WEDDING MARCHTerzi was a haughty man, whom nobody had ever managed to humble. He struck one as a remnant of that era of duels, when a man could strike fear into the hearts of many with his anger, his umbrageous sense of honour, as well as his dexterity and confidence with a sword or pistol. Lieutenant Miccoli used to say that Terzi’s head was made of stone, exactly of the kind used at the top of the architraves in old palaces: if he never bowed his head it was simply because it would have probably snapped!
His daughter, Elda, was his spitting image. She was highly vivacious and generous, but she also shared his indomitable willpower. Terzi used to say that if only his own soldiers had had her temperament, their enemies during the war would have had a much tougher time. This ridiculous sor
