{"id":4228,"date":"2015-02-11T22:34:39","date_gmt":"2015-02-11T22:34:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.slow-words.com\/?p=4228"},"modified":"2015-02-19T15:49:00","modified_gmt":"2015-02-19T15:49:00","slug":"barca-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.slow-words.com\/it\/barca-2\/","title":{"rendered":"In barca"},"content":{"rendered":"
Quantunque a\u00a0Catania\u00a0da otto\u00a0giorni, mia\u00a0moglie\u00a0era\u00a0tuttavia sotto il gran fascino dello spettacolo del mare, nuovo per lei. A ogni po’, mentre la\u00a0conducevo\u00a0attorno\u00a0per farle osservare chiese,\u00a0monumenti,\u00a0negozi, ella mi si\u00a0attaccava\u00a0al\u00a0braccio\u00a0e, con\u00a0accento\u00a0da\u00a0bambina\u00a0che vuol essere\u00a0accontentata, mi\u00a0sussurrava\u00a0all’orecchio:<\/span><\/address>\n
–\u00a0Andiamo\u00a0alla\u00a0Marina?<\/span><\/address>\n
– Ci siamo\u00a0stati\u00a0un’ora\u00a0fa!<\/span><\/address>\n
– Che\u00a0importa? Oh, il\u00a0mare! Mi\u00a0sembra\u00a0di non aver potuto ancora\u00a0ammirarlo\u00a0a\u00a0bastanza.\u00a0Andiamo?<\/span><\/address>\n
La\u00a0sentivo\u00a0trasalire, sotto\u00a0braccio, dal\u00a0godimento\u00a0anticipato\u00a0che la\u00a0prossima\u00a0vista\u00a0del\u00a0mare\u00a0le avrebbe\u00a0prodotto. E appena ne\u00a0scorgeva\u00a0un\u00a0lembo\u00a0a traverso gli\u00a0archi\u00a0del\u00a0viadotto\u00a0e i rami degli alberi di\u00a0Villa\u00a0Pacini,\u00a0prorompeva\u00a0in\u00a0esclamazioni\u00a0che mi facevano\u00a0sorridere\u00a0e gi\u00e0 mi sembravano\u00a0esagerazioni\u00a0femminili. Per\u00a0contradirla, allora le\u00a0dicevo:<\/span><\/address>\n
– Ecco! \u00c8 sempre lo stesso:\u00a0acqua,\u00a0acqua,\u00a0acqua!<\/span><\/address>\n
– Non \u00e8\u00a0vero.\u00a0Muta\u00a0di\u00a0aspetto\u00a0da un’ora\u00a0all’altra. Un’ora\u00a0fa\u00a0era\u00a0azzurro;\u00a0ora,\u00a0guarda, \u00e8\u00a0cenericcio.<\/span><\/address>\n
–\u00a0Effetto\u00a0della\u00a0luce.<\/span><\/address>\n
–\u00a0Bravo!\u00a0Grazie\u00a0della\u00a0spiegazione!… Ma di qui non si\u00a0vede\u00a0bene;\u00a0andiamo\u00a0laggi\u00f9, su la\u00a0panchina\u00a0del\u00a0Molo.<\/span><\/address>\n
–\u00a0Perch\u00e9\u00a0non\u00a0usciamo\u00a0in\u00a0barca\u00a0fuori del\u00a0porto?<\/span><\/address>\n
– Ho\u00a0paura.<\/span><\/address>\n
– Di che cosa?<\/span><\/address>\n
– Dell’acqua. Se\u00a0sopravvenisse\u00a0una\u00a0tempesta….<\/span><\/address>\n
– Le\u00a0tempeste\u00a0non\u00a0scoppiano\u00a0all’improvviso.<\/span><\/address>\n
– Se la\u00a0barca\u00a0si\u00a0capovolgesse….<\/span><\/address>\n
– In che\u00a0modo? Le\u00a0barche\u00a0paion\u00a0cullate\u00a0dalle onde\u00a0allorch\u00e9\u00a0il\u00a0mare\u00a0\u00e8\u00a0tranquillo\u00a0come in questo\u00a0momento.<\/span><\/address>\n
