The Tartar Steppe. Dino Buzzati

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      ‘Tell me,’ he asked Drogo, ‘would you like to go back straight away or would it be the same to you if you waited a month or two? For us, I repeat, it is all the same – from the official point of view, that is,’ he added so as not to sound discourteous.

      ‘Since I have to go back,’ said Giovanni, pleasantly surprised at the lack of difficulties, ‘since I have to go back it seems to me I had better go at once.’

      ‘Quite right, quite right,’ said the major soothingly. ‘But now I must tell you something. If you want to go right away the best thing is for you to go sick. You go into the sick bay under observation for a day or two and the doctor gives you a certificate. There are a lot of people in any case who can’t stand up to the altitude.’

      ‘Do I really have to go sick?’ asked Drogo, who did not like this sort of fiction.

      ‘You don’t have to, but it makes everything easier. Otherwise you would have to make a written request for a posting. That has to be sent to the High Command, the High Command has to reply – that means at least a fortnight. Above all, the colonel has to go into the matter, and that I would prefer to avoid. Because he does find these things unpleasant – they hurt him, that’s it, they hurt him just as if you were doing an injury to his Fort. Well then, if I were you, if you want me to be frank, I would try to avoid it.’

      ‘But excuse me, sir,’ said Drogo, ‘I didn’t know that. If my going away might cause me trouble then it’s another matter.’

      ‘Not at all, you have misunderstood me. In neither case will your career suffer. It is only a case of a – of a shade of meaning. Of course, and I told you this right away, the colonel will not be pleased. But if you have really made up your mind …’

      ‘No, no,’ said Drogo, ‘if things are as you say perhaps the medical certificate is better.’

      ‘Unless …’ said Matti with a meaning smile and leaving his sentence in mid-air.

      ‘Unless?’

      ‘Unless you were to put up with staying here four months – which would be the best solution.’

      ‘Four months?’ asked Drogo, already somewhat disappointed, since he had thought to be leaving at once.

      ‘Four months,’ Matti confirmed. ‘The procedure is much more regular that way. I’ll explain to you direct. Twice a year there is a medical inspection – it is laid down. The next will be in four months’ time. That seems to me to be your best opportunity. I give you my word that, if you like, your report will be adverse. You can set your mind absolutely at rest.’

      ‘Besides,’ continued the major after a pause, ‘besides, four months are four months – long enough for a personal report. You can be certain that the colonel will do one on you. And you know how important that can be for your career. But let us get this quite, quite clear – you are perfectly free …’

      ‘Yes, sir,’ said Drogo, ‘I understand perfectly.’

      ‘Service here is not hard,’ the major emphasised, ‘almost always guard duties. And the New Redoubt, which demands more of one, will certainly not be entrusted to you to begin with. There will be no hard tasks, don’t be afraid – you won’t ever be bored.’

      But Drogo was scarcely listening to Matti’s explanations, for his attention was strangely attracted by the picture framed in the window with that tiny piece of crag showing above the wall. A vague feeling to which he did not have the key was gradually penetrating into his inmost being – a stupid and absurd feeling, a baseless fancy.

      At the same time he felt somewhat calmer. He was still anxious to go, but not so desperately as before. He was almost ashamed at the fears he had had on his arrival. He could not believe that he was not as good a man as all the others. If he left at once, he now thought, it might be looked upon as a confession of inferiority. Thus his own conceit of himself fought with his longing for the old familiar existence.

      ‘Sir,’ said Drogo, ‘thank you for your advice, but let me think it over till tomorrow.’

      ‘Very well,’ said Matti with evident satisfaction. ‘And this evening? Do you want to meet the colonel in the mess or would you prefer to leave things in the air?’

      ‘I don’t know,’ answered Giovanni, ‘it seems to me there’s no use my hiding myself, particularly if I have to stay four months?’

      ‘That’s better,’ said the major. ‘You’ll get confidence that way. You will see what nice people they are, all first class officers.’

      Matti smiled and Drogo saw that the time had come to leave. But first of all he asked:

      ‘Sir,’ his voice was apparently calm, ‘may I take a quick look to the north and see what there is beyond that wall?’

      ‘Beyond the wall? I didn’t know you were interested in views,’ answered the major.

      ‘Just a glance, sir, merely out of curiosity. I’ve heard there is a desert and I’ve never seen one.’

      ‘It isn’t worth it. A monotonous landscape – no beauty in it. Take my advice – don’t think about it.’

      ‘I won’t insist, sir,’ said Drogo. ‘I did not think there was anything against it.’

      Major Matti put the tips of his plump fingers together almost as if in prayer.

      ‘You have asked me,’ he said, ‘the one thing I can’t grant you. Only personnel on duty may go on to the ramparts or into the guard rooms; you need to know the password.’

      ‘But not even as a special exception – not even for an officer?’

      ‘Not even for an officer. Oh, I know – for you people from the city all these petty rules seem ridiculous. Besides down there the password is no great secret. But here it is different.’

      ‘Excuse me, if I keep on about it.’

      ‘Do please, do.’

      ‘I wanted to say – isn’t there even a loophole, a window from which one can look?’

      ‘Only one. Only one in the colonel’s office. Unfortunately no one thought of a belvedere for the inquisitive. But it isn’t worth it, I repeat, a landscape with nothing to recommend it. You will have plenty of that view if you decide to stay.’

      ‘Thank you, sir, will that be all?’ And coming to attention, he saluted.

      Matti made a friendly gesture with his hand.

      ‘Goodbye. Forget about it – a worthless landscape, I assure you, an extremely stupid landscape.’

      But that evening Lieutenant Morel, who had come off orderly duty, secretly led Drogo on to the top of the wall to let him see.

      An immensely long corridor, lit by infrequent lamps, ran all the СКАЧАТЬ