Don Corleone nodded and gestured that Luca Blasi should be brought to him.

1 In the garden Kay Adams was struck (поражена, ей бросилось в глаза: to strike – бить) by the violent fury (неистовой яростью; violent [‘vaı∂l∂nt] – неистовый, яростный; сильный, интенсивный) imprinted («запечатленной») on the face of Luca Brasi. She asked about him. Michael had brought Kay to the wedding so that she would slowly (чтобы она медленно = постепенно) and perhaps without too much of a shoсk, absorb the truth (восприняла правду; to absorb [∂’bso:b] – впитывать, абсорбировать, поглощать) about his father. But so far she seemed to regard (но пока, до сих пор она, казалось, рассматривала) the Don as a slightly (слегка, немного) unethical businessman. Michael decided to tell her part of the truth indirectly (опосредствованно: «не прямо» = решил намекнуть). He explained that Luca Brasi was one of the most feared men (которых больше всего боятся) in the Eastern underworld (в преступном мире Восточного побережья). His great talent, it was said, was that he could do a job of murder (убийства) all by himself (совершенно один, самостоятельно), without confederates (без соучастников [k∂n'fed∂rıt]), which automatically made discovery (раскрытие) and conviction (осуждение, признание виновным [k∂n'vık∫∂n]) by the law almost impossible. Michael grimaced and said, "I don't know whether all that stuff is true (правда ли все это; stuff – материя, вещество; нечто, некие вещи). I do know he is sort of a friend (что-то вроде друга) to my father."

2 For the first time Kay began to understand. She asked a little incredulously (недоверчиво [ın’kredjul∂slı]), "You're not hinting (уж не намекаешь ли ты) that a man like that works for your father?"

3 The hell with it (черт со всем этим = была не была), he thought. He said, straight out (совершенно прямо, не таясь), "Nearly fifteen years ago some people wanted to take over (забрать, прибрать к рукам; to take over – перенять должность; принять во владение) my father's oil importing business (импорт оливкового масла). They tried to kill him and nearly did (чуть не убили, у них почти получилось). Luca Brasi went after them (занялся ими; to go after – преследовать). The story is (в общем, расказывают) that he killed six men in two weeks and that ended the famous (знаменитую ['feım∂s]) olive (['olıv]) oil war." He smiled as if it were a joke (словно это была шутка).

4 Kay shuddered. "You mean your father was shot by gangsters (в него стреляли; to shoot)?"

5 "Fifteen years ago," Michael said. "Everything's been peaceful (мирно = спокойно) since then." He was afraid he had gone too far.

6 "You're trying to scare me (пытаешься напугать меня)," Kay said. "You just don't want me to marry you." She smiled at him and poked his ribs (ткнула в ребра) with her elbow (локтем ['elb∂u]). "Very clever."

7 Michael smiled back at her. "I want you to think about it," he said.

8 "Did he really kill six men?" Kay asked.

9 "That's what the newspapers claimed (утверждали)," Mike said. "Nobody ever proved it (никогда никому не удалось это доказать; ever – когда-либо). But there's another story about him that nobody ever tells. It's supposed to be so terrible (предполагается, что она /история/ столь ужасна) that even my father won't talk about it. Tom Hagen knows the story and he won't tell me. Once I kidded him (я подшучивал, поддразнивал), I said, 'When will I be old enough to hear that story about Luca?' and Tom said, 'When you're a hundred.’ Michael sipped (отхлебнул; sip – маленький глоток) his glass of wine. "That must be some story (это, наверное, та еще история). That must be some Luca."

1 In the garden Kay Adams was struck by the violet fury imprinted on the face of Luca Brasi. She asked about him. Michael had brought Kay to the wedding so that she would slowly and perhaps without too much of a shoсk, absorb the truth about his father. But so far she seemed to regard the Don as a slightly unethical businessman. Michael decided to tell her part of the truth indirectly. He explained that Luca Brasi was one of the most feared men in the Eastern underworld. His great talent, it was said, was that he could do a job of murder all by himself, without confederates, which automatically made discovery and conviction by the law almost impossible. Michael grimaced and said, "I don't know whether all that stuff is true. I do know he is sort of a friend to my father."

2 For the first time Kay began to understand. She asked a little incredulously, "You're not hinting that a man like that works for your father?"

