mp.godfather-第10节

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　corridor；　his　white　coat　flapping。
　
　The　nurse　went　back　into　the　room　and　they　waited。　Finally　she　came　out　again；　holding　the　door　for　them　to　enter。　She　whispered；　〃He's　delirious　with　the　pain　and　fever；　try　not　to　excite　him。　And　you　can　stay　only　a　few　minutes；　except　for　the　wife。〃　She　recognized　Johnny　Fontane　as　he　went　by　her　and　her　eyes　opened　wide。　He　gave　her　a　faint　smile　of　acknowledgment　and　she　stared　at　him　with　frank　invitation。　He　filed　her　away　for　future　reference；　then　followed　the　others　into　the　sick　man's　room。
　
　Genco　Abbandando　had　run　a　long　race　with　death；　and　now；　vanquished；　he　lay　exhausted　on　the　raised　bed。　He　was　wasted　away　to　no　more　than　a　skeleton；　and　what　had　once　been　vigorous　black　hair　had　turned　into　obscene　stringy　wisps。　Don　Corleone　said　cheerily；　〃Genco；　dear　friend；　I　have　brought　my　sons　to　pay　their　respects；　and　look；　even　Johnny；　all　the　way　from　Hollywood。〃
　
　The　dying　man　raised　his　fevered　eyes　gratefully　to　the　Don。　He　let　the　young　men　clasp　his　bony　hand　in　their　fleshy　ones。　His　wife　and　daughters　ranged　themselves　along　his　bed；　kissing　his　cheek；　taking　his　other　hand　in　turn。
　
　The　Don　pressed　his　old　friend's　hand。　He　said　fortingly；　〃Hurry　up　and　get　better　and　we'll　take　a　trip　back　to　Italy　together　to　our　old　village。　We'll　play　boccie　in　front　of　the　wineshop　like　our　fathers　before　us。〃
　
　The　dying　man　shook　his　head。　He　motioned　the　young　men　and　his　family　away　from　his　bedside；　with　the　other　bony　claw　he　hung　fast　to　the　Don。　He　tried　to　speak。　The　Don　put　his　head　down　and　then　sat　on　the　bedside　chair。　Genco　Abbandando　was　babbling　about　their　childhood。　Then　his　coal…black　eyes　became　sly。　He　whispered。　The　Don　bent　closer。　The　others　in　the　room　were　astonished　to　see　tears　running　down　Don　Corleone's　face　as　he　shook　his　head。　The　quavering　voice　grew　louder；　filling　the　room。　With　a　tortured；　superhuman　effort；　Abbandando　lifted　his　head　off　his　pillow；　eyes　unseeing；　and　pointed　a　skeletal　forefinger　at　the　Don。　〃Godfather；　Godfather；〃　he　called　out　blindly；　〃save　me　from　death；　I　beg　of　you。　My　flesh　is　burning　off　my　bones　and　I　can　feel　the　worms　eating　away　my　brain。　Godfather；　cure　me；　you　have　the　power；　dry　the　tears　of　my　poor　wife。　In　Corleone　we　played　together　as　children　and　now　will　you　let　me　die　when　I　fear　hell　for　my　sins？〃
　
　The　Don　was　silent。　Abbandando　said；　〃It　is　your　daughter's　wedding　day；　you　cannot　refuse　me。〃
　
　The　Don　spoke　quietly；　gravely；　to　pierce　through　the　blasphemous　delirium。　〃Old　friend；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　no　such　powers。　If　I　did　I　would　be　more　merciful　than　God；　believe　me。　But　don't　fear　death　and　don't　fear　hell。　I　will　have　a　mass　said　for　your　soul　every　night　and　every　morning。　Your　wife　and　your　children　will　pray　for　you。　How　can　God　punish　you　with　so　many　pleas　for　mercy？〃
　
　The　skeleton　face　took　on　a　cunning　expression　that　was　obscene。　Abbandanda　said　slyly；　〃It's　been　arranged　then？〃
　
