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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..07b30fd --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #63893 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/63893) diff --git a/old/63893-0.txt b/old/63893-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 7abea27..0000000 --- a/old/63893-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2958 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The idiots, by Joseph Conrad - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this ebook. - -Title: The idiots - Gli Idioti - -Author: Joseph Conrad - -Translator: Hilda Campioni - -Release Date: December 05, 2020 [EBook #63893] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Image source(s): https://archive.org/details/idiotsconrad00conruoft - -Produced by: Richard Tonsing and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team - at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images - generously made available by The Internet Archive) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE IDIOTS *** - - This ebook (originally published in 1920) was created in honour of - Distributed Proofreaders 20th Anniversary. - - - - - Italian—English - - - - - JOSEPH CONRAD - - GLI IDIOTI - - THE IDIOTS - - - - - Serie Bilingue │ Bilingual Series - │ - DIRETTORE: J. E. MANSION │ GENERAL EDITOR: J. E. MANSION - ───────────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────── - │ - │ - │ - │ - GLI IDIOTI │ THE IDIOTS - │ - │ - DI │ BY - JOSEPH CONRAD │ JOSEPH CONRAD - │ - TRADUZIONE DI │ - HILDA CAMPIONI │ - │ - │ - LONDRA NUOVA-YORK │ LONDON NEW YORK - GEORGE G. HARRAP BRENTANO’S │GEORGE G. HARRAP BRENTANO’S - & COMPANY LTD. PUBLISHERS: FIFTH│ & COMPANY LTD. PUBLISHERS: FIFTH - AVENUE │ AVENUE - PORTSMOUTH STREET & 27TH STREET │PORTSMOUTH STREET & 27TH STREET - KINGSWAY │ KINGSWAY - SYDNEY: THE AUSTRALASIAN PUBLISHING│SYDNEY: THE AUSTRALASIAN PUBLISHING - COMPANY LTD. │ COMPANY LTD. - - - - - CONTENTS - - - I - II - III - IV - - - - - PREFAZIONE │ PREFACE - │ - │ - Siamo all’inizio di un’era nuova, │We are at the beginning of a new - la cui principale caratteristica │era which will be marked by a - sarà, speriamo, una maggiore │greater fraternization between - fratellanza tra i popoli. Il │nations. The need to know and - bisogno di conoscerci a vicenda │understand one another will be felt - sarà sempre più sentito. Ne │more and more. It follows that the - consegue, che lo studio delle │study of foreign languages is - lingue straniere assume oggi │assuming to-day a capital - un’importanza capitale. │importance. - │ - Tutti coloro che desiderino │All those who wish to make - famigliarizzarsi con l’idioma dei │acquaintance with the speech of - loro vicini, o che abbiano in parte│their neighbours, or who have - dimenticate le prime cognizioni già│allowed their former knowledge to - da tempo acquisite, faranno buona │grow rusty, will welcome this - accoglienza a questa serie di │series of texts, which will enable - opuscoli che li metterà in grado di│them, independently of bulky - dedicarsi allo studio delle lingue │dictionaries, to devote to language - in momenti d’ozio che loro offre il│study the moments of leisure which - corso della giornata, │offer themselves in the course of - indipendentemente dall’uso di │the day. - voluminosi dizionari. │ - │ - I testi sono stati scelti col │The texts have been selected from - doppio punto di vista del loro │the double point of view of their - valore letterario e dell’utilità │literary worth and of the - dei vocaboli; così pure nella │usefulness of their vocabulary; in - traduzione s’è cercato di │the translations, also, the - raggiungere l’intento di accoppiare│endeavour has been to unite - alla distinzione dello stile la più│qualities of style with strict - scrupolosa fedeltà all’originale. │fidelity to the original. - - - - - INTRODUZIONE │ INTRODUCTION - │ - │ - Nella _Revue des Deux Mondes_ │In the _Revue des Deux Mondes_ of - dell’ottobre 1919 L. Gillet, in suo│October 1st, 1919, Mr L. Gillet, in - apprezzamento su _La Freccia d’Oro_│the course of an appreciation of Mr - (_The Arrow of Gold_) di Joseph │Joseph Conrad’s _Arrow of Gold_, - Conrad, scrive quanto segue: │writes as follows: - │ - “Ciò che è originale e │“What is original and - caratteristico nell’autore di │characteristic in the author of the - _Anime Inquiete_ (_Tales of │_Tales of Unrest_, what constitutes - Unrest_), ciò che costituisce la │the permanent basis of his art, - base permanente della sua arte e a │what we are always brought back to, - cui sempre ritorniamo, discutendo │when he is under discussion, is the - su lui, è il senso del mistero. │sense of mystery. - │ - “I suoi personaggi, sebbene │“His characters, though quivering - vibranti di vita, noi abbiamo quasi│with life, nearly always give us - sempre l’impressione di conoscerli │the impression that they are only - solo a metà: ogni tanto essi ci │half known to us; now and again - sorprendono con gesti o sentimenti │they surprise us by gestures, - del tutto in disaccordo colla loro │feelings, which do not agree with - personalità a noi nota, come se un │what we know of their personality: - secondo carattere, a loro stessi │it is as though a second character, - sconosciuto, agisse improvvisamente│unknown to themselves, suddenly - in loro vece, come se nel bel mezzo│acted in their stead; as though in - d’un dramma il suggeritore fosse │the middle of a play the prompter - mosso improvvisamente a modificarne│were suddenly moved to modify the - il testo e alterarne le parti. C’è │text and to alter the parts. There - sempre negli eroi di Conrad un │is always, in Mr Conrad’s heroes, a - segreto di cui la chiave non è a │secret, the key to which is - portata della nostra mano. Vanno e │withheld from us; they come and go, - vengono, e a un tratto una forza │and suddenly a power different from - diversa da loro prende il loro │themselves takes their place, and - posto, e fa loro commettere azioni │makes them commit strange and - strane e impreviste. │unlooked-for actions.... - │ - “Questi esseri, quasi sempre │“Those beings, nearly always - ammirabili per la loro energia, │admirable by their energy, - rappresentano la lotta fra una │represent the struggle of a heroic - volontà eroica e una forza oscura e│will against an obscure and - indefinita, la quale è la forza │undefinable power, which is that of - della vita, forza che in un attimo,│life, and which in a moment, like a - come un fiotto di mare, leva loro i│ground-swell, lifts them off their - piedi di sotto, li rovina e │feet, ruins and destroys them, - distrugge, li stracca vinti, come │leaves them vanquished, like - resti di un naufragio.” │flotsam after a shipwreck.” - │ - Sarebbe difficile dare di _Anime │It would be difficult to give of - inquiete_, e più particolarmente │the _Tales of Unrest_, and more - della novella che Conrad │particularly of the story which Mr - cortesemente ci ha permesso │Conrad has kindly allowed us to - estrarre da quel volume, più │take from that volume, a more - acconcio apprezzamento. │fitting appreciation. - │ - La novella non è giocosa, ma Conrad│The story is not a hilarious one, - non è scrittore giocoso; l’opera │but Mr Conrad is not a hilarious - sua ha altre caratteristiche, che │writer; his work has other - H. Taine si sarebbe compiaciuto di │characteristics, which H. Taine - spiegarci come dovute “alla │would have delighted in explaining - razza,[1] all’ambiente, al │to us as due to “the race,[2] the - momento.” │environment, and the moment.” - │ - Perchè Conrad è di origine polacca │For Mr Conrad is of Polish - e passò a Varsavia la sua prima │extraction, and at Warsaw his early - gioventù framezzo ai moti politici │youth was spent amid political - che culminarono nella ribellione │unrest which culminated in the - del 1862, e che travolse fra i │rebellion of 1862, and of which the - primi i suoi genitori. Questi, │foremost victims were his parents. - fisicamente affranti dalla │The latter, physically broken by - prigionia e dall’esilio, furono │imprisonment and exile, were no - senza dubbio i primi esempi pel │doubt the future writer’s first - futuro scrittore di quei tragici │examples of those tragic heroes, - eroi, lottanti cupamente e pur │struggling gloomily yet bravely - coraggiosamente col Fato, ch’egli │against Fate, which he was to - doveva così spesso dipingerci negli│depict so often in later years. - anni avvenire. │ - │ - Inoltre il padre di Conrad fu uomo │Mr Conrad’s father, moreover, was a - dotto, traduttore di Shakespeare, │gifted scholar, a translator of - di Victor Hugo, di Alfred de Vigny,│Shakespeare, of Victor Hugo, of - con una propensione speciale per │Alfred de Vigny, with a special - l’autore di _Chatterton_ e della │fondness for the author of - _Morte del Lupo_. Così le tendenze │_Chatterton_ and of _The Death of - letterarie del figlio verrebbero │the Wolf_. Thus the literary - notevolmente ad appoggiare la │tendencies of the son would appear - teoria dell’ereditarietà. │to afford a striking instance of - │heredity. - │ - Perduti i genitori all’età di │Having lost his parents before the - dodici anni, Conrad rimase sotto la│age of twelve, Mr Conrad came under - tutela dello zio, ricco │the care of his uncle, a large - proprietario. Tre o quattr’anni │estate-owner. Three or four years - dopo egli espresse la sua │later he expressed a wish to go to - aspirazione di andare in mare, │sea, a wish which Taine would have - aspirazione di cui Taine sarebbe │been somewhat puzzled to account - stato imbarazzato rintracciarne le │for, and which indeed shocked all - origini, e che invero sgomentò │the family, his uncle alone - tutta la famiglia, eccetto suo zio.│excepted. The latter thought it - Egli trovò prudente di non │wise to withhold his consent for a - accordare subito il suo consenso, │few months, but granted it as soon - ma lo diede qualche mese dopo, │as he was convinced that this was - quando si convinse che questo non │no passing fancy, and the young man - era un capriccio di passaggio, ed │departed for Marseilles, where some - il giovanetto partì per Marsiglia, │friends were ready to give him a - dove degli amici erano disposti ad │start in the mercantile marine. - avviarlo nella marina mercantile. │ - │ - Ma Conrad ci racconta anche questo │Mr Conrad has told us this other - fatto, un po’ strano, ch’egli aveva│singular fact that he had already - già dapprima deciso di cercare la │decided to seek his fortune in the - sua fortuna nella marina inglese. │British service. From Marseilles he - Infatti egli venne ben presto da │soon came to London, then ‘served - Marsiglia a Londra, e, finito │his time’ in the usual way, sailed - l’usato tirocinio, fece vela per │for many years to the Far East, - l’Estremo Oriente, ove restò │visited every nook of the Malay - parecchi anni, visitò in lungo e in│Archipelago, and took his captain’s - largo l’Arcipelago della Malesia, e│certificate in 1884. - prese il diploma di capitano nel │ - 1884. │ - │ - Fin’allora egli s’era dato poca │Until that time he had, it would - cura, si direbbe almeno, della │appear, little thought of - letteratura. Tuttavia sei anni dopo│literature. Yet six years later he - egli portava con sè in giro certo │was carrying about with him a - manoscritto, scritto nella lingua │certain manuscript, written in the - della sua patria adottiva, │tongue of his adopted country, - cominciato con difficoltà, │begun with difficulty, continued - continuato a fatica riga per riga, │“line by line,” often neglected for - negletto spesso per mesi e mesi, │months at a time, lugged about from - trascicato a zonzo dai Mari della │the China Seas to the Ukraine, and - Cina all’Ucraina, le cui │the vicissitudes of which have been - vicissitudini ci sono in parte │partly disclosed to us by the - rivelate dall’autore nei suoi │author in _A Personal Record_. - _Ricordi Autobiografici_ (_A │ - Personal Record_). │ - │ - Questo manoscritto, _La Pazzia di │This MS., _Almayer’s Folly_, at - Almayer_ (_Almayer’s Folly_), fu │last saw the light of day in 1895. - pubblicato nel 1895. Conrad s’era │Mr Conrad had entered upon a new - avviato per una nuova carriera: │career and given himself up - egli era ormai definitivamente │definitely to writing. In a very - scrittore. Da allora, in un tempo │short space of time, with his novel - assai breve, col suo romanzo _Il │_The Nigger of the Narcissus_ - Negro del Narciso_ (_The Nigger of │(1897) and the _Tales of Unrest_ - the Narcissus_) (1897) e con _Anime│(1898), he achieved a fame which - Inquiete_ (_Tales of Unrest_) │had soon spread beyond his adoptive - (1898), egli acquistò una fama che │country. - si sparse ben presto fuor dei │ - confini della sua patria adottiva. │ - │ - Fra le molte opere che seguirono │Among the numerous volumes which - possiamo nominare: _Gioventù ed │followed, we may mention: _Youth, - altri Racconti_ (_Youth and Other │and other Tales_, partly - Tales_) in parte autobiografici; │autobiographical; _Typhoon_; - _Tifone_ (_Typhoon_); _Nostromo_; │_Nostromo_; _The Mirror of the - _Lo Specchio del Mare_ (_The Mirror│Sea_; _The Secret Agent_; _’Twixt - of the Sea_); _L’Agente Segreto_ │Land and Sea_; _Chance_; and the - (_The Secret Agent_); _Fra Terra e │recent story, which will certainly - Mare_ (_’Twixt Land and Sea_); │stand conspicuous among his works: - _Fortuna_ (_Chance_); e l’ultima │_The Arrow of Gold_. - novella, che già eccelle fra i suoi│ - lavori: _La Freccia d’Oro_ (_The │ - Arrow of Gold_). │ - │ - Nel breve racconto che segue, le │In the short tale which follows the - qualità dominanti dell’autore sono │dominant qualities of the author - facilmente riconoscibili: esatta │are easily recognizable: exact - osservazione e scelta sicura delle │observation and unerring choice of - linee essenziali nella │the essential feature in the - presentazione di personaggi e di │presentation of characters and of - fatti, unitamente a una selezione │facts, together with rigorous - rigorosa dell’ esatta parola: in │selection of the ‘right word’: in - breve la tecnica impeccabile di │short, the faultless technique of - Flaubert e di Maupassant; poi, un │Flaubert and of Maupassant; then, a - profondo senso del mistero nel │deep sense of the mystery in which - quale è avvolta l’anima umana, ed │the human soul is wrapped; lastly, - infine quel gran soffio tragico che│that great breath of tragedy which - ispirò Eschilo e Sofocle, e che, │inspired Æschylus and Sophocles, - fino alla comparsa di Conrad, non │and which, until the advent of Mr - era ancora apparso nella │Conrad, had remained foreign to - letteratura moderna. │modern literature. - │ - │ J. E. M. - - - - - GLI IDIOTI │ THE IDIOTS - - - - - I - - - Percorrevamo in carrozza la strada │We were driving along the road from - che va da Tréguier a Kervanda. │Tréguier to Kervanda. We passed at - Passavamo ad un trotto serrato fra │a smart trot between the hedges - le siepi alzate sui ripari di terra│topping an earth wall on each side - che fiancheggiavano la strada, │of the road; then at the foot of - quando, al piede della ripida │the steep ascent before Ploumar[4] - ascesa che precede Ploumar,[3] il │the horse dropped into a walk, and - cavallo si mise spontaneamente al │the driver jumped down heavily from - passo, mentre il cocchiere saltava │the box. - da cassetta pesantemente a terra. │ - │ - Egli fece scoppiettare la frusta e │He flicked his whip and climbed the - s’inerpicò sul pendio, salendo │incline, stepping clumsily uphill - grevemente il colle a fianco del │by the side of the carriage, one - veicolo, la mano sul predellino e │hand on the footboard, his eyes on - l’occhio a terra. │the ground. - - Dopo un certo tempo alzò la testa, │After a while he lifted his head, - indicò avanti a lui la strada colla│pointed up the road with the end of - punta della sua frusta e disse: │the whip, and said: - │ - L’idiota! │“The idiot!” - │ - Il sole abbruciava l’ondeggiante │The sun was shining violently upon - distesa della campagna. I rilievi │the undulating surface of the land. - del terreno erano coronati da │The rises were topped by clumps of - ciuffi di alberi scarni, coi rami │meagre trees, with their branches - tesi così alti nel cielo come se ne│showing high on the sky as if they - stessero lì appollaiati su │had been perched upon stilts. The - trampoli. I campicelli, tagliati da│small fields, cut up by hedges and - siepi e da muriccioli che │stone walls that zigzagged over the - serpeggiavano su pei pendii, si │slopes, lay in rectangular patches - disponevano in chiazze rettangolari│of vivid greens and yellows, - di verde vivido e di giallo, come │resembling the unskilful daubs of a - in un imbratto d’inesperto │naïve picture. - tentativo pittorico. │ - │ - E il paesaggio era diviso in due │And the landscape was divided in - dalla striscia bianca di una │two by the white streak of a road - strada, perdentesi in lunghe volute│stretching in long loops far away, - lontano, come un fiume di polvere │like a river of dust crawling out - strisciante giù dai colli verso il │of the hills on its way to the sea. - mare. │ - │ - Eccolo! disse il cocchiere di │“Here he is,” said the driver, - nuovo. │again. - │ - Tra l’erba alta del ciglione, passò│In the long grass bordering the - di sfuggita una faccia a fianco │road a face glided past the - della carrozza all’altezza delle │carriage at the level of the wheels - ruote, mentre noi in essa │as we drove slowly by. The imbecile - lentamente salivamo. La faccia │face was red, and the bullet head - scema era rossa, e la pallottola │with close-cropped hair seemed to - del capo, con brevi capelli │lie alone, its chin in the dust. - smozzicati, sembrava sola giacere, │The body was lost in the bushes - col mento nella polvere. Il corpo │growing thick along the bottom of - era perduto tra i cespugli che │the deep ditch. - crescevano fitti, giù nel profondo │ - fossato. │ - │ - Era una faccia di ragazzo. Avrebbe │It was a boy’s face. He might have - potuto avere sedici anni a │been sixteen, judging from the - giudicare dalla grandezza—forse │size—perhaps less, perhaps more. - meno, forse più. │ - │ - Tali creature vengono dimenticate │Such creatures are forgotten by - dal tempo, e vivono non tocche │time, and live untouched by years - dagli anni, finchè la morte li │till death gathers them up into its - stringa al suo petto │compassionate bosom; the faithful - compassionevole: la morte fedele, │death that never forgets in the - che mai dimentica, nell’incalzare │press of work the most - del suo lavoro, il più │insignificant of its children. - insignificante dei suoi figlioli. │ - │ - Ah! eccone un altro! disse l’uomo, │“Ah! there’s another,” said the - con una certa soddisfazione nella │man, with a certain satisfaction in - voce, come avvistando qualche cosa │his tone, as if he had caught sight - di atteso. │of something expected. - │ - Ce n’era un altro. Questo stava │There was another. That one stood - quasi nel mezzo della strada nella │nearly in the middle of the road in - vampa del sole, all’estremità della│the blaze of sunshine at the end of - breve ombra ch’egli stesso │his own short shadow. And he stood - proiettava. E stava con le mani │with hands pushed into the opposite - conficcate nelle opposte maniche │sleeves of his long coat, his head - della sua lunga veste, la testa │sunk between the shoulders, all - incassata nelle spalle, tutto │hunched up in the flood of heat. - raggomitolato in sè stesso in quel │ - flusso di canicola. │ - │ - Da lontano aveva l’aspetto di │From a distance he had the aspect - qualcuno intirizzito da un intenso │of one suffering from intense cold. - freddo. │ - │ - Questi due son gemelli, spiegò il │“Those are twins,” explained the - cocchiere. │driver. - │ - L’idiota si trascicò due passi │The idiot shuffled two paces out of - addietro e ci guardò per di sopra │the way and looked at us over his - la spalla mentre passavamo │shoulder when we brushed past him. - strusciando da presso. Lo sguardo │The glance was unseeing and - era vacuo e fisso, uno sguardo │staring, a fascinated glance; but - incantato; ma non si voltò a │he did not turn to look after us. - guardarci dietro. Probabilmente │Probably the image passed before - l’immagine passò davanti agli │the eyes without leaving any trace - occhi, senza lasciar traccia nel │on the misshapen brain of the - deforme cervello della creatura. │creature. - │ - Arrivati al sommo della salita, │When we had topped the ascent I - guardai al disopra del mantice. │looked over the hood. He stood in - Egli era nella strada tal’ e quale │the road just where we had left - dove l’avevamo lasciato. │him. - │ - Il cocchiere s’aggrappò per │The driver clambered into his seat, - riprendere il suo sedile, fece │clicked his tongue, and we went - schioccare la lingua, e scendemmo │down hill. The brake squeaked - il colle. Il freno strideva │horribly from time to time. At the - orribilmente di tanto in tanto. Al │foot he eased off the noisy - piede della collina egli allentò il│mechanism and said, turning half - rumoroso meccanismo, e disse, │round on his box: - voltandosi a mezzo sul suo sedile: │ - │ - Ne vedremo degli altri fra poco. │“We shall see some more of them by - │and by.” - │ - Altri idioti? Quanti ce ne sono │“More idiots? How many of them are - allora? domandai. │there, then?” I asked. - │ - Ce ne sono quattro, figli di un │“There’s four of them—children of a - contadino qui vicino a Ploumar... │farmer near Ploumar here.... - │ - I genitori sono morti ora, egli │“The parents are dead now,” he - aggiunse dopo alquanto tempo. La │added, after a while. “The - nonna vive alla masseria. Durante │grandmother lives on the farm. In - il giorno essi ciondolano per │the daytime they knock about on - questa strada, e rincasano al │this road, and they come home at - crepuscolo, assieme al bestiame... │dusk along with the cattle.... It’s - È un ricco podere! │a good farm.” - │ - Vedemmo gli altri due: un ragazzo e│We saw the other two: a boy and a - una ragazzetta, come disse il │girl, as the driver said. They were - vetturino. Essi erano vestiti │dressed exactly alike, in shapeless - esattamente identici, in un informe│garments with petticoat-like - abbigliamento con una specie di │skirts. - gonnella. │ - │ - Lo storpio essere che viveva dentro│The imperfect thing that lived - a loro mosse quelle creature a │within them moved those beings to - berciare dietro a noi dal sommo del│howl at us from the top of the - cigliare dove essi giacevano, fra │bank, where they sprawled amongst - gli steli flessibili del │the tough stalks of furze. - ginestrone. │ - │ - Le loro teste nere tosate │Their cropped black heads stuck out - sporgevano fuori dalla gialla │from the bright yellow wall of - parete smagliante fatta dagli │countless small blossoms. The faces - innumeri fiorellini. Le faccie │were purple with the strain of - erano imporporate dallo sforzo │yelling; the voices sounded blank - degli strilli; le voci suonavano │and cracked like a mechanical - vuote e fesse, come di un congegno │imitation of old people’s voices; - che imitasse una voce di vecchio; e│and suddenly ceased when we turned - cessarono subito quando noi │into a lane. - svoltammo in un sentiero. │ - │ - Li rividi molte volte nel mio │I saw them many times in my - vagabondare per la campagna. Essi │wandering about the country. They - vivevano su quella strada, │lived on that road, drifting along - accoccolandosi lunghessa, più in su│its length here and there, - o più in giù, secondo gli │according to the inexplicable - inesplicabili impulsi della loro │impulses of their monstrous - tenebra mostruosa. │darkness. - │ - Essi erano un’offesa alla luce del │They were an offence to the - sole, un rimprovero alla vanità del│sunshine, a reproach to empty - cielo, un offuscamento al vigore │heaven, a blight on the - denso e concentrato del paesaggio │concentrated and purposeful vigour - selvaggio. │of the wild landscape. - │ - Col tempo la storia dei loro │In time the story of their parents - genitori prese contorno ai miei │shaped itself before me out of the - occhi, fuor dalle mozze risposte │listless answers to my questions, - alle mie domande, fuor dalle │out of the indifferent words heard - indifferenti parole udite alle │in wayside inns or on the very road - bettole che fiancheggiavano la via │those idiots haunted. - o sulla strada bazzicata da quegli │ - idioti. │ - │ - Parte me ne fu detta da un vecchio,│Some of it was told by an emaciated - scettico ed emaciato, munito di una│and sceptical old fellow with a - terribile frusta, mentre │tremendous whip, while we trudged - faticosamente procedevamo insieme │together over the sands by the side - sulle dune, a fianco di un carro a │of a two-wheeled cart loaded with - due ruote carico d’alghe │dripping seaweed.[6] - gocciolanti.[5] │ - │ - Poi, altra volta, altra gente mi │Then at other times other people - confermò e completò la storia: │confirmed and completed the story: - finchè alla fine me la vidi tutta │till it stood at last before me, a - dinanzi, formidabile e semplice a │tale formidable and simple, as they - un tempo, come si palesano sempre │always are, those disclosures of - queste rivelazioni di oscure prove,│obscure trials endured by ignorant - passate attraverso il cuore degli │hearts. - umili. │ - - - - - II - - - Quando tornò dal suo servizio │When he returned from his military - militare, Jean-Pierre Bacadou trovò│service Jean-Pierre Bacadou found - i suoi vecchi assai decadenti. │the old people very much aged. He - Osservò con dolore che il lavoro │remarked with pain that the work of - della terra non era fatto a dovere:│the farm was not satisfactorily - il padre non aveva l’energia dei │done. The father had not the energy - tempi andati, le opre non sentivano│of old days. The hands did not feel - sopra di sè l’occhio del padrone. │over them the eye of the master. - │ - Jean-Pierre notò con pena che il │Jean-Pierre noted with sorrow that - mucchio del letame nel cortile, │the heap of manure in the courtyard - davanti all’unico ingresso di casa,│before the only entrance to the - non era colmo quanto avrebbe dovuto│house was not so large as it should - essere, le chiuse erano così │have been. The fences were out of - malandate da abbisognare di │repair, and the cattle suffered - riparazioni e il bestiame soffriva │from neglect. - d’esser negletto. │ - │ - A casa, la madre era quasi │At home the mother was practically - definitivamente allettata, e le │bedridden and the girls chattered - donne facevano schiamazzo nella │loudly in the big kitchen - vasta cucina, senza che nessuno le │unrebuked, from morning to night. - riprendesse, dalla mattina alla │ - sera. │ - │ - Egli disse fra sè: │He said to himself: - │ - Tutto ciò cambierà! │“We must change all this.” - │ - Ne parlò al padre una sera, quando │He talked the matter over with his - i raggi del sole al tramonto, │father one evening when the rays of - entrando nel cortile fra le varie │the setting sun entering the yard - adiacenze, rigavano le grevi ombre │between the outhouses ruled the - di striscie luminose. Sul letamaio │heavy shadows with luminous - si moveva una nebbia leggera di │streaks. Over the manure heap - colore opalino e carica di │floated a mist, opal-tinted and - esalazioni, e le galline in giro a │odorous, and the marauding hens - far sacco avevano sospeso di │would stop in their scratching to - razzolare, per scrutare con un │examine with a sudden glance of - subito sguardo del loro occhio │their round eye the two men, both - rotondo i due uomini, entrambi alti│lean and tall, talking in hoarse - ed asciutti, discorrenti con │tones. - intonazioni rauche. │ - │ - Il vecchio, rattratto dal │The old man, all twisted with - reumatismo e curvo dagli anni e dal│rheumatism and bowed with years of - lavoro, il giovane ossuto ed │work, the younger bony and - eretto, parlavano senza gesti, con │straight, spoke without gestures in - quell’indifferenza propria dei │the indifferent manner of peasants, - contadini, ch’è lenta e grave ad un│grave and slow. But before the sun - tempo. Ma prima che il sole fosse │had set the father had submitted to - tramontato, il padre aveva ceduto │the sensible arguments of the son. - agli argomenti ragionevoli del │ - figliolo. │ - │ - Non è per me che io parlo! │“It is not for me that I am - insisteva Jean-Pierre. È per la │speaking,” insisted Jean-Pierre. - nostra terra. È un peccato il │“It is for the land. It’s a pity to - trarne così poco vantaggio. Per me │see it badly used. I am not - non ho fretta... │impatient for myself.” - │ - Il vecchio tentennò il capo chino │The old fellow nodded over his - sul suo bastone. │stick. - │ - Forse; forse... egli borbottò. Puoi│“I dare say; I dare say,” he - aver ragione. Fa come ti pare. È la│muttered. “You may be right. Do - mamma che sarà contenta! │what you like. It’s the mother that - │will be pleased.” - │ - La madre fu soddisfatta della │The mother was pleased with her - nuora. Jean-Pierre fece entrare di │daughter-in-law. Jean-Pierre - volata il baroccio nel cortile. Il │brought the two-wheeled spring-cart - cavallo grigio galoppò │with a rush into the yard. The grey - pesantemente, e gli sposi, seduti │horse galloped clumsily, and the - l’uno a fianco dell’altro, │bride and bridegroom, sitting side - sobbalzarono periodicamente e │by side, were jerked backwards and - bruscamente avanti e indietro nel │forwards by the up and down motion - movimento alterno delle stanghe. │of the shafts, in a manner regular - │and brusque. - │ - Sulla strada il corteo nuziale, │On the road the distanced wedding - rimasto distanziato, procedeva │guests straggled in pairs and - sbandato, a coppie ed a gruppi. Gli│groups. The men advanced with heavy - uomini avanzavano a passi pesanti, │steps, swinging their idle arms. - ciondolando le loro braccia oziose.│They were clad in town clothes; - Erano abbigliati in vesti │jackets cut with clumsy smartness, - cittadine: giacche tagliate con │hard black hats, immense boots, - rozza pretensione, cappelli neri │polished highly. - duri, stivali enormi fatti lucidi │ - come specchi. │ - │ - Le loro donne, tutte semplicemente │Their women all in simple black, - in nero, con cuffie bianche e │with white caps and shawls of faded - scialli a tinte smorte piegati a │tints folded triangularly on the - triangolo sulle spalle, │back, strolled lightly by their - trotterellavano a passo leggero ai │side. - loro fianchi. │ - │ - In testa un violino gemeva un’aria │In front the violin sang a strident - stridente e una cornamusa[7] │tune, and the biniou[8] snored and - russava e rombava, mentre il │hummed, while the player capered - suonatore avanzava danzando │solemnly, lifting high his heavy - solennemente in cadenza, levando │clogs. - alti i suoi pesanti zoccoli. │ - │ - L’oscura processione si sospingeva │The sombre procession drifted in - dentro e fuori agli stretti │and out of the narrow lanes, - viottoli, traverso il sole e │through sunshine and through shade, - traverso l’ombra, fra i campi e le │between fields and hedgerows, - siepi e i filari degli alberi, │scaring the little birds that - spaurendo gli uccellini, che si │darted away in troops right and - precipitavano via a stormi a destra│left. In the yard of Bacadou’s farm - e a sinistra. Nell’aia dei Bacadou │the dark ribbon wound itself up - il nastro nero si avvolse in un │into a mass of men and women - viluppo solo di uomini e di donne, │pushing at the door with cries and - accalcatisi alla porta con grida e │greetings. - felicitazioni. │ - │ - Il pranzo di nozze si ricordò per │The wedding dinner was remembered - mesi e mesi. Fu un festino coi │for months. It was a splendid feast - fiocchi, nel frutteto. Contadini │in the orchard. Farmers of - notoriamente facoltosi e d’ottima │considerable means and excellent - riputazione si continuarono a │repute were to be found sleeping in - trovare addormentati per le fosse, │ditches, all along the road to - tutto lungo la strada fino a │Tréguier, even as late as the - Tréguier, ancora nel pomeriggio del│afternoon of the next day. All the - giorno successivo. Tutto il contado│country-side participated in the - partecipò alla felicità di │happiness of Jean-Pierre. - Jean-Pierre. │ - │ - Egli rimase sobrio, e, assieme alla│He remained sober, and, together - sua quieta sposa, si tenne in │with his quiet wife, kept out of - disparte, lasciando padre e madre │the way, letting father and mother - raccogliere le loro spettanze di │reap their due of honour and - onori e di ringraziamenti. │thanks. - │ - Ma il giorno dopo egli prese │But the next day he took hold - fermamente le redini, e i vecchi │strongly, and the old folks felt a - sentirono un’ombra—annunciatrice │shadow—precursor of the grave—fall - della tomba—cadere definitivamente │upon them finally. The world is to - su loro. Il mondo è per la │the young. - gioventù! │ - │ - Quando nacquero i gemelli, lo │When the twins were born there was - spazio non fece difetto nella casa,│plenty of room in the house, for - perchè la madre di Jean-Pierre se │the mother of Jean-Pierre had gone - ne era andata a riposare sotto una │away to dwell under a heavy stone - pesante pietra nel cimitero di │in the cemetery of Ploumar. - Ploumar. │ - │ - Quel giorno, per la prima volta dal│On that day, for the first time - matrimonio del figlio, il vecchio │since his son’s marriage, the elder - Bacadou, trascurato dal gruppo │Bacadou, neglected by the cackling - crocchiante di donne forestiere che│lot of strange women who thronged - affollavano la cucina, lasciò al │the kitchen, left in the morning - mattino il suo sedile sotto la │his seat under the mantel of the - cappa del camino, ed andò nella │fire-place, and went into the empty - stalla vuota, scuotendo tristemente│cow-house, shaking his white locks - le sue bianche ciocche... │dismally. - │ - Va bene i nepoti, ma lui voleva la │Grandsons were all very well, but - sua minestra a mezzogiorno! │he wanted his soup at midday. - │ - Quando gli mostrarono i neonati, li│When shown the babies, he stared at - guardò a lungo con uno sguardo │them with a fixed gaze, and - fisso, e borbottò qualche cosa │muttered something like: “It’s too - come: È troppo! │much.” - │ - Se egli intendesse troppa felicità,│Whether he meant too much - o semplicemente commentasse il │happiness, or simply commented upon - numero della sua discendenza, è │the number of his descendants, it - impossibile dire. Prese un’aria │is impossible to say. He looked - offesa, per quanto la sua vecchia │offended—as far as his old wooden - faccia incartapecorita potesse │face could express anything; and - esprimerlo; e fu visto per giorni e│for days afterwards could be seen, - giorni, quasi a tutte le ore, │almost any time of the day, sitting - seduto al cancello, col mento sulle│at the gate, with his nose over his - ginocchia, una pipa fra le gengive,│knees, a pipe between his gums, and - tutto rattratto in una specie di │gathered up into a kind of raging - rabbiosa e concentrata musoneria. │concentrated sulkiness. - │ - Una volta si rivolse querulo al │Once he spoke to his son, alluding - figlio, alludendo ai nuovi venuti: │to the newcomers with a groan: - │ - Liticheranno pel podere! │“They will quarrel over the land.” - │ - Non preoccupatevi di ciò, babbo! │“Don’t bother about that, father,” - rispose Jean-Pierre con aria │answered Jean-Pierre, stolidly, and - stolida, e passò, piegato in due, │passed, bent double, towing a - rimorchiandosi per sopra la spalla │recalcitrant cow over his shoulder. - una vacca recalcitrante. │ - │ - Egli era felice, e così Susanna la │He was happy, and so was Susan, his - sua sposa. Non era una gioia eterea│wife. It was not an ethereal joy - accogliente delle anime nuove alla │welcoming new souls to struggle, - lotta, forse alla vittoria... Fra │perchance to victory. In fourteen - quattordici anni entrambi i ragazzi│years both boys would be a help; - sarebbero d’aiuto; e, più tardi, │and, later on, Jean-Pierre pictured - Jean-Pierre si figurava due robusti│two big sons striding over the land - figlioli misuranti col passo la │from patch to patch, wringing - terra da zolla a zolla, e │tribute from the earth beloved and - strappando al suolo beneamato e │fruitful. - fertile il suo tributo. │ - │ - Anche Susanna era felice, perchè │Susan was happy too, for she did - non desiderava che si parlasse di │not want to be spoken of as the - lei come della donna non benedetta,│unfortunate woman, and now she had - ed ora che aveva dei figli, nessuno│children no one could call her - avrebbe potuto darle tal nome. │that. - │ - Tanto lei che suo marito avevano │Both herself and her husband had - conosciuto un più vasto mondo—lui │seen something of the larger - al tempo del suo servizio militare,│world—he during the time of his - mentre lei aveva passato circa un │service; while she had spent a year - anno a Parigi in una famiglia │or so in Paris with a Breton - bretone; ma aveva troppo sofferto │family; but had been too home-sick - di nostalgia per stare più a lungo │to remain longer away from the - lontana dai suoi verdi colli, │hilly and green country, set in a - incastonati in una chiostra di rupi│barren circle of rocks and sands, - e di dune, dov’era nata. │where she had been born. - │ - Pensava che uno dei bimbi forse │She thought that one of the boys - avrebbe potuto esser prete, ma non │ought perhaps to be a priest, but - diceva nulla al marito, che era │said nothing to her husband, who - repubblicano e odiava i “corvi,” │was a republican, and hated the - com’egli chiamava i ministri della │“crows,” as he called the ministers - religione. │of religion. - │ - Il battesimo fu un affare │The christening was a splendid - grandioso. Tutto il comune fu │affair. All the commune came to it, - invitato, perchè i Bacadou erano │for the Bacadous were rich and - ricchi e influenti e, di tanto in │influential, and, now and then, did - tanto, non badavano a spese. │not mind the expense. The - L’avolo ebbe una giubba nuova. │grandfather had a new coat. - │ - Qualche mese dopo, una sera, dopo │Some months afterwards, one evening - che la cucina fu scopata e fu data │when the kitchen had been swept, - una mandata alla porta, │and the door locked, Jean-Pierre, - Jean-Pierre, guardando verso il │looking at the cot, asked his wife: - letticello, domandò a sua moglie: │ - │ - Che hanno quei ragazzi? │“What’s the matter with those - │children?” - │ - E come se quelle parole pronunciate│And, as if these words, spoken - con calma fossero state presagio di│calmly, had been the portent of - male, ella rispose con sì alto │misfortune, she answered with a - gemito, ch’esso eccheggiò al di là │loud wail that must have been heard - dall’aia fino al porcile; perchè i │across the yard in the pigsty; for - maiali (quelli dei Bacadou erano i │the pigs (the Bacadous had the - più belli del paese) s’agitarono e │finest pigs in the country) stirred - grugnirono lamentosamente nella │and grunted complainingly in the - notte. │night. - │ - Il marito continuò a maciullare │The husband went on grinding his - lentamente il suo pane e burro, │bread and butter slowly, gazing at - fissando il muro, mentre la │the wall, the soup-plate smoking - scodella della minestra continuava │under his chin. - a fumargli sotto il mento. │ - │ - Era ritornato tardi dal mercato, │He had returned late from the - dove aveva afferrato alle sue │market, where he had overheard (not - spalle (e non per la prima volta) │for the first time) whispers behind - un bisbiglio. │his back. - │ - Egli rimuginò in mente le parole │He revolved the words in his mind - ritornando col cavallo. │as he drove back. - │ - Scemi! Tutt’e due... Due disutili │“Simple! Both of them.... Never any - per sempre!... Ebbene! Può anche │use!... Well! May be, may be. One - darsi. Si vedrà. Si chiederà alla │must see. Would ask his wife.” - sposa... │ - │ - Questa era la risposta. │This was her answer. - │ - Sentì come una mazzata alla nuca, │He felt like a blow on his chest, - ma disse solamente: │but said only: - │ - Va a spillare del sidro. Ho sete! │“Go, draw me some cider. I am - │thirsty!” - │ - Ella uscì piagnucolando, con un │She went out moaning, an empty jug - boccale vuoto in mano. Allora egli │in her hand. Then he arose, took up - si alzò, prese il lume, e mosse │the light, and moved slowly toward - lentamente verso la culla. Essi │the cradle. They slept. He looked - dormivano. Li guardò di sbircio, │at them sideways, finished his - finì lì il suo boccone, se ne │mouthful there, went back heavily, - ritornò grevemente, e sedette │and sat down before his plate. - davanti alla sua scodella. │ - │ - Quando sua moglie tornò egli non │When his wife returned he never - alzò lo sguardo, ma ingoiò │looked up, but swallowed a couple - rumorosamente un paio di cucchiate │of spoonfuls noisily, and remarked, - e osservò in modo ottuso: │in a dull manner— - │ - Quando dormono, essi sono come i │“When they sleep they are like - figlioli degli altri. │other people’s children.” - │ - Essa si lasciò andare su uno │She sat down suddenly on a stool - sgabello lì accanto, scossa da una │near by, and shook with a silent - tempesta di singulti senza parola, │tempest of sobs, unable to speak. - incapace a parlare. │ - │ - Egli finì il suo pasto, e rimase │He finished his meal, and remained - buttato all’ indietro sulla sua │idly thrown back in his chair, his - sedia, l’occhio perduto fra le │eyes lost amongst the black rafters - travi nere del soffitto. │of the ceiling. - │ - Davanti a lui la candela di sevo │Before him the tallow candle flared - fiammeggiava rossa e diritta, │red and straight, sending up a - mandando in alto un filo sottile di│slender thread of smoke. The light - fumo. La luce batteva sulla pelle │lay on the rough, sunburnt skin of - ruvida e abbronzata della sua gola;│his throat; the sunk cheeks were - le guancie infossate erano come │like patches of darkness, and his - zone d’ombra, ed il suo aspetto era│aspect was mournfully stolid, as if - pietosamente stolido, come se │he had ruminated with difficulty - ruminasse con difficoltà tutto un │endless ideas. - groviglio d’idee. │ - │ - Poi disse deliberatamente: │Then he said, deliberately: - │ - Dobbiamo vedere... consultare │“We must see ... consult people. - qualcuno. Non piangere... Non │Don’t cry.... They won’t be all - saranno tutti così... │like that ... surely! We must sleep - certamente!... Ora si va a dormire.