Mateo Falcone (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Prosper Mérimée
- First Published: 1829
- Type of Plot: Social realism
- Time of Work: The early nineteenth century
- Setting: Corsica
- Principal Characters: Mateo Falcone, Giuseppa, Fortunato, Gianetto Sanpiero, Tiodoro Gamba
- Genres: Social realism, Short fiction
- Subjects: Justice, Child rearing or parenting, Parents and children, Murder or homicide, Nineteenth century, Fathers, Robbery or robbers, Clocks or watches, Guns, Wounds or injuries, Honor, Bribery, Shepherds, Shooting
- Locales: Corsica
The Story
On an autumn day, Mateo Falcone and his wife visit the fields to inspect their flocks, leaving their home under the care of Fortunato, their ten-year-old son. While they are away, Fortunato hears a burst of gunfire and then sees a man in ragged dress, wounded in the thigh, emerge from the underbrush not far from the house. The man is Gianetto Sanpiero, a bandit who has been raiding the area recently who is now being pursued by government troops. Fortunato is reluctant to help Sanpiero until the bandit offers him a five-franc piece. Fortunato hides Sanpiero under a...
[The entire page is 1474 words long]

