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“We need the three men we used as crewmen on the boat in the Tisza They need to be at our hotel in Mantua by to at sundown”

“You have a boat?” asked Tibor

“No, but by toht I will”

“They’ll be there”

“Thanks, Tibor”

“I have to get off now, so I can talk to them Good-bye, Sam”

Saot them a reservation for a fine restaurant in Mantua, they drove the twenty-five miles to the city to shop in the best stores and find clothes suitable for an evening out They began with a gray Arht a siold accent on the belt They wore the clothes they had bought, left the clothes they’d worn in the trunk of the car they’d parked at the city walls, and made the ten-minute walk to Ochina Bianca, a restaurant just north of the city’s center

They ordered risotto alla milanese, redolent with saffron, as their pasta course, osso buco as their entrée, and their wine selection was Felsina Fontalloro 2004 from Tuscany Remi said, “This is all so wonderful Let’s flip a coin to see which one of us goes to culinary school so we can have this at home”

“The cooking part is not my specialty,” he said “Think ofyou build up your strength for toain In fact, I’ht need some dessert There’s a local delicacy called sabbiosa, which is a plum cake soaked in Guinness How can that be bad?”

“I have no idea,” said Remi “Maybe it can’t”

“In fact, I’ll even have some with you to be sure it’s up to your standards”

“I’m sure you will”

After their dinner in Mantua, they walked to the city walls, got into their car, and drove along the country road toward Lake Garda “I’lad we did this,” Remi said

“Are you?”

“Yes To a deep hole with shovels, I can res you dirt and hard labor it also brings perfect risotto”