Зима тревоги нашей

           Singlehandedhelosttheland,money,prestige,andfuture;infacthelostnearlyeverythingAllensandHawleyshadaccumulatedoverseveralhundredyears,losteverythingbutthenames—whichwasallmyfatherwasinterestedinanyway.Fatherusedtogivemewhathecalled"heritagelessons."That’swhyIknowsomuchabouttheoldboys.Maybethat’salsowhyI’maclerkinaSiciliangroceryonablockHawleysusedtoown.IwishIdidn’tresentitsomuch.Itwasn’tdepressionorhardtimesthatwipedusout.

           AllthatcamefromstartingtosayNewBaytownisaprettytown.IturnedrightonElmStreetinsteadofleftandwalkedfastuptoPorlock,whichisacockeyedparallelwithHigh.WeeWillie,ourfatconstable,wouldbedozinginhispolicecarontheHigh,andIdidn’twanttopassthetimeofnightwithhim."Whatyoudoingupsolate,Eth?Gotyourselfalittlepieceofsomething?"WeeWilliegetslonesomeandlovestotalk,andthenlaterhetalksaboutwhathetalkedabout.QuiteafewsmallbutnastyscandalshavegrownoutofWillie’sloneliness.ThedayconstableisStonewallJacksonSmith.That’snotanickname.HewaschristenedStonewallJackson,anditdoessethimapartfromalltheotherSmiths.Idon’tknowwhytowncopshavetobeoppositesbuttheyusuallyare.StoneySmithisamanwhowouldn’tgiveawaywhatdayitisunlesshewereonthestandunderoath.ChiefSmithrunsthepoliceworkofthetownandhe’sdedicated,studiesthelatestmethods,andhastakentheF.B.I.traininginWashington.