│now.” - │ - Dopo che il terzo figliolo, un │After the third child, also a boy, - bambino pure, fu nato, Jean-Pierre │was born, Jean-Pierre went about - si mise d’intorno al suo lavoro con│his work with tense hopefulness. - intensa speranza. Le sue labbra │His lips seemed more narrow, more - sembravano più sottili, più │tightly compressed than before; as - strettamente serrate di prima, come│if for fear of letting the earth he - per paura di lasciare udire alla │tilled hear the voice of hope that - terra che arava la voce della │murmured within his breast. - speranza, che sussurrava dentro al │ - suo petto. │ - │ - Egli guatava il bambino, │He watched the child, stepping up - dirigendosi verso il suo letticiolo│to the cot with a heavy clang of - con un pesante risonare di zoccoli │sabots on the stone floor, and - sul pavimento di pietra, e vi │glanced in, along his shoulder, - buttava dentro un’occhiata sopra la│with that indifference which is - spalla, con quella indifferenza che│like a deformity of peasant - è come un’insita deformità │humanity. - dell’anima campagnola. │ - │ - Come la terra ch’essi dominano e │Like the earth they master and - servono a un tempo, questi uomini, │serve, those men, slow of eye and - d’occhi e di parole tardi, non │speech, do not show the inner fire; - mostrano l’interno fuoco, cosicchè,│so that, at last, it becomes a - in fondo, noi finiamo per │question with them as with the - domandarci, in quanto a loro come │earth, what there is in the core: - in quanto alla terra, cos’hanno nel│heat, violence, a force mysterious - loro nocciolo: ardore, violenza, │and terrible—or nothing but a clod, - una forza misteriosa e terribile—o │a mass fertile and inert, cold and - nient’altro che un pugno di terra, │unfeeling, ready to bear a crop of - massa fertile e inerte, fredda e │plants that sustain life or give - insensibile, da cui nascerà la │death. - pianta che sosterrà la vita oppure │ - quella che arrecherà la morte. │ - │ - La madre vegliava con altri occhi; │The mother watched with other eyes; - ascoltava con altre orecchie, │listened with otherwise expectant - altrimenti ansiose. │ears. - │ - Sotto gli alti scaffali sospesi, │Under the high hanging shelves - sorreggenti in alto grandi pezze di│supporting great sides of bacon - carne secca, materialmente ella │overhead, her body was busy by the - s’affacendava d’attorno al │great fire-place, attentive to the - focolare, attenta alla pentola │pot swinging on iron gallows, - dondolante ai ganci di ferro, │scrubbing the long table where the - fregando la lunga tavola dove le │field hands would sit down directly - opre si sarebbero assise in breve │to their evening meal. - al loro pasto della sera. │ - │ - Ma la sua mente rimaneva presso │Her mind remained by the cradle, - alla culla, notte e giorno │night and day on the watch, to hope - vegliando, nella speranza e nel │and suffer. - dolore. │ - │ - Quel bimbo, come gli altri due, non│That child, like the other two, - sorrideva mai, non le porgeva mai │never smiled, never stretched its - le piccole braccia, non parlava │hands to her, never spoke; never - mai; mai uno sguardo accennava a │had a glance of recognition for her - riconoscerla, uno sguardo dei suoi │in its big black eyes, which could - grandi occhi neri, che si │only stare fixedly at any glitter, - sbarravano solo davanti ad uno │but failed hopelessly to follow the - scintillio, ma che, ahimè, non │brilliance of a sun-ray slipping - sapevano neppure seguire la │slowly along the floor. - radiosità di un raggio di sole che │ - s’adagiasse lento sul pavimento. │ - │ - Quando gli uomini erano al lavoro, │When the men were at work she spent - ella passava giornate interminabili│long days between her three idiot - fra i suoi tre figlioli idioti ed │children and the childish - il loro nonno rimbambito, che │grandfather, who sat grim, angular, - sedeva arcigno, angoloso e │and immovable, with his feet near - immobile, coi piedi presso le │the warm ashes of the fire. - ceneri calde del focolare. │ - │ - Il debole vecchio sembrava │The feeble old fellow seemed to - sospettare che ci fosse qualcosa di│suspect that there was something - strano nei suoi nepoti. │wrong with his grandsons. - │ - Una volta sola, mosso forse │Only once, moved either by - dall’affetto o forse per un vago │affection or by the sense of - senso dei suoi doveri di nonno, │proprieties, he attempted to nurse - egli si mise d’attorno al piccino. │the youngest. He took the boy up - Alzò il bimbo da terra, schioccò la│from the floor, clicked his tongue - lingua per divertirlo, e arrischiò │at him, and essayed a shaky gallop - una galoppata tutta a scosse sulle │of his bony knees. Then he looked - sue ginocchia aguzze. Poi, col suo │closely with his misty eyes at the - sguardo intorbidato, guardò da │child’s face and deposited him down - presso la faccia del bimbo: e │gently on the floor again. - adagino lo riposò giù di nuovo sul │ - pavimento. │ - │ - E sedette ancora, coi suoi magri │And he sat, his lean shanks - stinchi incrociati, crollando il │crossed, nodding at the steam - capo al vapore sfuggente dalla │escaping from the cooking-pot with - pentola al bollore, con sguardo │a gaze senile and worried. - senile e crucciato. │ - │ - A poco a poco un’afflizione muta │Then mute affliction dwelt in - s’insediò alla masseria dei │Bacadou’s farmhouse, sharing the - Bacadou, condividendo il respiro ed│breath and the bread of its - il pane dei suoi famigliari; ed il │inhabitants; and the priest of the - curato della parrocchia di Ploumar │Ploumar parish had great cause for - ebbe alta cagione di compiacimento.│congratulation. - │ - Egli fece visita al ricco │He called upon the rich landowner, - feudatario, il marchese di │the Marquis de Chavanes, on purpose - Chavannes, allo scopo di esalare │to deliver himself with joyful - con gioconda unzione le sue solenni│unction of solemn platitudes about - insipienze sulle vie │the inscrutable ways of Providence. - imperscrutabili della Provvidenza. │ - │ - Nella vasta penombra del salotto a │In the vast dimness of the - gran cortinaggi, l’ometto, simile a│curtained drawing-room, the little - un capezzale nero a rullo, si │man, resembling a black bolster, - chinava verso un divano, col │leaned toward a couch, his hat on - cappello sulle ginocchia, e │his knees, and gesticulated with a - gesticolava con una mano grassoccia│fat hand at the elongated, - alle linee allungate e │gracefully-flowing lines of the - graziosamente drappeggiate della │clear Parisian toilette from within - chiara toilette parigina, da dentro│which the half-amused, half-bored - alla quale la marchesa, fra │marquise listened with gracious - divertita e seccata, ascoltava con │languor. - vezzoso languore. │ - │ - Egli era esultante ed umile, altero│He was exulting and humble, proud - e pavido. L’incredibile s’era │and awed. The impossible had come - avverato! Jean-Pierre Bacadou, │to pass. Jean-Pierre Bacadou, the - quell’arrabbiato contadino │enraged republican farmer, had been - repubblicano, la scorsa domenica │to Mass last Sunday—had proposed to - era stato alla messa—s’era │entertain the visiting priests at - impegnato a convitare i preti │the next festival of Ploumar! - venenti alla prossima festa di │ - Ploumar!... │ - │ - Era un trionfo per la Chiesa e per │It was a triumph for the Church and - la Santa Causa! │for the good cause. - │ - Pensai di venir subito a │“I thought I would come at once to - raccontarlo al Signor Marchese. So │tell Monsieur le Marquis. I know - quant’egli è ansioso del bene del │how anxious he is for the welfare - nostro paese! dichiarò il prete │of our country,” declared the - asciugandosi il volto. │priest, wiping his face. - │ - Fu subito invitato a desinare. │He was asked to stay to dinner. - │ - I Chavanes, tornando quella sera │The Chavanes returning that - dall’aver accompagnato il loro │evening, after seeing their guest - ospite al gran cancello del parco, │to the main gate of the park, - discussero la cosa, errando al │discussed the matter while they - chiaro di luna e trascinando le │strolled in the moonlight, trailing - loro lunghe ombre pel diritto viale│their long shadows up the straight - dei castagni. │avenue of chestnuts. - │ - Il marchese, realista[9] │The marquis, a royalist[10] of - naturalmente, era stato sindaco del│course, had been mayor of the - comune che include Ploumar, gli │commune which includes Ploumar, the - sparsi borghetti lungo la costa, e │scattered hamlets of the coast, and - le isole rocciose che orlano la │the stony islands that fringe the - gialla spianata delle dune. Egli │yellow flatness of the sands. He - aveva sentito la sua posizione │had felt his position insecure, for - malsicura, perchè c’era una forte │there was a strong republican - corrente repubblicana in quella │element in that part of the - parte della campagna; ma ora la │country; but now the conversion of - conversione di Jean-Pierre lo │Jean-Pierre made him safe. He was - metteva al salvo. Egli se ne │very pleased. - compiaceva grandemente. │ - │ - Non hai un’idea come quella gente │“You have no idea how influential - sia influente! spiegava alla │those people are,” he explained to - moglie. Ora non ne dubito punto, la│his wife. “Now, I am sure, the next - prossima elezione andrà a vele │communal election will go all - gonfie. Io sarò rieletto. │right. I shall be re-elected.” - │ - La tua ambizione è addirittura │“Your ambition is perfectly - insaziabile, Carlo! esclamò la │insatiable, Charles,” exclaimed the - marchesa gaiamente. │marquise, gaily. - │ - Ma, ma chère amie, ribattè il │“But, ma chère amie,” argued the - marito seriamente, ha una grande │husband, seriously, “it’s most - importanza che quest’anno il │important that the right man should - sindaco sia la vera persona atta │be mayor this year, because of the - alla carica, a causa delle elezioni│elections to the Chamber. If you - alla Camera. Se credi che ciò mi │think it amuses me....” - diverta... │ - │ - Jean-Pierre s’era arreso alla madre│Jean-Pierre had surrendered to his - di sua moglie. Madame Levaille era │wife’s mother. Madame Levaille was - una donna d’affari, conosciuta e │a woman of business, known and - rispettata per un raggio di almeno │respected within a radius of at - quindici miglia all’intorno. Solida│least fifteen miles. Thick-set and - e robusta, la si vedeva per la │stout, she was seen about the - campagna a piedi o nel baroccio di │country, on foot or in an - un conoscente, sempre in moto, a │acquaintance’s cart, perpetually - dispetto dei suoi cinquantott’anni,│moving, in spite of her fifty-eight - sempre dietro ai suoi affari. │years, in steady pursuit of - │business. - │ - Ella aveva case in tutti i │She had houses in all the hamlets, - borghetti, gestiva cave di granito,│she worked quarries of granite, she - caricava navi costiere di pietra, │freighted coasters with stone—even - trafficava perfino colle isole │traded with the Channel Islands. - Normanne. Ella aveva mascelle │She was broad-cheeked, wide-eyed, - sviluppate, occhi grandi, parola │persuasive in speech; carrying her - persuasiva; sostenendo il suo punto│point with the placid and - colla placida e invincibile │invincible obstinacy of an old - ostinatezza di una vecchia che sa │woman who knows her own mind. - ciò che vuole. │ - │ - Raramente ella dormiva due notti di│She very seldom slept for two - seguito nella stessa casa; e le │nights together in the same house; - bettole delle via maestra erano i │and the wayside inns were the best - luoghi più indicati per prendere │places to inquire in as to her - informazioni in quanto alle sue │whereabouts. She had either passed, - eventuali stanze: o era passata, o │or was expected to pass there at - sarebbe passata alle sei; oppure │six; or somebody, coming in, had - qualcuno, entrando, l’aveva vista │seen her in the morning, or - al mattino, o aspettava │expected to meet her that evening. - d’incontrarla quella sera. │ - │ - Dopo le osterie prospicenti la │After the inns that command the - strada, le chiese erano gli edifici│roads, the churches were the - ch’ella più frequentava. Gli uomini│buildings she frequented most. Men - dalle opinioni liberali solevano │of liberal opinions would induce - indurre i ragazzetti a fare una │small children to run into sacred - corsa nei sacri luoghi per vedere │edifices to see whether Madame - se Madame Levaille c’era, e per │Levaille was there, and to tell her - dirle che il tale dei tali era │that so-and-so was in the road - sulla via in attesa di │waiting to speak to her—about - parlarle—circa alle patate, alla │potatoes, or flour, or stones, or - farina, ai sassi, o alle case; ed │houses; and she would curtail her - ella soleva troncare le sue │devotions, come out blinking and - devozioni e uscire, sbattendo gli │crossing herself into the sunshine; - occhi abbagliati e segnandosi nel │ready to discuss business matters - sole; pronta a discutere d’affari, │in a calm, sensible way across a - calma e posata, sul piano di una │table in the kitchen of the inn - tavola, nella cucina dell’osteria │opposite. - dirimpetto. │ - │ - Recentemente s’era fermata più │Latterly she had stayed for a few - volte per parecchi giorni di │days several times with her - seguito dal genero, tirando fuori i│son-in-law, arguing against sorrow - suoi argomenti contro i dispiaceri │and misfortune with composed face - e l’avversa fortuna, con faccia │and gentle tones. - composta e tono benevolo. │ - │ - Jean-Pierre sentì le convinzioni │Jean-Pierre felt the convictions - assorbite al reggimento sradicarsi │imbibed in the regiment torn out of - dal suo petto—non per forza │his breast—not by arguments, but by - d’argomenti, ma di fatti. Misurando│facts. Striding over his fields he - col passo i suoi campi ci ripensò. │thought it over. - │ - Tre ce n’erano. Tre! Tutti eguali! │There were three of them. Three! - Perchè?... Tali cose non │All alike! Why? Such things did not - succedevano a tutti, anzi a │happen to everybody—to nobody he - nessuno, ch’egli avesse udito! Uno │ever heard of. One yet—it might - ancora... poteva passare. Ma tre! │pass. But three! All three. For - Tutti e tre! Disutili per sempre, │ever useless, to be fed while he - da doverseli campare finch’egli │lived and ... What would become of - fosse in vita e... Cosa ne sarebbe │the land when he died? - divenuto della terra dopo la sua │ - morte? │ - │ - Bisognava pensarci bene... Egli │This must be seen to. He would - sacrificherebbe le sue convinzioni!│sacrifice his convictions. - │ - Un giorno egli disse alla moglie: │One day he told his wife: - │ - Guarda un po’ ciò che il tuo Dio │“See what your God will do for us. - possa fare per noi. Fa dire qualche│Pay for some masses.” - messa. │ - │ - Susanna abbracciò il suo uomo. Egli│Susan embraced her man. He stood - si tenne rigido, poi girò sui │unbending, then turned on his heels - talloni e uscì. │and went out. - │ - Ma più tardi, quando una nera │But afterwards, when a black - sottana oscurò la sua soglia, egli │_soutane_ darkened his doorway, he - non fece obbiezione; anzi offerse │did not object; even offered some - egli stesso del sidro al prete. │cider himself to the priest. - │ - Egli ascoltò i ragionamenti con │He listened to the talk meekly; - sottomissione; andò alla messa fra │went to Mass between the two women; - le due donne; adempì ciò che il │accomplished what the priest called - prete chiamava “i suoi doveri │“his religious duties” at Easter. - religiosi,” a Pasqua. │ - │ - Ma quella mattina si sentì come un │That morning he felt like a man who - uomo che abbia venduto l’anima. Nel│had sold his soul. In the afternoon - pomeriggio egli ebbe una zuffa │he fought ferociously with an old - feroce con un vecchio amico e │friend and neighbour who had - vicino che aveva rimarcato che │remarked that the priests had the - quello era stato una vera bazza per│best of it and were now going to - i pastori della chiesa, e che │eat the priest-eater. - l’accanito mangia-preti stavano │ - proprio pappandoselo loro. │ - │ - Venne a casa sanguinante e │He came home dishevelled and - scarmigliato, e capitandogli │bleeding, and happening to catch - l’occhio sopra i suoi figlioli (che│sight of his children (they were - generalmente erano tenuti fuori │kept generally out of the way), - mano), maledì e bestemmiò │cursed and swore incoherently, - incoerentemente, pestando i pugni │banging the table. - sulla tavola. │ - │ - Susanna pianse. Madame Levaille │Susan wept. Madame Levaille sat - rimase seduta serenamente, senza │serenely unmoved. She assured her - commuoversi. Ella rassicurò la │daughter that “It will pass”; and - figliola che “Passerà,” e, │taking up her thick umbrella, - prendendo su il suo ombrellone, se │departed in haste to see after a - ne andò in fretta a vedere di uno │schooner she was going to load with - schooner che stava per caricare di │granite from her quarry. - granito della sua cava. │ - │ - Circa un anno dopo era nata la │A year or so afterwards the girl - bimba. │was born. - │ - Una femmina. Jean-Pierre lo venne a│A girl. Jean-Pierre heard of it in - sapere mentre stava nei campi, e fu│the fields, and was so upset by the - così sconvolto dalla notizia, che │news that he sat down on the - si lasciò andare sul muricciolo di │boundary wall and remained there - confine e vi rimase fino a sera, │till the evening, instead of going - invece di andare a casa come n’era │home as he was urged to do. - sollecitato. │ - │ - Una femmina! Si sentì a mezzo │A girl! He felt half cheated. - truffato. │ - │ - Però, quando giunse a casa, era in │However, when he got home he was - parte riconciliato col suo destino.│partly reconciled to his fate. One - La si poteva maritare a un bravo │could marry her to a good - giovane—non a un fannullone, ma a │fellow—not to a good for nothing, - un ragazzo con un po’ di sale in │but to a fellow with some - zucca e un buon paio di braccia. │understanding and a good pair of - │arms. - │ - Inoltre, il prossimo avrebbe potuto│Besides, the next may be a boy, he - essere un maschio, pensava. │thought. - │ - Naturalmente su quelli non ci │Of course they would be all right. - sarebbero state tare. La sua nuova │His new credulity knew of no doubt. - credenza non conosceva dubbi. La │The ill luck was broken. - mala sorte era infranta! │ - │ - Egli parlò con buonumore a sua │He spoke cheerily to his wife. She - moglie. Anch’essa era piena di │was also hopeful. Three priests - speranza. Tre preti vennero a quel │came to that christening, and - battesimo, e Madame Levaille fu la │Madame Levaille was godmother. - comare. │ - │ - Ma il tempo diede a vedere che │The child turned out an idiot too. - anche questa sua bimba era │ - stupida... │ - │ - Da allora, nei giorni di mercato, │Then on market days Jean-Pierre was - Jean-Pierre fu visto contrattare │seen bargaining bitterly, - con acrimonia, rissoso e vorace; │quarrelsome and greedy; then - poi ubriacarsi con taciturna │getting drunk with taciturn - veemenza; poi ritornare al │earnestness; then driving home in - crepuscolo nel suo biroccio a gran │the dusk at a rate fit for a - carriera come se andasse a nozze, │wedding, but with a face gloomy - ma con una faccia buia da funerale.│enough for a funeral. - │ - Qualche volta insisteva perchè sua │Sometimes he would insist for his - moglie l’accompagnasse, e, al │wife to come with him; and they - mattino presto, il biroccio li │would drive in the early morning, - sobbalzava da un canto all’altro │shaking side by side on the narrow - dello stretto sedile, sopra il │seat above the helpless pig that, - porcello che, impotente, colle sue │with tied legs, grunted a - zampe legate, grugniva un suo │melancholy sigh at every rut. - malinconico sospiro ad ogni │ - sussulto sulle carreggiate. │ - │ - Le trottate della mattina erano │The morning drives were silent; but - silenziose; ma alla sera venendo a │in the evening, coming home, - casa Jean-Pierre, ubriaco, │Jean-Pierre, tipsy, was viciously - borbottava senza ritegno e │muttering, and growled at the - imprecava contro la malaugurata │confounded woman who could not rear - donna che non poteva mettere al │children that were like anybody - mondo figlioli che fossero come │else’s. - quelli di tutta l’altra gente. │ - │ - Susanna, aggrappandosi per i │Susan, holding on against the - sobbalzi del carro, dava a credere │erratic swayings of the cart, - di non udire. │pretended not to hear. - │ - Una volta, attraversando Ploumar, │Once, as they were driving through - un istinto oscuro e briaco gli │Ploumar, some obscure and drunken - suggerì di arrestare di botto fin │impulse caused him to pull up - dirimpetto alla chiesa. │sharply opposite the church. - │ - La luna navigava fra bianche nuvole│The moon swam amongst light white - leggere. Le pietre dei sepolcri │clouds. The tombstones gleamed pale - biancheggiavano sotto le ombre │under the fretted shadows of the - chiazzate degli alberi del │trees in the churchyard. Even the - cimitero. Perfino i cani del │village dogs slept. Only the - villaggio dormivano. Solo gli │nightingales, awake, spun out the - usignoli, svegli, filavano i trilli│thrill of their song above the - della loro canzone sovra il │silence of graves. - silenzio delle tombe. │ - │ - Jean-Pierre disse a lingua grossa a│Jean-Pierre said thickly to his - sua moglie: │wife: - │ - Cosa credi che ci sia là? │“What do you think is there?” - │ - Egli indicò il campanile colla │He pointed his whip at the tower—in - frusta—sul quale il gran quadrante │which the big dial of the clock - dell’orologio appariva alto nel │appeared high in the moonlight like - chiarore lunare come una pallida │a pallid face without eyes—and - faccia senz’occhi—e dopo esser │getting out carefully, fell down at - sceso con prudenza, cadde ad un │once by the wheel. He picked - tratto presso la ruota. Si tirò su │himself up and climbed one by one - e salì a fatica uno ad uno i pochi │the few steps to the iron gate of - gradini, fino al cancello di ferro │the churchyard. - del cimitero. │ - │ - Mise la faccia alle sbarre e chiamò│He put his face to the bars and - indistintamente: │called out indistinctly: - │ - Ohè là! Venite fuori! │“Hey there! Come out!” - │ - Jean! Torna! Torna! supplicò sua │“Jean! Return! Return!” entreated - moglie dominando la voce. │his wife in low tones. - │ - Egli non se ne addiede, e sembrò │He took no notice, and seemed to - attender lì. │wait there. - │ - Il canto dell’usignolo percoteva da│The song of nightingales beat on - ogni lato contro gli alti muri │all sides against the high walls of - della chiesa, e fluiva di ritorno │the church, and flowed back between - fra le croci di pietra e le grigie │stone crosses and flat grey slabs, - lapidi piane, incise di parole di │engraved with words of hope and - speranza e di dolore. │sorrow. - │ - Ohe! Venite fuori!—urlò forte │“Hey! Come out!” shouted - Jean-Pierre. │Jean-Pierre loudly. - │ - Gli usignoli cessarono di cantare. │The nightingales ceased to sing. - │ - Nessuno? continuò Jean-Pierre. Non │“Nobody?” went on Jean-Pierre. - c’è nessuno! Una mistificazione dei│“Nobody there. A swindle of the - corvi. Ecco cos’è. Nessuno in alcun│crows. That’s what this is. Nobody - luogo. Pouah! Allez! Houp! │anywhere. I despise it. Allez! - │Houp!” - │ - Egli scosse il cancello con tutta │He shook the gate with all his - la sua forza, e le sbarre di ferro │strength, and the iron bars rattled - cigolarono con pauroso strepito, │with a frightful clanging, like a - come una catena strascicata su dei │chain dragged over stone steps. - gradini di pietra. │ - │ - Un cane lì presso abbaiò │A dog near-by barked hurriedly. - insistentemente. │ - │ - Jean-Pierre tornò indietro │Jean-Pierre staggered back, and - barcollando, e dopo tre colpi a │after three successive dashes got - vuoto riuscì ad entrare nel carro. │into his cart. - │ - Susanna era lì quieta ed immobile. │Susan sat very quiet and still. He - Egli le disse con burbanza da │said to her with drunken severity: - ubriaco: │ - │ - Hai visto? Nessuno. Si sono presi │“See? Nobody. I’ve been made a - gioco di me. Malheur! Ma │fool! Malheur! Somebody will pay - qualcheduno la pagherà. Il primo │for it. The next one I see near the - che vedo vicino a casa, lascio │house I will lay my whip on ... on - andar la frusta su... sul suo │the black spine.... I will. - groppone nero... lascio... │ - │ - Non ce lo voglio... egli ajuta solo│“I don’t want him in there ... he - i corvi mangia-carogne a spolpare │only helps the carrion crows to rob - la povera gente! │poor folk. - │ - Io sono un uomo... Vogliamo vedere │“I am a man.... We will see if I - se io non posso aver figlioli come │can’t have children like anybody - tutti gli altri... Stavvi │else ... now you mind.... They - attenta!... Non saranno tutti... │won’t be all ... all ... we - tutti... Vedremo... │see....” - │ - Ella ebbe uno scoppio di fra le sue│She burst out through the fingers - dita che le nascondevano la faccia:│that hid her face: - │ - Non dir questo, Jean; non dir │“Don’t say that, Jean; don’t say - questo, marito mio. │that, my man!” - │ - Egli le lasciò andare un forte │He struck her a swinging blow on - picchio col dorso della mano, e la │the head with the back of his hand - mandò a sbattere in fondo alla │and knocked her into the bottom of - carretta, dov’ella si accovacciò, │the cart, where she crouched, - malmenata in modo pietoso ad ogni │thrown about lamentably by every - scotimento del veicolo. │jolt. - │ - Egli guidò con furore, in piedi, │He drove furiously, standing up, - brandendo la frusta, scuotendo le │brandishing his whip, shaking the - redini sul cavallo grigio, che si │reins over the grey horse that - mise a galoppare pesantemente, │galloped ponderously, making the - facendo saltare la greve bardatura │heavy harness leap upon his broad - sui suoi larghi quarti. │quarters. - │ - La campagna risonava clamorosamente│The country rang clamorous in the - nella notte del latrato irritato │night with the irritated barking of - dei cani da pastori, il quale seguì│farm dogs, that followed the rattle - lo strepito delle ruote durante │of wheels all along the road. A - tutta la strada. Un paio di │couple of belated wayfarers had - viandanti, sorpresi dalla notte, │only just time to step into the - ebbero appena tempo di cacciarsi │ditch. - nel fosso. │ - │ - Al cancello di casa diede di cozzo │At his own gate he caught the post - nel palo e fu balzato fuor del │and was shot out of the cart head - carro a capofitto. Il cavallo │first. The horse went on slowly to - continuò lentamente fino alla │the door. - porta. │ - │ - Agli acuti strilli di Susanna, le │At Susan’s piercing cries the farm - opre della masseria si │hands rushed out. She thought him - precipitarono fuori. Ella lo │dead, but he was only sleeping - credette morto, ma egli si era │where he fell, and cursed his men, - invece addormentato là dov’era │who hastened to him, for disturbing - caduto, e imprecò ai suoi uomini │his slumbers. - corsi a lui, che avevano disturbato│ - i suoi sonni. │ - │ - Venne l’autunno. Il cielo │Autumn came. The clouded sky - annuvolato scendeva basso fino ai │descended low upon the black - neri contorni dei colli, e le │contours of the hills; and the dead - foglie morte danzavano in turbini a│leaves danced in spiral whirls - spirali sotto gli alberi spogli, │under naked trees, till the wind, - finchè il vento, con profondo │sighing profoundly, laid them to - sospiro, le portava a riposo nelle │rest in the hollows of bare - cavità delle valli ignude. │valleys. - │ - E da mattina a sera non si vedeva │And from morning till night one - sopra tutta la terra che neri rami │could see all over the land black - spogli, rami nodosi e attorti, come│denuded boughs, the boughs gnarled - se attorcigliati dal dolore, │and twisted, as if contorted with - ondeggianti tristemente fra le nubi│pain, swaying sadly between the wet - pregne di pioggia e la terra molle.