mp.godfather-第9节

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　〃We'll　meet　him　later；〃　Michael　said。
　
　When　Johnny　finished　singing　and　vanished　into　the　house　with　Don　Corleone；　Kay　said　archly　to　Michael；　〃Don't　tell　me　a　big　movie　star　like　Johnny　Fontane　has　to　ask　your　father　for　a　favor？〃
　
　〃He's　my　father's　godson；〃　Michael　said。　〃And　if　it　wasn't　for　my　father　he　might　not　be　a　big　movie　star　today。〃
　
　Kay　Adams　laughed　with　delight。　〃That　sounds　like　another　great　story。〃
　
　Michael　shook　his　head　〃I　can't　tell　that　one；〃　he　said。
　
　〃Trust　me；〃　she　said。
　
　He　told　her。　He　told　her　without　being　funny。　He　told　it　without　pride。　He　told　it　without　any　sort　of　explanation　except　that　eight　years　before　his　father　had　been　more　impetuous；　and　because　the　matter　concerned　his　godson；　the　Don　considered　it　an　affair　of　personal　honor。
　
　The　story　was　quickly　told。　Eight　years　ago　Johnny　Fontane　had　made　an　extraordinary　success　singing　with　a　popular　dance　band。　He　had　bee　a　top　radio　attraction。　Unfortunately　the　band　leader；　a　well…known　show　business　personality　named　Les　Halley；　had　signed　Johnny　to　a　five…year　personal　services　contract。　It　was　a　mon　show　business　practice。　Les　Halley　could　now　loan　Johnny　out　and　pocket　most　of　the　money。
　
　Don　Corleone　entered　the　negotiations　personally。　He　offered　Les　Halley　twenty　thousand　dollars　to　release　Johnny　Fontane　from　the　personal　services　contract。　Halley　offered　to　take　only　fifty　percent　of　Johnny's　earnings。　Don　Corleone　was　amused。　He　dropped　his　offer　from　twenty　thousand　dollars　to　ten　thousand　dollars。　The　band　leader；　obviously　not　a　man　of　the　world　outside　his　beloved　show　business；　pletely　missed　the　significance　of　this　lower　offer。　He　refused。
　
　The　next　day　Don　Corleone　went　to　see　the　band　leader　personally。　He　brought　with　him　his　two　best　friends；　Genco　Abbandando；　who　was　his　Consigliere；　and　Luca　Brasi。　With　no　other　witnesses　Don　Corleone　persuaded　Les　Halley　to　sign　a　document　giving　up　all　rights　to　all　services　from　Johnny　Fontane　upon　payment　of　a　certified　check　to　the　amount　of　ten　thousand　dollars。　Don　Corleone　did　this　by　putting　a　pistol　to　the　forehead　of　the　band　leader　and　assuring　him　with　the　utmost　seriousness　that　either　his　signature　or　his　brains　would　rest　on　that　document　in　exactly　one　minute。　Les　Halley　signed。　Don　Corleone　pocketed　his　pistol　and　handed　over　the　certified　check。
　
　The　rest　was　history。　Johnny　Fontane　went　on　to　bee　the　greatest　singing　sensation　in　the　country。　He　made　Hollywood　musicals　that　earned　a　fortune　for　his　studio。　His　records　made　millions　of　dollars。　Then　he　divorced　his　childhood…sweetheart　wife　and　left　his　two　children；　to　marry　the　most　glamorous　blond　star　in　motion　pictures。　He　soon　learned　that　she　was　a　〃whore。〃　He　drank；　he　gambled；　he　chased　other　women。　He　lost　his　singing　voice。　His　records　stopped　selling。　The　studio　did　not　renew　his　contract。　And　so　now　he　had　e　back　to　his　Godfather。
　
