Американские боги

           Youmusthavebeenunderthewaterforthebestpartoftwominutes.ThenIsawyourhandcomeupthroughtheplacewherethecarwentdown—itwaslikeseeingaghost,seeingyouthere…"Hetrailedoff."WewerebothdamnluckythattheicetookourweightasIdraggedyoubacktotheshore."

           Shadownodded.

           "Youdidagoodthing,"hetoldHinzelmann,andtheoldmanbeamedalloverhisgoblinface.

           Somewhereinthehouse,Shadowheardadoorclose.Hesippedathiscoffee.

           Nowthathewasabletothinkclearly,hewasstartingtoaskhimselfquestions.

           Hewonderedhowanoldman,amanhalfhisheightandperhapsathirdhisweight,hadbeenabletodraghim,unconscious,acrosstheice,orgethimupthebanktoacar.HewonderedhowHinzelmannhadgottenShadowintothehouseandthebath.

           Hinzelmannwalkedovertothefire,pickedupthetongsandplacedathinlog,carefully,ontotheblazingfire.

           "DoyouwanttoknowwhatIwasdoingoutontheice?"

           Hinzelmannshrugged."Noneofmybusiness."

           "YouknowwhatIdon’tunderstand…,"saidShadow.Hehesitated,puttinghisthoughtsinorder."Idon’tunderstandwhyyousavedmylife."

           "Well,"saidHinzelmann,"thewayIwasbroughtup,ifyouseeanotherfellowintrouble—"

           "No,"saidShadow."That’snotwhatImean.Imean,youkilledallthosekids.