Chapter 4, 5 & 6 Summary

A crowd is gathering in front of the baker's door, waiting for food. The townspeople are discussing Joppolo, while simultaneously berating Zapulla the baker for taking so long with the bread. As the crowd starts to bicker with one another and with Zapulla, Gargano, the head of the police, comes up and takes his place at the top of the line. The townspeople immediately balk at the idea that this man can take his place at the head of the line, even though this was the typical custom in the past. Carmelina, the wife of lazy Fatta, questions his authority and Gargano carts her off to Major Joppolo's office, while the rest of the crowd is in an uproar. Joppolo sentences Carmelina one day in jail, but also tells Gargano that he needs to stand in line like everyone else in the town...