– Ho\u00a0paura.<\/span><\/address>\n
–\u00a0Bada! Quando saremo\u00a0andati\u00a0via,\u00a0rimpiangerai\u00a0di non aver\u00a0gustato\u00a0il\u00a0gran\u00a0piacere\u00a0di una\u00a0gita\u00a0in\u00a0barca.<\/span><\/address>\n
– Lo\u00a0credo! – E\u00a0soggiungeva: – Se si\u00a0andasse\u00a0con uno di quei\u00a0grossi\u00a0bastimenti, con un\u00a0piroscafo, mi\u00a0sentirei\u00a0sicura; ma con queste\u00a0barche\u00a0che si\u00a0direbbero\u00a0tanti\u00a0gusci\u00a0di\u00a0noce! Quante, in\u00a0fila,\u00a0l\u00e0! Non\u00a0sembrano\u00a0grossi\u00a0pesci\u00a0a\u00a0fior\u00a0d’acqua? Si\u00a0agitano,\u00a0saltellano\u00a0come cosa\u00a0viva…. Oh, su un\u00a0bastimento, su un\u00a0piroscafo, s\u00ec!<\/span><\/address>\n
– Hai\u00a0torto. Nelle\u00a0tempeste, le\u00a0barche\u00a0valgono\u00a0assai\u00a0meglio\u00a0di quei\u00a0grandi\u00a0legni. Quando questi stanno per\u00a0affondare,\u00a0passeggeri\u00a0ed\u00a0equipaggio\u00a0si\u00a0salvano, lo\u00a0sai\u00a0bene, su le\u00a0fragili\u00a0imbarcazioni.Via!\u00a0Dovresti\u00a0vincere\u00a0cos\u00ec\u00a0sciocca\u00a0paura.<\/span><\/address>\n
– Un’altra\u00a0volta.\u00a0Ora\u00a0sta’\u00a0zitto;\u00a0lasciami\u00a0ammirare.<\/span><\/address>\n
Di\u00a0cima\u00a0al\u00a0muraglione\u00a0della\u00a0panchina\u00a0del\u00a0Molo,\u00a0spalancava\u00a0i\u00a0begli\u00a0occhi\u00a0neri\u00a0su la\u00a0immensa\u00a0distesa\u00a0del\u00a0Jonio\u00a0scintillante\u00a0di\u00a0sole, e non aveva\u00a0parole, non\u00a0gesti\u00a0per\u00a0esprimere\u00a0le\u00a0diverse\u00a0sensazioni\u00a0che la\u00a0invadevano\u00a0in quel\u00a0punto. Ed io,\u00a0osservandola, le\u00a0invidiavo\u00a0la\u00a0gioia\u00a0della\u00a0novit\u00e0\u00a0di quelle\u00a0sensazioni\u00a0che\u00a0stentavo\u00a0quasi a\u00a0comprendere,\u00a0abituato\u00a0ormai, sin da quando ero\u00a0studente, alla\u00a0vista\u00a0del\u00a0mare, quantunque\u00a0nato, come mia\u00a0moglie, in\u00a0cima\u00a0alle\u00a0rupi\u00a0di\u00a0Troina\u00a0nell’interno\u00a0della\u00a0Sicilia.<\/span><\/address>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/address>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/address>\n
La pi\u00f9\u00a0profonda\u00a0impressione\u00a0del nostro\u00a0viaggio\u00a0di\u00a0nozze\u00a0era\u00a0stata per\u00a0Paolina\u00a0quello\u00a0spettacolo; non\u00a0finiva\u00a0di\u00a0riparlarne.<\/span><\/address>\n
– Che cosa ti eri\u00a0immaginato? – le\u00a0domandavo,\u00a0canzonandola\u00a0un po’.<\/span><\/address>\n
