mp.godfather-第14节

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uable　protégées。　For　five　years　I　had　this　girl　under　training；　singing；　dancing；　acting　lessons；　I　spent　hundreds　of　thousands　of　dollars。　I　was　going　to　make　her　a　star。　I'll　be　even　more　frank；　just　to　show　you　that　I'm　not　a　hard…hearted　man；　that　it　wasn't　all　dollars　and　cents。　That　girl　was　beautiful　and　she　was　the　greatest　piece　of　ass　I've　ever　had　and　I've　had　them　all　over　the　world。　She　could　suck　you　out　like　a　water　pump。　Then　Johnny　es　along　with　that　olive…oil　voice　and　guinea　charm　and　she　runs　off。　She　threw　it　all　away　just　to　make　me　ridiculous。　A　man　in　my　position；　Mr。　Hagen；　can't　afford　to　look　ridiculous。　I　have　to　pay　Johnny　off。〃
　
　For　the　first　time；　Woltz　succeeded　in　astounding　Hagen。　He　found　it　inconceivable　that　a　grown　man　of　substance　would　let　such　trivialities　affect　his　judgment　in　an　affair　of　business；　and　one　of　such　importance。　In　Hagen's　world；　the　Corleones'　world；　the　physical　beauty；　the　sexual　power　of　women；　carried　not　the　slightest　weight　in　worldly　matters。　It　was　a　private　affair；　except；　of　course；　in　matters　of　marriage　and　family　disgrace。　Hagen　decided　to　make　one　last　try。
　
　〃You　are　absolutely　right；　Mr。　Woltz；〃　Hagen　said。　〃But　are　your　grievances　that　major？　I　don't　think　you've　understood　how　important　this　very　small　favor　is　to　my　client。　Mr。　Corleone　held　the　infant　Johnny　in　his　arms　when　he　was　baptized。　When　Johnny's　father　died；　Mr。　Corleone　assumed　the　duties　of　parenthood；　indeed　he　is　called　'Godfather'　by　many；　many　people　who　wish　to　show　their　respect　and　gratitude　for　the　help　he　has　given　them。　Mr。　Corleone　never　lets　his　friends　down。〃
　
　Woltz　stood　up　abruptly。　〃I've　listened　to　about　enough。　Thugs　don't　give　me　orders；　I　give　them　orders。　If　I　pick　up　this　phone；　you'll　spend　the　night　in　jail。　And　if　that　Mafia　goombah　tries　any　rough　stuff；　he'll　find　out　I'm　not　a　band　leader。　Yeah；　I　heard　that　story　too。　Listen；　your　Mr。　Corleone　will　never　know　what　hit　him。　Even　if　I　have　to　use　my　influence　at　the　White　House。〃
　
　The　stupid；　stupid　son　of　a　bitch。　How　the　hell　did　he　get　to　be　a　pezzonovante；　Hagen　wondered。　Advisor　to　the　President；　head　of　the　biggest　movie　studio　in　the　world。　Definitely　the　Don　should　get　into　the　movie　business。　And　the　guy　was　taking　his　words　at　their　sentimental　face　value。　He　was　not　getting　the　message。
　
　〃Thank　you　for　the　dinner　and　a　pleasant　evening；〃　Hagen　said。　〃Could　you　give　me　transportation　to　the　airport？　I　don't　think　I'll　spend　the　night。〃　He　smiled　coldly　at　Woltz。　〃Mr。　Corleone　is　a　man　who　insists　on　hearing　bad　news　at　once。〃
　
　While　waiting　in　the　floodlit　colonnade　of　the　mansion　for　his　car；　Hagen　saw　two　women　about　to　enter　a　long　limousine　already　parked　in　the　driveway。　They　were　the　beautiful　twelve…year…old　blond　girl　and　her　mother　he　had　seen　in　Woltz's　office　that　morning。　But　now　the　girl's　exquisitely　cut　mouth　seemed　to　have　smeared　into　a　thick；　pink　mass。　Her　sea…blue　eyes　were　filmed　over　and　when　she　walked　down　the　steps　toward　the　open　car　her　long　legs　tottered　like　a　crippled　foal's。　Her　mother　supported　the　child；　helping　her　into　the　car；　hissing　mands　into　her　ear。　The　mother's　head　turned　for　a　quick　furtive　look　at　Hagen　and　he　saw　in　her　eyes　a　burning；　hawklike　triumph。　Then　she　too　disappeared　into　the　limousine。
