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For a moment Filomena thought she had not understood him properly。 She was puzzled by his use of the word 〃race。〃 Did he mean because the girl was not Italian？ Or did he mean because the girl was obviously of the lowest type； a whore in short？ Or did he mean that anything springing from his loins he forbade to live。 And then she was sure he was making a brutal joke。 She said shortly； 〃It's your child； do what you want。〃 And she tried to hand him the bundle。
At this time the exhausted mother awoke and turned on her side to face them。 She was just in time to see Brasi thrust violently at the bundle； crushing the newborn infant against Filomena's chest。 She called out weakly； 〃Luc； Luc； I'm sorry；〃 and Brasi turned to face her。
It was terrible； Filomena said now。 So terrible。 They were like two mad animals。 They were not human。 The hatred they bore each other blazed through the room。 Nothing else； not even the newborn infant； existed for them at that moment。 And yet there was a strange passion。 A bloody； demonical lust so unnatural you knew they were damned forever。 Then Luca Brasi turned back to Filomena and said harshly； 〃Do what tell you； I'll make you rich。〃
Filomena could not speak in her terror。 She shook her head。 Finally she managed to whisper； 〃You do it； you're the father； do it if you like。〃 But Brasi didn't answer。 Instead he drew a knife from inside his shirt。 〃I'll cut your throat；〃 he said。
She must have gone into shock then because the next thing she remembered they were all standing in the basement of the house in front of a square iron furnace。 Filomena was still holding the blanketed baby； which had not made a sound。 （Maybe if it had cried； maybe if I had been shrewd enough to pinch it； Filomena said； that monster would have shown mercy。）
One of the men must have opened the furnace door； the fire now was visible。 And then she was alone with Brasi in that basement with its sweating pipes； its mousy odor。 Brasi had his knife out again。 And there could be no doubting that he would kill her。 There were the flames； there were Brasi's eyes。 His face was the gargoyle of the devil； it was not human； it was not sane： He pushed her toward the open furnace door。
At this point Filomena fell silent。 She folded her bony hands in her lap and looked directly at Michael。 He knew what she wanted； how she wanted to tell him； without using her voice。 He asked gently； 〃Did you do it？〃 She nodded。
It was only after another glass of wine and crossing herself and muttering a prayer that she continued her story。 She was given a bundle of money and driven home。 She understood that if she uttered a word about what had happened she would be killed。 But two days later Brasi murdered the young Irish girl； the mother of the infant； and was arrested by the police。 Filomena； frightened out of her wits； went to the Godfather and told her story。 He ordered her to keep silent； that he would attend to everything。 At that time Brasi did not work for Don Corleone。
Before Don Corleone could set matters aright； Luca Brasi tried to mit suicide in his cell； hacking at his throat with a piece of glass。 He was transferred to the prison hospital and by the time he recovered Don Corleone had arranged everything。 The police did not have a case they could prove in court and Luca Brasi was released。
Though Don Corleone assured Filomena that she had nothing to fear from either Luca Brasi or the police； she had no peace。 Her nerves were shattered and she could no longer work at her profession。 Finally she persuaded her husband to sell the grocery store and they returned to Italy。 Her husband was a good man； had been told everything and understood。 But he was a weak man and in Italy squandered the fortune they had both slaved in America to earn。 And so after he died she had bee a servant。 So Filomena ended her story。 She had another glass of wine and said to Michael； 〃I bless the name of your father。 He always sent me money when I asked； he saved me from Brasi。 Tell him I say a prayer for his soul every night and that he shouldn't fear dying。〃
After she had left； Michael asked Don Tommasino； 〃Is her story true？〃 The capo…mafioso nodded。 And Michael thought； no wonder nobody wanted to tell him the story。 Some story。 Some Luca。
The next morning Michael wanted to discuss the whole thug with Don Tommasino but learned that the old man had been called to Palermo by an urgent message delivered by a courier。 That evening Don Tommasino returned and took Michael aside。 News had e from America； he said。 News that it grieved him to tell。 Santino Corleone had been killed。
Chapter 24
The Sicilian sun； early…morning lemon…colored； filled Michael's bedroom。 He awoke and； feeling Apollonia's satiny body against his own sleep…warm skin； made her e awake with love。 When they were done； even all the months of plete possession could not stop him from marveling at her beauty and her passion。
She left the bedroom to wash and dress in the bathroom down the hall。 Michael； still naked； the morning sun refreshing his body； lit a cigarette and relaxed on the bed。 This was the last morning they would spend in this house and the villa。 Don Tommasino had arranged for him to be transferred to another town on the southern coast of Sicily。 Apollonia； in the first month of pregnancy； wanted to visit with her family for a few weeks and would join him at the new hiding place after the visit。
The night before； Don Tommasino had sat with Michael in the garden after Apollonia had gone to bed。 The Don had been worried and tired； and admitted that he was concerned about Michael's safety。 〃Your marriage brought you into sight；〃 he told Michael： 〃I'm surprised your father hasn't made arrangements for you to go someplace else。 In any case I'm having my own troubles with the young Turks in Palermo。 I've offered some fair arrangements so that they can wet their beaks more than they deserve； but those scum want everything。 I can't understand their attitude。 They've tried a few little tricks but I'm not so easy to kill。 They must know I'm too strong for them to hold me so cheaply。 But that's the trouble with young people； no matter how talented。 They don't reason things out and they want all the water in the well。〃