　When　the　Don　answered；　his　voice　was　cold；　without　fort。　〃You　blaspheme。　Resign　yourself。〃
　
　Abbandando　fell　back　on　the　pillow。　His　eyes　lost　their　wild　gleam　of　hope。　The　nurse　came　back　into　the　room　and　started　shooing　them　out　in　a　very　matter…of…fact　way。　The　Don　got　up　but　Abbandando　put　out　his　hand。　〃Godfather；〃　he　said；　〃stay　here　with　me　and　help　me　meet　death。　Perhaps　if　He　sees　you　near　me　He　will　be　frightened　and　leave　me　in　peace。　Or　perhaps　you　can　say　a　word；　pull　a　few　strings；　eh？〃　The　dying　man　winked　as　if　he　were　mocking　the　Don；　now　not　really　serious。　〃You're　brothers　in　blood；　after　all。〃　Then；　as　if　fearing　the　Don　would　be　offended；　he　clutched　at　his　hand。　〃Stay　with　me；　let　me　hold　your　hand。　We'll　outwit　that　bastard　as　we've　outwitted　others。　Godfather；　don't　betray　me。〃
　
　The　Don　motioned　the　other　people　out　of　the　room。　They　left。　He　took　the　withered　claw　of　Genco　Abbandando　in　his　own　two　broad　hands。　Softly；　reassuringly；　he　forted　his　friend；　as　they　waited　for　death　together。　As　if　the　Don　could　truly　snatch　the　life　of　Gencp　Abbandando　back　from　that　most　foul　and　criminal　traitor　to　man。
　
　**********
　
　The　wedding　day　of　Connie　Corleone　ended　well　for　her。　Carlo　Rizzi　performed　his　duties　as　a　bridegroom　with　skill　and　vigor；　spurred　on　by　the　contents　of　the　bride's　gift　purse　which　totaled　up　to　over　twenty　thousand　dollars。　The　bride；　however；　gave　up　her　virginity　with　a　great　deal　more　willingness　than　she　gave　up　her　purse。　For　the　latter；　he　had　to　blacken　one　of　her　eyes。
　
　Lucy　Mancini　waited　in　her　house　for　a　call　from　Sonny　Corleone；　sure　that　he　would　ask　her　for　a　date。　Finally　she　called　his　house　and　when　she　heard　a　woman's　voice　answer　the　phone　she　hung　up。　She　had　no　way　of　knowing　that　nearly　everyone　at　the　wedding　had　remarked　the　absence　of　her　and　Sonny　for　that　fatal　half　hour　and　the　gossip　was　already　spreading　that　Santino　Corleone　had　found　another　victim。　That　he　had　〃done　the　job〃　on　his　own　sister's　maid　of　honor。
　
　Amerigo　Bonasera　had　a　terrible　nightmare。　In　his　dreams　he　saw　Don　Corleone；　in　peaked　cap；　overalls　and　heavy　gloves；　unloading　bullet…riddled　corpses　in　front　of　his　funeral　parlor　and　shouting；　〃Remember；　Amerigo；　not　a　word　to　anyone；　and　bury　them　quickly。〃　He　groaned　so　loud　and　long　in　his　sleep　that　his　wife　shook　him　awake。　〃Eh；　what　a　man　you　are；〃　she　grumbled。　〃To　have　a　nightmare　only　after　a　wedding。〃
　
　Kay　Adams　was　escorted　to　her　New　York　City　hotel　by　Paulie　Gatto　and　Clemenza。　The　car　was　large；　luxurious　and　driven　by　Gatto。　Clemenza　sat　in　the　back　seat　and　Kay　was　given　the　front　seat　next　to　the　driver。　She　found　both　men　wildly　exotic。　Their　speech　was　movie　Brooklynese　and　they　treated　her　with　exaggerated　courtliness。　During　the　ride　she　chatted　casually　with　both　men　and　was　surprised　when　they　spoke　of　Michael　with　unmistakable　affection　and　respect。　He　had　led　her　to　believe　that　he　was　an　alien　in　his　father's　world。　Now　Clemenza　was　assuring　her　in　his　wheezing　guttural　voice　that　the　〃old　man〃　thought　Mike　was　the　best　of　his　sons；　the　one　who　would　surely　inherit　the　family　business。
