THE USEFUL LIFE OF A DEAD MAN
A good deal of talent was spent to convince the Prior that a
compromise solution was possible. Mario would not be actually
buried
in
the chapel. His tomb would be a cenotaph, but nothing
would indicate externally that it was different from the other graves.
As
to the family, the old doctor developed into a powerful ally.
The idea of becoming the father of a martyr appealed to him. He
felt, rather confusedly, that it would give him the possibility to taste
again, even though vicariously, the joys of paternity of which Mario's
death had deprived him. So that he also found his compromise. The
mother and sister of Mario would not oppose Mario's political can–
onization publicly. On the other hand, no participation in any offi–
cial ceremony would be required of them.
Indeed, both the Secretary and Mario's father enjoyed a meas–
ure of happiness when, at the dedication of the chapel, the voice of
the imposing crowd assembled in the square facing the church,
answered "Present" to the call of the names of those, Mario included,
who were in the roll of Brescia martyrs.
Of course, while the happiness of the Secretary was untainted
by worries-shortly after the dedication he was appointed to an
important government post in Rome-the position of the doctor was
very different.
He had to keep his role as hidden as possible from his wife and
daughters. He had to stand the silent contempt with which they
looked at him whenever he attempted to tell them about the various
steps of Mario's career as a hero. He even had to conceal, by raising
the lapel of his coat, the blackshirt which he wore when called to
attend some ceremony. But once out of the house his whole mien
would change; he would strut along the streets of the city and finally
take his place in the stand reserved for the relatives of the fallen
heroes. There, in close contact with the great of the earth, he felt
as if his son's graduation day were re-enacted for him in a much more
majestic surrounding and he cried with the same tender pride which
had made him cry so many years before.
In 1938, when the old doctor had already died, the picture
changed once more.
Under German pressure, Italy had adopted anti-Semitism as the
official policy of the government, and Mario became a source of
great embarrassment to the Federal Secretary at that time.
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