　
　So　that　was　why　he　hadn't　got　the　plane　ride　from　Los　Angeles；　Hagen　thought。　The　girl　and　her　mother　had　made　the　trip　with　the　movie　producer。　That　had　given　Woltz　enough　time　to　relax　before　dinner　and　do　the　job　on　the　little　kid。　And　Johnny　wanted　to　live　in　this　world？　Good　luck　to　him；　and　good　luck　to　Woltz。
　
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　Paulie　Gatto　hated　quickie　jobs；　especially　when　they　involved　violence。　He　liked　to　plan　things　ahead。　And　something　like　tonight；　even　though　it　was　punk　stuff；　could　turn　into　serious　business　if　somebody　made　a　mistake。　Now；　sipping　his　beer；　he　glanced　around；　checking　how　the　two　young　punks　were　making　out　with　the　two　little　tramps　at　the　bar。
　
　Paulie　Gatto　knew　everything　there　was　to　know　about　those　two　punks。　Their　names　were　Jerry　Wagner　and　Kevin　Moonan。　They　were　both　about　twenty　years　old；　goodlooking；　brown…haired；　tall；　well…built。　Both　were　due　to　go　back　to　college　out　of　town　in　two　weeks；　both　had　fathers　with　political　influence　and　this；　with　their　college　student　classification；　had　so　far　kept　them　out　of　the　draft。　They　were　both　also　under　suspended　sentences　for　assaulting　the　daughter　of　Amerigo　Bonasera。　The　lousy　bastards；　Paulie　Gatto　thought。　Draft　dodging；　violating　their　probation　by　drinking　in　a　bar　after　midnight；　chasing　floozies。　Young　punks。　Paulie　Gatto　had　been　deferred　from　the　draft　himself　because　his　doctor　had　furnished　the　draft　board　with　documents　showing　that　this　patient；　male；　white；　aged　twenty…six；　unmarried；　had　received　electrical　shock　treatments　for　a　mental　condition。　All　false；　of　course；　but　Paulie　Gatto　felt　that　he　had　earned　his　draft　exemption。　It　had　been　arranged　by　Clemenza　after　Gatto　had　〃made　his　bones〃　in　the　family　business。
　
　It　was　Clemenza　who　had　told　him　that　this　job　must　be　rushed　through；　before　the　boys　went　to　college。　Why　the　hell　did　it　have　to　be　done　in　New　York；　Gatto　wondered。　Clemenza　was　always　giving　extra　orders　instead　of　just　giving　out　the　job。　Now　if　those　two　little　tramps　walked　out　with　the　punks　it　would　be　another　night　wasted。
　
　He　could　hear　one　of　the　girls　laughing　and　saying；　〃Are　you　crazy；　Jerry？　I'm　not　going　in　any　car　with　you。　I　don't　want　to　wind　up　in　the　hospital　like　that　other　poor　girl。〃　Her　voice　was　spitefully　rich　with　satisfaction。　That　was　enough　for　Gatto。　He　finished　up　his　beer　and　walked　out　into　the　dark　street。　Perfect。　It　was　after　midnight。　There　was　only　one　other　bar　that　showed　light。　The　rest　of　the　stores　were　closed。　The　precinct　patrol　car　had　been　taken　care　of　by　Clemenza。　They　wouldn't　be　around　that　way　until　they　got　a　radio　call　and　then　they'd　e　slow。
　
　He　leaned　against　the　four…door　Chevy　sedan。　In　the　back　seat　two　men　were　sitting；　almost　invisible；　although　they　were　very　big　men。　Paulie　said；　〃Take　them　when　they　e　out。〃
