How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
The two oldest daughters had married very late. In addition to the twins, there was a middle daughter who had died of nighttime fevers, and two years later they were still observing a mourning that was relaxed inside the house but rigorous on the street. (2.15)
This phrase should have tipped you off to something about the Vicario family right from the beginning. It tells you that they care about appearances, and all is not exactly as it seems in their house. They want to seem strict and traditional by maintaining mourning in the public, but that's not what they do behind closed doors. Can you think of other instances where members of the Vicario family act differently behind closed doors?
Quote #5
No one would have thought, nor did anyone say, that Angela Vicario wasn't a virgin. She hadn't known any previous fiancé and she'd grown up along with her sisters under the rigor of a mother of iron. (2.38)
This is the mystery that has us scratching our heads. Is Angela some kind of magician or something? Of course, it might be good to remember that her father was sometimes her chaperone…and he's completely blind.
Quote #6
Furthermore, with the reconstruction of the facts, they had feigned a much more unforgiving bloodthirstiness than really was true, to such an extreme that it was necessary to use public funds to repair the main door of Placida Linero's house, which was all chipped with knife thrusts. (3.5)
To be honest, we feel pretty sorry for the Vicario brothers. They probably would have been happy to spend their Monday sleeping off the hangover from the wedding, but instead they had to go and kill a guy that they were hanging out with just hours before. What do you think would've happened if instead of lying, they just told everyone that they didn't feel like killing him?