Крестный отец

           ThattheCorleoneFamilywouldliquidateitspowerinNewYork.SuchactionhadbeenawaitingtheretirementordeathoftheDon.

           Itwasnearlytenyearssincetherehadbeensuchacelebrationofpeopleinthishouse,nearlytenyearssincetheweddingofConstanziaCorleoneandCarloRizzi,sosomebodysaid.Michaelwalkedtothewindowthatlookedoutonthegarden.ThatlongtimeagohehadsatinthegardenwithKayneverdreamingthatsocuriousadestinywastobehis.Andhisfatherdyinghadsaid,"Lifeissobeautiful."Michaelcouldneverrememberhisfathereverhavingutteredawordaboutdeath,asiftheDonrespecteddeathtoomuchtophilosophizeaboutit.

           Itwastimeforthecemetery.ItwastimetoburythegreatDon.MichaellinkedhisarmwithKay’sandwentoutintothegardentojointhehostofmourners.BehindhimcamethecaporegimesfollowedbytheirsoldiersandthenallthehumblepeopletheGodfatherhadblessedduringhislifetime.ThebakerNazorine,thewidowColomboandhersonsandallthecountlessothersofhisworldhehadruledsofirmlybutjustly.Therewereevensomewhohadbeenhisenemies,cometodohimhonor.

           Michaelobservedallthiswithatight,politesmile.Hewasnotimpressed.Yet,hethought,ifIcandiesaying,"Lifeissobeautiful,"thennothingelseisimportant.IfIcanbelieveinmyselfthatmuch,nothingelsematters.Hewouldfollowhisfather.Hewouldcareforhischildren,hisfamily,hisworld.Buthischildrenwouldgrowinadifferentworld.Theywouldbedoctors,artists,scientists.