– Qualcosa di\u00a0grande, d’immenso… e non sono\u00a0arrivata\u00a0alla\u00a0realt\u00e0.\u00a0Ora\u00a0pi\u00f9 lo\u00a0guardo, pi\u00f9 lo\u00a0contemplo, e pi\u00f9 vi\u00a0scorgo\u00a0particolari\u00a0che da prima mi erano\u00a0sfuggiti. Tu\u00a0dici: – Il\u00a0mare\u00a0\u00e8\u00a0azzurro\u00a0come il\u00a0cielo\u00a0che vi si\u00a0riflette. – Non \u00e8\u00a0vero. Il\u00a0mare\u00a0\u00e8 di cento\u00a0colori, qua\u00a0azzurro,\u00a0l\u00e0\u00a0turchino, pi\u00f9 in\u00a0l\u00e0\u00a0violetto, pi\u00f9 in\u00a0l\u00e0\u00a0verde\u00a0chiaro,\u00a0verde\u00a0cupo,\u00a0giallastro,\u00a0grigio,\u00a0bianco…. di cento\u00a0colori. Se non lo avessi\u00a0visto, non lo avrei\u00a0creduto. Ed\u00a0ora\u00a0che ho\u00a0preso\u00a0un po’ di\u00a0confidenza\u00a0con lui… –\u00a0soggiunse\u00a0finalmente una\u00a0mattina.<\/span><\/address>\n
– Ah! Ti sei\u00a0decisa!<\/span><\/address>\n
– S\u00ec, mi sono\u00a0informata\u00a0dalla\u00a0cameriera\u00a0dell’albergo: potremmo\u00a0andare\u00a0in\u00a0barca\u00a0fino\u00a0a\u00a0\u00d2gnina\u00a0e\u00a0tornare, in poche\u00a0ore,\u00a0dopo\u00a0aver\u00a0fatto\u00a0colazione\u00a0col\u00e0.<\/span><\/address>\n
– E se\u00a0sopraggiungesse\u00a0una\u00a0tempesta?<\/span><\/address>\n
– Non\u00a0ridere\u00a0di me!<\/span><\/address>\n
– E se la\u00a0barca\u00a0si\u00a0capovolgesse?<\/span><\/address>\n
–\u00a0Annegheremmo,\u00a0abbracciati\u00a0stretti… e\u00a0addio!<\/span><\/address>\n
– Sei\u00a0diventata\u00a0coraggiosa\u00a0tutt’a un\u00a0tratto?<\/span><\/address>\n
– Avevo\u00a0paura… per te.\u00a0Giacch\u00e9\u00a0ora\u00a0dici\u00a0che non\u00a0c’\u00e8\u00a0pericolo….<\/span><\/address>\n
La\u00a0guardai\u00a0maravigliato\u00a0e con un\u00a0vivissimo\u00a0impeto\u00a0di\u00a0gioia; di\u00a0sollievo,\u00a0dovrei\u00a0dire.<\/span><\/address>\n
Io\u00a0credo\u00a0che il\u00a0viaggio\u00a0di\u00a0nozze\u00a0sia,\u00a0spesso, la prima e la pi\u00f9\u00a0irrimediabile\u00a0delusione\u00a0della\u00a0vita\u00a0matrimoniale. Il\u00a0passaggio\u00a0dall’ideale\u00a0fantasticato\u00a0alla\u00a0realt\u00e0\u00a0\u00e8 cos\u00ec\u00a0brusco\u00a0e cos\u00ec\u00a0inatteso, che\u00a0lascia\u00a0un’orma\u00a0profonda\u00a0nell’animo, qualche cosa che\u00a0forma\u00a0poi l’infelicit\u00e0\u00a0delle due\u00a0fidenti\u00a0creature\u00a0unitesi, forse un po’\u00a0sbadatamente, per sempre.<\/span><\/address>\n
Appunto\u00a0in quegli otto\u00a0giorni\u00a0di\u00a0vita\u00a0di\u00a0albergo, io avevo\u00a0ricevuto\u00a0dal\u00a0contegno\u00a0di\u00a0Paolina, se non una\u00a0cattiva\u00a0impressione, un\u00a0senso\u00a0confuso\u00a0di… di… non\u00a0so\u00a0come\u00a0esprimermi. Insomma, mi\u00a0era\u00a0sembrato\u00a0ch’ella\u00a0mancasse\u00a0di\u00a0tenerezza, di\u00a0abbandono, e che il suo\u00a0spirito\u00a0fosse\u00a0pi\u00f9\u00a0superficiale, pi\u00f9\u00a0fanciullesco\u00a0ch’ella