Chapters 41-44 Summary

Chapter 41 resumes the memoir, telling how Ignazia moves in with Prosperine and, fearing ground glass in his food, Papa buys meals outside, laments that as an honorable Sicilian he cannot get Prosperine deported, forbids baptizing the baby, and concealing baptizing the dead twin Although he fears and hates Ignazia, he lusts for her and begins visiting Hattie at a reeking Hungarian brothel. Papa is happy when McNulty dies and Guglielmo takes over. When Guglielmo asks him to manage, gratis, construction of a parochial school, Papa thinks about how far he has strayed but cannot face going to confession until Nabby Drinkwater, his own age, drops dead at work. In the confessional Papa claims to have been sinned against more than he has sinned, but Guglielmo demands breaking omertà as a sign of faith. Assured that he has not damned his brother...