mp.godfather-第103节

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　the　Barzini　and　Tattaglia　Families　immediately　went　over　to　his　side。
　
　It　would　have　been　a　perfect　triumph　for　Michael　Corleone　except　for　an　exhibition　of　hysteria　by　his　sister　Connie。
　
　Connie　had　flown　home　with　her　mother；　the　children　left　in　Vegas。　She　had　restrained　her　widow's　grief　until　the　limousine　pulled　into　the　mall。　Then；　before　she　could　be　restrained　by　her　mother；　she　ran　across　the　cobbled　street　to　Michael　Corleone's　house。　She　burst　through　the　door　and　found　Michael　and　Kay　in　the　living　room。　Kay　started　to　go　to　her；　to　fort　her　and　take　her　in　her　arms　in　a　sisterly　embrace　but　stopped　short　when　Connie　started　screaming　at　her　brother；　screaming　curses　and　reproaches。　〃You　lousy　bastard；〃　she　shrieked。　〃You　killed　my　husband。　You　waited　until　our　father　died　and　nobody　could　stop　you　and　you　killed　him。　You　killed　him。　You　blamed　him　about　Sonny；　you　always　did；　everybody　did。　But　you　never　thought　about　me。　You　never　gave　a　damn　about　me。　What　am　I　going　to　do　now；　what　am　I　going　to　do？〃　She　was　wailing。　Two　of　Michael's　bodyguards　had　e　up　behind　her　and　were　waiting　for　orders　from　him。　But　he　just　stood　there　impassively　and　waited　for　his　sister　to　finish。
　
　Kay　said　in　a　shocked　voice；　〃Connie；　you're　upset；　don't　say　such　things。〃
　
　Connie　had　recovered　from　her　hysteria。　Her　voice　held　a　deadly　venom。　〃Why　do　you　think　he　was　always　so　cold　to　me？　Why　do　you　think　he　kept　Carlo　here　on　the　mall？　All　the　time　he　knew　he　was　going　to　kill　my　husband。　But　he　didn't　dare　while　my　father　was　alive。　My　father　would　have　stopped　him。　He　knew　that。　He　was　just　waiting。　And　then　he　stood　Godfather　to　our　child　just　to　throw　us　off　the　track。　The　coldhearted　bastard。　You　think　you　know　your　husband？　Do　you　know　how　many　men　he　had　killed　with　my　Carlo？　Just　read　the　papers。　Barzini　and　Tattaglia　and　the　others。　My　brother　had　them　killed。〃
　
　She　had　worked　herself　into　hysteria　again。　She　tried　to　spit　in　Michael's　face　but　she　had　no　saliva。
　
　〃Get　her　home　and　get　her　a　doctor；〃　Michael　said。　The　two　guards　immediately　grabbed　Connie's　arms　and　pulled　her　out　of　the　house。
　
　Kay　was　still　shocked；　still　horrified。　She　said　to　her　husband；　〃What　made　her　say　all　those　things；　Michael；　what　makes　her　believe　that？〃
　
　Michael　shrugged。　〃She's　hysterical。〃
　
　Kay　looked　into　his　eyes。　〃Michael；　it's　not　true；　please　say　it's　not　true。〃
　
　Michael　shook　his　head　wearily。　〃Of　course　it's　not。　Just　believe　me；　this　one　time　I'm　letting　you　ask　about　my　affairs；　and　I'm　giving　you　an　answer。　It　is　not　true。〃　He　had　never　been　more　convincing。　He　looked　directly　into　her　eyes。　He　was　using　all　the　mutual　trust　they　had　built　up　in　their　married　life　to　make　her　believe　him。　And　she　could　not　doubt　any　longer。　She　smiled　at　him　ruefully　and　came　into　his　arms　for　a　kiss。
　
　〃We　both　need　a　drink；〃　she　said。　She　went　into　the　kitchen　for　ice　and　while　there　heard　the　front　door　open。　She　went　out　of　the　kitchen　and　saw　Clemenza；　Neri　and　Rocco　Lampone　e　in　with　the　bodyguards。　Michael　had　his　back　to　her；　but　she　moved　so　that　she　could　see　him　in　profile。　At　that　moment　Clemenza　addressed　her　husband；　greeting　him　formally。