│clouds and the soaked earth. The - I chiari e dolci ruscelli dei │clear and gentle streams of summer - giorni d’estate si precipitavano │days rushed discoloured and raging - torbidi e furiosi sui sassi che │at the stones that barred the way - sbarravano loro la via al mare, │to the sea, with the fury of - colla furia della demenza risoluta │madness bent upon suicide. - al suicidio. │ - │ - Da orizzonte a orizzonte la gran │From horizon to horizon the great - via che conduceva alle dune giaceva│road to the sands lay between the - fra i colli in un triste │hills in a dull glitter of empty - biancheggiare di vane curve, come │curves, resembling an unnavigable - un’impraticabile riviera di melma. │river of mud. - │ - Jean-Pierre camminava da un campo │Jean-Pierre went from field to - all’altro, figura alta e quasi │field, moving blurred and tall in - sfumata nella pioggerella nebbiosa,│the drizzle, or striding on the - o percorreva a gran passi la cresta│crests of rises, lonely and high - delle alture solitarie ed alte │upon the grey curtain of drifting - contro la grigia cortina di nubi │clouds, as if he had been pacing - accumulate, come se egli misurasse │along the very edge of the - col piede il limitare │universe. - dell’universo. │ - │ - Egli guardava la terra nera, la │He looked at the black earth, at - terra muta e carica di promesse, la│the earth mute and promising, at - terra misteriosa generatrice di │the mysterious earth doing its work - vita in apparente immobilità di │of life in death-like stillness - morte, sotto il corruccio velato │under the veiled sorrow of the sky. - del cielo. │ - │ - E gli parve che per un uomo peggio │And it seemed to him that to a man - che privato di figli non ci fosse │worse than childless there was no - promessa nella fertilità dei campi;│promise in the fertility of fields, - che la terra da lui rifuggisse, lo │that from him the earth escaped, - sfidasse, gli si mostrasse │defied him, frowned at him like the - accigliata, come le nuvole che si │clouds, sombre and hurried above - rincorrevano cupe sovra la sua │his head. - testa. │ - │ - Cosciente d’esser solo ad affrontar│Having to face alone his own - la sua terra, sentì tutta │fields, he felt the inferiority of - l’inferiorità dell’uomo il quale │man who passes away before the clod - passa, davanti alla zolla che │that remains. Must he give up the - rimane. Doveva egli rinunciare alla│hope of having by his side a son - speranza d’aver per sè un figliolo │who would look at the turned-up - che sorvegliasse la zolla rivelta │sods with a master’s eye? A man - con occhio di padrone? Un uomo che │that would think as he thought, - pensasse com’egli pensava, che │that would feel as he felt; a man - sentisse com’egli sentiva; un uomo │who would be part of himself, and - che fosse parte di sè stesso e │yet remain to trample masterfully - rimanesse tuttavia a calcare da │on that earth when he was gone! - dominatore quella terra, quand’egli│ - non ci fosse più? │ - │ - Pensò a dei lontani parenti, e │He thought of some distant - un’astiosità lo strinse da farlo │relations, and felt savage enough - imprecare a loro ad alta voce. │to curse them aloud. They! Never! - Essi? Mai! │ - │ - Volse verso casa, puntando diritto │He turned homewards, going straight - al tetto della sua abitazione, │at the roof of his dwelling visible - visibile fra gli scheletri │between the enlaced skeletons of - allacciati degli alberi. Mentre │trees. As he swung his legs over - egli buttava le gambe sovra lo │the stile a cawing flock of birds - steccato, uno stormo crocidante di │settled slowly on the field; - uccelli calò con lento volo sul │dropped down behind his back, - campo; scese dietro a lui, in │noiseless and fluttering, like - silenzioso ondeggiamento, come │flakes of soot. - batuffoli di fuliggine. │ - - - - - III - - - Quel giorno Madame Levaille era │That day Madame Levaille had gone - andata presto nel pomeriggio alla │early in the afternoon to the house - casa che aveva vicino a Kervanion. │she had near Kervanion. She had to - Ella doveva pagare degli uomini che│pay some of the men who worked in - lavoravano là nella sua cava di │her granite quarry there, and she - granito, e ci andava per tempo, │went in good time because her - perchè nella sua casetta ella │little house contained a shop where - faceva anche osteria, perchè gli │the workmen could spend their wages - operai avessero agio di dar fondo │without the trouble of going to - ai loro salari senza il disturbo di│town. - arrivare fino alla città. │ - │ - La casa era tutta sola fra le │The house stood alone amongst - balze. Un vicolo fatto di sassi e │rocks. A lane of mud and stones - fango si trascinava fino alla │ended at the door. The sea-winds - porta. I venti di mare, venendo a │coming ashore on Stonecutter’s - riva da Punta Tagliapietra, freschi│point, fresh from the fierce - ancora del fiero tumulto delle │turmoil of the waves, howled - acque, urlavano violentemente │violently at the unmoved heaps of - contro gli scogli neri ed immobili,│black boulders holding up steadily - ammonticchiati gli uni su gli │short-armed, high crosses against - altri, che sorreggevano fermamente │the tremendous rush of the - alte croci dalle brevi braccia, │invisible. - contro il tremendo infuriare │ - dell’invisibile. │ - │ - Nell’imperversare dei venti la casa│In the sweep of gales the sheltered - stava al riparo in una calma sonora│dwelling stood in a calm resonant - ed inquietante, come può esserlo la│and disquieting, like the calm in - calma al centro di un uragano. │the centre of a hurricane. - │ - Nelle notti di tempesta, quando la │On stormy nights, when the tide was - marea era bassa, la baia di │out, the bay of Fougère, fifty feet - Fougère, cinquanta piedi sotto la │below the house, resembled an - casa, sembrava un’immensa buca │immense black pit, from which - nera, da cui salivano mugolii e │ascended mutterings and sighs as if - sospiri, come se le rene laggiù │the sands down there had been alive - fossero animate dalla vita e dalla │and complaining. At high tide the - sofferenza. Ad alta marea, l’acqua │returning water assaulted the - ritornava assaltando i lembi delle │ledges of rock in short rushes, - roccie in brevi impeti, finenti in │ending in bursts of livid light and - scoppi di livide luci e in colonne │columns of spray, that flew inland, - di spuma, che, riversandosi sulla │stinging to death the grass of - terra, portavano la morte nell’erba│pastures. - della pastura. │ - │ - Le tenebre scesero dalle colline, │The darkness came from the hills, - invasero la costa, spensero i │flowed over the coast, put out the - fuochi rossi del tramonto, e │red fires of sunset, and went on to - dilagarono verso il mare dietro la │seaward pursuing the retiring tide. - marea ritirantesi. Il vento calò │The wind dropped with the sun, - col sole, lasciando un mare │leaving a maddened sea and a - sconvolto ed un cielo devastato. │devastated sky. The heavens above - L’oscura volta sulla casa pareva │the house seemed to be draped in - drappeggiata di cenci neri, │black rags, held up here and there - trattenuti qua e là da spilloni di │by pins of fire. - fuoco. │ - │ - Madame Levaille, serva quella sera │Madame Levaille, for this evening - dei suoi stessi operai, tentava di │the servant of her own workmen, - indurli a partire. │tried to induce them to depart. - │ - Una donna vecchia come me dovrebbe │“An old woman like me ought to be - essere a letto a un’ora così tarda,│in bed at this late hour,” she - ella ripeteva, senza troppo │good-humouredly repeated. - malumore. │ - │ - I cavatori bevevano e chiedevano │The quarrymen drank, asked for - dell’altro. Essi urlavano da un │more. They shouted over the table - lato all’altro della tavola, come │as if they had been talking across - se parlassero attraverso a un │a field. At one end four of them - campo. Ad un capo quattro di loro │played cards, banging the wood with - giocavano a carte, bussando sul │their hard knuckles, and swearing - legno colle loro nocche indurite, e│at every lead. - bestemmiando ad ogni mano. │ - │ - Uno sedeva coll’occhio perduto, │One sat with a lost gaze, humming a - mugolando qualche battuta di una │bar of some song, which he repeated - canzone, e ripetendola │endlessly. - indefinitamente. │ - │ - Due altri, in un canto, liticavano │Two others, in a corner, were - aspramente a quattr’occhi per una │quarrelling confidentially and - donna, fissandoseli da vicino come │fiercely over some woman, looking - se volessero strapparseli, ma │close into one another’s eyes as if - parlando a sussurri, che │they had wanted to tear them out, - velatamente promettevano violenza e│but speaking in whispers that - morte in un astioso sibilo di │promised violence and murder - sommesse parole. │discreetly, in a venomous - │sibilation of subdued words. - │ - C’era un’atmosfera densa da │The atmosphere in there was thick - tagliarsi col coltello. Tre candele│enough to slice with a knife. Three - accese per la stanza mandavano una │candles burning about the long room - luce rossa e smorta, come scintille│glowed red and dull like sparks - che si spengano in cenere. │expiring in ashes. - │ - Il leggero stridio del saliscendi │The slight click of the iron latch - di ferro a così tarda ora, suonò │was at that late hour as unexpected - inatteso e allarmante come un │and startling as a thunderclap. - fragore di tuono. Madame Levaille │Madame Levaille put down a bottle - depose una bottiglia alzata sopra │she held above a liqueur glass; the - un bicchierino da liquori, i │players turned their heads; the - giuocatori volsero la testa, il │whispered quarrel ceased; only the - litigio sussurrato rimase sospeso; │singer, after darting a glance at - solo il cantore, dopo aver lanciato│the door, went on humming with a - un’occhiata alla porta, continuò il│stolid face. - suo noioso ronzio con faccia │ - stolida. │ - │ - Susanna apparve sulla soglia, │Susan appeared in the doorway, - entrò, sbattè la porta dietro a sè,│stepped in, flung the door to, and - e vi si appoggiò contro, dicendo a │put her back against it, saying, - mezza voce: │half aloud: - │ - Mamma! │“Mother!” - │ - Madame Levaille, risollevando la │Madame Levaille, taking up the - bottiglia, disse calma: Sei qui, │bottle again, said calmly: “Here - figliola? In che stato sei! │you are, my girl. What a state you - │are in!” - │ - Il collo della bottiglia tinnì │The neck of the bottle rang on the - sull’orlo del bicchiere, segno │rim of the glass, for the old woman - evidente di emozione nella vecchia,│was startled, and the idea that the - a cui attraversò il pensiero che la│farm had caught fire had entered - masseria fosse in fiamme. Non │her head. She could think of no - poteva vederci altra cagione │other cause for her daughter’s - nell’apparizione di sua figlia. │appearance. - │ - Susanna, molle d’acqua e schizzata │Susan, soaked and muddy, stared the - di fango, guardò con occhi sbarrati│whole length of the room toward the - per tutta la lunghezza della stanza│men at the far end. Her mother - fino agli uomini al capo opposto. │asked: - Sua madre chiese: │ - │ - Cos’è successo? Che Dio ci guardi │“What has happened? God guard us - dalle disgrazie! │from misfortune!” - │ - Susanna mosse le labbra. Non ne │Susan moved her lips. No sound - uscì alcun suono. Madame Levaille │came. Madame Levaille stepped up to - andò alla figlia, la prese pel │her daughter, took her by the arm, - braccio, la guardò in viso. │looked into her face. - │ - In nome di Dio, ella balbettò, che │“In God’s name,” she said shakily, - c’è? Ti sei rotolata nel fango... │“what’s the matter? You have been - Perchè sei venuta?... Dov’è Jean? │rolling in mud.... Why did you - │come?... Where’s Jean?” - │ - Gli uomini s’eran tutti alzati │The men had all got up and - avvicinandosi lentamente, cogli │approached slowly, staring with - occhi spalancati di stupidità │dull surprise. Madame Levaille - sorpresa. Madame Levaille cacciò │jerked her daughter away from the - sua figlia dalla porta e la spinse │door, swung her round upon a seat - su un sedile contro il muro. Poi si│close to the wall. Then she turned - voltò aspramente agli uomini: │fiercely to the men— - │ - Basta ora! Andatevene—voialtri! Io │“Enough of this! Out you go—you - chiudo. │others! I close.” - │ - Uno di essi osservò, guardando │One of them observed, looking down - Susanna quasi fuor di sè, svenuta │at Susan collapsed on the seat: - sulla sedia: Essa è—come chi │“She is—one may say—half dead.” - dicesse—mezza morta. │ - │ - Madame Levaille spalancò la porta: │Madame Levaille flung the door - │open. - │ - Fuori! Marche! ella gridò con un │“Get out! March!” she cried, - tremore nervoso. │shaking nervously. - │ - Essi uscirono uno ad uno nella │They dropped out into the night, - notte, ridendo stupidamente. Fuori,│laughing stupidly. Outside, the two - i due Lotari scoppiarono in grida │Lotharios broke out into loud - violente. Gli altri cercarono di │shouts. The others tried to soothe - calmarli, parlando tutti insieme. │them, all talking at once. - │ - Il rumore si perdette pel vicolo │The noise went away up the lane - assieme agli uomini, traballanti in│with the men, who staggered - un sol gruppo serrato e │together in a tight knot, - incolpandosene stupidamente l’un │remonstrating with one another - l’altro. │foolishly. - │ - Parla, Susanna. Che c’è? │“Speak, Susan. What is it? Speak!” - Parla!—supplicò Madame Levaille, │entreated Madame Levaille, as soon - appena chiusa la porta. │as the door was shut. - │ - Susanna pronunciò qualche parola │Susan pronounced some - incomprensibile, con terribile │incomprehensible words, glaring at - fissità di sguardo alla tavola. La │the table. The old woman clapped - vecchia picchiò insieme in alto le │her hands above her head, let them - mani, le lasciò cadere, e rimase a │drop, and stood looking at her - guardare la figlia con occhi │daughter with disconsolate eyes. - sgomenti. │ - │ - Suo marito era stato “un po’ tocco │Her husband had been “deranged in - al cervello” per qualche anno, │his head” for a few years before he - avanti di morire, ed ora cominciava│died, and now she began to suspect - a sospettare che sua figlia pure │her daughter was going mad. She - stesse ammattendo. Le domandò, │asked, pressingly: - facendole pressione: │ - │ - Lo sa Jean dove sei? Dov’è Jean? │“Does Jean know where you are? - │Where is Jean?” - │ - Susanna pronunciò con difficoltà: │Susan pronounced with difficulty— - │ - Lo sa... egli è morto. │“He knows ... he is dead.” - │ - Che? gridò la vecchia. Ella │“What!” cried the old woman. She - s’appressò ancora, e spiando in │came up near, and peering at her - faccia la figlia ripetè tre volte: │daughter, repeated three times: - Che dici? Che dici? Che dici? │“What do you say? What do you say? - │What do you say?” - │ - Susanna sedeva a ciglio asciutto e │Susan sat dry-eyed and stony before - impietrata davanti a Madame │Madame Levaille, who contemplated - Levaille, che la contemplava, │her, feeling a strange sense of - sentendo uno strano senso │inexplicable horror creep into the - d’inesplicabile orrore serpeggiare │silence of the house. - nel silenzio della casa. │ - │ - Ella non s’era quasi resa conto │She had hardly realized the news, - della notizia, al di là del capire │further than to understand that she - ch’ella era stata portata in un │had been brought in one short - attimo faccia a faccia con │moment face to face with something - qualchecosa di inatteso e di │unexpected and final. - decisivo. │ - │ - Non le veniva neanche alla mente di│It did not even occur to her to ask - chiedere spiegazioni. Ella pensava:│for any explanation. She thought: - accidente—terribile │accident—terrible accident—blood to - accidente—sangue alla testa—caduto │the head—fell down a trap door in - in un trabocchetto in soffitta... │the loft.... - │ - Rimase lì astratta e muta, │She remained there, distracted and - sbattendo i suoi vecchi occhi. │mute, blinking her old eyes. - │ - Improvvisamente Susanna disse: │Suddenly, Susan said: - │ - L’ho ucciso io! │“I have killed him.” - │ - Per un attimo la madre rimase │For a moment the mother stood - immobile, quasi senza respiro, ma │still, almost unbreathing, but with - con faccia impassibile. Ma subito │composed face. The next second she - dopo scoppiò in un grido: │burst out into a shout: - │ - Tu, pazza di una donna... Ti │“You miserable madwoman ... they - taglieranno il collo!... │will cut your neck....” - │ - Immaginò subito i gendarmi entrando│She fancied the gendarmes entering - in casa sua e dicendole: Vogliamo │the house, saying to her: “We want - vostra figlia; datecela—I gendarmi,│your daughter; give her up”: the - con quella faccia severa e rigida │gendarmes with the severe, hard - degli uomini che compiono un │faces of men on duty. - mandato. │ - │ - Ella conosceva bene il brigadiere, │She knew the brigadier well—an old - un vecchio amico familiare e │friend, familiar and respectful, - rispettoso, che diceva │saying heartily, “To your good - cordialmente: Alla vostra salute, │health, madame!” before lifting to - signora!—prima di alzare alle │his lips the small glass of - labbra il bicchierino del │cognac—out of the special bottle - cognac—quello della bottiglia │she kept for friends. - speciale messa in serbo per gli │ - amici. │ - │ - Ed ora?... Ella ci perdeva la │And now!... She was losing her - testa. Ella si mise a correre di │head. She rushed here and there, as - qua e di là, come cercando qualche │if looking for something urgently - cosa d’immediata necessità—smise, │needed—gave that up, stood stock - rimase immobile nel centro della │still in the middle of the room, - stanza, e strillò alla figlia: │and screamed at her daughter: - │ - Perchè? Dillo! Dillo! Perchè? │“Why? Say! Say! Why?” - │ - L’altra sembrò guizzar fuori dalla │The other seemed to leap out of her - sua strana apatia: │strange apathy. - │ - Credi che io sia di sasso? strillò │“Do you think I am made of stone?” - in risposta, buttandosi verso sua │she shouted back, striding toward - madre. │her mother. - │ - No! È impossibile... disse Madame │“No! It’s impossible ...” said - Levaille con tono di assoluta │Madame Levaille, in a convinced - convinzione. │tone. - │ - Andate dunque a vedere, mamma, │“You go and see, mother,” retorted - rispose in cambio Susanna, │Susan, looking at her with blazing - guardandola con occhi accesi. Non │eyes. “There’s no mercy in - c’è misericordia nel cielo—nè │heaven—no justice. No!... I did not - giustizia. No!... Non sapevo... │know.... Do you think I have no - Credete che io non abbia cuore? │heart? - │ - Credete voi che io non abbia mai │“Do you think I have never heard - udito la gente schernirmi, │people jeering at me, pitying me, - compiangermi, farsi stupore di │wondering at me? - me?... │ - │ - Sapete come qualcuno mi chiamava? │“Do you know how some of them were - La madre degli idioti—quello era il│calling me? The mother of - mio soprannome! E i miei figli non │idiots—that was my nickname! And my - mi conosceranno mai, non mi │children never would know me, never - parleranno mai; non conosceranno │speak to me. They would know - niente, nè uomini, nè Dio. │nothing; neither men—nor God. - │ - Non ho dunque io pregato! Ma la │“Haven’t I prayed! But the Mother - Madre stessa di Dio non ha voluto │of God herself would not hear me. A - udirmi. Una madre!... │mother!... - │ - Chi è maledetto—io, o quell’uomo │“Who is accursed—I, or the man who - che è morto? Eh? Ditemelo. Io badai│is dead? Eh? Tell me. I took care - a me. Credete che io avrei sfidato │of myself. Do you think I would - il furore di Dio e riempito la casa│defy the anger of God and have my - di quegli esseri, che sono peggio │house full of those things—that are - di bestie, le quali conoscono │worse than animals who know the - almeno la mano che li sfama? │hand that feeds them? - │ - Chi bestemmiò nella notte, fin │“Who blasphemed in the night at the - sulla porta stessa della chiesa? │very church door? Was it I?... I - Fui io?... Io piansi solamente e │only wept and prayed for mercy ... - implorai misericordia... e sento │and I feel the curse at every - invece la maledizione ad ogni │moment of the day—I see it round me - momento del giorno—me la vedo │from morning to night.... I’ve got - d’intorno da mattina a sera... La │to keep them alive—to take care of - mia missione è di tenerli in │my misfortune and shame. - vita—di dar dietro alla mia mala │ - sorte ed alla mia vergogna... │ - │ - E lui veniva. Io imploravo │“And he would come. I begged him - misericordia da lui e dal cielo. Ma│and Heaven for mercy.... No!... - niente!... Ebbene, allora │Then we shall see.... - vedremo!... │ - │ - Stasera venne. Pensai tra me: Ah, │“He came this evening. I thought to - di nuovo! Avevo le mie lunghe │myself: ‘Ah! again!’... I had my - forbici. Lo sentii vociare... Me lo│long scissors. I heard him - vidi vicino... Devo? Veramente? │shouting.... I saw him near.... I - Piglia, dunque!... │must—must I?... Then take!... - │ - E lo colpii alla gola sopra l’osso │“And I struck him in the throat - del petto... Non diede neanche un │above the breast-bone.... I never - sospiro. Lo lasciai in piedi... │heard him even sigh.... I left him - Sarà un minuto. Come ho fatto a │standing.... It was a minute ago. - venire? │How did I come here?” - │ - Madame Levaille rabbrividì. Un │Madame Levaille shivered. A wave of - fremito gelato le corse la schiena,│cold ran down her back, down her - le braccia grasse dentro le maniche│fat arms under her tight sleeves, - strette, le fece involontariamente │made her stamp gently where she - battere i piedi. Dei fremiti le │stood. Quivers ran over the broad - agitavano le grasse guancie, le │cheeks, across the thin lips, ran - labbra sottili, le rughe agli │amongst the wrinkles at the corners - angoli dei suoi vecchi occhi fissi.│of her steady old eyes. She - Ella balbettò: │stammered: - │ - Ah! donna perversa—tu mi │“You wicked woman—you disgrace me. - disonori... Ma già! Tu hai sempre │But there! You always resembled - assomigliato a tuo padre! Cosa │your father. What do you think will - credi che ne addiverrà di te... │become of you ... in the other - nell’ altro mondo? In questo... Oh │world? In this.... Oh misery!” - sciagura! │ - │ - Ora le aveva preso un gran caldo. │She was very hot now. She felt - Le pareva di abbruciare dentro. Si │burning inside. She wrung her - torse le mani umide di sudore—e ad │perspiring hands—and suddenly, - un tratto, saltando su di scatto, │starting in great haste, began to - cominciò à cercare il suo pesante │look for her big shawl and - scialle e l’ombrello, febbrilmente,│umbrella, feverishly, never once - non guardando neppure una volta sua│glancing at her daughter, who stood - figlia, che stava nel mezzo della │in the middle of the room following - stanza, seguendola macchinalmente │her with a gaze distracted and - con sguardo atono. │cold. - │ - Niente di peggio che in questo! │“Nothing worse than in this,” said - disse Susanna. │Susan. - │ - Sua madre, coll’ombrello in mano e │Her mother, umbrella in hand and - trascicando lo scialle pel │trailing the shawl over the floor, - pavimento, gemette profondamente. │groaned profoundly. - │ - Bisogna che vada dal curato, │“I must go to the priest,” she - scoppiò con veemenza. Non so │burst out passionately. “I do not - neppure se tu dica il vero! Sei una│know whether you even speak the - donna che fai orrore. Ti │truth! You are a horrible woman. - rintracceranno in qualsiasi luogo. │They will find you anywhere. You - Puoi star qui—o andartene. Non c’è │may stay here—or go. There is no - posto per te in questo mondo... │room for you in this world.” - │ - Pronta ora a partire, ella girovagò│Ready now to depart, she yet - ancora senza scopo per la stanza, │wandered aimlessly about the room, - mettendo le bottiglie sullo │putting the bottles on the shelf, - scaffale, cercando di mandare a │trying to fit with trembling hands - posto colle sue mani tremanti i │the covers on cardboard boxes. - coperchi delle scatole di cartone. │ - │ - Quando, per caso, il senso reale di│Whenever the real sense of what she - ciò che aveva udito s’affacciava un│had heard emerged for a second from - attimo fra i vapori densi dei suoi │the haze of her thoughts she would - pensieri, ella pensava subito che │fancy that something had exploded - qualchecosa aveva esploso nel suo │in her brain without, - cervello, senza, per disgrazia, far│unfortunately, bursting her head to - scoppiare in pezzi la sua testa—ciò│pieces—which would have been a - che avrebbe messo fine alla sua │relief. - angoscia. │ - │ - Soffiò nelle candele una ad una │She blew the candles out one by one - senza rendersene conto, e fu │without knowing it, and was - terribilmente impressionata │horribly startled by the darkness. - dall’oscurità. Cadde su una panca e│She fell on a bench and began to - cominciò a gemere. │whimper. - │ - Dopo un po’ smise e rimase ad │After a while she ceased, and sat - ascoltare il respiro della figlia, │listening to the breathing of her - che poteva appena vedere, diritta │daughter, whom she could hardly - ed immobile, senz’altro segno di │see, still and upright, giving no - vita che quello. │other sign of life. - │ - In quei pochi minuti si sentì venir│She was becoming old rapidly at - decrepita. Parlò in toni incerti, │last, during those minutes. She - spezzati dal battere dei denti, │spoke in tones unsteady, cut about - come uno scosso da un freddo di │by the rattle of teeth, like one - morte, in un accesso di febbre. │shaken by a deadly cold fit of - │ague. - │ - Vorrei che tu fossi morta bambina. │“I wish you had died little. I will - Non oserò mai più mostrare la mia │never dare to show my old head in - vecchia testa nel sole! Ci sono │the sunshine again. There are worse - disgrazie peggiori di quella d’aver│misfortunes than idiot children. I - dei figlioli idioti... Vorrei che │wish you had been born to me - tu stessa mi fossi nata scema... │simple—like your own....” - come i tuoi... │ - │ - Ella vide la figura della figlia │She saw the figure of her daughter - passare davanti al debole e livido │pass before the faint and livid - chiarore di una finestra. Poi essa │clearness of a window. Then it - apparve un attimo sulla soglia, e │appeared in the doorway for a - la porta sbattè. │second, and the door swung to with - │a clang. - │ - Madame Levaille, svegliata dal │Madame Levaille, as if awakened by - rumore come da un lungo incubo, si │the noise from a long nightmare, - precipitò fuori. │rushed out. - │ - Susanna! urlò dalla soglia. │“Susan!” she shouted from the - │doorstep. - │ - Ella udì un sasso rotolare │She heard a stone roll a long time - lungamente giù pel declivio della │down the declivity of the rocky - costa rocciosa al di sopra della │beach above the sands. She stepped - spiaggia. Fece qualche passo con │forward cautiously, one hand on the - prudenza, colla mano sul muro della│wall of the house, and peered down - casa, e spiò giù per le immote │into the smooth darkness of the - tenebre della baia deserta. │empty bay. - │ - Gridò ancora: │Once again she cried: - │ - Susanna! là ti ammazzerai! │“Susan! You will kill yourself - │there.” - │ - Il sasso aveva fatto il suo ultimo │The stone had taken its last leap - salto nel buio, ed ora ella non udì│in the dark, and she heard nothing - più nulla. │now. - │ - Un pensiero improvviso parve │A sudden thought seemed to strangle - strozzarla, e non chiamò più. Volse│her, and she called no more. She - la schiena al silenzio nero │turned her back upon the black - dell’abisso, e s’avviò pel vicolo │silence of the pit and went up the - verso Ploumar, camminando e │lane towards Ploumar, stumbling - inciampando, nella sua cupa │along with sombre determination, as - determinazione, come se ella fosse │if she had started on a desperate - partita per un viaggio disperato, │journey that would last, perhaps, - che avrebbe durato, forse, fino al │to the end of her life. - termine della sua vita. │ - │ - Un periodico stizzoso fragore di │A sullen and periodic clamour of - onde rotolantisi sugli scogli la │waves rolling over reefs followed - seguì a lungo mentr’ella camminava │her far inland between the high - verso il paese, fra le alte siepi │hedges sheltering the gloomy - che nascondevano la cupa solitudine│solitude of the fields. - dei campi. │ - │ - Susanna era corsa fuori, svoltando │Susan had run out, swerving sharp - netto a sinistra fuor della porta, │to the left at the door, and on the - e sull’orlo del pendio s’era │edge of the slope crouched down - accovacciata dietro un masso. Una │behind a boulder. A dislodged stone - pietra smossa era rotolata in giù, │went on downwards, rattling as it - crosciando nei suoi sobbalzi. │leaped. - │ - Quando Madame Levaille uscì a │When Madame Levaille called out, - chiamare, Susanna avrebbe potuto, │Susan could have, by stretching her - stendendo la mano, toccar la gonna │hand, touched her mother’s skirt, - di sua madre, se avesse avuto il │had she had the courage to move a - coraggio di muover membro. Vide la │limb. She saw the old woman go - vecchia andarsene, ed ella rimase │away, and she remained still, - ferma, chiudendo gli occhi e │closing her eyes and pressing her - premendo il fianco sulla superficie│side to the hard and rugged surface - dura e scabra della rupe. │of the rock. - │ - Dopo un poco, un volto ben noto con│After a while a familiar face with - occhi fissi e bocca spalancata, le │fixed eyes and an open mouth became - si rese visibile fra l’intensa │visible in the intense obscurity - oscurità dei massi. Ella gettò un │amongst the boulders. She uttered a - grido sommesso e s’alzò. │low cry and stood up. - │ - La faccia svanì, lasciandola │The face vanished, leaving her to - ansante e tremante, nella │gasp and shiver alone in the - desolazione di quei mucchi di │wilderness of stone heaps. But as - macigni. Ma non appena ella si │soon as she had crouched down again - accovacciò di nuovo in una │to rest, with her head against the - necessità di riposo, colla testa │rock, the face returned, came very - appoggiata alla rupe, la faccia │near, appeared eager to finish the - tornò, si fece vicinissima, apparve│speech that had been cut short by - ansiosa di terminare il colloquio │death, only a moment ago. - lasciato a mezzo dalla morte, era │ - appena un secondo. │ - │ - Ella si rimise ratta in piedi e │She scrambled quickly to her feet - disse: │and said: - │ - Va via, o lo faccio un’ altra │“Go away, or I will do it again.” - volta! │ - │ - La cosa ondeggiò, dondolò a destra,│The thing wavered, swung to the - a sinistra. La donna si mosse da │right, to the left. She moved this - ogni parte, indietreggiò, le parve │way and that, stepped back, fancied - di tirarle degli urlacci, ma fu │herself screaming at it, and was - stupefatta dell’intatta immobilità │appalled by the unbroken stillness - della notte. │of the night. - │ - Ella barcollò sulla ripa, sentì il │She tottered on the brink, felt the - declivio scosceso sotto i suoi │steep declivity under her feet, and - piedi, e giù si precipitò alla │rushed down blindly to save herself - cieca, chè non si sarebbe salvata │from a headlong fall. - da una caduta a capofitto. │ - │ - I fuochi della montagna parvero │The shingle seemed to wake up; the - svegliarsi; le selci cominciarono a│pebbles began to roll before her, - rotolare davanti a lei, la │pursued her from above, raced down - perseguitarono dall’alto, corsero │with her on both sides, rolling - con lei ai suoi fianchi, la │past with an increasing clatter. - oltrepassarono con crescente │ - scroscio. │ - │ - Nella pace della notte lo scroscio │In the peace of the night the noise - crebbe nella consistenza di un │grew, deepening to a rumour, - fragore, continuo e violento, come │continuous and violent, as if the - se l’intera chiostra delle roccie │whole semicircle of the stony beach - si fosse messa a rovina nella baia.│had started to tumble down into the - I piedi di Susanna toccavano appena│bay. Susan’s feet hardly touched - la costa, che sembrava precipitare │the slope that seemed to run down - con lei. │with her. - │ - Toccando il fondo inciampò, schizzò│At the bottom she stumbled, shot - in avanti, colle braccia aperte, e │forward, throwing her arms out, and - cadde pesantemente. Si rialzò di │fell heavily. She jumped up at once - scatto, e si voltò rapidamente a │and turned swiftly to look back, - guardar indietro, coi pugni che │her clenched hands full of sand she - stringevano la sabbia su cui le sue│had clutched in her fall. - mani s’erano chiuse nella caduta. │ - │ - La faccia era là, mantenendosi a │The face was there, keeping its - distanza, visibile nella sua │distance, visible in its own sheen - chiarità, che faceva nella notte │that made a pale stain in the - una macchia pallida. Ella gridò: Va│night. She shouted, “Go away”—she - via! glielo gridò con angoscia, con│shouted at it with pain, with fear, - terrore, con tutta la rabbia di │with all the rage of that useless - quell’inutile colpo inferto, che │stab that could not keep him quiet, - non aveva saputo acquietarlo per │keep him out of her sight. - sempre, allontanarlo per sempre dai│ - suoi occhi. │ - │ - Cosa voleva ora? Egli era morto! │What did he want now? He was dead. - Gli uomini morti non possono crear │Dead men have no children. Would he - figlioli. Non l’avrebbe dunque egli│never leave her alone? - lasciata mai in pace?... │ - │ - Ella le avventò degli strilli—agitò│She shrieked at it—waved her - contro a lei le mani tese. Le │outstretched hands. She seemed to - sembrò sentire il respiro delle │feel the breath of parted lips, - labbra socchiuse, e con un ululo │and, with a long cry of - scoraggito fuggì attraverso il │discouragement, fled across the - fondo piano della baia. │level bottom of the bay. - │ - Ella correva agile, senza concepire│She ran lightly, unaware of any - lo sforzo del suo corpo. Alti │effort of her body. High sharp - scogli aguzzi, che, nell’ alta │rocks that, when the bay is full, - marea, si ergono sul piano │show above the glittering plain of - luccicante dell’acqua azzurra come │blue water like pointed towers of - affilati campanili di chiese │submerged churches, glided past - sommerse, le scivolavano dinanzi, │her, rushing to the land at a - precipitandosi a terra con tremenda│tremendous pace. - violenza. │ - │ - A sinistra in distanza, ella potè │To the left, in the distance, she - vedere qualchecosa di scintillante:│could see something shining: a - un grande disco di luce in cui │broad disc of light in which narrow - piccole ombre puntavano al centro │shadows pivoted round the centre - come raggi di una ruota. │like the spokes of a wheel. - │ - Udì una voce chiamare: Ohe là! e │She heard a voice calling, “Hey! - rispose con un grido selvaggio. │There!” and answered with a wild - Dunque egli poteva anche │scream. So, he could call yet! He - chiamare!... La chiamava perchè si │was calling after her to stop. - fermasse... Mai!... │Never!... - │ - Ella continuò a squarciare la notte│She tore through the night, past - e passò il gruppo sbigottito dei │the startled group of - raccoglitori d’alghe che rimasero │seaweed-gatherers who stood round - intorno alla loro lanterna │their lantern paralysed with fear - paralizzati dallo spavento, allo │at the unearthly screech coming - strido inumano che veniva da │from that fleeing shadow. - quell’ombra fuggente. │ - │ - Gli uomini si chinarono sui loro │The men leaned on their pitchforks - forconi con occhi grandi di │staring fearfully. A woman fell on - terrore. Una donna cadde a │her knees, and, crossing herself, - ginocchio, e, segnandosi, cominciò │began to pray aloud. A little girl - à pregare ad alta voce. Una │with her ragged skirt full of slimy - ragazzetta, colla sua cenciosa │seaweed began to sob despairingly, - gonnella piena di alghe viscide, │lugging her soaked burden close to - cominciò a singhiozzare │the man who carried the light. - disperatamente, trascicandosi il │ - suo fardello fradicio strinto │ - all’uomo che portava la lanterna. │ - │ - Qualcuno disse: Quella cosa è corsa│Somebody said: “The thing ran out - verso il mare. │towards the sea.” - │ - Un’altra voce esclamò: E il mare si│Another voice exclaimed: “And the - alza di nuovo. Guardate le pozze │sea is coming back! Look at the - d’acqua come si allargano. O donna │spreading puddles. Do you hear—you - là, non sentite! Su, alzatevi! │woman—there! Get up!” - │ - Parecchie voci gridarono insieme: │Several voices cried together. - Sì, andiamo via! Che la cosa │“Yes, let us be off! Let the - maledetta vada al mare! │accursed thing go to the sea!” - │ - Essi avanzarono, tenendosi serrati │They moved on, keeping close round - intorno al lume. │the light. - │ - Ad un tratto un uomo bestemmiò │Suddenly a man swore loudly. He - forte. Sarebbe andato lui a vedere │would go and see what was the - di cosa si trattava. Quella era │matter. It had been a woman’s - stata una voce di donna! Andrebbe │voice. He would go. - lui. │ - │ - Ci furono acute proteste da parte │There were shrill protests from - delle donne—ma la sua alta forma si│women—but his high form detached - staccò dal gruppo e se ne andò di │itself from the group and went off - corsa. Ci fu un unanime richiamo di│running. They sent a unanimous call - voci atterrite dietro a lui. Una │of scared voices after him. A word, - parola insultante e beffarda venne │insulting and mocking, came back, - di ritorno, lanciata attraverso le │thrown at them through darkness. - tenebre. │ - │ - Una donna gemette. Un vecchio disse│A woman moaned. An old man said - gravemente: Tali cose dovrebbero │gravely: “Such things ought to be - lasciarsi abbandonate a sè stesse! │left alone.” - │ - Essi avanzarono più lentamente, │They went on slower, shuffling in - arrembando sulla sabbia che cedeva,│the yielding sand and whispering to - susurrandosi l’uno all’altro che │one another that Millot feared - Millot non aveva paura di niente, │nothing, having no religion, but - perchè non aveva religione, ma che │that it would end badly some day. - finirebbe male un giorno o l’altro.│ - │ - Susanna incontrò la marea che │Susan met the incoming tide by the - saliva presso l’isoletta del Corvo │Raven islet and stopped, panting, - e si fermò, ansante, coi piedi │with her feet in the water. - nell’acqua. │ - │ - Udì il mormorio e sentì la frigida │She heard the murmur and felt the - carezza del mare, e, più calma ora,│cold caress of the sea, and, calmer - potè vedere la cupa massa confusa │now, could see the sombre and - del Corvo da una parte e la bianca │confused mass of the Raven on one - e lunga striscia delle secche di │side and on the other the long - Molène dall’altra, che ad ogni │white streak of Molène sands that - bassa marea s’elevano alte sopra il│are left high above the dry bottom - fondo asciutto della Baia di │of Fougère Bay at every ebb. - Fougère. │ - │ - Si rigirò e vide lontano, sullo │She turned round and saw far away, - sfondo stellato del cielo, il │along the starred background of the - frastagliato profilo della costa. │sky, the ragged outline of the - │coast. - │ - Sopra di esso, quasi in faccia a │Above it, nearly facing her, - lei, appariva il campanile della │appeared the tower of Ploumar - chiesa di Ploumar; piramide alta e │Church; a slender and tall pyramid - sottile, ergentesi cupa ed aguzza │shooting up dark and pointed into - nel luccichio serrato delle stelle.│the clustered glitter of the stars. - │ - Ella si sentì stranamente calma. Si│She felt strangely calm. She knew - rendeva conto di dov’era e │where she was, and began to - cominciava a ricordarsi come c’era │remember how she came there—and - venuta—e perchè. Ella spiò │why. She peered into the smooth - nell’immota oscurità che │obscurity near her. She was alone. - l’avvolgeva. Era sola. Non c’era │There was nothing there; nothing - niente là: niente vicino a lei, │near her, either living or dead. - vivo o morto. │ - │ - La marea s’insinuava dolcemente, │The tide was creeping in quietly, - spingendo in avanti, come lunghe │putting out long impatient arms of - braccia impazienti, strani │strange rivulets that ran toward - rivoletti che correvano verso terra│the land between ridges of sand. - fra rialzi di sabbia. Colla notte │Under the night the pools grew - le pozze ingrossavano con │bigger with mysterious rapidity, - misteriosa rapidità, mentre il │while the great sea, yet far off, - vasto mare, ancora lontano, │thundered in a regular rhythm along - rumoreggiava con ritmo regolare │the indistinct line of the horizon. - lungo la linea indistinta │ - dell’orizzonte. │ - │ - Susanna indietreggiò per qualche │Susan splashed her way back for a - metro, facendo schizzare l’acqua, │few yards without being able to get - senza pertanto riuscire a tirarsene│clear of the water that murmured - fuori, e sentendosela mormorare │tenderly all around and, suddenly, - lusingatrice d’intorno, mentre ad │with a spiteful gurgle, nearly took - un tratto, con dispettoso │her off her feet. - gorgoglio, le trascinò quasi via i │ - piedi. │ - │ - Il cuore le diede un tuffo di │Her heart thumped with fear. This - paura. Quel luogo era troppo grande│place was too big and too empty to - e deserto per morirvi dentro. Il │die in. To-morrow they would do - domani avrebbero fatto di lei ciò │with her what they liked. But - che loro pareva. Ma prima di morire│before she died she must tell - voleva spiegar loro... a quei │them—tell the gentlemen in black - signori con vesti nere, che ci sono│clothes that there are things no - al mondo delle cose che nessuna │woman can bear. She must explain - donna può sopportare. Bisognava │how it happened.... - ch’ella spiegasse com’era andata la│ - cosa... │ - │ - Traversò una pozza a guazzo, │She splashed through a pool, - schizzandosi fino alla cintola, │getting wet to the waist, too - troppo immersa nei suoi pensieri │preoccupied to care.... She must - per avvedersene... Bisognava │explain. - ch’ella spiegasse. │ - │ - Egli entrò coi suoi soliti modi e │“He came in the same way as ever - disse proprio così: Credi tu che io│and said, just so: ‘Do you think I - voglia lasciar il mio podere a │am going to leave the land to those - quella gente di Morbihan che non │people from Morbihan that I do not - conosco? Credi proprio questo? Ah, │know? Do you? We shall see! Come - vedremo!... Vieni creatura del │along, you creature of mischance!’ - male! │ - │ - E stese le braccia. Allora, │“And he put his arms out. Then, - Signori, io dissi Davanti a Dio, │Messieurs, I said: ‘Before - mai! │God—never!’ - │ - Ed egli disse avanzando a gran │“And he said, striding at me with - passi e colle palme aperte: Non c’è│open palms: ‘There is no God to - Dio che mi tenga! Capisci, inutile │hold me! Do you understand, you - carcassa? Farò quel che mi piace. E│useless carcase. I will do what I - mi prese per le spalle. │like.’ And he took me by the - │shoulders. - │ - Allora io, Signori, chiamai Dio in │“Then I, Messieurs, called to God - aiuto, e nell’attimo seguente, │for help, and next minute, while he - mentr’egli mi scoteva, mi sentii le│was shaking me, I felt my long - mie lunghe forbici in mano. La sua │scissors in my hand. His shirt was - camicia era slacciata, e al lume │unbuttoned, and, by the - della candela io vidi la cavità │candle-light, I saw the hollow of - della gola. │his throat. - │ - Gridai: Lascia andare! Egli mi │“I cried: ‘Let go!’ He was crushing - stritolava le spalle. Era forte, il│my shoulders. He was strong, my man - mio uomo! Allora io pensai: No!... │was! Then I thought: No!... Must - Devo farlo?... Prendi, dunque! e │I?... Then take!—and I struck in - colpii in quella cavità. │the hollow place. - │ - Non l’ho visto cadere. No! No!... │“I never saw him fall. Never! - Non l’ho visto cadere... Il vecchio│Never!... Never saw him fall.... - babbo non voltò mai la testa. È │The old father never turned his - sordo e rimbambito, Signori... │head. He is deaf and childish, - Nessuno l’ha visto cadere. Io corsi│gentlemen.... Nobody saw him fall. - fuori... Nessuno vide... │I ran out.... Nobody saw....” - │ - S’era arrampicata fra gli scogli │She had been scrambling amongst the - del Corvo, ed ora si trovò, tutta │boulders of the Raven and now found - senza fiato, fra le dense ombre │herself, all out of breath, - dell’isoletta rocciosa. │standing amongst the heavy shadows - │of the rocky islet. - │ - Il Corvo è unito alla terra ferma │The Raven is connected with the - da una scogliera di macigni immensi│mainland by a natural pier of - e lubrichi. Pensò di ritornare a │immense and slippery stones. She - casa da quella parte. Ch’egli fosse│intended to return home that way. - sempre là in piedi?... A casa. │Was he still standing there? At - Quale casa! Quattro idioti ed un │home. Home! Four idiots and a - cadavere. Ella doveva tornare per │corpse. She must go back and - spiegare. Tutti capirebbero. │explain. Anybody would - │understand.... - │ - Sotto a lei, la notte od il mare │Below her the night or the sea - parve pronunciare distintamente: │seemed to pronounce distinctly: - │ - Aha! Ti vedo finalmente! │“Aha! I see you at last!” - │ - Ella sussultò, scivolò, cadde; e │She started, slipped, fell; and - senza tentare di rialzarsi, ascoltò│without attempting to rise, - esterrefatta. Udì un respiro │listened, terrified. She heard - pesante, un risonare di zoccoli di │heavy breathing, a clatter of - legno. Poi più nulla. │wooden clogs. It stopped. - │ - Da dove diavolo sei passata? disse │“Where the devil did you pass?” - un uomo invisibile, con voce rauca.│said an invisible man, hoarsely. - │ - Ella tenne il fiato. Riconobbe la │She held her breath. She recognized - voce. Ella non l’aveva visto │the voice. She had not seen him - cadere. Stava egli, morto, │fall. Was he pursuing her there - perseguitandola fin lì, o forse... │dead, or perhaps ... alive? - vivo? │ - │ - Ella perse la testa. Gridò dal │She lost her head. She cried from - crepaccio dove s’era calcata: Mai, │the crevice where she lay huddled, - mai! │“Never, never!” - │ - Ah! Sei sempre lì! Me n’hai dato │“Ah! You are still there. You led - del filo da torcere! Aspetta, bella│me a fine dance. Wait, my beauty, I - mia, ti voglio un po’ veder bene │must see how you look after all - adesso. Aspetta... │this. You wait....” - │ - Millot inciampava, rideva, │Millot was stumbling, laughing, - bestemmiava senza pórci caso, di │swearing meaninglessly out of pure - pura soddisfazione, pago di sè │satisfaction, pleased with himself - stesso per aver acchiappato quella │for having run down that - notturna preda. │fly-by-night. - │ - Come se i fantasmi esistessero! │“As if there were such things as - Bah! Ci voleva un vecchio soldato │ghosts! Bah! It took an old African - d’Africa, per mostrare a quegli │soldier to show those - zotici... Ma è curioso! Chi diavolo│clodhoppers.... But it was curious. - era? │Who the devil was she?” - │ - Susanna ascoltava accovacciata. │Susan listened, crouching. He was - Egli veniva a cercarla, il morto. │coming for her, this dead man. - Non c’era via di scampo. Che rumore│There was no escape. What a noise - faceva fra le pietre!... │he made amongst the stones.... - │ - Ella vide sorgere la testa, poi le │She saw his head rise up, then the - spalle. Era alto, il suo uomo! Le │shoulders. He was tall—her own man! - sue lunghe braccia brancolavano │His long arms waved about, and it - intorno, ed era proprio la sua │was his own voice sounding a little - voce, che suonava però un poco │strange ... because of the - strana... a causa delle forbici. │scissors. - │ - Ella si arrampicò lesta per uscire,│She scrambled out quickly, rushed - si precipitò fino all’orlo della │to the edge of the causeway, and - scogliera, e girò. L’uomo stava │turned round. The man stood still - immobile sovra un alto scoglio, │on a high stone, detaching himself - staccando come un’ombra opaca sullo│in dead black on the glitter of the - scintillio del cielo. │sky. - │ - Dove vai?—egli le urlò in malo │“Where are you going to?” he called - modo. │roughly. - │ - Ella rispose: A casa! e lo guardò │She answered, “Home!” and watched - intensamente. Egli spiccò un salto │him intensely. He made a striding, - greve da uno scoglio all’altro, e │clumsy leap on to another boulder, - si fermò di nuovo per riprender │and stopped again, balancing - l’equilibrio, poi disse: │himself, then said: - │ - Ha! Ha! Ebbene, vengo con te. È il │“Ha! ha! Well, I am going with you. - meno che io possa fare. Ha! ha! ha!│It’s the least I can do. Ha! ha! - │ha!” - │ - Ella gli spalancò gli occhi in │She stared at him till her eyes - faccia, fino a che essi parvero │seemed to become glowing coals that - divenire due carboni ardenti che la│burned deep into her brain, and yet - bruciassero addentro nel suo │she was in mortal fear of making - cervello, premendola tuttavia il │out the well-known features. Below - terrore mortale di ravvisare i │her the sea lapped softly against - lineamenti ben noti. Sotto a lei il│the rock with a splash, continuous - mare, continuo e carezzevole, │and gentle. - lambiva e spruzzava dolcemente la │ - roccia. │ - │ - L’uomo disse, avanzando ancora di │The man said, advancing another - un passo: │step: - │ - È per te che vengo. Che credi? │“I am coming for you. What do you - │think?” - │ - Ella tremò. Era venuto per lei! Non│She trembled. Coming for her! There - c’era scampo, nè pace, nè speranza!│was no escape, no peace, no hope. - Ella si guardò intorno │She looked round despairingly. - disperatamente. │ - │ - Improvvisamente l’intera costa │Suddenly the whole shadowy coast, - oscura, le indistinte isolette, il │the blurred islets, the heaven - cielo stesso, ondeggiarono per due │itself, swayed about twice, then - volte, poi si arrestarono. Ella │came to a rest. She closed her eyes - chiuse gli occhi ed urlò: │and shouted: - │ - Aspetta almeno ch’io sia morta! │“Can’t you wait till I am dead!” - │ - Ella era scossa da un odio furioso │She was shaken by a furious hate - contro quell’ombra che la │for that shade that pursued her in - perseguitava in questo mondo, senza│this world, unappeased even by - che la morte ne avesse placata la │death in its longing for an heir - brama di un erede simile ai │that would be like other people’s - figlioli degli altri. │children. - │ - Eh! Cosa? disse Millot, tenendosi │“Hey! What?” said Millot, keeping - prudentemente a distanza. Si diceva│his distance prudently. He was - intanto tra sè: Attenzione! Qualche│saying to himself: “Look out! Some - pazza. Una disgrazia fa presto a │lunatic. An accident happens soon.” - succedere. │ - │ - Ella continuò selvaggiamente: │She went on, wildly: - │ - Io voglio vivere. Viver sola—per │“I want to live. To live alone—for - una settimana—per un giorno. Io │a week—for a day. I must explain to - devo spiegar loro... Ti farei a │them.... I would tear you to - pezzi, ti ammazzerei ancora venti │pieces, I would kill you twenty - volte di seguito, piuttosto di │times over rather than let you - lasciarmi toccare da te finchè sono│touch me while I live. How many - in vita. Quante volte devo │times must I kill you—you - ucciderti, sacrilego! È Satana che │blasphemer! Satan sends you here. I - ti manda. Ah, son dannata anch’ │am damned too!” - io... │ - │ - Ma via! disse Millot, allarmato e │“Come,” said Millot, alarmed and - conciliante. Io son vivo, │conciliating. “I am perfectly - vivissimo!... Oh Dio! │alive!... Oh, my God!” - │ - Ella aveva strillato: Vivo! ed era │She had screamed, “Alive!” and at - svanita all’istante dai suoi occhi,│once vanished before his eyes, as - come se l’isoletta stessa si fosse │if the islet itself had swerved - scartata da sotto i suoi piedi. │aside from under her feet. - │ - Millot si buttò in avanti e cadde │Millot rushed forward, and fell - proprio col mento sul margine. │flat with his chin over the edge. - │ - Giù, giù, in fondo, egli vide │Far below he saw the water whitened - l’acqua imbiancata dal dibattersi │by her struggles, and heard one - di lei, e udì un grido acuto │shrill cry for help that seemed to - d’aiuto, che parve gettato in alto │dart upwards along the - lungo la faccia a perpendicolo │perpendicular face of the rock, and - della roccia, e lanciato diritto │soar past, straight into the high - ancora fino al cielo alto ed │and impassive heaven. - impassibile. │ - - - - - IV - - - Madame Levaille sedeva a ciglio │Madame Levaille sat, dry-eyed, on - asciutto sull’erba breve del │the short grass of the hill side, - pendio, colle sue gambe massiccie │with her thick legs stretched out, - protese, e i suoi vecchi piedi │and her old feet turned up in their - volti all’insù, nelle loro scarpe │black cloth shoes. Her clogs stood - di panno nero. Le sue sopra scarpe │near by, and further off the - di legno le stavano vicine, e più │umbrella lay on the withered sward - lontano l’ombrello giaceva │like a weapon dropped from the - sull’erba secca, come un’arma │grasp of a vanquished warrior. - caduta dal pugno di un guerriero │ - vinto. │ - │ - Il marchese di Chavannes, a │The Marquis of Chavanes, on - cavallo, una mano inguantata sul │horseback, one gloved hand on - fianco, abassò gli occhi su lei │thigh, looked down at her as she - mentr’ella si alzava a fatica, │got up laboriously, with groans. - gemendo. │ - │ - Sulla stretta carreggiata dei carri│On the narrow track of the - dell’alghe quattro uomini portavano│seaweed-carts four men were - a terra il corpo di Susanna su una │carrying inland Susan’s body on a - barella, mentre molti altri │hand-barrow, while several others - seguivano alla rinfusa. Madame │straggled listlessly behind. Madame - Levaille seguiva coll’occhio la │Levaille looked after the - processione. │procession. - │ - Sì, Signor Marchese, ella disse │“Yes, Monsieur le Marquis,” she - pacatamente, nel suo tono calmo di │said dispassionately, in her usual - vecchia donna ragionevole. C’è │calm tone of a reasonable old - della gente disgraziata su questa │woman. “There are unfortunate - terra. Io non ebbi che una figlia. │people on this earth. I had only - Soltanto una! E quell’una non sarà │one child. Only one! And they won’t - sepolta in terra consacrata! │bury her in consecrated ground!” - │ - I suoi occhi si empirono │Her eyes filled suddenly, and a - immediatamente, e un breve scroscio│short shower of tears rolled down - di lacrime rotolò giù per le sue │the broad cheeks. She pulled the - grasse guancie. Ella si strinse │shawl close about her. The Marquis - tutta nel suo scialle. Il marchese │leaned slightly over in his saddle, - si chinò leggermente sulla sella e │and said: - disse: │ - │ - È molto triste. Capisco il vostro │“It is very sad. You have all my - dolore. Parlerò al curato. Ella era│sympathy. I shall speak to the - indubbiamente pazza, e la caduta fu│Curé. She was unquestionably - accidentale. Millot lo dice │insane, and the fall was - chiaramente. Buongiorno, Signora. │accidental. Millot says so - │distinctly. Good-day, Madame.” - │ - E andò via al trotto, pensando tra │And he trotted off, thinking to - sè: Designerò questa vecchia │himself: I must get this old woman - tutrice di quegli idioti e │appointed guardian of those idiots, - amministratrice del podere. Sarà │and administrator of the farm. It - sempre meglio che non aver qui uno │would be much better than having - di quegli altri Bacadou, rosso │here one of those other Bacadous, - repubblicano magari, a portarmi la │probably a red republican, - sovversione nel comune! │corrupting my commune. - - - _Printed in Great Britain by Turnbull & Spears, Edinburgh_ - ------ - -Footnote 1: - - Ma Conrad scrive: “Io credo che in via generale si dia troppa - importanza alle mie qualità ereditarie. Quanto a temperamento io sono - molto più somigliante alla famiglia di mia madre.” - -Footnote 2: - - But Mr Conrad writes: “I think too much is made of my heredity - generally. Temperamentally I am much more like my mother’s family.” - -Footnote 3: - - Ploumar è nome inventato. Il paesaggio che serve di sfondo alla - novella è quello della costa settentrionale della Bretagna, nella - vicinanza di Lannion (Côtes-du-Nord) dirimpetto a Ile Grande. - - Tréguier, paese natale di Renan, è una cittadina vicina al mare, circa - dodici miglia da Lannion. - -Footnote 4: - - Ploumar is an invented name. The scenery of the tale is that of the - northern coast of Brittany, in the neighbourhood of Lannion - (Côtes-du-Nord), opposite Ile Grande. - - Tréguier, the birthplace of Renan, is a small town near the sea, some - twelve miles from Lannion. - -Footnote 5: - - L’alga è largamente usata in Bretagna come concime. Essa, molto ricca - di potassa, calce e acido fosforico, ha rimarchevoli qualità - fertilizzanti alle quali è dovuta la lussureggiante “cintura dorata” - che circonda per un dodici miglia la penisola. L’alga consiste di - nastri lunghi da uno a due metri, che aderiscono alle roccie, dalle - quali vengono strappate con rastrelli, a bassa marea. Viene usata dopo - esser stata esposta all’aperto per qualche tempo, per lasciar modo - alla pioggia di detergerne il sale da cui è impregnata. In alcuni - distretti l’alga è dapprima usata come combustibile, le cui ceneri si - usano poi come concime. - -Footnote 6: - - Seaweed is largely used in Brittany as a manure. This seaweed, which - is very rich in potash, in lime, and in phosphoric acid, has - remarkable fertilizing qualities, to which is due the luxuriance of - the ‘golden belt,’ about twelve miles broad, which surrounds the - peninsula. The seaweed consists of ribbons from one to two yards long, - clinging to the rocks, from which they are stripped with rakes at low - tide. It is used after it has been exposed to the air for some time, - to allow the rain to carry away the salt with which it is impregnated. - In certain districts the seaweed is first used as fuel, the ashes - being used as a fertilizer. - -Footnote 7: - - La cornamusa bretone (_biniou_) è molto simile alla piva scozzese - (_bagpipes_). Come questa, il biniou possiede parecchi ‘bordoni,’ che - suonano la tonica e la dominante, ed anche una canna che dà la gamma - imperfetta, caratteristica della musica celtica. - -Footnote 8: - - The _biniou_ of Brittany is very similar to the Scotch bagpipes. Like - the latter it has several drones, sounding the tonic and the dominant, - and a pipe or ‘chanter’, which gives the incomplete scale - characteristic of Celtic music. - -Footnote 9: - - La vecchia aristocrazia e la Chiesa non hanno ancora rinunciato alla - speranza di una restaurazione della monarchia in Francia, nella - persona di Luigi Filippo, duca d’Orleans (n. 1869), figlio del fu - conte di Parigi. - -Footnote 10: - - The old aristocracy and the Church have not given up all hope of a - restoration of the monarchy in France, in the person of - Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orleans (b. 1869), son of the late Count of - Paris. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES - - - 1. Table of Contents added by transcriber. - 2. The individual Italian and English pages were merged into one page - with the Italian on the left and English on the right. - 3. P. 3, changed “scrupulosa” to “scrupolosa”. - 4. P. 7, changed “mesi a mesi” to “mesi e mesi”. - 5. P. 30, changed “trascicata” to “strascicata”. - 6. P. 37, changed “stupidita” to “stupidità”. - 7. P. 46, changed “colle le braccia” to “colle braccia”. - 8. P. 51, changed “pôrci” to “pórci”. - 9. P. 53, changed “comme” to “come”. -10. Spelling errors in Italian were left uncorrected except as noted. -11. Silently corrected English typographical errors and variations in - spelling. -12. Archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings retained as printed. -13. 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} - div.footnote p {text-indent: 2em; margin-bottom: .5em; } - .chapter,.section { clear: both; page-break-before: always; } - .ol_1 li {font-size: .9em; } - .x-ebookmaker .ol_1 li {padding-left: 1em; text-indent: 0em; } - body {font-family: serif, 'DejaVu Sans'; text-align: justify; } - table {font-size: .9em; padding: 1.5em .5em 1em; page-break-inside: avoid; - clear: both; } - div.titlepage {text-align: center; page-break-before: always; - page-break-after: always; } - div.titlepage p {text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; font-weight: bold; - line-height: 1.5; margin-top: 3em; } - h1 { visibility: hidden; } - .ph1 { text-indent: 0em; font-weight: bold; font-size: xx-large; - margin: .67em auto; page-break-before: always; } - .ph2 { text-indent: 0em; font-weight: bold; font-size: x-large; margin: .75em auto; - page-break-before: always; } - .x-ebookmaker p.dropcap:first-letter { float: left; } - td {text-indent: 1em; } - </style> - </head> - <body> -<pre style='margin-bottom:6em;'>The Project Gutenberg EBook of The idiots, by Joseph Conrad - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this ebook. - -Title: The idiots - Gli Idioti - -Author: Joseph Conrad - -Translator: Hilda Campioni - -Release Date: December 05, 2020 [EBook #63893] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Richard Tonsing and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team - at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images - generously made available by The Internet Archive) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE IDIOTS *** -</pre> -<div class='tnotes covernote'> - -<p class='c000'><b>Transcriber’s Note:</b></p> - -<p class='c000'>The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.</p> - -</div> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> - <div class='nf-center'> - <div>This ebook (originally published in 1920) was created in honour of Distributed Proofreaders 20th Anniversary.</div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='section ph1'> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c001'> - <div><span class='under'>Italian—English</span></div> - <div class='c001'><span class='xlarge'>JOSEPH CONRAD</span></div> - <div class='c002'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">GLI IDIOTI</span></div> - <div class='c002'>THE IDIOTS</div> - </div> -</div> - -</div> - -<div class='titlepage'> - -<div> - <h1 class='c003'>GLI IDIOTI THE IDIOTS</h1> -</div> -<table class='table0' summary=''> -<colgroup> -<col width='25%' /> -<col width='25%' /> -<col width='25%' /> -<col width='25%' /> -</colgroup> - <tr> - <td class='brt c004' colspan='2'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Serie Bilingue</span></td> - <td class='c004' colspan='2'>Bilingual Series</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c004'> </td> - <td class='brt c004'> </td> - <td class='c004'> </td> - <td class='c004'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='bbt brt c004' colspan='2'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it"><span class='sc'>Direttore</span>: J. E. MANSION</span></td> - <td class='bbt c004' colspan='2'><span class='sc'>General Editor</span>: J. E. MANSION</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c004'> </td> - <td class='brt c004'> </td> - <td class='c004'> </td> - <td class='c004'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c004'> </td> - <td class='brt c004'> </td> - <td class='c004'> </td> - <td class='c004'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c004'> </td> - <td class='brt c004'> </td> - <td class='c004'> </td> - <td class='c004'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c004'> </td> - <td class='brt c004'> </td> - <td class='c004'> </td> - <td class='c004'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <th class='brt c004' colspan='2'><span class='xxlarge'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">GLI IDIOTI</span></span></th> - <th class='c004' colspan='2'><span class='xxlarge'>THE IDIOTS</span></th> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c004'> </td> - <td class='brt c004'> </td> - <td class='c004'> </td> - <td class='c004'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c004'> </td> - <td class='brt c004'> </td> - <td class='c004'> </td> - <td class='c004'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='brt c004' colspan='2'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">DI</span></td> - <td class='c004' colspan='2'>BY</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='brt c004' colspan='2'><span class='xlarge'>JOSEPH CONRAD</span></td> - <td class='c004' colspan='2'><span class='xlarge'>JOSEPH CONRAD</span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c004'> </td> - <td class='brt c004'> </td> - <td class='c004'> </td> - <td class='c004'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='brt c004' colspan='2'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">TRADUZIONE DI</span></td> - <td class='c004'> </td> - <td class='c004'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='brt c004' colspan='2'><span class='large'>HILDA CAMPIONI</span></td> - <td class='c004'> </td> - <td class='c004'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c004'> </td> - <td class='brt c004'> </td> - <td class='c004'> </td> - <td class='c004'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c004'> </td> - <td class='brt c004'> </td> - <td class='c004'> </td> - <td class='c004'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c004'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">LONDRA</span></td> - <td class='brt c004'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">NUOVA-YORK</span></td> - <td class='c004'>LONDON</td> - <td class='c004'>NEW YORK</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c004'>GEORGE G. HARRAP</td> - <td class='brt c004'>BRENTANO’S</td> - <td class='c004'>GEORGE G. HARRAP</td> - <td class='c004'>BRENTANO’S</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c004'>& COMPANY LTD.</td> - <td class='brt c004'>PUBLISHERS: FIFTH AVENUE</td> - <td class='c004'>& COMPANY LTD.</td> - <td class='c004'>PUBLISHERS: FIFTH AVENUE</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c004'><span class='sc'>Portsmouth Street Kingsway</span></td> - <td class='brt c004'>& <span class='fss'>27TH</span> STREET</td> - <td class='c004'><span class='sc'>Portsmouth Street Kingsway</span></td> - <td class='c004'>& <span class='fss'>27TH</span> STREET</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='brt c004' colspan='2'>SYDNEY: THE AUSTRALASIAN PUBLISHING COMPANY LTD.</td> - <td class='c004' colspan='2'>SYDNEY: THE AUSTRALASIAN PUBLISHING COMPANY LTD.</td> - </tr> -</table> - -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 id='CONTENTS' class='c005'>CONTENTS</h2> -</div> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c006'> - <div><a href='#I'>I</a></div> - <div><a href='#II'>II</a></div> - <div><a href='#III'>III</a></div> - <div><a href='#IV'>IV</a></div> - </div> -</div> - -<table class='table1' summary=''> -<colgroup> -<col width='50%' /> -<col width='50%' /> -</colgroup> - <tr><td class='c007' colspan='2'><span class='pageno' id='Page_3'>3</span></td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c004'><h2 class='chapter'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">PREFAZIONE</span></h2></td> - <td class='blt c004'><h2 class='chapter'>PREFACE</h2></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Siamo all’inizio di un’era nuova, la cui principale caratteristica sarà, speriamo, una maggiore fratellanza tra i popoli. Il bisogno di conoscerci a vicenda sarà sempre più sentito. Ne consegue, che lo studio delle lingue straniere assume oggi un’importanza capitale.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>We are at the beginning of a new era which will be marked by a greater fraternization between nations. The need to know and understand one another will be felt more and more. It follows that the study of foreign languages is assuming to-day a capital importance.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Tutti coloro che desiderino famigliarizzarsi con l’idioma dei loro vicini, o che abbiano in parte dimenticate le prime cognizioni già da tempo acquisite, faranno buona accoglienza a questa serie di opuscoli che li metterà in grado di dedicarsi allo studio delle lingue in momenti d’ozio che loro offre il corso della giornata, indipendentemente dall’uso di voluminosi dizionari.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>All those who wish to make acquaintance with the speech of their neighbours, or who have allowed their former knowledge to grow rusty, will welcome this series of texts, which will enable them, independently of bulky dictionaries, to devote to language study the moments of leisure which offer themselves in the course of the day.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">I testi sono stati scelti col doppio punto di vista del loro valore letterario e dell’utilità dei vocaboli; così pure nella traduzione s’è cercato di raggiungere l’intento di accoppiare alla distinzione dello stile la più scrupolosa<a id='t3'></a> fedeltà all’originale.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The texts have been selected from the double point of view of their literary worth and of the usefulness of their vocabulary; in the translations, also, the endeavour has been to unite qualities of style with strict fidelity to the original.</td> - </tr> -</table> - -<table class='table1' summary=''> -<colgroup> -<col width='50%' /> -<col width='50%' /> -</colgroup> - <tr><td class='c007' colspan='2'><span class='pageno' id='Page_4'>4</span></td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c004'><h2 class='chapter'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">INTRODUZIONE</span></h2></td> - <td class='blt c004'><h2 class='chapter'>INTRODUCTION</h2></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Nella <cite>Revue des Deux Mondes</cite> dell’ottobre 1919 L. Gillet, in suo apprezzamento su <cite>La Freccia d’Oro</cite> (<cite>The Arrow of Gold</cite>) di Joseph Conrad, scrive quanto segue:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>In the <cite>Revue des Deux Mondes</cite> of October 1st, 1919, Mr L. Gillet, in the course of an appreciation of Mr Joseph Conrad’s <cite>Arrow of Gold</cite>, writes as follows:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">“Ciò che è originale e caratteristico nell’autore di <cite>Anime Inquiete</cite> (<cite>Tales of Unrest</cite>), ciò che costituisce la base permanente della sua arte e a cui sempre ritorniamo, discutendo su lui, è il senso del mistero.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“What is original and characteristic in the author of the <cite>Tales of Unrest</cite>, what constitutes the permanent basis of his art, what we are always brought back to, when he is under discussion, is the sense of mystery.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">“I suoi personaggi, sebbene vibranti di vita, noi abbiamo quasi sempre l’impressione di conoscerli solo a metà: ogni tanto essi ci sorprendono con gesti o sentimenti del tutto in disaccordo colla loro personalità a noi nota, come se un secondo carattere, a loro stessi sconosciuto, agisse improvvisamente in loro vece, come se nel bel mezzo d’un dramma il suggeritore fosse mosso improvvisamente a modificarne il testo e alterarne le parti. C’è sempre negli eroi di Conrad un segreto di cui la chiave non è a portata della nostra mano. Vanno e vengono, e a un tratto una forza diversa da loro prende il loro posto, e fa loro commettere azioni strane e impreviste.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“His characters, though quivering with life, nearly always give us the impression that they are only half known to us; now and again they surprise us by gestures, feelings, which do not agree with what we know of their personality: it is as though a second character, unknown to themselves, suddenly acted in their stead; as though in the middle of a play the prompter were suddenly moved to modify the text and to alter the parts. There is always, in Mr Conrad’s heroes, a secret, the key to which is withheld from us; they come and go, and suddenly a power different from themselves takes their place, and makes them commit strange and unlooked-for actions....</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_5'>5</span><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">“Questi esseri, quasi sempre ammirabili per la loro energia, rappresentano la lotta fra una volontà eroica e una forza oscura e indefinita, la quale è la forza della vita, forza che in un attimo, come un fiotto di mare, leva loro i piedi di sotto, li rovina e distrugge, li stracca vinti, come resti di un naufragio.”</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Those beings, nearly always admirable by their energy, represent the struggle of a heroic will against an obscure and undefinable power, which is that of life, and which in a moment, like a ground-swell, lifts them off their feet, ruins and destroys them, leaves them vanquished, like flotsam after a shipwreck.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Sarebbe difficile dare di <cite>Anime inquiete</cite>, e più particolarmente della novella che Conrad cortesemente ci ha permesso estrarre da quel volume, più acconcio apprezzamento.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>It would be difficult to give of the <cite>Tales of Unrest</cite>, and more particularly of the story which Mr Conrad has kindly allowed us to take from that volume, a more fitting appreciation.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">La novella non è giocosa, ma Conrad non è scrittore giocoso; l’opera sua ha altre caratteristiche, che H. Taine si sarebbe compiaciuto di spiegarci come dovute “alla razza,<a id='r1' /><a href='#f1' class='c009'><sup>[1]</sup></a> all’ambiente, al momento.”</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The story is not a hilarious one, but Mr Conrad is not a hilarious writer; his work has other characteristics, which H. Taine would have delighted in explaining to us as due to “the race,<a id='r2' /><a href='#f2' class='c009'><sup>[2]</sup></a> the environment, and the moment.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Perchè Conrad è di origine polacca e passò a Varsavia la sua prima gioventù framezzo ai moti politici che culminarono nella ribellione del 1862, e che travolse fra i primi i suoi genitori. Questi, fisicamente affranti dalla prigionia e dall’esilio, furono senza dubbio i primi esempi pel futuro scrittore di quei tragici eroi, lottanti cupamente e pur coraggiosamente col Fato, ch’egli doveva così spesso dipingerci negli anni avvenire.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>For Mr Conrad is of Polish extraction, and at Warsaw his early youth was spent amid political unrest which culminated in the rebellion of 1862, and of which the foremost victims were his parents. The latter, physically broken by imprisonment and exile, were no doubt the future writer’s first examples of those tragic heroes, struggling gloomily yet bravely against Fate, which he was to depict so often in later years.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_6'>6</span><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Inoltre il padre di Conrad fu uomo dotto, traduttore di Shakespeare, di Victor Hugo, di Alfred de Vigny, con una propensione speciale per l’autore di <cite>Chatterton</cite> e della <cite>Morte del Lupo</cite>. Così le tendenze letterarie del figlio verrebbero notevolmente ad appoggiare la teoria dell’ereditarietà.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Mr Conrad’s father, moreover, was a gifted scholar, a translator of Shakespeare, of Victor Hugo, of Alfred de Vigny, with a special fondness for the author of <cite>Chatterton</cite> and of <cite>The Death of the Wolf</cite>. Thus the literary tendencies of the son would appear to afford a striking instance of heredity.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Perduti i genitori all’età di dodici anni, Conrad rimase sotto la tutela dello zio, ricco proprietario. Tre o quattr’anni dopo egli espresse la sua aspirazione di andare in mare, aspirazione di cui Taine sarebbe stato imbarazzato rintracciarne le origini, e che invero sgomentò tutta la famiglia, eccetto suo zio. Egli trovò prudente di non accordare subito il suo consenso, ma lo diede qualche mese dopo, quando si convinse che questo non era un capriccio di passaggio, ed il giovanetto partì per Marsiglia, dove degli amici erano disposti ad avviarlo nella marina mercantile.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Having lost his parents before the age of twelve, Mr Conrad came under the care of his uncle, a large estate-owner. Three or four years later he expressed a wish to go to sea, a wish which Taine would have been somewhat puzzled to account for, and which indeed shocked all the family, his uncle alone excepted. The latter thought it wise to withhold his consent for a few months, but granted it as soon as he was convinced that this was no passing fancy, and the young man departed for Marseilles, where some friends were ready to give him a start in the mercantile marine.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ma Conrad ci racconta anche questo fatto, un po’ strano, ch’egli aveva già dapprima deciso di cercare la sua fortuna nella marina inglese. Infatti egli venne ben presto da Marsiglia a Londra, e, finito l’usato tirocinio, fece vela per l’Estremo Oriente, ove restò parecchi anni, visitò in lungo e in largo l’Arcipelago della Malesia, e prese il diploma di capitano nel 1884.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Mr Conrad has told us this other singular fact that he had already decided to seek his fortune in the British service. From Marseilles he soon came to London, then ‘served his time’ in the usual way, sailed for many years to the Far East, visited every nook of the Malay Archipelago, and took his captain’s certificate in 1884.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_7'>7</span>Fin’allora egli s’era dato poca cura, si direbbe almeno, della letteratura. Tuttavia sei anni <span lang="it" xml:lang="it">dopo egli portava con sè in giro certo manoscritto, scritto nella lingua della sua patria adottiva, cominciato con difficoltà, continuato a fatica riga per riga, negletto spesso per mesi e<a id='t7'></a> mesi, trascicato a zonzo dai Mari della Cina all’Ucraina, le cui vicissitudini ci sono in parte rivelate dall’autore nei suoi <cite>Ricordi Autobiografici</cite> (<cite>A Personal Record</cite>).</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Until that time he had, it would appear, little thought of literature. Yet six years later he was carrying about with him a certain manuscript, written in the tongue of his adopted country, begun with difficulty, continued “line by line,” often neglected for months at a time, lugged about from the China Seas to the Ukraine, and the vicissitudes of which have been partly disclosed to us by the author in <cite>A Personal Record</cite>.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Questo manoscritto, <cite>La Pazzia di Almayer</cite> (<cite>Almayer’s Folly</cite>), fu pubblicato nel 1895. Conrad s’era avviato per una nuova carriera: egli era ormai definitivamente scrittore. Da allora, in un tempo assai breve, col suo romanzo <cite>Il Negro del Narciso</cite> (<cite>The Nigger of the Narcissus</cite>) (1897) e con <cite>Anime Inquiete</cite> (<cite>Tales of Unrest</cite>) (1898), egli acquistò una fama che si sparse ben presto fuor dei confini della sua patria adottiva.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>This MS., <cite>Almayer’s Folly</cite>, at last saw the light of day in 1895. Mr Conrad had entered upon a new career and given himself up definitely to writing. In a very short space of time, with his novel <cite>The Nigger of the Narcissus</cite> (1897) and the <cite>Tales of Unrest</cite> (1898), he achieved a fame which had soon spread beyond his adoptive country.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Fra le molte opere che seguirono possiamo nominare: <cite>Gioventù ed altri Racconti</cite> (<cite>Youth and Other Tales</cite>) in parte autobiografici; <cite>Tifone</cite> (<cite>Typhoon</cite>); <cite>Nostromo</cite>; <cite>Lo Specchio del Mare</cite> (<cite>The Mirror of the Sea</cite>); <cite>L’Agente Segreto</cite> (<cite>The Secret Agent</cite>); <cite>Fra Terra e Mare</cite> (<cite>’Twixt Land and Sea</cite>); <cite>Fortuna</cite> (<cite>Chance</cite>); e l’ultima novella, che già eccelle fra i suoi lavori: <cite>La Freccia d’Oro</cite> (<cite>The Arrow of Gold</cite>).</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Among the numerous volumes which followed, we may mention: <cite>Youth, and other Tales</cite>, partly autobiographical; <cite>Typhoon</cite>; <cite>Nostromo</cite>; <cite>The Mirror of the Sea</cite>; <cite>The Secret Agent</cite>; <cite>’Twixt Land and Sea</cite>; <cite>Chance</cite>; and the recent story, which will certainly stand conspicuous among his works: <cite>The Arrow of Gold</cite>.