mp.godfather-第31部分

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to　your　girl　friend　when　I　think　the　time　is　right。　OK？〃
　
　〃OK；〃　Mike　said。　〃How　long　do　you　think　before　I　can　e　back？〃
　
　〃At　least　a　year；〃　Sonny　said。
　
　Tom　Hagen　put　in；　〃The　Don　might　be　able　to　work　faster　than　that；　Mike；　but　don't　count　on　it。　The　time　element　hinges　on　a　lot　of　factors。　How　well　we　can　plant　stories　with　the　newsmen。　How　much　the　Police　Department　wants　to　cover　up。　How　violently　the　other　Families　react。　There's　going　to　be　a　hell　of　a　lot　of　heat　and　trouble。　That's　the　only　thing　we　can　be　sure　of。〃
　
　Michael　shook　Hagen's　hand。　〃Do　your　best；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　want　to　do　another　three…year　stretch　away　from　home。〃
　
　Hagen　said　gently；　〃It's　not　too　late　to　back　out；　Mike；　we　can　get　somebody　else；　we　can　go　back　over　our　alternatives。　Maybe　it's　not　necessary　to　get　rid　of　Sollozzo。〃
　
　Michael　laughed。　〃We　can　talk　ourselves　into　any　viewpoint；〃　he　said。　〃But　we　figured　it　right　the　first　time。　I've　been　riding　the　gravy　train　all　my　life；　it's　about　time　I　paid　my　dues。〃
　
　〃You　shouldn't　let　that　broken　jaw　influence　you；〃　Hagen　said。　〃McCluskey　is　a　stupid　man　and　it　was　business；　not　personal。〃
　
　For　the　second　time　he　saw　Michael　Corleone's　face　freeze　into　a　mask　that　resembled　uncannily　the　Don's。　〃Tom；　don't　let　anybody　kid　you。　It's　all　personal；　every　bit　of　business。　Every　piece　of　shit　every　man　has　to　eat　every　day　of　his　life　is　personal。　They　call　it　business。　OK。　But　it's　personal　as　hell。　You　know　where　I　learned　that　from？　The　Don。　My　old　man。　The　Godfather。　If　a　bolt　of　lightning　hit　a　friend　of　his　the　old　man　would　take　it　personal。　He　took　my　going　into　the　Marines　personal。　That's　what　makes　him　great。　The　Great　Don。　He　takes　everything　personal。　Like　God。　He　knows　every　feather　that　falls　from　the　tail　of　a　sparrow　or　however　the　hell　it　goes。　Right？　And　you　know　something？　Accidents　don't　happen　to　people　who　take　accidents　as　a　personal　insult。　So　I　came　late；　OK；　but　I'm　ing　all　the　way。　Damn　right；　I　take　that　broken　jaw　personal；　damn　right；　I　take　Sollozzo　trying　to　kill　my　father　personal。〃　He　laughed。　〃Tell　the　old　man　I　learned　it　all　from　him　and　that　I'm　glad　I　had　this　chance　to　pay　him　back　for　all　he　did　for　me。　He　was　a　good　father。〃　He　paused　and　then　he　said　thoughtfully　to　Hagen；　〃You　know；　I　can　never　remember　him　hitting　me。　Or　Sonny。　Or　Freddie。　And　of　course　Connie；　he　wouldn't　even　yell　at　her。　And　tell　me　the　truth；　Tom；　how　many　men　do　you　figure　the　Don　killed　or　had　killed。〃
　
　Tom　Hagen　turned　away。　〃I'll　tell　you　one　thing　you　didn't　learn　from　him：　talking　the　way　you're　talking　now。　There　are　things　that　have　to　be　done　and　you　do　them　and　you　never　talk　about　them。　You　don't　try　to　justify　them。　They　can't　be　justified。　You　just　do　them。　Then　you　forget　it。〃
　
　Michael　Corleone　frowned。　He　said　quietly；　〃As　the　Consigliere；　you　agree　that　it's　dangerous　to　the　Don　and　our　Family　to　let　Sollozzo　live？〃
　
　〃Yes；〃　Hagen　said。
　
　〃OK；〃　Michael　said。　〃Then　I　have　to　kill　him。〃
　
　Michael　Corleone　stood　in　front　of　Jack　Dempsey's　restaurant　on　Broadway　and　waited　for　his　pickup。　He　looked　at　his　watch。　It　said　five　minutes　to　eight。　Sollozzo　was　going　to　be　punctual。　Michael　had　made　sure　he　was　there　in　plenty　of　time。　He　had　been　waiting　fifteen　minutes。
　
