mp.godfather-第69节

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uard　against　outside　meddlers。　Otherwise　they　will　put　the　ring　in　our　nose　as　they　have　put　the　ring　in　the　nose　of　all　the　millions　of　Neapolitans　and　other　Italians　in　this　country。
　
　〃For　this　reason　I　forgo　my　vengeance　for　my　dead　son；　for　the　mon　good。　I　swear　now　that　as　long　as　I　am　responsible　for　the　actions　of　my　Family　there　will　not　be　one　finger　lifted　against　any　man　here　without　just　cause　and　utmost　provocation。　I　am　willing　to　sacrifice　my　mercial　interests　for　the　mon　good。　This　is　my　word；　this　is　my　honor；　there　are　those　of　you　here　who　know　I　have　never　betrayed　either。
　
　〃But　I　have　a　selfish　interest。　My　youngest　son　had　to　flee；　accused　of　Sollozzo's　murder　and　that　of　a　police　captain。　I　must　now　make　arrangements　so　that　he　can　e　home　with　safety；　cleared　of　all　those　false　charges。　That　is　my　affair　and　I　will　make　those　arrangements。　I　must　find　the　real　culprits　perhaps；　or　perhaps　I　must　convince　the　authorities　of　his　innocence；　perhaps　the　witnesses　and　informants　will　recant　their　lies。　But　again　I　say　that　this　is　my　affair　and　I　believe　I　will　be　able　to　bring　my　son　home。
　
　〃But　let　me　say　this。　I　am　a　superstitious　man；　a　ridiculous　failing　but　I　must　confess　it　here。　And　so　if　some　unlucky　accident　should　befall　my　youngest　son；　if　some　police　officer　should　accidentally　shoot　him；　if　he　should　hang　himself　in　his　cell；　if　new　witnesses　appear　to　testify　to　his　guilt；　my　superstition　will　make　me　feel　that　it　was　the　result　of　the　ill　will　still　borne　me　by　some　people　here。　Let　me　go　further。　If　my　son　is　struck　by　a　bolt　of　lightning　I　will　blame　some　of　the　people　here。　If　his　plane　show　fall　into　the　sea　or　his　ship　sink　beneath　the　waves　of　the　ocean；　if　he　should　catch　a　mortal　fever；　if　his　automobile　should　be　struck　by　a　train；　such　is　my　superstition　that　I　would　blame　the　ill　will　felt　by　people　here。　Gentlemen；　that　ill　will；　that　bad　luck；　I　could　never　forgive。　But　aside　from　that　let　me　swear　by　the　souls　of　my　grandchildren　that　I　will　never　break　the　peace　we　have　made。　After　all；　are　we　or　are　we　not　better　men　than　those　pezzonovanti　who　have　killed　countless　millions　of　men　in　our　lifetimes？〃
　
　With　this　Don　Corleone　stepped　from　his　place　and　went　down　the　table　to　where　Don　Phillip　Tattaglia　was　sitting。　Tattaglia　rose　to　greet　him　and　the　two　men　embraced；　kissing　each　other's　cheeks。　The　other　Dons　in　the　room　applauded　and　rose　to　shake　hands　with　everybody　in　sight　and　to　congratulate　Don　Corleone　and　Don　Tattaglia　on　their　new　friendship。　It　was　not　perhaps　the　warmest　friendship　in　the　world；　they　would　not　send　each　other　Christmas　gift　greetings；　but　they　would　not　murder　each　other。　That　was　friendship　enough　in　this　world；　all　that　was　needed。
　
