mp.godfather-第93节

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r　for　Michael　to　 taste。
　
　Now　this　morning　as　she　usually　did；　she　asked　Kay　what　Michael　thought　of　her　husband；　Carlo。　Did　Michael　really　like　Carlo；　as　he　seemed　to？　Carlo　had　always　had　a　little　trouble　with　the　Family　but　now　over　the　last　years　he　had　straightened　out。　He　was　really　doing　well　in　the　labor　union　but　he　had　to　work　so　hard；　such　long　hours。　Carlo　really　liked　Michael；　Connie　always　said。　But　then；　everybody　liked　Michael；　just　as　everybody　liked　her　father。　Michael　was　the　Don　all　over　again。　It　was　the　best　thing　that　Michael　was　going　to　run　the　Family　olive　oil　business。
　
　Kay　had　observed　before　that　when　Connie　spoke　about　her　husband　in　relation　to　the　Family；　she　was　always　nervously　eager　for　some　word　of　approval　for　Carlo。　Kay　would　have　been　stupid　if　she　had　not　noticed　the　almost　terrified　concern　Connie　had　for　whether　Michael　liked　Carlo　or　not。　One　night　she　spoke　to　Michael　about　it　and　mentioned　the　fact　that　nobody　ever　spoke　about　Sonny　Corleone；　nobody　even　referred　to　him；　at　least　not　in　her　presence。　Kay　had　once　tried　to　express　her　condolences　to　the　Don　and　his　wife　and　had　been　listened　to　with　almost　rude　silence　and　then　ignored。　She　had　tried　to　get　Connie　talking　about　her　older　brother　without　success。
　
　Sonny's　wife；　Sandra；　had　taken　her　children　and　moved　to　Florida；　where　her　own　parents　now　lived。　Certain　financial　arrangements　had　been　made　so　that　she　and　her　children　could　live　fortably；　but　Sonny　had　left　no　estate。
　
　Michael　reluctantly　explained　what　had　happened　the　night　Sonny　was　killed。　That　Carlo　had　beaten　his　wife　and　Connie　had　called　the　mall　and　Sonny　had　taken　the　call　and　rushed　out　in　a　blind　rage。　So　naturally　Connie　and　Carlo　were　always　nervous　that　the　rest　of　the　Family　blamed　her　for　indirectly　causing　Sonny's　death。　Or　blamed　her　husband；　Carlo。　But　this　wasn't　the　case。　The　proof　was　that　they　had　given　Connie　and　Carlo　a　house　in　the　mall　itself　and　promoted　Carlo　to　an　important　job　in　the　labor　union　setup。　And　Carlo　had　straightened　out；　stopped　drinking；　stopped　whoring；　stopped　trying　to　be　a　wise　guy。　The　Family　was　pleased　with　his　work　and　attitude　for　the　last　two　years。　Nobody　blamed　him　for　what　had　happened。
　
　〃Then　why　don't　you　invite　them　over　some　evening　and　you　can　reassure　your　sister？〃　Kay　said。　〃The　poor　thing　is　always　so　nervous　about　what　you　think　of　her　husband。　Tell　her。　And　tell　her　to　put　those　silly　worries　out　of　her　head。〃
　
　〃I　can't　do　that；〃　Michael　said。　〃We　don't　talk　about　those　things　in　our　family。〃
　
　〃Do　you　want　me　to　tell　her　what　you've　told　me？〃　Kay　said。
　
　She　was　puzzled　because　he　took　such　a　long　time　thinking　over　a　suggestion　that　was　obviously　the　proper　thing　to　do。　Finally　he　said；　〃I　don't　think　you　should；　Kay。　I　don't　think　it　will　do　any　good。　She'll　worry　anyway。　It's　something　nobody　can　do　anything　about。〃
　
