mp.godfather-第71节

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d　this　evidence　was　damning。　The　two　businessmen　got　off　with　suspended　sentences。　Felix　Bocchiochio　was　given　a　sentence　of　one　to　five　years　and　served　three　of　them。　The　clan　did　not　ask　help　from　any　of　the　Families　or　Don　Corleone　because　Felix　had　refused　to　ask　their　help　and　had　to　be　taught　a　lesson：　that　mercy　es　only　from　the　Family；　that　the　Family　is　more　loyal　and　more　to　be　trusted　than　society。
　
　In　any　case；　Felix　Bocchicchio　was　released　from　prison　after　serving　three　years；　went　home　and　kissed　his　wife　and　three　children　and　lived　peacefully　for　a　year；　and　then　showed　that　he　was　of　the　Bocchicchio　clan　after　all。　Without　any　attempt　to　conceal　his　guilt；　he　procured　a　weapon；　a　pistol；　and　shot　his　lawyer　friend　to　death。　He　then　searched　out　the　two　businessmen　and　calmly　shot　them　both　through　the　head　as　they　came　out　of　a　luncheonette。　He　left　the　bodies　lying　in　the　street　and　went　into　the　luncheonette　and　ordered　a　cup　of　coffee　which　he　drank　while　he　waited　for　the　police　to　e　and　arrest　him。
　
　His　trial　was　swift　and　his　judgment　merciless。　A　member　of　the　criminal　underworld　had　cold　bloodedly　murdered　state　witnesses　who　had　sent　him　to　the　prison　he　richly　deserved。　It　was　a　flagrant　flouting　of　society　and　for　once　the　public；　the　press；　the　structure　of　society　and　even　soft…headed　and　soft…hearted　humanitarians　were　united　in　their　desire　to　see　Felix　Bocchicchio　in　the　electric　chair。　The　governor　of　the　state　would　no　more　grant　him　clemency　than　the　officials　of　the　pound　spare　a　mad　dog；　which　was　the　phrase　of　one　of　the　governor's　closest　political　sides。　The　Bocchiochio　clan　of　course　would　spend　whatever　money　was　needed　for　appeals　to　higher　courts；　they　were　proud　of　him　now；　but　the　conclusion　was　certain。　After　the　legal　folderol；　which　might　take　a　little　time；　Felix　Bocchicchio　would　die　in　the　electric　chair。
　
　It　was　Hagen　who　brought　this　case　to　the　attention　of　the　Don　at　the　request　of　one　of　the　Bocchiochios　who　hoped　that　something　could　be　done　for　the　young　man。　Don　Codeone　curtly　refused。　He　was　not　a　magician。　People　asked　him　the　impossible。　But　the　next　day　the　Don　called　Hagen　into　his　office　and　had　him　go　over　the　case　in　the　most　intimate　detail。　When　Hagen　was　finished；　Don　Corleone　told　him　to　summon　the　head　of　the　Bocchicchio　clan　to　the　mall　for　a　meeting。
　
　What　happened　next　had　the　simplicity　of　genius。　Don　Corleone　guaranteed　to　the　head　of　the　Bocchicchio　clan　that　the　wife　and　children　of　Felix　Bocchicchio　would　be　rewarded　with　a　handsome　pension。　The　money　for　this　would　be　handed　over　to　the　Bocchicchio　clan　immediately。　In　turn；　Felix　must　confess　to　the　murder　of　Sollozzo　and　the　police　captain　McCluskey。
　
