mp.godfather-第50部分

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　The　woman's　small　black　eyes　darted　at　her　for　a　moment；　then　the　wrinkled；　leathery；　olive　skinned　face　broke　into　a　small　curt　smile　of　greeting　that　was　yet　in　some　curious　way　truly　friendly。　〃Ah；　you　Mikey's　little　girl；〃　Mrs。　Corleone　said。　She　had　a　heavy　Italian　accent；　Kay　could　barely　understand　her。　〃You　eat　something？〃　Kay　said　no；　meaning　she　didn't　want　anything　to　eat；　but　Mrs。　Corleone　turned　furiously　on　Tom　Hagen　and　berated　him　in　Italian　ending　with；　〃You　don't　even　give　this　poor　girl　coffee；　you　disgrazia。〃　She　took　Kay　by　the　hand；　the　old　woman's　hand　surprisingly　warm　and　alive；　and　led　her　into　the　kitchen。　〃You　have　coffee　and　eat　something；　then　somebody　drive　you　home。　A　nice　girl　like　you；　I　don't　want　you　to　take　the　train。〃　She　made　Kay　sit　down　and　bustled　around　the　kitchen；　tearing　off　her　coat　and　hat　and　draping　them　over　a　chair。　In　a　few　seconds　there　was　bread　and　cheese　and　salami　on　the　table　and　coffee　perking　on　the　stove。
　
　Kay　said　timidly；　〃I　came　to　ask　about　Mike；　I　haven't　heard　from　him。　Mr。　Hagen　said　nobody　knows　where　he　is；　that　he'll　turn　up　in　a　little　while。〃
　
　Hagen　spoke　quickly；　〃That's　all　we　can　tell　her　now；　Ma。〃
　
　Mrs。　Corleone　gave　him　a　look　of　withering　contempt。　〃Now　you　gonna　tell　me　what　to　do？　My　husband　don't　tell　me　what　to　do；　God　have　mercy　on　him。〃　She　crossed　herself。
　
　〃Is　Mr。　Corleone　all　right？〃　Kay　asked。
　
　〃Fine；〃　Mrs。　Corleone　said。　〃Fine。　He's　getting　old；　he's　getting　foolish　to　let　something　like　that　happen。〃　She　tapped　her　head　disrespectfully。　She　poured　the　coffee　and　forced　Kay　to　eat　some　bread　and　cheese。
　
　After　they　drank　their　coffee　Mrs。　Corleone　took　one　of　Kay's　hands　in　her　two　brown　ones。　She　said　quietly；　〃Mikey　no　gonna　write　you；　you　no　gonna　hear　from　Mikey。　He　hide　two…　three　years。　Maybe　more；　maybe　much　more。　You　go　home　to　your　family　and　find　a　nice　young　fellow　and　get　married。〃
　
　Kay　took　the　letter　out　of　her　purse。　〃Will　you　send　this　to　him？〃
　
　The　old　lady　took　the　letter　and　patted　Kay　on　the　cheek。　〃Sure；　sure；〃　she　said。　Hagen　started　to　protest　and　she　screamed　at　him　in　Italian。　Then　she　led　Kay　to　the　door。　There　she　kissed　her　on　the　cheek　very　quickly　and　said；　〃You　forget　about　Mikey；　he　no　the　man　for　you　anymore。〃
　
　There　was　a　car　waiting　for　her　with　two　men　up　front。　They　drove　her　all　the　way　to　her　hotel　in　New　York　never　saying　a　word。　Neither　did　Kay。　She　was　trying　to　get　used　to　the　fact　that　the　young　man　she　had　loved　was　a　coldblooded　murderer。　And　that　she　had　been　told　by　the　most　unimpeachable　source：　his　mother。
　
　Chapter　16
　
　Carlo　Rizzi　was　punk　sore　at　the　world。　Once　married　into　the　Corleone　Family；　he'd　been　shunted　aside　with　a　small　bookmaker's　business　on　the　Upper　East　Side　of　Manhattan。　He'd　counted　on　one　of　the　houses　in　the　mall　on　Long　Beach；　he　knew　the　Don　could　move　retainer　families　out　when　he　pleased　and　he　had　been　sure　it　would　happen　and　he　would　be　on　the　inside　of　everything。　But　the　Don　wasn't　treating　him　right。　The　〃Great　Don；〃　he　thought　with　scorn。　An　old　Moustache　Pete　who'd　been　caught　out　on　the　street　by　gunmen　like　any　dumb　small…time　hood。　He　hoped　the　old　bastard　croaked。　Sonny　had　been　his　friend　once　and　if　Sonny　became　the　head　of　the　Family　maybe　he'd　get　a　break；　get　on　the　inside。
　