　Kay　was　amazed。　She　realized　that　Michael　was　always　a　little　colder　to　his　sister　Connie　than　he　was　to　anyone　else；　despite　Connie's　affection。　〃Surely　you　don't　blame　Connie　for　Sonny　being　killed？〃　she　said。
　
　Michael　sighed。　〃Of　course　not；〃　he　said。　〃She's　my　kid　sister　and　I'm　very　fond　of　her。　I　feel　sorry　for　her。　Carlo　straightened　out；　but　he's　really　the　wrong　kind　of　husband。　It's　just　one　of　those　things。　Let's　forget　about　it。〃
　
　It　was　not　in　Kay's　nature　to　nag；　she　let　it　drop。　Also　she　had　learned　that　Michael　was　not　a　man　to　push；　that　he　could　bee　coldly　disagreeable。　She　knew　she　was　the　only　person　in　the　world　who　could　bend　his　will；　but　she　also　knew　that　to　do　it　too　often　would　be　to　destroy　that　power。　And　living　with　him　the　last　two　years　had　made　her　love　him　more。
　
　She　loved　him　because　he　was　always　fair。　An　odd　thing。　But　he　always　was　fair　to　everybody　around　him；　never　arbitrary　even　in　little　things。　She　had　observed　that　he　was　now　a　very　powerful　man；　people　came　to　the　house　to　confer　with　him　and　ask　favors；　treating　him　with　deference　and　respect　but　one　thing　had　endeared　him　to　her　above　everything　else。
　
　Ever　since　Michael　had　e　back　from　Sicily　with　his　broken　face；　everybody　in　the　Family　had　tried　to　get　him　to　undergo　corrective　surgery。　Michael's　mother　was　after　him　constantly；　one　Sunday　dinner　with　all　the　Corleones　gathered　on　the　mall　she　shouted　at　Michael；　〃You　look　like　a　gangster　in　the　movies；　get　your　face　fixed　for　the　sake　of　Jesus　Christ　and　your　poor　wife。　And　so　your　nose　will　stop　running　like　a　drunken　Irish。〃
　
　The　Don；　at　the　head　of　the　table；　watching　everything；　said　to　Kay；　〃Does　it　bother　you？〃
　
　Kay　shook　her　head。　The　Don　said　to　his　wife。　〃He's　out　of　your　hands；　it's　no　concern　of　yours。〃　The　old　woman　immediately　held　her　peace。　Not　that　she　feared　her　husband　but　because　it　would　have　been　disrespectful　to　dispute　him　in　such　a　matter　before　the　others。
　
　But　Connie；　the　Don's　favorite；　came　in　from　the　kitchen；　where　she　was　cooking　the　Sunday　dinner；　her　face　flushed　from　the　stove；　and　said；　〃I　think　he　should　get　his　face　fixed。　He　was　the　most　handsome　one　in　the　family　before　he　got　hurt。　e　on；　Mike；　say　you'll　do　it。〃
　
　Michael　looked　at　her　in　an　absentminded　fashion。　It　seemed　as　if　he　really　and　truly　had　not　heard　anything　said。　He　didn't　answer。
　
　Connie　came　to　stand　beside　her　father。　〃Make　him　do　it；〃　she　said　to　the　Don。　Her　two　hands　rested　affectionately　on　his　shoulders　and　she　rubbed　his　neck。　She　was　the　only　one　who　was　ever　so　familiar　with　the　Don。　Her　affection　for　her　father　was　touching。　It　was　trusting；　like　a　little　girl's。　The　Don　patted　one　of　her　hands　and　said；　〃We're　all　starving　here。　Put　the　spaghetti　on　the　table　and　then　chatter。〃
　
　Connie　turned　to　her　husband　and　said；　〃Carlo；　you　tell　Mike　to　get　his　face　fixed。　Maybe　he'll　listen　to　you。〃　Her　voice　implied　that　Michael　and　Carlo　Rizzi　had　some　friendly　relationship　over　and　above　anyone　else's。
　
　Carlo；　handsomely　sunburned；　blond　hair　neatly　cut　and　bed；　sipped　at　his　glass　of　homemade　wine　and　said；　〃Nobody　can　tell　Mike　what　to　do。〃　Carlo　had　bee　a　different　man　since　moving　into　the　mall。　He　knew　his　place　in　the　Family　and　kept　to　it。
