Adam's Breed

In the evening Millo arrived as he had promised.

"Nerves -- all nerves -- as I told you," he said kindly. "The doctor says that you need a long rest, at least three or four months, and I think he is right. While you are away I propose to pay your salary, you can look upon that as a retaining fee, Gian-Luca. And now I want to know where you two will go, have you made up your minds? " It seemed that they had not, so Millo continued: "Well I have a suggestion to make; you should go to Italy with Maddalena, you should give the blue sky and the sunshine a chance. After all, Gian-Luca, you are an Italian, and yet you have never seen our fine sunshine. " Then he laughed, "I too must try to have a breakdown, I have not been home for ten years!"