mp.godfather-第6部分

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word　that　you　will　put　aside　this　madness。　It　is　not　American。　Forgive。　Forget。　Life　is　full　of　misfortunes。〃
　
　The　cruel　and　contemptuous　irony　with　which　all　this　was　said；　the　controlled　anger　of　the　Don；　reduced　the　poor　undertaker　to　a　quivering　jelly　but　he　spoke　up　bravely　again。　〃I　ask　you　for　justice。〃
　
　Don　Corleone　said　curtly；　〃The　court　gave　you　justice。〃
　
　Bonasera　shook　his　head　stubbornly。　〃No。　They　gave　the　youths　justice。　They　did　not　give　me　justice。〃
　
　The　Don　acknowledged　this　fine　distinction　with　an　approving　nod；　then　asked；　〃What　is　your　justice？〃
　
　〃An　eye　for　an　eye；〃　Bonasera　said。
　
　〃You　asked　for　more；〃　the　Don　said。　〃Your　daughter　is　alive。〃
　
　Bonasera　said　reluctantly；　〃Let　them　suffer　as　she　suffers。〃　The　Don　waited　for　him　to　speak　further。　Bonasera　screwed　up　the　last　of　his　courage　and　said；　〃How　much　shall　I　pay　you？〃　It　was　a　despairing　wail。
　
　Don　Corleone　turned　his　back。　It　was　a　dismissal。　Bonasera　did　not　budge。
　
　Finally；　sighing；　a　good…hearted　man　who　cannot　remain　angry　with　an　erring　friend；　Don　Corleone　turned　back　to　the　undertaker；　who　was　now　as　pale　as　one　of　his　corpses。　Don　Corleone　was　gentle；　patient。　〃Why　do　you　fear　to　give　your　first　allegiance　to　me？〃　he　said。　〃You　go　to　the　law　courts　and　wait　for　months。　You　spend　money　on　lawyers　who　know　full　well　you　are　to　be　made　a　fool　of。　You　accept　judgment　from　a　judge　who　sells　himself　like　the　worst　whore　in　the　streets。　Years　gone　by；　when　you　needed　money；　you　went　to　the　banks　and　paid　ruinous　interest；　waited　hat　in　hand　like　a　beggar　while　they　sniffed　around；　poked　their　noses　up　your　very　asshole　to　make　sure　you　could　pay　them　back。〃　The　Don　paused；　his　voice　became　sterner。
　
　〃But　if　you　had　e　to　me；　my　purse　would　have　been　yours。　If　you　had　e　to　me　for　justice　those　scum　who　ruined　your　daughter　would　be　weeping　bitter　tears　this　day。　If　by　some　misfortune　an　honest　man　like　yourself　made　enemies　they　would　bee　my　enemies〃…　the　Don　raised　his　arm；　finger　pointing　at　Bonasera…　〃and　then；　believe　me；　they　would　fear　you。〃
　
　Bonasera　bowed　his　head　and　murmured　in　a　strangled　voice；　〃Be　my　friend。　I　accept。〃
　
　Don　Corleone　put　his　hand　on　the　man's　shoulder。　〃Good；〃　he　said；　〃you　shall　have　your　justice。　Some　day；　and　that　day　may　never　e；　I　will　call　upon　you　to　do　me　a　service　in　return。　Until　that　day；　consider　this　justice　a　gift　from　my　wife；　your　daughter's　godmother。〃
　
　When　the　door　closed　behind　the　grateful　undertaker；　Don　Corleone　turned　to　Hagen　and　said；　〃Give　this　affair　to　Clemenza　and　tell　him　to　be　sure　to　use　reliable　people；　people　who　will　not　be　carried　away　by　the　smell　of　blood。　After　all；　we're　not　murderers；　no　matter　what　that　corpse　valet　dreams　up　in　his　foolish　head。〃　He　noted　that　his　firstborn；　masculine　son　was　gazing　through　the　window　at　the　garden　party。　It　was　hopeless；　Don　Corleone　thought。　If　he　refused　to　be　instructed；　Santino　could　never　run　the　family　business；　could　never　bee　a　Don。　He　would　have　to　find　somebody　else。　And　soon。　After　all；　he　was　not　immortal。