　All　during　the　ride　from　Long　Beach　into　the　city　he　had　been　trying　to　forget　what　he　had　said　to　Hagen。　For　if　he　believed　what　he　said；　then　his　life　was　set　on　an　irrevocable　course。　And　yet；　could　it　be　otherwise　after　tonight？　He　might　be　dead　after　tonight　if　he　didn't　stop　all　this　crap；　Michael　thought　grimly。　He　had　to　keep　his　mind　on　the　business　at　hand。　Sollozzo　was　no　dummy　and　McCluskey　was　a　very　tough　egg。　He　felt　the　ache　in　his　wired　jaw　and　weled　the　pain；　it　would　keep　him　alert。
　
　Broadway　wasn't　that　crowded　on　this　cold　winter　night；　even　though　it　was　near　theater　time。　Michael　flinched　as　a　long　black　car　pulled　up　to　the　curb　and　the　driver；　leaning　over；　opened　the　front　door　and　said；　〃Get　in；　Mike。〃　He　didn't　know　the　driver；　a　young　punk　with　slick　black　hair　and　an　open　shirt；　but　he　got　in。　In　the　back　seat　were　Captain　McCluskey　and　Sollozzo。
　
　Sollozzo　reached　a　hand　over　the　back　of　the　seat　and　Michael　shook　it。　The　hand　was　firm；　warm　and　dry。　Sollozzo　said；　〃I'm　glad　you　came；　Mike。　I　hope　we　can　straighten　everything　out。　All　this　is　terrible；　it's　not　the　way　I　wanted　things　to　happen　at　all。　It　should　never　have　happened。〃
　
　Michael　Corleone　said　quietly；　〃I　hope　we　can　settle　things　tonight；　I　don't　want　my　father　bothered　any　more。〃
　
　〃He　won't　be；〃　Sollozzo　said　sincerely。　〃I　swear　to　you　by　my　children　he　won't　be。　Just　keep　an　open　mind　when　we　talk。　I　hope　you're　not　a　hothead　like　your　brother　Sonny。　It's　impossible　to　talk　business　with　him。〃
　
　Captain　McCluskey　grunted。　〃He's　a　good　kid；　he's　all　right。〃　He　leaned　over　to　give　Michael　an　affectionate　pat　on　the　shoulder。　〃I'm　sorry　about　the　other　night；　Mike。　I'm　getting　too　old　for　my　job；　too　grouchy。　I　guess　I'll　have　to　retire　pretty　soon。　Can't　stand　the　aggravation；　all　day　I　get　aggravation。　You　know　how　it　is。〃　Then　with　a　doleful　sigh；　he　gave　Michael　a　thorough　frisk　for　a　weapon。
　
　Michael　saw　a　slight　smile　on　the　driver's　lips。　The　car　was　going　west　with　no　apparent　attempt　to　elude　any　trailers。　It　went　up　on　to　the　West　Side　Highway；　speeding　in　and　out　of　traffic。　Anyone　following　would　have　had　to　do　the　same。　Then　to　Michael's　dismay　it　took　the　exit　for　the　George　Washington　Bridge；　they　were　going　over　to　New　Jersey。　Whoever　had　given　Sonny　the　info　on　where　the　meeting　was　to　be　held　had　given　him　the　wrong　dope。
　
　The　car　threaded　through　the　bridge　approaches　and　then　was　on　it；　leaving　the　blazing　city　behind。　Michael　kept　his　face　impassive。　Were　they　going　to　dump　him　into　the　swamps　or　was　it　just　a　last…minute　change　in　meeting　place　by　the　wily　Sollozzo？　But　when　they　were　nearly　all　the　way　across；　the　driver　gave　the　wheel　a　violent　twist。　The　heavy　automobile　jumped　into　the　air　when　it　hit　the　divider　and　bounced　over　into　the　lanes　going　back　to　New　York　City。　Both　McCluskey　and　Sollozzo　were　looking　back　to　see　if　anyone　had　tried　doing　the　same　thing。　The　driver　was　really　hitting　it　back　to　New　York　and　then　they　were　off　the　bridge　and　going　toward　the　East　Bronx。　They　went　through　the　side　streets　with　no　cars　behind　them。　By　this　time　it　was　nearly　nine　o'clock。　They　had　made　sure　there　was　no　one　on　their　tail。　Sollozzo　lit　up　a　cigarette　after　offering　his　pack　to　McCluskey　and　Michael；　both　of　whom　refused。　Sollozzo　said　to　the　driver；　〃Nice　work。　I'll　remember　it。〃
　
