domenica 5 maggio 2024

Unfortunately - Fredric Brown




Unfortunately is a story by Fredric Brown (1906 – 1972) an American writer of science fiction and thrillers.


Now, read the first paragraph and tell the genre of this short story.


Read to the end.

Underline the following words, and match them with their synonyms:


inhabited                                                        amicable

supplies                                                          willingly

friendly                                                          mastery

inhuman                                                         provisions

freely                                                              restriction

fluency                                                           dull

abstinence                                                      seized

grabbed                                                          post

deaf very                                                        hot

seazling                                                          not human

stake                                                               populated

 

 

 

Unfortunately

by

FREDRIC BROWN





Ralph NC*5 sighed with relief as he caught sight of Planet Four of Arcturus in the spotter scope, just where his computer had told him it would be. Arcturus IV was the only inhabited or inhabitable planet of its primary and it was quite a few light-years to the next star system.


Ralph NC*5 fece un sospiro di sollievo quando nel suo visore apparve il pianeta Quattro di Arturo, proprio là dove il suo computer aveva detto che sarebbe stato. Arturo IV era l’unico pianeta abitato o abitabile del suo sole e distava solo pochi anni luce dal successivo sistema solare.


He needed food — his fuel and water supplies were okay but the commissary department on Pluto had made a mistake in stocking his scouter — and, according to the space manual, the natives were friendly. They’d give him anything he asked for.


Aveva bisogno di cibo – le sue riserve di acqua e carburante erano okay ma l’ufficio addetto al vettovagliamento su Plutone aveva fatto un errore nel rifornire il suo ricognitore – e, secondo il manuale spaziale, i nativi erano amichevoli. Gli avrebbero dato qualunque cosa avesse chiesto.


The manual was very specific on that point; he reread the brief section on the Arcturians as soon as he had set the controls for automatic landing.

The Arcturians,” he read, “are inhuman, but very friendly. A pilot landing here need only ask for what he wants, and it is given to him freely, readily, and without argument.


Il manuale era molto specifico su quel punto, rilesse la breve sezione sugli arturiani non appena ebbe inserito i controlli per l’atterraggio automatico.

Gli arturiani,” lesse, “non sono umani, ma molto amichevoli. Un pilota che atterri lì deve soltanto chiedere quello che vuole e gli sarà dato generosamente, prontamente e senza discussioni.


Communication with them, however, must be by paper and pencil as they have no vocal organs and no organs of hearing. However, they read and write English with considerable fluency.”


Tuttavia, la comunicazione con loro deve avvenire con carta e matita, dal momento che non hanno organi vocali o organi uditivi. Comunque, leggono e scrivono l’inglese con considerevole padronanza.”


Ralph NC-5’s mouth watered as he tried to decide what he wanted to eat first, after two days of complete abstinence from food, preceded by five days of short rations; a week ago he had discovered the commissary department’s mistake in stocking his lockers.


A Ralph NC-5 venne l’acquolina in bocca mentre cercava di decidere quello che voleva mangiare come prima cosa, dopo due giorni di completa astinenza dal cibo, preceduti da cinque giorni di razioni ridotte: una settimana fa aveva scoperto che gli addetti alle vettovaglie avevano commesso un errore nello stoccaggio della dispensa.


Foods, wonderful foods, chased one another through his mind.

He landed, The Arcturians, a dozen of them and they were indeed inhuman — twelve feet tail, six-armed, bright magenta — approached him and their leader bowed and handed him paper and pencil.


Cibi, cibi meravigliosi si susseguirono uno dietro l’altro nella sua mente.

Atterrò. Gli arturiani, una dozzina di loro ed erano veramente inumani – una coda di più di tre metri, sei braccia, magenta brillante – si avvicinarono e il loro capo si inchinò e gli consegnò carta e matita.


Suddenly he knew exactly what he wanted; he wrote rapidly and handed back the pad. It passed from hand to hand among them.


Improvvisamente seppe esattamente ciò che voleva, scrisse velocemente e riconsegnò il taccuino. Gli arturiani se lo passarono di mano in mano.


Then abruptly he found himself grabbed, his arms pinioned. And then tied to a stake around which they were piling brushwood and sticks. One of them lighted it.