non avesse mai\u00a0lasciato\u00a0trasparire\u00a0in un\u00a0anno\u00a0di\u00a0fidanzamento\u00a0e di quasi\u00a0quotidiana\u00a0intimit\u00e0. In certi\u00a0momenti,\u00a0sorprendevo\u00a0in\u00a0fondo\u00a0al mio\u00a0cuore\u00a0un\u00a0sordo\u00a0e allora\u00a0inesplicabile\u00a0rancore\u00a0contro di lei; e me ne\u00a0indignavo\u00a0come di un’ingiustizia\u00a0verso la\u00a0bella\u00a0creatura\u00a0di\u00a0diciotto\u00a0anni\u00a0che io\u00a0pretendevo\u00a0diversa\u00a0da quella che il\u00a0sesso\u00a0e l’et\u00e0\u00a0dovevano\u00a0farla.<\/span><\/address>\n
Non ero io assai pi\u00f9\u00a0fanciullo\u00a0e pi\u00f9\u00a0leggero\u00a0di lei,\u00a0sentendo\u00a0una\u00a0specie\u00a0di\u00a0gelosia\u00a0del\u00a0mare\u00a0che la\u00a0invasava\u00a0con la sua\u00a0immensit\u00e0? Non ero\u00a0ridicolo? – s\u00ec,\u00a0ridicolo\u00a0– specialmente in quegli\u00a0ultimi\u00a0giorni, nell’accompagnarla\u00a0alla\u00a0marina\u00a0con\u00a0aria\u00a0annoiata,\u00a0musona\u00a0e nel\u00a0compiacermi\u00a0di\u00a0punzecchiarla, di\u00a0canzonarla, di non\u00a0nasconderle\u00a0che la sua\u00a0insaziabilit\u00e0\u00a0cominciava\u00a0a\u00a0sembrarmi\u00a0indegna\u00a0di lei?<\/span><\/address>\n
– Avevo\u00a0paura, per te!<\/span><\/address>\n
Queste\u00a0parole\u00a0intanto erano state un’improvvisa\u00a0rivelazione, soprattutto per l’accento\u00a0con cui ella le aveva\u00a0dette\u00a0e per l’affettuosissimo\u00a0sguardo\u00a0con cui le aveva\u00a0accompagnate.<\/span><\/address>\n
Le\u00a0presi\u00a0il\u00a0braccio, e poco\u00a0dopo\u00a0eravamo alla\u00a0Marina\u00a0in\u00a0cerca\u00a0di una\u00a0barca\u00a0e di un\u00a0barcaiuolo\u00a0che ci\u00a0portasse\u00a0a\u00a0\u00d2gnina, come\u00a0Paolina\u00a0aveva\u00a0progettato.<\/span><\/address>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/address>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/address>\n
A farlo\u00a0apposta, quella\u00a0mattina\u00a0non\u00a0trovavamo\u00a0barche\u00a0n\u00e9\u00a0barcaiuoli\u00a0disponibili, forse\u00a0perch\u00e9\u00a0giornata\u00a0di\u00a0domenica, forse\u00a0perch\u00e9\u00a0il\u00a0bel\u00a0tempo\u00a0aveva\u00a0suggerito\u00a0a parecchi altri la stessa\u00a0idea, forse\u00a0perch\u00e9\u00a0la pi\u00f9\u00a0parte\u00a0dei\u00a0marinai\u00a0erano\u00a0usciti\u00a0per la\u00a0pesca.<\/span><\/address>\n
–\u00a0Pare\u00a0impossibile! Proprio\u00a0oggi! –\u00a0esclam\u00f2\u00a0Paolina.<\/span><\/address>\n
All’ultimo\u00a0un\u00a0vecchietto,\u00a0dopo\u00a0di essersi\u00a0consultato\u00a0con due altri\u00a0vecchi\u00a0che\u00a0fumavano\u00a0tranquillamente\u00a0in un\u00a0canto\u00a0e non si erano neppur\u00a0degnati\u00a0di\u00a0rispondere\u00a0alla nostra\u00a0richiesta, venne ad\u00a0offrirci\u00a0l’opera\u00a0sua.<\/span><\/address>\n
