Page 762 - Microsoft Word - Belicena respaldo

–Anything you want to know, Commisar.
–Is about the winepress; which is its capacity?
–Well… if I remember correctly, some 20.000 liters –I replied.
–And can I know for what a hell they filled it with tar?

Chapter V

I was seated on the couch of the living room, sleeping. I had drunk 3 mg. of a
tranquilizer and I had the immune system very sedated. It would be the ten at night and,
within dreams, I heard Kurt speaking in Arab and German. But it was not about a dream: at
noon, Uncle Kurt requested an international call and they have just communicated it. Minutes
later it reached to me and shook me without contemplations.
–Everyone has died, Arturo! Everyone! You and Me are the only von Sübermann alive!
–My uncles and cousins of Egypt, even some far cousins who lived and studied in
Europe, all died this morning at the 0:15 hrs!
Uncle Kurt didn’t raise his voice, but his gestures were eloquents: he was out of his
mind. I tried to calm him, to transmit him my pharmacological tranquillity, but I just achieved
to get nervious again; the fury of Uncle Kurt was contagious!
At a few steps from distance, in the dinner room where I saw my dead parents, were two
coffins upon pairs of easels; crowns, palms of flowers, candelabrums with burning candles, and
crosses, completed the ceremonial elements of the catholic funeral. My father was known in
that population since his childhood and Mom since 1938, so the mode of the neighbors and
friends whoc wanted to give him the last goodbye was incessant. Many, belonging to the most
humble peoples. But with whom we always counted for the rude field work, would stay the
night.
Someone contracted some professional maudlins of La Merced, famous for the
sentimentalism and fervour that they imposed to their laments, who were dedicated in that
moment to represent their function.

Terrible moment that, of impotence, at noticing the manner in which our enemies
attacked us and to not be capable to respond in the same measure. Something surprising, the
harsh Uncle Kurt had seated, finally, in the other couch and for moment he cried with
affliction. I had to receive the condolence of the visitors, according to the traditional mores,
who before leaving left their names annotated in a card, which assured them to receive more
afterwards, in a term of no more than ten days, the postal gratitude. Mores, habits in practice
since inmemorial times, from which I could not escape without causing a great scandal.
At noon the house was crowded of people. Somegently neighbors were in charge to
prepare the coffee and attend the people. Divers groups of friends formed huddles to comment
the horrible crimes, and most insolit rumours circulated from mouth to mouth in the
superstitious Indian and mestizo neighbourhood. Uncle Kurt and I tried vainly that the police
gave us the corpses of Katalina and the children, fearing that in few hours be corrupted as

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