　
　There　was　something　that　Kay　didn't　understand　in　all　this；　something　that　didn't　quite　meet　the　eye。　As　a　woman　she　could　see　that　Connie　was　deliberately　charming　her　father；　though　it　was　beautifully　done　and　even　sincere。　Yet　it　was　not　spontaneous。　Carlo's　reply　had　been　a　manly　knuckling　of　his　forehead。　Michael　had　absolutely　ignored　everything。
　
　Kay　didn't　care　about　her　husband's　disfigurement　but　she　worried　about　his　sinus　trouble　which　sprang　from　it。　Surgery　repair　of　the　face　would　cure　the　sinus　also。　For　that　reason　she　wanted　Michael　to　enter　the　hospital　and　get　the　necessary　work　done。　But　she　understood　that　in　a　curious　way　he　desired　his　disfigurement。　She　was　sure　that　the　Don　understood　this　too。
　
　But　after　Kay　gave　birth　to　her　first　child；　she　was　surprised　by　Michael　asking　her；　〃Do　you　want　me　to　get　my　face　fixed？〃
　
　Kay　nodded。　〃You　know　how　kids　are；　your　son　will　feel　bad　about　your　face　when　he　gets　old　enough　to　understand　it's　not　normal。　I　just　don't　want　our　child　to　see　it。　I　don't　mind　at　all；　honestly；　Michael。〃
　
　〃OK。〃　He　smiled　at　her。　〃I'll　do　it。〃
　
　He　waited　until　she　was　home　from　the　hospital　and　then　made　all　the　necessary　arrangements。　The　operation　was　successful。　The　cheek　indentation　was　now　just　barely　noticeable。
　
　Everybody　in　the　Family　was　delighted；　but　Connie　more　so　than　anyone。　She　visited　Michael　every　day　in　the　hospital；　dragging　Carlo　along。　When　Michael　came　home；　she　gave　him　a　big　hug　and　a　kiss　and　looked　at　him　admiringly　and　said；　〃Now　you're　my　handsome　brother　again。〃
　
　Only　the　Don　was　unimpressed；　shrugging　his　shoulders　and　remarking；　〃What's　the　difference？〃
　
　But　Kay　was　grateful。　She　knew　that　Michael　had　done　it　against　all　his　own　inclinations。　Had　done　it　because　she　had　asked　him　to；　and　that　she　was　the　only　person　in　the　world　who　could　make　him　act　against　his　own　nature。
　
　**********
　
　On　the　afternoon　of　Michael's　return　from　Vegas；　Rocco　Lampone　drove　the　limousine　to　the　mall　to　pick　up　Kay　so　that　she　could　meet　her　husband　at　the　airport。　She　always　met　her　husband　when　he　arrived　from　out　of　town；　mostly　because　she　felt　lonely　without　him；　living　as　she　did　in　the　fortified　mall。
　
　She　saw　him　e　off　the　plane　with　Tom　Hagen　and　the　new　man　he　had　working　for　him；　Albert　Neri。　Kay　didn't　care　much　for　Neri；　he　reminded　her　of　Luca　Brasi　in　his　quiet　ferociousness。　She　saw　Neri　drop　behind　Michael　and　off　to　the　side；　saw　his　quick　penetrating　glance　as　his　eyes　swept　over　everybody　nearby。　It　was　Neri　who　first　spotted　Kay　and　touched　Michael's　shoulder　to　make　him　look　in　the　proper　direction。
　
　Kay　ran　into　her　husband's　arms　and　he　quickly　kissed　her　and　let　her　go。　He　and　Tom　Hagen　and　Kay　got　into　the　limousine　and　Albert　Neri　vanished。　Kay　did　not　notice　that　Neri　had　gotten　into　another　car　with　two　other　men　and　that　this　car　rode　behind　the　limousine　until　it　reached　Long　Beach。
　
　Kay　never　asked　Michael　how