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_8'>8</span><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Nel breve racconto che segue, le qualità dominanti dell’autore sono facilmente riconoscibili: esatta osservazione e scelta sicura delle linee essenziali nella presentazione di personaggi e di fatti, unitamente a una selezione rigorosa dell’ esatta parola: in breve la tecnica impeccabile di Flaubert e di Maupassant; poi, un profondo senso del mistero nel quale è avvolta l’anima umana, ed infine quel gran soffio tragico che ispirò Eschilo e Sofocle, e che, fino alla comparsa di Conrad, non era ancora apparso nella letteratura moderna.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>In the short tale which follows the dominant qualities of the author are easily recognizable: exact observation and unerring choice of the essential feature in the presentation of characters and of facts, together with rigorous selection of the ‘right word’: in short, the faultless technique of Flaubert and of Maupassant; then, a deep sense of the mystery in which the human soul is wrapped; lastly, that great breath of tragedy which inspired Æschylus and Sophocles, and which, until the advent of Mr Conrad, had remained foreign to modern literature.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c010'>J. E. M.</td> - </tr> -</table> - -<table class='table1' summary=''> -<colgroup> -<col width='50%' /> -<col width='50%' /> -</colgroup> - <tr><td class='c007' colspan='2'><span class='pageno' id='Page_9'>9</span></td></tr> - <tr> - <th class='c004'><span class='xxlarge'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">GLI IDIOTI</span></span></th> - <th class='blt c004'><span class='xxlarge'>THE IDIOTS</span></th> - </tr> -</table> -<div> - <h2 id='I' class='c005'>I</h2> -</div> -<table class='table2' summary=''> -<colgroup> -<col width='50%' /> -<col width='50%' /> -</colgroup> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='c011'>P</span>ercorrevamo in carrozza la strada che va da Tréguier a Kervanda. Passavamo ad un trotto serrato fra le siepi alzate sui ripari di terra che fiancheggiavano la strada, quando, al piede della ripida ascesa che precede Ploumar,<a id='r3' /><a href='#f3' class='c009'><sup>[3]</sup></a> il cavallo si mise spontaneamente al passo, mentre il cocchiere saltava da cassetta pesantemente a terra.</td> - <td class='blt c008'><span class='c011'>W</span>e were driving along the road from Tréguier to Kervanda. We passed at a smart trot between the hedges topping an earth wall on each side of the road; then at the foot of the steep ascent before Ploumar<a id='r4' /><a href='#f4' class='c009'><sup>[4]</sup></a> the horse dropped into a walk, and the driver jumped down heavily from the box.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Egli fece scoppiettare la frusta e s’inerpicò sul pendio, salendo grevemente il colle a fianco del veicolo, la mano sul predellino e l’occhio a terra.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He flicked his whip and climbed the incline, stepping clumsily uphill by the side of the carriage, one hand on the footboard, his eyes on the ground.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>Dopo un certo tempo alzò la testa, indicò avanti a lui la strada colla punta della sua frusta e disse:</td> - <td class='blt c008'>After a while he lifted his head, pointed up the road with the end of the whip, and said:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">L’idiota!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“The idiot!”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_10'>10</span><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Il sole abbruciava l’ondeggiante distesa della campagna. I rilievi del terreno erano coronati da ciuffi di alberi scarni, coi rami tesi così alti nel cielo come se ne stessero lì appollaiati su trampoli. I campicelli, tagliati da siepi e da muriccioli che serpeggiavano su pei pendii, si disponevano in chiazze rettangolari di verde vivido e di giallo, come in un imbratto d’inesperto tentativo pittorico.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The sun was shining violently upon the undulating surface of the land. The rises were topped by clumps of meagre trees, with their branches showing high on the sky as if they had been perched upon stilts. The small fields, cut up by hedges and stone walls that zigzagged over the slopes, lay in rectangular patches of vivid greens and yellows, resembling the unskilful daubs of a naïve picture.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">E il paesaggio era diviso in due dalla striscia bianca di una strada, perdentesi in lunghe volute lontano, come un fiume di polvere strisciante giù dai colli verso il mare.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>And the landscape was divided in two by the white streak of a road stretching in long loops far away, like a river of dust crawling out of the hills on its way to the sea.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Eccolo! disse il cocchiere di nuovo.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Here he is,” said the driver, again.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Tra l’erba alta del ciglione, passò di sfuggita una faccia a fianco della carrozza all’altezza delle ruote, mentre noi in essa lentamente salivamo. La faccia scema era rossa, e la pallottola del capo, con brevi capelli smozzicati, sembrava sola giacere, col mento nella polvere. Il corpo era perduto tra i cespugli che crescevano fitti, giù nel profondo fossato.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>In the long grass bordering the road a face glided past the carriage at the level of the wheels as we drove slowly by. The imbecile face was red, and the bullet head with close-cropped hair seemed to lie alone, its chin in the dust. The body was lost in the bushes growing thick along the bottom of the deep ditch.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Era una faccia di ragazzo. Avrebbe potuto avere sedici anni a giudicare dalla grandezza—forse meno, forse più.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>It was a boy’s face. He might have been sixteen, judging from the size—perhaps less, perhaps more.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Tali creature vengono dimenticate dal tempo, e vivono non tocche dagli anni, finchè la morte li stringa al suo petto compassionevole: la morte fedele, che mai dimentica, nell’incalzare del suo lavoro, il più insignificante dei suoi figlioli.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Such creatures are forgotten by time, and live untouched by years till death gathers them up into its compassionate bosom; the faithful death that never forgets in the press of work the most insignificant of its children.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_11'>11</span><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ah! eccone un altro! disse l’uomo, con una certa soddisfazione nella voce, come avvistando qualche cosa di atteso.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Ah! there’s another,” said the man, with a certain satisfaction in his tone, as if he had caught sight of something expected.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ce n’era un altro. Questo stava quasi nel mezzo della strada nella vampa del sole, all’estremità della breve ombra ch’egli stesso proiettava. E stava con le mani conficcate nelle opposte maniche della sua lunga veste, la testa incassata nelle spalle, tutto raggomitolato in sè stesso in quel flusso di canicola.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>There was another. That one stood nearly in the middle of the road in the blaze of sunshine at the end of his own short shadow. And he stood with hands pushed into the opposite sleeves of his long coat, his head sunk between the shoulders, all hunched up in the flood of heat.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Da lontano aveva l’aspetto di qualcuno intirizzito da un intenso freddo.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>From a distance he had the aspect of one suffering from intense cold.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Questi due son gemelli, spiegò il cocchiere.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Those are twins,” explained the driver.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">L’idiota si trascicò due passi addietro e ci guardò per di sopra la spalla mentre passavamo strusciando da presso. Lo sguardo era vacuo e fisso, uno sguardo incantato; ma non si voltò a guardarci dietro. Probabilmente l’immagine passò davanti agli occhi, senza lasciar traccia nel deforme cervello della creatura.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The idiot shuffled two paces out of the way and looked at us over his shoulder when we brushed past him. The glance was unseeing and staring, a fascinated glance; but he did not turn to look after us. Probably the image passed before the eyes without leaving any trace on the misshapen brain of the creature.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Arrivati al sommo della salita, guardai al disopra del mantice. Egli era nella strada tal’ e quale dove l’avevamo lasciato.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>When we had topped the ascent I looked over the hood. He stood in the road just where we had left him.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Il cocchiere s’aggrappò per riprendere il suo sedile, fece schioccare la lingua, e scendemmo il colle. Il freno strideva orribilmente di tanto in tanto. Al piede della collina egli allentò il rumoroso meccanismo, e disse, voltandosi a mezzo sul suo sedile:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The driver clambered into his seat, clicked his tongue, and we went down hill. The brake squeaked horribly from time to time. At the foot he eased off the noisy mechanism and said, turning half round on his box:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ne vedremo degli altri fra poco.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“We shall see some more of them by and by.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_12'>12</span> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Altri idioti? Quanti ce ne sono allora? domandai.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“More idiots? How many of them are there, then?” I asked.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ce ne sono quattro, figli di un contadino qui vicino a Ploumar...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“There’s four of them—children of a farmer near Ploumar here....</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">I genitori sono morti ora, egli aggiunse dopo alquanto tempo. La nonna vive alla masseria. Durante il giorno essi ciondolano per questa strada, e rincasano al crepuscolo, assieme al bestiame... È un ricco podere!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“The parents are dead now,” he added, after a while. “The grandmother lives on the farm. In the daytime they knock about on this road, and they come home at dusk along with the cattle.... It’s a good farm.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Vedemmo gli altri due: un ragazzo e una ragazzetta, come disse il vetturino. Essi erano vestiti esattamente identici, in un informe abbigliamento con una specie di gonnella.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>We saw the other two: a boy and a girl, as the driver said. They were dressed exactly alike, in shapeless garments with petticoat-like skirts.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Lo storpio essere che viveva dentro a loro mosse quelle creature a berciare dietro a noi dal sommo del cigliare dove essi giacevano, fra gli steli flessibili del ginestrone.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The imperfect thing that lived within them moved those beings to howl at us from the top of the bank, where they sprawled amongst the tough stalks of furze.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Le loro teste nere tosate sporgevano fuori dalla gialla parete smagliante fatta dagli innumeri fiorellini. Le faccie erano imporporate dallo sforzo degli strilli; le voci suonavano vuote e fesse, come di un congegno che imitasse una voce di vecchio; e cessarono subito quando noi svoltammo in un sentiero.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Their cropped black heads stuck out from the bright yellow wall of countless small blossoms. The faces were purple with the strain of yelling; the voices sounded blank and cracked like a mechanical imitation of old people’s voices; and suddenly ceased when we turned into a lane.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Li rividi molte volte nel mio vagabondare per la campagna. Essi vivevano su quella strada, accoccolandosi lunghessa, più in su o più in giù, secondo gli inesplicabili impulsi della loro tenebra mostruosa.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>I saw them many times in my wandering about the country. They lived on that road, drifting along its length here and there, according to the inexplicable impulses of their monstrous darkness.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_13'>13</span> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Essi erano un’offesa alla luce del sole, un rimprovero alla vanità del cielo, un offuscamento al vigore denso e concentrato del paesaggio selvaggio.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>They were an offence to the sunshine, a reproach to empty heaven, a blight on the concentrated and purposeful vigour of the wild landscape.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Col tempo la storia dei loro genitori prese contorno ai miei occhi, fuor dalle mozze risposte alle mie domande, fuor dalle indifferenti parole udite alle bettole che fiancheggiavano la via o sulla strada bazzicata da quegli idioti.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>In time the story of their parents shaped itself before me out of the listless answers to my questions, out of the indifferent words heard in wayside inns or on the very road those idiots haunted.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Parte me ne fu detta da un vecchio, scettico ed emaciato, munito di una terribile frusta, mentre faticosamente procedevamo insieme sulle dune, a fianco di un carro a due ruote carico d’alghe gocciolanti.<a id='r5' /><a href='#f5' class='c009'><sup>[5]</sup></a></span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Some of it was told by an emaciated and sceptical old fellow with a tremendous whip, while we trudged together over the sands by the side of a two-wheeled cart loaded with dripping seaweed.<a id='r6' /><a href='#f6' class='c009'><sup>[6]</sup></a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Poi, altra volta, altra gente mi confermò e completò la storia: finchè alla fine me la vidi tutta dinanzi, formidabile e semplice a un tempo, come si palesano sempre queste rivelazioni di oscure prove, passate attraverso il cuore degli umili.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Then at other times other people confirmed and completed the story: till it stood at last before me, a tale formidable and simple, as they always are, those disclosures of obscure trials endured by ignorant hearts.</td> - </tr> -</table> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_14'>14</span> - <h2 id='II' class='c005'>II</h2> -</div> -<table class='table2' summary=''> -<colgroup> -<col width='50%' /> -<col width='50%' /> -</colgroup> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>Quando tornò dal suo servizio militare, Jean-Pierre Bacadou trovò i suoi vecchi assai decadenti. Osservò con dolore che il lavoro della terra non era fatto a dovere: il padre non aveva l’energia dei tempi andati, le opre non sentivano sopra di sè l’occhio del padrone.</td> - <td class='blt c008'>When he returned from his military service Jean-Pierre Bacadou found the old people very much aged. He remarked with pain that the work of the farm was not satisfactorily done. The father had not the energy of old days. The hands did not feel over them the eye of the master.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Jean-Pierre notò con pena che il mucchio del letame nel cortile, davanti all’unico ingresso di casa, non era colmo quanto avrebbe dovuto essere, le chiuse erano così malandate da abbisognare di riparazioni e il bestiame soffriva d’esser negletto.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Jean-Pierre noted with sorrow that the heap of manure in the courtyard before the only entrance to the house was not so large as it should have been. The fences were out of repair, and the cattle suffered from neglect.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">A casa, la madre era quasi definitivamente allettata, e le donne facevano schiamazzo nella vasta cucina, senza che nessuno le riprendesse, dalla mattina alla sera.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>At home the mother was practically bedridden and the girls chattered loudly in the big kitchen unrebuked, from morning to night.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Egli disse fra sè:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He said to himself:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Tutto ciò cambierà!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“We must change all this.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ne parlò al padre una sera, quando i raggi del sole al tramonto, entrando nel cortile fra le varie adiacenze, rigavano le grevi ombre di striscie luminose. Sul letamaio si moveva una nebbia leggera di colore opalino e carica di esalazioni, e le galline in giro a far sacco avevano sospeso di razzolare, per scrutare con un subito sguardo del loro occhio rotondo i due uomini, entrambi alti ed asciutti, discorrenti con intonazioni rauche.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He talked the matter over with his father one evening when the rays of the setting sun entering the yard between the outhouses ruled the heavy shadows with luminous streaks. Over the manure heap floated a mist, opal-tinted and odorous, and the marauding hens would stop in their scratching to examine with a sudden glance of their round eye the two men, both lean and tall, talking in hoarse tones.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_15'>15</span><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Il vecchio, rattratto dal reumatismo e curvo dagli anni e dal lavoro, il giovane ossuto ed eretto, parlavano senza gesti, con quell’indifferenza propria dei contadini, ch’è lenta e grave ad un tempo. Ma prima che il sole fosse tramontato, il padre aveva ceduto agli argomenti ragionevoli del figliolo.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The old man, all twisted with rheumatism and bowed with years of work, the younger bony and straight, spoke without gestures in the indifferent manner of peasants, grave and slow. But before the sun had set the father had submitted to the sensible arguments of the son.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Non è per me che io parlo! insisteva Jean-Pierre. È per la nostra terra. È un peccato il trarne così poco vantaggio. Per me non ho fretta...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“It is not for me that I am speaking,” insisted Jean-Pierre. “It is for the land. It’s a pity to see it badly used. I am not impatient for myself.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Il vecchio tentennò il capo chino sul suo bastone.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The old fellow nodded over his stick.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Forse; forse... egli borbottò. Puoi aver ragione. Fa come ti pare. È la mamma che sarà contenta!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“I dare say; I dare say,” he muttered. “You may be right. Do what you like. It’s the mother that will be pleased.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">La madre fu soddisfatta della nuora. Jean-Pierre fece entrare di volata il baroccio nel cortile. Il cavallo grigio galoppò pesantemente, e gli sposi, seduti l’uno a fianco dell’altro, sobbalzarono periodicamente e bruscamente avanti e indietro nel movimento alterno delle stanghe.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The mother was pleased with her daughter-in-law. Jean-Pierre brought the two-wheeled spring-cart with a rush into the yard. The grey horse galloped clumsily, and the bride and bridegroom, sitting side by side, were jerked backwards and forwards by the up and down motion of the shafts, in a manner regular and brusque.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Sulla strada il corteo nuziale, rimasto distanziato, procedeva sbandato, a coppie ed a gruppi. Gli uomini avanzavano a passi pesanti, ciondolando le loro braccia oziose. Erano abbigliati in vesti cittadine: giacche tagliate con rozza pretensione, cappelli neri duri, stivali enormi fatti lucidi come specchi.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>On the road the distanced wedding guests straggled in pairs and groups. The men advanced with heavy steps, swinging their idle arms. They were clad in town clothes; jackets cut with clumsy smartness, hard black hats, immense boots, polished highly.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_16'>16</span> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Le loro donne, tutte semplicemente in nero, con cuffie bianche e scialli a tinte smorte piegati a triangolo sulle spalle, trotterellavano a passo leggero ai loro fianchi.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Their women all in simple black, with white caps and shawls of faded tints folded triangularly on the back, strolled lightly by their side.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">In testa un violino gemeva un’aria stridente e una cornamusa<a id='r7' /><a href='#f7' class='c009'><sup>[7]</sup></a> russava e rombava, mentre il suonatore avanzava danzando solennemente in cadenza, levando alti i suoi pesanti zoccoli.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>In front the violin sang a strident tune, and the biniou<a id='r8' /><a href='#f8' class='c009'><sup>[8]</sup></a> snored and hummed, while the player capered solemnly, lifting high his heavy clogs.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">L’oscura processione si sospingeva dentro e fuori agli stretti viottoli, traverso il sole e traverso l’ombra, fra i campi e le siepi e i filari degli alberi, spaurendo gli uccellini, che si precipitavano via a stormi a destra e a sinistra. Nell’aia dei Bacadou il nastro nero si avvolse in un viluppo solo di uomini e di donne, accalcatisi alla porta con grida e felicitazioni.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The sombre procession drifted in and out of the narrow lanes, through sunshine and through shade, between fields and hedgerows, scaring the little birds that darted away in troops right and left. In the yard of Bacadou’s farm the dark ribbon wound itself up into a mass of men and women pushing at the door with cries and greetings.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Il pranzo di nozze si ricordò per mesi e mesi. Fu un festino coi fiocchi, nel frutteto. Contadini notoriamente facoltosi e d’ottima riputazione si continuarono a trovare addormentati per le fosse, tutto lungo la strada fino a Tréguier, ancora nel pomeriggio del giorno successivo. Tutto il contado partecipò alla felicità di Jean-Pierre.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The wedding dinner was remembered for months. It was a splendid feast in the orchard. Farmers of considerable means and excellent repute were to be found sleeping in ditches, all along the road to Tréguier, even as late as the afternoon of the next day. All the country-side participated in the happiness of Jean-Pierre.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_17'>17</span><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Egli rimase sobrio, e, assieme alla sua quieta sposa, si tenne in disparte, lasciando padre e madre raccogliere le loro spettanze di onori e di ringraziamenti.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He remained sober, and, together with his quiet wife, kept out of the way, letting father and mother reap their due of honour and thanks.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ma il giorno dopo egli prese fermamente le redini, e i vecchi sentirono un’ombra—annunciatrice della tomba—cadere definitivamente su loro. Il mondo è per la gioventù!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>But the next day he took hold strongly, and the old folks felt a shadow—precursor of the grave—fall upon them finally. The world is to the young.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Quando nacquero i gemelli, lo spazio non fece difetto nella casa, perchè la madre di Jean-Pierre se ne era andata a riposare sotto una pesante pietra nel cimitero di Ploumar.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>When the twins were born there was plenty of room in the house, for the mother of Jean-Pierre had gone away to dwell under a heavy stone in the cemetery of Ploumar.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Quel giorno, per la prima volta dal matrimonio del figlio, il vecchio Bacadou, trascurato dal gruppo crocchiante di donne forestiere che affollavano la cucina, lasciò al mattino il suo sedile sotto la cappa del camino, ed andò nella stalla vuota, scuotendo tristemente le sue bianche ciocche...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>On that day, for the first time since his son’s marriage, the elder Bacadou, neglected by the cackling lot of strange women who thronged the kitchen, left in the morning his seat under the mantel of the fire-place, and went into the empty cow-house, shaking his white locks dismally.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Va bene i nepoti, ma lui voleva la sua minestra a mezzogiorno!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Grandsons were all very well, but he wanted his soup at midday.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Quando gli mostrarono i neonati, li guardò a lungo con uno sguardo fisso, e borbottò qualche cosa come: È troppo!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>When shown the babies, he stared at them with a fixed gaze, and muttered something like: “It’s too much.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_18'>18</span><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Se egli intendesse troppa felicità, o semplicemente commentasse il numero della sua discendenza, è impossibile dire. Prese un’aria offesa, per quanto la sua vecchia faccia incartapecorita potesse esprimerlo; e fu visto per giorni e giorni, quasi a tutte le ore, seduto al cancello, col mento sulle ginocchia, una pipa fra le gengive, tutto rattratto in una specie di rabbiosa e concentrata musoneria.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Whether he meant too much happiness, or simply commented upon the number of his descendants, it is impossible to say. He looked offended—as far as his old wooden face could express anything; and for days afterwards could be seen, almost any time of the day, sitting at the gate, with his nose over his knees, a pipe between his gums, and gathered up into a kind of raging concentrated sulkiness.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Una volta si rivolse querulo al figlio, alludendo ai nuovi venuti:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Once he spoke to his son, alluding to the newcomers with a groan:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Liticheranno pel podere!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“They will quarrel over the land.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Non preoccupatevi di ciò, babbo! rispose Jean-Pierre con aria stolida, e passò, piegato in due, rimorchiandosi per sopra la spalla una vacca recalcitrante.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Don’t bother about that, father,” answered Jean-Pierre, stolidly, and passed, bent double, towing a recalcitrant cow over his shoulder.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Egli era felice, e così Susanna la sua sposa. Non era una gioia eterea accogliente delle anime nuove alla lotta, forse alla vittoria... Fra quattordici anni entrambi i ragazzi sarebbero d’aiuto; e, più tardi, Jean-Pierre si figurava due robusti figlioli misuranti col passo la terra da zolla a zolla, e strappando al suolo beneamato e fertile il suo tributo.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He was happy, and so was Susan, his wife. It was not an ethereal joy welcoming new souls to struggle, perchance to victory. In fourteen years both boys would be a help; and, later on, Jean-Pierre pictured two big sons striding over the land from patch to patch, wringing tribute from the earth beloved and fruitful.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Anche Susanna era felice, perchè non desiderava che si parlasse di lei come della donna non benedetta, ed ora che aveva dei figli, nessuno avrebbe potuto darle tal nome.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Susan was happy too, for she did not want to be spoken of as the unfortunate woman, and now she had children no one could call her that.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Tanto lei che suo marito avevano conosciuto un più vasto mondo—lui al tempo del suo servizio militare, mentre lei aveva passato circa un anno a Parigi in una famiglia bretone; ma aveva troppo sofferto di nostalgia per stare più a lungo lontana dai suoi verdi colli, incastonati in una chiostra di rupi e di dune, dov’era nata.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Both herself and her husband had seen something of the larger world—he during the time of his service; while she had spent a year or so in Paris with a Breton family; but had been too home-sick to remain longer away from the hilly and green country, set in a barren circle of rocks and sands, where she had been born.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_19'>19</span> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Pensava che uno dei bimbi forse avrebbe potuto esser prete, ma non diceva nulla al marito, che era repubblicano e odiava i “corvi,” com’egli chiamava i ministri della religione.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She thought that one of the boys ought perhaps to be a priest, but said nothing to her husband, who was a republican, and hated the “crows,” as he called the ministers of religion.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Il battesimo fu un affare grandioso. Tutto il comune fu invitato, perchè i Bacadou erano ricchi e influenti e, di tanto in tanto, non badavano a spese. L’avolo ebbe una giubba nuova.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The christening was a splendid affair. All the commune came to it, for the Bacadous were rich and influential, and, now and then, did not mind the expense. The grandfather had a new coat.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Qualche mese dopo, una sera, dopo che la cucina fu scopata e fu data una mandata alla porta, Jean-Pierre, guardando verso il letticello, domandò a sua moglie:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Some months afterwards, one evening when the kitchen had been swept, and the door locked, Jean-Pierre, looking at the cot, asked his wife:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Che hanno quei ragazzi?</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“What’s the matter with those children?”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">E come se quelle parole pronunciate con calma fossero state presagio di male, ella rispose con sì alto gemito, ch’esso eccheggiò al di là dall’aia fino al porcile; perchè i maiali (quelli dei Bacadou erano i più belli del paese) s’agitarono e grugnirono lamentosamente nella notte.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>And, as if these words, spoken calmly, had been the portent of misfortune, she answered with a loud wail that must have been heard across the yard in the pigsty; for the pigs (the Bacadous had the finest pigs in the country) stirred and grunted complainingly in the night.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Il marito continuò a maciullare lentamente il suo pane e burro, fissando il muro, mentre la scodella della minestra continuava a fumargli sotto il mento.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The husband went on grinding his bread and butter slowly, gazing at the wall, the soup-plate smoking under his chin.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Era ritornato tardi dal mercato, dove aveva afferrato alle sue spalle (e non per la prima volta) un bisbiglio.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He had returned late from the market, where he had overheard (not for the first time) whispers behind his back.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_20'>20</span> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Egli rimuginò in mente le parole ritornando col cavallo.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He revolved the words in his mind as he drove back.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Scemi! Tutt’e due... Due disutili per sempre!... Ebbene! Può anche darsi. Si vedrà. Si chiederà alla sposa...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Simple! Both of them.... Never any use!... Well! May be, may be. One must see. Would ask his wife.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Questa era la risposta.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>This was her answer.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Sentì come una mazzata alla nuca, ma disse solamente:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He felt like a blow on his chest, but said only:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Va a spillare del sidro. Ho sete!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Go, draw me some cider. I am thirsty!”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ella uscì piagnucolando, con un boccale vuoto in mano. Allora egli si alzò, prese il lume, e mosse lentamente verso la culla. Essi dormivano. Li guardò di sbircio, finì lì il suo boccone, se ne ritornò grevemente, e sedette davanti alla sua scodella.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She went out moaning, an empty jug in her hand. Then he arose, took up the light, and moved slowly toward the cradle. They slept. He looked at them sideways, finished his mouthful there, went back heavily, and sat down before his plate.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Quando sua moglie tornò egli non alzò lo sguardo, ma ingoiò rumorosamente un paio di cucchiate e osservò in modo ottuso:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>When his wife returned he never looked up, but swallowed a couple of spoonfuls noisily, and remarked, in a dull manner—</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Quando dormono, essi sono come i figlioli degli altri.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“When they sleep they are like other people’s children.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Essa si lasciò andare su uno sgabello lì accanto, scossa da una tempesta di singulti senza parola, incapace a parlare.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She sat down suddenly on a stool near by, and shook with a silent tempest of sobs, unable to speak.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Egli finì il suo pasto, e rimase buttato all’ indietro sulla sua sedia, l’occhio perduto fra le travi nere del soffitto.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He finished his meal, and remained idly thrown back in his chair, his eyes lost amongst the black rafters of the ceiling.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_21'>21</span><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Davanti a lui la candela di sevo fiammeggiava rossa e diritta, mandando in alto un filo sottile di fumo. La luce batteva sulla pelle ruvida e abbronzata della sua gola; le guancie infossate erano come zone d’ombra, ed il suo aspetto era pietosamente stolido, come se ruminasse con difficoltà tutto un groviglio d’idee.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Before him the tallow candle flared red and straight, sending up a slender thread of smoke. The light lay on the rough, sunburnt skin of his throat; the sunk cheeks were like patches of darkness, and his aspect was mournfully stolid, as if he had ruminated with difficulty endless ideas.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Poi disse deliberatamente:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Then he said, deliberately:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Dobbiamo vedere... consultare qualcuno. Non piangere... Non saranno tutti così... certamente!... Ora si va a dormire.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“We must see ... consult people. Don’t cry.... They won’t be all like that ... surely! We must sleep now.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Dopo che il terzo figliolo, un bambino pure, fu nato, Jean-Pierre si mise d’intorno al suo lavoro con intensa speranza. Le sue labbra sembravano più sottili, più strettamente serrate di prima, come per paura di lasciare udire alla terra che arava la voce della speranza, che sussurrava dentro al suo petto.