　Kay　said　thoughtfully；　〃Are　you　sure　you're　not　jealous　of　your　father？　Everything　you've　told　me　about　him　shows　him　doing　something　for　other　people。　He　must　be　goodhearted。〃　She　smiled　wryly。　〃Of　course　his　methods　are　not　exactly　constitutional。〃
　
　Michael　sighed。　〃I　guess　that's　the　way　it　sounds；　but　let　me　tell　you　this。　You　know　those　Arctic　explorers　who　leave　caches　of　food　scattered　on　the　route　to　the　North　Pole？　Just　in　case　they　may　need　them　someday？　That's　my　father's　favors。　Someday　he'll　be　at　each　one　of　those　people's　houses　and　they　had　better　e　across。〃
　
　**********
　
　It　was　nearly　twilight　before　the　wedding　cake　was　shown；　exclaimed　over　and　eaten。　Specially　baked　by　Nazorine；　it　was　cleverly　decorated　with　shells　of　cream　so　dizzyingly　delicious　that　the　bride　greedily　plucked　them　from　the　corpse　of　the　cake　before　she　whizzed　away　on　her　honeymoon　with　her　blond　groom。　The　Don　politely　sped　his　guests'　departure；　noting　meanwhile　that　the　black　sedan　with　its　FBI　men　was　no　longer　visible。
　
　Finally　the　only　car　left　in　the　driveway　was　the　long　black　Cadillac　with　Freddie　at　the　wheel。　The　Don　got　into　the　front　seat；　moving　with　quick　coordination　for　his　age　and　bulk。　Sonny；　Michael　and　Johnny　Fontane　got　into　the　back　seat。　Don　Corleone　said　to　his　son　Michael；　〃Your　girl　friend；　she'll　get　back　to　the　city　by　herself　all　right？〃
　
　Michael　nodded。　〃Tom　said　he'd　take　care　of　it。〃　Don　Corleone　nodded　with　satisfaction　at　Hagen's　efficiency。
　
　Because　of　the　gas　rationing　still　in　effect；　there　was　little　traffic　on　the　Belt　Parkway　to　Manhattan。　In　less　than　an　hour　the　Cadillac　rolled　into　the　street　of　French　Hospital。　During　the　ride　Don　Corleone　asked　his　youngest　son　if　he　was　doing　well　in　school。　Michael　nodded。　Then　Sonny　in　the　back　seat　asked　his　father；　〃Johnny　says　you're　getting　him　squared　away　with　that　Hollywood　business。　Do　you　want　me　to　go　out　there　and　help？〃
　
　Don　Corleone　was　curt。　〃Tom　is　going　tonight。　He　won't　need　any　help；　it's　a　simple　affair。〃
　
　Sonny　Corleone　laughed。　〃Johnny　thinks　you　can't　fix　it；　that's　why　I　thought　you　might　want　me　to　go　out　there。〃
　
　Don　Corleone　turned　his　head。　〃Why　do　you　doubt　me？〃　he　asked　Johnny　Fontane。　〃Hasn't　your　Godfather　always　done　what　he　said　he　would　do？　Have　I　ever　been　taken　for　a　fool？〃
　
　Johnny　apologized　nervously。　〃Godfather；　the　man　who　runs　it　is　a　real　。90　caliber　pezzonovante。　You　can't　budge　him；　not　even　with　money。　He　has　big　connections。　And　he　hates　me。　I　just　don't　know　how　you　can　swing　it。〃
　
　The　Don　spoke　with　affectionate　amusement。　〃I　say　to　you：　you　shall　have　it。〃　He　nudged　Michael　with　his　elbow。　〃We　won't　disappoint　my　godson；　eh；　Michael？〃
　
　Michael；　who　never　doubted　his　father　for　a　moment；　shook　his　head。
　
　As　they　walked　toward　the　hospital　entrance；　Don　Corleone　put　his　hand　on　Michael's　arm　so　that　the　others　forged　ahead。　〃When　you　get　through　with　college；　e　and　talk　to　me；〃　the　Don　said。　〃I　have　some　plans　you　will　like。〃
　
