mp.godfather-第20节

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ingers。　He　went　into　the　huge　corner　room　that　was　his　father's　office　and　took　the　special　phone　from　a　locked　cabinet　box。　The　phone　had　been　especially　installed　and　was　listed　under　a　phony　name　and　a　phony　address。　The　first　person　he　called　was　Luca　Brasi。　There　was　no　answer。　Then　he　called　the　safety…valve　caporegime　in　Brooklyn；　a　man　of　unquestioned　loyalty　to　the　Don。　This　man's　name　was　Tessio。　Sonny　told　him　what　had　happened　and　what　he　wanted。　Tessio　was　to　recruit　fifty　absolutely　reliable　men。　He　was　to　send　guards　to　the　hospital；　he　was　to　send　men　out　to　Long　Beach　to　work　here。　Tessio　asked；　〃Did　they　get　Clemenza　too？〃　Sonny　said；　〃I　don't　want　to　use　Clemenza's　people　right　now。〃　Tessio　understood　immediately；　there　was　a　pause；　and　then　he　said；　〃Excuse　me；　Sonny；　I　say　this　as　your　father　would　say　it。　Don't　move　too　fast。　I　can't　believe　Clemenza　would　betray　us。〃
　
　〃Thanks；〃　Sonny　said。　〃I　don't　think　so　but　I　have　to　be　careful。　Right？〃
　
　〃Right；〃　Tessio　said。
　
　〃Another　thing；〃　Sonny　said。　〃My　kid　brother　Mike　goes　to　college　in　Hanover；　New　Hampshire。　Get　some　people　we　know　in　Boston　to　go　up　and　get　him　and　bring　him　down　here　to　the　house　until　this　blows　over。　I'll　call　him　up　so　he'll　expect　them。　Again　I'm　just　playing　the　percentages；　just　to　make　sure。〃
　
　〃OK；〃　Tessio　said；　〃I'll　be　over　your　father's　house　as　soon　as　I　get　things　rolling。　OK？　You　know　my　boys；　right？〃
　
　〃Yeah；〃　Sonny　said。　He　hung　up。　He　went　over　to　a　small　wall　safe　and　unlocked　it。　From　it　he　took　an　indexed　book　bound　in　blue　leather。　He　opened　it　to　the　T's　until　he　found　the　entry　he　was　looking　for。　It　read；　〃Ray　Farrell　5；000　Christmas　Eve。〃　This　was　followed　by　a　telephone　number。　Sonny　dialed　the　number　and　said；　〃Farrell？〃　The　man　on　the　other　end　answered；　〃Yes。〃　Sonny　said；　〃This　is　Santino　Corleone。　I　want　you　to　do　me　a　favor　and　I　want　you　to　do　it　right　away。　I　want　you　to　check　two　phone　numbers　and　give　me　all　the　calls　they　got　and　all　the　calls　they　made　for　the　last　three　months。〃　He　gave　Farrell　the　number　of　Paulie　Gatto's　home　and　Clemenza's　home。　Then　he　said；　〃This　is　important。　Get　it　to　me　before　midnight　and　you'll　have　an　extra　very　Merry　Christmas。〃
　
　Before　he　settled　back　to　think　things　out　he　gave　Luca　Brasi's　number　one　more　call。　Again　there　was　no　answer。　This　worried　him　but　he　put　it　out　of　his　mind。　Luca　would　e　to　the　house　as　soon　as　he　heard　the　news。　Sonny　leaned　back　in　the　swivel　chair。　In　an　hour　the　house　would　be　swarming　with　Family　people　and　he　would　have　to　tell　them　all　what　to　do；　and　now　that　he　finally　had　time　to　think　he　realized　how　serious　the　situation　was。　It　was　the　first　challenge　to　the　Corleone　Family　and　their　power　in　ten　years。　There　was　no　doubt　that　Sollozzo　was　behind　it；　but　he　would　never　have　dared　attempt　such　a　stroke　unless　he　had　support　from　at　least　one　of　the　five　great　New　York　families。　And　that　support　must　have　e　from　the　Tattaglias。　Which　meant　a　full…scale　war　or　an　immediate　settlement　on　Sollozzo's　terms。　Sonny　smiled　grimly。　The　wily　Turk　had　planned　well　but　he　had　been　unlucky。　The　old　man　was　alive　and　so　it　was　war。　With　Luca　Brasi　and　the　resources　of　the　Corleone　Family　there　could　be　but　one　oute。　But　again　the　nagging　worry。　Where　was　Luca　Brasi？
