from Travels In an Italy of the mind

It was reported by the press that the Prime Minister was attacked by a lunatic who broke his nose, his lip & two teeth with a model of the famous pseudo-gothic Cathedral of Milan. Afterwards the lunatic said he did not recognise himself in his actions. It was also reported by the press that another lunatic attacked the Pope in the basilica of St Peters, but the press did not mention whether this second violent lunatic, who was, in fact, a woman, had a model of the Cathedral of Milan, or a model of any other famous cathedral, or, in fact, any model at all, or even whether she recognised herself in her actions. If we can believe that the newspapers would faithfully report such a detail we must conclude that this female lunatic, or, at any rate, deranged woman, who leaped the rails, & who had actually leaped the same rails on a previous occasion with the same intention of attacking the pontiff, was empty-handed, although it was reported that she wore, on both occasions, a red hooded jumper.

William Wall’s latest book is Ghost Estate.