heart of the village, behind the works. They had their meals in the restaurant at the Concordia. But Purillo told them they could build themselves a good house.
Raffaella did not want to and said that the money was not theirs at all, but belonged to the workers.
However, âRaffaella and Tommasino did have a house built. A very modem house, quite circular, with a flat roof and an outside spiral staircase. It stands above the Villa Rondine on the brow of the hilL
Raffaella bought a horse. She had had a mania for horses from childhood.
Tommasino enrolled in the Agricultural Society and lived in the town. He came to the country on Saturdays. Raffaella had left the Communist Party, and had joined a little group of dissident Communists which had only three members in the whole district.
In contrast Vincenzino belonged to the Christian Left.
Vincenzino had served in the war on the Greek front, had been taken prisoner and sent to India. He returned to Italy more than a year after the end of the war. Catè and the children were in Rome.
They sent the children to boarding school. By now they were youngsters. Both Catè and Vincenzino were in agreement not to remain together.
Catè had now had her hair cut and wore it very short and brushed back. She had developed a thin hard face with the mouth somewhat drawn down.
As for Vincenzino, he was always just the same.
Only, he wore spectacles now for reading having become long-sighted.
They came back to the village together. Catè stopped at the Concordia, and he went to sleep at Casa Mercanti. They did not consider themselves now husband and wife any longer. They were very polite to one another; but every now and then quarrels broke out between them on the slightest pretext.
Raffaella came to the Concordia to look for Catè.
Catè wished to go to the cemetery to take some flowers for Balotta and Signora Cecilia. They went, she and Raffaella. Balotta and his wife were buried together in a tomb with a dome, like a small villa, surrounded by little trees. Balotta had bought the tomb a long time ago
Similar Books