　
　From　the　garden；　startling　all　three　men；　there　came　a　happy　roaring　shout。　Sonny　Corleone　pressed　close　to　the　window。　What　he　saw　made　him　move　quickly　toward　the　door；　a　delighted　smile　on　his　face。　〃It's　Johnny；　he　came　to　the　wedding；　what　did　I　tell　you？〃　Hagen　moved　to　the　window。　〃It's　really　your　godson；〃　he　said　to　Don　Corleone。　〃Shall　I　bring　him　here？〃
　
　〃No；〃　the　Don　said。　〃Let　the　people　enjoy　him。　Let　him　e　to　me　when　he　is　ready。〃　He　smiled　at　Hagen。　〃You　see？　He　is　a　good　godson。〃
　
　Hagen　felt　a　twinge　of　jealousy。　He　said　dryly；　〃It's　been　two　years。　He's　probably　in　trouble　again　and　wants　you　to　help。〃
　
　〃And　who　should　he　e　to　if　not　his　godfather？〃　asked　Don　Corleone。
　
　**********
　
　The　first　one　to　see　Johnny　Fontane　enter　the　garden　was　Connie　Corleone。　She　forgot　her　bridal　dignity　and　screamed；　〃Johneee。〃　Then　she　ran　into　his　arms。　He　hugged　her　tight　and　kissed　her　on　the　mouth；　kept　his　arm　around　her　as　others　came　up　to　greet　him。　They　were　all　his　old　friends；　people　he　had　grown　up　with　on　the　West　Side。　Then　Connie　was　dragging　him　to　her　new　husband。　Johnny　saw　with　amusement　that　the　blond　young　man　looked　a　little　sour　at　no　longer　being　the　star　of　the　day。　He　turned　on　all　his　charm；　shaking　the　groom's　hand；　toasting　him　with　a　glass　of　wine。
　
　A　familiar　voice　called　from　the　bandstand；　〃How　about　giving　us　a　song；　Johnny？〃　He　looked　up　and　saw　Nino　Valenti　smiling　down　at　him。　Johnny　Fontane　jumped　up　on　the　bandstand　and　threw　his　arms　around　Nino。　They　had　been　inseparable；　singing　together；　going　out　with　girls　together；　until　Johnny　had　started　to　bee　famous　and　sing　on　the　radio。　When　he　had　gone　to　Hollywood　to　make　movies　Johnny　had　phoned　Nino　a　couple　of　times　just　to　talk　and　had　promised　to　get　him　a　club　singing　date。　But　he　had　never　done　so。　Seeing　Nino　now；　his　cheerful；　mocking；　drunken　grin；　all　the　affection　returned。
　
　Nino　began　strumming　on　the　mandolin。　Johnny　Fontane　put　his　hand　on　Nino's　shoulder。　〃This　is　for　the　bride；〃　he　said；　and　stamping　his　foot；　chanted　the　words　to　an　obscene　Sicilian　love　song。　As　he　sang；　Nino　made　suggestive　motions　with　his　body。　The　bride　blushed　proudly；　the　throng　of　guests　roared　its　approval。　Before　the　song　ended　they　were　all　stamping　with　their　feet　and　roaring　out　the　sly；　double…meaning　tag　line　that　finished　each　stanza。　At　the　end　they　would　not　stop　applauding　until　Johnny　cleared　his　throat　to　sing　another　song。
　
　They　were　all　proud　of　him。　He　was　of　them　and　he　had　bee　a　famous　singer；　a　movie　star　who　slept　with　the　most　desired　women　in　the　world。　And　yet　he　had　shown　proper　respect　for　his　Godfather　by　traveling　three　thousand　miles　to　attend　this　wedding。　He　still　loved　old　friends　like　Nino　Valenti。　Many　of　the　people　there　had　seen　Johnny　and　Nino　singing　together　when　they　were　just　boys；　when　no　one　dreamed　that　Johnny　Fontane　would　grow　up　to　hold　the　hearts　of　fifty　million　women　in　his　hands。
