Note: Translator Pauline Bancroft Flach died in 1966, less than 70 years ago. Therefore, this work is protected by copyright, restricting your legal rights to reproduce it. However, you are welcome to view it on screen, as you do now. Read more about copyright.
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58 THE MIR A CLES OF ANTICHRIST
Then the syndic laughed softly. “ Give me that
envelope, Signora.”
He took it and went out on the balcony.
He began to speak to the women. “I wish to
tell you,” he said, “that I have just now heard that
old Fra Felice is dead, and that he has left a legacy
to you all. He has written down five numbers that
are supposed to win in the lottery next Saturday,
and he bequeaths them to you. No one has seen
them yet. They are lying here in this envelope,
and it is unopened.”
He was silent a moment to let the women have
time to think over what he had said.
Instantly they began to cry: “The numbers, the
numbers!”
The syndic signed to them to be silent.
“You must remember,” he said, “that it was
impossible for Fra Felice to know what numbers
will be drawn next Saturday. If you play on these
numbers, you may all lose. And we cannot afford
to be poorer than we are already here in Diamante.
I ask you therefore to let me destroy the testament
without any one seeing it.”
“The numbers,” cried the women, “give us the
numbers!”
“If I am permitted to destroy the testament,”
said the syndic, “ I promise you that the blind shall
have their church again.”
There was silence in the square. Donna Elisa
rose from her seat in the hall of the
courthouse and seized the back of her chair with both
hands.
“ I leave it to you to choose between the church
and the numbers,” said the syndic.
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