And then Don Tommasino had told Michael that the two shepherds； Fabrizzio and Calo； would go with him as bodyguards in the Alfa Romeo。 Don Tommasino would say his good…byes tonight since he would be off early in the morning； at dawn； to see to his affairs in Palermo。 Also； Michael was not to tell Dr。 Taza about the move； since the doctor planned to spend the evening in Palermo and might blab。
Michael had known Don Tommasino was in trouble。 Armed guards patrolled the walls of the villa at night and a few faithful shepherds with their luparas were always in the house。 Don Tommasino himself went heavily armed and a personal bodyguard attended him at all times。
The morning sun was now too strong。 Michael stubbed out his cigarette and put on work pants； work shirt and the peaked cap most Sicilian men wore。 Still barefooted； he leaned out his bedroom window and saw Fabrizzio sitting in one of the garden chairs。 Fabrizzio was lazily bing his thick dark hair； his lupara was carelessly thrown acres the garden table。 Michael whistled and Fabrizzio looked up to his window。
〃Get the car；〃 Michael called down to him。 〃I'll be leaving in five minutes。 Where's Calo？〃
Fabrizzio stood up。 His shirt was open； exposing the blue and red lines of the tattoo on his chest。 〃Calo is having a cup of coffee in the kitchen；〃 Fabrizzio said。 〃Is your wife ing with you？〃
Michael squinted down at him。 It occurred to him that Fabrizzio had been following Apollonia too much with his eyes the last few weeks。 Not that he would dare ever to make an advance toward the wife of a friend of the Don's。 In Sicily there was no surerroad to death。 Michael said coldly； 〃No； she's going home to her family first； she'll join us in a few days。〃 He watched Fabrizzio hurry into the stone hut that served as a garage for the Alfa Romeo。
Michael went down the hall to wash。 Apollonia was gone。 She was most likely in the kitchen preparing his breakfast with her own hands to wash out the guilt she felt because she wanted to see her family one more time before going so far away to the other end of Sicily。 Don Tommasino would arrange transportation for her to where Michael would be。
Down in the kitchen the old woman Filomena brought him his coffee and shyly bid him a good bye。 'I'll remember you to my father；〃 Michael said and she nodded。
Calo came into the kitchen and said to Michael； 〃The car's outside； shall I get your bag？〃
〃No； I'll get it；〃 Michael said。 〃Where's Apolla？〃
Calo's face broke into an amused grin。 〃She's sitting in the driver's seat of the car； dying to step on the gas。 She'll be a real American woman before she gets to America。〃 It was unheard of for one of the peasant women in Sicily to attempt driving a car。 But Michael sometimes let Apollonia guide the Alfa Romeo around the inside of the villa walls； always beside her however because she sometimes stepped on the gas when she meant to step on the brake。
Michael said to Calo； 〃Get Fabrizzio and wait for me in the car。〃 He went out of the kitchen and ran up the stairs to the bedroom。 His bag was already packed。 Before picking it up he looked out the window and saw the car parked in front of the portico steps rather than the kitchen entrance。
Apollonia was sitting in the car； her hands on the wheel like a child playing。 Calo was just putting the lunch basket in the rear seat。 And then Michael was annoyed to see Fabrizzio disappearing through the gates of the villa on some errand outside。 What the hell was he doing？ He saw Fabrizzio take a look over his shoulder； a look that was somehow furtive。 He'd have to straighten that damn shepherd out。 Michael went down the stairs and decided to go through the kitchen to see Filomena again and give her a final farewell。 He asked the old woman； 〃Is Dr。 Taza still sleeping？〃
Filomena's wrinkled face was sly。 〃Old roosters can't greet the sun。 The doctor went to Palermo last night。〃
Michael laughed。 He went out the kitchen entrance and the smell of lemon blossoms penetrated even his sinus…filled nose。 He saw Apollonia wave to him from the car just ten paces up the villa's driveway and then he realized she was motioning him to stay where he was； that she meant to drive the car to where he stood。 Calo stood grinning beside the car； his lupara dangling in his hand。 But there was still no sign of Fabrizzio。 At that moment； without any conscious reasoning process； everything came together in his mind； and Michael shouted to the girl； 〃No！ No！〃 But his shout was drowned in the roar of the tremendous explosion as Apollonia switched on the ignition。 The kitchen door shattered into fragments and Michael was hurled along the wall of the villa for a good ten feet。 Stones tumbling from the villa roof hit him on the shoulders and one glanced off his skull as he was lying on the ground。 He was conscious just long enough to see that nothing remained of the Alfa Romeo but its four wheels and the steel shafts which held them together。
**********
He came to consciousness in a room that seemed very dark and heard voices that were so low that they were pure sound rather than words。 Out of animal instinct he tried to pretend he was still unconscious but the voices stopped and someone was leaning from a chair close to his bed and the voice was distinct now； saying； 〃Well； he's with us finally。〃 A lamp went on； its light like white fire on his eyeballs and Michael turned his head。 It felt very heavy； numb。 And then he could see the face over his bed was that of Dr。 Taza。
〃Let me look at you a minute and I'll put the light out；〃 Dr；。 Taza said gently。 He was busy shining a small pencil flashlight into Michael's eyes。 〃You'll be all right；〃 Dr。 Taza said and turned to someone else in the room。 〃You can speak to him。〃
It was Don Tommasino sitting on a chair near his bed； Michael could see him clearly now。 Don Tommasino was saying； 〃Michael； Michael； can I talk