　
　〃Don　Michael；〃　Clemenza　said。
　
　Kay　could　see　how　Michael　stood　to　receive　their　homage。　He　reminded　her　of　statues　in　Rome；　statues　of　those　Roman　emperors　of　antiquity；　who；　by　divine　right；　held　the　power　of　life　and　death　over　their　fellow　men。　One　hand　was　on　his　hip；　the　profile　of　his　face　showed　a　cold　proud　power；　his　body　was　carelessly；　arrogantly　at　ease；　weight　resting　on　one　foot　slightly　behind　the　other。　The　caporegimes　stood　before　him。　In　that　moment　Kay　knew　that　everything　Connie　had　accused　Michael　of　was　true。　She　went　back　into　the　kitchen　and　wept。
　
　Book　nine
　
　Chapter　32
　
　The　bloody　victory　of　the　Corleone　Family　was　not　plete　until　a　year　of　delicate　political　maneuvering　established　Michael　Corleone　as　the　most　powerful　Family　chief　in　the　United　States。　For　twelve　months；　Michael　divided　his　time　equally　between　his　headquarters　at　the　Long　Beach　mall　and　his　new　home　in　Las　Vegas。　But　at　the　end　of　that　year　he　decided　to　close　out　the　New　York　operation　and　sell　the　houses　and　the　mall　property。　For　that　purpose　he　brought　his　whole　family　East　on　a　last　visit。　They　would　stay　a　month；　wind　up　business；　Kay　would　do　the　personal　family's　packing　and　shipping　of　household　goods。　There　were　a　million　other　minor　details。
　
　Now　the　Corleone　Family　was　unchallengeable；　and　Clemenza　had　his　own　Family。　Rocco　Lampone　was　the　Corleone　caporegime。　In　Nevada；　Albert　Neri　was　head　of　all　security　for　the　Family…controlled　hotels。　Hagen　too　was　part　of　Michael's　Western　Family。
　
　Time　helped　heal　the　old　wounds。　Connie　Corleone　was　reconciled　to　her　brother　Michael。　Indeed　not　more　than　a　week　after　her　terrible　accusations　she　apologized　to　Michael　for　what　she　had　said　and　assured　Kay　that　there　had　been　no　truth　in　her　words；　that　it　had　been　only　a　young　widow's　hysteria。
　
　Connie　Corleone　easily　found　a　new　husband；　in　fact；　she　did　not　wait　the　year　of　respect　before　filling　her　bed　again　with　a　fine　young　fellow　who　had　e　to　work　for　the　Corleone　Family　as　a　male　secretary。　A　boy　from　a　reliable　Italian　family　but　graduated　from　the　top　business　college　in　America。　Naturally　his　marriage　to　the　sister　of　the　Don　made　his　future　assured。
　
　Kay　Adams　Corleone　had　delighted　her　in…laws　by　taking　instruction　in　the　Catholic　religion　and　joining　that　faith。　Her　two　boys　were　also；　naturally；　being　brought　up　in　that　church；　as　was　required。　Michael　himself　had　not　been　too　pleased　by　this　development。　He　would　have　preferred　the　children　to　be　Protestant；　it　was　more　American。
　
