The Revolution of the Moon by Andrea Camilleri

Author:Andrea Camilleri
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Europa
Published: 2017-03-13T16:00:00+00:00

It was just before ten o’clock, and they were in the sitting room of the private apartment, with donna Eleonora in an armchair and don Alterio standing in front of her.

The marquesa had invited him to sit down, but he refused, standing stiffly before her like a soldier—even though his legs were shaking a little.

“If I’ve understood you correctly,” said donna Eleonora, who for the fifteen minutes in which he’d been talking had maintained the same expression of near total indifference, “when you came to talk me into granting the subsidio to the Sagrado Refugio, did you already know for what horrible purpose the orphan girls were put there?”

“Yes, I knew.”

“And when you came with me to the refugio and realized the trick that don Simon was playing, you said nothing?”

“That’s right”

“And you did all this por una malsana pasión for one of the orphan girls?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“And you suspect that el marqués sent someone a matar a dos huérfanas, y a la chica de la que Usted estaba enamorado, because they were pregnant?”

“I have reason to believe that is what happened.”

“And this Sunday night there will be una fiesta particular at the refugio, among eight of the refuge’s regular patrons?”

“Yes.”

“Are you aware of the irremediables consecuencias your words may have for you?”

“I am perfectly aware of them.”

“Do you have any remordimiento for what you have done?”

“No.”

Donna Eleneora remained silent for a long time. Then she said:

“I must now ask you a question that will be difficult to answer, ya lo sé. But you must answer sinceramente.”

“Go ahead.”

“The first time the Council voted in favor of el subsidio al marqués, did everyone already know that my husband, the viceroy,, estaba muerto?”

Don Alterio’s gullet was as dry as the desert.

He wanted to say yes, but no voice came out.

He nodded his head affirmatively.

“One last question—and mi decisión will depend on your answer. Why are you doing all this?”

Don Alterio ran his parched tongue over his parched lips. He could have invented a hundred and one reasons, but with this woman it was best to be sincere.

“For revenge,” he said.

Donna Eleonora stood up ever so slowly.

She was now a little pale, but her voice was the same as always, calm and harmonious. She looked don Alterio in the eye.

Is there such a thing as a black flame that flashes dark and violent? For a moment he saw just such a mysterious flame burning in the marquesa’s pupils. And he felt more afraid than he ever had before in his life.

“I understand how you feel,” said donna Eleonora. “Because I’m taking my own steps towards revenge. You men of the Council mocked a dead man and took shameless advantage of el cadáver de mi esposo. Jamás se lo perdonaré. My revenge on you will be to deny you your revenge.”

Upon hearing these last words don Alterio felt himself dying. So it had all been pointless. Had he ruined himself for nothing?

“But I won’t do it,” the marquesa continued. “You shall have your vendetta. Con una condición.

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