Memorie d'un disertore, vol. 3/3 : $b storia d'una famiglia di patriotti

A weary voice recounts the tangled aftermath of a brutal crackdown on university students, where the wounded lie in military hospitals and prisons while the streets buzz with uneasy rumors. The narrator, part of a patriot family, paints a vivid picture of a divided army, a hesitant monarch, and a populace that watches the drama like silent spectators, waiting for someone to lift the curtain. Amid the chaos, a few recovered youths—Ernesto, Pietro and their companions—rekindle their zeal, racing from one conspiratorial meeting to another, trying to translate fiery speeches into concrete action.

Their hopes collide with sharp disagreements over strategy, especially when the enigmatic Captain Garelli arrives from Alessandria with plans for a coordinated revolt. The rebels debate whether to strike the fortified citadel in Turin or to rally forces in Alessandria, each option fraught with risk. As the night‑long discussions unfold, the sense of an imminent, decisive clash begins to pulse through the city, setting the stage for the next daring chapter of their struggle.