　He　watched　his　wife　pour　his　coffee。　Christ；　what　a　mess　she　turned　out　to　be。　Five　months　of　marriage　and　she　was　already　spreading；　besides　blowing　up。　Real　guinea　broads　all　these　Italians　in　the　East。
　
　He　reached　out　and　felt　Connie's　soft　spreading　buttocks。　She　smiled　at　him　and　he　said　contemptuously；　〃You　got　more　ham　than　a　hog。〃　It　pleased　him　to　see　the　hurt　look　on　her　face；　the　tears　springing　into　her　eyes。　She　might　be　a　daughter　of　the　Great　Don　but　she　was　his　wife；　she　was　his　property　now　and　he　could　treat　her　as　he　pleased。　It　made　him　feel　powerful　that　one　of　the　Corleones　was　his　doormat。
　
　He　had　started　her　off　just　right。　She　had　tried　to　keep　that　purse　full　of　money　presents　for　herself　and　he　had　given　her　a　nice　black　eye　and　taken　the　money　from　her。　Never　told　her　what　he'd　done　with　it；　either。　That　might　have　really　caused　some　trouble。　Even　now　he　felt　just　the　slightest　twinge　of　remorse。　Christ；　he'd　blown　nearly　fifteen　grand　on　the　track　and　show　girl　bimbos。
　
　He　could　feel　Connie　watching　his　back　and　so　he　flexed　his　muscles　as　he　reached　for　the　plate　of　sweet　buns　on　the　other　side　of　the　table。　He'd　just　polished　off　ham　and　eggs　but　he　was　a　big　man　and　needed　a　big　breakfast。　He　was　pleased　with　the　picture　he　knew　he　presented　to　his　wife。　Not　the　usual　greasy　dark　guinzo　husband　but　crew…cut　blond；　huge　golden…haired　forearms　and　broad　shoulders　and　thin　waist。　And　he　knew　he　was　physically　stronger　than　any　of　those　so…called　hard　guys　that　worked　for　the　family。　Guys　like　Clemenza；　Tessio；　Rocco　Lampone；　and　that　guy　Paulie　that　somebody　had　knocked　off。　He　wondered　what　the　story　was　about　that。　Then　for　some　reason　he　thought　about　Sonny。　Man　to　man　he　could　take　Sonny；　he　thought；　even　though　Sonny　was　a　little　bigger　and　a　little　heavier。　But　what　scared　him　was　Sonny's　rep；　though　he　himself　had　never　seen　Sonny　anything　but　good…natured　and　kidding　around。　Yeah；　Sonny　was　his　buddy。　Maybe　with　the　old　Don　gone；　things　would　open　up。
　
　He　dawdled　over　his　coffee。　He　hated　this　apartment。　He　was　used　to　the　bigger　living　quarters　of　the　West　and　in　a　little　while　he　would　have　to　go　crosstown　to　his　〃book〃　to　run　the　noontime　action。　It　was　a　Sunday；　the　heaviest　action　of　the　week；　what　with　baseball　going　already　and　the　tail　end　of　basketball　and　the　night　trotters　starting　up。　Gradually　he　became　aware　of　Connie　bustling　around　behind　him　and　he　turned　his　head　to　watch　her。
　
　She　was　getting　dressed　up　in　the　real　New　York　City　guinzo　style　that　he　hated。　A　silk　flowered…pattern　dress　with　belt；　showy　bracelet　and　earrings；　flouncy　sleeves。　She　looked　twenty　years　older。　〃Where　the　hell　are　you　going？〃　he　asked。
　
　She；　answered　him　coldly；　〃To　see　my　father　out　in　Long　Beach。　He　still　can't　get　out　of　bed　and　he　needs　pany。〃
　
　Carlo　was　curious。　〃Is　Sonny　still　running　the　show？〃
　
　Connie　gave　him　a　bland　look。　〃What　show？〃
　
　He　was　furious。　〃You　lousy　little　guinea　bitch；　don't　talk　to　me　like　that　or　I'll　beat　that　kid　right　out　of　your　belly。〃　She　looked　frightened　and　this　enraged　him　even　more。　He　sprang　from　his　chair　and　slapped　her　across　the　face；　the　blow　leaving　a　red　welt。　With　quick　precision　he　slapped　her　three　more　times。　He　saw　her　upper　lip　split　bloody　and　puff　up。　That　stopped　him。　He　didn't　want　to　leave　a　mark。　She　ran　into　the　bedroom　and　slammed　the　door　and　he　heard　the　key　turning　in　the　lock。　He　laughed　and　returned　to　his　coffee。