　
　He　still　thought　it　had　all　been　set　up　too　fast。　Clemenza　had　given　him　copies　of　the　police　mug　shots　of　the　two　punks；　the　dope　on　where　the　punks　went　drinking　every　night　to　pick　up　bar　girls。　Paulie　had　recruited　two　of　the　strong…arms　in　the　family　and　fingered　the　punks　for　them。　He　had　also　given　them　their　instructions。　No　blows　on　the　top　or　the　back　of　the　head；　there　was　to　be　no　accidental　fatality。　Other　than　that　they　could　go　as　far　as　they　liked。　He　had　given　them　only　one　warning：　〃If　those　punks　get　out　of　the　hospital　in　less　than　a　month；　you　guys　go　back　to　driving　trucks。〃
　
　The　two　big　men　were　getting　out　of　the　car。　They　were　both　ex…boxers　who　had　never　made　it　past　the　small　clubs　and　had　been　fixed　up　by　Sonny　Corleone　with　a　little　loan…shark　action　so　that　they　could　make　a　decent　living。　They　were；　naturally；　anxious　to　show　their　gratitude。
　
　When　Jerry　Wagner　and　Kevin　Moonan　came　out　of　the　bar　they　were　perfect　setups。　The　bar　girl's　taunts　had　left　their　adolescent　vanity　prickly。　Paulie　Gatto；　leaning　against　the　fender　of　his　car；　called　out　to　them　with　a　teasing　laugh；　〃Hey；　Casanova；　those　broads　really　brushed　you　off。〃
　
　The　two　young　men　turned　on　him　with　delight。　Paulie　Gatto　looked　like　a　perfect　outlet　for　their　humiliation。　Ferret…faced；　short；　slightly　built　and　a　wise　guy　in　the　bargain。　They　pounced　on　him　eagerly　and　immediately　found　their　arms　pinned　by　two　men　grabbing　them　from　behind。　At　the　same　moment　Paulie　Gatto　had　slipped　onto　his　right　hand　a　specially　made　set　of　brass　knuckles　studded　with　one…sixteenth…inch　iron　spikes。　His　timing　was　good；　he　worked　out　in　the　gym　three　times　a　week。　He　smashed　the　punk　named　Wagner　right　on　the　nose。　The　man　holding　Wagner　lifted　him　up　off　the　ground　and　Paulie　swung　his　arm；　uppercutting　into　the　perfectly　positioned　groin。　Wagner　went　limp　and　the　big　man　dropped　him。　This　had　taken　no　more　than　six　seconds。
　
　Now　both　of　them　turned　their　attention　to　Kevin　Moonan；　who　was　trying　to　shout。　The　man　holding　him　from　behind　did　so　easily　with　one　huge　muscled　arm。　The　other　hand　he　put　around　Moonan's　throat　to　cut　off　any　sound。
　
　Paulie　Gatto　jumped　into　the　car　and　started　the　motor。　The　two　big　men　were　beating　Moonan　to　jelly。　They　did　so　with　frightening　deliberation；　as　if　they　had　all　the　time　in　the　world。　They　did　not　throw　punches　in　flurries　but　in　timed；　slow…motion　sequences　that　carried　the　full　weight　of　their　massive　bodies。　Each　blow　landed　with　a　splat　of　flesh　splitting　open。　Gatto　got　a　glimpse　of　Moonan's　face。　It　was　unrecognizable。　The　two　men　left　Moonan　lying　on　the　sidewalk　and　turned　their　attention　to　Wagner。　Wagner　was　trying　to　get　to　his　feet　and　he　started　to　scream　for　help。　Someone　came　out　of　the　bar　and　the　two　men　had　to　work　faster　now。　They　clubbed　Wagner　to　his　knees。　One　of　the　men　took　his　arm　and　twisted　it；　then　kicked　him　in　the　spine。　There　was　a　cracking　sound　and　Wagner's　scream　of　agony　brought　windows　open　all　along　th