Poi, di colpo, si trovò agguantato, le braccia immobilizzate. E poi lo legarono ad un palo intorno a cui stavano ammucchiando sterpaglie e rami. Uno di loro gli diede fuoco.


He screamed protests but they fell, not on deaf ears but on no ears at all. He screamed pain, and then stopped screaming.

The space manual had been quite correct in saying that the Arcturians read and write English with considerable fluency. But it had omitted to add that they were very poor at spelling; else the last thing Ralph NC-5 would have requested would have been a sizzling steak.


Lanciò urla di protesta, ma caddero non su orecchie sorde, ma su orecchie che non esistevano affatto. Urlò di dolore, e poi smise di urlare.

Il manuale spaziale era stato abbastanza corretto nel dire che gli arturiani leggono e scrivono l’inglese con considerevole padronanza. Ma aveva omesso di aggiungere che erano molto carenti in ortografia, altrimenti l’ultima cosa che Ralph NC-5 avrebbe chiesto sarebbe stata una bistecca sfrigolante.



Give a short description of the physical features of the Arcturians:


 

General understanding:

Say which of the following sentences are true and correct the false ones:


1- RalphNC*5 landed on Arcturus IV because he was short of fuel

2- Arcturus IV was one of the habitable planets of its solar system

3- The Arcturians were hostile

4- They didn’t know English

5- They communicated by paper and pencil

6- They didn’t give RalphNC*5 what he wanted

7- The space manual was very helpful


Further exploitation:

Bearing in mind that stake also means ‘execution by

 burning at a stake’ (do you know Joan of Arc?) explain:

 ✏what RalphNC*5 asked for, what he got, and why.


Discussion:

  • Do you still think the aliens were friendly?

  • Who or what did the narrator put the blame on for this tragic misunderstanding?

  • What is the general tone of the story?



Guided summary:

Summarize the story using the following words to

fill in the gaps:  

generous, supplies, land, inhabited, hungry, tail, bright, arms, vehicle, knew, paper, 

aliens, pencil, deaf, sociable, magenta, steak, pilot, dumb, poor, fire.


RalphNC*5 was the -------------of a space---------.As he was short of food------------, he decided to----------- on Arcturus IV. The planet was ------------ by inhuman--------- with a long----------, six------------, and a------- ----- skin. They----------- English, but they communicated by --------- and-------- becuase they were---------- and--------. Anyway, they were --------------and---------. As RalphNC*5 was very-------- he aked for a sizzling ------------, but their spelling was very------------ so they mistook ---------- for--------- and poor RalphNC*5 died on a sizzling------- .




Unfotunately is a good example of Fredric

Brown’s style.

Here is a list of the main features of the

story, circle the adjectives that best define them:


Length               long, short, very short

Language           simple, rich, factual, abstract

syntax                complex/simple sentences

Tone                   ironic, dramatic, funny, serious

End                     msurprising, logical, unexpected,  

                           predictable


Now use them to write a short paragraph. You can start like this:

Fredric Brown was a succesful writer of …


Grammar exploitation:

You can use this story to introduce the prefixes in,

 un, im to change the meaning of adjectives from positive to negative



At a higher level, you can also introduce if clauses type three






sabato 12 febbraio 2022

Voodoo by Fredric Brown

 

Fredric Brown (1906 –1972) was an American science fiction, fantasy, and mystery writer. He is known for his use of humor and for his mastery of the "short short" form—stories of 1 to 3 pages, often with ingenious plotting devices and surprise endings.


Before reading:

  • Can you imagine what ‘voodoo’ means? If not, look up the world in the dictionary.

  • What do you think might happen in a story with this title ? Discuss with your classmates.



Voodoo

by Fredric Brown

 

Mr. Decker’s wife had just returned from a trip to Haiti – a trip she had taken alone – to give them a cooling off period before they discussed a divorce.

It hadn’t worked. Neither of them had cooled off in the slightest. In fact, they were finding now that they hated one another more than ever.

Half,” said Mrs. Decker firmly. “I’ll not settle for anything less than half the money plus half of the property.”


La moglie di Mr. Decker era appena tornata da un viaggio ad Haiti – un viaggio che aveva fatto da sola – per concedersi un periodo di riflessione e darsi una calmata prima di discutere del loro divorzio.

