Monday, January 24, 2022

Page 106

At the police station, the chief got nervous when he found out that I had no documents and besides, I was a foreigner. I explained that I always left my documents at home for fear of losing them, but if they really wanted to check who I was, they could just call the Beaumont house, of which I was a guest.

While one of the gendarmes dialed the number of Villa Molitor I smiled calmly: soon they would let me go, with so many excuses. But my smile faded when the gendarme said, "Totally unknown to the Beaumont."

"But... but it's not possible!" I exclaimed, no longer so calm. "You have the wrong number: Molitor 62..." 

"The numbers are not wrong" said the chief of police from the top of his bench. "It is you who are wrong in making fun of us." 

"But I'm not making fun of anyone, I live at the Beaumont!"

"Her information." the chief said opening the register and starting to write. "Italian, she said. Born in..." 

"In Venice. Please let me call the Beaumont." I said agitatedly. 

"This is not a pay phone." said the chief without lifting his pen from the register. "Born in Venice on the day..." 

"Let me call, please." I pleaded. 

"Try again." the chief ordered the gendarme.

The gendarme redialed the number. I listen carefully and: "Unknown. Maybe in the Beaumont house she becomes invisible" he giggled hanging up. 

"Please let me call, general," I said, folding my hands. 

"I'm not a general," the chief observed. He put down his pen and: "Okay. But hurry up. You've wasted too much time already."

I too was told that I was completely unknown at Villa Molitor. Not one of the Beaumont were in the house...

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