–\u00a0Basterete\u00a0a\u00a0remare\u00a0voi solo? – gli\u00a0dissi.<\/span><\/address>\n
–\u00a0Montino!<\/span><\/address>\n
E il\u00a0gesto\u00a0e la\u00a0voce\u00a0del\u00a0vecchio\u00a0rivelarono\u00a0l’orgoglio\u00a0offeso\u00a0da quel\u00a0dubbio\u00a0da me\u00a0espresso.<\/span><\/address>\n
Il\u00a0mare\u00a0non poteva\u00a0essere\u00a0pi\u00f9\u00a0tranquillo. La\u00a0barca\u00a0scivolava\u00a0su la\u00a0superficie\u00a0con\u00a0leggere\u00a0scossettine. E la\u00a0riva\u00a0sfilava\u00a0di\u00a0fianco\u00a0a noi a poca\u00a0distanza,\u00a0elevandosi\u00a0sempre pi\u00f9 con\u00a0nere\u00a0rocce\u00a0di\u00a0lava\u00a0che gi\u00e0\u00a0nascondevano\u00a0la\u00a0campagna.\u00a0Grotte\u00a0si\u00a0aprivano\u00a0qua e\u00a0l\u00e0;\u00a0stormi\u00a0di\u00a0palombi\u00a0selvatici\u00a0sbucavano\u00a0da esse, di\u00a0tratto\u00a0in\u00a0tratto,\u00a0involandosi\u00a0verso\u00a0terra, mentre gli\u00a0alcioni\u00a0ci\u00a0accompagnavano\u00a0sfiorando\u00a0l’acqua\u00a0con\u00a0ali\u00a0spiegate\u00a0che non\u00a0producevano\u00a0nessun\u00a0lieve\u00a0frusc\u00eco.<\/span><\/address>\n
Paolina era in estasi ed io dovevo impedirle di chinarsi ogni volta ch\u2019ella tentava di afferrare qualcuna delle meduse erranti a fior d\u2019acqua, opaline, iridate, simili a funghi cristallini portati via dalla corrente.<\/span><\/address>\n
Mi\u00a0maravigliavo\u00a0ch’ella non\u00a0sentisse\u00a0nessun\u00a0sintomo\u00a0di\u00a0mal\u00a0di\u00a0mare.<\/span><\/address>\n
– Sei\u00a0contenta\u00a0di questa\u00a0gita?<\/span><\/address>\n
– Che\u00a0delizia!<\/span><\/address>\n
– Ecco\u00a0\u00d2gnina, –\u00a0disse\u00a0il\u00a0barcaiolo.<\/span><\/address>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/address>\n
Eravamo appena a\u00a0met\u00e0\u00a0della nostra\u00a0colazione, quando il\u00a0vecchio, che\u00a0era\u00a0andato\u00a0a\u00a0trovare\u00a0un suo\u00a0conoscente, si\u00a0presentava\u00a0annunziandoci:<\/span><\/address>\n
– Bisogna\u00a0partire\u00a0s\u00f9bito. Si \u00e8\u00a0levato\u00a0un po’ di\u00a0vento, il\u00a0mare\u00a0si\u00a0guasta.<\/span><\/address>\n
Infatti\u00a0pareva\u00a0che avesse dei\u00a0brividi; si\u00a0increspava, si\u00a0sollevava\u00a0con\u00a0frequenti\u00a0crestine\u00a0spumanti.<\/span><\/address>\n
– Facciamo presto –\u00a0insisteva\u00a0il\u00a0vecchio.<\/span><\/address>\n
– Ci sar\u00e0\u00a0pericolo? –\u00a0domand\u00f2\u00a0Paolina.<\/span><\/address>\n
– No,\u00a0padrona\u00a0mia; ma \u00e8\u00a0meglio\u00a0far presto. Col\u00a0mare\u00a0non si\u00a0sa\u00a0mai….<\/span><\/address>\n