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>After the third child, also a boy, was born, Jean-Pierre went about his work with tense hopefulness. His lips seemed more narrow, more tightly compressed than before; as if for fear of letting the earth he tilled hear the voice of hope that murmured within his breast.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Egli guatava il bambino, dirigendosi verso il suo letticiolo con un pesante risonare di zoccoli sul pavimento di pietra, e vi buttava dentro un’occhiata sopra la spalla, con quella indifferenza che è come un’insita deformità dell’anima campagnola.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He watched the child, stepping up to the cot with a heavy clang of sabots on the stone floor, and glanced in, along his shoulder, with that indifference which is like a deformity of peasant humanity.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_22'>22</span><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Come la terra ch’essi dominano e servono a un tempo, questi uomini, d’occhi e di parole tardi, non mostrano l’interno fuoco, cosicchè, in fondo, noi finiamo per domandarci, in quanto a loro come in quanto alla terra, cos’hanno nel loro nocciolo: ardore, violenza, una forza misteriosa e terribile—o nient’altro che un pugno di terra, massa fertile e inerte, fredda e insensibile, da cui nascerà la pianta che sosterrà la vita oppure quella che arrecherà la morte.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Like the earth they master and serve, those men, slow of eye and speech, do not show the inner fire; so that, at last, it becomes a question with them as with the earth, what there is in the core: heat, violence, a force mysterious and terrible—or nothing but a clod, a mass fertile and inert, cold and unfeeling, ready to bear a crop of plants that sustain life or give death.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">La madre vegliava con altri occhi; ascoltava con altre orecchie, altrimenti ansiose.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The mother watched with other eyes; listened with otherwise expectant ears.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Sotto gli alti scaffali sospesi, sorreggenti in alto grandi pezze di carne secca, materialmente ella s’affacendava d’attorno al focolare, attenta alla pentola dondolante ai ganci di ferro, fregando la lunga tavola dove le opre si sarebbero assise in breve al loro pasto della sera.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Under the high hanging shelves supporting great sides of bacon overhead, her body was busy by the great fire-place, attentive to the pot swinging on iron gallows, scrubbing the long table where the field hands would sit down directly to their evening meal.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ma la sua mente rimaneva presso alla culla, notte e giorno vegliando, nella speranza e nel dolore.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Her mind remained by the cradle, night and day on the watch, to hope and suffer.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Quel bimbo, come gli altri due, non sorrideva mai, non le porgeva mai le piccole braccia, non parlava mai; mai uno sguardo accennava a riconoscerla, uno sguardo dei suoi grandi occhi neri, che si sbarravano solo davanti ad uno scintillio, ma che, ahimè, non sapevano neppure seguire la radiosità di un raggio di sole che s’adagiasse lento sul pavimento.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>That child, like the other two, never smiled, never stretched its hands to her, never spoke; never had a glance of recognition for her in its big black eyes, which could only stare fixedly at any glitter, but failed hopelessly to follow the brilliance of a sun-ray slipping slowly along the floor.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Quando gli uomini erano al lavoro, ella passava giornate interminabili fra i suoi tre figlioli idioti ed il loro nonno rimbambito, che sedeva arcigno, angoloso e immobile, coi piedi presso le ceneri calde del focolare.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>When the men were at work she spent long days between her three idiot children and the childish grandfather, who sat grim, angular, and immovable, with his feet near the warm ashes of the fire.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Il debole vecchio sembrava sospettare che ci fosse qualcosa di strano nei suoi nepoti.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The feeble old fellow seemed to suspect that there was something wrong with his grandsons.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_23'>23</span> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Una volta sola, mosso forse dall’affetto o forse per un vago senso dei suoi doveri di nonno, egli si mise d’attorno al piccino. Alzò il bimbo da terra, schioccò la lingua per divertirlo, e arrischiò una galoppata tutta a scosse sulle sue ginocchia aguzze. Poi, col suo sguardo intorbidato, guardò da presso la faccia del bimbo: e adagino lo riposò giù di nuovo sul pavimento.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Only once, moved either by affection or by the sense of proprieties, he attempted to nurse the youngest. He took the boy up from the floor, clicked his tongue at him, and essayed a shaky gallop of his bony knees. Then he looked closely with his misty eyes at the child’s face and deposited him down gently on the floor again.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">E sedette ancora, coi suoi magri stinchi incrociati, crollando il capo al vapore sfuggente dalla pentola al bollore, con sguardo senile e crucciato.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>And he sat, his lean shanks crossed, nodding at the steam escaping from the cooking-pot with a gaze senile and worried.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">A poco a poco un’afflizione muta s’insediò alla masseria dei Bacadou, condividendo il respiro ed il pane dei suoi famigliari; ed il curato della parrocchia di Ploumar ebbe alta cagione di compiacimento.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Then mute affliction dwelt in Bacadou’s farmhouse, sharing the breath and the bread of its inhabitants; and the priest of the Ploumar parish had great cause for congratulation.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Egli fece visita al ricco feudatario, il marchese di Chavannes, allo scopo di esalare con gioconda unzione le sue solenni insipienze sulle vie imperscrutabili della Provvidenza.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He called upon the rich landowner, the Marquis de Chavanes, on purpose to deliver himself with joyful unction of solemn platitudes about the inscrutable ways of Providence.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Nella vasta penombra del salotto a gran cortinaggi, l’ometto, simile a un capezzale nero a rullo, si chinava verso un divano, col cappello sulle ginocchia, e gesticolava con una mano grassoccia alle linee allungate e graziosamente drappeggiate della chiara toilette parigina, da dentro alla quale la marchesa, fra divertita e seccata, ascoltava con vezzoso languore.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>In the vast dimness of the curtained drawing-room, the little man, resembling a black bolster, leaned toward a couch, his hat on his knees, and gesticulated with a fat hand at the elongated, gracefully-flowing lines of the clear Parisian toilette from within which the half-amused, half-bored marquise listened with gracious languor.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_24'>24</span> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Egli era esultante ed umile, altero e pavido. L’incredibile s’era avverato! Jean-Pierre Bacadou, quell’arrabbiato contadino repubblicano, la scorsa domenica era stato alla messa—s’era impegnato a convitare i preti venenti alla prossima festa di Ploumar!...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He was exulting and humble, proud and awed. The impossible had come to pass. Jean-Pierre Bacadou, the enraged republican farmer, had been to Mass last Sunday—had proposed to entertain the visiting priests at the next festival of Ploumar!</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Era un trionfo per la Chiesa e per la Santa Causa!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>It was a triumph for the Church and for the good cause.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Pensai di venir subito a raccontarlo al Signor Marchese. So quant’egli è ansioso del bene del nostro paese! dichiarò il prete asciugandosi il volto.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“I thought I would come at once to tell Monsieur le Marquis. I know how anxious he is for the welfare of our country,” declared the priest, wiping his face.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Fu subito invitato a desinare.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He was asked to stay to dinner.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">I Chavanes, tornando quella sera dall’aver accompagnato il loro ospite al gran cancello del parco, discussero la cosa, errando al chiaro di luna e trascinando le loro lunghe ombre pel diritto viale dei castagni.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The Chavanes returning that evening, after seeing their guest to the main gate of the park, discussed the matter while they strolled in the moonlight, trailing their long shadows up the straight avenue of chestnuts.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Il marchese, realista<a id='r9' /><a href='#f9' class='c009'><sup>[9]</sup></a> naturalmente, era stato sindaco del comune che include Ploumar, gli sparsi borghetti lungo la costa, e le isole rocciose che orlano la gialla spianata delle dune. Egli aveva sentito la sua posizione malsicura, perchè c’era una forte corrente repubblicana in quella parte della campagna; ma ora la conversione di Jean-Pierre lo metteva al salvo. Egli se ne compiaceva grandemente.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The marquis, a royalist<a id='r10' /><a href='#f10' class='c009'><sup>[10]</sup></a> of course, had been mayor of the commune which includes Ploumar, the scattered hamlets of the coast, and the stony islands that fringe the yellow flatness of the sands. He had felt his position insecure, for there was a strong republican element in that part of the country; but now the conversion of Jean-Pierre made him safe. He was very pleased.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_25'>25</span> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Non hai un’idea come quella gente sia influente! spiegava alla moglie. Ora non ne dubito punto, la prossima elezione andrà a vele gonfie. Io sarò rieletto.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“You have no idea how influential those people are,” he explained to his wife. “Now, I am sure, the next communal election will go all right. I shall be re-elected.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">La tua ambizione è addirittura insaziabile, Carlo! esclamò la marchesa gaiamente.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Your ambition is perfectly insatiable, Charles,” exclaimed the marquise, gaily.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ma, <span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">ma chère amie</span>, ribattè il marito seriamente, ha una grande importanza che quest’anno il sindaco sia la vera persona atta alla carica, a causa delle elezioni alla Camera. Se credi che ciò mi diverta...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“But, <span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">ma chère amie</span>,” argued the husband, seriously, “it’s most important that the right man should be mayor this year, because of the elections to the Chamber. If you think it amuses me....”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Jean-Pierre s’era arreso alla madre di sua moglie. Madame Levaille era una donna d’affari, conosciuta e rispettata per un raggio di almeno quindici miglia all’intorno. Solida e robusta, la si vedeva per la campagna a piedi o nel baroccio di un conoscente, sempre in moto, a dispetto dei suoi cinquantott’anni, sempre dietro ai suoi affari.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Jean-Pierre had surrendered to his wife’s mother. Madame Levaille was a woman of business, known and respected within a radius of at least fifteen miles. Thick-set and stout, she was seen about the country, on foot or in an acquaintance’s cart, perpetually moving, in spite of her fifty-eight years, in steady pursuit of business.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ella aveva case in tutti i borghetti, gestiva cave di granito, caricava navi costiere di pietra, trafficava perfino colle isole Normanne. Ella aveva mascelle sviluppate, occhi grandi, parola persuasiva; sostenendo il suo punto colla placida e invincibile ostinatezza di una vecchia che sa ciò che vuole.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She had houses in all the hamlets, she worked quarries of granite, she freighted coasters with stone—even traded with the Channel Islands. She was broad-cheeked, wide-eyed, persuasive in speech; carrying her point with the placid and invincible obstinacy of an old woman who knows her own mind.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_26'>26</span><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Raramente ella dormiva due notti di seguito nella stessa casa; e le bettole delle via maestra erano i luoghi più indicati per prendere informazioni in quanto alle sue eventuali stanze: o era passata, o sarebbe passata alle sei; oppure qualcuno, entrando, l’aveva vista al mattino, o aspettava d’incontrarla quella sera.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She very seldom slept for two nights together in the same house; and the wayside inns were the best places to inquire in as to her whereabouts. She had either passed, or was expected to pass there at six; or somebody, coming in, had seen her in the morning, or expected to meet her that evening.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Dopo le osterie prospicenti la strada, le chiese erano gli edifici ch’ella più frequentava. Gli uomini dalle opinioni liberali solevano indurre i ragazzetti a fare una corsa nei sacri luoghi per vedere se Madame Levaille c’era, e per dirle che il tale dei tali era sulla via in attesa di parlarle—circa alle patate, alla farina, ai sassi, o alle case; ed ella soleva troncare le sue devozioni e uscire, sbattendo gli occhi abbagliati e segnandosi nel sole; pronta a discutere d’affari, calma e posata, sul piano di una tavola, nella cucina dell’osteria dirimpetto.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>After the inns that command the roads, the churches were the buildings she frequented most. Men of liberal opinions would induce small children to run into sacred edifices to see whether Madame Levaille was there, and to tell her that so-and-so was in the road waiting to speak to her—about potatoes, or flour, or stones, or houses; and she would curtail her devotions, come out blinking and crossing herself into the sunshine; ready to discuss business matters in a calm, sensible way across a table in the kitchen of the inn opposite.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Recentemente s’era fermata più volte per parecchi giorni di seguito dal genero, tirando fuori i suoi argomenti contro i dispiaceri e l’avversa fortuna, con faccia composta e tono benevolo.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Latterly she had stayed for a few days several times with her son-in-law, arguing against sorrow and misfortune with composed face and gentle tones.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Jean-Pierre sentì le convinzioni assorbite al reggimento sradicarsi dal suo petto—non per forza d’argomenti, ma di fatti. Misurando col passo i suoi campi ci ripensò.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Jean-Pierre felt the convictions imbibed in the regiment torn out of his breast—not by arguments, but by facts. Striding over his fields he thought it over.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_27'>27</span><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Tre ce n’erano. Tre! Tutti eguali! Perchè?... Tali cose non succedevano a tutti, anzi a nessuno, ch’egli avesse udito! Uno ancora... poteva passare. Ma tre! Tutti e tre! Disutili per sempre, da doverseli campare finch’egli fosse in vita e... Cosa ne sarebbe divenuto della terra dopo la sua morte?</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>There were three of them. Three! All alike! Why? Such things did not happen to everybody—to nobody he ever heard of. One yet—it might pass. But three! All three. For ever useless, to be fed while he lived and ... What would become of the land when he died?</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Bisognava pensarci bene... Egli sacrificherebbe le sue convinzioni!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>This must be seen to. He would sacrifice his convictions.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Un giorno egli disse alla moglie:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>One day he told his wife:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Guarda un po’ ciò che il tuo Dio possa fare per noi. Fa dire qualche messa.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“See what your God will do for us. Pay for some masses.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Susanna abbracciò il suo uomo. Egli si tenne rigido, poi girò sui talloni e uscì.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Susan embraced her man. He stood unbending, then turned on his heels and went out.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ma più tardi, quando una nera sottana oscurò la sua soglia, egli non fece obbiezione; anzi offerse egli stesso del sidro al prete.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>But afterwards, when a black <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">soutane</span></i> darkened his doorway, he did not object; even offered some cider himself to the priest.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Egli ascoltò i ragionamenti con sottomissione; andò alla messa fra le due donne; adempì ciò che il prete chiamava “i suoi doveri religiosi,” a Pasqua.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He listened to the talk meekly; went to Mass between the two women; accomplished what the priest called “his religious duties” at Easter.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ma quella mattina si sentì come un uomo che abbia venduto l’anima. Nel pomeriggio egli ebbe una zuffa feroce con un vecchio amico e vicino che aveva rimarcato che quello era stato una vera bazza per i pastori della chiesa, e che l’accanito mangia-preti stavano proprio pappandoselo loro.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>That morning he felt like a man who had sold his soul. In the afternoon he fought ferociously with an old friend and neighbour who had remarked that the priests had the best of it and were now going to eat the priest-eater.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Venne a casa sanguinante e scarmigliato, e capitandogli l’occhio sopra i suoi figlioli (che generalmente erano tenuti fuori mano), maledì e bestemmiò incoerentemente, pestando i pugni sulla tavola.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He came home dishevelled and bleeding, and happening to catch sight of his children (they were kept generally out of the way), cursed and swore incoherently, banging the table.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_28'>28</span> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Susanna pianse. Madame Levaille rimase seduta serenamente, senza commuoversi. Ella rassicurò la figliola che “Passerà,” e, prendendo su il suo ombrellone, se ne andò in fretta a vedere di uno schooner che stava per caricare di granito della sua cava.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Susan wept. Madame Levaille sat serenely unmoved. She assured her daughter that “It will pass”; and taking up her thick umbrella, departed in haste to see after a schooner she was going to load with granite from her quarry.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Circa un anno dopo era nata la bimba.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>A year or so afterwards the girl was born.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Una femmina. Jean-Pierre lo venne a sapere mentre stava nei campi, e fu così sconvolto dalla notizia, che si lasciò andare sul muricciolo di confine e vi rimase fino a sera, invece di andare a casa come n’era sollecitato.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>A girl. Jean-Pierre heard of it in the fields, and was so upset by the news that he sat down on the boundary wall and remained there till the evening, instead of going home as he was urged to do.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Una femmina! Si sentì a mezzo truffato.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>A girl! He felt half cheated.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Però, quando giunse a casa, era in parte riconciliato col suo destino. La si poteva maritare a un bravo giovane—non a un fannullone, ma a un ragazzo con un po’ di sale in zucca e un buon paio di braccia.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>However, when he got home he was partly reconciled to his fate. One could marry her to a good fellow—not to a good for nothing, but to a fellow with some understanding and a good pair of arms.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Inoltre, il prossimo avrebbe potuto essere un maschio, pensava.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Besides, the next may be a boy, he thought.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Naturalmente su quelli non ci sarebbero state tare. La sua nuova credenza non conosceva dubbi. La mala sorte era infranta!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Of course they would be all right. His new credulity knew of no doubt. The ill luck was broken.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Egli parlò con buonumore a sua moglie. Anch’essa era piena di speranza. Tre preti vennero a quel battesimo, e Madame Levaille fu la comare.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He spoke cheerily to his wife. She was also hopeful. Three priests came to that christening, and Madame Levaille was godmother.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ma il tempo diede a vedere che anche questa sua bimba era stupida...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The child turned out an idiot too.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_29'>29</span><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Da allora, nei giorni di mercato, Jean-Pierre fu visto contrattare con acrimonia, rissoso e vorace; poi ubriacarsi con taciturna veemenza; poi ritornare al crepuscolo nel suo biroccio a gran carriera come se andasse a nozze, ma con una faccia buia da funerale.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Then on market days Jean-Pierre was seen bargaining bitterly, quarrelsome and greedy; then getting drunk with taciturn earnestness; then driving home in the dusk at a rate fit for a wedding, but with a face gloomy enough for a funeral.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Qualche volta insisteva perchè sua moglie l’accompagnasse, e, al mattino presto, il biroccio li sobbalzava da un canto all’altro dello stretto sedile, sopra il porcello che, impotente, colle sue zampe legate, grugniva un suo malinconico sospiro ad ogni sussulto sulle carreggiate.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Sometimes he would insist for his wife to come with him; and they would drive in the early morning, shaking side by side on the narrow seat above the helpless pig that, with tied legs, grunted a melancholy sigh at every rut.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Le trottate della mattina erano silenziose; ma alla sera venendo a casa Jean-Pierre, ubriaco, borbottava senza ritegno e imprecava contro la malaugurata donna che non poteva mettere al mondo figlioli che fossero come quelli di tutta l’altra gente.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The morning drives were silent; but in the evening, coming home, Jean-Pierre, tipsy, was viciously muttering, and growled at the confounded woman who could not rear children that were like anybody else’s.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Susanna, aggrappandosi per i sobbalzi del carro, dava a credere di non udire.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Susan, holding on against the erratic swayings of the cart, pretended not to hear.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Una volta, attraversando Ploumar, un istinto oscuro e briaco gli suggerì di arrestare di botto fin dirimpetto alla chiesa.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Once, as they were driving through Ploumar, some obscure and drunken impulse caused him to pull up sharply opposite the church.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">La luna navigava fra bianche nuvole leggere. Le pietre dei sepolcri biancheggiavano sotto le ombre chiazzate degli alberi del cimitero. Perfino i cani del villaggio dormivano. Solo gli usignoli, svegli, filavano i trilli della loro canzone sovra il silenzio delle tombe.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The moon swam amongst light white clouds. The tombstones gleamed pale under the fretted shadows of the trees in the churchyard. Even the village dogs slept. Only the nightingales, awake, spun out the thrill of their song above the silence of graves.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Jean-Pierre disse a lingua grossa a sua moglie:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Jean-Pierre said thickly to his wife:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_30'>30</span> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Cosa credi che ci sia là?</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“What do you think is there?”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Egli indicò il campanile colla frusta—sul quale il gran quadrante dell’orologio appariva alto nel chiarore lunare come una pallida faccia senz’occhi—e dopo esser sceso con prudenza, cadde ad un tratto presso la ruota. Si tirò su e salì a fatica uno ad uno i pochi gradini, fino al cancello di ferro del cimitero.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He pointed his whip at the tower—in which the big dial of the clock appeared high in the moonlight like a pallid face without eyes—and getting out carefully, fell down at once by the wheel. He picked himself up and climbed one by one the few steps to the iron gate of the churchyard.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Mise la faccia alle sbarre e chiamò indistintamente:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He put his face to the bars and called out indistinctly:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ohè là! Venite fuori!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Hey there! Come out!”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Jean! Torna! Torna! supplicò sua moglie dominando la voce.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Jean! Return! Return!” entreated his wife in low tones.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Egli non se ne addiede, e sembrò attender lì.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He took no notice, and seemed to wait there.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Il canto dell’usignolo percoteva da ogni lato contro gli alti muri della chiesa, e fluiva di ritorno fra le croci di pietra e le grigie lapidi piane, incise di parole di speranza e di dolore.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The song of nightingales beat on all sides against the high walls of the church, and flowed back between stone crosses and flat grey slabs, engraved with words of hope and sorrow.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ohe! Venite fuori!—urlò forte Jean-Pierre.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Hey! Come out!” shouted Jean-Pierre loudly.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Gli usignoli cessarono di cantare.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The nightingales ceased to sing.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Nessuno? continuò Jean-Pierre. Non c’è nessuno! Una mistificazione dei corvi. Ecco cos’è. Nessuno in alcun luogo. Pouah! Allez! Houp!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Nobody?” went on Jean-Pierre. “Nobody there. A swindle of the crows. That’s what this is. Nobody anywhere. I despise it. Allez! Houp!”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Egli scosse il cancello con tutta la sua forza, e le sbarre di ferro cigolarono con pauroso strepito, come una catena strascicata<a id='t30'></a> su dei gradini di pietra.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He shook the gate with all his strength, and the iron bars rattled with a frightful clanging, like a chain dragged over stone steps.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Un cane lì presso abbaiò insistentemente.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>A dog near-by barked hurriedly.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_31'>31</span> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Jean-Pierre tornò indietro barcollando, e dopo tre colpi a vuoto riuscì ad entrare nel carro.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Jean-Pierre staggered back, and after three successive dashes got into his cart.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Susanna era lì quieta ed immobile. Egli le disse con burbanza da ubriaco:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Susan sat very quiet and still. He said to her with drunken severity:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Hai visto? Nessuno. Si sono presi gioco di me. Malheur! Ma qualcheduno la pagherà. Il primo che vedo vicino a casa, lascio andar la frusta su... sul suo groppone nero... lascio...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“See? Nobody. I’ve been made a fool! Malheur! Somebody will pay for it. The next one I see near the house I will lay my whip on ... on the black spine.... I will.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Non ce lo voglio... egli ajuta solo i corvi mangia-carogne a spolpare la povera gente!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“I don’t want him in there ... he only helps the carrion crows to rob poor folk.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Io sono un uomo... Vogliamo vedere se io non posso aver figlioli come tutti gli altri... Stavvi attenta!... Non saranno tutti... tutti... Vedremo...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“I am a man.... We will see if I can’t have children like anybody else ... now you mind.... They won’t be all ... all ... we see....”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ella ebbe uno scoppio di fra le sue dita che le nascondevano la faccia:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She burst out through the fingers that hid her face:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Non dir questo, Jean; non dir questo, marito mio.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Don’t say that, Jean; don’t say that, my man!”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Egli le lasciò andare un forte picchio col dorso della mano, e la mandò a sbattere in fondo alla carretta, dov’ella si accovacciò, malmenata in modo pietoso ad ogni scotimento del veicolo.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He struck her a swinging blow on the head with the back of his hand and knocked her into the bottom of the cart, where she crouched, thrown about lamentably by every jolt.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Egli guidò con furore, in piedi, brandendo la frusta, scuotendo le redini sul cavallo grigio, che si mise a galoppare pesantemente, facendo saltare la greve bardatura sui suoi larghi quarti.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He drove furiously, standing up, brandishing his whip, shaking the reins over the grey horse that galloped ponderously, making the heavy harness leap upon his broad quarters.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_32'>32</span><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">La campagna risonava clamorosamente nella notte del latrato irritato dei cani da pastori, il quale seguì lo strepito delle ruote durante tutta la strada. Un paio di viandanti, sorpresi dalla notte, ebbero appena tempo di cacciarsi nel fosso.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The country rang clamorous in the night with the irritated barking of farm dogs, that followed the rattle of wheels all along the road. A couple of belated wayfarers had only just time to step into the ditch.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Al cancello di casa diede di cozzo nel palo e fu balzato fuor del carro a capofitto. Il cavallo continuò lentamente fino alla porta.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>At his own gate he caught the post and was shot out of the cart head first. The horse went on slowly to the door.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Agli acuti strilli di Susanna, le opre della masseria si precipitarono fuori. Ella lo credette morto, ma egli si era invece addormentato là dov’era caduto, e imprecò ai suoi uomini corsi a lui, che avevano disturbato i suoi sonni.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>At Susan’s piercing cries the farm hands rushed out. She thought him dead, but he was only sleeping where he fell, and cursed his men, who hastened to him, for disturbing his slumbers.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Venne l’autunno. Il cielo annuvolato scendeva basso fino ai neri contorni dei colli, e le foglie morte danzavano in turbini a spirali sotto gli alberi spogli, finchè il vento, con profondo sospiro, le portava a riposo nelle cavità delle valli ignude.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Autumn came. The clouded sky descended low upon the black contours of the hills; and the dead leaves danced in spiral whirls under naked trees, till the wind, sighing profoundly, laid them to rest in the hollows of bare valleys.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">E da mattina a sera non si vedeva sopra tutta la terra che neri rami spogli, rami nodosi e attorti, come se attorcigliati dal dolore, ondeggianti tristemente fra le nubi pregne di pioggia e la terra molle. I chiari e dolci ruscelli dei giorni d’estate si precipitavano torbidi e furiosi sui sassi che sbarravano loro la via al mare, colla furia della demenza risoluta al suicidio.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>And from morning till night one could see all over the land black denuded boughs, the boughs gnarled and twisted, as if contorted with pain, swaying sadly between the wet clouds and the soaked earth. The clear and gentle streams of summer days rushed discoloured and raging at the stones that barred the way to the sea, with the fury of madness bent upon suicide.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Da orizzonte a orizzonte la gran via che conduceva alle dune giaceva fra i colli in un triste biancheggiare di vane curve, come un’impraticabile riviera di melma.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>From horizon to horizon the great road to the sands lay between the hills in a dull glitter of empty curves, resembling an unnavigable river of mud.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_33'>33</span> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Jean-Pierre camminava da un campo all’altro, figura alta e quasi sfumata nella pioggerella nebbiosa, o percorreva a gran passi la cresta delle alture solitarie ed alte contro la grigia cortina di nubi accumulate, come se egli misurasse col piede il limitare dell’universo.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Jean-Pierre went from field to field, moving blurred and tall in the drizzle, or striding on the crests of rises, lonely and high upon the grey curtain of drifting clouds, as if he had been pacing along the very edge of the universe.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Egli guardava la terra nera, la terra muta e carica di promesse, la terra misteriosa generatrice di vita in apparente immobilità di morte, sotto il corruccio velato del cielo.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He looked at the black earth, at the earth mute and promising, at the mysterious earth doing its work of life in death-like stillness under the veiled sorrow of the sky.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">E gli parve che per un uomo peggio che privato di figli non ci fosse promessa nella fertilità dei campi; che la terra da lui rifuggisse, lo sfidasse, gli si mostrasse accigliata, come le nuvole che si rincorrevano cupe sovra la sua testa.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>And it seemed to him that to a man worse than childless there was no promise in the fertility of fields, that from him the earth escaped, defied him, frowned at him like the clouds, sombre and hurried above his head.