mp.godfather-第3节

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w　and　foreign　to　her　experience。　Finally　her　attention　was　caught　by　a　small　group　of　men　gathered　around　a　wooden　barrel　of　homemade　wine。　The　men　were　Amerigo　Bonasera；　Nazorine　the　Baker；　Anthony　Coppola　and　Luca　Brasi。　With　her　usual　alert　intelligence　she　remarked　on　the　fact　that　these　four　men　did　not　seem　particularly　happy。　Michael　smiled。　〃No；　they're　not；〃　he　said。　〃They're　waiting　to　see　my　father　in　private。　They　have　favors　to　ask。〃　And　indeed　it　was　easy　to　see　that　all　four　men　constantly　followed　the　Don　with　their　eyes。
　
　As　Don　Corleone　stood　greeting　guests；　a　black　Chevrolet　sedan　came　to　a　stop　on　the　far　side　of　the　paved　mall。　Two　men　in　the　front　seat　pulled　notebooks　from　their　jackets　and；　with　no　attempt　at　concealment；　jotted　down　license　numbers　of　the　other　cars　parked　around　the　mall。　Sonny　turned　to　his　father　and　said；　〃Those　guys　over　there　must　be　cops。〃
　
　Don　Corleone　shrugged。　〃I　don't　own　the　street。　They　can　do　what　they　please。〃
　
　Sonny's　heavy　Cupid　face　grew　red　with　anger。　〃Those　lousy　bastards；　they　don't　respect　anything。〃　He　left　the　steps　of　the　house　and　walked　across　the　mall　to　where　the　black　sedan　was　parked。　He　thrust　his　face　angrily　close　to　the　face　of　the　driver；　who　did　not　flinch　but　flapped　open　his　wallet　to　show　a　green　identification　card。　Sonny　stepped　back　without　saying　a　word。　He　spat　so　that　the　spittle　hit　the　back　door　of　the　sedan　and　walked　away。　He　was　hoping　the　driver　would　get　out　of　the　sedan　and　e　after　him；　on　the　mall；　but　nothing　happened。　When　he　reached　the　steps　he　said　to　his　father；　〃Those　guys　are　FBI　men。　They're　taking　down　all　the　license　numbers。　Snotty　bastards。〃
　
　Don　Corleone　knew　who　they　were。　His　closest　and　most　intimate　friends　had　been　advised　to　attend　the　wedding　in　automobiles　not　their　own。　And　though　he　disapproved　of　his　son's　foolish　display　of　anger；　the　tantrum　served　a　purpose。　It　would　convince　the　interlopers　that　their　presence　was　unexpected　and　unprepared　for。　So　Don　Corleone　himself　was　not　angry。　He　had　long　ago　learned　that　society　imposes　insults　that　must　be　borne；　forted　by　the　knowledge　that　in　this　world　there　es　a　time　when　the　most　humble　of　men；　if　he　keeps　his　eyes　open；　can　take　his　revenge　on　the　most　powerful。　It　was　this　knowledge　that　prevented　the　Don　from　losing　the　humility　all　his　friends　admired　in　him。
　
　But　now　in　the　garden；　behind　the　house；　a　four…piece　band　began　to　play。　All　the　guests　had　arrived。　Don　Corleone　put　the　intruders　out　of　his　mind　and　led　his　two　sons　to　the　wedding　feast。
　
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　There　were；　now；　hundreds　of　guests　in　the　huge　garden；　some　dancing　on　the　wooden　platform　bedecked　with　flowers；　others　sitting　at　long　tables　piled　high　with　spicy　food　and　gallon　jugs　of　black；　homemade　wine。　The　bride；　Connie　Corleone；　sat　in　splendor　at　a　special　raised　table　with　her　groom；　the　maid　of　honor；　bridesmaids　and　ushers。　It　was　a　rustic　setting　in　the　old　Italian　style。　Not　to　the　bride's　taste；　but　Connie　had　consented　to　a　〃guinea〃　wedding　to　please　her　father　because　she　had　so　displeased　him　in　her　choice　of　a　husband。