Partimmo\u00a0un po’\u00a0sballottati.\u00a0Paolina\u00a0mi\u00a0guardava\u00a0negli\u00a0occhi\u00a0quasi per\u00a0scrutarmi, e poi\u00a0guardava\u00a0il\u00a0barcaiuolo, che faceva\u00a0forza\u00a0coi\u00a0remi\u00a0per\u00a0resistere\u00a0agli\u00a0urti\u00a0crescenti\u00a0delle\u00a0ondate. Io\u00a0cominciavo\u00a0a\u00a0impensierirmi\u00a0per lei. Questa\u00a0volta\u00a0certamente il\u00a0mal\u00a0di\u00a0mare\u00a0l’avrebbe fatta\u00a0soffrire.<\/span><\/address>\n
La\u00a0barca\u00a0balzava, si\u00a0avvallava, si\u00a0rialzava.\u00a0Sprazzi\u00a0di\u00a0spuma\u00a0arrivavano\u00a0agli\u00a0orli\u00a0di essa.<\/span><\/address>\n
Tutt’a un\u00a0colpo\u00a0il\u00a0mare\u00a0divent\u00f2\u00a0pi\u00f9\u00a0agitato. Il\u00a0barcaiuolo\u00a0stentava\u00a0a farci\u00a0procedere;\u00a0ansimava,\u00a0sudava,\u00a0guardava\u00a0attorno,\u00a0lontano, e\u00a0scoteva\u00a0la\u00a0testa. Certi\u00a0scogli\u00a0a\u00a0fior\u00a0d’acqua, che io avevo\u00a0notati\u00a0nell’andare, non si\u00a0scorgevano\u00a0pi\u00f9,\u00a0sommersi\u00a0sotto le\u00a0ondate\u00a0che si\u00a0succedevano\u00a0fitte,\u00a0accavallandosi,\u00a0spumeggiando.<\/span><\/address>\n
– Ah,\u00a0Madonna\u00a0Santa!… Ah,\u00a0sant’Agata\u00a0benedetta! –\u00a0brontolava\u00a0il\u00a0barcaiuolo.<\/span><\/address>\n
Non\u00a0era\u00a0incoraggiante; ma io mi\u00a0sforzavo\u00a0di\u00a0sorridere\u00a0a\u00a0Paolina, e di farle\u00a0animo\u00a0con gli\u00a0sguardi.<\/span><\/address>\n
–\u00a0Sangue\u00a0di…!\u00a0Corpo\u00a0di…! –\u00a0bestemmiava\u00a0sotto\u00a0voce\u00a0il\u00a0barcaiolo, come pi\u00f9 il\u00a0mare\u00a0si faceva\u00a0cattivo.<\/span><\/address>\n
– Hai\u00a0paura? –\u00a0domandai\u00a0a\u00a0Paolina.<\/span><\/address>\n
– No.<\/span><\/address>\n
–\u00a0Tienti\u00a0forte\u00a0al\u00a0panchetto.<\/span><\/address>\n
–\u00a0Sta’\u00a0tranquillo, non\u00a0occorre.<\/span><\/address>\n
–\u00a0Sant’Agata\u00a0benedetta!…\u00a0Madonna\u00a0delle\u00a0Grazie! –\u00a0tornava\u00a0e\u00a0brontolava\u00a0il\u00a0vecchio, che\u00a0sosteneva\u00a0male\u00a0le\u00a0spinte\u00a0delle onde e non\u00a0riusciva\u00a0pi\u00f9 a\u00a0filar\u00a0diritto.<\/span><\/address>\n
–\u00a0Badate! –\u00a0urlai.<\/span><\/address>\n
Al mio\u00a0grido\u00a0egli fece uno\u00a0sforzo,\u00a0accompagnato\u00a0da due o tre\u00a0energiche\u00a0bestemmie, e cos\u00ec lo\u00a0scoglio\u00a0in cui stavamo per\u00a0investire\u00a0fu,\u00a0fortunatamente,\u00a0evitato. Io lo avevo\u00a0scorto\u00a0mentre le\u00a0ondate,\u00a0rovesciandosi\u00a0dall’altra\u00a0parte, lo\u00a0avevan\u00a0lasciato\u00a0per un\u00a0istante\u00a0scoperto.\u00a0Era\u00a0uno di quelli a\u00a0fior\u00a0d’acqua,\u00a0pericolosissimo.<\/span><\/address>\n
