mp.godfather-第25节

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way　right　on　through　to　the　town　of　Merrick　and　onto　the　Meadowbrook　Parkway　until　he　reached　the　Northern　State　Parkway。　He　rode　that　to　the　Long　Island　Expressway　and　then　continued　on　to　the　Whitestone　Bridge　and　through　the　Bronx　to　his　home　in　Manhattan。
　
　Chapter　07
　
　On　the　night　before　the　shooting　of　Don　Corleone；　his　strongest　and　most　loyal　and　most　feared　retainer　prepared　to　meet　with　the　enemy。　Luca　Brasi　had　made　contact　with　the　forces　of　Sollozzo　several　months　before。　He　had　done　so　on　the　orders　of　Don　Corleone　himself。　He　had　done　so　by　frequenting　the　nightclubs　controlled　by　the　Tattaglia　Family　and　by　taking　up　with　one　of　their　top　call　girls。　In　bed　with　this　call　girl　he　grumbled　about　how　he　was　held　down　in　the　Corleone　Family；　how　his　worth　was　not　recognized。　After　a　week　of　this　affair　with　the　call　girl；　Luca　was　approached　by　Bruno　Tattaglia；　manager　of　the　nightclub。　Bruno　was　the　youngest　son；　and　ostensibly　not　connected　with　the　Family　business　of　prostitution。　But　his　famous　nightclub　with　its　dancing　line　of　long…stemmed　beauties　was　the　finishing　school　for　many　of　the　city　hookers。
　
　The　first　meeting　was　all　above…board；　Tattaglia　offering　him　a　job　to　work　in　the　Family　business　as　enforcer。　The　flirtation　went　on　for　nearly　a　month。　Luca　played　his　role　of　man　infatuated　with　a　young　beautiful　girl；　Bruno　Tattaglia　the　role　of　a　businessman　trying　to　recruit　an　able　executive　from　a　rival。　At　one　such　meeting；　Luca　pretended　to　be　swayed；　then　said；　〃But　one　thing　must　be　understood。　I　will　never　go　against　the　Godfather。　Don　Corleone　is　a　man　I　respect。　I　understand　that　he　must　put　his　sons　before　me　in　the　Family　business。〃
　
　Bruno　Tattaglia　was　one　of　the　new　generation　with　a　barely　hidden　contempt　for　the　old　Moustache　Petes　like　Luca　Brasi；　Don　Corleone　and　even　his　own　father。　He　was　just　a　little　too　respectful。　Now　he　said；　〃My　father　wouldn't　expect　you　to　do　anything　against　the　Corleones。　Why　should　he？　Everybody　gets　along　with　everybody　else　now；　it's　not　like　the　old　days。　It's　just　that　if　you're　looking　for　a　new　job；　I　can　pass　along　the　word　to　my　father。　There's　always　need　for　a　man　like　you　in　our　business。　It's　a　hard　business　and　it　needs　hard　men　to　keep　it　running　smooth。　Let　me　know　if　you　ever　make　up　your　mind。〃
　
　Luca　shrugged。　〃It's　not　so　bad　where　I'm　at。〃　And　so　they　left　it。
　
　The　general　idea　had　been　to　lead　the　Tattaglias　to　believe　that　he　knew　about　the　lucrative　narcotics　operation　and　that　he　wanted　a　piece　of　it　free…lance。　In　that　fashion　he　might　hear　something　about　Sollozzo's　plans　if　the　Turk　had　any；　or　whether　he　was　getting　ready　to　step　on　the　toes　of　Don　Corleone。　After　waiting　for　two　months　with　nothing　else　happening；　Luca　reported　to　the　Don　that　obviously　Sollozzo　was　taking　his　defeat　graciously。　The　Don　had　told　him　to　keep　trying　but　merely　as　a　sideline；　not　to　press　it。
　
　Luca　had　dropped　into　the　nightclub　the　evening　before　Don　Corleone's　being　shot。　Almost　immediately　Bruno　Tattaglia　had　e　to　his　table　and　sat　down。