　
　Chapter　03
　
　Counting　the　driver；　there　were　four　men　in　the　car　with　Hagen。　They　put　him　in　the　back　seat；　in　the　middle　of　the　two　men　who　had　e　up　behind　him　in　the　street。　Sollozzo　sat　up　front。　The　man　on　Hagen's　right　reached　over　across　his　body　and　tilted　Hagen's　hat　over　his　eyes　so　that　he　could　not　see。　〃Don't　even　move　your　pinkie；〃　he　said。
　
　It　was　a　short　ride；　not　more　than　twenty　minutes　and　when　they　got　out　of　the　car　Hagen　could　not　recognize　the　neighborhood　because　darkness　had　fallen。　They　led　him　into　a　basement　apartment　and　made　him　sit　on　a　straightbacked　kitchen　chair。　Sollozzo　sat　across　the　kitchen　table　from　him。　His　dark　face　had　a　peculiarly　vulturine　look。
　
　〃I　don't　want　you　to　be　afraid；〃　he　said。　〃I　know　you're　not　in　the　muscle　end　of　the　Family。　I　want　you　to　help　the　Corleones　and　I　want　you　to　help　me。〃
　
　Hagen's　hands　were　shaking　as　he　put　a　cigarette　in　his　mouth。　One　of　the　men　brought　a　bottle　of　rye　to　the　table　and　gave　him　a　slug　of　it　in　a　china　coffee　cup。　Hagen　drank　the　fiery　liquid　gratefully。　It　steadied　his　hand　and　took　the　weakness　out　of　his　legs。
　
　〃Your　boss　is　dead；〃　Sollozzo　said。　He　paused；　surprised　at　the　tears　that　sprang　to　Hagen's　eyes。　Then　he　went　on。　〃We　got　him　outside　his　office；　in　the　street。　As　soon　as　I　got　the　word；　I　picked　you　up。　You　have　to　make　the　peace　between　me　and　Sonny。〃
　
　Hagen　didn't　answer。　He　was　surprised　at　his　own　grief。　And　the　feeling　of　desolation　mixed　with　his　fear　of　death。　Sollozzo　was　speaking　again。　〃Sonny　was　hot　for　my　deal。　Right？　You　know　it's　the　smart　thing　to　do　too。　Narcotics　is　the　ing　thing。　There's　so　much　money　in　it　that　everybody　can　get　rich　just　in　a　couple　of　years。　The　Don　was　an　old　'Moustache　Pete；'　his　day　was　over　but　he　didn't　know　it。　Now　he's　dead；　nothing　can　bring　him　back。　I'm　ready　to　make　a　new　deal；　I　want　you　to　talk　Sonny　into　taking　it。〃
　
　Hagen　said；　〃You　haven't　got　a　chance。　Sonny　will　e　after　you　with　everything　he's　got。〃
　
　Sollozzo　said　impatiently；　〃That's　gonna　be　his　first　reaction。　You　have　to　talk　some　sense　to　him。　The　Tattaglia　Family　stands　behind　me　with　all　their　people。　The　other　New　York　families　will　go　along　with　anything　that　will　stop　a　full…scale　war　between　us。　Our　war　has　to　hurt　them　and　their　businesses。　If　Sonny　goes　along　with　the　deal；　the　other　Families　in　the　country　will　consider　it　none　of　their　affair；　even　the　Don's　oldest　friends。〃
　
　Hagen　stared　down　at　his　hands；　not　answering。　Sollozzo　went　on　persuasively。　〃The　Don　was　slipping。　In　the　old　days　I　could　never　have　gotten　to　him。　The　other　Families　distrust　him　because　he　made　you　his　Consigliere　and　you're　not　even　Italian；　much　less　Sicilian。　If　it　goes　to　all…out　war　the　Corleone　Family　will　be　smashed　and　everybody　loses；　me　included。　I　need　the　Family　political　contacts　more　than　I　need　the　money　even。　So　talk　to　Sonny；　talk　to　the　caporegimes；　you'll　save　a　lot　of　bloodshed。〃