– Che cosa \u00e8\u00a0stato? –\u00a0domand\u00f2\u00a0Paolina.<\/span><\/address>\n
– Niente.\u00a0Appoggiate\u00a0pi\u00f9 a\u00a0sinistra\u00a0–\u00a0soggiunsi,\u00a0rivolto\u00a0al\u00a0barcaiuolo.<\/span><\/address>\n
– Sarebbe\u00a0peggio\u00a0–\u00a0rispose. –\u00a0Aah!\u00a0Aah!\u00a0Aah!<\/span><\/address>\n
E\u00a0aiutava\u00a0con la\u00a0voce\u00a0lo\u00a0sforzo\u00a0di tutta la\u00a0persona.<\/span><\/address>\n
Allora fui\u00a0stupito\u00a0di\u00a0veder\u00a0Paolina\u00a0calma,\u00a0sorridente, e di\u00a0udirla, prima, canticchiare a mezza voca, poi cantare a voce spiegata, quando gli sbalzi della\u00a0barca\u00a0fossero cosa aggradevole.\u00a0Ora\u00a0non\u00a0ricordo\u00a0pi\u00f9 che cosa ella\u00a0cantasse, ma ho ancora nell’animo\u00a0l’impressione\u00a0di quella voce limpida, ferma, che gettava in mezzo al rumore delle onde agitate una dolce melodia del Bellini, o forse piuttosto del Verdi\u2026<\/span><\/address>\n
Io\u00a0dovevo\u00a0farmi\u00a0violenza\u00a0per non farle\u00a0capire\u00a0che\u00a0cominciavo\u00a0a\u00a0temere\u00a0qualche\u00a0pericolo\u00a0con quel barcaiolo\u00a0vecchio,\u00a0mezzo\u00a0sfinito, che\u00a0alternava\u00a0con\u00a0maggior\u00a0frequenza\u00a0invocazioni\u00a0alla\u00a0Madonna\u00a0e a\u00a0sant’Agata\u00a0e\u00a0brutali\u00a0bestemmie. Eravamo\u00a0lontani\u00a0mezzo\u00a0chilometro\u00a0dalla\u00a0punta\u00a0del\u00a0Molo; \u00a0e Paolina,\u00a0terminata\u00a0una\u00a0melodia, aveva\u00a0impreso\u00a0a\u00a0cantarne\u00a0un’altra pi\u00f9\u00a0allegra, pi\u00f9\u00a0squillante, senza mostrar di\u00a0curarsi\u00a0della\u00a0crescente\u00a0violenza\u00a0del\u00a0mare.<\/span><\/address>\n
La\u00a0punta\u00a0del\u00a0Molo\u00a0era\u00a0affollata\u00a0di\u00a0gente\u00a0che\u00a0pareva\u00a0seguisse\u00a0ansiosa\u00a0con gli\u00a0occhi\u00a0la nostra\u00a0barca\u00a0lottante\u00a0contro le onde.<\/span><\/address>\n
–\u00a0Vira,\u00a0vira\u00a0pi\u00f9 al\u00a0largo! –\u00a0udii\u00a0gridare. –\u00a0Forza!\u00a0Coraggio!<\/span><\/address>\n
E quando fummo\u00a0vicini, un\u00a0marinaio\u00a0ci\u00a0gitt\u00f2\u00a0una\u00a0fune\u00a0che il\u00a0vecchio\u00a0afferr\u00f2.\u00a0Saltato\u00a0il\u00a0primo\u00a0su la\u00a0banchina\u00a0si\u00a0buttava\u00a0ginocchioni,\u00a0scoppiando\u00a0in\u00a0lagrime, e\u00a0toccava\u00a0con la fronte il terreno, ringraziando la Madonna e\u00a0sant’Agata\u00a0dell’averlo\u00a0salvato!<\/span><\/address>\n
Paolina, appena\u00a0posto\u00a0piede\u00a0a\u00a0terra,\u00a0impallidiva\u00a0improvvisamente\u00a0e mi si\u00a0sveniva\u00a0tra le\u00a0braccia.<\/span><\/address>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/address>\n
– Hai potuto far questo? Tu!<\/span><\/address>\n
