mp.godfather-第22节

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　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　win　those　bat　medals？　We　are　under　the　gun；　man；　we　gotta　fight。　I'm　just　afraid　they　won't　let　Tom　go。〃
　
　Michael　was　surprised　at　this。　〃Why　not？〃
　
　Again　Sonny's　voice　was　patient。　〃They　snatched　Tom　because　they　figured　the　old　man　was　finished　and　they　could　make　a　deal　with　me　and　Tom　would　be　the　sit…down　guy　in　the　preliminary　stages；　carry　the　proposition。　Now　with　the　old　man　alive　they　know　I　can't　make　a　deal　so　Tom's　no　good　to　them。　They　can　turn　him　loose　or　dump　him；　depending　how　Sollozzo　feels。　If　they　dump　him；　it　would　be　just　to　show　us　they　really　mean　business；　trying　to　bulldoze　us。〃
　
　Michael　said　quietly；　〃What　made　Sollozzo　think　he　could　get　a　deal　with　you？〃
　
　Sonny　flushed　and　he　didn't　answer　for　a　moment。　Then　he　said；　〃We　had　a　meeting　a　few　months　ago；　Sollozzo　came　to　us　with　a　proposition　on　drugs。　The　old　man　turned　him　down。　But　during　the　meeting　I　shot　off　my　mouth　a　little；　I　showed　I　wanted　the　deal。　Which　is　absolutely　the　wrong　thing　to　do；　if　there's　one　thing　the　old　man　hammered　into　me　it's　never；　to　do　a　thing　like　that；　to　let　other　people　know　there's　a　split　of　opinion　in　the　Family。　So　Sollozzo　figures　he　gets　rid　of　the　old　man；　I　have　to　go　in　with　him　on　the　drugs。　With　the　old　man　gone；　the　Family　power　is　cut　at　least　in　half。　I　would　be　fighting　for　my　life　anyway　to　keep　all　the　businesses　the　old　man　got　together。　Drugs　are　the　ing　thing；　we　should　get　into　it。　And　his　knocking　off　the　old　man　is　purely　business；　nothing　personal。　As　a　matter　of　business　I　would　go　in　with　him。　Of　course　he　would　never　let　me　get　too　close；　he'd　make　sure　I'd　never　get　a　clean　shot　at　him；　just　in　case。　But　he　also　knows　that　once　I　accepted　the　deal　the　other　Families　would　never　let　me　start　a　war　a　couple　of　years　later　just　for　revenge。　Also；　the　Tattaglia　Family　is　behind　him。〃
　
　〃If　they　had　gotten　the　old　man；　what　would　you　have　done？〃　Michael　asked。
　
　Sonny　said　very　simply；　〃Sollozzo　is　dead　meat。　I　don't　care　what　it　costs。　I　don't　care　if　we　have　to　fight　all　the　five　families　in　New　York。　The　Tattaglia　Family　is　going　to　be　wiped　out。　I　don't　care　if　we　all　go　down　together。〃
　
　Michael　said　softly；　〃That's　not　how　Pop　would　have　played　it。〃
　
　Sonny　made　a　violent　gesture。　〃I　know　I'm　not　the　man　he　was。　But　I'll　tell　you　this　and　he'll　tell　you　too。　When　it　es　to　real　action　I　can　operate　as　good　as　anybody；　short…range。　Sollozzo　knows　that　and　so　do　Clemenza　and　Tessio；　I　'made　my　bones'　when　I　was　nineteen；　the　last　time　the　Family　had　a　war；　and　I　was　a　big　help　to　the　old　man。　So　I'm　not　worried　now。　And　our　Family　has　all　the　horses　in　a　deal　like　this。　I　just　wish　we　could　get　contact　with　Luca。〃
　
　Michael　asked　curiously；　〃Is　Luca　that　tough；　like　they　say？　Is　he　that　good？〃
　
　Sonny　nodded。　〃He's　in　a　class　by　himself。　I'm　going　to　send　him　after　the　three　Tattaglias。　I'll　get　Sollozzo　myself。〃
　