Non aveva funzionato. Nessuno dei due si era minimamente calmato. Infatti, scoprivano adesso di odiarsi l’un l’altro più che mai.

Metà,” disse Mrs. Decker con decisione. “Non ho intenzione di accordarmi per niente meno della metà del denaro più la metà della proprietà.”



  1. What important decision are Mr. and Mrs. Decker taking about their marriage?

  2. Why did Mrs. Decker go to Haiti alone?

  3. What was the result of the trip?

  4. What about Mr. Decker’s feeligs?

  5. What does Mrs. Decker want as her share in the divorce settlement?



Ridiculous!” said Mr. Decker.

Is it? I could have it all, you know. And quite easily, too. I studied voodoo while in Haiti”.

Rot!” said Mr. Decker.

It isn’t. And you should be glad that I am a good woman for I could kill you quite easily if I wished. I would then have all the money and all the real estate, and without any fear of consequences. A death accomplished by voodoo cannot be distinguished from death by heart failure”.


Ridicolo!” disse Mr. Decker.

Davvero? Potrei avere tutto, lo sai. E anche abbastanza facilmente. Mentre ero ad Haiti ho studiato il voodoo.”

Stupidaggini!” disse Mr. Decker.

Non è vero. E dovresti essere felice che io sia una brava persona, perché potrei ucciderti molto facilmente, se volessi. Allora avrei tutto il denaro e tutta la proprietà, e senza temere conseguenze. Non è possibile distinguere una morte causata dal voodoo da un collasso cardiaco.”

  • What is Mr. Decker’s reaction?

  • What’s the tone of the following expressions?

    I could have it all, you know. And quite easily, too.”

  • Choose from the following:

    wish, threat, hope, persuasion, warning, promise

  • Underline other expressions that sond the same.

    Why is she so sure that she can be succesful?

Rubbish!” said Mr. Decker.

You think so? I have wax and a hatpin. Do you want to give me a tiny pinch of your hair or a fingernail clipping or two – that’s all I need – and let me show you?”

Nonsense!” said Mr. Decker.


Idiozie!” disse Mr. Decker.

La pensi così? Ho con me della cera e uno spillone. Dammi qualcuno dei tuoi capelli o un paio di unghie tagliate – è tutto ciò di cui ho bisogno – e te lo dimostrerò.”

Sciocchezze!” disse Mr. Decker.


  1. What items does Mrs. Decker need to carry out her ritual?

  2. List all the answers Mr. Decker gives his wife and say what they express. Choose from the following:

    hate, indifference, disbilief, annoyance

Then why are you afraid to have me try? Since I know it works, I’ll make you a proposition. If it doesn’t kill you, I’ll give you a divorce and ask for nothing. If it does, I’ll get it all automatically”.


Allora perché hai paura a farmici provare? Dal momento che io so che funziona, ti faccio una proposta. Se non ti ucciderà, ti concederò il divorzio senza chiedere niente. Se ti ucciderà, mi prenderò tutto automaticamente.”

  • What does Mrs. Decker propose?

Done!” said Mr. Decker. “Get your wax and hatpin”. He glanced at his fingernails. “Pretty short. I’ll give you a bit of hair”.

When he carne back with a few short strands of hair in the lid of an aspirin tin, Mrs. Decker had already started softening the wax. She kneaded the hair into it, then shaped it into the rough effigy of a human being.

You’ll be sorry”, she said, and thrust the hatpin into the chest of the wax figure.

Mr. Decker was surprised, but he was more pleased than sorry. He had not believed in voodoo, but being a cautious man he never took chances.

Besides, it had always irritated him that his wife so seldom cleaned her hairbrush.


D’accordo!” disse Mr. Decker. “Prendi cera e spillone.” Si guardò le unghie. “Troppo corte. Ti darò un po’ di capelli.”

Quando tornò con qualche capello corto nel coperchio della scatola di aspirina, Mrs. Decker aveva già iniziato ad ammorbidire la cera. Ci impastò dentro i capelli e poi gli diede la forma approssimativa di un essere umano.

Te ne pentirai,” disse e infilò lo spillone nel petto della figura di cera.