　There　were　many　details　to　be　arranged。　Felix　Bocchicchio　would　have　to　confess　convincingly；　that　is；　he　would　have　to　know　some　of　the　true　details　to　confess　to。　Also　he　must　implicate　the　police　captain　in　narcotics。　Then　the　waiter　at　the　Luna　Restaurant　must　be　persuaded　to　identify　Felix　Bocchiochio　as　the　murderer。　This　would　take　some　courage；　as　the　description　would　change　radically；　Felix　Bocchicchio　being　much　shorter　and　heavier。　But　Don　Corleone　would　attend　to　that。　Also　since　the　condemned　man　had　been　a　great　believer　in　higher　education　and　a　college　graduate；　he　would　want　his　children　to　go　to　college。　And　so　a　sum　of　money　would　have　to　be　paid　by　Don　Corleone　that　would　take　care　of　the　children's　college。　Then　the　Bocchicchio　clan　had　to　be　reassured　that　there　was　no　hope　for　clemency　on　the　original　murders。　The　new　confession　of　course　would　seal　the　man's　already　almost　certain　doom。
　
　Everything　was　arranged；　the　money　paid　and　suitable　contact　made　with　the　condemned　man　so　that　he　could　be　instructed　and　advised。　Finally　the　plan　was　sprung　and　the　confession　made　headlines　in　all　the　newspapers。　The　whole　thing　was　a　huge　success。　But　Don　Corkone；　cautious　as　always；　waited　until　Felix　Bocchicchio　was　actually　executed　four　months　later　before　finally　giving　the　mand　that　Michael　Corleone　could　return　home。
　
　
　
　BOOK　FIVE
　Chapter　22
　
　
　
　Lucy　Mancini；　a　year　after　Sonny's　death；　still　missed　him　terribly；　grieved　for　him　more　fiercely　than　any　lover　in　any　romance。　And　her　dreams　were　not　the　insipid　dreams　of　a　schoolgirl；　her　longings　not　the　longings　of　a　devoted　wife。　She　was　not　rendered　desolate　by　the　loss　of　her　〃life's　panion；〃　or　miss　him　because　of　his　stalwart　character。　She　held　no　fond　remembrances　of　sentimental　gifts；　of　girlish　hero　worship；　his　smile；　the　amused　glint　of　his　eyes　when　she　said　something　endearing　or　witty。
　
　No。　She　missed　him　for　the　more　important　reason　that　he　had　been　the　only　man　in　the　world　who　could　make　her　body　achieve　the　act　of　love。　And；　in　her　youth　and　innocence；　she　still　believed　that　he　was　the　only　man　who　could　possibly　do　so。
　
　Now　a　year　later　she　sunned　herself　in　the　balmy　Nevada　air。　At　her　feet　the　slender；　blond　young　man　was　playing　with　her　toes。　They　were　at　the　side　of　the　hotel　pool　for　the　Sunday　afternoon　and　despite　the　people　all　around　them　his　hand　was　sliding　up　her　bare　thigh。
　
　〃Oh；　Jules；　stop；〃　Lucy　said。　〃I　thought　doctors　at　least　weren't　as　silly　as　other　men。〃
　
　Jules　grinned　at　her。　〃I'm　a　Las　Vegas　doctor。〃　He　tickled　the　inside　of　her　thigh　and　was　amazed　how　just　a　little　thing　like　that　could　excite　her　so　powerfully。　It　showed　on　her　face　though　she　tried　to　hide　it。　She　was　really　a　very　primitive；　innocent　girl。　Then　why　couldn't　he　make　her　e　across？　He　had　to　figure　that　one　out　and　never　mind　the　crap　about　a　lost　love　that　could　never　be　replaced。　This　was　living　tissue　here　under　his　hand　and　living　tissue　required　other　living　tissue。　Dr。　Jules　Segal　decided　he　would　make　the　big　push　tonight　at　his　apartment。　He'd　wanted　to　make　her　e　across　without　any　trickery　but　if　trickery　there　had　to　be；　he　was　the　man　for　it。　All　in　the　interests　of　science　of　course。　And；　besides；　this　poor　kid　was　dying　for　it。
　
　〃Jules；　stop；　please　stop；〃　Lucy　said。　Her　voice　was　trembling。
　