　
　〃What　business　is　that？〃　Kay　asked　in　the　most　natural　way。
　
　Paulie　Gatto　gave　her　a　quick　glance　as　he　turned　the　wheel。　Behind　her　Clemenza　said　in　a　surprised　voice。　〃Didn't　Mike　tell　you？　Mr。　Corleone　is　the　biggest　importer　of　Italian　olive　oil　in　the　States。　Now　that　the　war　is　over　the　business　could　get　real　rich。　He'll　need　a　smart　boy　like　Mike。〃
　
　At　the　hotel　Clemenza　insisted　on　ing　to　the　desk　with　her。　When　she　protested；　he　said　simply；　〃The　boss　said　to　make　sure　you　got　home　OK。　I　gotta　do　it。〃
　
　After　she　received　her　room　key　he　walked　her　to　the　elevator　and　waited　until　she　got　in。　She　waved　to　him；　smiling；　and　was　surprised　at　his　genuine　smile　of　pleasure　in　return。　It　was　just　as　well　she　did　not　see　him　go　back　to　the　hotel　clerk　and　ask；　〃What　name　she　registered　under？〃
　
　The　hotel　clerk　looked　at　Clemenza　coldly。　Clemenza　rolled　the　little　green　spitball　he　was　holding　in　his　hand　across　to　the　clerk；　who　picked　it　up　and　immediately　said；　〃Mr。　and　Mrs。　Michael　Corleone。〃
　
　Back　in　the　car；　Paulie　Gatto　said；　〃Nice　dame。〃
　
　Clemenza　grunted。　〃Mike　is　doing　the　job　on　her。〃　Unless；　he　thought；　they　were　really　married。　〃Pick　me　up　early　in　the　morning；〃　he　told　Paulie　Gatto。　〃Hagen　got　some　deal　for　us　that　gotta　be　done　right　away。〃
　
　**********
　
　It　was　late　Sunday　night　before　Tom　Hagen　could　kiss　his　wife　good…bye　and　drive　out　to　the　airport。　With　his　special　number　one　priority　（a　grateful　gift　from　a　Pentagon　staff　general　officer）　he　had　no　trouble　getting　on　a　plane　to　Los　Angeles。
　
　It　had　been　a　busy　but　satisfying　day　for　Tom　Hagen。　Genco　Abbandando　had　died　at　three　in　the　morning　and　when　Don　Corleone　returned　from　the　hospital；　he　had　informed　Hagen　that　he　was　now　officially　the　new　Consigliere　to　the　family。　This　meant　that　Hagen　was　sure　to　bee　a　very　rich　man；　to　say　nothing　of　power。
　
　The　Don　had　broken　a　long…standing　tradition。　The　Consigliere　was　always　a　full…blooded　Sicilian；　and　the　fact　that　Hagen　had　been　brought　up　as　a　member　of　the　Don's　family　made　no　difference　to　that　tradition。　It　was　a　question　of　blood。　Only　a　Sicilian　born　to　the　ways　of　ormerta；　the　law　of　silence；　could　be　trusted　in　the　key　post　of　Consigliere。　Between　the　head　of　the　family；　Don　Corleone；　who　dictated　policy；　and　the　operating　level　of　men　who　actually　carried　out　the　orders　of　the　Don；　there　were　three　layers；　or　buffers。　In　that　way　nothing　could　be　traced　to　the　top。　Unless　the　Consigliere　turned　traitor。　That　Sunday　morning　Don　Corleone　gave　explicit　instructions　on　what　should　be　done　to　the　two　young　men　who　had　beaten　the　daughter　of　Amerigo　Bonasera。　But　he　had　given　those　orders　in　private　to　Tom　Hagen。　Later　in　the　day　Hagen　had；　also　in　private　without　witnesses；　instructed　Clemenza。　In　turn　Clemenza　had　told　Paulie　Gatto　to　execute　the　mission。　Paulie　Gatto　would　now　muster　the　necessary　manpower　and　execute　the　orders。　Paulie　Gatto　and　his　men　would　not　know　why　this　particular　task　was　being　carried　out　or　who　had　ordered　it　originally