Mr. Decker rimase sorpreso, ma era più soddisfatto che deluso. Non aveva mai creduto nel voodoo, ma essendo un uomo prudente, non aveva mai corso rischi.

Inoltre, lo aveva sempre irritato il fatto che sua moglie pulisse così di rado la spazzola per i capelli.


  • What does Mr. Decker give his wife to perform the ritual?

  • What does the ritual consist of?

  • Why was he first surprised and then pleased?

  • How did his wife die?

  • Was he guilty of killing her? Discuss


After reading:

  1. What does it mean to say that someone has been ‘hoist on their own petard’?’– where does this expression come from?

  2. Write your own story in which you or someone you know were hoist on your own petard.

lunedì 3 gennaio 2022

The Open Window by Saki



Saki, pseudonym of H(ector) H(ugh) Munro, (1870, Akyab, Burma [now Myanmar]— 1916 in action during WWI, France), was a Scottish writer and journalist whose stories depict the Edwardian social scene with a flippant wit and power of fantastic invention used both to satirize social pretension, unkindness, and stupidity and to create an atmosphere of horror.


The Open Window, (Lafinestra aperta) is a frequently anthologized short story, first published in the collection Beasts and Super-Beasts in 1914.


  • Does the title give you a clue to the possible content of the story? Try a guess and discuss it with your classmates.


Now read the first part and note down the answers to these questions:


    a) Why is Mr. Nuttel staying in the country?

    b) Does he know the place?

    c) Why is he paying a visit to Mrs. Suppleton?

    d) Who is Vera?

    e) Does Mr. Nuttel know Mrs. Suppleton?

    f) Is he eager to meet her?




The Open Window

by

Saky





My aunt will be down presently, Mr. Nuttel,” said a very self-possessed young lady of fifteen; “in the meantime you must try and put up with me.”

Framton Nuttel endeavoured to say the correct something which should duly flatter the niece of the moment without unduly discounting the aunt that was to come. Privately he doubted more than ever whether these formal visits on a succession of total strangers would do much towards helping the nerve cure which he was supposed to be undergoing.

I know how it will be,” his sister had said when he was preparing to migrate to this rural retreat; “you will bury yourself down there and not speak to a living soul, and your nerves will be worse than ever from moping. I shall just give you letters of introduction* to all the people I know there. Some of them, as far as I can remember, were quite nice.”

Framton wondered whether Mrs. Sappleton, the lady to whom he was presenting one of the letters of introduction came into the nice division.

Do you know many of the people round here?” asked the niece, when she judged that they had had sufficient silent communion.

Hardly a soul,” said Framton. “My sister was staying here, at the rectory, you know, some four years ago, and she gave me letters of introduction to some of the people here.”

He made the last statement in a tone of distinct regret.

Then you know practically nothing about my aunt?” pursued the self-possessed young lady.

Only her name and address,” admitted the caller. He was wondering whether Mrs. Sappleton was in the married or widowed state. An undefinable something about the room seemed to suggest masculine habitation.

 


  • Letter of introduction - In the time period of the story, a newcomer to town usually carried a letter of introduction. The letter usually stated the newcomer's family connections, qualifications, reputation, and interests.


Is The title still obscure?



Go on reading:

1) Is Mr.Nuttel surprised about the open window?

2) What was Mrs. Suppleton’s great tragedy?

3) What is Vera’s explanation for the open window?

4) How has Mr. Nuttel attitude towards meeting Mrs. Suppleton changed?

5) How does your guess about the open window differ from Vera’s story?



Her great tragedy happened just three years ago,” said the child; “that would be since your sister’s time.”

Her tragedy?” asked Framton; somehow in this restful country spot tragedies seemed out of place.

You may wonder why we keep that window wide open on an October afternoon,” said the niece, indicating a large French window* that opened on to a lawn.

It is quite warm for the time of the year,” said Framton; “but has that window got anything to do with the tragedy?”