3 The hell with it, he thought. He said, straight out, "Nearly fifteen years ago some people wanted to take over my father's oil importing business. They tried to kill him and nearly did. Luca Brasi went after them. The story is that he killed six men in two weeks and that ended the famous olive oil war." He smiled as if it were a joke.

4 Kay shuddered. "You mean your father was shot by gangsters?"

5 "Fifteen years ago," Michael said. "Everything's been peaceful since then." He was afraid he had gone too far.

6 "You're trying to scare me," Kay said. "You just don't want me to marry you." She smiled at him and poked his ribs with her elbow. "Very clever."

7 Michael smiled back at her. "I want you to think about it," he said.

8 "Did he really kill six men?" Kay asked.

9 "That's what the newspapers claimed," Mike said. "Nobody ever proved it. But there's another story about him that nobody ever tells. It's supposed to be so terrible that even my father won't talk about it. Tom Hagen knows the story and he won't tell me. Once I kidded him, I said, 'When will I be old enough to hear that story about Luca?' and Tom said, 'When you're a hundred.’ Michael sipped his glass of wine. "That must be some story. That must be some Luca."

1 Luca Brasi was indeed a man to frighten the devil in hell himself (способный испугать самого дьявола в аду [devl]). Short, squat (коренастый: «короткий и толстый»; to squat – сидеть на корточках), massive-skulled (с массивным черепом: skull), his presence sent out alarm bells of danger (его присутстствие сигнализировало = распространяло ощущение опасности: alarm [∂’lα:m] – сигнал тревоги; alarm bell – набат, сигнальный звонок). His face was stamped into a mask of fury (на его лицо «была нанесена /вечная/ печать» гнева, ярости, на его лице была застывшая маска гнева). The eyes were brown but with none of the warmth of that color (но безо всякого тепла, свойственного этому цвету), more a deadly tan (скорее мертвенный желто-коричневый цвет). The mouth was not so much cruel as lifeless (не столько жестоким, сколько безжизненным); thin, rubbery (резиновым = словно резиновым) and the color of veal (телятины).

2 Brasi's reputation for violence (жестокости, насилия, применения силы) was awesome (устрашающей, необычайной: «вызывающей благоговение, почтительный страх»; awe [o:] – благоговейный страх, трепет) and his devotion (преданность) to Don Corleone legendary. He was, in himself, one of the great blocks that supported (поддерживали) the Don's power structure. His kind was a rarity (такие как он были большой редкостью: «его вид был редкостью»).

3 Luca Brasi did not fear the police, he did not fear society (общество [s∂’saı∂tı]), he did not fear God, he did not fear hell, he did not fear or love his fellow man. But he had elected (избрал), he had chosen, to fear and love Don Corleone. Ushered into the presence of the Don (приведенный к Дону; to usher – провожать, сопровождать; вводить; показывать места; usher – швейцар; капельдинер; билетер), the terrible Brasi held himself stiff (неподвижно, застывший) with respect. He stuttered over (пробормотал; to stutter – заикаться, запинаться) the flowery congratulations he offered (цветистые поздравления; to offer – предлагать; выдвигать; приносить /жертву/, возносить /молитвы/) and his formal hope that the first grandchild would be masculine (мужского пола ['ma:skjulın]). He then handed the Don an envelope stuffed with cash as a gift for the bridal couple.

4 So that was what he wanted to do. Hagen noticed the change in Don Corleone. The Don received Brasi as a king greets a subject (подобно тому, как король привествует подданного) who has done him an enormous service (огромную услугу [ı'no:m∂s]), never familiar but with regal respect (вовсе не фамильярно, но с королевским уважением, почетом ['ri:g∂l]). With every gesture, with every word, Don Corleone made it clear to Luca Brasi that he was valued (ценим). Not for one moment did he show surprise at the wedding gift being presented to him personally. He understood.

5 The money in the envelope was sure to be more than anyone else had given. Brasi had spent many hours deciding on the sum, comparing it to what the other guests might offer (сравнивая с тем, что могли бы предложить, преподнести другие гости). He wanted to be the most generous to show that he had the most respect, and that was why he had given his envelope to the Don personally, a gaucherie (неловкость, нарушение этикета [g∂u∫∂’ri:]; gauche [g∂u∫] – неловкий, неуклюжий, нескладный: «левый» /франц./) the Don overlooked (не стал обращать внимания, игнорировал) in his own flowery sentence of thanks. Hagen saw Luca Brasi's face lose its mask of fury (как утратило), swell with pride and pleasure (стало набухать от гордости и удовольствия). Brasi kissed the Don's hand before he went out the door that Hagen held open. Hagen prudently (предусмотрительно, благоразумно = на всякий случай) gave Brasi a friendly smile which the squat man acknowledged (признал = на которую ответил [∂k'nolıdG]) with a polite stretching (вежливым растягиванием) of rubbery, veal-colored lips.

