“Did I tell you about Anton?" Loots said.Anton?" I shook my head.It was a week ago, Loots said. There had been a knock on the door of his apartment and when he opened it his old friend Anton was standing there. Anton was a clown. He belonged to a circus that toured the provinces, playing to small towns and villages. They talked about the old days for a while, but Anton became increasingly restless and distracted. In the end Loots had to ask him if there was something wrong.This is going to sound strange." The clown coughed nervously into his fist. "It's The Invisible Man. He's disappeared."Loots stared at his friend.He just vanished," Anton said, "into thin air."The Invisible Man?" Loots said.Yes."He's disappeared?"I told you it would sound strange," Anton said.”

“I had already taken a step toward their house, but then Father said, 'No, not there. They're hiding Jews.'"Christ!" exclaimed Anton, slapping his forehead.”

“Did Anton try the carrots?”“I believe so. Flavio seems happier, at least on that count, and I have noticed now that Anton shudders whenever he sees anything vaguely resembling a carrot. Which I think is rather sad, as they are a beautiful root vegetable.”“Yes,” said Joe seductively, remembering the huge carrots back on the kitchen table.”

“But of course Anton turned out to be brave and strong, and so he died while he was still unlikable.”

“Anton's bowels tightened in fear and he prayed to the Elders he would be able to find the courage to explain to Marcus how his two most senior warriors had been ambushed by an uncouth horde of half-breed mongrels.”

“You okay?" Anton asks, looking at me like he's trying to figure out if I'm drunk. His plans depend on me. I look as blank as possible and hope that it freaks him out. No point in my being the only miserable one.”