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Cosciente d’esser solo ad affrontar la sua terra, sentì tutta l’inferiorità dell’uomo il quale passa, davanti alla zolla che rimane. Doveva egli rinunciare alla speranza d’aver per sè un figliolo che sorvegliasse la zolla rivelta con occhio di padrone? Un uomo che pensasse com’egli pensava, che sentisse com’egli sentiva; un uomo che fosse parte di sè stesso e rimanesse tuttavia a calcare da dominatore quella terra, quand’egli non ci fosse più?</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Having to face alone his own fields, he felt the inferiority of man who passes away before the clod that remains. Must he give up the hope of having by his side a son who would look at the turned-up sods with a master’s eye? A man that would think as he thought, that would feel as he felt; a man who would be part of himself, and yet remain to trample masterfully on that earth when he was gone!</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Pensò a dei lontani parenti, e un’astiosità lo strinse da farlo imprecare a loro ad alta voce. Essi? Mai!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He thought of some distant relations, and felt savage enough to curse them aloud. They! Never!</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_34'>34</span><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Volse verso casa, puntando diritto al tetto della sua abitazione, visibile fra gli scheletri allacciati degli alberi. Mentre egli buttava le gambe sovra lo steccato, uno stormo crocidante di uccelli calò con lento volo sul campo; scese dietro a lui, in silenzioso ondeggiamento, come batuffoli di fuliggine.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>He turned homewards, going straight at the roof of his dwelling visible between the enlaced skeletons of trees. As he swung his legs over the stile a cawing flock of birds settled slowly on the field; dropped down behind his back, noiseless and fluttering, like flakes of soot.</td> - </tr> -</table> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 id='III' class='c005'>III</h2> -</div> -<table class='table2' summary=''> -<colgroup> -<col width='50%' /> -<col width='50%' /> -</colgroup> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>Quel giorno Madame Levaille era andata presto nel pomeriggio alla casa che aveva vicino a Kervanion. Ella doveva pagare degli uomini che lavoravano là nella sua cava di granito, e ci andava per tempo, perchè nella sua casetta ella faceva anche osteria, perchè gli operai avessero agio di dar fondo ai loro salari senza il disturbo di arrivare fino alla città.</td> - <td class='blt c008'>That day Madame Levaille had gone early in the afternoon to the house she had near Kervanion. She had to pay some of the men who worked in her granite quarry there, and she went in good time because her little house contained a shop where the workmen could spend their wages without the trouble of going to town.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">La casa era tutta sola fra le balze. Un vicolo fatto di sassi e fango si trascinava fino alla porta. I venti di mare, venendo a riva da Punta Tagliapietra, freschi ancora del fiero tumulto delle acque, urlavano violentemente contro gli scogli neri ed immobili, ammonticchiati gli uni su gli altri, che sorreggevano fermamente alte croci dalle brevi braccia, contro il tremendo infuriare dell’invisibile.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The house stood alone amongst rocks. A lane of mud and stones ended at the door. The sea-winds coming ashore on Stonecutter’s point, fresh from the fierce turmoil of the waves, howled violently at the unmoved heaps of black boulders holding up steadily short-armed, high crosses against the tremendous rush of the invisible.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Nell’imperversare dei venti la casa stava al riparo in una calma sonora ed inquietante, come può esserlo la calma al centro di un uragano.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>In the sweep of gales the sheltered dwelling stood in a calm resonant and disquieting, like the calm in the centre of a hurricane.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_35'>35</span> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Nelle notti di tempesta, quando la marea era bassa, la baia di Fougère, cinquanta piedi sotto la casa, sembrava un’immensa buca nera, da cui salivano mugolii e sospiri, come se le rene laggiù fossero animate dalla vita e dalla sofferenza. Ad alta marea, l’acqua ritornava assaltando i lembi delle roccie in brevi impeti, finenti in scoppi di livide luci e in colonne di spuma, che, riversandosi sulla terra, portavano la morte nell’erba della pastura.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>On stormy nights, when the tide was out, the bay of Fougère, fifty feet below the house, resembled an immense black pit, from which ascended mutterings and sighs as if the sands down there had been alive and complaining. At high tide the returning water assaulted the ledges of rock in short rushes, ending in bursts of livid light and columns of spray, that flew inland, stinging to death the grass of pastures.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Le tenebre scesero dalle colline, invasero la costa, spensero i fuochi rossi del tramonto, e dilagarono verso il mare dietro la marea ritirantesi. Il vento calò col sole, lasciando un mare sconvolto ed un cielo devastato. L’oscura volta sulla casa pareva drappeggiata di cenci neri, trattenuti qua e là da spilloni di fuoco.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The darkness came from the hills, flowed over the coast, put out the red fires of sunset, and went on to seaward pursuing the retiring tide. The wind dropped with the sun, leaving a maddened sea and a devastated sky. The heavens above the house seemed to be draped in black rags, held up here and there by pins of fire.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Madame Levaille, serva quella sera dei suoi stessi operai, tentava di indurli a partire.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Madame Levaille, for this evening the servant of her own workmen, tried to induce them to depart.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Una donna vecchia come me dovrebbe essere a letto a un’ora così tarda, ella ripeteva, senza troppo malumore.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“An old woman like me ought to be in bed at this late hour,” she good-humouredly repeated.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">I cavatori bevevano e chiedevano dell’altro. Essi urlavano da un lato all’altro della tavola, come se parlassero attraverso a un campo. Ad un capo quattro di loro giocavano a carte, bussando sul legno colle loro nocche indurite, e bestemmiando ad ogni mano.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The quarrymen drank, asked for more. They shouted over the table as if they had been talking across a field. At one end four of them played cards, banging the wood with their hard knuckles, and swearing at every lead.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_36'>36</span> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Uno sedeva coll’occhio perduto, mugolando qualche battuta di una canzone, e ripetendola indefinitamente.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>One sat with a lost gaze, humming a bar of some song, which he repeated endlessly.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Due altri, in un canto, liticavano aspramente a quattr’occhi per una donna, fissandoseli da vicino come se volessero strapparseli, ma parlando a sussurri, che velatamente promettevano violenza e morte in un astioso sibilo di sommesse parole.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Two others, in a corner, were quarrelling confidentially and fiercely over some woman, looking close into one another’s eyes as if they had wanted to tear them out, but speaking in whispers that promised violence and murder discreetly, in a venomous sibilation of subdued words.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">C’era un’atmosfera densa da tagliarsi col coltello. Tre candele accese per la stanza mandavano una luce rossa e smorta, come scintille che si spengano in cenere.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The atmosphere in there was thick enough to slice with a knife. Three candles burning about the long room glowed red and dull like sparks expiring in ashes.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Il leggero stridio del saliscendi di ferro a così tarda ora, suonò inatteso e allarmante come un fragore di tuono. Madame Levaille depose una bottiglia alzata sopra un bicchierino da liquori, i giuocatori volsero la testa, il litigio sussurrato rimase sospeso; solo il cantore, dopo aver lanciato un’occhiata alla porta, continuò il suo noioso ronzio con faccia stolida.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The slight click of the iron latch was at that late hour as unexpected and startling as a thunderclap. Madame Levaille put down a bottle she held above a liqueur glass; the players turned their heads; the whispered quarrel ceased; only the singer, after darting a glance at the door, went on humming with a stolid face.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Susanna apparve sulla soglia, entrò, sbattè la porta dietro a sè, e vi si appoggiò contro, dicendo a mezza voce:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Susan appeared in the doorway, stepped in, flung the door to, and put her back against it, saying, half aloud:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Mamma!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Mother!”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Madame Levaille, risollevando la bottiglia, disse calma: Sei qui, figliola? In che stato sei!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Madame Levaille, taking up the bottle again, said calmly: “Here you are, my girl. What a state you are in!”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_37'>37</span> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Il collo della bottiglia tinnì sull’orlo del bicchiere, segno evidente di emozione nella vecchia, a cui attraversò il pensiero che la masseria fosse in fiamme. Non poteva vederci altra cagione nell’apparizione di sua figlia.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The neck of the bottle rang on the rim of the glass, for the old woman was startled, and the idea that the farm had caught fire had entered her head. She could think of no other cause for her daughter’s appearance.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Susanna, molle d’acqua e schizzata di fango, guardò con occhi sbarrati per tutta la lunghezza della stanza fino agli uomini al capo opposto. Sua madre chiese:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Susan, soaked and muddy, stared the whole length of the room toward the men at the far end. Her mother asked:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Cos’è successo? Che Dio ci guardi dalle disgrazie!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“What has happened? God guard us from misfortune!”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Susanna mosse le labbra. Non ne uscì alcun suono. Madame Levaille andò alla figlia, la prese pel braccio, la guardò in viso.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Susan moved her lips. No sound came. Madame Levaille stepped up to her daughter, took her by the arm, looked into her face.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">In nome di Dio, ella balbettò, che c’è? Ti sei rotolata nel fango... Perchè sei venuta?... Dov’è Jean?</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“In God’s name,” she said shakily, “what’s the matter? You have been rolling in mud.... Why did you come?... Where’s Jean?”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Gli uomini s’eran tutti alzati avvicinandosi lentamente, cogli occhi spalancati di stupidità<a id='t37'></a> sorpresa. Madame Levaille cacciò sua figlia dalla porta e la spinse su un sedile contro il muro. Poi si voltò aspramente agli uomini:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The men had all got up and approached slowly, staring with dull surprise. Madame Levaille jerked her daughter away from the door, swung her round upon a seat close to the wall. Then she turned fiercely to the men—</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Basta ora! Andatevene—voialtri! Io chiudo.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Enough of this! Out you go—you others! I close.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Uno di essi osservò, guardando Susanna quasi fuor di sè, svenuta sulla sedia: Essa è—come chi dicesse—mezza morta.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>One of them observed, looking down at Susan collapsed on the seat: “She is—one may say—half dead.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Madame Levaille spalancò la porta:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Madame Levaille flung the door open.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_38'>38</span> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Fuori! Marche! ella gridò con un tremore nervoso.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Get out! March!” she cried, shaking nervously.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Essi uscirono uno ad uno nella notte, ridendo stupidamente. Fuori, i due Lotari scoppiarono in grida violente. Gli altri cercarono di calmarli, parlando tutti insieme.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>They dropped out into the night, laughing stupidly. Outside, the two Lotharios broke out into loud shouts. The others tried to soothe them, all talking at once.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Il rumore si perdette pel vicolo assieme agli uomini, traballanti in un sol gruppo serrato e incolpandosene stupidamente l’un l’altro.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The noise went away up the lane with the men, who staggered together in a tight knot, remonstrating with one another foolishly.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Parla, Susanna. Che c’è? Parla!—supplicò Madame Levaille, appena chiusa la porta.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Speak, Susan. What is it? Speak!” entreated Madame Levaille, as soon as the door was shut.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Susanna pronunciò qualche parola incomprensibile, con terribile fissità di sguardo alla tavola. La vecchia picchiò insieme in alto le mani, le lasciò cadere, e rimase a guardare la figlia con occhi sgomenti.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Susan pronounced some incomprehensible words, glaring at the table. The old woman clapped her hands above her head, let them drop, and stood looking at her daughter with disconsolate eyes.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Suo marito era stato “un po’ tocco al cervello” per qualche anno, avanti di morire, ed ora cominciava a sospettare che sua figlia pure stesse ammattendo. Le domandò, facendole pressione:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Her husband had been “deranged in his head” for a few years before he died, and now she began to suspect her daughter was going mad. She asked, pressingly:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Lo sa Jean dove sei? Dov’è Jean?</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Does Jean know where you are? Where is Jean?”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Susanna pronunciò con difficoltà:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Susan pronounced with difficulty—</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Lo sa... egli è morto.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“He knows ... he is dead.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Che? gridò la vecchia. Ella s’appressò ancora, e spiando in faccia la figlia ripetè tre volte: Che dici? Che dici? Che dici?</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“What!” cried the old woman. She came up near, and peering at her daughter, repeated three times: “What do you say? What do you say? What do you say?”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_39'>39</span><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Susanna sedeva a ciglio asciutto e impietrata davanti a Madame Levaille, che la contemplava, sentendo uno strano senso d’inesplicabile orrore serpeggiare nel silenzio della casa.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Susan sat dry-eyed and stony before Madame Levaille, who contemplated her, feeling a strange sense of inexplicable horror creep into the silence of the house.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ella non s’era quasi resa conto della notizia, al di là del capire ch’ella era stata portata in un attimo faccia a faccia con qualchecosa di inatteso e di decisivo.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She had hardly realized the news, further than to understand that she had been brought in one short moment face to face with something unexpected and final.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Non le veniva neanche alla mente di chiedere spiegazioni. Ella pensava: accidente—terribile accidente—sangue alla testa—caduto in un trabocchetto in soffitta...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>It did not even occur to her to ask for any explanation. She thought: accident—terrible accident—blood to the head—fell down a trap door in the loft....</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Rimase lì astratta e muta, sbattendo i suoi vecchi occhi.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She remained there, distracted and mute, blinking her old eyes.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Improvvisamente Susanna disse:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Suddenly, Susan said:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">L’ho ucciso io!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“I have killed him.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Per un attimo la madre rimase immobile, quasi senza respiro, ma con faccia impassibile. Ma subito dopo scoppiò in un grido:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>For a moment the mother stood still, almost unbreathing, but with composed face. The next second she burst out into a shout:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Tu, pazza di una donna... Ti taglieranno il collo!...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“You miserable madwoman ... they will cut your neck....”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Immaginò subito i gendarmi entrando in casa sua e dicendole: Vogliamo vostra figlia; datecela—I gendarmi, con quella faccia severa e rigida degli uomini che compiono un mandato.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She fancied the gendarmes entering the house, saying to her: “We want your daughter; give her up”: the gendarmes with the severe, hard faces of men on duty.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ella conosceva bene il brigadiere, un vecchio amico familiare e rispettoso, che diceva cordialmente: Alla vostra salute, signora!—prima di alzare alle labbra il bicchierino del cognac—quello della bottiglia speciale messa in serbo per gli amici.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She knew the brigadier well—an old friend, familiar and respectful, saying heartily, “To your good health, madame!” before lifting to his lips the small glass of cognac—out of the special bottle she kept for friends.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_40'>40</span> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ed ora?... Ella ci perdeva la testa. Ella si mise a correre di qua e di là, come cercando qualche cosa d’immediata necessità—smise, rimase immobile nel centro della stanza, e strillò alla figlia:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>And now!... She was losing her head. She rushed here and there, as if looking for something urgently needed—gave that up, stood stock still in the middle of the room, and screamed at her daughter:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Perchè? Dillo! Dillo! Perchè?</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Why? Say! Say! Why?”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">L’altra sembrò guizzar fuori dalla sua strana apatia:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The other seemed to leap out of her strange apathy.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Credi che io sia di sasso? strillò in risposta, buttandosi verso sua madre.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Do you think I am made of stone?” she shouted back, striding toward her mother.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">No! È impossibile... disse Madame Levaille con tono di assoluta convinzione.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“No! It’s impossible ...” said Madame Levaille, in a convinced tone.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Andate dunque a vedere, mamma, rispose in cambio Susanna, guardandola con occhi accesi. Non c’è misericordia nel cielo—nè giustizia. No!... Non sapevo... Credete che io non abbia cuore?</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“You go and see, mother,” retorted Susan, looking at her with blazing eyes. “There’s no mercy in heaven—no justice. No!... I did not know.... Do you think I have no heart?</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Credete voi che io non abbia mai udito la gente schernirmi, compiangermi, farsi stupore di me?...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Do you think I have never heard people jeering at me, pitying me, wondering at me?</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Sapete come qualcuno mi chiamava? La madre degli idioti—quello era il mio soprannome! E i miei figli non mi conosceranno mai, non mi parleranno mai; non conosceranno niente, nè uomini, nè Dio.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Do you know how some of them were calling me? The mother of idiots—that was my nickname! And my children never would know me, never speak to me. They would know nothing; neither men—nor God.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Non ho dunque io pregato! Ma la Madre stessa di Dio non ha voluto udirmi. Una madre!...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Haven’t I prayed! But the Mother of God herself would not hear me. A mother!...</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_41'>41</span><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Chi è maledetto—io, o quell’uomo che è morto? Eh? Ditemelo. Io badai a me. Credete che io avrei sfidato il furore di Dio e riempito la casa di quegli esseri, che sono peggio di bestie, le quali conoscono almeno la mano che li sfama?</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Who is accursed—I, or the man who is dead? Eh? Tell me. I took care of myself. Do you think I would defy the anger of God and have my house full of those things—that are worse than animals who know the hand that feeds them?</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Chi bestemmiò nella notte, fin sulla porta stessa della chiesa? Fui io?... Io piansi solamente e implorai misericordia... e sento invece la maledizione ad ogni momento del giorno—me la vedo d’intorno da mattina a sera... La mia missione è di tenerli in vita—di dar dietro alla mia mala sorte ed alla mia vergogna...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Who blasphemed in the night at the very church door? Was it I?... I only wept and prayed for mercy ... and I feel the curse at every moment of the day—I see it round me from morning to night.... I’ve got to keep them alive—to take care of my misfortune and shame.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">E lui veniva. Io imploravo misericordia da lui e dal cielo. Ma niente!... Ebbene, allora vedremo!...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“And he would come. I begged him and Heaven for mercy.... No!... Then we shall see....</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Stasera venne. Pensai tra me: Ah, di nuovo! Avevo le mie lunghe forbici. Lo sentii vociare... Me lo vidi vicino... Devo? Veramente? Piglia, dunque!...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“He came this evening. I thought to myself: ‘Ah! again!’... I had my long scissors. I heard him shouting.... I saw him near.... I must—must I?... Then take!...</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">E lo colpii alla gola sopra l’osso del petto... Non diede neanche un sospiro. Lo lasciai in piedi... Sarà un minuto. Come ho fatto a venire?</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“And I struck him in the throat above the breast-bone.... I never heard him even sigh.... I left him standing.... It was a minute ago. How did I come here?”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Madame Levaille rabbrividì. Un fremito gelato le corse la schiena, le braccia grasse dentro le maniche strette, le fece involontariamente battere i piedi. Dei fremiti le agitavano le grasse guancie, le labbra sottili, le rughe agli angoli dei suoi vecchi occhi fissi. Ella balbettò:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Madame Levaille shivered. A wave of cold ran down her back, down her fat arms under her tight sleeves, made her stamp gently where she stood. Quivers ran over the broad cheeks, across the thin lips, ran amongst the wrinkles at the corners of her steady old eyes. She stammered:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_42'>42</span><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ah! donna perversa—tu mi disonori... Ma già! Tu hai sempre assomigliato a tuo padre! Cosa credi che ne addiverrà di te... nell’ altro mondo? In questo... Oh sciagura!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“You wicked woman—you disgrace me. But there! You always resembled your father. What do you think will become of you ... in the other world? In this.... Oh misery!”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ora le aveva preso un gran caldo. Le pareva di abbruciare dentro. Si torse le mani umide di sudore—e ad un tratto, saltando su di scatto, cominciò à cercare il suo pesante scialle e l’ombrello, febbrilmente, non guardando neppure una volta sua figlia, che stava nel mezzo della stanza, seguendola macchinalmente con sguardo atono.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She was very hot now. She felt burning inside. She wrung her perspiring hands—and suddenly, starting in great haste, began to look for her big shawl and umbrella, feverishly, never once glancing at her daughter, who stood in the middle of the room following her with a gaze distracted and cold.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Niente di peggio che in questo! disse Susanna.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Nothing worse than in this,” said Susan.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Sua madre, coll’ombrello in mano e trascicando lo scialle pel pavimento, gemette profondamente.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Her mother, umbrella in hand and trailing the shawl over the floor, groaned profoundly.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Bisogna che vada dal curato, scoppiò con veemenza. Non so neppure se tu dica il vero! Sei una donna che fai orrore. Ti rintracceranno in qualsiasi luogo. Puoi star qui—o andartene. Non c’è posto per te in questo mondo...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“I must go to the priest,” she burst out passionately. “I do not know whether you even speak the truth! You are a horrible woman. They will find you anywhere. You may stay here—or go. There is no room for you in this world.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Pronta ora a partire, ella girovagò ancora senza scopo per la stanza, mettendo le bottiglie sullo scaffale, cercando di mandare a posto colle sue mani tremanti i coperchi delle scatole di cartone.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Ready now to depart, she yet wandered aimlessly about the room, putting the bottles on the shelf, trying to fit with trembling hands the covers on cardboard boxes.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Quando, per caso, il senso reale di ciò che aveva udito s’affacciava un attimo fra i vapori densi dei suoi pensieri, ella pensava subito che qualchecosa aveva esploso nel suo cervello, senza, per disgrazia, far scoppiare in pezzi la sua testa—ciò che avrebbe messo fine alla sua angoscia.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Whenever the real sense of what she had heard emerged for a second from the haze of her thoughts she would fancy that something had exploded in her brain without, unfortunately, bursting her head to pieces—which would have been a relief.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_43'>43</span> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Soffiò nelle candele una ad una senza rendersene conto, e fu terribilmente impressionata dall’oscurità. Cadde su una panca e cominciò a gemere.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She blew the candles out one by one without knowing it, and was horribly startled by the darkness. She fell on a bench and began to whimper.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Dopo un po’ smise e rimase ad ascoltare il respiro della figlia, che poteva appena vedere, diritta ed immobile, senz’altro segno di vita che quello.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>After a while she ceased, and sat listening to the breathing of her daughter, whom she could hardly see, still and upright, giving no other sign of life.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">In quei pochi minuti si sentì venir decrepita. Parlò in toni incerti, spezzati dal battere dei denti, come uno scosso da un freddo di morte, in un accesso di febbre.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She was becoming old rapidly at last, during those minutes. She spoke in tones unsteady, cut about by the rattle of teeth, like one shaken by a deadly cold fit of ague.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Vorrei che tu fossi morta bambina. Non oserò mai più mostrare la mia vecchia testa nel sole! Ci sono disgrazie peggiori di quella d’aver dei figlioli idioti... Vorrei che tu stessa mi fossi nata scema... come i tuoi...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“I wish you had died little. I will never dare to show my old head in the sunshine again. There are worse misfortunes than idiot children. I wish you had been born to me simple—like your own....”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ella vide la figura della figlia passare davanti al debole e livido chiarore di una finestra. Poi essa apparve un attimo sulla soglia, e la porta sbattè.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She saw the figure of her daughter pass before the faint and livid clearness of a window. Then it appeared in the doorway for a second, and the door swung to with a clang.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Madame Levaille, svegliata dal rumore come da un lungo incubo, si precipitò fuori.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Madame Levaille, as if awakened by the noise from a long nightmare, rushed out.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Susanna! urlò dalla soglia.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Susan!” she shouted from the doorstep.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ella udì un sasso rotolare lungamente giù pel declivio della costa rocciosa al di sopra della spiaggia. Fece qualche passo con prudenza, colla mano sul muro della casa, e spiò giù per le immote tenebre della baia deserta.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She heard a stone roll a long time down the declivity of the rocky beach above the sands. She stepped forward cautiously, one hand on the wall of the house, and peered down into the smooth darkness of the empty bay.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_44'>44</span> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Gridò ancora:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Once again she cried:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Susanna! là ti ammazzerai!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Susan! You will kill yourself there.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Il sasso aveva fatto il suo ultimo salto nel buio, ed ora ella non udì più nulla.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The stone had taken its last leap in the dark, and she heard nothing now.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Un pensiero improvviso parve strozzarla, e non chiamò più. Volse la schiena al silenzio nero dell’abisso, e s’avviò pel vicolo verso Ploumar, camminando e inciampando, nella sua cupa determinazione, come se ella fosse partita per un viaggio disperato, che avrebbe durato, forse, fino al termine della sua vita.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>A sudden thought seemed to strangle her, and she called no more. She turned her back upon the black silence of the pit and went up the lane towards Ploumar, stumbling along with sombre determination, as if she had started on a desperate journey that would last, perhaps, to the end of her life.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Un periodico stizzoso fragore di onde rotolantisi sugli scogli la seguì a lungo mentr’ella camminava verso il paese, fra le alte siepi che nascondevano la cupa solitudine dei campi.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>A sullen and periodic clamour of waves rolling over reefs followed her far inland between the high hedges sheltering the gloomy solitude of the fields.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Susanna era corsa fuori, svoltando netto a sinistra fuor della porta, e sull’orlo del pendio s’era accovacciata dietro un masso. Una pietra smossa era rotolata in giù, crosciando nei suoi sobbalzi.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Susan had run out, swerving sharp to the left at the door, and on the edge of the slope crouched down behind a boulder. A dislodged stone went on downwards, rattling as it leaped.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Quando Madame Levaille uscì a chiamare, Susanna avrebbe potuto, stendendo la mano, toccar la gonna di sua madre, se avesse avuto il coraggio di muover membro. Vide la vecchia andarsene, ed ella rimase ferma, chiudendo gli occhi e premendo il fianco sulla superficie dura e scabra della rupe.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>When Madame Levaille called out, Susan could have, by stretching her hand, touched her mother’s skirt, had she had the courage to move a limb. She saw the old woman go away, and she remained still, closing her eyes and pressing her side to the hard and rugged surface of the rock.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_45'>45</span><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Dopo un poco, un volto ben noto con occhi fissi e bocca spalancata, le si rese visibile fra l’intensa oscurità dei massi. Ella gettò un grido sommesso e s’alzò.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>After a while a familiar face with fixed eyes and an open mouth became visible in the intense obscurity amongst the boulders. She uttered a low cry and stood up.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">La faccia svanì, lasciandola ansante e tremante, nella desolazione di quei mucchi di macigni. Ma non appena ella si accovacciò di nuovo in una necessità di riposo, colla testa appoggiata alla rupe, la faccia tornò, si fece vicinissima, apparve ansiosa di terminare il colloquio lasciato a mezzo dalla morte, era appena un secondo.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The face vanished, leaving her to gasp and shiver alone in the wilderness of stone heaps. But as soon as she had crouched down again to rest, with her head against the rock, the face returned, came very near, appeared eager to finish the speech that had been cut short by death, only a moment ago.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ella si rimise ratta in piedi e disse:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She scrambled quickly to her feet and said:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Va via, o lo faccio un’ altra volta!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Go away, or I will do it again.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">La cosa ondeggiò, dondolò a destra, a sinistra. La donna si mosse da ogni parte, indietreggiò, le parve di tirarle degli urlacci, ma fu stupefatta dell’intatta immobilità della notte.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The thing wavered, swung to the right, to the left. She moved this way and that, stepped back, fancied herself screaming at it, and was appalled by the unbroken stillness of the night.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ella barcollò sulla ripa, sentì il declivio scosceso sotto i suoi piedi, e giù si precipitò alla cieca, chè non si sarebbe salvata da una caduta a capofitto.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She tottered on the brink, felt the steep declivity under her feet, and rushed down blindly to save herself from a headlong fall.