　
　〃I　have　a　friend　who　wants　to　talk　to　you；〃　he　said。
　
　〃Bring　him　over；〃　Luca　said。　〃I'll　talk　to　any　friend　of　yours。〃
　
　〃No；〃　Bruno　said。　〃He　wants　to　see　you　in　private。〃
　
　〃Who　is　he？〃　Luca　asked。
　
　〃Just　a　friend　of　mine；〃　Bruno　Tattaglia　said。　〃He　wants　to　put　a　proposition　to　you。　Can　you　meet　him　later　on　tonight？〃
　
　〃Sure；〃　Luca　said。　〃What　time　and　where？〃
　
　Tattaglia　said　softly；　〃The　club　closes　at　four　in　the　morning。　Why　don't　you　meet　in　here　while　the　waiters　are　cleaning　ups。
　
　They　knew　his　habits；　Luca　thought；　they　must　have　been　checking　him　out。　He　usually　got　up　about　three　or　four　in　the　afternoon　and　had　breakfast；　then　amused　himself　by　gambling　with　cronies　in　the　Family　or　had　a　girl。　Sometimes　he　saw　one　of　the　midnight　movies　and　then　would　drop　in　for　a　drink　at　one　of　the　clubs。　He　never　went　to　bed　before　dawn。　So　the　suggestion　of　a　four　A。M。　meeting　was　not　as　outlandish　as　it　seemed。
　
　〃Sure；　sure；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　be　back　at　four。〃　He　left　the　club　and　caught　a　cab　to　his　furnished　room　on　Tenth　Avenue。　He　boarded　with　an　Italian　family　to　which　he　was　distantly　related。　His　two　rooms　were　separated　from　the　rest　of　their　railroad　flat　by　a　special　door。　He　liked　the　arrangement　because　it　gave　him　some　family　life　and　also　protection　against　surprise　where　he　was　most　vulnerable。
　
　The　sly　Turkish　fox　was　going　to　show　his　bushy　tail；　Luca　thought。　If　things　went　far　enough；　if　Sollozzo　mitted　himself　tonight；　maybe　the　whole　thing　could　be　wound　up　as　a　Christmas　present　for　the　Don。　In　his　room；　Luca　unlocked　the　trunk　beneath　the　bed　and　took　out　a　bulletproof　vest。　It　was　heavy。　He　undressed　and　put　it　on　over　his　woolen　underwear；　then　put　his　shirt　and　jacket　over　it。　He　thought　for　a　moment　of　calling　the　Don's　house　at　Long　Beach　to　tell　him　of　this　new　development　but　he　knew　the　Don　never　talked　over　the　phone；　to　anyone；　and　the　Don　had　given　him　this　assignment　in　secret　and　so　did　not　want　anyone；　not　even　Hagen　or　his　eldest　son；　to　know　about　it。
　
　Luca　always　carried　a　gun。　He　had　a　license　to　carry　a　gun；　probably　the　most　expensive　gun　license　ever　issued　anyplace；　anytime。　It　had　cost　a　total　of　ten　thousand　dollars　but　it　would　keep　him　out　of　jail　if　he　was　frisked　by　the　cops。　As　a　top　executive　operating　official　of　the　Family　he　rated　the　license。　But　tonight；　just　in　case　he　could　finish　off　the　job；　he　wanted　a　〃safe〃　gun。　One　that　could　not　possibly　be　traced。　But　then　thinking　the　matter　over；　he　decided　that　he　would　just　listen　to　the　proposition　tonight　and　report　back　to　the　Godfather；　Don　Corleone。
　
　He　made　his　way　back　to　the　club　but　he　did　not　drink　any　more。　Instead　he　wandered　out　to　48th　Street；　where　he　had　a　leisurely　late　supper　at　Patsy's；　his　favorite　Italian　restaurant。　When　it　was　time　for　his　appointment　he　drifted　uptown　to　the　club　entrance。　The　doorman　was　no　longer　there　when　he　went　in。　The　hatcheck　girl　was　gone。　Only　Bruno　Tattaglia　waited　to　greet　him　and　lead　him　to　the　deserted　bar　at　the　side　of　the　room。　Before　him　he　could　see　the　desert　of　small　tables　with　the　polished　yellow　wood　dance　floor　gleaming　like　a　small　diamond　in　the　middle　of　them。　In　the　shadows　was　the　empty　bandstand；　out　of　it　grew　the　skeleton　metal　stalk　of　a　microphone。
