Крестный отец

           ItwaspossiblethatifMichaelwanderedpastapagliaiothathadjustbeenlootedhemightbeadjudgedthecriminalunlesshehadsomebodytovouchforhim.

           Soononesunnymorninghestartedhikingacrossthefieldsfollowedbyhistwofaithfulshepherds.Oneofthemwasaplainsimplefellow,almostmoronic,silentasthedeadandwithafaceasimpassiveasanIndian.HehadthewirysmallbuildofthetypicalSicilianbeforetheyrantothefatofmiddleage.HisnamewasCalo.

           Theothershepherdwasmoreoutgoing,younger,andhadseensomethingoftheworld.Mostlyoceans,sincehehadbeenasailorintheItaliannavyduringthewarandhadjusthadtimeenoughtogethimselftattooedbeforehisshipwassunkandhewascapturedbytheBritish.Butthetattoomadehimafamousmaninhisvillage.Siciliansdonotoftenletthemselvesbetattooed,theydonothavetheopportunitynortheinclination.(Theshepherd,Fabrizzio,haddonesoprimarilytocoverasplotchyredbirthmarkonhisbelly.)AndyettheMafiamarketcartshadgailypaintedscenesontheirsides,beautifullyprimitivepaintingsdonewithlovingcare.Inanycase,Fabrizzio,backishisnativevillage,wasnottooproudofthattattooonhischest,thoughitshowedasubjectdeartotheSicilian"honor,"ahusbandstabbinganakedmanandwomanentwinedtogetheronthehairyfloorofhisbelly.FabrizziowouldjokewithMichaelandaskquestionsaboutAmerica,forofcourseitwasimpossibletokeeptheminthedarkabouthistruenationality.