mp.godfather-第28节

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　hell　of　a　lot　better　medals　than　he'd　gotten　in　World　War　II　to　make　him　join　this　one。
　
　Thinking　this　made　him　feel　guilty　about　not　feeling　more　sympathy　for　his　father。　His　own　father　shot　fall　of　holes　and　yet　in　a　curious　way　Michael；　better　than　anyone　else；　understood　when　Tom　had　said　it　was　just　business；　not　personal。　That　his　father　had　paid　for　the　power　he　had　wielded　all　his　life；　the　respect　he　had　extorted　from　all　those　around　him。
　
　What　Michael　wanted　was　out；　out　of　all　this；　to　lead　his　own　life。　But　he　couldn't　cut　loose　from　the　family　until　the　crisis　was　over。　He　had　to　help　in　a　civilian　capacity。　With　sudden　clarity　he　realized　that　he　was　annoyed　with　the　role　assigned　to　him；　that　of　the　privileged　nonbatant；　the　excused　conscientious　objector。　That　was　why　the　word　〃civilian〃　kept　popping　into　his　skull　in　such　an　irritating　way。
　
　When　he　got　to　the　hotel；　Kay　was　waiting　for　him　in　the　lobby。　（A　couple　of　Clemenza's　people　had　driven　him　into　town　and　dropped　him　off　on　a　nearby　corner　after　making　sure　they　were　not　followed。）
　
　They　had　dinner　together　and　some　drinks。　〃What　time　are　you　going　to　visit　your　father？〃　Kay　asked。
　
　Michael　looked　at　his　watch。　〃Visiting　hours　end　at　eight…thirty。　I　think　I'll　go　after　everybody　has　left。　They'll　let　me　up。　He　has　a　private　room　and　his　own　nurses　so　I　can　just　sit　with　him　for　a　while。　I　don't　think　he　can　talk　yet　or　even　know　if　I'm　there。　But　I　have　to　show　respect。〃
　
　Kay　said　quietly；　〃I　feel　so　sorry　for　your　father；　he　seemed　like　such　a　nice　man　at　the　wedding。　I　can't　believe　the　things　the　papers　are　printing　about　him。　I'm　sure　most　of　it's　not　true。〃
　
　Michael　said　politely；　〃I　don't　think　so　either。〃　He　was　surprised　to　find　himself　so　secretive　with　Kay。　He　loved　her；　he　trusted　her；　but　he　would　never　tell　her　anything　about　his　father　or　the　Family。　She　was　an　outsider。
　
　〃What　about　you？〃　Kay　asked。　〃Are　you　going　to　get　mixed　up　in　this　gang　war　the　papers　are　talking　about　so　gleefully？〃
　
　Michael　grinned；　unbuttoned　his　jacket　and　held　it　wide　open。　〃Look；　no　guns；〃　he　said。　Kay　laughed。
　
　It　was　getting　late　and　they　went　up　to　their　room。　She　mixed　a　drink　for　both　of　them　and　sat　on　his　lap　as　they　drank。　Beneath　her　dress　she　was　all　silk　until　his　hand　touched　the　glowing　skin　of　her　thigh。　They　fell　back　on　the　bed　together　and　made　love　with　all　their　clothes　on；　their　mouths　glued　together。　When　they　were　finished　they　lay　very　still；　feeling　the　heat　of　their　bodies　burning　through　their　garments。　Kay　murmured；　〃Is　that　what　you　soldiers　call　a　quickie？〃
　
　〃Yeah；〃　Michael　said。
　
　〃It's　not　bad；〃　Kay　said　in　a　judicious　voice。
　
　They　dozed　off　until　Michael　suddenly　started　up　anxiously　and　looked　at　his　watch。　〃Damn；〃　he　said。　〃It's　nearly　ten。　I　have　to　get　down　to　the　hospital。〃　He　went　to　the　bathroom　to　wash　up　and　b　his　hair。　Kay　came　in　after　him　and　put　her　arms　around　his　waist　from　behind。　〃When　are　we　going　to　get　married？〃　she　asked。
