mp.godfather-第21节

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　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　chain。　The　mall　itself　was　bright　with　the　floodlights　of　all　eight　houses；　outlining　at　least　ten　cars　parked　along　the　curving　cement　walk。
　
　Two　men　he　didn't　know　were　leaning　against　the　chain。　One　of　them　asked　in　a　Brooklyn　accent；　〃Who're　you？〃
　
　He　told　them。　Another　man　came　out　of　the　nearest　house　and　peered　at　his　face。　〃That's　the　Don's　kid；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　bring　him　inside。〃　Mike　followed　this　man　to　his　father's　house；　where　two　men　at　the　door　let　him　and　his　escort　pass　inside。
　
　The　house　seemed　to　be　full　of　men　he　didn't　know；　until　he　went　into　the　living　room。　There　Michael　saw　Tom　Hagen's　wife；　Theresa；　sitting　stiffly　on　the　sofa；　smoking　a　cigarette。　On　the　coffee　table　in　front　of　her　was　a　glass　of　whiskey。　On　the　other　side　of　the　sofa　sat　the　bulky　Clemenza。　The　caporegime's　face　was　impassive；　but　he　was　sweating　and　the　cigar　in　his　hand　glistened　slickly　black　with　his　saliva。
　
　Clemenza　came　to　wring　his　hand　in　a　consoling　way；　muttering；　〃Your　mother　is　at　the　hospital　with　your　father；　he's　going　to　be　all　right。〃　Paulie　Gatto　stood　up　to　shake　hands。　Michael　looked　at　him　curiously。　He　knew　Paulie　was　his　father's　bodyguard　but　did　not　know　that　Paulie　had　stayed　home　sick　that　day。　But　he　sensed　tension　in　the　thin　dark　face。　He　knew　Gatto's　reputation　as　an　up…and…ing　man；　a　very　quick　man　who　knew　how　to　get　delicate　jobs　done　without　plications；　and　today　he　had　failed　in　his　duty。　He　noticed　several　other　men　in　the　corners　of　the　room　but　he　did　not　recognize　them。　They　were　not　of　Clemenza's　people。　Michael　put　these　facts　together　and　understood。　Clemenza　and　Gatto　were　suspect。　Thinking　that　Paulie　had　been　at　the　scene；　he　asked　the　ferret…faced　young　man；　〃How　is　Freddie？　He　OK？〃
　
　〃The　doctor　gave　him　a　shot；〃　Clemenza　said。　〃He's　sleeping。〃
　
　Michael　went　to　Hagen's　wife　and　bent　down　to　kiss　her　cheek。　They　had　always　liked　each　other。　He　whispered；　〃Don't　worry；　Tom　will　be　OK。　Have　you　talked　to　Sonny　yet？〃
　
　Theresa　clung　to　him　for　a　moment　and　shook　her　head。　She　was　a　delicate；　very　pretty　woman；　more　American　than　Italian；　and　very　scared。　He　took　her　hand　and　lifted　her　off　the　sofa。　Then　he　led　her　into　his　father's　corner　room　office。
　
　Sonny　was　sprawled　out　in　his　chair　behind　the　desk　holding　a　yellow　pad　in　one　hand　and　a　pencil　in　the　other。　The　only　other　man　in　the　room　with　him　was　the　caporegime　Tessio；　whom　Michael　recognized　and　immediately　realized　that　it　must　be　his　men　who　were　in　the　house　and　forming　the　new　palace　guard。　He　too　had　a　pencil　and　pad　in　his　hands。
　
　When　Sonny　saw　them　he　came　from　behind　his　desk　and　took　Hagen's　wife　in　his　arms。　〃Don't　worry；　Theresa；〃　he　said。　〃Tom's　OK。　They　just　wanta　give　him　the　proposition；　they　said　they'd　turn　him　loose。　He's　not　on　the　operating　end；　he's　just　our　lawyer。　There's　no　reason　for　anybody　to　do　him　harm。〃