　Since　his　son　Freddie　was　under　the　protection　of　the　Molinari　Family　in　the　West；　Don　Corleone　lingered　with　the　San　Francisco　Don　after　the　meeting　to　thank　him。　Molinari　said　enough　for　Don　Corleone　to　gather　that　Freddie　had　found　his　niche　out　there；　was　happy　and　had　bee　something　of　a　ladies'　man。　He　had　a　genius　for　running　a　hotel；　it　seemed。　Don　Corleone　shook　his　head　in　wonder；　as　many　fathers　do　when　told　of　undreamed…of　talents　in　their　children。　Wasn't　it　true　that　sometimes　the　greatest　misfortunes　brought　unforeseen　rewards？　They　both　agreed　that　this　was　so。　Meanwhile　Corleone　made　it　clear　to　the　San　Francisco　Don　that　he　was　in　his　debt　for　the　great　service　done　in　protecting　Freddie。　He　let　it　be　known　that　his　influence　would　be　exerted　so　that　the　important　racing　wires　would　always　be　available　to　his　people　no　matter　what　changes　occurred　in　the　power　structure　in　the　years　to　e；　an　important　guarantee　since　the　struggle　over　this　facility　was　a　constant　open　wound　plicated　by　the　fact　that　the　Chicago　people　had　their　heavy　hand　in　it。　But　Don　Corleone　was　not　without　influence　even　in　that　land　of　barbarians　and　so　his　promise　was　a　gift　of　gold。
　
　It　was　evening　before　Don　Corleone；　Tom　Hagen　and　the　bodyguard…chauffeur；　who　happened　to　be　Rocco　Lampone；　arrived　at　the　mall　in　Long　Beach。　When　they　went　into　the　house　the　Don　said　to　Hagen；　〃Our　driver；　that　man　Lampone；　keep　an　eye　on　him。　He's　a　fellow　worth　something　better　I　think。〃　Hagen　wondered　at　this　remark。　Lampone　had　not　said　a　word　all　day；　had　not　even　glanced　at　the　two　men　in　the　back　seat。　He　had　opened　the　door　for　the　Don；　the　car　had　been　in　front　of　the　bank　when　they　emerged；　he　had　done　everything　correctly　but　no　more　than　any　well…trained　chauffeur　might　do。　Evidently　the　Don's　eye　had　seen　something　he　had　not　seen。
　
　The　Don　dismissed　Hagen　and　told　him　to　e　back　to　the　house　after　supper。　But　to　take　his　time　and　rest　a　little　since　they　would　put　in　a　long　night　of　discussion。　He　also　told　Hagen　to　have　Clemenza　and　Tessio　present。　They　should　e　at　ten　P。M。；　not　before。　Hagen　was　to　brief　Clemenza　and　Tessio　on　what　had　happened　at　the　meeting　that　afternoon。
　
　At　ten　the　Don　was　waiting　for　the　three　men　in　his　office；　the　corner　room　of　the　house　with　its　law　library　and　special　phone。　There　was　a　tray　with　whiskey　bottles；　ice　and　soda　water。　The　Don　gave　his　instructions。
　
　〃We　made　the　peace　this　afternoon；〃　he　said。　〃I　gave　my　word　and　my　honor　and　that　should　be　enough　for　all　of　you。　But　our　friends　are　not　so　trustworthy　so　let's　all　be　on　our　guard　still。　We　don't　want　any　more　nasty　little　surprises。〃　Then　Don　turned　to　Hagen。　〃You've　let　the　Bocchicchio　hostages　go？〃
　
　Hagen　nodded。　〃I　called　Clemenza　as　soon　as　I　got　home。〃
　
　Corleone　turned　to　the　massive　Clemenza。　The　caporegime　nodded。　〃I　released　them。　Tell　me；　Godfather；　is　it　possible　for　a　Sicilian　to　be　as　dumb　as　the　Bocchicchios　pretend　to　be？〃
　
　Don　Corleone　smiled　a　little。　〃They　are　clever　enough　to　make　a　good　living。　Why　is　it　so　necessary　to　be　more　clever　than　that？　It's　not　the　Bocchicchios　who　cause　the　troubles　of　this　world。　But　it's　true；　they　haven't　got　the　Sicilian　head。〃
　
　They　were　all　in　a　relaxed　mood；　now　that　the　war　was　over。　Don　Corleone　himself　mixed　drinks　and　brought　one　to　each　man。　The　Don　sipped　his　carefully　and　lit　up　a　cigar。
