by Leke Tasi
An extract from the novel Grabjani on Hills’ Edge
March 1, 1985
Adelina
When I returned home from work today, I learned that Mehdiu’s wife, Adelina, had hung herself.
Now it seems peaceful there at their home, nothing stirs. The investigation, the carrying of the body to Lushnja for autopsy, and other necessary actions were done in the morning.
Information from the interrogation has recently been disclosed. The State Security people have spread the word that Mehdiu does not accept the charge. People are saying that they sent his wife to “break” him, that before letting Adelina meet face-to-face with Mehdiu, they misled her. She was duped into testifying against her husband as she was convinced that Mehdiu had admitted guilt. When the State Security interrogators confronted Adelina with Mehdiu, they asked her to repeat what she had testified and signed. Mehdiu was stunned, “What are you saying Adelina? I have done all these things?” Adelina was tormented with grief when she understood the State Security interrogators had goaded her to confess what Mehdiu had not admitted. They had also obtained a declaration stating she would testify in court against her husband. Today was the appointed day to confront her husband. She could not live with it anymore; consequently, she took her own life.
Adelina was a quiet woman, with few words. Once we worked side by side. When I went to look for rows to hoe, remove weeds and break up the surface of the ground, she was with two of her friends and immediately made room for me in their “skoli” (vegetable patch). This act was uncommon for people who had soft soil rows.
March 3, 1985
Everyone was grief-stricken. Even Nuria made herself available to help with the burial when Mehdiu’s daughter, Filareta, went to her office. Though the mourning was general, very few attended the funeral.
In greater detail, the event happened as follows. That morning, after her daughter, Filareta, departed for work, Adelina woke her 13 year old son, and sent him to wait in the long line to buy cottage cheese. Then she took a shower, combed her hair, and went to her 8 year old son who was sleeping and kissed him. He awoke, but she said, “Sleep a little more.” She put on her best dress and locked herself in the bathroom.
After one hour, the boy awoke and went to the bathroom, but found it locked. He was worried that his mother had fainted; he called to her, and then went upstairs to his neighbor. Lefta, the teacher, came down, but was unable to open the door. She went around to the back of the house and opened the bathroom window. There she saw Adelina hanging.
The police department was immediately informed. The house was taped by the village council. When the truck arrived, they wrapped the dead body in a blanket, and sent it to Lushnja. Meanwhile, people from the investigation department opened a hole in the wall near the chimney of the home, where they found a small box. This is what people say because no one saw it. In the most recent weeks, it has been said that Mehdiu was charged on political grounds, but he does not accept any of the charges. Now the charge has developed into something about gold stuff.
September 13, 1985
The word has come out that Mehdiu has died. Some say that his trial had begun, but was suspended because he had a stroke when he learned about the death of Adelina and was sent to a hospital.
His brother, blinded from a bomb, died one week after Adelina died. When they told him Adelina had hung herself, he starved himself until he perished a few days later.
Translated from The Albanian by Hilda M. Xhepa
An extract from the novel Grabjani on Hills’ Edge
March 1, 1985
Adelina
When I returned home from work today, I learned that Mehdiu’s wife, Adelina, had hung herself.
Now it seems peaceful there at their home, nothing stirs. The investigation, the carrying of the body to Lushnja for autopsy, and other necessary actions were done in the morning.
Information from the interrogation has recently been disclosed. The State Security people have spread the word that Mehdiu does not accept the charge. People are saying that they sent his wife to “break” him, that before letting Adelina meet face-to-face with Mehdiu, they misled her. She was duped into testifying against her husband as she was convinced that Mehdiu had admitted guilt. When the State Security interrogators confronted Adelina with Mehdiu, they asked her to repeat what she had testified and signed. Mehdiu was stunned, “What are you saying Adelina? I have done all these things?” Adelina was tormented with grief when she understood the State Security interrogators had goaded her to confess what Mehdiu had not admitted. They had also obtained a declaration stating she would testify in court against her husband. Today was the appointed day to confront her husband. She could not live with it anymore; consequently, she took her own life.
Adelina was a quiet woman, with few words. Once we worked side by side. When I went to look for rows to hoe, remove weeds and break up the surface of the ground, she was with two of her friends and immediately made room for me in their “skoli” (vegetable patch). This act was uncommon for people who had soft soil rows.
March 3, 1985
Everyone was grief-stricken. Even Nuria made herself available to help with the burial when Mehdiu’s daughter, Filareta, went to her office. Though the mourning was general, very few attended the funeral.
In greater detail, the event happened as follows. That morning, after her daughter, Filareta, departed for work, Adelina woke her 13 year old son, and sent him to wait in the long line to buy cottage cheese. Then she took a shower, combed her hair, and went to her 8 year old son who was sleeping and kissed him. He awoke, but she said, “Sleep a little more.” She put on her best dress and locked herself in the bathroom.
After one hour, the boy awoke and went to the bathroom, but found it locked. He was worried that his mother had fainted; he called to her, and then went upstairs to his neighbor. Lefta, the teacher, came down, but was unable to open the door. She went around to the back of the house and opened the bathroom window. There she saw Adelina hanging.
The police department was immediately informed. The house was taped by the village council. When the truck arrived, they wrapped the dead body in a blanket, and sent it to Lushnja. Meanwhile, people from the investigation department opened a hole in the wall near the chimney of the home, where they found a small box. This is what people say because no one saw it. In the most recent weeks, it has been said that Mehdiu was charged on political grounds, but he does not accept any of the charges. Now the charge has developed into something about gold stuff.
September 13, 1985
The word has come out that Mehdiu has died. Some say that his trial had begun, but was suspended because he had a stroke when he learned about the death of Adelina and was sent to a hospital.
His brother, blinded from a bomb, died one week after Adelina died. When they told him Adelina had hung herself, he starved himself until he perished a few days later.
Translated from The Albanian by Hilda M. Xhepa
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