"Ohyes,Mrs．Kaffee!Howareyou?"Mariannasaidpolitely．WhenMariannafirstcametoAmerica，shehadbeenars．Kaffee’shousehold，butuandherfussyandpickyways，shequitaoworkattherestaurant．
"Whathaveyoubeendoingallthistime，Marianna?"
"Oh，I’vebeenwasacookatanItaliaaurant．"
"Mr．Kaffeeisalwaysravingaboutyourcookioldmeseveraltimestoaskyoutoeback，butIknewyouwouldn’t．HereallymissesyourhomemadeItalianfood．Thisweekendwearehavingapartyforsomeoldfriends．Wouldyouliketocateradinnerforus?I’msuretheywouldallloveit．"
"Withpleasure．Mr．Kaffeehastastedallthegourmetfoodinthearea，aillremembersmyhomecooking!I’msofttered．Iwouldbegdtoe．I’llbeoveronSaturdaym．
"That’sitthen．SeeyouonSaturday．"
Mariannasawtwobeautifulyouhebackofthecar．Theysmiledatherandshesmiledback．Suddenly，thecarjerkedforedawayzigzagingly，obliviousoftrafficrules．
TheKaffeehouseholdwassomethingofamystery．NooneknewforcertaiherMr．andMrs．Kaffeewereactuallymanandwife．Theylivedtogetherandeveryonecalledher"Mrs．Kaffee".Mr．Kaffeewasinhissixtiesandlovedthefmboyant，oldworldlifestyle,surroundinghimselfwithluxuryaifulwomen．Healwaysworeexpewo–thousand-dolrsuits，silkshirtsanddiamondcufflinks．ThefactthatMrs．Kaffeetookallthiscarelesslyiride，ledmanytobelievethatshewasonlyoneofhisnumerousmistresses，elevatedtothepositionof"Mrs．Kaffee"forhersocialskillsateaiandformakinghislifefortable．TheKaffeeswerefamousfortheirparties，whichwereattendedbypolitisaeofthebusinessworld，drawntherebythebusihefood，thegamblingandthebeautifulwomen．Whicheverwoman，marriedorotherwise，thatMr．Kaffeefancied，Mrs.Kaffeewouldprocureforhim．Shewouldtryallkindsofwaystogettoknowher，beeherfriend，delugeherwithpresentsandpliments，andattheappropriatemoment，pullherintothe．Shewouldalsoextendherservieofhisprivilegedfriends，therebywinningthedubiousniame"Matchmaker"．Mrs．Kaffeewasactuallythemadamofahigh-csscallgirlring．Shehadtheknackoffindingfreshyouieswholookedcssy，asthoughtheycamefromrichfamilies．ShewouldprovidethemwithexpehesandjewelryandhavethemeainMr．Kaffee’sfriends．Theyductedtheirbusinessnaturallyandinspicuouslyinthatglitteringsociatmosphere．
Mr．Kaffeeposedasabanker，butiyhewasadonofthemob，underingmohroughwfulels，therebygainingtheniame"Treasurer"．ThelifestyleoftheKaffees，thoughgrandandluxurious，wasfulloftensionandvigince．Hewasaman，cold，cruel，mercilessandalwaysworedarkgsseswhipletelyhidtheexpressionofhiseyes．Hewasalwayssurroundedbybody-guards．Inthebackyard，therewasahelicopterandaunthedockbythesea,whichwasalwaysreadyforinstantflight．Somehowthismuch-fearedmantookafanarianna．Helovedherfoodandwouldgotothekitandchatcordiallywithherintheirnativetonguelikeanaffableelder．Becauseofthis，thosearoundhimwereafraidthatonedayMariannawouldbeeaniobereedwith;sotheybiogetridofher，fhertnaheKaffeehousehold.
AsMariaonherway，shethoughtofthetwoprettygirlsatthebars．Kaffee’scar．Shemusedtoherself,"Iwonderwheretheyarefrom．Theymaybebeautiful，butI’mafraidtheyarebothairheadsandhavenoideaofwhattheyhadgottenthemselvesinto..．Howunjustlifeis！Somepeopledon’thavetowork，spendmoneylikewater，butmoneyjustflowsinlikeaneream．Butothershavetoworkfrtillnightandbarelymakee．You’thelpbutbelieveinFate.”Soonshereachedherrestaurant，putonherapronaowork．
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