mp.godfather-第97节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


s。　Behind　him　came　the　caporegimes　followed　by　their　soldiers　and　then　all　the　humble　people　the　Godfather　had　blessed　during　his　lifetime。　The　baker　Nazorine；　the　widow　Colombo　and　her　sons　and　all　the　countless　others　of　his　world　he　had　ruled　so　firmly　but　justly。　There　were　even　some　who　had　been　his　enemies；　e　to　do　him　honor。
　
　Michael　observed　all　this　with　a　tight；　polite　smile。　He　was　not　impressed。　Yet；　he　thought；　if　I　can　die　saying；　〃Life　is　so　beautiful；〃　then　nothing　else　is　important。　If　I　can　believe　in　myself　that　much；　nothing　else　matters。　He　would　follow　his　father。　He　would　care　for　his　children；　his　family；　his　world。　But　his　children　would　grow　in　a　different　world。　They　would　be　doctors；　artists；　scientists。　Governors。　Presidents。　Anything　at　all。　He　would　see　to　it　that　they　joined　the　general　family　of　humanity；　but　he；　as　a　powerful　and　prudent　parent　would　most　certainly　keep　a　wary　eye　on　that　general　family。
　
　**********
　
　On　the　morning　after　the　funeral；　all　the　most　important　officials　of　the　Corleone　Family　assembled　on　the　mall。　Shortly　before　noon　they　were　admitted　into　the　empty　house　of　the　Don。　Michael　Corleone　received　them。
　
　They　almost　filled　the　corner　library　room。　There　were　the　two　caporegimes；　Clemenza　and　Tessio；　Rocco　Lampone；　with　his　reasonable；　petent　air；　Carlo　Rizzi；　very　quiet；　very　much　knowing　his　place；　Tom　Hagen　forsaking　his　strictly　legal　role　to　rally　around　in　this　crisis；　Albert　Neri　trying　to　stay　physically　close　to　Michael；　lighting　his　new　Don's　cigarette；　mixing　his　drink；　all　to　show　an　unswerving　loyalty　despite　the　recent　disaster　to　the　Corleone　Family。
　
　The　death　of　the　Don　was　a　great　misfortune　for　the　Family。　Without　him　it　seemed　that　half　their　strength　was　gone　and　almost　all　their　bargaining　power　against　the　Barzini…Tattaglia　alliance。　Everyone　in　the　room　knew　this　and　they　waited　for　what　Michael　would　say。　In　their　eyes　he　was　not　yet　the　new　Don；　he　had　not　earned　the　position　or　the　title。　If　the　Godfather　had　lived；　he　might　have　assured　his　son's　succession；　now　it　was　by　no　means　certain。
　
　Michael　waited　until　Ned　had　served　drinks。　Then　he　said　quietly；　〃I　just　want　to　tell　everybody　here　that　I　understand　how　they　feel。　I　know　you　all　respected　my　father；　but　now　you　have　to　worry　about　yourselves　and　your　families。　Some　of　you　wonder　how　what　happened　is　going　to　affect　the　planning　we've　done　and　the　promises　I　made。　Well；　the　answer　to　that　is：　nothing。　Everything　goes　on　as　before。〃
　
　Clemenza　shook　his　great　shaggy　buffalo　head。　His　hair　was　an　iron　gray　and　his　features；　more　deeply　embedded　in　added　layers　of　fat；　were　unpleasant。　〃The　Barzinis　and　Tattaglias　are　going　to　move　in　on　us　real　hard；　Mike。　You　gotta　fight　or　have　a　'sit…down'　with　them。〃　Everyone　in　the　room　noticed　that　Clemenza　had　not　used　a　formal　form　of　address　to　Michael；　much　less　the　title　of　Don。
　
　〃Let's　wait　and　see　what　happens；〃　Michael　said。　〃Let　them　break　the　peace　first。〃
