Four Quarters: June 1955 Vol. IV, No. 4
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Four Quarters Volume 4 Article 1 Number 4 Four Quarters: June 1955 Vol. IV, No. 4 6-15-1955 Four Quarters: June 1955 Vol. IV, No. 4 Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.lasalle.edu/fourquarters Recommended Citation (1955) "Four Quarters: June 1955 Vol. IV, No. 4," Four Quarters: Vol. 4 : No. 4 , Article 1. Available at: http://digitalcommons.lasalle.edu/fourquarters/vol4/iss4/1 This Complete Issue is brought to you for free and open access by the University Publications at La Salle University Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Four Quarters by an authorized editor of La Salle University Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Catholic College and the Catholic Writer A Symposium four • Page 16 Quarters The House of Cards • Page 1 A Story by John A. Lynch 9i "Oil To My Lover, With My L6vc • Page 8 1 A -Poi^m by Alberta T, Turner ^ SIS Europe from ^aeii Reforn^tion to Jj the Revolution • Page 9 i An Article by Christopher Daiyson ^ 's The Son of Driopc • Page 14 Ar Poem by Hatton Burke €1 ^ >> Pen and Ink Drawing • Page 35 By Bra. E. Fidelis 1 June, 1955 vot IY9 BO. 4 •fifty cents 2 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Lyrasis IVIembers and Sloan Foundation http://www.archive.org/details/fourquarters91unse The House of Cards John A. Lynch REMEMBER it as if it were yes- Captain Decker relxirned with the terday. Captain Decker came bottle under his jacket and lowered I out of the Flora promptly at seven himself into the back seat. I got in that evening^—it was his trait to be beside Gughelmo. As he withdrew prompt'—and after we had greeted the bottle, the captain directed Gug- each other he motioned down the lielmo to head out to the north and street and a Fiat that was parked east, w^here we were to pick up sev- there started up and stopped again eral other people. Then the captain in front of the hotel. The Fiat w^as handed me a khaki necktie. "It will driven by Guglielmo, the captain's look a lot better, " he said. We chauffeur, a short, heavy-set Itahan drove out the Corso d'ltalia and whom I had met only the day before through the Porta Pia. and who barely squeezed in behind After a few blocks the captain the wheel. tapped me on the shoulder. "There's "Hold on a minute, " said the cap- Mussolini's place, " he said. "On tain, as I started toward the car. "I the right." forgot the Scotch." Then he turned "Villa Torlonia, " Guglielmo mut- directly to me and added, not so tered with disgust, as if he had al- much as an afterthought but as ready driven past it too many times something he had been ready to say: to the captain's delight. "Where we're going tonight, you'd "Not so good, Guglielmo? " the better have a tie." Before I could captain asked. He laughed quietly answer he had disappeared inside in the back seat. "Turn here," he the hotel again. I went over to talk said finally. to Guglielmo. "Luigi?" Guglielmo asked, turn- "Come sta?" I asked, using what ing his head as he drove the auto- httle Italian I knew, squatting on the mobile into a dark, tree-lined street. curb so that I could see into the car. "Yes," the captain said. "Think " "Benel" he answered. "Every- you can find it? " thing is good tonight, no? "Find it?" said Guglielmo. "W^ho "I hear it will be a big party," I has been here more often than I?" said. "I brought some chocolate for The car went faster now, turning the children." I had two large Her- many corners, taking what seemed a shey bars in my pocket and I drew very indirect route. I lost track of them out for him to see. where w^e were, but remember that "Bi r he exciaimec He v^^e went a few blocks on the wide leaned across the seat to me. "You Corso Trieste, then turned left are very fortunate, you Americans." again. Presently we drew alongside He stared into my eyes for a mo- a high wall and stopped by a dark ment. "You are very fortunate." iron gate. But before Captain Four Quarters Decker could get out, three people sister. I am Luigi." Then he too appeared from the darkness and began laughing, but it was not came through the gate to the car. shrill, nor even glad. We opened the doors and they got Guglielmo had