Out through that window, three years ago to a day, her husband and her two young brothers went off for their day’s shooting. They never came back. In crossing the moor to their favourite snipe-shooting ground they were all three engulfed in a treacherous piece of bog. It had been that dreadful wet summer, you know, and places that were safe in other years gave way suddenly without warning. Their bodies were never recovered. That was the dreadful part of it.” Here the child’s voice lost its self-possessed note and became falteringly human. “Poor aunt always thinks that they will come back someday, they and the little brown spaniel that was lost with them, and walk in at that window just as they used to do. That is why the window is kept open every evening till it is quite dusk. Poor dear aunt, she has often told me how they went out, her husband with his white waterproof coat over his arm, and Ronnie, her youngest brother, singing ‘Bertie, why do you bound?’ as he always did to tease her, because she said it got on her nerves. Do you know, sometimes on still, quiet evenings like this, I almost get a creepy feeling that they will all walk in through that window…”

She broke off with a little shudder. It was a relief to Framton when the aunt bustled into the room with a whirl of apologies for being late in making her appearance.

 



  • French window - each of a pair of glazed doors in an outside wall, serving as a window and door, typically opening on to a garden or balcony


 

Go on reading:

a) Does Mrs. Suppleton’s explanation about the open window confirm Vera’s story?

b) What is Mr. Nuttel’s reaction?

c) Why does he speak about his health problems?

d)Is Mrs. Suppleton interested in Mr. Nuttel’s conversation?

e) Could the story stop here?


I hope Vera has been amusing you?” she said.

She has been very interesting,” said Framton.

I hope you don’t mind the open window,” said Mrs. Sappleton briskly; “my husband and brothers will be home directly from shooting, and they always come in this way. They’ve been out for snipe in the marshes today, so they’ll make a fine mess over my poor carpets. So like you menfolk, isn’t it?”

She rattled on cheerfully about the shooting and the scarcity of birds, and the prospects for duck in the winter. To Framton it was all purely horrible. He made a desperate but only partially successful effort to turn the talk on to a less ghastly topic, he was conscious that his hostess was giving him only a fragment of her attention, and her eyes were constantly straying past him to the open window and the lawn beyond. It was certainly an unfortunate coincidence that he should have paid his visit on this tragic anniversary.

The doctors agree in ordering me complete rest, an absence of mental excitement, and avoidance of anything in the nature of violent physical exercise,” announced Framton, who laboured under the tolerably widespread delusion that total strangers and chance acquaintances are hungry for the least detail of one’s ailments and infirmities, their cause and cure. “On the matter of diet they are not so much in agreement,” he continued.

 



 

Go on reading:

  • What aroused Mrs. Suppleton’s attention?

  • What does Vera look like?

  • How does Mr. Nuttel react?

  • Why is he so terrified?

  • Why does he think that Vera’s story is true?



No?” said Mrs. Sappleton, in a voice which only replaced a yawn at the last moment. Then she suddenly brightened into alert attention – but not to what Framton was saying

Here they are at last!” she cried. “Just in time for tea, and don’t they look as if they were muddy up to the eyes!”

Framton shivered slightly and turned towards the niece with a look intended to convey sympathetic comprehension. The child was staring out through the open window with a dazed horror in her eyes. In a chill shock of nameless fear Framton swung round in his seat and looked in the same direction.

In the deepening twilight three figures were walking across the lawn towards the window, they all carried guns under their arms, and one of them was additionally burdened with a white coat hung over his shoulders. A tired brown spaniel kept close at their heels. Noiselessly they neared the house, and then a hoarse young voice chanted out of the dusk: “I said, Bertie, why do you bound?”

Framton grabbed wildly at his stick and hat; the hall door, the gravel drive, and the front gate were dimly noted stages in his headlong retreat. A cyclist coming along the road had to run into the hedge to avoid imminent collision.

 


 


Read the last part:

 

a) How does Mrs. Suppleton explain the behaviour of her caller?

b) What is Vera’s explanation?

c) What does the word ‘romance’ suggest?



Here we are, my dear,” said the bearer of the white mackintosh, coming in through the window, “fairly muddy, but most of it’s dry. Who was that who bolted out as we came up?”

A most extraordinary man, a Mr. Nuttel,” said Mrs. Sappleton; “could only talk about his illnesses, and dashed off without a word of goodby or apology when you arrived. One would think he had seen a ghost.”

