Joseph Farrell teaches Italian at the University of Strathclyde. He is the editor of Understanding the Mafia and the translator of novels by Sciascia, Vincenzo Consolo and Daniele Del Giudice.
On the flight to Sicily, I read in several British newspapers about a mini riot in Palermo. The story seemed to be that the inhabitants of the Papireto district had taken to the streets to protest over a plague of fat mice. The creatures had been tumbling onto their heads from the tops of buildings. This sounded like a Biblical affliction, probably more distressing than anything suffered by...
Divine intervention was not claimed for the duel. At stake was the question of honour. A gentleman could have any number of differences with his peers without coming to blows, but when his honour was sullied...
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