　
　He　released　Theresa　and　then　to　Michael's　surprise　he　too；　got　a　hug　and　a　kiss　on　the　cheek。　He　pushed　Sonny　away　and　said　grinning；　〃After　I　get　used　to　you　beating　me　up　I　gotta　put　up　with　this？〃　They　had　often　fought　when　they　were　younger。
　
　Sonny　shrugged。　〃Listen；　kid；　I　was　worried　when　I　couldn't　get　ahold　of　you　in　that　hick　town。　Not　that　I　gave　a　crap　if　they　knocked　you　off；　but　I　didn't　like　the　idea　of　bringing　the　news　to　the　old　lady。　I　had　to　tell　her　about　Pop。〃
　
　〃How'd　she　take　it？〃　Michael　asked。
　
　〃Good；〃　Sonny　said。　〃She's　been　through　it　before。　Me　too。　You　were　too　young　to　know　about　it　and　then　things　got　pretty　smith　while　you　were　growing　up。〃　He　paused　and　then　said；　〃She's　down　at　the　hospital　with　the　old　man。　He's　gonna　pull　through。〃
　
　〃How　about　us　going　down？〃　Michael　asked。
　
　Sonny　shook　his　head　and　said　dryly；　〃I　can't　leave　this　house　until　it's　all　over。〃　The　phone　rang。　Sonny　picked　it　up　and　listened　intently。　While　he　was　listening　Michael　sauntered　over　to　the　desk　and　glanced　down　at　the　yellow　pad　Sonny　had　been　writing　on。　There　was　a　list　of　seven　names。　The　first　three　were　Sollozzo；　Phillip　Tattaglia；　and　John　Tattaglia。　It　struck　Michael　with　full　force　that　he　had　interrupted　Sonny　and　Tessio　as　they　were　making　up　a　list　of　men　to　be　killed。
　
　When　Sonny　hung　up　the　phone　he　said　to　Theresa　Hagen　and　Michael；　〃Can　you　two　wait　outside？　I　got　some　business　with　Tessio　we　have　to　finish。〃
　
　Hagen's　wife　said；　〃Was　that　call　about　Tom？〃　She　said　it　almost　truculently　but　she　was　weeping　with　fright。　Sonny　put　his　arm　around　her　and　led　her　to　the　door。　〃I　swear　he's　going　to　be　OK；〃　he　said。　〃Wait　in　the　living　room。　I'll　e　out　as　soon　as　I　hear　something。〃　He　shut　the　door　behind　her。　Michael　had　sat　down　in　one　of　the　big　leather　armchairs。　Sonny　gave　him　a　quick　sharp　look　and　then　went　to　sit　down　behind　the　desk。
　
　〃You　hang　around　me；　Mike；〃　he　said；　〃you're　gonna　hear　things　you　don't　wanta　hear。〃
　
　Michael　lit　a　cigarette。　〃I　can　help　out；〃　he　said。
　
　〃No；　you　can't；〃　Sonny　said。　〃The　old　man　would　be　sore　as　hell　if　I　let　you　get　mixed　up　in　this。〃
　
　Michael　stood　up　and　yelled。　〃You　lousy　bastard；　he's　my　father。　I'm　not　supposed　to　help　him？　I　can　help。　I　don't　have　to　go　out　and　kill　people　but　I　can　help。　Stop　treating　me　like　a　kid　brother。　I　was　in　the　war。　I　got　shot；　remember？　I　killed　some　Japs。　What　the　hell　do　you　think　I'll　do　when　you　knock　somebody　off？　Faint？〃
　
　Sonny　grinned　at　him。　〃Pretty　soon　you'll　want　me　to　put　up　my　dukes。　OK；　stick　around；　you　can　handle　the　phone。〃　He　turned　to　Tessio。　〃That　call　I　just　got　gave　me　dope　we　needed。〃　Hd　turned　to　Michael。　〃Somebody　had　to　finger　the　old　man。　It　could　have　been　Clemenza；　it　could　have　been　Paulie　Gatto；　who　was　very　conveniently　sick　today。　I　know　the　answer　now；　let's　see　how　smart　you　are；　Mike；　you're　the　college　boy。　Who　sold　out　to　Sollozzo？〃
　
