Catastrophe and Other Stories by Dino Buzzati

Author:Dino Buzzati
Language: eng
Format: azw3
ISBN: 9781847497369
Publisher: Alma Classics
Published: 2018-06-27T23:00:00+00:00

The Slaying of the Dragon

IN MAY 1902, A PEASANT IN THE SERVICE OF COUNT Gerol, one Giosue Longo, who often went hunting in the mountains, reported that he had seen a large animal, resembling a dragon, in Valle Secca. Palissano, the last village in the valley, had long cherished a legend that one such monster was still living in certain arid passes in the region. But no one had ever taken it seriously. Yet on this occasion Longo’s obvious sanity, the exactitude of his account, the absolutely accurate and unwavering repetition of details of the event, convinced people that there might be something in it, and Count Martino Gerol decided to go and find out. Naturally he was not thinking in terms of a dragon; but it was possible that some huge rare serpent was still living in those uninhabited valleys.

He was to be accompanied on the expedition by the governor of the province, Quinto Andronico, and his beautiful and intrepid wife; the naturalist Professor Inghirami; and by his colleague Fusti, who was an expert in taxidermy. Quinto Andronico was a weak, skeptical man and had known for some time that his wife felt drawn to Count Gerol, but this did not worry him. In fact, he agreed willingly when Maria suggested that they should accompany the Count on his hunt. He was not the least bit jealous, nor even envious, although Gerol was greatly superior to him in wealth, youth, good looks, strength and courage.

Two carriages left the town shortly after midnight with an escort of eight mounted hunters and arrived at Palissano at about six the following morning. Gerol, Maria and the two naturalists slept; only Andronico remained awake, and he stopped the carriage in front of the house of an old friend of his, the doctor Taddei. After a few moments the doctor, woken by a coachman and still half-asleep, with a nightcap on his head, appeared at a first-floor window. Andronico greeted him jovially from below and explained the object of the expedition, expecting his listener to burst out laughing at the mention of dragons. To his surprise Taddei shook his head disapprovingly.

“I don’t think I’d go, if I were you,” he said firmly.

“Why not? Don’t you think there’s anything to it? You think it’s all a lot of nonsense?”

“I don’t know about that,” replied the doctor. “No, personally I think there is a dragon, though I’ve never seen it. But I wouldn’t get involved in this business. I don’t like the sound of it.”

“Don’t like the sound of it? Do you mean you really believe in the dragon?”

“My dear sir, I’m an old man,” said the doctor, “and I’ve seen many things. It may be a lot of nonsense, but it may also be true; if I were you, I wouldn’t get involved. And I warn you: the way is hard to find, the rocks are very unsafe, you only need a gust of wind to precipitate sheer disaster and there isn’t a drop of water.

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