　
　Hagen　held　out　his　china　cup　for　more　whiskey。　〃I'll　try；〃　he　said。　〃But　Sonny　is　strong…headed。　And　even　Sonny　won't　be　able　to　call　off　Luca。　You　have　to　worry　about　Luca。　I'll　have　to　worry　about　Luca　if　I　go　for　your　deal。〃
　
　Sollozzo　said　quietly；　〃I'll　take　care　of　Luca。　You　take　care　of　Sonny　and　the　other　two　kids。　Listen；　you　can　tell　them　that　Freddie　would　have　gotten　it　today　with　his　old　man　but　my　people　had　strict　orders　not　to　gun　him。　I　didn't　want　any　more　hard　feelings　than　necessary。　You　can　tell　them　that；　Freddie　is　alive　because　of　me。〃
　
　Finally　Hagen's　mind　was　working。　For　the　first　time　he　really　believed　that　Sollozzo　did　not　mean　to　kill　him　or　hold　him　as　a　hostage。　The　sudden　relief　from　fear　that　flooded　his　body　made　him　flush　with　shame。　Sollozzo　watched　him　with　a　quiet　understanding　smile。　Hagen　began　to　think　things　out。　If　he　did　not　agree　to　argue　Sollozzo's　case；　he　might　be　killed。　But　then　he　realized　that　Sollozzo　expected　him　only　to　present　it　and　present　it　properly；　as　he　was　bound　to　do　as　a　responsible　Consigliere。　And　now；　thinking　about　it；　he　also　realized　that　Sollozzo　was　right。　An　unlimited　war　between　the　Tattaglias　and　the　Corleones　must　be　avoided　at　all　costs。　The　Corleones　must　bury　their　dead　and　forget；　make　a　deal。　And　then　when　the　time　was　right　they　could　move　against　Sollozzo。
　
　But　glancing　up；　he　realized　that　Sollozzo　knew　exactly　what　he　was　thinking。　The　Turk　was　smiling。　And　then　it　struck　Hagen。　What　had　happened　to　Luca　Brasi　that　Sollozzo　was　so　unconcerned？　Had　Luca　made　a　deal？　He　remembered　that　on　the　night　Don　Corleone　had　refused　Sollozzo；　Luca　had　been　summoned　into　the　office　for　a　private　conference　with　the　Don。　But　now　was　not　the　time　to　worry　about　such　details。　He　had　to　get　back　to　the　safety　of　the　Corleone　Family　fortress　in　Long　Beach。　〃I'll　do　my　best；〃　he　said　to　Sollozzo。　〃I　believe　you're　right；　it's　even　what　the　Don　would　want　us　to　do。〃
　
　Sollozzo　nodded　gravely。　〃Fine；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　like　bloodshed；　I'm　a　businessman　and　blood　costs　too　much　money。〃　At　that　moment　the　phone　rang　and　one　of　the　men　sitting　behind　Hagen　went　to　answer　it。　He　listened　and　then　said　curtly；　〃OK；　I'll　tell　him。〃　He　hung　up　the　phone；　went　to　Sollozzo's　side　and　whispered　in　the　Turk's　ear。　Hagen　saw　Sollozzo's　face　go　pale；　his　eyes　glitter　with　rage。　He　himself　felt　a　thrill　of　fear。　Sollozzo　was　looking　at　him　speculatively　and　suddenly　Hagen　knew　that　he　was　no　longer　going　to　be　set　free。　That　something　had　happened　that　might　mean　his　death。　Sollozzo　said；　〃The　old　marl　is　still　alive。　Five　bullets　in　his　Sicilian　hide　and　he's　still　alive。〃　He　gave　a　fatalistic　shrug。　〃Bad　luck；〃　he　said　to　Hagen。　〃Bad　luck　for　me。　Bad　luck　for　you。〃
　
　Chapter　04
　
　When　Michael　Corleone　arrived　at　his　father's　house　in　Long　Beach　he　found　the　narrow　entrance　mouth　of　the　mall　blocked　off　with　a　link