March 1945 Summary

Pensione Usodimare, Porto Sant'Andrea

Antonia Usodimare is running her place as a boarding house. She will exchange a bundle from under a floorboard for a package of British cigarettes, to be delivered by a la vedova, who turns out to be the six-month pregnant Claudia Cicala, who pretends to fetch Antonia's laundry. The German soldiers assume Claudia is a slut and when they paw through her laundry basket, they touch menstrual blood, which makes them stop before they get to the German uniform she is transporting to Werner Schramm. Getting through the barricade, Claudia stops and bargains with a boy named Riccardo, who takes two packs of cigarettes in exchange for identity papers.

Near borgo San Mauro, Valdottavo

Maria Avoni, toting a machine gun, escorts Simon Henley to his first camp. Maria teaches Simon about nature and Italian politics, as well as her...