Luca Brasi was indeed a man to frighten the devil in hell himself. Short, squat, massive-skulled, his presence sent out alarm bells of danger. His face was stamped into a mask of fury. The eyes were brown but with none of the warmth of that color, more a deadly tan. The mouth was not so much cruel as lifeless; thin, rubbery and the color of veal.

2 Brasi's reputation for violence was awesome and his devotion to Don Corleone legendary. He was, in himself, one of the great blocks that supported the Don's power structure. His kind was a rarity.

3 Luca Brasi did not fear the police, he did not fear society, he did not fear God, he did not fear hell, he did not fear or love his fellow man. But he had elected, he had chosen, to fear and love Don Corleone. Ushered into the presence of the Don, the terrible Brasi held himself stiff with respect. He stuttered over the flowery congratulations he offered and his formal hope that the first grandchild would be masculine. He then handed the Don an envelope stuffed with cash as a gift for the bridal couple.

4 So that was what he wanted to do. Hagen noticed the change in Don Corleone. The Don received Brasi as a king greets a subject who has done him an enormous service, never familiar but with regal respect. With every gesture, with every word, Don Corleone made it clear to Luca Brasi that he was valued. Not for one moment did he show surprise at the wedding gift being presented to him personally. He understood.

5 The money in the envelope was sure to be more than anyone else had given. Brasi had spent many hours deciding on the sum, comparing it to what the other guests might offer. He wanted to be the most generous to show that he had the most respect, and that was why he had given his envelope to the Don personally, a gaucherie the Don overlooked in his own flowery sentence of thanks. Hagen saw Luca Brasi's face lose its mask of fury, swell with pride and pleasure. Brasi kissed the Don's hand before he went out the door that Hagen held open. Hagen prudently gave Brasi a friendly smile which the squat man acknowledged with a polite stretching of rubbery, veal-colored lips.

1 When the door closed Don Corleone gave a small sigh of relief (вздох облегчения). Brasi was the only man in the world who could make him nervous. The man was like a natural force (словно некая природная = неконтролируемая человеком сила), not truly subject to control (в общем-то неподчиненная, неподлежащая контролю). He had to be handled as gingerly as dynamite (с ним следовало обращаться так же осторожно, предусмотрительно, как с динамитом [‘dGındG∂lı] [‘daın∂maıt]). The Don shrugged. Even dynamite could be exploded harmlessly (может быть взорван безопасно) if the need arose (если бы возникла необходимость). He looked questioningly at Hagen. "Is Bonasera the only one left?"

2 Hagen nodded. Don Corleone frowned in thought, then said, "Before you bring him in, tell Santino to come here. He should learn some things."

3 Out in the garden, Hagen searched anxiously (с беспокойством, озабоченно; anxious [‘æŋk∫∂s]) for Sonny Corleone. He told the waiting Bonasera to be patient (потерпеть; patient [‘peı∫∂nt] – терпеливый) and went over (подошел) to Michael Corleone and his girl friend. "Did you see Sonny around (здесь где-нибудь)?" he asked. Michael shook his head. Damn (проклятье; to damn – проклинать), Hagen thought, if Sonny was screwing the maid of honor all this time (трахал; to screw [skru:] – завинчивать) there was going to be a mess of trouble (будут большие неприятности; mess – беспорядок, путаница; неприятность). His wife, the young girl's family; it could be a disaster (бедствие, катастрофа [dı'zα:st∂]). Anxiously he hurried to the entrance (поспешил к входу) through which (через который) he had seen Sonny disappear almost a half hour ago.

4 Seeing Hagen go into the house, Kay Adams asked Michael Corleone, "Who is he? You introduced him as your brother but his name is different (отличающаяся, иная) and he certainly doesn't look Italian."

5 "Tom lived with us since he was twelve years old," Michael said. "His parents died and he was roaming around the streets (бродил, скитался) with this bad eye infection (с заражением глаза, с сильно зараженным глазом). Sonny brought him home one night and he just stayed (просто остался /жить с нами/). He didn't have any place to go. He lived with us until he got married."

