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When the Don answered； his voice was cold； without fort。 〃You blaspheme。 Resign yourself。〃
Abbandando fell back on the pillow。 His eyes lost their wild gleam of hope。 The nurse came back into the room and started shooing them out in a very matter…of…fact way。 The Don got up but Abbandando put out his hand。 〃Godfather；〃 he said； 〃stay here with me and help me meet death。 Perhaps if He sees you near me He will be frightened and leave me in peace。 Or perhaps you can say a word； pull a few strings； eh？〃 The dying man winked as if he were mocking the Don； now not really serious。 〃You're brothers in blood； after all。〃 Then； as if fearing the Don would be offended； he clutched at his hand。 〃Stay with me； let me hold your hand。 We'll outwit that bastard as we've outwitted others。 Godfather； don't betray me。〃
The Don motioned the other people out of the room。 They left。 He took the withered claw of Genco Abbandando in his own two broad hands。 Softly； reassuringly； he forted his friend； as they waited for death together。 As if the Don could truly snatch the life of Gencp Abbandando back from that most foul and criminal traitor to man。
**********
The wedding day of Connie Corleone ended well for her。 Carlo Rizzi performed his duties as a bridegroom with skill and vigor； spurred on by the contents of the bride's gift purse which totaled up to over twenty thousand dollars。 The bride； however； gave up her virginity with a great deal more willingness than she gave up her purse。 For the latter； he had to blacken one of her eyes。
Lucy Mancini waited in her house for a call from Sonny Corleone； sure that he would ask her for a date。 Finally she called his house and when she heard a woman's voice answer the phone she hung up。 She had no way of knowing that nearly everyone at the wedding had remarked the absence of her and Sonny for that fatal half hour and the gossip was already spreading that Santino Corleone had found another victim。 That he had 〃done the job〃 on his own sister's maid of honor。
Amerigo Bonasera had a terrible nightmare。 In his dreams he saw Don Corleone； in peaked cap； overalls and heavy gloves； unloading bullet…riddled corpses in front of his funeral parlor and shouting； 〃Remember； Amerigo； not a word to anyone； and bury them quickly。〃 He groaned so loud and long in his sleep that his wife shook him awake。 〃Eh； what a man you are；〃 she grumbled。 〃To have a nightmare only after a wedding。〃
Kay Adams was escorted to her New York City hotel by Paulie Gatto and Clemenza。 The car was large； luxurious and driven by Gatto。 Clemenza sat in the back seat and Kay was given the front seat next to the driver。 She found both men wildly exotic。 Their speech was movie Brooklynese and they treated her with exaggerated courtliness。 During the ride she chatted casually with both men and was surprised when they spoke of Michael with unmistakable affection and respect。 He had led her to believe that he was an alien in his father's world。 Now Clemenza was assuring her in his wheezing guttural voice that the 〃old man〃 thought Mike was the best of his sons； the one who would surely inherit the family business。
〃What business is that？〃 Kay asked in the most natural way。
Paulie Gatto gave her a quick glance as he turned the wheel。 Behind her Clemenza said in a surprised voice。 〃Didn't Mike tell you？ Mr。 Corleone is the biggest importer of Italian olive oil in the States。 Now that the war is over the business could get real rich。 He'll need a smart boy like Mike。〃
At the hotel Clemenza insisted on ing to the desk with her。 When she protested； he said simply； 〃The boss said to make sure you got home OK。 I gotta do it。〃
After she received her room key he walked her to the elevator and waited until she got in。 She waved to him； smiling； and was surprised at his genuine smile of pleasure in return。 It was just as well she did not see him go back to the hotel clerk and ask； 〃What name she registered under？〃
The hotel clerk looked at Clemenza coldly。 Clemenza rolled the little green spitball he was holding in his hand across to the clerk； who picked it up and immediately said； 〃Mr。 and Mrs。 Michael Corleone。〃
Back in the car； Paulie Gatto said； 〃Nice dame。〃
Clemenza grunted。 〃Mike is doing the job on her。〃 Unless； he thought； they were really married。 〃Pick me up early in the morning；〃 he told Paulie Gatto。 〃Hagen got some deal for us that gotta be done right away。〃
**********
It was late Sunday night before Tom Hagen could kiss his wife good…bye and drive out to the airport。 With his special number one priority （a grateful gift from a Pentagon staff general officer） he had no trouble getting on a plane to Los Angeles。
It had been a busy but satisfying day for Tom Hagen。 Genco Abbandando had died at three in the morning and when Don Corleone returned from the hospital； he had informed Hagen that he was now officially the new Consigliere to the family。 This meant that Hagen was sure to bee a very rich man； to say nothing of power。
The Don had broken a long…standing tradition。 The Consigliere was always a full…blooded Sicilian； and the fact that Hagen had been brought up as a member of the Don's family made no difference to that tradition。 It was a question of blood。 Only a Sicilian born to the ways of ormerta； the law of silence； could be trusted in the key post of Consigliere。 Between the head of the family； Don Corleone； who dictated policy； and the operating level of men who actually carried out the orders of the Don； there were three layers； or buffers。 In that way nothing could be traced to the top。 Unless the Consigliere turned traitor。 That Sunday morning Don Corleone gave explicit instructions on what should be done to the two young men who had beaten the daughter of Amerigo Bonasera。 But he had given those orders in private to Tom Hagen。 Later in the day Hagen had； also in private without witnesses； instructed Clemenza。 In turn Clemenza had told Paulie Gatto to execute the mission。 Paulie Gatto would now muster the necessary manpower and execute the orders。 Paulie Gatto and his men would not know why this particular task was being carried out or who had ordered it originally。 Each link of the chain would have to turn traitor for the Don to be involved and though it had never yet happened； there was always the possibility。 The cure for that possibility also was known。 Only one link in the chain had to disappear。
