Mateo Falcone

by Prosper Merimée

When he walks towards the centre of the island of Corsica, the traveller notices hills, and after three hours walking, he finds a large area of 'mâquis'. The 'mâquis' is where Corsicans make their home if they don't want to meet the police. The Corsican farmer burns forests because the ash is very good for his fields. He only cuts the grain and leaves the straw. The following spring the straw starts to grow again and, in a few years, it is two or three metres high. That is called 'mâquis'. The 'mâquis' is different kinds of trees, so crowded and mixed together that only an axe can cut them.

If you kill a man, go into the 'mâquis'! With a gun, you can live there safely. Don't forget a coat! You can use it to keep you warm and to lie on. The shepherds will give you nuts, milk and cheese, and there is no need to be afraid of the police or the dead man's family except when you go to the city.

When I was in Corsica in 18--, Mateo Falcone had his house two or three kilometres from this 'mâquis'. He was rich in that country, living on the money from his sheep, which eat the grass here and there on the mountains. When I saw him, two years after my story ends, he seemed about fifty years old or more. Picture a man, small but healthy, with black hair, thin lips and large eyes. And Mateo could shoot a wolf at a hundred metres or more. He used his gun as easily at night as in the day.

Because he was so skilled with his gun, Mateo Falcone had a famous name. Everyone said he was as good a friend as he was a dangerous enemy; he lived at peace with the world. His wife Giuseppa had given him at first three daughters (which made him very angry), and finally a son called Fortunato, who became the hope of his family, the boy to continue the family name.

The daughters were well-married to men who listened to their father-in-law and helped when he needed a gun. The son was only ten years old, but he was a fine boy.

On an autumn day, Mateo left home early with his wife to visit some of his sheep in the 'mâquis'. Little Fortunato wanted to go with them, but it was too far; also, someone had to stay to watch the house; so, Mateo Falcone refused: as we will see, he will be sorry for his decision.

Little Fortunato was lazily lying in the sun, looking at the blue mountains, and thinking that the next Sunday he was going to have dinner in the city with his uncle, when he heard a gun. He got up and turned to the noise. The noise of the gun came nearer. At last, a man came on the path to Mateo's house, dirty and tired. It was hard for him to walk. The police had just shot him in the leg.

This man was a criminal, who went to the town at night to buy bullets for his gun but some Corsican soldiers saw him. He got away but the soldiers followed him, shooting again and again. He was only a little in front of the soldiers, and it was impossible for him to get to the 'maquis' before the soldiers caught him because he could not walk.

He came to Fortunato and said: "You are Mateo Falcone's son?"

"Yes."

"I am Gianetto. The soldiers are following me. Hide me; I can't go on."

"And what will my father say if I hide you?"

"He'll say that you've done well."

"How do you know?"

"Hide me quickly! They're coming."

"Wait till my father gets back."

"How can I wait? They'll be here in five minutes. Come on, hide me, or I'll kill you."

Fortunato answered him with coolness:

"Your gun's empty, and there are no more bullets in your belt."

"I have my knife."

"But can you run as fast as I can?"

"You aren't the son of Mateo Falcone! Will you let them arrest me in front of your house?"

"What will you give me if I hide you?" he said, coming nearer.

The criminal took out a five-franc coin, which he had saved to buy bullets. Fortunato smiled at the silver; he took it quickly, and said to Gianetto:

"Don't worry!"

Immediately he made a hole in some straw near the house.

Gianetto hid in it and the child covered him so that no-one could see him. He had a good idea and put a cat and her kittens on the straw, so that it looked like nobody had moved it. Then, he noticed some blood on the path near the house and he covered it carefully with dirt, and again lay down in the sun.

A few moments later, six men in brown uniforms were in front of Mateo's door. Their captain was a relative of Falcone's. His name was Gamba; all the criminals were afraid of him because he had already caught many of them.

"Good afternoon, little cousin," he said, coming up to Fortunato; "You're getting taller. Have you seen a man go past here just now?"

"Oh! I'm not yet as tall as you, cousin," answered the child.

"You soon will be. But haven't you seen a man near here? Tell me quickly!"

"This morning the baker passed on his horse. He asked me how papa was..."

"Ah, you are playing with me! We're looking for Gianetto, and I'm sure he took this path. I know you saw him."

"I was asleep"

"You weren't asleep; the shooting woke you up. I'm certain you've seen Gianetto. Perhaps you have hidden him. Soldiers, go into the house and see if our man is there. He could only walk on one foot, and he is too clever to run to the 'mâquis' like that. Look, the blood stops here."

"And what will papa say?" asked Fortunato; "what will he say if he knows that you've been in his house while he was away? My father is Mateo Falcone."

"You know I can take you to prison and even cut your head off."

The child started laughing. He repeated:

"My father is Mateo Falcone."

"Captain," said one of the soldiers in a low voice, "we don't want problems with Mateo."

One of the men came near the straw. He saw the cat. The boy's face did not change.

The Captain thought. Already the soldiers looked ready to return, when their chief decided to try one more time and give a present to Mateo's son.

"My little cousin," he said, "you're a clever boy. But you're playing a game with me. Be a good boy and I'll give you something."

The Captain took out of his pocket a silver watch. He noticed that Fortunato's eyes opened wide and said:

"You'd like this watch, wouldn't you? People in town will ask you what time it is, and you'll say: 'Look at my watch.'"

"When I'm big, my uncle will give me a watch."