　
　Luca　sat　at　the　bar　and　Bruno　Tattaglia　went　behind　it。　Luca　refused　the　drink　offered　to　him　and　lit　a　cigarette。　It　was　possible　that　this　would　turn　out　to　be　something　else；　not　the　Turk。　But　then　he　saw　Soltozzo　emerge　out　of　the　shadows　at　the　far　end　of　the　room。
　
　Sollozzo　shook　his　hand　and　sat　at　the　bar　next　to　him。　Tattaglia　put　a　glass　in　front　of　the　Turk；　who　nodded　his　thanks。　〃Do　you　know　who　I　am？〃　asked　Sollozzo。
　
　Luca　nodded。　He　smiled　grimly。　The　rats　were　being　flushed　out　of　their　holes。　It　would　be　his　pleasure　to　take　care　of　this　renegade　Sicilian。
　
　〃Do　you　know　what　I　am　going　to　ask　of　you？〃　Sollozzo　asked。
　
　Luca　shook　his　head。
　
　〃There's　big　business　to　be　made；〃　Sollozzo　said。　〃I　mean　millions　for　everybody　at　the　top　level。　On　the　first　shipment　I　can　guarantee　you　fifty　thousand　dollars。　I'm　talking　about　drugs。　It's　the　ing　thing。〃
　
　Luca　said；　〃Why　e　to　me？　You　want　me　to　talk　to　my　Don？〃
　
　Sollozzo　grimaced。　〃I've　already　talked　to　the　Don。　He　wants　no　part　of　it。　All　right；　I　can　do　without　him。　But　I　need　somebody　strong　to　protect　the　operation　physically。　I　understand　you're　not　happy　with　your　Family；　you　might　make　a　switch。〃
　
　Luca　shrugged。　〃If　the　offer　is　good　enough。〃
　Sollozzo　had　been　watching　him　intently　and　seemed　to　have　e　to　a　decision。　〃Think　about　my　offer　for　a　few　days　and　then　we'll　talk　again；〃　he　said。　He　put　out　his　hand　but　Luca　pretended　not　to　see　it　and　busied　himself　putting　a　cigarette　in　his　mouth。　Behind　the　bar；　Bruno　Tattaglia　made　a　lighter　appear　magically　and　held　it　to　Luca's　cigarette。　And　then　he　did　a　strange　thing。　He　dropped　the　lighter　on　the　bar　and　grabbed　Lucas　right　hand；　holding　it　tight。
　
　Luca　reacted　instantly；　his　body　slipping　off　the　bar　stool　and　trying　to　twist　away。　But　Sollozzo　had　grabbed　his　other　hand　at　the　wrist。　Still；　Luca　was　too　strong　for　both　of　them　and　would　have　broken　free　except　that　a　man　stepped　out　of　the　shadows　behind　him　and　threw　a　thin　silken　cord　around　his　neck。　The　cord　pulled　tight；　choking　off　Lucas　breath。　His　face　became　purple；　the　strength　in　his　arms　drained　away。　Tattaglia　and　Sollozzo　held　his　hands　easily　now；　and　they　stood　there　curiously　childlike　as　the　man　behind　Luca　pulled　the　cord　around　Lucas　neck　tighter　and　tighter。　Suddenly　the　floor　was　wet　and　slippery。　Luca's　sphincter；　no　longer　under　control；　opened；　the　waste　of　his　body　spilled　out。　There　was　no　strength　in　him　anymore　and　his　legs　folded；　his　body　sagged。　Sollozzo　and　Tattaglia　let　his　hands　go　and　only　the　strangler　stayed　with　the　victim；　sinking　to　his　knees　to　follow　Lucas　falling　body；　drawing　the　cord　so　tight　that　it　cut　into　the　flesh　of　the　neck　and　disappeared。　Lucas　eyes　were　bulging　out　of　his　head　as　if　in　the　utmost　su