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">I fuochi della montagna parvero svegliarsi; le selci cominciarono a rotolare davanti a lei, la perseguitarono dall’alto, corsero con lei ai suoi fianchi, la oltrepassarono con crescente scroscio.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The shingle seemed to wake up; the pebbles began to roll before her, pursued her from above, raced down with her on both sides, rolling past with an increasing clatter.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Nella pace della notte lo scroscio crebbe nella consistenza di un fragore, continuo e violento, come se l’intera chiostra delle roccie si fosse messa a rovina nella baia. I piedi di Susanna toccavano appena la costa, che sembrava precipitare con lei.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>In the peace of the night the noise grew, deepening to a rumour, continuous and violent, as if the whole semicircle of the stony beach had started to tumble down into the bay. Susan’s feet hardly touched the slope that seemed to run down with her.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_46'>46</span> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Toccando il fondo inciampò, schizzò in avanti, colle<a id='t46'></a> braccia aperte, e cadde pesantemente. Si rialzò di scatto, e si voltò rapidamente a guardar indietro, coi pugni che stringevano la sabbia su cui le sue mani s’erano chiuse nella caduta.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>At the bottom she stumbled, shot forward, throwing her arms out, and fell heavily. She jumped up at once and turned swiftly to look back, her clenched hands full of sand she had clutched in her fall.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">La faccia era là, mantenendosi a distanza, visibile nella sua chiarità, che faceva nella notte una macchia pallida. Ella gridò: Va via! glielo gridò con angoscia, con terrore, con tutta la rabbia di quell’inutile colpo inferto, che non aveva saputo acquietarlo per sempre, allontanarlo per sempre dai suoi occhi.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The face was there, keeping its distance, visible in its own sheen that made a pale stain in the night. She shouted, “Go away”—she shouted at it with pain, with fear, with all the rage of that useless stab that could not keep him quiet, keep him out of her sight.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Cosa voleva ora? Egli era morto! Gli uomini morti non possono crear figlioli. Non l’avrebbe dunque egli lasciata mai in pace?...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>What did he want now? He was dead. Dead men have no children. Would he never leave her alone?</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ella le avventò degli strilli—agitò contro a lei le mani tese. Le sembrò sentire il respiro delle labbra socchiuse, e con un ululo scoraggito fuggì attraverso il fondo piano della baia.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She shrieked at it—waved her outstretched hands. She seemed to feel the breath of parted lips, and, with a long cry of discouragement, fled across the level bottom of the bay.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ella correva agile, senza concepire lo sforzo del suo corpo. Alti scogli aguzzi, che, nell’ alta marea, si ergono sul piano luccicante dell’acqua azzurra come affilati campanili di chiese sommerse, le scivolavano dinanzi, precipitandosi a terra con tremenda violenza.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She ran lightly, unaware of any effort of her body. High sharp rocks that, when the bay is full, show above the glittering plain of blue water like pointed towers of submerged churches, glided past her, rushing to the land at a tremendous pace.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">A sinistra in distanza, ella potè vedere qualchecosa di scintillante: un grande disco di luce in cui piccole ombre puntavano al centro come raggi di una ruota.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>To the left, in the distance, she could see something shining: a broad disc of light in which narrow shadows pivoted round the centre like the spokes of a wheel.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_47'>47</span> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Udì una voce chiamare: Ohe là! e rispose con un grido selvaggio. Dunque egli poteva anche chiamare!... La chiamava perchè si fermasse... Mai!...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She heard a voice calling, “Hey! There!” and answered with a wild scream. So, he could call yet! He was calling after her to stop. Never!...</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ella continuò a squarciare la notte e passò il gruppo sbigottito dei raccoglitori d’alghe che rimasero intorno alla loro lanterna paralizzati dallo spavento, allo strido inumano che veniva da quell’ombra fuggente.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She tore through the night, past the startled group of seaweed-gatherers who stood round their lantern paralysed with fear at the unearthly screech coming from that fleeing shadow.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Gli uomini si chinarono sui loro forconi con occhi grandi di terrore. Una donna cadde a ginocchio, e, segnandosi, cominciò à pregare ad alta voce. Una ragazzetta, colla sua cenciosa gonnella piena di alghe viscide, cominciò a singhiozzare disperatamente, trascicandosi il suo fardello fradicio strinto all’uomo che portava la lanterna.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The men leaned on their pitchforks staring fearfully. A woman fell on her knees, and, crossing herself, began to pray aloud. A little girl with her ragged skirt full of slimy seaweed began to sob despairingly, lugging her soaked burden close to the man who carried the light.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Qualcuno disse: Quella cosa è corsa verso il mare.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Somebody said: “The thing ran out towards the sea.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Un’altra voce esclamò: E il mare si alza di nuovo. Guardate le pozze d’acqua come si allargano. O donna là, non sentite! Su, alzatevi!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Another voice exclaimed: “And the sea is coming back! Look at the spreading puddles. Do you hear—you woman—there! Get up!”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Parecchie voci gridarono insieme: Sì, andiamo via! Che la cosa maledetta vada al mare!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Several voices cried together. “Yes, let us be off! Let the accursed thing go to the sea!”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Essi avanzarono, tenendosi serrati intorno al lume.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>They moved on, keeping close round the light.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ad un tratto un uomo bestemmiò forte. Sarebbe andato lui a vedere di cosa si trattava. Quella era stata una voce di donna! Andrebbe lui.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Suddenly a man swore loudly. He would go and see what was the matter. It had been a woman’s voice. He would go.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_48'>48</span><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ci furono acute proteste da parte delle donne—ma la sua alta forma si staccò dal gruppo e se ne andò di corsa. Ci fu un unanime richiamo di voci atterrite dietro a lui. Una parola insultante e beffarda venne di ritorno, lanciata attraverso le tenebre.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>There were shrill protests from women—but his high form detached itself from the group and went off running. They sent a unanimous call of scared voices after him. A word, insulting and mocking, came back, thrown at them through darkness.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Una donna gemette. Un vecchio disse gravemente: Tali cose dovrebbero lasciarsi abbandonate a sè stesse!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>A woman moaned. An old man said gravely: “Such things ought to be left alone.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Essi avanzarono più lentamente, arrembando sulla sabbia che cedeva, susurrandosi l’uno all’altro che Millot non aveva paura di niente, perchè non aveva religione, ma che finirebbe male un giorno o l’altro.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>They went on slower, shuffling in the yielding sand and whispering to one another that Millot feared nothing, having no religion, but that it would end badly some day.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Susanna incontrò la marea che saliva presso l’isoletta del Corvo e si fermò, ansante, coi piedi nell’acqua.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Susan met the incoming tide by the Raven islet and stopped, panting, with her feet in the water.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Udì il mormorio e sentì la frigida carezza del mare, e, più calma ora, potè vedere la cupa massa confusa del Corvo da una parte e la bianca e lunga striscia delle secche di Molène dall’altra, che ad ogni bassa marea s’elevano alte sopra il fondo asciutto della Baia di Fougère.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She heard the murmur and felt the cold caress of the sea, and, calmer now, could see the sombre and confused mass of the Raven on one side and on the other the long white streak of Molène sands that are left high above the dry bottom of Fougère Bay at every ebb.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Si rigirò e vide lontano, sullo sfondo stellato del cielo, il frastagliato profilo della costa.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She turned round and saw far away, along the starred background of the sky, the ragged outline of the coast.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Sopra di esso, quasi in faccia a lei, appariva il campanile della chiesa di Ploumar; piramide alta e sottile, ergentesi cupa ed aguzza nel luccichio serrato delle stelle.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Above it, nearly facing her, appeared the tower of Ploumar Church; a slender and tall pyramid shooting up dark and pointed into the clustered glitter of the stars.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_49'>49</span> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ella si sentì stranamente calma. Si rendeva conto di dov’era e cominciava a ricordarsi come c’era venuta—e perchè. Ella spiò nell’immota oscurità che l’avvolgeva. Era sola. Non c’era niente là: niente vicino a lei, vivo o morto.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She felt strangely calm. She knew where she was, and began to remember how she came there—and why. She peered into the smooth obscurity near her. She was alone. There was nothing there; nothing near her, either living or dead.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">La marea s’insinuava dolcemente, spingendo in avanti, come lunghe braccia impazienti, strani rivoletti che correvano verso terra fra rialzi di sabbia. Colla notte le pozze ingrossavano con misteriosa rapidità, mentre il vasto mare, ancora lontano, rumoreggiava con ritmo regolare lungo la linea indistinta dell’orizzonte.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The tide was creeping in quietly, putting out long impatient arms of strange rivulets that ran toward the land between ridges of sand. Under the night the pools grew bigger with mysterious rapidity, while the great sea, yet far off, thundered in a regular rhythm along the indistinct line of the horizon.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Susanna indietreggiò per qualche metro, facendo schizzare l’acqua, senza pertanto riuscire a tirarsene fuori, e sentendosela mormorare lusingatrice d’intorno, mentre ad un tratto, con dispettoso gorgoglio, le trascinò quasi via i piedi.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Susan splashed her way back for a few yards without being able to get clear of the water that murmured tenderly all around and, suddenly, with a spiteful gurgle, nearly took her off her feet.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Il cuore le diede un tuffo di paura. Quel luogo era troppo grande e deserto per morirvi dentro. Il domani avrebbero fatto di lei ciò che loro pareva. Ma prima di morire voleva spiegar loro... a quei signori con vesti nere, che ci sono al mondo delle cose che nessuna donna può sopportare. Bisognava ch’ella spiegasse com’era andata la cosa...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Her heart thumped with fear. This place was too big and too empty to die in. To-morrow they would do with her what they liked. But before she died she must tell them—tell the gentlemen in black clothes that there are things no woman can bear. She must explain how it happened....</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Traversò una pozza a guazzo, schizzandosi fino alla cintola, troppo immersa nei suoi pensieri per avvedersene... Bisognava ch’ella spiegasse.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She splashed through a pool, getting wet to the waist, too preoccupied to care.... She must explain.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_50'>50</span><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Egli entrò coi suoi soliti modi e disse proprio così: Credi tu che io voglia lasciar il mio podere a quella gente di Morbihan che non conosco? Credi proprio questo? Ah, vedremo!... Vieni creatura del male!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“He came in the same way as ever and said, just so: ‘Do you think I am going to leave the land to those people from Morbihan that I do not know? Do you? We shall see! Come along, you creature of mischance!’</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">E stese le braccia. Allora, Signori, io dissi Davanti a Dio, mai!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“And he put his arms out. Then, Messieurs, I said: ‘Before God—never!’</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ed egli disse avanzando a gran passi e colle palme aperte: Non c’è Dio che mi tenga! Capisci, inutile carcassa? Farò quel che mi piace. E mi prese per le spalle.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“And he said, striding at me with open palms: ‘There is no God to hold me! Do you understand, you useless carcase. I will do what I like.’ And he took me by the shoulders.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Allora io, Signori, chiamai Dio in aiuto, e nell’attimo seguente, mentr’egli mi scoteva, mi sentii le mie lunghe forbici in mano. La sua camicia era slacciata, e al lume della candela io vidi la cavità della gola.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Then I, Messieurs, called to God for help, and next minute, while he was shaking me, I felt my long scissors in my hand. His shirt was unbuttoned, and, by the candle-light, I saw the hollow of his throat.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Gridai: Lascia andare! Egli mi stritolava le spalle. Era forte, il mio uomo! Allora io pensai: No!... Devo farlo?... Prendi, dunque! e colpii in quella cavità.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“I cried: ‘Let go!’ He was crushing my shoulders. He was strong, my man was! Then I thought: No!... Must I?... Then take!—and I struck in the hollow place.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Non l’ho visto cadere. No! No!... Non l’ho visto cadere... Il vecchio babbo non voltò mai la testa. È sordo e rimbambito, Signori... Nessuno l’ha visto cadere. Io corsi fuori... Nessuno vide...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“I never saw him fall. Never! Never!... Never saw him fall.... The old father never turned his head. He is deaf and childish, gentlemen.... Nobody saw him fall. I ran out.... Nobody saw....”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">S’era arrampicata fra gli scogli del Corvo, ed ora si trovò, tutta senza fiato, fra le dense ombre dell’isoletta rocciosa.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She had been scrambling amongst the boulders of the Raven and now found herself, all out of breath, standing amongst the heavy shadows of the rocky islet.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_51'>51</span><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Il Corvo è unito alla terra ferma da una scogliera di macigni immensi e lubrichi. Pensò di ritornare a casa da quella parte. Ch’egli fosse sempre là in piedi?... A casa. Quale casa! Quattro idioti ed un cadavere. Ella doveva tornare per spiegare. Tutti capirebbero.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The Raven is connected with the mainland by a natural pier of immense and slippery stones. She intended to return home that way. Was he still standing there? At home. Home! Four idiots and a corpse. She must go back and explain. Anybody would understand....</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Sotto a lei, la notte od il mare parve pronunciare distintamente:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Below her the night or the sea seemed to pronounce distinctly:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Aha! Ti vedo finalmente!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Aha! I see you at last!”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ella sussultò, scivolò, cadde; e senza tentare di rialzarsi, ascoltò esterrefatta. Udì un respiro pesante, un risonare di zoccoli di legno. Poi più nulla.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She started, slipped, fell; and without attempting to rise, listened, terrified. She heard heavy breathing, a clatter of wooden clogs. It stopped.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Da dove diavolo sei passata? disse un uomo invisibile, con voce rauca.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Where the devil did you pass?” said an invisible man, hoarsely.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ella tenne il fiato. Riconobbe la voce. Ella non l’aveva visto cadere. Stava egli, morto, perseguitandola fin lì, o forse... vivo?</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She held her breath. She recognized the voice. She had not seen him fall. Was he pursuing her there dead, or perhaps ... alive?</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ella perse la testa. Gridò dal crepaccio dove s’era calcata: Mai, mai!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She lost her head. She cried from the crevice where she lay huddled, “Never, never!”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ah! Sei sempre lì! Me n’hai dato del filo da torcere! Aspetta, bella mia, ti voglio un po’ veder bene adesso. Aspetta...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Ah! You are still there. You led me a fine dance. Wait, my beauty, I must see how you look after all this. You wait....”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Millot inciampava, rideva, bestemmiava senza pórci<a id='t51'></a> caso, di pura soddisfazione, pago di sè stesso per aver acchiappato quella notturna preda.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Millot was stumbling, laughing, swearing meaninglessly out of pure satisfaction, pleased with himself for having run down that fly-by-night.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Come se i fantasmi esistessero! Bah! Ci voleva un vecchio soldato d’Africa, per mostrare a quegli zotici... Ma è curioso! Chi diavolo era?</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“As if there were such things as ghosts! Bah! It took an old African soldier to show those clodhoppers.... But it was curious. Who the devil was she?”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_52'>52</span> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Susanna ascoltava accovacciata. Egli veniva a cercarla, il morto. Non c’era via di scampo. Che rumore faceva fra le pietre!...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Susan listened, crouching. He was coming for her, this dead man. There was no escape. What a noise he made amongst the stones....</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ella vide sorgere la testa, poi le spalle. Era alto, il suo uomo! Le sue lunghe braccia brancolavano intorno, ed era proprio la sua voce, che suonava però un poco strana... a causa delle forbici.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She saw his head rise up, then the shoulders. He was tall—her own man! His long arms waved about, and it was his own voice sounding a little strange ... because of the scissors.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ella si arrampicò lesta per uscire, si precipitò fino all’orlo della scogliera, e girò. L’uomo stava immobile sovra un alto scoglio, staccando come un’ombra opaca sullo scintillio del cielo.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She scrambled out quickly, rushed to the edge of the causeway, and turned round. The man stood still on a high stone, detaching himself in dead black on the glitter of the sky.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Dove vai?—egli le urlò in malo modo.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Where are you going to?” he called roughly.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ella rispose: A casa! e lo guardò intensamente. Egli spiccò un salto greve da uno scoglio all’altro, e si fermò di nuovo per riprender l’equilibrio, poi disse:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She answered, “Home!” and watched him intensely. He made a striding, clumsy leap on to another boulder, and stopped again, balancing himself, then said:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ha! Ha! Ebbene, vengo con te. È il meno che io possa fare. Ha! ha! ha!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Ha! ha! Well, I am going with you. It’s the least I can do. Ha! ha! ha!”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ella gli spalancò gli occhi in faccia, fino a che essi parvero divenire due carboni ardenti che la bruciassero addentro nel suo cervello, premendola tuttavia il terrore mortale di ravvisare i lineamenti ben noti. Sotto a lei il mare, continuo e carezzevole, lambiva e spruzzava dolcemente la roccia.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She stared at him till her eyes seemed to become glowing coals that burned deep into her brain, and yet she was in mortal fear of making out the well-known features. Below her the sea lapped softly against the rock with a splash, continuous and gentle.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">L’uomo disse, avanzando ancora di un passo:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The man said, advancing another step:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">È per te che vengo. Che credi?</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“I am coming for you. What do you think?”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_53'>53</span><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ella tremò. Era venuto per lei! Non c’era scampo, nè pace, nè speranza! Ella si guardò intorno disperatamente.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She trembled. Coming for her! There was no escape, no peace, no hope. She looked round despairingly.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Improvvisamente l’intera costa oscura, le indistinte isolette, il cielo stesso, ondeggiarono per due volte, poi si arrestarono. Ella chiuse gli occhi ed urlò:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Suddenly the whole shadowy coast, the blurred islets, the heaven itself, swayed about twice, then came to a rest. She closed her eyes and shouted:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Aspetta almeno ch’io sia morta!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Can’t you wait till I am dead!”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ella era scossa da un odio furioso contro quell’ombra che la perseguitava in questo mondo, senza che la morte ne avesse placata la brama di un erede simile ai figlioli degli altri.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She was shaken by a furious hate for that shade that pursued her in this world, unappeased even by death in its longing for an heir that would be like other people’s children.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Eh! Cosa? disse Millot, tenendosi prudentemente a distanza. Si diceva intanto tra sè: Attenzione! Qualche pazza. Una disgrazia fa presto a succedere.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Hey! What?” said Millot, keeping his distance prudently. He was saying to himself: “Look out! Some lunatic. An accident happens soon.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ella continuò selvaggiamente:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She went on, wildly:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Io voglio vivere. Viver sola—per una settimana—per un giorno. Io devo spiegar loro... Ti farei a pezzi, ti ammazzerei ancora venti volte di seguito, piuttosto di lasciarmi toccare da te finchè sono in vita. Quante volte devo ucciderti, sacrilego! È Satana che ti manda. Ah, son dannata anch’ io...</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“I want to live. To live alone—for a week—for a day. I must explain to them.... I would tear you to pieces, I would kill you twenty times over rather than let you touch me while I live. How many times must I kill you—you blasphemer! Satan sends you here. I am damned too!”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ma via! disse Millot, allarmato e conciliante. Io son vivo, vivissimo!... Oh Dio!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Come,” said Millot, alarmed and conciliating. “I am perfectly alive!... Oh, my God!”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ella aveva strillato: Vivo! ed era svanita all’istante dai suoi occhi, come<a id='t53'></a> se l’isoletta stessa si fosse scartata da sotto i suoi piedi.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>She had screamed, “Alive!” and at once vanished before his eyes, as if the islet itself had swerved aside from under her feet.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_54'>54</span> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Millot si buttò in avanti e cadde proprio col mento sul margine.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Millot rushed forward, and fell flat with his chin over the edge.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Giù, giù, in fondo, egli vide l’acqua imbiancata dal dibattersi di lei, e udì un grido acuto d’aiuto, che parve gettato in alto lungo la faccia a perpendicolo della roccia, e lanciato diritto ancora fino al cielo alto ed impassibile.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Far below he saw the water whitened by her struggles, and heard one shrill cry for help that seemed to dart upwards along the perpendicular face of the rock, and soar past, straight into the high and impassive heaven.</td> - </tr> -</table> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 id='IV' class='c005'>IV</h2> -</div> -<table class='table2' summary=''> -<colgroup> -<col width='50%' /> -<col width='50%' /> -</colgroup> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>Madame Levaille sedeva a ciglio asciutto sull’erba breve del pendio, colle sue gambe massiccie protese, e i suoi vecchi piedi volti all’insù, nelle loro scarpe di panno nero. Le sue sopra scarpe di legno le stavano vicine, e più lontano l’ombrello giaceva sull’erba secca, come un’arma caduta dal pugno di un guerriero vinto.</td> - <td class='blt c008'>Madame Levaille sat, dry-eyed, on the short grass of the hill side, with her thick legs stretched out, and her old feet turned up in their black cloth shoes. Her clogs stood near by, and further off the umbrella lay on the withered sward like a weapon dropped from the grasp of a vanquished warrior.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Il marchese di Chavannes, a cavallo, una mano inguantata sul fianco, abassò gli occhi su lei mentr’ella si alzava a fatica, gemendo.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>The Marquis of Chavanes, on horseback, one gloved hand on thigh, looked down at her as she got up laboriously, with groans.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Sulla stretta carreggiata dei carri dell’alghe quattro uomini portavano a terra il corpo di Susanna su una barella, mentre molti altri seguivano alla rinfusa. Madame Levaille seguiva coll’occhio la processione.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>On the narrow track of the seaweed-carts four men were carrying inland Susan’s body on a hand-barrow, while several others straggled listlessly behind. Madame Levaille looked after the procession.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_55'>55</span><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Sì, Signor Marchese, ella disse pacatamente, nel suo tono calmo di vecchia donna ragionevole. C’è della gente disgraziata su questa terra. Io non ebbi che una figlia. Soltanto una! E quell’una non sarà sepolta in terra consacrata!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“Yes, Monsieur le Marquis,” she said dispassionately, in her usual calm tone of a reasonable old woman. “There are unfortunate people on this earth. I had only one child. Only one! And they won’t bury her in consecrated ground!”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">I suoi occhi si empirono immediatamente, e un breve scroscio di lacrime rotolò giù per le sue grasse guancie. Ella si strinse tutta nel suo scialle. Il marchese si chinò leggermente sulla sella e disse:</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>Her eyes filled suddenly, and a short shower of tears rolled down the broad cheeks. She pulled the shawl close about her. The Marquis leaned slightly over in his saddle, and said:</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">È molto triste. Capisco il vostro dolore. Parlerò al curato. Ella era indubbiamente pazza, e la caduta fu accidentale. Millot lo dice chiaramente. Buongiorno, Signora.</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>“It is very sad. You have all my sympathy. I shall speak to the Curé. She was unquestionably insane, and the fall was accidental. Millot says so distinctly. Good-day, Madame.”</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='blt c008'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">E andò via al trotto, pensando tra sè: Designerò questa vecchia tutrice di quegli idioti e amministratrice del podere. Sarà sempre meglio che non aver qui uno di quegli altri Bacadou, rosso repubblicano magari, a portarmi la sovversione nel comune!</span></td> - <td class='blt c008'>And he trotted off, thinking to himself: I must get this old woman appointed guardian of those idiots, and administrator of the farm. It would be much better than having here one of those other Bacadous, probably a red republican, corrupting my commune.</td> - </tr> -</table> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c006'> - <div><span class='small'><em>Printed in Great Britain by Turnbull & Spears, Edinburgh</em></span></div> - </div> -</div> - -<hr class='c012' /> -<div class='footnote' id='f1'> -<p class='c013'><a href='#r1'>1</a>. <span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ma Conrad scrive: “Io credo che in via generale si dia troppa importanza alle mie qualità ereditarie. Quanto a temperamento io sono molto più somigliante alla famiglia di mia madre.”</span></p> -</div> -<div class='footnote' id='f2'> -<p class='c013'><a href='#r2'>2</a>. But Mr Conrad writes: “I think too much is made of my heredity generally. Temperamentally I am much more like my mother’s family.”</p> -</div> -<div class='footnote' id='f3'> -<p class='c013'><a href='#r3'>3</a>. <span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Ploumar è nome inventato. Il paesaggio che serve di sfondo alla novella è quello della costa settentrionale della Bretagna, nella vicinanza di Lannion (Côtes-du-Nord) dirimpetto a Ile Grande.</span></p> - -<p class='c013'><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">Tréguier, paese natale di Renan, è una cittadina vicina al mare, circa dodici miglia da Lannion.</span></p> -</div> -<div class='footnote' id='f4'> -<p class='c013'><a href='#r4'>4</a>. Ploumar is an invented name. The scenery of the tale is that of the northern coast of Brittany, in the neighbourhood of Lannion (Côtes-du-Nord), opposite Ile Grande.</p> - -<p class='c013'>Tréguier, the birthplace of Renan, is a small town near the sea, some twelve miles from Lannion.</p> -</div> -<div class='footnote' id='f5'> -<p class='c013'><a href='#r5'>5</a>. <span lang="it" xml:lang="it">L’alga è largamente usata in Bretagna come concime. Essa, molto ricca di potassa, calce e acido fosforico, ha rimarchevoli qualità fertilizzanti alle quali è dovuta la lussureggiante “cintura dorata” che circonda per un dodici miglia la penisola. L’alga consiste di nastri lunghi da uno a due metri, che aderiscono alle roccie, dalle quali vengono strappate con rastrelli, a bassa marea. Viene usata dopo esser stata esposta all’aperto per qualche tempo, per lasciar modo alla pioggia di detergerne il sale da cui è impregnata. In alcuni distretti l’alga è dapprima usata come combustibile, le cui ceneri si usano poi come concime.</span></p> -</div> -<div class='footnote' id='f6'> -<p class='c013'><a href='#r6'>6</a>. Seaweed is largely used in Brittany as a manure. This seaweed, which is very rich in potash, in lime, and in phosphoric acid, has remarkable fertilizing qualities, to which is due the luxuriance of the ‘golden belt,’ about twelve miles broad, which surrounds the peninsula. The seaweed consists of ribbons from one to two yards long, clinging to the rocks, from which they are stripped with rakes at low tide. It is used after it has been exposed to the air for some time, to allow the rain to carry away the salt with which it is impregnated. In certain districts the seaweed is first used as fuel, the ashes being used as a fertilizer.</p> -</div> -<div class='footnote' id='f7'> -<p class='c013'><a href='#r7'>7</a>. <span lang="it" xml:lang="it">La cornamusa bretone (<i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">biniou</span></i>) è molto simile alla piva scozzese (<i><span lang="en" xml:lang="en">bagpipes</span></i>). Come questa, il biniou possiede parecchi ‘bordoni,’ che suonano la tonica e la dominante, ed anche una canna che dà la gamma imperfetta, caratteristica della musica celtica.</span></p> -</div> -<div class='footnote' id='f8'> -<p class='c013'><a href='#r8'>8</a>. The <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">biniou</span></i> of Brittany is very similar to the Scotch bagpipes. Like the latter it has several drones, sounding the tonic and the dominant, and a pipe or ‘chanter’, which gives the incomplete scale characteristic of Celtic music.</p> -</div> -<div class='footnote' id='f9'> -<p class='c013'><a href='#r9'>9</a>. <span lang="it" xml:lang="it">La vecchia aristocrazia e la Chiesa non hanno ancora rinunciato alla speranza di una restaurazione della monarchia in Francia, nella persona di Luigi Filippo, duca d’Orleans (n. 1869), figlio del fu conte di Parigi.</span></p> -</div> -<div class='footnote' id='f10'> -<p class='c013'><a href='#r10'>10</a>. The old aristocracy and the Church have not given up all hope of a restoration of the monarchy in France, in the person of Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orleans (b. 1869), son of the late Count of Paris.</p> -</div> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c002' /> -</div> -<div class='tnotes'> - -<div class='section ph2'> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c001'> - <div>TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES</div> - </div> -</div> - -</div> - - <ol class='ol_1 c006'> - <li>Table of <a href='#CONTENTS'>Contents</a> added by transcriber. - - </li> - <li>The individual Italian and English pages were merged into one page with the Italian - on the left and English on the right. - - </li> - <li>P. <a href='#t3'>3</a>, changed “<span lang="la" xml:lang="la">scrupulosa</span>” to “<span lang="it" xml:lang="it">scrupolosa</span>”. - - </li> - <li>P. <a href='#t7'>7</a>, changed “<span lang="it" xml:lang="it">mesi a mesi</span>” to “<span lang="it" xml:lang="it">mesi e mesi</span>”. - - </li> - <li>P. <a href='#t30'>30</a>, changed “trascicata” to “<span lang="it" xml:lang="it">strascicata</span>”. - - </li> - <li>P. <a href='#t37'>37</a>, changed “stupidita” to “<span lang="it" xml:lang="it">stupidità</span>”. - - </li> - <li>P. <a href='#t46'>46</a>, changed “<span lang="it" xml:lang="it">colle le braccia</span>” to “<span lang="it" xml:lang="it">colle braccia</span>”. - - </li> - <li>P. <a href='#t51'>51</a>, changed “pôrci” to “<span lang="it" xml:lang="it">pórci</span>”. - - </li> - <li>P. <a href='#t53'>53</a>, changed “comme” to “<span lang="it" xml:lang="it">come</span>”. - - </li> - <li>Spelling errors in Italian were left uncorrected except as noted. - - </li> - <li>Silently corrected English typographical errors and variations in spelling. - - </li> - <li>Archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings retained as printed. - </li> - </ol> - -</div> - -<pre style='margin-top:6em'> -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE IDIOTS *** - -This file should be named 63893-h.htm or 63893-h.zip - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/6/3/8/9/63893/ - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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