　To　her　surprise；　Kay　came　to　love　living　in　Nevada。　She　loved　the　scenery；　the　hills　and　canyons　of　garishly　red　rock；　the　burning　deserts；　the　unexpected　and　blessedly　refreshing　lakes；　even　the　heat。　Her　two　boys　rode　their　own　ponies。　She　had　real　servants；　not　bodyguards。　And　Michael　lived　a　more　normal　life。　He　owned　a　construction　business；　he　joined　the　businessmen's　clubs　and　civic　mittees；　he　had　a　healthy　interest　in　local　politic　without　interfering　publicly。　It　was　a　good　life。　Kay　was　happy　that　they　were　closing　down　their　New　York　house　and　that　Las　Vegas　would　be　truly　their　permanent　home。　She　hated　ing　back　to　New　York。　And　so　on　this　last　trip　she　had　arranged　all　the　packing　and　shipping　of　goods　with　the　utmost　efficiency　and　speed；　and　now　on　the　final　day　she　felt　chat　same　urgency　to　leave　that　longtime　patients　feel　when　it　is　time　to　be　discharged　from　the　hospital。
　
　On　that　final　day；　Kay　Adams　Cory　woke　at　dawn。　She　could　hear　the　roar　of　the　truck　motors　outside　on　the　mall。　The　trucks　that　would　empty　all　the　houses　of　furniture。　The　Corleone　Family　would　be　flying　back　to　Las　Vegas　in　the　afternoon；　including　Mama　Corleone。
　
　When　Kay　came　out　of　the　bathroom；　Michael　was　propped　up　on　his　pillow　smoking　a　cigarette。　〃Why　the　hell　do　you　have　to　go　to　church　every　morning？〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　mind　Sundays；　but　why　the　hell　during　the　week？　You're　as　bad　as　my　mother。〃　He　reached　over　in　the　darkness　and　switched　on　the　tablelight。
　
　Kay　sat　at　the　edge　of　the　bed　to　pull　on　her　stockings。　〃You　know　how　converted　Catholics　are；〃　she　said。　〃They　take　it　more　seriously。〃
　
　Michael　reached　over　to　touch　her　thigh；　on　the　warm　skin　where　the　top　of　her　nylon　hose　ended。　〃Don't；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　taking　munion　this　morning。〃
　
　He　didn't　try　to　hold　her　when　she　got　up　from　the　bed。　He　said；　smiling　slightly；　〃If　you're　such　a　strict　Catholic；　how　e　you　let　the　kids　duck　going　to　church　so　much？〃
　
　She　felt　unfortable　and　she　was　wary。　He　was　studying　her　with　what　she　thought　of　privately　as　his　〃Don's〃　eye。　〃They　have　plenty　of　time；〃　she　sate。　〃When　we　get　back　home；　I'll　make　them　attend　more。〃
　
　She　kissed　him　good…bye　before　she　left。　Outside　the　house　the　air　was　already　getting　warm。　The　summer　sun　rising　in　the　east　was　red。　Kay　walked　to　where　her　car　was　parked　near　the　gates　of　the　mall。　Mama　Corleone；　dressed　in　her　widow　black；　was　already　sitting　in　it；　waiting　for　her。　It　had　bee　a　set　routine；　early　Mass；　every　morning；　together。
　
　Kay　kissed　the　old　woman's　wrinkled　cheek；　then　got　behind　the　wheel。　Mama　Corleone　asked　suspiciously；　〃You　eata　breakfast？〃
　
　〃No；〃　Kay　said。
　
　The　old　woman　nodded　her　head　approvingly。　Kay　had　once　forgotten　that　it　was　forbidden　to　take　food　from　midnight　on　before　receiving　Holy　munion。　That　had　been　a　long　time　ago；　but　Mama　Corleone　never　trusted　her　after　that　and　always　checked。　〃You　feel　all　right？〃　the　old　woman　asked。
　
　〃Yes；〃　Kay　said。
　
　The　church　was　small　and　desolate　in　the　early　morning　sunlight。　Its　stained…glass　windows　shielded　the　interior　from　heat；　it　would　be　cool　there；　a　place　to　rest。　Kay　helped　her　mother…in…law　up　the　white　stone　steps　and　then　let　her　go　before　her。　The　old　woman　preferred　a　pew　up　front；　close　to　the　altar。　Kay　waited　on　the　steps　for　an　extra　minute。　She　was　always　reluctant　at　this　last　moment；　always　a　little　fearful。