quicknik course in dialects of the
past may not give one instant command of spoken communication in the
field. I spoke again: "I wish to encounter a representative of the
Camorra, in other words the Black Hand, in other words the cruel and
sinister Sicilian terrorists named the Mafia. Do you know where these
can be found?"

One of them said, "Nay. What's that jive?"

I puzzled over what he had said for a moment, but in the end decreed
that his message was sensefree. As I was about to speak, however, he
said suddenly: "Let's rove, man." And all five of them walked quickly
away a few "yards." It was quite disappointing. I observed them
conferring among themselves, glancing at me, and for a time proposed
terminating my venture, for I then believed that it would be better to
return "home," as you say, in order to more adequately research the
matter.

* * * * *

However, the five young men came toward me again. The one who had spoken
before, who I now detected was somewhat taller and fatter than the
others, spoke as follows: "You're wanting the Mafia?" I agreed. He
looked at me for a moment. "Are you holding?"

He was inordinately hard to understand. I said, slowly and with
patience, "Keska that 'holding' say?"

"Money, man. You going to slip us something to help you find these
cats?"

"Certainly, money. I have a great quantity of money instantly
available," I rejoined him. This appeared to relieve his mind.

There was a short pause, directly after which this first of the young
men spoke: "You're on, man. Yeah, come with us. What's to call you?" I
queried this last statement, and he expanded: "The name. What's the
name?"

"You may call me Foraminifera 9," I directed, since I wished to be
incognito, as you put it, and we proceeded along the "street." All five
of the young men indicated a desire to serve me, offering indeed to take
my carry-all. I rejected this, politely.

I looked about me with lively interest, as you may well believe. Kwel
dirt, kwel dinginess, kwel cold! And yet there was a certain charm which
I can determine no way of expressing in this language. Acts and facts,
of course. I shall not attempt to capture the subjectivity which is the
charm, only to transcribe the physical datum--perhaps even data, who
knows? My companions, for example: They were in appearance overwrought,
looking about them continually, stopping entirely and drawing me with
them into the shelter