　
　〃I　want　nothing　set　forth　to　discover　what　happened　to　Sonny；　that's　done　with　and　to　be　forgotten。　I　want　all　cooperation　with　the　other　Families　even　if　they　bee　a　little　greedy　and　we　don't　get　our　proper　share　in　this。　I　want　nothing　to　break　this　peace　no　matter　what　the　provocation　until　we've　found　a　way　to　bring　Michael　home。　And　I　want　that　to　be　first　thing　on　your　minds。　Remember　this；　when　he　es　back　he　must　e　back　in　absolute　safety。　I　don't　mean　from　the　Tattaglias　or　the　Barzinis。　What　I'm　concerned　about　are　the　police。　Sure；　we　can　get　rid　of　the　real　evidence　against　him；　that　waiter　won't　testify；　nor　that　spectator　or　gunman　or　whatever　he　was。　The　real　evidence　is　the　least　of　our　worries　since　we　know　about　it。　What　we　have　to　worry　about　is　the　police　framing　false　evidence　because　their　informers　have　assured　them　that　Michael　Corleone　is　the　man　who　killed　their　captain。　Very　well。　We　have　to　demand　that　the　Five　Families　do　everything　in　their　power　to　correct　this　belief　of　the　police。　All　their　informers　who　work　with　the　police　must　e　up　with　new　stories。　I　think　after　my　speech　this　afternoon　they　will　understand　it　is　to　their　interest　to　do　so。　But　that's　not　enough。　We　have　to　e　up　with　something　special　so　Michael　won't　ever　have　to　worry　about　that　again。　Otherwise　there's　no　point　in　him　ing　back　to　this　country。　So　let's　all　think　about　that。　That's　the　most　importunt　matter。
　
　〃Now；　any　man　should　be　allowed　one　foolishness　in　his　life。　I　have　had　mine。　I　want　all　the　land　around　the　mall　bought；　the　houses　bought。　I　don't　want　any　man　able　to　look　out　his　window　into　my　garden　even　if　it's　a　mile　away。　I　want　a　fence　around　the　mall　and　I　want　the　mall　to　be　on　full　protection　all　the　time。　I　want　a　gate　in　that　fence。　In　short；　I　wish　now　to　live　in　a　fortress。　Let　me　say　to　you　now　that　I　will　never　go　into　the　city　to　work　again。　I　will　be　semiretired。　I　feel　an　urge　to　work　in　the　garden；　to　make　a　little　wine　when　the　grapes　are　in　season。　I　want　to　live　in　my　house。　The　only　time　I'll　leave　is　to　go　on　a　little　vacation　or　to　see　someone　on　important　business　and　then　I　want　all　precautions　taken。　Now　don't　take　this　amiss。　I'm　not　preparing　anything。　I'm　being　prudent；　I've　always　been　a　prudent　man；　there　is　nothing　I　find　so　little　to　my　taste　as　carelessness　in　life。　Women　and　children　can　afford　to　be　careless；　men　cannot。　Be　leisurely　in　all　these　things；　no　frantic　preparations　to　alarm　our　friends。　It　can　be　done　in　such　a　way　as　to　seem　natural。
　
　〃Now　I'm　going　to　leave　things　more　and　more　up　to　each　of　you　three。　I　want　the　Santino　regime　disbanded　and　the　men　placed　in　your　regimes。　That　should　reassure　our　friends　and　show　that　I　mean　peace。　Tom；　I　want　you　to　put　together　a　group　of　men　who　will　go　to　Las　Vegas　and　give　me　a　full　report　on　what　is　going　on　out　there。　Tell　me　about　Fredo；　what　is　really　happening　out　there；　I　hear　I　wouldn't　recognize　my　own　son。　It　seems　he's　a　cook　now；　that　be　amuses　himself　with　young　girls　more　than　a　grown　man　shoul