The Consigliere was also what his name implied。 He was the counselor to the Don； his right…hand man； his auxiliary brain。 He was also his closest panion and his closest friend。 On important trips he would drive the Don's car； at conferences he would go out and get the Don refreshments； coffee and sandwiches； fresh cigars。 He would know everything the Don knew or nearly everything； all the cells of power。 He was the one man in the world who could bring the Don crashing down to destruction。 But no Consigliere had ever betrayed a Don； not in the memory of any of the powerful Sicilian families who had established themselves in America。 There was no future in it。 And every Consigliere knew that if he kept the faith； he would bee rich； wield power and win respect。 If misfortune came； his wife and children would be sheltered and cared for as if he were alive or free。 If he kept the faith。
In some matters the Consigliere had to act for his Don in a more open way and yet not involve his principal。 Hagen was flying to California on just such a matter。 He realized that his career as Consigliere would be seriously affected by the success or failure of this mission。 By family business standards whether Johnny Fontane got his coveted part in the war movie； or did not； was a minor matter。 Far more important was the meeting Hagen had set up with Virgil Sollozzo the following Friday。 But Hagen knew that to the Don； both were of equal importance； which settled the matter for any good Consigliere。
The piston plane shook Tom Hagen's already nervous insides and he ordered a martini from the hostess to quiet them。 Both the Don and Johnny had briefed him on the character of the movie producer； Jack Woltz。 From everything that Johnny said； Hagen knew he would never be able to persuade Woltz。 But he also had no doubt whatsoever that the Don would keep his promise to Johnny。 His own role was that of negotiator and contact。
Lying back in his seat； Hagen went over all the information given to him that day。 Jack Woltz was one of the three most important movie producers in Hollywood； owner of his own studio with dozens of stars under contract。 He was on the President of the United States' Advisory Council for War Information； Cinematic Division； which meant simply that he helped make propaganda movies。 He had had dinner at the White House。 He had entertained J。 Edgar Hoover in his Hollywood home。 But none of this was as impressive as it sounded。 They were all official relationships。 Woltz didn't have any personal political power； mainly because he was an extreme reactionary； partly because he was a megalomaniac who loved to wield power wildly without regard to the fact that by so doing legions of enemies sprang up out of the ground。
Hagen sighed。 There would be no way to 〃handle〃 Jack Woltz。 He opened his briefcase and tried to get some paper work done； but he was too tired。 He ordered another martini and reflected on his life。 He had no regrets； indeed he felt that he had been extremely lucky。 Whatever the reason； the course he had chosen ten years ago had proved to be right for him。 He was successful； he was as happy as any grown man could reasonably expect； and he found life interesting。
Tom Hagen was thirty…five years old； a tall crew…cut man； very slender； very ordinary…looking。 He was a lawyer but did not do the actual detailed legal work for the Corleone family business though he had practiced law for three years after passing the bar exam。
At the age of eleven he had been a playmate of eleven…year…old Sonny Corleone。 Hagen's mother had gone blind and then died during his eleventh year。 Hagen's father； a heavy drinker； had bee a hopeless drunkard。 A hardworking carpenter； he had never done a dishonest thing in his life。 But his drinking destroyed his family and finally killed him。 Tom Hagen was left an orphan who wandered the streets and slept in hallways。 His younger sister had been put in a foster home； but in the 1920's the social agencies did not follow up cases of eleven…year…old boys who were so ungrateful as to run from their charity。 Hagen； too； had an eye infection。 Neighbors whispered that he had caught or inherited it from his mother and so therefore it could be caught from him。 He was shunned。 Sonny Corleone； a warmhearted and imperious eleven…year…old； had brought his friend home and demanded that he be taken in。 Tom Hagen was given a hot dish of spaghetti with oily rich tomato sauce； the taste of which he had never forgotten； and then given a metal folding bed to sleep on。
In the most natural way； without a word being spoken or the matter discussed in any fashion； Don Corleone had permitted the boy to stay in his household。 Don Corleone himself took the boy to a special doctor and had his eye infection cured。 He sent him to college and law school。 In all this the Don acted not as a father but rather as a guardian。 There was no show of affection but oddly enough the Don treated Hagen more courteously than his own sons； did not impose a parental will upon him。 It was the boy's decision to go to law school after college。 He had heard Don Corleone say once； 〃A lawyer with his briefcase can steal more than a hundred men with guns。〃 Meanwhile； much to the annoyance of their father； Sonny and Freddie insisted on going into the family business after graduation from high school。 Only Michael had gone on to college； and he had enlisted in the Marines the day after Pearl Harbor。
After he passed the bar exam； Hagen married to start his own family。 The bride was a young Italian girl from New Jersey； rare at that time for being a college graduate。 After the wedding； which was of course held in the home of Don Corleone； the Don offered to support Hagen in any undertaking he desired； to send him law