　Michael　sat　down　again　and　relaxed　back　into　the　leather　armchair。　He　thought　everything　over　very　carefully。　Clemenza　was　a　caporegime　in　the　Corleone　Family　structure。　Don　Corleone　had　made　him　a　millionaire　and　they　had　been　intimate　friends　for　over　twenty　years。　He　held　one　of　the　most　powerful　posts　in　the　organization。　What　could　Clemenza　gain　for　betraying　his　Don？　More　money？　He　was　rich　enough　but　then　men　are　always　greedy。　More　power？　Revenge　for　some　fancied　insult　or　slight？　That　Hagen　had　been　made　the　Consigliere？　Or　perhaps　a　businessman's　conviction　that　Sollozzo　would　win　out？　No；　it　was　impossible　for　Clemenza　to　be　a　traitor；　and　then　Michael　thought　sadly　it　was　only　impossible　because　he　didn't　want　Clemenza　to　die。　The　fat　man　had　always　brought　him　gifts　when　he　was　growing　up；　had　sometimes　taken　him　on　outings　when　the　Don　had　been　too　busy。　He　could　not　believe　that　Clemenza　was　guilty　of　treachery。
　
　But；　on　the　other　hand；　Sollozzo　would　want　Clemenza　in　his　pocket　more　than　any　other　man　in　the　Corleone　Family。
　
　Michael　thought　about　Paulie　Gatto。　Paulie　as　yet　had　not　bee　rich。　He　was　well　thought　of；　his　rise　in　the　organization　was　certain　but　he　would　have　to　put　in　his　time　like　everybody　else。　Also　he　would　have　wilder　dreams　of　power；　as　the　young　always　do。　It　had　to　be　Paulie。　And　then　Michael　remembered　that　in　the　sixth　grade　he　and　Paulie　had　been　in　the　same　class　in　school　and　he　didn't　want　it　to　be　Paulie　either。
　
　He　shook　his　head。　〃Neither　one　of　them；〃　he　said。　But　he　said　it　only　because　Sonny　had　said　he　had　the　answer。　If　it　had　been　a　vote；　he　would　have　voted　Paulie　guilty。
　
　Sonny　was　smiling　at　him。　〃Don't　worry；〃　he　said。　〃Clemenza　is　OK。　It's　Paulie。〃
　
　Michael　could　see　that　Tessio　was　relieved。　As　a　fellow　caporegime　his　sympathy　would　be　with　Clemenza。　Also　the　present　situation　was　not　so　serious　if　treachery　did　not　reach　so　high。　Tessio　said　cautiously；　〃Then　I　can　send　my　people　home　tomorrow？〃
　
　Sonny　said；　〃The　day　after　tomorrow。　I　don't　want　anybody　to　know　about　this　until　then。　Listen；　I　want　to　talk　some　family　business　with　my　brother；　personal。　Wait　out　in　the　living　room；　eh？　We　can　finish　our　list　later。　You　and　Ctemenza　will　work　together　on　it。〃
　
　〃Sure；〃　Tessio　said。　He　went　out。
　
　〃How　do　you　know　for　sure　it's　Paulie？〃　Michael　asked。
　
　Sonny　said；　〃We　have　people　in　the　telephone　pany　and　they　tracked　down　all　of　Paulie's　phone　calls　in　and　out。　Clemenza's　too。　On　the　three　days　Paulie　was　sick　this　month　he　got　a　call　from　a　street　booth　across　from　the　old　man's　building。　Today　too。　They　were　checking　to　see　if　Paulie　was　ing　down　or　somebody　was　being　sent　down　to　take　his　place。　Or　for　some　other　reason。　It　doesn't　matter。〃　Sonny　shrugged。　〃Thank　God　it　was　Paulie。　We'll　need　Clemenza　bad。〃
　
　Michael　asked　hesitantly；　〃Is　it　going　to　be　an　all…out　war？〃
　
　Sonny's　eyes　were　hard。　〃That's　how　I'm　going　to　play　it　as　soon　as　Tom　checks　in。　Until　the　old　man　tells　me　different。〃
　
　Michael　asked；　〃So　why　don't　you　wait　until　the　old　man　can　tell　you？〃
　
　Sonny　looked　at　him　curiously。　〃How　the　hell　did　you　wi