The Great Pair

Signor Benito Mussolini, Premier of Italy, left Rome secretly. None knew whither nor for what purpose. To make the mystery more profound, Parliament was in session and the presence of the Premier in the Senate and Chamber of Deputies was highly desirable.

According to sleuths, the Premier motored to a station near Rome where an express train was held up for him. At the insignificant station of Soave, between Verona and Brescia, he alighted. There an automobile awaited him and off he tore in it, heeding not a gesticulating policeman who tried to stop him for speeding. At Gardone, which lies in the mountains between Lago d'Iseo and Lago di Garda, the automobile slowed up. Hundreds of peasants who had heard rumors of his coming were on hand to greet him.

What the Premier could be doing in the far north of Italy, not one Italian could honestly tell another, but all had extravagant theories on the subject. At least, the visit was agreed important, although official information said that Mussolini had merely gone on a vacation.

News finally leaked from Gardone, where the estate of the aesthetic, erratic, eremitic Gabriele d'Annunzio (officially, il Principe di Monte Nevoso -- Prince of the Snowy Mountain) is situate. It appeared that the Premier had gone on a visit to d'Annunzio, that, when they met, they had fallen upon each other's necks, kissed. D'Annunzio is reported to have exclaimed: "A new era begins!" And Mussolini was stated to have replied: "Even this hour has at last come to pass!"

From that moment, hordes of Fascisti marched to Gardone, but none saw the great pair. The estate of d'Annunzio had swallowed them up and, in the absence of any news, the people began to speculate upon the significance of the visit.

The two were pictured in an exotic atmosphere, impregnated with incense, conducting mystical rites in ancient choir stalls, etc. Once a telegram, signed by both, was sent to the King. Then, Mussolini had gone to Gardone to induce d'Annunzio to be present at the Silver Jubilee of King Vittorio Emmanuele's reign. But newspapers recalled a recent speech of the poet airman in which he had said:

"Whatever may be said to the contrary, I am a fervent loyal monarchist and shall prove it by making a personal manifestation on the King's jubilee, which will leave no doubts on the subject."

No, there was something more to the visit. In the War, Mussolini and d'Annunzio, as far as they knew, had been in perfect accord fighting at the front. After the War, the accord was continued until the latter stepped out and seized Fiume. After that, when he had become the hero of Fiume, he retired to Gardone. and has never since left it. From his mountain stronghold, he has frowned upon Fascism, or has been thought to frown. Nobody really knows. Not even a principality cleared the situation. At one moment, he appears solidly against Fascism, at another indifferent. The meeting between the great pair was therefore not unreasonably taken to mean that d'Annunzio had smiled upon Fascism; and that from this would follow a call to all Italians for peace and brotherhood. Certainly, this notion was backed by the word of d'Annunzio who, in a speech to wounded soldiers during Mussolini's visit, said:

"What does this meeting mean? What language does it speak to you and all Italians? It means an appeal for concord, addressed to all those who bore arms for their country. It speaks the language of peace to all Italians who suffered in the long war. We must again find the luminary symbol of love and make it the lodestar of our destiny. We must always remember the sacrifices we all sustained, not forgetting for a single moment the brotherhood of blood which united all soldiers in the trenches. To disarm among men of the same blood means to arm against an external enemy. Go you and bear your brothers the memory of this visit as the best omen of peace and prosperity."

After this, the great pair embraced, kissed in full view of the cheering warriors. Next day, the Premier left for Rome. The Italian public was no wiser.