the car under way in without waiting for introductions. by this time, and as he turned his There were two girls w^ith Luigi. I head slightly again, I noticed the don t know just whom I had ex- look of contempt on his face. Be- pected, but somehow^ I hadn't neath his breath I think he must thought that they would be Itahans. have been swearing, and I expected One of the girls got into the front him any moment to spit heavily out seat with me and I had to force my the window. hip into Gughelmo, who had al- "Straight ahead," said the cap- ready moved as far to the left as he tain. We came out into the Piazza could and had one fat arm out the Verbano, made another turn, and window. Luigi and the other girl within two more blocks stopped be- climbed in back with Captain fore a second gate, beyond which Decker, the girl seating herself several lights shone. Here we un- closely between them. loaded, and as Guglielmo drove up "This is Jim," the captain said, the street to park, the captain led us introducing me. "We were in col- tow^ard the house. As we w^ent lege together. Fraternity brothers. through the door, he caught my eye. Jim's just in town for a couple of "Do as the Romans do," he said. days." An hour later a lieutenant of the "Yes," I said. "W^e w^ere at col- corps of engineers was pressing me lege together, although several years for the third time to hear if I was apart." the fellow who had just been to "And this is Cecilia," the captain Capri, and when I was able to make said, introducing the girl beside me. it clear to him that I had never been She was slim, with blonde hair, and to Capri but had just come down rather commonly made up. from Volterra, I broke aw^ay from "Jeem," she said. "Giacomo." the party and went in search of Then she laughed, suddenly and Luigi. Luigi was, I had quickly shrilly, and placed her hand on my noticed, not quite acceptable socially cheek. "It is nice," she said, the —most likely because of the relation- laughter dying away. ship of his wife to the captains—and "And this is Maria," the captain as the party had progressed from continued. "She is my girl. Eh, one room to another, from the front Maria?" of the house to the rear, all the while "But what does your wife say, in accompanied by the sound of glasses Pittsburgh?" she asked, and began and bottles, and a phonograph play- laughing shrilly, as Cecilia had. ing out-of-date American records, I Captain Decker joined in vv^ith her. had caught but few glimpses of him. I am Luigi," the man said fi- Now he sat alone at the front of nally. The laughing died down. the house, on the bottom step of the "Maria is my wife, Cecilia is my gilded and carpeted staircase that The House of Cards led to the second floor. A long- "The king," I said. He had placed necked, green-glass bottle was at Kis the card face up. side, and on the floor between his "The king! " said Luigi. He legs he was laying down a deck of grasped the wine bottle and made a cards in imitation of the floor's par- pass at the cards and the house col- quet design. lapsed between his feet. "Finitol" "If you've been drinking whiskey, he said, grinning. you ought to lay off the wine, "The king, " I repeated. "Finitol" Luigi, " I said. He moved over on "Finitol" Luigi said. Then he the step to make room for me. shouted, and standing up he "It is all the same after a while," stamped on the cards that lay at his he said. He offered me the bottle feet. but I refused, and he set it at his When he had stopped, Luigi side again. looked at me and offered the bottle "What was your name? ' he again. asked, glancing at me. "Sure," I said. "W^hy not? ' I "Jim." tipped the bottle and took a long "Si, Giacomo." He leaned over swallow; it was the wine of white and scraped his cards together. "Do grapes. "Molto buonol" I said, ' you work in the city, too? tasting the wine still in my mouth. " "No," I said. "I'm on pass. Luigi sat down beside me and I "Sopra passo?" He looked at me took another swallow^ before hand- curiously. ing the bottle back to him. The "From the front," I said. "I'm cards were scattered on the floor, staying at the rest camp. I just met and when next I looked at them I Captain Decker on the street the saw, just beyond, a pair of brown " other day.