　
　The　groom；　Carlo　Rizzi；　was　a　half…breed；　born　of　a　Sicilian　father　and　the　North　Italian　mother　from　whom　he　had　inherited　his　blond　hair　and　blue　eyes。　His　parents　lived　in　Nevada　and　Carlo　had　left　that　state　because　of　a　little　trouble　with　the　law。　In　New　York　he　met　Sonny　Corleone　and　so　met　the　sister。　Don　Corleone；　of　course；　sent　trusted　friends　to　Nevada　and　they　reported　that　Carlo's　police　trouble　was　a　youthful　indiscretion　with　a　gun；　not　serious；　that　could　easily　be　wiped　off　the　books　to　leave　the　youth　with　a　clean　record。　They　also　came　back　with　detailed　information　on　legal　gambling　in　Nevada　which　greatly　interested　the　Don　and　which　he　had　been　pondering　over　since。　It　was　part　of　the　Don's　greatness　that　he　profited　from　everything。
　
　Connie　Corleone　was　a　not　quite　pretty　girl；　thin　and　nervous　and　certain　to　bee　shrewish　later　in　life。　But　today；　transformed　by　her　white　bridal　gown　and　eager　virginity；　she　was　so　radiant　as　to　be　almost　beautiful。　Beneath　the　wooden　table　her　hand　rested　on　the　muscular　thigh　of　her　groom。　Her　Cupid…bow　mouth　pouted　to　give　him　an　airy　kiss。
　
　She　thought　him　incredibly　handsome。　Carlo　Rizzi　had　worked　in　the　open　desert　air　while　very　young…　heavy　laborer's　work。　Now　he　had　tremendous　forearms　and　his　shoulders　bulged　the　jacket　of　his　tux。　He　basked　in　the　adoring　eyes　of　his　bride　and　filled　her　glass　with　wine。　He　was　elaborately　courteous　to　her　as　if　they　were　both　actors　in　a　play。　But　his　eyes　kept　flickering　toward　the　huge　silk　purse　the　bride　wore　on　her　right　shoulder　and　which　was　now　stuffed　full　of　money　envelopes。　How　much　did　it　hold？　Ten　thousand？　Twenty　thousand？　Carlo　Rizzi　smiled。　It　was　only　the　beginning。　He　had；　after　all；　married　into　a　royal　family。　They　would　have　to　take　care　of　him。
　
　In　the　crowd　of　guests　a　dapper　young　man　with　the　sleek　head　of　a　ferret　was　also　studying　the　silk　purse。　From　sheer　habit　Paulie　Gatto　wondered　just　how　he　could　go　about　hijacking　that　fat　pocketbook。　The　idea　amused　him。　But　he　knew　it　was　idle；　innocent　dreaming　as　small　children　dream　of　knocking　out　tanks　with　popguns。　He　watched　his　boss；　fat；　middle…aged　Peter　Clemenza　whirling　young　girls　around　the　wooden　dance　floor　in　a　rustic　and　lusty　Tarantella。　Clemenza；　immensely　tall；　immensely　huge；　danced　with　such　skill　and　abandon；　his　hard　belly　lecherously　bumping　the　breasts　of　younger；　tinier　women；　that　all　the　guests　were　applauding　him。　Older　women　grabbed　his　arm　to　bee　his　next　partner。　The　younger　men　respectfully　cleared　off　the　floor　and　clapped　their　hands　in　time　to　the　mandolin's　wild　strumming。　When　Clemenza　finally　collapsed　in　a　chair；　Paulie　Gatto　brought　him　a　glass　of　icy　black　wine　and　wiped　the　perspiring　Jovelike　brow　with　his　silk　handkerchief。　Clemenza　was　blowing　like　a　whale　as　he　gulped　down　the　wine。　But　instead　of　thanking　Paulie　he　said　curtly；　〃Never　mind　being　a　dance　judge；　do　your　job。　Take　a　walk　around　the　neighborhood　and　see　everything　is　OK。〃　Paulie　slid　away　into　the　crowd。