　
　He　smoked　until　it　was　time　for　him　to　dress。　He　knocked　on　the　door　and　said；　〃Open　it　up　before　I　kick　it　in。〃　There　was　no　answer。　〃e　on；　I　gotta　get　dressed；〃　he　said　in　a　loud　voice。　He　could　hear　her　getting　up　off　the　bed　and　ing　toward　the　door；　then　the　key　turned　in　the　lock。　When　he　entered　she　had　her　back　to　him；　walking　back　toward　the　bed；　lying　down　on　it　with　her　face　turned　away　to　the　wall。
　
　He　dressed　quickly　and　then　saw　she　was　in　her　slip。　He　wanted　her　to　go　visit　her　father；　he　hoped　she　would　bring　back　information。　〃What's　the　matter；　a　few　slaps　take　all　the　energy　out　of　you？〃　She　was　a　lazy　slut。
　
　〃I　don't　wanna　go。〃　Her　voice　was　tearful；　the　words　mumbled。　He　reached　out　impatiently　and　pulled　her　around　to　face　him。　And　then　he　saw　why　she　didn't　want　to　go　and　thought　maybe　it　was　just　as　well。
　
　He　must　have　slapped　her　harder　than　he　figured。　Her　left　cheek　was　blown　up；　the　cut　upper　lip　ballooned　grotesquely　puffy　and　white　beneath　her　nose。　〃OK；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　won't　be　home　until　late。　Sunday　is　my　busy　day。〃
　
　He　left　the　apartment　and　found　a　parking　ticket　on　his　car；　a　fifteen…dollar　green　one。　He　put　it　in　the　glove　partment　with　the　stack　of　others。　He　was　in　a　good　humor。　Slapping　the　spoiled　little　bitch　around　always　made　him　feel　good。　It　dissolved　some　of　the　frustration　he　felt　at　being　treated　so　badly　by　the　Corleones。
　
　The　first　time　he　had　marked　her　up；　he'd　been　a　little　worried。　She　had　gone　right　out　to　Long　Beach　to　plain　to　her　mother　and　father　and　to　show　her　black　eye。　He　had　really　sweated　it　out。　But　when　she　came　back　she　had　been　surprisingly　meek；　the　dutiful　little　Italian　wife。　He　had　made　it　a　point　to　be　the　perfect　husband　over　the　next　few　weeks；　treating　her　well　in　every　way；　being　lovey　and　nice　with　her；　banging　her　every　day；　morning　and　night。　Finally　she　had　told　him　what　had　happened　since　she　thought　he　would　never　act　that　way　again。
　
　She　had　found　her　parents　coolly　unsympathetic　and　curiously　amused。　Her　mother　had　had　a　little　sympathy　and　had　even　asked　her　father　to　speak　to　Carlo　Rizzi。　Her　father　had　refused。　〃She　is　my　daughter；〃　he　had　said；　〃but　now　she　belongs　to　her　husband。　He　knows　his　duties。　Even　the　King　of　Italy　didn't　dare　to　meddle　with　the　relationship　of　husband　and　wife。　Go　home　and　learn　how　to　behave　so　that　he　will　not　beat　you。〃
　
　Connie　had　said　angrily　to　her　father；　〃Did　you　ever　hit　your　wife？〃　She　was　his　favorite　and　could　speak　to　him　so　impudently。　He　had　answered；　〃She　never　gave　me　reason　to　beat　her。〃　And　her　mother　had　nodded　and　smiled。
　
　She　told　them　how　her　husband　had　taken　the　wedding　present　money　and　never　told　her　what　he　did　with　it。　Her　father　had　shrugged　and　said；　〃I　would　have　done　the　same　if　my　wife　had　been　as　presumptuous　as　you。〃
　
　And　so　she　had　returned　home；　a　tittle　bewildered；　a　little　frightened。　She　had　always　been　her　father's　favorite　and　she　could　not　understand　his　coldness　now。
　
　But　the　Don　had　not　been　so　unsympathetic　as　he　pretended。　He　made　inquiries　and　found　out　what　Carlo　Rizzi　had　done　with　the　wedding　present　money。　He　had　men　assigned　to　Carlo　Rizzi's　bookmaking　operation　who　would　report　to　Hagen　everything　Rizzi　did　on　the　job。　But　the　Don　could　not　interfere。　How　expect　a　man　to　discharge　his　husbandly　duties　to　a　wife　whose　fami