mp.godfather-第27节

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aid　a　little　impatiently；　〃e　on；　Sonny；　your　father　wouldn't　like　you　thinking　that　way。　You　know　what　he　always　says；　'That's　a　waste。'　Sure；　we're　not　going　to　let　anybody　stop　us　if　the　old　man　says　we　go　after　Sollozzo。　But　this　is　not　a　personal　thing；　this　is　business。　If　we　go　after　the　Turk　and　the　Families　interfere；　we'll　negotiate　the　issue。　If　the　Families　see　that　we're　determined　to　have　Sollozzo；　they'll　let　us。　The　Don　will　make　concessions　in　other　areas　to　square　things。　But　don't　go　blood　crazy　on　a　thing　like　this。　It's　business。　Even　the　shooting　of　your　father　was　business；　not　personal。　You　should　know　that　by　now。〃
　
　Sonny's　eyes　were　still　hard。　〃OK。　I　understand　all　that。　Just　so　long　as　you　understand　that　nobody　stands　in　our　way　when　we　want　Sollozzo。〃
　
　Sonny　turned　to　Tessio。　〃Any　leads　on　Luca？〃
　
　Tessio　shook　his　head。　〃None　at　all。　Sollozzo　must　have　snatched　him。〃
　
　Hagen　said　quietly；　〃Sollozzo　wasn't　worried　about　Luca；　which　struck　me　as　funny。　He's　too　smart　not　to　worry　about　a　guy　like　Luca。　I　think　he　maybe　got　him　out　of　the　picture；　one　way　or　the　other。〃
　
　Sonny　muttered；　〃Christ；　I　hope　Luca　isn't　fighting　against　us。　That's　the　one　thing　I'd　be　afraid　of。　Clemenza；　Tessio；　how　do　you　two　guys　figure　it？〃
　
　Clemenza　said　slowly；　〃Anybody　could　go　wrong；　look　at　Paulie。　But　with　Luca；　he　was　a　man　who　could　only　go　one　way。　The　Godfather　was　the　only　thing　he　believed　in；　the　only　man　he　feared。　But　not　only　that；　Sonny；　he　respected　your　father　as　no　one　else　respected　him　and　the　Godfather　has　earned　respect　from　everyone。　No；　Luca　would　never　betray　us。　And　I　find　it　hard　to　believe　that　a　man　like　Sollozzo；　no　matter　how　cunning；　could　surprise　Luca。　He　was　a　man　who　suspected　everyone　and　everything。　He　was　always　ready　for　the　worst。　I　think　maybe　he　just　went　off　someplace　for　a　few　days。　We'll　be　hearing　from　him　anytime　now。〃
　
　Sonny　turned　to　Tessio。　The　Brooklyn　caporegime　shrugged。　〃Any　man　can　turn　traitor。　Luca　was　very　touchy。　Maybe　the　Don　offended　him　some　way。　That　could　be。　I　think　though　that　Sollozzo　gave　him　a　little　surprise。　That　fits　in　with　what　the　Consigliere　says。　We　should　expect　the　worst。〃
　
　Sonny　said　to　all　of　them；　〃Sollozzo　should　get　the　word　soon　about　Paulie　Gatto。　How　will　that　affect　him？〃
　
　Clemenza　said　grimly；　〃It　will　make　him　think。　He　will　know　the　Corleone　Family　are　not　fools。　He　will　realize　that　he　was　very　lucky　yesterday。〃
　
　Sonny　said　sharply；　〃That　wasn't　luck。　Sollozzo　was　planning　that　for　weeks。　They　must　have　tailed　the　old　man　to　his　office　every　day　and　watched　his　routine。　Then　they　bought　Paulie　off　and　maybe　Luca。　They　snatched　Tom　right　on　the　button。　They　did　everything　they　wanted　to　do。　They　were　unlucky；　not　lucky。　Those　button　men　they　hired　weren't　good　enough　and　the　old　man　moved　too　quick。　If　they　had　killed　him；　I　would　have　had　to　make　a　deal　and　Sollozzo　would　have　won。　For　now。　I　would　have　waited　maybe　and　got　him　five；　ten　years　from　now。　But　don't　call　him　lucky；　Pete；　that's　underrating　him。　And　we've　done　that　too　much　lately。〃