　
　〃Whenever　you　say；〃　Michael　said。　〃As　soon　as　this　family　thing　quiets　down　and　my　old　man　gets　better。　I　think　you'd　better　explain　things　to　your　parents　though。〃
　
　〃What　should　I　explain？〃　Kay　said　quietly。
　
　Michael　ran　the　b　through　his　hair。　〃Just　say　that　you've　met　a　brave；　handsome　guy　of　Italian　descent。　Top　marks　at　Dartmouth。　Distinguished　Service　Cross　during　the　war　plus　the　Purple　Heart。　Honest。　Hard…working。　But　his　father　is　a　Mafia　chief　who　has　to　kill　bad　people；　sometimes　bribe　high　government　officials　and　in　his　line　of　work　gets　shot　full　of　holes　himself。　But　that　has　nothing　to　do　with　his　honest　hardworking　son。　Do　you　think　you　can　remember　all　that？〃
　
　Kay　let　go　his　body　and　leaned　against　the　door　of　the　bathroom。　〃Is　he　really？〃　she　said。　〃Does　he　really？〃　She　paused。　〃Kill　people？〃
　
　Michael　finished　bing　his　hair。　〃I　don't　really　know；〃　he　said。　〃Nobody　really　knows。　But　I　wouldn't　be　surprised。〃
　
　Before　he　went　out　the　door　she　asked；　〃When　will　I　see　you　again？〃
　
　Michael　kissed　her。　〃I　want　you　to　go　home　and　think　things　over　in　that　little　hick　town　of　yours；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　want　you　to　get　mixed　up　in　this　business　in　any　way。　After　the　Christmas　holidays　I'll　be　back　at　school　and　we'll　get　together　up　in　Hanover。　OK？〃
　
　〃OK；〃　she　said。　She　watched　him　go　out　the　door；　saw　him　wave　before　he　stepped　into　the　elevator。　She　had　never　felt　so　close　to　him；　never　so　much　in　love　and　if　someone　had　told　her　she　would　not　see　Michael　again　until　three　years　passed；　she　would　not　have　been　able　to　bear　the　anguish　of　it。
　
　**********
　
　When　Michael　got　out　of　the　cab　in　front　of　the　French　Hospital　he　was　surprised　to　see　that　the　street　was　pletely　deserted。　When　he　entered　the　hospital　he　was　even　more　surprised　to　find　the　lobby　empty。　Damn　it；　what　the　hell　were　Clemenza　and　Tessio　doing？　Sure；　they　never　went　to　West　Point　but　they　knew　enough　about　tactic　to　have　outposts。　A　couple　of　their　men　should　have　been　in　the　lobby　at　least。
　
　Even　the　latest　visitors　had　departed；　it　was　almost　ten…thirty　at　night。　Michael　was　tense　and　alert　now。　He　didn't　bother　to　stop　at　the　information　desk；　he　already　knew　his　father's　room　number　up　on　the　fourth　floor。　He　took　the　self…service　elevator。　Oddly　enough　nobody　stopped　him　until　he　reached　the　nurses'　station　on　the　fourth　floor。　But　he　strode　right　past　her　query　and　on　to　his　father's　room。　There　was　no　one　outside　the　door。　Where　the　hell　were　the　two　detectives　who　were　supposed　to　be　waiting　around　to　guard　and　question　the　old　man？　Where　the　hell　were　Tessio　and　Clemenza's　people？　Could　there　be　someone　inside　the　room？　But　the　door　was　open。　Michael　went　in。　There　was　a　figure　in　the　bed　and　by　the　December　moonlight　straining　through　the　window　Michael　could　see　his　father's　face。　Even　now　it　was　impassive；　the　chest　heaved　shallowly　with　his　uneven　breath。　Tubes　hung　from　steel　gallows　beside　the　bed　and　ran　into　his　nose。　On　the　floor　was　a　glass　jar　receiving　the　poisons　emptied　from　his　stomach　by　other　tubes。　Michael　stayed　there　for　a　few　moments　to　make　sure　his　father　was　all　right；　then　backed　out　of　the　room。