I expect it was the spaniel,” said the niece calmly; “he told me he had a horror of dogs. He was once hunted into a cemetery somewhere on the banks of the Ganges by a pack of pariah dogs, and had to spend the night in a newly dug grave with the creatures snarling and grinning and foaming just above him. Enough to make anyone lose their nerve.”

Romance at short notice was her speciality.

 


 

a) What is your opinion about Vera?

b) Vera means ‘vericity.’ Why do you think the author chose this name for her?

c) What is the only detail in the room on which she built her story?

d) If the tile had been The Great Liar, would the story had been as interesting?

 

Post reading activities: 

1) Find the following words in the story and then match them with their meanings.

a. moor - A belief or impression that is not true

b. convey - tolerate

c. ailment - Unpleasant or shocking

d. mope - A place of privacy and safety

e. sufficient - visitor

f. imminent - type of bird typically found in marshes and wet meadows

g. caller - surround or cover completely

h. delusion - A broad area of open land

i. snipe - Wander aimlessly

j. dreadful - physical or mental weakness

k. engulf - Having enough

l. Put up with - hesitantly; unsteadily

 

2) Diary Entry:

  • A diary entry is a way to connect with our own experiences.

  • It is a personal piece of writing which reflects a person’s thoughts about a person, an incident or a place.

  • A diary should be written in a chronological order, starting with the events that happened earlier in the day and ending with the events that took place later in the evening.

  • A basic diary entry is always written in first-person narrative.

  • The style of a diary entry should be informal and relaxed.  Pictures or drawings can be added in order to make it more personal.

     

    Now write a diary entry and retell the story from Vera's point of view 

    Date: _____________ Time: _____________

    Dear Diary, 

    ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
    _______________________________________________________________________________
    _______________________________________________________________________________
    _______________________________________________________________________________
    _______________________________________________________________________________



     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

La finestra aperta (TheOpen Window), un racconto breve di Saki, fu pubblicato nella collezione Beasts and Super-Beasts nel1914.

Saki è lo pseudonimo del giornalista e scrittore scozzese Hector Hugh Munro, o più semplicemente H. H. Munro (1870, Burma [odierno Myanmar]— 1916 in combattimento durante la prima guerra mondiale, in Francia ). Nei suoi racconti descrive la scena sociale Edoardiana (il breve regno di Edoardo VII – 1901-1910) con leggerezza, ironia e scoppiettanti invenzioni per mettere alla berlina le aspirazioni sociali, le cattive maniere e la stupidità della middle-class, non disdegnando di fare ricorso anche ad atmosfere horror.


Protagonista della storia è Vera, una compita signorinella di quindici anni, che facendo da anfitrione ad un nuovo visitatore della zia, metterà a frutto le sue doti di improvvisazione a danno di del malcapitato ospite, senza mai perdere il suo aplomb e la sua aria innocente. Il coup de theatre finale, lo stile conciso ed ironico e il tono alquanto sinistro, sono le note caratteristiche della narrativa di Saki.


Curiosità:


Munro era solito pubblicare i suoi articoli col suo nome, mentre per i suoi racconti usava lo pseudonimo ‘Saki,’ il cui significato resta incerto:

  • Saki” in Farsi significa ‘coppiere’, come nell’antico poema persiano The Rubayat of Omar Khayyam.

  • Saki è anche il nome di una scimmia del sud-America e le sue storie sono certamente altrettanto maliziose e scherzose. Entrambi appaiono nelle sue opere.


🎦Di questo racconto esiste anche una divertente video del 2004 (Dir: James Rogan / UK / 2004 Based on the short story 'The Open Window'- 11" circa )





La finestra aperta

di

Saki (H.H. Munro)




Mia zia scenderà tra poco, Mr. Nuttel,” disse una ben educata signorina di quindici anni, “nel frattempo dovrà cercare di sopportarmi.”

Framton Nuttel si sforzò di dire la cosa giusta per compiacere la nipote lì presente senza nulla togliere alla zia che stava per arrivare. Personalmente, dubitava più che mai che queste visite formali ad una serie di perfetti sconosciuti avrebbero giovato molto alla cura per i nervi a cui doveva sottoporsi.