　
　One　of　the　button　men　brought　a　bowl　of　spaghetti　in　from　the　kitchen　and　then　some　plates；　forks　and　wine。　They　ate　as　they　talked。　Michael　watched　in　amazement。　He　didn't　eat　and　neither　did　Tom；　but　Sonny；　Clemenza　and　Tessio　dug　in；　mopping　up　sauce　with　crusts　of　bread。　It　was　almost　ical。　They　continued　their　discussion。
　
　Tessio　didn't　think　that　the　loss　of　Paulie　Gatto　would　upset　Sollozzo；　in　fact　he　thought　that　the　Turk　might　have　anticipated　it；　indeed　might　have　weled　it。　A　useless　mouth　off　the　payroll。　And　he　would　not　be　frightened　by　it；　after　all；　would　they　be　in　such　a　situation？
　
　Michael　spoke　up　diffidently。　〃I　know　I'm　an　amateur　in　this；　but　from　everything　you　guys　have　said　about　Sollozzo；　plus　the　fact　that　all　of　a　sudden　he's　out　of　touch　with　Tom；　I'd　guess　he　has　an　ace　up　his　sleeve。　He　might　be　ready　to　pull　off　something　real　tricky　that　would　put　him　back　on　top。　If　we　could　figure　out　what　that　would　be；　we'd　be　in　the　driver's　seat。〃
　
　Sonny　said　reluctantly；　〃Yeah；　I　thought　of　that　and　the　only　thing　I　can　figure　is　Luca。　The　word　is　already　out　that　he's　to　be　brought　here　before　he's　allowed　any　of　his　old　rights　in　the　Family。　The　only　other　thing　I　can　think　of　is　that　Sollozzo　has　made　his　deal　with　the　Families　in　New　York　and　we'll　get　the　word　tomorrow　that　they　will　be　against　us　in　a　war。　That　we'll　have　to　give　the　Turk　his　deal。　Right；　Tom？〃
　
　Hagen　nodded。　〃That's　what　it　looks　like　to　me。　And　we　can't　move　against　that　kind　of　opposition　without　your　father。　He's　the　only　one　who　can　stand　against　the　Families。　He　has　the　political　connections　they　always　need　and　he　can　use　them　for　trading。　If　he　wants　to　badly　enough。〃
　
　Clemenza　said；　a　little　arrogantly　for　a　man　whose　top　button　man　had　recently　betrayed　him；　〃Sollozzo　will　never　get　near　this　house；　Boss；　you　don't　have　to　worry　about　that。〃
　
　Sonny　looked　at　him　thoughtfully　for　a　moment。　Then　he　said　to　Tessio；　〃How　about　the　hospital；　your　men　got　it　covered？〃
　
　For　the　first　time　during　the　conference　Tessio　seemed　to　be　absolutely　sure　of　his　ground。　〃Outside　and　inside；〃　he　said。　〃Right　around　the　clock。　The　cops　have　it　covered　pretty　good　too。　Detectives　at　the　bedroom　door　waiting　to　question　the　old　man。　That's　a　laugh。　The　Don　is　still　getting　that　stuff　in　the　tubes；　no　food；　so　we　don't　have　to　worry　about　the　kitchen；　which　would　be　something　to　worry　about　with　those　Turks；　they　believe　in　poison。　They　can't　get　at　the　Don；　not　in　any　way。〃
　
　Sonny　tilted　back　in　his　chair。　〃It　wouldn't　be　me；　they　have　to　do　business　with　me；　they　need　the　Family　machine。〃　He　grinned　at　Michael。　〃I　wonder　if　it's　you？　Maybe　Sollozzo　figures　to　snatch　you　and　hold　you　for　a　hostage　to　make　a　deal。〃
　