　Michael　didn't　say　anything。　Don　Corleone　grunted　in　exasperation。　〃I　know　how　you　are。　I　won't　ask　you　to　do　anything　you　don't　approve　of。　This　is　something　special。　Go　your　own　way　now；　you're　a　man　after　all。　But　e　to　me　as　a　son　should　when　you　have　finished　with　your　schooling。〃
　
　**********
　
　The　family　of　Genco　Abbandando；　wife　and　three　daughters　dressed　in　black；　clustered　like　a　flock　of　plump　crows　on　the　white　tile　floor　of　the　hospital　corridor。　When　they　saw　Don　Corleone　e　out　of　the　elevator；　they　seemed　to　flutter　up　off　the　white　tiles　in　an　instinctive　surge　toward　him　for　protection。　The　mother　was　regally　stout　in　black；　the　daughters　fat　and　plain。　Mrs。　Abbandando　pecked　at　Don　Corleone's　cheek；　sobbing；　wailing；　〃Oh；　what　a　saint　you　are；　to　e　here　on　your　daughter's　wedding　day。〃
　
　Don　Corleone　brushed　these　thanks　aside。　〃Don't　I　owe　respect　to　such　a　friend；　a　friend　who　has　been　my　right　arm　for　twenty；　years？〃　He　had　understood　immediately　that　the　soon…to…be　widow　did　not　prehend　that　her　husband　would　die　this　night。　Genco　Abbandando　had　been　in　this　hospital　for　nearly　a　year　dying　of　his　cancer　and　the　wife　had　e　to　consider　his　fatal　illness　almost　an　ordinary　part　of　life。　Tonight　was　just　another　crisis。　She　babbled　on。　〃Go　in　and　see　my　poor　husband；〃　she　said；　〃he　asks　for　you。　Poor　man；　he　wanted　to　e　to　the　wedding　to　show　his　respect　but　the　doctor　would　not　permit　it。　Then　he　said　you　would　e　to　see　him　on　this　great　day　but　I　did　not　believe　it　possible。　Ah；　men　understand　friendship　more　than　we　women。　Go　inside；　you　will　make　him　happy。〃
　
　A　nurse　and　a　doctor　came　out　of　Genco　Abbandando's　private　room。　The　doctor　was　a　young　man；　serious…faced　and　with　the　air　of　one　born　to　mand；　that　is　to　say；　the　air　of　one　who　has　been　immensely　rich　all　his　life。　One　of　the　daughters　asked　timidly；　〃Dr。　Kennedy；　can　we　go　to　see　him　now？〃
　
　Dr。　Kennedy　looked　over　the　large　group　with　exasperation。　Didn't　these　people　realize　that　the　man　inside　was　dying　and　dying　in　torturous　pain？　It　would　be　much　better　if　everyone　let　him　die　in　peace。　〃I　think　just　the　immediate　family；〃　he　said　in　his　exquisitely　polite　voice。　He　was　surprised　when　the　wife　and　daughters　turned　to　the　short；　heavy　man　dressed　in　an　awkwardly　fitted　tuxedo；　as　if　to　hear　his　decision。
　
　The　heavy　man　spoke。　There　was　just　the　slightest　trace　of　an　Italian　accent　in　his　voice。　〃My　dear　doctor；〃　said　Don　Corleone；　〃is　it　true　he　is　dying？〃
　
　〃Yes；〃　said　Dr。　Kennedy。
　
　〃Then　there　is　nothing　more　for　you　to　do；〃　said　Don　Corleone。　〃We　will　take　up　the　burden。　We　will　fort　him。　We　will　close　his　eyes。　We　will　bury　him　and　weep　at　his　funeral　and　afterwards　we　will　watch　over　his　wife　and　daughters。〃　At　hearing　things　put　so　bluntly；　forcing　her　to　understand；　Mrs。　Abbandando　began　to　weep。
　
　Dr。　Kennedy　shrugged。　It　was　impossible　to　explain　to　these　peasants。　At　the　same　time　he　recognized　the　crude　justice　in　the　man's　remarks。　His　role　was　over。　Still　exquisitely　polite；　he　said；　〃Please　wait　for　the　nurse　to　let　you　in；　she　has　a　few　necessary　things　to　do　with　the　patient。〃　He　walked　away　from　them　down　the　corridor；　his　white　coat　flapping。