　
　Tessio　spoke　up　in　his　soft　voice。　〃They　already　have；　Mike。　They　opened　up　two　'books'　in　Brooklyn　this　morning。　I　got　the　word　from　the　police　captain　who　runs　the　protection　list　at　the　station　house。　In　a　month　I　won't　have　a　place　to　hang　my　hat　in　all　Brooklyn。〃
　
　Michael　stared　at　him　thoughtfully。　〃Have　you　done　anything　about　it？〃
　
　Tessio　shook　his　small；　ferretlike　head。　〃No；〃　he　said。　〃I　didn't　want　to　give　you　any　problems。〃
　
　〃Good；〃　Michael　said。　〃Just　sit　tight。　And　I　guess　that's　what　I　want　to　say　to　all　of　you。　Just　sit　tight。　Don't　react　to　any　provocation。　Give　me　a　few　weeks　to　straighten　things　out；　to　see　which　way　the　wind　is　going　to　blow。　Then　I'll　make　the　best　deal　I　can　for　everybody　here。　Then　we'll　have　a　final　meeting　and　make　some　final　decisions。〃
　
　He　ignored　their　surprise　and　Albert　Neri　started　ushering　them　out。　Michael　said　sharply；　〃Tom；　stick　around　a　few　minutes。〃
　
　Hagen　went　to　the　window　that　faced　the　mall。　He　waited　until　he　saw　the　caporegimes　and　Carlo　Rizzo　and　Rocco　Lampone　being　shepherded　through　the　guarded　gate　by　Neri。　Then　he　turned　to　Michael　and　said；　〃Have　you　got　all　the　political　connections　wired　into　you？〃
　
　Michael　shook　his　head　regretfully。　〃Not　all。　I　needed　about　four　more　months。　The　Don　and　I　were　working　on　it。　But　I've　got　all　the　judges；　we　did　that　first；　and　some　of　the　more　important　people　in　Congress。　And　the　big　party　boys　here　in　New　York　were　no　problem；　of　course。　The　Corleone　Family　is　a　lot　stronger　than　anybody　thinks；　but　I　hoped　to　make　it　foolproof。〃　He　smiled　at　Hagen。　〃I　guess　you've　figured　everything　out　by　now。〃
　
　Hagen　nodded。　〃It　wasn't　hard。　Except　why　you　wanted　me　out　of　the　action。　But　I　put　on　my　Sicilian　hat　and　I　finally　figured　that　too。〃
　
　Michael　laughed。　〃The　old　man　said　you　would。　But　that's　a　luxury　I　can't　afford　anymore。　I　need　you　here。　At　least　for　the　next　few　weeks。　You　better　phone　Vegas　and　talk　to　your　wife。　Just　tell　her　a　few　weeks。〃
　
　Hagen　said　musingly；　〃How　do　you　think　they'll　e　at　you？〃
　
　Michael　sighed。　〃The　Don　instructed　me。　Through　somebody　close。　Brazini　will　set　me　up　through　somebody　close　that；　supposedly；　I　won't　suspect。〃
　
　Hagen　smiled　at　him。　〃Somebody　like　me。〃
　
　Michael　smiled　back。　〃You're　Irish；　they　won't　trust　you。〃
　
　〃I'm　German…American；〃　Hagen　said。
　
　〃To　them　that's　Irish；〃　Michael　said。　〃They　won't　go　to　you　and　they　won't　go　to　Neri　because　Neri　was　a　cop。　Plus　both　of　you　are　too　close　to　me。　They　can't　take　that　gamble。　Rocco　Lampone　isn't　close　enough。　No；　it　will　be　Clemenza；　Tessio　or　Carlo　Rizzi。〃
　
　Hagen　said　softly；　〃I'm　betting　it's　Carlo。〃
　
　〃We'll　see；〃　Michael　said。　〃It　won't　be　long。〃
　
　**********
　
　It　was　the　next　morning；　while　Hagen　and　Michael　were　having　breakfast　together。　Michael　took　a　phone　call　in　the　library；　and　when　he　came　back　to　the　kitchen；　he　said　to　Hagen；　〃It's　all　set　up。　I'm　going　to　meet　Barzini　a　week　from　now。　To　make　new　peace　now　that　the　Don　is　dead。〃　Michael　laughed。
　