　Michael　thought　ruefully；　there　goes　my　date　with　Kay。　Sonny　wouldn't　let　him　out　of　the　house。　But　Hagen　said　impatiently；　〃No；　he　could　have　snatched　Mike　anytime　if　he　wanted　insurance。　But　everybody　knows　that　Mike　is　not　in　the　Family　business。　He's　a　civilian　and　if　Sollozzo　snatches　him；　then　he　loses　all　the　other　New　York　Families。　Even　the　Tattaglias　would　have　to　help　hunt　him　down。　No；　it's　simple　enough。　Tomorrow　we'll　get　a　representative　from　all　the　Families　who'll　tell　us　we　have　to　do　business　with　the　Turk。　That's　what　he's　waiting　for。　That's　his　ace　in　the　hole。〃
　
　Michael　heaved　a　sigh　of　relief。　〃Good；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　to　go　into　town　tonight。〃
　
　〃Why？〃　Sonny　asked　sharply。
　
　Michael　grinned。　〃I　figure　I'll　drop　in　to　the　hospital　and　visit　the　old　man；　see　Mom　and　Connie。　And　I　got　some　other　things　to　do。〃　Like　the　Don；　Michael　never　told　his　real　business　and　now　he　didn't　want　to　tell　Sonny　he　was　seeing　Kay　Adams。　There　was　no　reason　not　to　tell　him；　it　was　just　habit。
　
　There　was　a　loud　murmur　of　voices　in　the　kitchen。　Clemenza　went　out　to　see　what　was　happening。　When　he　came　back　he　was　holding　Luca　Brasi's　bulletproof　vest　in　his　hands。　Wrapped　in　the　vest　was　a　huge　dead　fish。
　
　Clemenza　said　dryly；　〃The　Turk　has　heard　about　his　spy　Paulie　Gatto。〃
　
　Tessio　said　just　as　dryly；　〃And　now　we　know　about　Luca　Brasi。〃
　
　Sonny　lit　a　cigar　and　took　a　shot　of　whiskey。　Michael；　bewildered；　said。　〃What　the　hell　does　that　fish　mean？〃　It　was　Hagen　the　Irisher；　the　Consigliere；　who　answered　him。　〃The　fish　means　that　Luca　Brasi　is　sleeping　on　the　bottom　of　the　ocean；〃　he　said。　〃It's　an　old　Sicilian　message。〃
　
　Chapter　09
　
　When　Michael　Corleone　went　into　the　city　that　night　it　was　with　a　depressed　spirit。　He　felt　that　he　was　being　enmeshed　in　the　Family　business　against　his　will　and　he　resented　Sonny　using　him　even　to　answer　the　phone。　He　felt　unfortable　being　on　the　inside　of　the　Family　councils　as　if　he　could　be　absolutely　trusted　with　such　secrets　as　murder。　And　now；　going　to　see　Kay；　he　felt　guilty　about　her　also。　He　had　never　been　pletely　honest　with　her　about　his　family。　He　had　told　her　about　them　but　always　with　little　jokes　and　colorful　anecdotes　that　made　them　seem　more　like　adventurers　in　a　Technicolor　movie　than　what　they　really　were。　And　now　his　father　had　been　shot　down　in　the　street　and　his　eldest　brother　was　making　plans　for　murder。　That　was　putting　it　plainly　and　simply　but　that　was　never　how　he　would　tell　it　to　Kay。　He　had　already　said　his　father　being　shot　was　more　like　an　〃accident〃　and　that　all　the　trouble　was　over。　Hell；　it　looked　like　it　was　just　beginning。　Sonny　and　Tom　were　off…center　on　this　guy　Sollozzo；　they　were　still　underrating　him；　even　though　Sonny　was　smart　enough　to　see　the　danger。　Michael　tried　to　think　what　the　Turk　might　have　up　his　sleeve。　He　was　obviously　a　bold　man；　a　clever　man；　a　man　of　extraordinary　force。　You　had　to　figure　him　to　e　up　with　a　real　surprise。　But　then　Sonny　and　Tom　and　Clemenza　and　Tessio　were　all　agreed　that　everything　was　under　control　and　they　all　had　more　experience　than　he　did。　He　was　the　〃civilian〃　in　this　war；　Michael　thought　wryly。　And　they'd　have　to　give　him　a　hell　of　a　lot　better　medals　than　he'd　gotten　in　World　War　II　to　make　him　join　this　one。
　
　Thin