"Yes; but your uncle's little boy has one already. It's not as fine as this, of course. But he's younger than you. Would you like this watch, little cousin?"

Fortunato looked sideways at the watch, like a cat with a whole cooked chicken. It feels that you are making fun of it. From time to time, it turns its eyes away and seems to say, "Don't joke with me!"

However, the Captain seemed serious. Fortunato said with a smile:

"Why do you make fun of me?"

"I'm not making fun of you. Tell me where Gianetto is and the watch is yours."

Fortunato smiled and, his black eyes on the Captain's, tried to read if the man was really serious.

The Captain slowly held the watch nearer till it almost touched the child's face.

Finally, the boy's right hand moved towards it; his fingers touched it; then it was in his hand. Fortunato lifted his left hand and pointed at the straw. The Captain understood him at once. He jumped up and the soldiers began to uncover the straw.

A man with a knife in his hand appeared. He tried to get up, but he fell because of his leg. The Captain took away his knife.

Gianetto turned his head to Fortunato. The child threw him the silver coin; but the criminal paid no attention, and with great coolness said to the Captain:

"My dear Gamba, I can't walk. You must carry me to the city."

"A few minutes ago, you could run. But I'm so pleased to have you that we are going to make a bed for you with your coat and some branches."

"Good," said the prisoner, "You can also put a little straw on your bed so that I can be more comfortable."

While some of the soldiers were making a bed, the soldiers suddenly saw Mateo Falcone and his wife on the path. The woman was walking under an enormous sack of nuts, while her husband was only carrying one gun in his hands, with another on his shoulders.

When he saw the soldiers, Mateo thought they had come to arrest him. But why? No. He had an excellent name, but he was also a Corsican, and there are few Corsicans who can't remember a fight or a gun-shot. But Mateo had not pointed his gun at a man for more than ten years. But he was always careful.

"Wife," he said to Giuseppa, "put down the sack and get ready."

She did it at once. He gave her the gun that was on his shoulders and walked slowly towards the house, ready to hide behind the trees if there was trouble. His wife followed, holding his second gun and the bullets. A good wife must keep her husband's guns ready.

The Captain was worried. "If" he thought, "Mateo is related to Gianetto, or if he's his friend, he could kill many of us; even though I'm his cousin!"

He walked alone towards Mateo to tell him about the arrest like an old friend, but the short distance between him and Mateo seemed very long.

"Hello old friend!" he shouted. "How are you? It's Gamba, your cousin."

Without answering, Mateo stopped and slowly lifted his gun so it pointed up when the Captain joined him.

"Good-day, brother," said the Captain, holding out his hand. "It's a long time since I've seen you. I stopped to say good-day to you and my little cousin here. We've had a long journey today, but we have just arrested Gianetto."

"Thank God" cried Giuseppa. "He stole a goat from us last week."

"Poor man!" said Mateo, "He was hungry."

"He fought like a lion," continued the Captain. "He killed one of my soldiers. He was well hidden and we couldn't find him. But my little cousin, Fortunato, helped us."

"Fortunato!" cried Mateo.

"Yes, Gianetto was under the straw over there, but my little cousin showed me the place. I'll tell his uncle to send him a fine present."

Gianetto was already lying on the bed, ready to go to the police station. When he saw Mateo and Gamba together he smiled a strange smile. Then he turned his head to the door of the house and he spat, saying:

"House of a traitor."

Only a man who was ready to die could use the word 'traitor' to Falcone. However, Mateo only put his hand on his forehead.

Fortunato had gone into the house when his father arrived, but now he came with some milk which he handed to Gianetto.

"Get away from me!" cried the criminal. Then, he turned to one of the soldiers and asked for some water.

The soldier put his water bottle in his hands, and the prisoner drank the water given to him by a man that he had just shot at.

Then the Captain gave the signal to start, said good-bye to Mateo, who did not answer, and went down the hill towards the town.

Nearly ten minutes passed before Mateo spoke. The child looked with worried eyes, now at his mother, now at his father.

"Oh, father!" cried the boy, starting to cry. But Mateo cried, "Away from me!"

The boy stopped and cried, a few steps from his father.

Giuseppa had just found the watch in Fortunato's jacket.

"Who gave you that watch?" she asked.

"My cousin, the Captain."

Falcone took the watch and smashed it in a thousand pieces.

"Wife," said he, "is this my child?"

Giuseppa's face turned red.

"What are you saying, Mateo?"

Falcone turned to the 'mâquis', calling to Fortunato, who was still crying, to follow.

Giuseppa hurried after Mateo and pulled his arm.

"He is your son," she said, her black eyes on her husband's face to read what was going on in his heart.

"Leave me alone," said Mateo, "I'm his father."

Giuseppa kissed her son and, crying, entered the house. Meanwhile Falcone walked two hundred metres along the path. He tried the earth with his gun, and found it soft.

"Fortunato, go close to that big tree there."

The child did as he was told.

"Oh, father, father, do not kill me!"

"Are you finished?"

"Oh father, forgive me! I will never do it again."

He was still speaking. Mateo lifted his gun. The boy tried to get up and hold his father's knees, but there was not time. Mateo shot and Fortunato fell dead.

Without looking at the body, Mateo returned to the house for a spade. He had only gone a few steps when he met Giuseppa, who was hurrying to him.

"What have you done?" cried she.

"I am going to bury him.

"Tell my son-in-law, Tiodoro Bianchi, to come and live with us."