　Hagen　asked；　〃Who　phoned　you；　who　made　the　contact？〃　They　both　knew　that　whoever　in　the　Corleone　Family　had　made　the　contact　had　turned　traitor。
　
　Michael　gave　Hagen　a　sad　regretful　smile。　〃Tessio；〃　he　said。
　
　They　ate　the　rest　of　their　breakfast　in　silence。　Over　coffee　Hagen　shook　his　head。　〃I　could　have　sworn　it　would　have　been　Carlo　or　maybe　Clemenza。　I　never　figured　Tessio。　He's　the　best　of　the　lot。〃
　
　〃He's　the　most　intelligent；〃　Michael　said。　〃And　he　did　what　seems　to　him　to　be　the　smart　thing。　He　sets　me　up　for　the　hit　by　Barzini　and　inherits　the　Corleone　Family。　He　sticks　with　me　and　he　gets　wiped　out；　he's　figuring　I　can't　win。〃
　
　Hagen　paused　before　he　asked　reluctantly；　〃How　right　is　he　figuring？〃
　
　Michael　shrugged。　〃It　looks　bad。　But　my　father　was　the　only　one　who　understood　that　political　connections　and　power　are　worth　ten　regimes。　I　think　I've　got　most　of　my　father's　political　power　in　my　hands　now；　but　I'm　the　only　one　who　really　knows　that。〃　He　smiled　at　Hagen；　a　reassuring　smile。　〃I'll　make　them　call　me　Don。　But　I　feel　lousy　about　Tessio。〃
　
　Hagen　said；　〃Have　you　agreed　to　the　meeting　with　Barzini？〃　'
　
　〃Yeah；〃　Michael　said。　〃A　week　from　tonight。　In　Brooklyn；　on　Tessio's　ground　where　I'll　be　safe。〃　He　laughed　again。
　
　Hagen　said；　〃Be　careful　before　then。〃
　
　For　the　first　time　Michael　was　cold　with　Hagen。　〃I　don't　need　a　Consigliere　to　give　me　that　kind　of　advice；〃　he　said。
　
　**********
　
　During　the　week　preceding　the　peace　meeting　between　the　Corleone　and　Barzini　Families；　Michael　showed　Hagen　just　how　careful　he　could　be。　He　never　set　foot　outside　the　mall　and　never　received　anyone　without　Neri　beside　him。　There　was　only　one　annoying　plication。　Connie　and　Carlo's　oldest　boy　was　to　receive　his　Confirmation　in　the　Catholic　Church　and　Kay　asked　Michael　to　be　the　Godfather。　Michael　refused。
　
　〃I　don't　often　beg　you；〃　Kay　said。　〃Please　do　this　just　for　me。　Connie　wants　it　so　much。　And　so　does　Carlo。　It's　very　important　to　them。　Please；　Michael。〃
　
　She　could　see　he　was　angry　with　her　for　insisting　and　expected　him　to　refuse。　So　she　was　surprised　when　he　nodded　and　said；　〃OK。　But　I　can't　leave　the　mall。　Tell　them　to　arrange　for　the　priest　to　confirm　the　kid　here。　I'll　pay　whatever　it　costs。　If　they　run　into　trouble　with　the　church　people；　Hagen　will　straighten　it　out。〃
　
　And　so　the　day　before　the　meeting　with　the　Barzini　Family；　Michael　Corleone　stood　Godfather　to　the　son　of　Carlo　and　Connie　Rizzi。　He　presented　the　boy　with　an　extremely　expensive　wristwatch　and　gold　band。　There　was　a　small　party　in　Carlo's　house；　to　which　were　invited　the　caporegimes；　Hagen；　Lampone　and　everyone　who　lived　on　the　mall；　including；　of　course；　the　Don's　widow。　Connie　was　so　overe　with　emotion　that　she　hugged　and　kissed　her　brother　and　Kay　all　during　the　evening。　And　even　Carlo　Rizzi　became　sentimental；　wringing　Michael's　hand　and　calling　him　Godfather　at　every　excuse…　old　country　style。　Michael　himself　had　never　been　so　affable；　so　outgoing。　Connie　whispered　to　Kay；　〃I　think　Carlo　and　Mike　are　going　to　be　real　friends　now。　Something