　Michael　shifted　uneasily　in　his　chair。　He　looked　at　his　older　brother。　He　remembered　Sonny　as　being　sometimes　casually　brutal　but　essentially　warmhearted。　A　nice　guy。　It　seemed　unnatural　to　hear　him　talking　this　way；　it　was　chilling　to　see　the　list　of　names　he　had　scribbled　down；　men　to　be　executed；　as　if　he　were　some　newly　crowned　Roman　Emperor。　He　was　glad　that　he　was　not　truly　part　of　all　this；　that　now　his　father　lived　he　did　not　have　to　involve　himself　in　vengeance。　He'd　help　out；　answering　the　phone；　running　errands　and　messages。　Sonny　and　the　old　man　could　take　care　of　themselves；　especially　with　Luca　behind　them。
　
　At　that　moment　they　heard　a　woman　scream　in　the　living　room。　Oh；　Christ；　Michael　thought；　it　sounded　like　Tom's　wife。　He　rushed　to　the　door　and　opened　it。　Everybody　in　the　living　room　was　standing。　And　by　the　sofa　Tom　Hagen　was　holding　Theresa　close　to　him；　his　face　embarrassed。　Theresa　was　weeping　and　sobbing；　and　Michael　realized　that　the　scream　he　had　heard　had　been　her　calling　out　her　husband's　name　with　joy。　As　he　watched；　Tom　Hagen　disentangled　himself　from　his　wife's　arms　and　lowered　her　back　onto　the　sofa。　He　smiled　at　Michael　grimly。　〃Glad　to　see　you；　Mike；　really　glad。〃　He　strode　into　the　office　without　another　look　at　his　still…sobbing　wife。　He　hadn't　lived　with　the　Corleone　Family　ten　years　for　nothing；　Michael　thought　with　a　queer　flush　of　pride。　Some　of　the　old　man　had　rubbed　off　on　him；　as　it　had　on　Sonny；　and　he　thought；　with　surprise；　even　on　himself。
　
　Chapter　05
　
　It　was　nearly　four　o'clock　in　the　morning　as　they　all　sat　in　the　corner　room　office…　Sonny；　Michael；　Tom　Hagen；　Clemenza　and　Tessio。　Theresa　Hagen　had　been　persuaded　to　go　to　her　own　home　next　door。　Paulie　Gatto　was　still　waiting　in　the　living　room；　not　knowing　that　Tessio's　men　had　been　instructed　not　to　let　him　leave　or　let　him　out　of　their　sight。
　
　Tom　Hagen　relayed　the　deal　Sollozzo　offered。　He　told　how　after　Sollozzo　had　learned　the　Don　still　lived；　it　was　obvious　that　he　meant　to　kill　Hagen。　Hagen　grinned。　〃If　I　ever　plead　before　the　Supreme　Court；　I'll　never　plead　better　than　I　did　with　that　goddamn　Turk　tonight。　I　told　him　I'd　talk　the　Family　into　the　deal　even　though　the　Don　was　alive。　I　told　him　I　could　wrap　you　around　my　finger；　Sonny。　How　we　were　buddies　as　kids；　and　don't　get　sore；　but　I　let　him　get　the　idea　that　maybe　you　weren't　too　sorry　about　getting　the　old　man's　job；　God　forgive　me。〃　He　smiled　apologetically　at　Sonny；　who　made　a　gesture　signifying　that　he　understood；　that　it　was　of　no　consequence。
　
　Michael；　leaning　back　in　his　armchair　with　the　phone　at　his　right　hand；　studied　both　men。　When　Hagen　had　entered　the　room　Sonny　had　e　rushing　to　embrace　him。　Michael　realized　with　a　faint　twinge　of　jealousy　that　in　many　ways　Sonny　and　Tom　Hagen　were　closer　than　he　himself　could　ever　be　to　his　own　brother。
　
　〃Let's　get　down　to　business；〃　Sonny　said。　〃We　have　to　make　plans。　Take　a　look　at　this　list　me　and　Tessio　made　up。　Tessio；　give　Clemenza　your　copy。〃
　
　〃If　we　make　plans；〃　Michael　said；　〃Freddie　should　be　here。〃