So già come andrà,” gli aveva detto sua sorella quando si stava preparando per migrare nel suo ritiro di campagna; “ti seppellirai laggiù e non parlerai ad anima viva e i tuoi nervi staranno peggio che mai per la malinconia. Ho deciso di darti delle lettere di presentazione per tutte le persone che conosco laggiù. Alcuni di loro, per quel che ricordo, sono davvero simpatici.”

Framton si chiese se Mrs. Sappleton, la signora a cui avrebbe consegnato la lettera di presentazione apparteneva al girone dei simpatici.

Conosce molta gente da queste parti?” chiese la nipote, quando ritenne che quella silenziosa intimità fosse durata abbastanza.

Nemmeno un’anima,” disse Framton. “Deve sapere che mia sorella ha soggiornato qui, nella casa parrocchiale, alcuni anni fa e mi ha dato delle lettere di presentazione per alcune persone del posto.”

Pronunciò quest’ultima frase con un tono di palese rincrescimento.

Quindi lei praticamente non sa nulla di mia zia?” continuò la beneducata signorina.

Soltanto il nome e l’indirizzo,” ammise il visitatore. Si chiedeva se Mrs. Sappleton fosse maritata oppure vedova. C’era qualcosa di indefinibile in quella stanza che sembrava suggerire una presenza maschile.

La sua grande tragedia accadde proprio tre anni fa,” disse la ragazza, “cioè dopo il soggiorno di sua sorella.”

La sua tragedia?” chiese Framton, per qualche ragione, le tragedie sembravano fuori luogo in quel tranquillo posto di campagna.

Forse si chiederà perché teniamo spalancata quella finestra in un pomeriggio di ottobre,” disse la nipote, indicando un’ampia porta finestra che si affacciava su di un prato.

E’ abbastanza caldo per questo periodo dell’anno,” disse Framton, “ma quella finestra ha qualcosa a che fare con quella tragedia?”

Attraverso quella finestra, esattamente tre anni fa, suo marito e i suoi due giovani fratelli uscirono per la loro giornata di caccia. Non tornarono mai più. Nell’attraversare la brughiera verso il loro solito terreno di caccia ai beccaccini, tutti e tre furono inghiottiti da un infido tratto di paludi. Successe durante quella terribile estate piovosa, deve sapere, e luoghi che erano sicuri negli anni precedenti, cedettero improvvisamente, senza preavviso. I loro corpi non furono mai ritrovati. E questa è la parte peggiore.”

Qui, la voce della ragazza perse il suo tono sicuro e divenne umanamente incerta. 

La povera zia pensa sempre che un giorno ritorneranno, insieme al piccolo spaniel marrone, che andò perso insieme a loro, e che entreranno da quella finestra proprio come erano soliti fare. Questo è il motivo per cui la finestra rimane aperta finché è quasi buio. Povera cara zia, mi racconta spesso di come andarono via: il marito con il suo impermeabile bianco sul braccio e Ronnie, il suo fratello più giovane, canticchiando ‘Bertie, perché saltellii?’ come faceva di solito per stuzzicarla, perché lei diceva che le dava ai nervi. Lo sa, a volte, durante le sere calme e tranquille come questa, ho quasi la terribile sensazione che ritorneranno tutti attraverso quella finestra...”

Si interruppe rabbrividendo. Fu un sollievo per Framton quando la zia irruppe nella stanza con un turbinio di scuse per essersi presentata in ritardo.

Spero che Vera l’abbia intrattenuta,” disse.

E’ stata molto interessante,” disse Framton.

Spero che non le dia fastidio la finestra aperta,” disse Mrs. Sapleton vivacemente.

Mio marito e i miei fratelli saranno presto di ritorno dalla caccia, ed entrano sempre da lì. Oggi sono stati a caccia di beccaccini nelle paludi, così combineranno dei bei disastri sui miei poveri tappeti. Come fate di solito voi uomini, non è vero?”

Continuò a cianciare allegramente della caccia e della scarsità di uccelli e della prospettiva di anatre in inverno.

Per Framton era tutto assolutamente orribile. Fece uno sforzo disperato, ma riuscito solo in parte, di spostare il discorso su un argomento meno spaventoso: si rese conto che la sua ospite gli stava prestando solo una minima parte della sua attenzione e che i suoi occhi vagavano costantemente alle sue spalle, verso la finestra aperta ed il prato all’esterno. Aver fatto la sua visita in questo tragico anniversario era certamente una sfortunata coincidenza.

