The Sicilian: A Novel (The Godfather Book 2) by Mario Puzo

Author:Mario Puzo [Puzo, Mario]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
ISBN: 9780345480743
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2004-09-28T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 15

EVEN IN SICILY, a land where men killed each other with the same ferocious enthusiasm with which the Spaniards slaughtered bulls, the murderous madness of the citizens of Corleone inspired a universal dread. Rival families exterminated each other in a quarrel over a single olive tree, neighbors might kill each other over the amount of water one took from a communal stream, a man could die from love—that is, if he looked too disrespectfully at a wife or daughter. Even the cool-headed Friends of the Friends succumbed to this madness and their different branches warred to death in Corleone until Don Croce brought them to peace.

In such a town, Stefan Andolini had earned the nickname of Fra Diavalo, Brother Devil.

Don Croce had summoned him from Corleone and instructed him. He was to join Guiliano’s band and win their confidence. He was to stay with them until Don Croce gave orders as to his future course of action. Meanwhile he was to send back information as to Guiliano’s real strength, the loyalty of Passatempo and Terranova. Since Pisciotta’s loyalty was unquestioned there remained only to evaluate that young man’s weaknesses. And if the opportunity arose, Andolini was to kill Guiliano.

Andolini had no fear of the great Guiliano. Also, since he was redheaded, and redheads were so rare in Italy, Stefan Andolini secretly believed he had been excused from the rules of virtue. As a gambler believes his system can never lose, so Stefan Andolini believed himself so cunning he could never be outwitted.

He picked two young picciotti to go with him, that is, apprentice killers, who had not yet been admitted to the Mafia but hoped for that honor. They journeyed into the mountain haunts of Guiliano carrying knapsacks and lupare and sure enough were picked up by a roving patrol headed by Pisciotta.

Pisciotta listened to Stefan Andolini’s story with an impassive face. Andolini told him that the carabinieri and Security Police were looking for him because of the murder of a Socialist agitator in Corleone. This was quite true. What Andolini did not say was that the police and carabinieri had no proof and were merely seeking him for questioning. A questioning that would be more kindly than exhaustive due to the influence of Don Croce. Andolini also told Pisciotta that the two picciotti with him were men who were also being sought by the police as co-conspirators in the killing. This was also true. But as he was telling this story Stefan Andolini felt a mounting uneasiness. Pisciotta was listening with the expression of a man who has met someone he has known before or of whom he has heard a great deal.

Andolini said that he had come into the mountains in the hope of joining Guiliano’s band. And then he played his trump card. He had the stamp of approval from Guiliano’s father himself. He, Stefan Andolini, was a cousin of the great Don Vito Corleone, in America. Pisciotta nodded. Andolini went on. Don Vito Corleone had been born an Andolini in the village of Corleone.

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