Зима тревоги нашей

           "Alfio,you’vegotajewel.Don’tpolishmetoomuch.Thepastemayshowthrough."

           "Whydon’tyoubepartnerswithme?"

           "Onwhat?Mysalary?"

           "Weworkitoutsomeway."

           "ThenIcouldn’tstealfromyouwithoutrobbingmyself."

           Helaughedappreciatively."You’resmart,kid.Butyoudon’tsteal."

           "Youdidn’tlisten.MaybeIplantotakeitall."

           "You’rehonest,kid."

           "That’swhatI’mtellingyou.WhenI’mmosthonest,nobodybelievesme.Itellyou,Alfio,toconcealyourmotives,tellthetruth."

           "Whatkindoftalkyoudo?"

           "Arsestcelareartem."

           Hemovedhislipsoverthatandthenbrokeintoalaugh."Ho,"hecried."Ho!Ho!Hiceratdemonstrandum."

           "WantacoldCoke?"

           "Nogoodforhere!"Heflunghisarmsacrosshisabdomen.

           "Youaren’toldenoughforabadstomach,notoverfifty."

           "Fifty-two,andIgotabadstomach."

           "Okay,"Isaid."Thenyoucameoverattwelveifitwas1920.IguesstheystartLatinearlyinSicily."

           "Iwaschoirboy,"hesaid.

           "Iusedtocarrythecrossinthechoirmyself.I’mgoingtohaveaCoke.Alfio,"Isaid,"youworkoutawayformetobuyinhereandI’lllookatit.ButIwarnyou,Idon’thavemoney."

           "Weworkitout."

           "ButI’mgoingtohavemoney."

           Hiseyeswereonmyfaceandcouldn’tseemtoremovethemselves.AndMarullosaidsoftly,"Iolocredo."

           Powerbutnotofglorysurgedthroughme.IopenedaCokeand,tippingitback,lookeddownitsbrownbarrelatMarullo’seyes.