Tatiana and Alexander: A Novel(159)

Harold stood over Alexander. "Where is my son?" he whispered. "Where is my boy? I want my son back. I want to carry him to sleep in my arms, just like I did when he was born."

"Here I am," said Alexander.

His voice cracking, Harold said, "Ask for some bread, Alexander. Please. Don't be so proud."

Alexander did not respond.

Harold leaned over him and whispered:"If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew, to serve your Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

turn long after they are gone, and so hold on when there is nothing in you, except the will which says to them, `Hold on!'"

Now Alexander blinked. And Harold was gone.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

New York, December 1945

TATIANA WAS PUTTING ANTHONYto bed when he suddenly said, "Mama, can Jeb be my daddy?"

"Probably not, honey."

"Can Edward?"

"Yes, maybe him. You like him?"

"I like him. He is nice."

"Yes, honey, Edward is a good man."

"Mama, tell me a story."

She kneeled by the side of Anthony's bed, and clasped her hands together as if in prayer. "Want to hear about how Pooh Bear and Piglet found an endless pot of honey and Pooh Bear got so big he had to be put on a diet--"

"No, don't want that one. Tell me a cary one."

"I don't know scary ones."

"Cary one," he said, in a declaration that invited no argument.

Tatiana thought about it. "All right, I'll tell you about Dana?, the woman in the chest."

"The woman in the chest?"

"Yes. A painting of her, by great painter named Rembrandt, used to be in big museum of city I was born, Leningrad. But when war started, paintings were all shipped out from museum, and I don't know if Dana? and all others are safe."

"Tell me about woman in chest, Mama."

Tatiana took a deep breath. "Once upon a time, there was cowardly man named Acrisius. He had a daughter named Dana?."

"Was she young?" Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

"Yes."

"Was she a bootiful princess?" Anthony giggled.

"Yes." Tatiana paused. "But Acrisius had the oracle--"

"What is oracle?"

"Person who tell you future. He had oracle warn him that his daughter's son was going to kill him. So he got very scared--"

"He didn't want to die?"

"That's right. So he locked Dana? away in bronze chamber so no one could get to her and give her a baby."

Anthony smiled. "Someone got to her?"

"That's right. Zeus." Tatiana's hands were clasped. She was on her knees. "Zeus found way into Dana?'s bronze chamber by making himself into golden rain, and Dana? was loved by a god...and he gave her a baby, a son. Do you know what they called him? They called him Perseus."

"Perseus," Anthony repeated.

Tatiana nodded. "When Acrisius found out that his daughter had son, he became so scared that he didn't know what to do. He did not dare kill boy, but he couldn't let him live, either. So he had mother and child put into chest and set adrift in stormy sea."

Anthony was listening raptly.

"They were set adrift with no food and all alone. Dana? was scared, but Perseus wasn't scared." Tatiana smiled. "Perseus knew in his baby heart that his father wouldn't let anything happen to him. Nor to Dana?." She paused. "And his father didn't. Zeus asked god of sea--Poseidon--to still the waters and calm the waves to let them pass safely in their frail ark to wash ashore on island in Greece."

Anthony smiled. "I knew they be safe." He breathed in deeply. "Did they live happily ever after?"

"...Yes."

"What happened to Perseus?"

"Someday, when you are older, I will tell you what Perseus's future held."

"You will be my...oracle?"

"Yes."

"But he didn't die?"

"Oh, no. He grew up nicely. All people on island could guess right away that Perseus was of royal Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

birth--the son not just of a king, but of a god. He grew up strong, played all games, always beat his playmates, but his mind was set only on brave deeds by which he might prove himself to be hero among men."

Anthony stared at his mother. "Did Perseus become a hero?"

"Yes, son," answered Tatiana. "Perseus became spectacular hero. When you are little older, I will tell you what he did to Gorgon Medusa and to sea monster. But now I want you to have sweet dreams. I want you to dream of Luna Park and cotton candy and playing hide and seek under the boardwalk. All right?"

"Mama, wait--was the oracle right? Did Perseus kill...that man?"

"Yes, son. Perseus did kill Acrisius. Accidentally. Without meaning to."

"So he was right to send them away."

"Suppose so. Didn't matter much, though, did it?"

"No. That wasn't very cary, Mama. Maybe sea monster next time?"

"Maybe. I love you." She closed the bedroom door behind her.