　
　Sonny　said　grimly；　〃Freddie　is　no　use　to　us。　The　doctor　says　he's　in　shock　so　bad　he　has　to　have　plete　rest。　I　don't　understand　that。　Freddie　was　always　a　pretty　tough　guy。　I　guess　seeing　the　old　man　gunned　down　was　hard　on　him；　he　always　thought　the　Don　was　God。　He　wasn't　like　you　and　me；　Mike。〃
　
　Hagen　said　quickly；　〃OK；　leave　Freddie　out。　Leave　him　out　of　everything；　absolutely　everything。　Now；　Sonny；　until　this　is　all　over　I　think　you　should　stay　in　the　house。　I　mean　sever　leave　it。　You're　safe　here。　Don't　underrate　Sollozzo；　he's　got　to　be　a　pezzonovante；　a　real　。90　caliber。　Is　the　hospital　covered？〃
　
　Sonny　nodded。　〃The　cops　have　it　locked　in　and　I　got　my　people　there　visiting　Pop　all　the　time。　What　do　you　think　of　that　list；　Tom？〃
　
　Hagen　frowned　down　at　the　fist　of　names：　〃Jesus　Christ；　Sonny；　you're　really　taking　this　personal。　The　Don　would　consider　it　a　purely　business　dispute。　Sollozzo　is　the　key。　Get　rid　of　Sollozzo　and　everything　falls　in　line。　You　don't　have　to　go　after　the　Tattaglias。〃
　
　Sonny　looked　at　his　two　caporegimes。　Tessio　shrugged。　〃It's　tricky；〃　he　said。　Clemenza　didn't　answer　at　all。
　
　Sonny　said　to　Clemenza；　〃One　thing　we　can　take　care　of　without　discussion。　I　don't　want　Paulie　around　here　anymore。　Make　that　first　on　your　list。〃　The　fat　caporegime　nodded。
　
　Hagen　said；　〃What　about　Luca？　Sollozzo　didn't　seem　worried　about　Luca。　That　worries　me。　If　Luca　sold　us　out；　we're　in　real　trouble。　That's　the　first　thing　we　have　to　know。　Has　anybody　been　able　to　get　in　touch　with　him？〃
　
　〃No；〃　Sonny　said。　〃I've　been　calling　him　all　night。　Maybe　he's　shacked　up。〃
　
　〃No；〃　Hagen　said。　〃He　never　sleeps　over　with　a　broad。　He　always　goes　home　when　he's　through。　Mike；　keep　ringing　his　number　until　you　get　an　answer。〃　Michael　dutifully　picked　up　the　phone　and　dialed。　He　could　hear　the　phone　ringing　on　the　other　end　but　no　one　answered。　Finally　he　hung　up。　〃Keep　trying　every　fifteen　minutes；〃　Hagen　said。
　
　Sonny　said　impatiently；　〃OK；　Tom　you're　the　Consigliere；　how　about　some　advice？　What　the　hell　do　you　think　we　should　do？〃
　
　Hagen　helped　himself　to　the　whiskey　bottle　on　the　desk。　〃We　negotiate　with　Sollozzo　until　your　father　is　in　shape　to　take　charge。　We　might　even　make　a　deal　if　we　have　to。　When　your　father　gets　out　of　bed　he　can　settle　the　whole　business　without　a　fuss　and　all　the　Families　will　go　along　with　him。〃
　
　Sonny　said　angrily；　〃You　think　I　can't　handle　this　guy　Sollozzo？〃
　
　Tom　Hagen　looked　him　directly　in　the　eye。　〃Sonny；　sure　you　can　outfight　him。　The　Corleone　Family　has　the　power。　You　have　Clemenza　and　Tessio　here　and　they　can　muster　a　thousand　men　if　it　es　to　an　all…out　war。　But　at　the　end　there　will　be　a　shambles　over　the　whole　East　Coast　and　all　the　other　Families　will　blame　the　Corleones。　We'll　make　a　lot　of　enemies。　And　that's　something　your　father　never　believed　in。〃
　
　Michael；　watching　Sonny；　thought　he　took　this　well。　But　then　Sonny　said　to　Hagen；　〃What　if　the　old　man　dies；　what　do　you　advise　then；　Consigliere？〃
　
　Hagen　said　quietly；