Зима тревоги нашей

           Thirty-fiveyearsorthirty-sevenyears,okay,butnotfortyyears."

           "IguessI’mnottoobright."

           "Thatwouldmakeit1920.Youstilldon’tdigit?Well,inabankyou’vegottocasepeoplequick,checkhustlers,youknow.Prettysoonyougetabuilt-insetofrules.Youdon’teventhinkaboutit.Itjustclicksintoplace—andyoucanbewrong.Maybehedidcomein1920.Icouldbewrong."

           Ifinishedmycoffee."Timetosweepout,"Isaid.

           "Youfoolmetoo,"Morphsaid."IfyouaskedquestionsI’dbehardtoget.Butyoudon’t,soIgottotellyou.Nineteentwenty-onewasthefirstemergencyimmigrationlaw."

           "And?"

           "In1920hecouldcomein.In1921heprobablycouldn’t."

           "And?"

           "So—anywaymyweaselbrainsays—hecameinafter1921bythebackdoor.Sohecan’tgohomebecausehecan’tgetapassporttogetback."

           "God,I’mgladI’mnotabanker."

           "You’dprobablybebetterthanIam.Italktoomuch.Ifhe’sgoingback,I’mrealwrong.Waitup—I’mcoming.Coffee’sonme."

           "’By,Annie,"Isaid.

           "Comeinagain,Eth.Younevercomein."

           "Iwill."

           AswecrossedthestreetMorphsaid,"Don’tletontohisguineaeminencethatIpulledablooperabouthimbeingdeportationbait,willyou?"

           "WhyshouldI?"

           "WhydidI?What’sinthatjewelcase?"

           "KnightTemplar’shat.Feather’syellow.Goingtoseeifitcanbewhitedup."

           "Youbelongtothat?"

           "It’sinthefamily.WebeenMasonssincebeforeGeorgeWashingtonwasGrandMaster."