6 Kay Adams was thrilled (взволнована, заинтригована; to thrill – вызывать трепет, сильно волновать). "That's really romantic," she said. "Your father must be a warmhearted person. To adopt (усыновить) somebody just like that when he had so many children of his own."

7 Michael didn't bother to point out (не стал указывать на то, не стал тратить силы на разъяснение того; to bother [‘boð∂] – беспокоиться, волноваться) that immigrant Italians considered (считали, рассматривали) four children a small family. He merely said (только лишь сказал), "Tom wasn't adopted. He just lived with us."

8 "Oh," Kay said, then asked curiously, "why didn't you adopt him?"

9 Michael laughed. "Because my father said it would be disrespectful (непочтительно) for Tom to change his name. Disrespectful to his own parents."

10 They saw Hagen shoo Sonny through the French door into the Don's office (to shoo – выгонять, выпроваживать; shoo – кыш; to shoo – вспугивать, прогонять /птиц/) and then crook a finger (скрючил, согнул палец = поманил пальцем; crook – крюк) at Amerigo Bonasera. "Why do they bother your father (беспокоят) with business on a day like this?" Kay asked.

11 Michael laughed again. "Because they know that by tradition (по традиции) no Sicilian can refuse a request (не может отказать просьбе) on his daughter's wedding day. And no Sicilian ever lets a chance like that go by (не упускает случая, возможности: «не дает шансу пройти мимо»)."

1 When the door closed Don Corleone gave a small sigh of relief. Brasi was the only man in the world who could make him nervous. The man was like a natural force, not truly subject to control. He had to be handled as gingerly as dynamite. The Don shrugged. Even dynamite could be exploded harmlessly if the need arose. He looked questioningly at Hagen. "Is Bonasera the only one left?"

2 Hagen nodded. Don Corleone frowned in thought, then said, "Before you bring him in, tell Santino to come here. He should learn some things."

3 Out in the garden, Hagen searched anxiously for Sonny Corleone. He told the waiting Bonasera to be patient and went over to Michael Corleone and his girl friend. "Did you see Sonny around?" he asked. Michael shook his head. Damn, Hagen thought, if Sonny was screwing the maid of honor all this time there was going to be a mess of trouble. His wife, the young girl's family; it could be a disaster. Anxiously he hurried to the entrance through which he had seen Sonny disappear almost a half hour ago.

4 Seeing Hagen go into the house, Kay Adams asked Michael Corleone, "Who is he? You introduced him as your brother but his name is different and he certainly doesn't look Italian."

5 "Tom lived with us since he was twelve years old," Michael said. "His parents died and he was roaming around the streets with this bad eye infection. Sonny brought him home one night and he just stayed. He didn't have any place to go. He lived with us until he got married."

6 Kay Adams was thrilled. "That's really romantic," she said. "Your father must be a warmhearted person. To adopt somebody just like that when he had so many children of his own."

7 Michael didn't bother to point out that immigrant Italians considered four children a small family. He merely said, "Tom wasn't adopted. He just lived with us."

8 "Oh," Kay said, then asked curiously, "why didn't you adopt him?"

9 Michael laughed. "Because my father said it would be disrespectful for Tom to change his name. Disrespectful to his own parents."

10 They saw Hagen shoo Sonny through the French door into the Don's office and then crook a finger at Amerigo Bonasera. "Why do they bother your father with business on a day like this?" Kay asked.

11 Michael laughed again. "Because they know that by tradition no Sicilian can refuse a request on his daughter's wedding day. And no Sicilian ever lets a chance like that go by."

1 Lucy Mancini lifted her pink gown off the floor (приподняла розовое платье с пола) and ran up the steps. Sonny Corleone's heavy Cupid face, redly obscene with winey lust («красно-непристойное от винной = пьяной похоти»), frightened her, but she had teased him for the past week to just this end (как раз к этому концу, завершению = чтобы этим именно все кончилось). In her two college love affairs (любовных связях; affair [∂’fe∂] – дело) she had felt nothing (ничего не почувствовала, не ощутила) and neither of them lasted more than a week (и ни одна из них не продолжилась больше недели). Quarreling (ссорясь, придираясь), her second lover had mumbled something (пробурчал) about her being "too big down there (о том, что она 'слишком велика там внизу’)." Lucy had understood and for the rest of the school term (и до конца учебы: «в оставшееся время учебы») had refused to go out on any dates (на свидания).

