The Prince by Vito Bruschini

prove truly fortunate for both men.
    One of Prince Licata’s lands bordered on the Asinomorto estate of Prince Bongiorno of Gibellina, a young scion orphaned at an early age, who in a short time had been deprived of a large portion of his assets thanks to his guardian’s greed and the dissolute life he himself had led. Not for the first time, the young Prince Bongiorno found himself in the position of urgently needing cash to pay off certain debts owed to some shady characters. He therefore proposed that Prince Licata buy the Asinomorto estate for 200,000 liras. They agreed on the figure of 180,000 liras and made an appointment with the notary.
    On the morning of the established day, however, something unusual happened. Prince Bongiorno’s elderly grandfather, while making the rounds of his estates in his horse-drawn carriage, was attacked by masked bandits who knocked him unconscious with a blow to the head and stole everything he had on him: his watch, a few liras, and the family ring. The injured old prince was immediately brought to his palace, where his grandson summoned the local doctor. So as not to break his agreement with Licata, Bongiorno sent a proxy to the notary’s office: a man he trusted blindly.
    But, as they say, every man has a price, and the proxy signed the purchase contract with an added clause stipulating that, to commemorate the opportune transaction, Ferdinando Licata would present Prince Bongiorno with seven fig tarts every September for the following nine years.
    In point of fact, the proxy never collected the agreed-upon sum, though he swore that he had duly left it at Prince Bongiorno’s home, in a desk drawer where he usually hid documents and money, so as not to go around with so much cash. Bongiorno placed his full trust in the proxy and, despite many reservations, ended up believing him, in part because the notary confirmed that the exchange of money and deeds had actually taken place before his very eyes. Although he hadn’t received a single lira from the sale, Prince Bongiorno could not prevent Ferdinando Licata from taking possession of the Asinomorto estate, and in the years that followed, Licata never failed to send the prince seven fig tarts when September rolled around, though they invariably ended up in the pig trough accompanied by the bitter curses of the cheated young man.
    It goes without saying that the proxy’s name was Rosario Losurdo, who some time later—when Bongiorno’s grandfather had died and the young prince decided to settle in Rome at the home of certain noble relatives—entered Licata’s employ as his chief aide and overseer.
    Thanks to that propitious transaction, Losurdo received twenty-five acres of the former estate as a gift from Prince Licata. And over time a strong friendship was established between the two men.
    So when Don Antonio Albamonte’s Veterans cooperative had trouble purchasing the Baucina lands, Prince Licata summoned Losurdo and explained the problem in broad outline. “I first want to try and persuade the Marquis Bellarato to become my friend. Not to let his cousin stand in the way of my cooperative. But I need a show of force, in case he may have some hesitation. Nothing violent—you know me. Let’s say we’ll settle for some cattle this first time around. You steal some cows, we’ll hide them for a few days, then I’ll go talk to him, and, if he agrees to back out of the Baucina deal, we’ll give them back.”
    â€œAnd if he refuses?” the gabellotto asked.
    â€œIn that case, we’ll return the cows, but after slaughtering them.”
    Not batting an eye, Losurdo asked who he should have do the job.
    â€œEither way, I’d say Gaetano Vassallo is up to both tasks.”
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    Don Antonio Albamonte was seriously worried about the farmers in the cooperative. Every morning, when the first mass was about to begin, a handful of the 395 coop members confronted