　
　He　told　the　nurse；　〃My　name　is　Michael　Corleone；　I　just　want　to　sit　with　my　father。　What　happened　to　the　detectives　who　were　supposed　to　be　guarding　him？〃
　
　The　nurse　was　a　pretty　young　thing　with　a　great　deal　of　confidence　in　the　power　of　her　office。　〃Oh；　your　father　just　had　too　many　visitors；　it　interfered　with　the　hospital　service；〃　she　said。　〃The　police　came　and　made　them　all　leave　about　ten　minutes　ago。　And　then　just　five　minutes　ago　I　had　to　call　the　detectives　to　the　phone　for　an　emergency　alarm　from　their　headquarters；　and　then　they　left　too。　But　don't　worry；　I　look　in　on　your　father　often　and　I　can　hear　any　sound　from　his　room。　That's　why　we　leave　the　doors　open。〃
　
　〃Thank　you；〃　Michael　said。　〃I'll　sit　with　him　for　a　little　while。　OK？〃
　
　She　smiled　at　him。　〃Just　for　a　little　bit　and　then　I'm　afraid　you'll　have　to　leave。　It's　the　rules；　you　know。〃
　
　Michael　went　back　into　his　father's　room。　He　took　the　phone　from　its　cradle　and　got　the　hospital　operator　to　give　him　the　house　in　Long　Beach；　the　phone　in　the　corner　office　room。　Sonny　answered。　Michael　whispered；　〃Sonny；　I'm　down　at　the　hospital；　I　came　down　late。　Sonny；　there's　nobody　here。　None　of　Tessio's　people。　No　detectives　at　the　door。　The　old　man　was　pletely　unprotected。〃　His　voice　was　trembling。
　
　There　was　a　long　silence　and　then　Sonny's　voice　came；　low　and　impressed；　〃This　is　Sollozzo's　move　you　were　talking　about。〃
　
　Michael　said；　〃That's　what　I　figured　too。　But　how　did　he　get　the　cops　to　clear　everybody　out　and　where　did　they　go？　What　happened　to　Tessio's　men？　Jesus　Christ；　has　that　bastard　Sollozzo　got　the　New　York　Police　Department　in　his　pocket　too？〃
　
　〃Take　it　easy；　kid。〃　Sonny's　voice　was　soothing。　〃We　got　lucky　again　with　you　going　to　visit　the　hospital　so　late。　Stay　in　the　old　man's　room。　Lock　the　door　from　the　inside。　I'll　have　some　men　there　inside　of　fifteen　minutes；　soon　as　I　make　some　calls。　Just　sit　tight　and　don't　panic。　OK；　kid？〃
　
　〃I　won't　panic；〃　Michael　said。　For　the　first　time　since　it　had　all　started　he　felt　a　furious　anger　rising　in　him；　a　cold　hatred　for　his　father's　enemies。
　
　He　hung　up　the　phone　and　rang　the　buzzer　for　the　nurse。　He　decided　to　use　his　own　judgment　and　disregard　Sonny's　orders。　When　the　nurse　came　in　he　said；　〃I　don't　want　you　to　get　frightened；　but　we　have　to　move　my　father　right　away。　To　another　room　or　another　floor。　Can　you　disconnect　all　these　tubes　so　we　can　wheel　the　bed　out？〃
　
　The　nurse　said；　〃That's　ridiculous。　We　have　to　get　permission　from　the　doctor。〃
　
　Michael　spoke　very　quickly。　〃You've　read　about　my　father　in　the　papers。　You've　seen　that　there's　no　one　here　tonight　to　guard　him。　Now　I've　just　gotten　word　some　men　will　e　into　the　hospital　to　kill　him。　Please　believe　me　and　help　me。〃　He…could　be　extraordinarily　persuasive　when　he　wanted　to　be。
　
　The　nurse　said；　〃We　don't　have　to　disconnect　the　tubes。　We　can　wheel　the　stand　with　the　bed。〃
　
　〃Do　you　have　an　empty　r