2 During the summer, preparing (готовясь; to prepare [prı'pe∂]) for the wedding of her best friend, Connie Corleone, Lucy heard the whispered stories about Sonny. One Sunday afternoon in the Corleone kitchen, Sonny's wife Sandra gossiped freely (сплетничала, болтала во всю, откровенно: «свободно»). Sandra was a coarse (грубая =простая [ko:s]), good-natured woman (добродушая) who had been born in Italy but brought to America as a small child. She was strongly built with great breasts and had already borne three children in five years of marriage. Sandra and the other women teased Connie about the terrors of the nuptial bed (дразнили ужасами брачного ложа ['nLp∫∂l]). "My God," Sandra had giggled (хихикнула), "when I saw that pole (кол, шест, жердь) of Sonny's for the first time and realized (осознала, поняла ['rı∂laız]) he was going to stick it (сунет) into me, I yelled bloody murder (заорала, как резаная: «завопила кровавое убийство = помогите»). After the first year my insides (внутренности) felt as mushy (мягкие, размятые; mush – густая каша из кукурузной муки) as macaroni boiled (варившиеся; to boil – кипеть) for an hour. When I heard he was doing the job on other girls I went to church and lit a candle (зажгла свечку; to light – зажигать)."

3 They had all laughed but Lucy had felt her flesh twitching (как подергивается плоть, ощутила судорогу; to twitch – подергивать, конвульсивно сокращаться) between her legs.

4 Now as she ran up the steps toward Sonny a tremendous flash of desire (мощная вспышка желания) went through her body. On the landing Sonny grabbed her hand and pulled her (потянул) down the hall into an empty bedroom. Her legs went weak (ослабли) as the door closed behind them. She felt Sonny's mouth on hers, his lips tasting of burnt tobacco (имеющие вкус жженого табака [t∂'bæk∂u]), bitter. She opened her mouth. At that moment she felt his hand come up beneath (как поднялась вверх под) her bridesmaid's gown, heard the rustle of material (шуршание, треск [rLsl]) giving way (поддающегося, уступающего), felt his large warm hand between her legs, ripping aside (разрывающую, рвущую в сторону) the satin panties (атласные трусики [‘sætın]) to caress (чтобы ласкать [k∂'res]) her vulva. She put her arms around his neck (вокруг его шеи) and hung there (висела там = так) as he opened his trousers (расстегивал брюки). Then he placed both hands beneath her bare buttocks (под ее обнаженные ягодицы) and lifted her. She gave a little hop in the air (чуть подскочила) so that both her legs were wrapped around his upper thighs (были обвиты вокруг его верхних бедер). His tongue was in her mouth and she sucked on it (сосала его /язык/). He gave a savage thrust (дикий, свирепый рывок [‘sævıdG]) that banged (стукнул) her head against the door. She felt something burning (что-то горящее, разгоряченное) pass between her thighs. She let her right hand drop from his neck (уронила руку) and reached down to guide him (и протянула ее вниз, чтобы направить, «вести» его). Her hand closed around (обхватила: «сомкнулась вокруг») an enormous, blood-gorged pole of muscle (огромного, налитого кровью мускульного жезла; gorge – горло, глотка; to gorge – глотать; есть досыта; наполнять /какой-нибудь орган или протоку в организме/, запруживать). It pulsated in her hand like an animal and almost weeping with grateful ecstasy she pointed it (направила) into her own wet, turgid flesh (набухшую плоть). The thrust of its entering, the unbelievable pleasure made her gasp (невероятное удовольствие заставило ее задохнуться: «дышать с трудом, ловить воздух»), brought her legs up almost around his neck, and then like a quiver (дрожь, трепет [‘kwıv∂]), her body received the savage arrows (стрелы [‘ær∂u]) of his lightning-like thrusts (его подобных молнии толчков); innumerable (бесчисленные), torturing (мучительные, как пытка; torture – пытка; to torture – пытать, мучить ['to:t∫∂]); arching her pelvis (выгибая таз) higher and higher until for the first time in her life she reached a shattering climax (она достигла полнейшего, мощнейшего оргазма; to shatter – разбить вдребезги), felt his hardness break (как сломалась = резко прекратилась его твердость) and then the crawly flood of semen (вызывающий мурашки поток семени; to crawl – ползти) over her thighs. Slowly her legs relaxed from around his body, slid down until they reached the floor. They leaned against each other (они прислонились, стояли, прислонившись друг к другу), out of breath («бездыханные»).