　
　The　band　took　a　refreshment　break。　A　young　man　named　Nino　Valenti　picked　up　a　discarded　mandolin；　put　his　left　foot　up　on　a　chair　and　began　to　sing　a　coarse　Sicilian　love　song。　Nino　Valenti's　face　was　handsome　though　bloated　by　continual　drinking　and　he　was　already　a　little　drunk。　He　rolled　his　eyes　as　his　tongue　caressed　the　obscene　lyrics。　The　women　shrieked　with　glee　and　the　men　shouted　the　last　word　of　each　stanza　with　the　singer。
　
　Don　Corleone；　notoriously　straitlaced　in　such　matters；　though　his　stout　wife　was　screaming　joyfully　with　the　others；　disappeared　tactfully　into　the　house。　Seeing　this；　Sonny　Corleone　made　his　way　to　the　bride's　table　and　sat　down　beside　young　Lucy　Mancini；　the　maid　of　honor。　They　were　safe。　His　wife　was　in　the　kitchen　putting　the　last　touches　on　the　serving　of　the　wedding　cake。　Sonny　whispered　a　few　words　in　the　young　girl's　ear　and　she　rose。　Sonny　waited　a　few　minutes　and　then　casually　followed　her；　stopping　to　talk　with　a　guest　here　and　there　as　he　worked　his　way　through　the　crowd。
　
　All　eyes　followed　them。　The　maid　of　honor；　thoroughly　Americanized　by　three　years　of　college；　was　a　ripe　girl　who　already　had　a　〃reputation。〃　All　through　the　marriage　rehearsals　she　had　flirted　with　Sonny　Corleone　in　a　teasing；　joking　way　she　thought　was　permitted　because　he　was　the　best　man　and　her　wedding　partner。　Now　holding　her　pink　gown　up　off　the　ground；　Lucy　Mancini　went　into　the　house；　smiling　with　false　innocence；　ran　lightly　up　the　stairs　to　the　bathroom。　She　stayed　there　for　a　few　moments。　When　she　came　out　Sonny　Corleone　was　on　the　landing　above；　beckoning　her　upward。
　
　From　behind　the　closed　window　of　Don　Corleone's　〃office；〃　a　slightly　raised　corner　room；　Thomas　Hagen　watched　the　wedding　party　in　the　festooned　garden。　The　walls　behind　him　were　stacked　with　law　books。　Hagen　was　the　Don's　lawyer　and　acting　Consigliere；　or　counselor；　and　as　such　held　the　most　vital　subordinate　position　in　the　family　business。　He　and　the　Don　had　solved　many　a　knotty　problem　in　this　room；　and　so　when　he　saw　the　Godfather　leave　the　festivities　and　enter　the　house；　he　knew；　wedding　or　no；　there　would　be　a　little　work　this　day。　The　Don　would　be　ing　to　see　him。　Then　Hagen　saw　Sonny　Corleone　whisper　in　Lucy　Mancini's　ear　and　their　little　edy　as　he　followed　her　into　the　house。　Hagen　grimaced；　debated　whether　to　inform　the　Don；　and　decided　against　it。　He　went　to　the　desk　and　picked　up　a　handwritten　list　of　the　people　who　had　been　granted　permission　to　see　Don　Corleone　privately。　When　the　Don　entered　the　room；　Hagen　handed　him　the　list。　Don　Corleone　nodded　and　said；　〃Leave　Bonasera　to　the　end。〃
　
　Hagen　used　the　French　doors　and　went　directly　out　into　the　garden　to　where　the　supplicants　clustered　around　the　barrel　of　wine。　He　pointed　to　the　baker；　the　pudgy　Nazorine。
　
　Don　Corleone　greeted　the　baker　with　an　embrace。　They　had　played　together　as　children　in　Italy　and　had　grown　up　in　friendship。　Every　Easter　freshly　baked　clotted…cheese　and　wheat…germ　pies；　their　crusts　yolk…gold；　big　around　as