Mi\u00a0pareva\u00a0incredibile.<\/span><\/address>\n
Ella aveva\u00a0compreso\u00a0assai\u00a0meglio\u00a0di me il\u00a0pericolo\u00a0in cui ci eravamo\u00a0trovati; e intanto, per non farmi\u00a0perdere\u00a0coraggio\u00a0col\u00a0mostrarsi\u00a0atterrita, si\u00a0era\u00a0messa\u00a0a\u00a0cantare, stando\u00a0ferma\u00a0al suo\u00a0posto.<\/span><\/address>\n
– Mi\u00a0sentivo\u00a0morire\u00a0dallo\u00a0spavento\u00a0di\u00a0annegare! Come abbia avuto quella\u00a0forza\u00a0non lo\u00a0so\u00a0neppur io…. Ti volevo tanto\u00a0bene\u00a0in quel\u00a0punto!<\/span><\/address>\n
– E\u00a0dopo,\u00a0ora? –\u00a0dissi\u00a0abbracciandola\u00a0e\u00a0coprendola\u00a0di\u00a0baci.<\/span><\/address>\n
Fece\u00a0soltanto\u00a0un\u00a0gesto, un\u00a0rapido\u00a0indimenticabile\u00a0gesto.<\/span><\/address>\n
\u00a0<\/address>\n
(A Jolanda)<\/address>\n
\u00a0<\/address>\n
Luigi Capuana (da \u201cDelitto ideale\u201d, Milano-Roma-Palermo, Remo Sandron Editore)<\/address>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Quantunque a\u00a0Catania\u00a0da otto\u00a0giorni, mia\u00a0moglie\u00a0era\u00a0tuttavia sotto il gran fascino dello spettacolo del mare, nuovo per lei. A ogni po’, mentre la\u00a0conducevo\u00a0attorno\u00a0per … Continua<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4229,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[14],"tags":[2047,2046,1219,2045,192,401,2048,756],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.slow-words.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4228"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.slow-words.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.slow-words.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.slow-words.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.slow-words.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4228"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.slow-words.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4228\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4292,"href":"https:\/\/www.slow-words.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4228\/revisions\/4292"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.slow-words.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4229"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.slow-words.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4228"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.slow-words.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4228"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.slow-words.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4228"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}