5 It might have been going on for some time (должно быть, это продолжалось некоторое время: «могло продолжаться») but now they could hear the soft knocking on the door (легкий стук). Sonny quickly buttoned his trousers (застегнул), meanwhile (в то же время) blocking the door so that it could not be opened. Lucy frantically (с испуганной поспешностью: «неистово, яростно») smoothed down (оустила: «разгладила вниз») her pink gown, her eyes flickering, but the thing that had given her so much pleasure was hidden inside sober black cloth (была спрятана, укрыта внутри темной ткани [kloθ]). Then they heard Tom Hagen's voice, very low, "Sonny, you in there?"

6 Sonny sighed with relief (с облегчением). He winked at Lucy (подмигнул). "Yeah, Tom, what is it (что случилось, в чем дело)?"

7 Hagen's voice, still low, said, "The Don wants you in his office. Now." They could hear his footsteps (шаги) as he walked away. Sonny waited for a few moments, gave Lucy a hard kiss on the lips, and then slipped out the door after Hagen.

8 Lucy combed her hair (причесала [k∂um]). She checked her dress (проверила /в порядке ли/) and pulled around her garter straps (подтянула подвязки; garter – подвязка; strap – ремешок, завязка). Her body felt bruised (помятым: to bruise [bru:z] – ушибать, ставить синяки), her lips pulpy (размягченные; pulp – мягкая масса) and tender (нежные = ранимые, болезненные). She went out the door and though she felt the sticky wetness (липкую влагу; to stick – приклеивать, липнуть) between her thighs she did not go to the bathroom to wash but ran straight on down the steps and into the garden. She took her seat (заняла место) at the bridal table next to Connie, who exclaimed petulantly (воскликнула нетерпеливо, раздражительно ['petjul∂ntlı]), "Lucy, where were you? You look drunk (выглядишь пьяной). Stay beside me now."

9 The blond groom poured Lucy a glass of wine (налил [po:]) and smiled knowingly (понимающе). Lucy didn't care (ей было наплевать: «не заботилась»). She lifted the grapey (виноградное; grape – виноград, гроздь винограда), dark red juice (темно-красное вино; juice [dGu:s] – сок; алкоголь) to her parched mouth (к пересохшему рту; to parch – иссушать, испепелять) and drank. She felt the sticky wetness between her thighs and pressed her legs together. Her body was trembling (дрожало). Over the glass rim (край, ободок), as she drank, her eyes searched hungrily (выискивали жадно) to find Sonny Corleone. There was no one else she cared to see. Slyly she whispered in Connie's ear, "Only a few hours more and you'll know what it's all about («о чем это все» = что это такое /заниматься любовью/)." Connie giggled. Lucy demurely (скромно, кротко = с притворной скромностью; demure [dı’mju∂] – скромный, сдержанный, рассудительный; притворно застенчивый) folded her hands (сложила) on the table, treacherously triumphant (предательски торжествующая ['tret∫∂r∂slı] [traı’Lmf∂nt]), as if she had stolen a treasure (как будто она украла сокровище ['treG∂]) from the bride.

1 Lucy Mancini lifted her pink gown off the floor and ran up the steps. Sonny Corleone's heavy Cupid face, redly obscene with winey lust, frightened her, but she had teased him for the past week to just this end. In her two college love affairs she had felt nothing and neither of them lasted more than a week. Quarreling, her second lover had mumbled something about her being "too big down there." Lucy had understood and for the rest of the school term had refused to go out on any dates.

2 During the summer, preparing for the wedding of her best friend, Connie Corleone, Lucy heard the whispered stories about Sonny. One Sunday afternoon in the Corleone kitchen, Sonny's wife Sandra gossiped freely. Sandra was a coarse, good-natured woman who had been born in Italy but brought to America as a small child. She was strongly built with great breasts and had already borne three children in five years of marriage. Sandra and the other women teased Connie about the terrors of the nuptial bed. "My God," Sandra had giggled, "when I saw that pole of Sonny's for the first time and realized he was going to stick it into me, I yelled bloody murder. After the first year my insides felt as mushy as macaroni boiled for an hour. When I heard he was doing the job on other girls I went to church and lit a candle."