The Last Don - Mario Puzo [227]
Cross understood her perfectly. He took a long time to consider his answer.
His voice was strong and determined when he said, “Athena, the only thing I’m sure about now is that I love you and Bethany. You have to believe that. It’s not going to be easy, I know that, but we’ll try our best. You want to help Bethany, not be a martyr. For that we have to take a final jump. I’ll do everything I can to help you. Look, we’ll be like gamblers in my casino. The odds are stacked against us, but there’s always that chance to beat the odds.”
Cross saw her weakening so he pressed on. “Let’s get married,” he said. “Let’s have other children and live our lives like normal people. With our children let’s try to make right what seems wrong with our world. All families have some misfortune. I know we can overcome it. Will you believe me?”
Finally Athena looked at him directly. “Only if you believe I truly love you,” she said.
In the bedroom when they made love, they took each other on faith; Athena believed that Cross would truly help her save Bethany, and Cross, that Athena truly loved him. When finally she turned her body toward him, she murmured, “I love you. I really do.”
Cross bowed his head to kiss her. She said it again, “I truly love you,” and Cross thought, What man on earth could disbelieve her?
Alone in his bedroom, the Don pulled the cool sheets up to his neck. Death was approaching, and he was too wily not to detect its nearness. But everything had worked out according to his plans. Ah, how easy it is to outwit the young.
During the last five years he had seen Dante as the great danger to his master plan. Dante would resist the folding of the Clericuzio Family into society. And yet, what could he himself, the Don, do? Order the killing of his daughter’s son, his own grandson? Would Giorgio, Vincent, and Petie obey such an order? And if they did, would they think him some kind of monster? Would they then fear him more than they loved him? And Rose Marie, what would remain of her sanity then, for surely she would sense the truth.
But when Pippi De Lena was killed, the die was cast. The Don immediately knew the truth of the matter, investigated Dante’s relationship with Losey and made his judgment.
He had sent Vincent and Petie to guard Cross, armored car and all. And then, to forewarn Cross, told him the story of the Santadio War. How painful it was to set the world straight. And when he was gone, who would there be to make these terrible decisions? He decided now, once and for all, the Cleri-cuzio would make its final retreat.
Vinnie and Petie would deal strictly with their restaurants and construction businesses. Giorgio would buy companies on Wall Street. The withdrawal would be complete. Even the Bronx Enclave would not be replenished. The Clericuzio would finally be safe and fight against the new outlaws who were rising all over America. He would not blame himself for past mistakes, the loss of his daughter’s happiness and the death of his grandson. And after all, he had set Cross free.
Before he fell asleep, the Don had a vision. He would live forever, the Clericuzio blood would be part of mankind forever. And it was he, himself, alone who had created this lineage, his own virtue.
But, oh, what a wicked world it was that drove a man to sin.
By Mario Puzo
Fiction:
THE DARK ARENA
THE FORTUNATE PILGRIM
THE GODFATHER
FOOLS DIE
THE SICILIAN
THE FOURTH K
THE LAST DON*
Nonfiction:
THE GODFATHER PAPERS
INSIDE LAS VEGAS
Children’s Book:
THE RUNAWAY SUMMER OF DAVIE SHAW
*Published by Ballantine Books
Copyright © 1996 by Mario Puzo
Excerpt from The Fortunate Pilgrim copyright © 1964, 1992 by Mario Puzo
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by Ballantine Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
http://www.randomhouse.com
Library of Congress Catalog Card