Mr. Cannelloni's Circus

Cleopatra remembered the first item on Rosita’s plan
“Will he be accompanied by that Potemkin person?”
“Oh no.” Rosita smiled. “Mr. Knapp is coming alone. I just
meant that we need to create a little Potemkin village for
him. If there are some corners that can’t bear the daylight—
they’re too dingy—we’ll put up a facade to cover them. Just
as a wise man named Potemkin did in ancient times, to
make sure that the empress’ visit would be a success!”
Everyone laughed.
Madame Rosita, of all people, knew how to make things
look presentable. It took no more than an instant for her to
turn Andrei’s camp kitchen into a charming little cafe using
tablecloths, scarves, and flower arrangements. She and some
others built a sunshade with a laundry rack and Rosita’s
silky bedspread. They didn’t have time to repair the hole
by the door of the tent, so they just covered it with a
framed photo of Cleopatra.
Cleopatra’s largest plants, in their fabulous clay
pots, were placed on both sides of the main gate.
From a clothesline above it, they hung Rosita’s
colorful silk scarves, which flapped happily
in the wind. The inspector arrived on his
scooter at exactly the hour he had said.
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