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！
Michael shifted uneasily in his chair。 He looked at his older brother。 He remembered Sonny as being sometimes casually brutal but essentially warmhearted。 A nice guy。 It seemed unnatural to hear him talking this way； it was chilling to see the list of names he had scribbled down； men to be executed； as if he were some newly crowned Roman Emperor。 He was glad that he was not truly part of all this； that now his father lived he did not have to involve himself in vengeance。 He'd help out； answering the phone； running errands and messages。 Sonny and the old man could take care of themselves； especially with Luca behind them。
At that moment they heard a woman scream in the living room。 Oh； Christ； Michael thought； it sounded like Tom's wife。 He rushed to the door and opened it。 Everybody in the living room was standing。 And by the sofa Tom Hagen was holding Theresa close to him； his face embarrassed。 Theresa was weeping and sobbing； and Michael realized that the scream he had heard had been her calling out her husband's name with joy。 As he watched； Tom Hagen disentangled himself from his wife's arms and lowered her back onto the sofa。 He smiled at Michael grimly。 〃Glad to see you； Mike； really glad。〃 He strode into the office without another look at his still…sobbing wife。 He hadn't lived with the Corleone Family ten years for nothing； Michael thought with a queer flush of pride。 Some of the old man had rubbed off on him； as it had on Sonny； and he thought； with surprise； even on himself。
Chapter 05
It was nearly four o'clock in the morning as they all sat in the corner room office… Sonny； Michael； Tom Hagen； Clemenza and Tessio。 Theresa Hagen had been persuaded to go to her own home next door。 Paulie Gatto was still waiting in the living room； not knowing that Tessio's men had been instructed not to let him leave or let him out of their sight。
Tom Hagen relayed the deal Sollozzo offered。 He told how after Sollozzo had learned the Don still lived； it was obvious that he meant to kill Hagen。 Hagen grinned。 〃If I ever plead before the Supreme Court； I'll never plead better than I did with that goddamn Turk tonight。 I told him I'd talk the Family into the deal even though the Don was alive。 I told him I could wrap you around my finger； Sonny。 How we were buddies as kids； and don't get sore； but I let him get the idea that maybe you weren't too sorry about getting the old man's job； God forgive me。〃 He smiled apologetically at Sonny； who made a gesture signifying that he understood； that it was of no consequence。
Michael； leaning back in his armchair with the phone at his right hand； studied both men。 When Hagen had entered the room Sonny had e rushing to embrace him。 Michael realized with a faint twinge of jealousy that in many ways Sonny and Tom Hagen were closer than he himself could ever be to his own brother。
〃Let's get down to business；〃 Sonny said。 〃We have to make plans。 Take a look at this list me and Tessio made up。 Tessio； give Clemenza your copy。〃
〃If we make plans；〃 Michael said； 〃Freddie should be here。〃
Sonny said grimly； 〃Freddie is no use to us。 The doctor says he's in shock so bad he has to have plete rest。 I don't understand that。 Freddie was always a pretty tough guy。 I guess seeing the old man gunned down was hard on him； he always thought the Don was God。 He wasn't like you and me； Mike。〃
Hagen said quickly； 〃OK； leave Freddie out。 Leave him out of everything； absolutely everything。 Now； Sonny； until this is all over I think you should stay in the house。 I mean sever leave it。 You're safe here。 Don't underrate Sollozzo； he's got to be a pezzonovante； a real 。90 caliber。 Is the hospital covered？〃
Sonny nodded。 〃The cops have it locked in and I got my people there visiting Pop all the time。 What do you think of that list； Tom？〃
Hagen frowned down at the fist of names： 〃Jesus Christ； Sonny； you're really taking this personal。 The Don would consider it a purely business dispute。 Sollozzo is the key。 Get rid of Sollozzo and everything falls in line。 You don't have to go after the Tattaglias。〃
Sonny looked at his two caporegimes。 Tessio shrugged。 〃It's tricky；〃 he said。 Clemenza didn't answer at all。
Sonny said to Clemenza； 〃One thing we can take care of without discussion。 I don't want Paulie around here anymore。 Make that first on your list。〃 The fat caporegime nodded。
Hagen said； 〃What about Luca？ Sollozzo didn't seem worried about Luca。 That worries me。 If Luca sold us out； we're in real trouble。 That's the first thing we have to know。 Has anybody been able to get in touch with him？〃
〃No；〃 Sonny said。 〃I've been calling him all night。 Maybe he's shacked up。〃
〃No；〃 Hagen said。 〃He never sleeps over with a broad。 He always goes home when he's through。 Mike； keep ringing his number until you get an answer。〃 Michael dutifully picked up the phone and dialed。 He could hear the phone ringing on the other end but no one answered。 Finally he hung up。 〃Keep trying every fifteen minutes；〃 Hagen said。
Sonny said impatiently； 〃OK； Tom you're the Consigliere； how about some advice？ What the hell do you think we should do？〃
Hagen helped himself to the whiskey bottle on the desk。 〃We negotiate with Sollozzo until your father is in shape to take charge。 We might even make a deal if we have to。 When your father gets out of bed he can settle the whole business without a fuss and all the Families will go along with him。〃
Sonny said angrily； 〃You think I can't handle this guy Sollozzo？〃
Tom Hagen looked him directly in the eye。 〃Sonny； sure you can outfight him。 The Corleone Family has the power。 You have Clemenza and Tessio here and they can muster a thousand men if it es to an all…out war。 But at the end there will be a shambles over the whole East Coast and all the other Families will blame the Corleones。 We'll make a lot of enemies。 And that's something your father never believed in。〃
Michael； watching Sonny； thought he took this well。 But then Sonny said to Hagen； 〃What if the old man dies； what do you advise then； Consigliere？〃