I dottori sono concordi nell’ordinarmi assoluto riposo, niente eccitazione mentale o qualsiasi forma di esercizio fisico violento,” annunciò Framton, che era vittima di un’errata convinzione relativamente diffusa secondo cui perfetti sconosciuti e conoscenze occasionali siano interessati ai minime dettagli degli altrui disturbi e malattie, le loro cause e le loro cure. “Riguardo alla dieta, non sono altrettanto concordi.”

No?” dise Mrs. Sappleton, con una voce che soffocò solo all’ultimo istante uno sbadiglio. Poi, improvvisamente, la sua attenzione si accese, ma non per quello che stava dicendo Framton.

Eccoli, finalmente!” gridò. “Appena in tempo per il tè, e sembra proprio che siamo coperti di fango fino agli occhi!”

Framton rabbrividì leggermente e si girò verso la nipote con uno sguardo che intendeva comunicare la sua solidale comprensione. La ragazza stava guardando oltre la finestra aperta con gli occhi colmi di stupefatto orrore. Raggelato da un indescrivibile terrore, Framton si girò sulla sedia e guardò nella stessa direzione.

 

Nel buio sempre più fitto del crepuscolo, tre figure camminavano attraverso il prato verso la finestra, tutti avevano un fucile sotto il braccio e uno di loro portava il fardello aggiuntivo di un soprabito bianco appoggiato sulle spalle. Uno sfinito spaniel marrone li seguiva immediatamente. Si avvicinavano alla casa silenziosamente poi, nell’oscurità una giovane voce roca intonò una canzoncina: “Dimmi, Bertie, perché saltelli?”

Framton afferrò con furia il suo bastone e il cappello; la porta principale, il sentiero di ghiaia e il cancello esterno furono le tappe a mala pena notate della sua ritirata a capofitto. Un ciclista che veniva lungo la strada dovette infilarsi nella siepe per evitare un’imminente collisione.

Eccoci qui, mia cara,” disse il cacciatore con l’impermeabile bianco, entrando dalla finestra, “piuttosto inzaccherati, ma il fango è quasi tutto asciutto. Chi era quello che si è fiondato fuori mentre arrivavamo?”

Un uomo davvero incredibile, un certo Mr. Nuttel,” disse Mrs. Sappleton; “è stato capace di parlare solo dei suoi malanni, ed è corso via senza una parola di comiato o di scuse quando siete arrivati. Quasi avesse visto un fantasma.”

Credo che sia stato a causa dello spaniel,” disse la nipote con calma; “mi ha detto di avere orrore dei cani. Una volta, da qualche parte sulle rive del Gange, fu inseguito fin dentro un cimitero da un branco di cani randagi e dovette trascorrere la notte in una tomba appena scavata con quelle creature che ghignavano e guaivano e sbavavano proprio sopra di lui. Ce n’è abbastanza da fare ammalare di nervi chiunque.”

Improvvisare storie fantasioseii era la sua specialità.



FINE




i Queste parole sono un verso della canzoneBertie The Bounder” tratto dal musical Our Miss Gibbs. Il verbo to bound, altre al significato letterale, saltare, nell’inglese dell’epoca alludeva anche a quel tipo d’uomo che ‘salta’ da una donna all’altra, proprio come Bertie, nomignolo di Edoardo VII, il cui primo nome era Albert, e che era ben noto per il suo debole per la belle donne. Il link dà accesso alla registrazione sonora e al testo della canzone.

ii Nel testo viene usato il termine ‘romance’. In questo caso è usato con il suo significato assunto in età romantica "di natura fantasiosa e avventurosa" registrato per la prima volta nel1801. Il termine è un prestito dal francese medievale romanz "narrativa in versi" (Modern French roman), o anche "lingua volgare," dal latino volgare *romanice scribere “scrivere in lingua romanza," tipica dei poemi cavallereschi del medioevo e del rinascimento.

Dopo il 1660 il significato letterale fu esteso a ‘storia d’amore’ e alla letteratura romantica.