　Ten　minutes　later　the　car　pulled　up　in　front　of　a　restaurant　in　a　small　Italian　neighborhood。　There　was　no　one　on　the　streets　and　because　of　the　lateness　of　the　hour　only　a　few　people　were　still　at　dinner。　Michael　had　been　worried　that　the　driver　would　e　in　with　them；　but　he　stayed　outside　with　his　car。　The　negotiator　had　not　mentioned　a　driver；　nobody　had。　Technically　Sollozzo　had　broken　the　agreement　by　bringing　him　along。　But；　Michael　decided　not　to　mention　it；　knowing　they　would　think　he　would　be　afraid　to　mention　it；　afraid　of　ruining　the　chances　for　the　success　of　the　parley。
　
　The　three　of　them　sat　at　the　only　round　table；　Sollozzo　refusing　a　booth。　There　were　only　two　other　people　in　the　restaurant。　Michael　wondered　whether　they　were　Sollozzo　plants。　But　it　didn't　matter。　Before　they　could　interfere　it　would　be　all　over。
　
　McCluskey　asked　with　real　interest；　〃Is　the　Italian　food　good　here？〃
　
　Sollozzo　reassured　him。　〃Try　the　veal；　it's　the　finest　in　New　York。〃　The　solitary　waiter　had　brought　a　bottle　of　wine　to　the　table　and　uncorked　it。　He　poured　three　glasses　full。　Surprisingly　McCluskey　did　not　drink。　〃I　must　be　the　only　Irishman　who　don't　take　the　booze；〃　he　said。　〃I　seen　too　many　good　people　get　in　trouble　because　of　the　booze。〃
　
　Sollozzo　said　placatingly　to　the　captain；　〃I　am　going　to　talk　Italian　to　Mike；　not　because　I　don't　trust　you　but　because　I　can't　explain　myself　properly　in　English　and　I　want　to　convince　Mike　that　I　mean　well；　that　it's　to　everybody's　advantage　for　us　to　e　to　an　agreement　tonight。　Don't　be　insulted　by　this；　it's　not　that　I　don't　trust　you。〃
　
　Captain　McCluskey　gave　them　both　an　ironic　grin。。〃Sure；　you　two　go　right　ahead；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　concentrate　on　my　veal　and　spaghetti。〃
　
　Sollozzo　began　speaking　to　Michael　in　rapid　Sicilian。　He　said；　〃You　must　understand　that　what　happened　between　me　and　your　father　was　strictly　a　business　matter。　I　have　a　great　respect　for　Don　Corleone　and　would　beg　for　the　opportunity　to　enter　his　service。　But　you　must　understand　that　your　father　is　an　old…fashioned　man。　He　stands　in　the　way　of　progress。　The　business　I　am　in　is　the　ing　thing；　the　wave　of　the　future；　there　are　untold　millions　of　dollars　for　everyone　to　make。　But　your　father　stands　in　the　way　because　of　certain　unrealistic　scruples。　By　doing　this　he　imposes　his　will　on　men　like　myself。　Yes；　yes；　I　know；　he　says　to　me；　'Go　ahead；　it's　your　business；'　but　we　both　know　that　is　unrealistic。　We　must　tread　on　each　other's　corns。　What　he　is　really　telling　me　is　that　I　cannot　operate　my　business。　I　am　a　man　who　respects　himself　and　cannot　let　another　man　impose　his　will　on　me　so　what　had　to　happen　did　happen。　Let　me　say　that　I　had　the　support；　the　silent　support　of　all　the　New　York　Families。　And　the　Tattaglia　Family　became　my　partners。　If　this　quarrel　continues；　then　the　Corleone　Family　will　stand　alone　against　everyone。　Perhaps　if　your　father　were　well；　it　could　be　done。　But　the　eldest　son　is　not　the　man　the　Godfather　is；　no　disrespect　intended。　And　the　Irish　Consigliere；　Hagen；　is　not　the　man　Genco　Abbandando　was；　God　rest　his　soul。　So　I　propose　a　peace；　a　truce。　Let　us　cease　all　hostilities　until　your　father　is　well　again　and　can　take　part　in　these　bargainings。　The　Tattaglia　Family　agrees；　upon　my　persuasions　and　my　indemnities；　to　forgo　justice　for　their　son　Bruno。　We　will　have　peace。　Meanwhile；　I　have　to　make　a　living　and　will　do　a　little　trading　in　my　business。　I　do　not　ask　your　cooperation　but　I　ask　you；　the　Corleone　Family；　not　to　interfere。