Hagen said quietly； 〃I know you won't do it； but I would advise you to make a real deal with Sollozzo on the drugs。 Without your father's political contacts and personal influence the Corleone Family loses half its strength。 Without your father； the other New York Families might wind up supporting the Tattaglias and Sollozzo just to make sure there isn't a long destructive war。 If your father dies； make the deal。 Then wait and see。〃
Sonny was white…faced with anger。 〃That's easy for you to say； it's not your father they killed。〃
Hagen said quickly and proudly； 〃I was as good a son to him as you or Mike； maybe better。 I'm giving you a professional opinion。 Personally I want to kill all those bastards。〃 The emotion in his voice shamed Sonny； who said； 〃Oh； Christ； Tom； I didn't mean it that way。〃 But he had； really。 Blood was blood and nothing else was its equal。
Sonny brooded for a moment as the others waited in embarrassed silence。 Then he sighed and spoke quietly。 〃OK； we'll sit tight until the old man can give us the lead。 But； Tom； I want you to stay inside the mall； too。 Don't take any chances。 Mike； you be careful； though I don't think。 even Sollozzo would bring personal family into the war。 Everybody would be against him then。 But be careful。 Tessio； you hold your people in reserve but have them nosing around the city。 Clemenza； after you settle the Paulie Gatto thing； you move your men into the house and the mall to replace Tessio's people。 Tessio； you keep your men at the hospital； though。 Tom； start negotiation over the phone or by messenger with Sollozzo and the Tattaglias the first thing in the morning。 Mike； tomorrow you take a couple of Clemenza's people and go to Luca's house and wait for him to show up or find out where the hell he is。 That crazy bastard might be going after Sollozzo right now if he's heard the news。 I can't believe he'd ever go against his Don； no matter what the Turk offered him。〃
Hagen said reluctantly； 〃Maybe Mike shouldn't get mixed up in this so directly。〃
〃Right；〃 Sonny said。 〃Forget that； Mike。 Anyway I need you on the phone here in the house； that's more important。〃
Michael didn't say anything。 He felt awkward； almost ashamed； and he noticed Clemenza and Tessio with faces so carefully impassive that he was sure that they were hiding their contempt。 He picked up the phone and dialed Luca Brasi's number and kept the receiver to his ear as it rang and rang。
Chapter 06
Peter Clemenza slept badly that night。 In the morning he got up early and made his own breakfast of a glass of grappa； a thick slice of Genoa salami with a chunk of fresh Italian bread that was still delivered to his door as in the old days。 Then he drank a great； plain china mug filled with hot coffee that had been lashed with anisette。 But as he padded about the house in his old bathrobe and red felt slippers he pondered on the day's work that lay ahead of him。 Last night Sonny Corleone had made it very clear that Paulie Gatto was to be taken care of immediately。 It had to be today。
Clemenza was troubled。 Not because Gatto had been his protégé and had turned traitor。 This did not reflect on the caporegime's judgment。 After all； Paulie's background had been perfect。 He came from a Sicilian family； he had grown up in the same neighborhood as the Corleone children； had indeed even gone to school with one of the sons。 He had been brought up through each level in the proper manner。 He had been tested and not found wanting。 And then after he had 〃made his bones〃 he had received a good living from the Family； a percentage of an East Side 〃book〃 and a union payroll slot。 Clemenza had not been unaware that Paulie Gatto 'supplemented his ine with free…lance stickups； strictly against the Family rules； but even this was a sign of the man's worth。 The breaking of such regulations was considered a sign of high…spiritedness； like that shown by a fine racing horse fighting the reins。
And Paulie had never caused trouble with his stickups。 They had always been meticulously planned and carried out with the minimum of fuss and trouble； with no one ever getting hurt： a three…thousand…dollar Manhattan garment center payroll； a small chinaware factory payroll in the slums of Brooklyn。 After all； a young man could always use some extra pocket money。 It was all in the pattern。 Who could ever foretell that Paulie Gatto would turn traitor？
What was troubling Peter Clemenza this morning was an administrative problem。 The actual execution of Gatto was a cut…and…dried chore。 The problem was； who should the caporegime bring up from the ranks to replace Gatto in the Family？ It was an important promotion； that to 〃button〃 man； one not to be handed out lightly。 The man had to be tough and he had to be smart。 He had to be safe； not a person who would talk to the police if he got in trouble； one well saturated in the Sicilians' law of omerta； the law of silence。 And then； what kind of a living would he receive for his new duties？ Clemenza had several times spoken to the Don about better rewards for the all…important button man who was first in the front line when trouble arose； but the Don had put him off。 If Paulie had been making more money； he might have been able to resist the blandishments of the wily Turk； Sollozzo。
Clemenza finally narrowed down the list of candidates to three men。 The first was an enforcer who worked with the colored policy bankers in Harlem； a big brawny brute of a man of great physical strength； a man with a great deal of personal charm who could get along with people and yet when necessary make them go in fear of him。 But Clemenza scratched him off the list after considering his name for a half hour。 This man got along too well with the black people； which hinted at some flaw of character。 Also he would be too hard to replace in the position he now held。
The second name Clemenza considered and almost settled on was a hard…working chap who served faithfully and well in the organization。 This man was the collector of delinquent accounts for Family…licensed shylocks in Manhattan。 He had s