　Jules　was　immediately　contrite。　〃OK；　honey；〃　he　said。　He　put　his　head　in　her　lap　and　using　her　soft　thighs　as　a　pillow；　he　took　a　little　nap。　He　was　amused　at　her　squirming；　the　heat　that　registered　from　her　loins　and　when　she　put　her　hand　on　his　head　to　smooth　his　hair；　he　grasped　her　wrist　playfully　and　held　it　loverlike　but　really　to　feel　her　pulse。　It　was　galloping。　He'd　get　her　tonight　and　he'd　solve　the　mystery；　what　the　hell　ever　it　was。　Fully　confident；　Dr。　Jules　Segal　fell　asleep。
　
　Lucy　watched　the　people　around　the　pool。　She　could　never　have　imagined　her　life　would　change　so　in　less　than　two　years。　She　never　regretted　her　〃foolishness〃　at　Connie　Corleone's　wedding。　It　was　the　most　wonderful　thing　that　had　ever　happened　to　her　and　she　lived　it　over　and　over　again　in　her　dreams。　As　she　lived　over　and　over　again　the　months　that　followed。
　
　Sonny　had　visited　her　once　a　week；　sometimes　more；　never　less。　The　days　before　she　saw　him　again　her　body　was　in　torment。　Their　passion　for　each　other　was　of　the　most　elementary　kind；　undiluted　by　poetry　or　any　form　of　intellectualism。　It　was　love　of　the　coarsest　nature；　a　fleshly　love；　a　love　of　tissue　for　opposing　tissue。
　
　When　Sonny　called　to　her　he　was　ing　she　made　certain　there　was　enough　liquor　in　the　apartment　and　enough　food　for　supper　and　breakfast　because　usually　he　would　not　leave　until　late　the　next　morning。　He　wanted　his　fill　of　her　as　she　wanted　her　fill　of　him。　He　had　his　own　key　and　when　he　came　in　the　door　she　would　fly　into　his　massive　arms。　They　would　both　be　brutally　direct；　brutally　primitive。　During　their　first　kiss　they　would　be　fumbling　at　each　other's　clothing　and　he　would　be　lifting　her　in　the　air；　and　she　would　be　wrapping　her　legs　around　his　huge　thighs。　They　would　be　making　love　standing　up　in　the　foyer　of　her　apartment　as　if　they　had　to　repeat　their　first　act　of　love　together；　and　then　he　would　carry　her　so　to　the　bedroom。
　
　They　would　lie　in　bed　making　love。　They　would　live　together　in　the　apartment　for　sixteen　hours；　pletely　naked。　She　would　cook　for　him；　enormous　meals。　Sometimes　he　would　get　phone　calls　obviously　about　business　but　she　never　even　listened　to　the　words。　She　would　be　too　busy　toying　with　his　body；　fondling　it；　kissing　it；　burying　her　mouth　in　it。　Sometimes　when　he　got　up　to　get　a　drink　and　he　walked　by　her；　she　couldn't　help　reaching　out　to　touch　his　naked　body；　hold　him；　make　love　to　him　as　if　those　special　parts　of　his　body　were　a　plaything；　a　specially　constructed；　intricate　but　innocent　toy　revealing　its　known；　but　still　surprising　ecstasies。　At　first　she　had　been　ashamed　of　these　excesses　on　her　part　but　soon　saw　that　they　pleased　her　lover；　that　her　plete　sensual　enslavement　to　his　body　flattered　him。　In　all　this　there　was　an　animal　innocence。　They　were　happy　together。　。
　
　When　Sonny's　father　was　gunned　down　in　the　street；　she　understood　for　the　first　time　that　her　lover　might　be　in　danger。　Alone　in　her　apartment；　she　did　not　weep；　she　wailed　aloud；　an　animal　wailing。　When　Sonny　did　not　e　to　see　her　for　almost　three　weeks　she　subsisted　on　sleeping　pill