Bell for Adano, A - John Hersey [55]
Major Joppolo said, and his voice was much softer: “I’m not Italian, boys. I’m American, and sometimes I’m not as proud of it as I’d like to be.”
Then the Major turned to Quattrocchi, and he said in Italian: “I hardly know what to tell you. I know that no apologies and no payment can ever return what you have lost. I wish to tell you that these men who committed the crime are sorry for what they did, now that they realize how cruel they were to you. I wish to tell you, Quattrocchi, that I feel less proud of being an American than I did yesterday. These men will be punished justly and severely for what they have done. I want you to file a claim for payment for what was destroyed, and I wouldn’t blame you for doubling the prices. That’s all I can say, Quattrocchi.”
Quattrocchi said: “I don’t know about most Americans, but I know I can always get justice from you, Mister Major.”
The Major said: “Good day, Quattrocchi. From now on your house will be kept nicely, I can promise you that.”
Quattrocchi left. The Major turned to the three boys. He said: “I don’t know whether you realize yet what you’ve done to this Italian. It’s as if you had cut his arm off. He loved those things you busted up. Now I just told him that you three would be punished severely - as severely as you have hurt him. “
The three boys stiffened up a little.
The Major said: “I’m going to make this your punishment: to have this man’s unhappiness on your conscience, and from now on to keep his house as clean as if everything in it belonged to your own mother. That’s all. You’re dismissed.”
Chuck said: “Yes sir, thank you, sir.” Polack said: “Thank you, sir.”
Bill said: “Thank you, sir. We’ll take care of the house.” Polack said: “Yes sir, we sure will.”
As soon as they were outside, Chuck said: “What’d I tell you about that guy?”
Polack said: “That’s the best goddam guy I ever seen in this Army.”
Bill said: “The thing that got me down was what he said about my mother. Mom was always so proud of her glass. Cut glass it was. I feel like I busted it last night.”
Chapter 17
HAVING weathered eighty-two winters, Cacopardo was not the least cooled in his desire to help the Americans by General Marvin’s behavior.
Every two or three days he would send a note to Mafor Joppolo. Many were silly suggestions. Many were about things Major Joppolo had already done. But one day he sent a note which caught Major Joppolo’s interest.
“To the Officer of CIVIL AFFAIRES:
“I beg to notify, for the necessary steps: Since several months, the small people at Adano does not receive the ration o f olive oil, or other fats, but the officials both o f commune, civil & military staf, have been largily provided for the families & personal friends.
“I am informed, that the small population is therefore compelled to pay at the black market any price, up to Lire 80 per liter (equal to 800 grams). The price fixed by the Fascist government for the supply is Lire 15 ^ an half per kilo (1,000 grams).
“You cannot allow any longer this tiranny against the poorsl”
“Respectfully,
“Matteo Cacopardo.”
The thing which interested Major Joppolo in this note was the fact that old Cacopardo blamed the black market on Fascist graft. Now Major Joppolo was acutely aware of the black market. He had intended for some time to investigate it. Now he did, and what he found was disturbing.
The black market was not the fault of corrupt Fascists. It was not even the fault of the merchants who jacked their prices out of all bounds. It was the fault of the invaders. Demonstrably, it was the fault of the Americans.
There were two reasons why the Americans gave Adano its black market, and the inflation which inevitably went with it. One reason was American generosity. Apparently the Italians thought the Americans were coming to their soil armed mainly with cigarets and candies, for every grown person