　
　Johnny　Fontane　reached　down　and　lifted　the　bride　up　onto　the　bandstand　so　that　Connie　stood　between　him　and　Nino。　Both　men　crouched　down；　facing　each　other；　Nino　plucking　the　mandolin　for　a　few　harsh　chords。　It　was　an　old　routine　of　theirs；　a　mock　battle　and　wooing；　using　their　voices　like　swords；　each　shouting　a　chorus　in　turn。　With　the　most　delicate　courtesy；　Johnny　let　Nino's　voice　overwhelm　his　own；　let　Nino　take　the　bride　from　his　arm；　let　Nino　swing　into　the　last　victorious　stanza　while　his　own　voice　died　away。　The　whole　wedding　party　broke　into　shouts　of　applause；　the　three　of　them　embraced　each　other　at　the　end。　The　guests　begged　for　another　song。
　
　Only　Don　Corleone；　standing　in　the　corner　entrance　of　the　house；　sensed　something　amiss。　Cheerily；　with　bluff　good　humor；　careful　not　to　give　offense　to　his　guests；　he　called　out；　〃My　godson　has　e　three　thousand　miles　to　do　us　honor　and　no　one　thinks　to　wet　his　throat？〃　At　once　a　dozen　full　wineglasses　were　thrust　at　Johnny　Fontane。　He　took　a　sip　from　all　and　rushed　to　embrace　his　Godfather。　As　he　did　so　he　whispered　something　into　the　older　man's　ear。　Don　Corleone　led　him　into　the　house。
　
　Tom　Hagen　held　out　his　hand　when　Johnny　came　into　the　room。　Johnny　shook　it　and　said；　〃How　are　you；　Tom？〃　But　without　his　usual　charm　that　consisted　of　a　genuine　warmth　for　people。　Hagen　was　a　little　hurt　by　this　coolness　but　shrugged　it　off。　It　was　one　of　the　penalties　for　being　the　Don's　hatchet　man。
　
　Johnny　Fontane　said　to　the　Don；　〃When　I　got　the　wedding　invitation　I　said　to　myself；　'My　Godfather　isn't　mad　at　me　anymore。'　I　called　you　five　times　after　my　divorce　and　Tom　always　told　me　you　were　out　or　busy　so　I　knew　you　were　sore。〃
　
　Don　Corleone　was　filling　glasses　from　the　yellow　bottle　of　Strega。　〃That's　all　forgotten。　Now。　Can　I　do　something　for　you　still？　You're　not　too　famous；　too　rich；　that　I　can't　help　you？〃
　
　Johnny　gulped　down　the　yellow　fiery　liquid　and　held　out　his　glass　to　be　refilled。　He　tried　to　sound　jaunty。　〃I'm　not　rich；　Godfather。　I'm　going　down。　You　were　right。　I　should　never　have　left　my　wife　and　kids　for　that　tramp　I　married。　I　don't　blame　you　for　getting　sore　at　me。〃
　
　The　Don　shrugged。　〃I　worried　about　you；　you're　my　godson；　that's　all。〃
　
　Johnny　paced　up　and　down　the　room。　〃I　was　crazy　about　that　bitch。　The　biggest　star　in　Hollywood。　She　looks　like　an　angel。　And　you　know　what　she　does　after　a　picture？　If　the　makeup　man　does　a　good　job　on　her　face；　she　lets　him　bang　her。　If　the　cameraman　made　her　look　extra　good；　she　brings　him　into　her　dressing　room　and　gives　him　a　screw。　Anybody。　She　uses　her　body　like　I　use　the　loose　change　in　my　pocket　for　a　tip。　A　whore　made　for　the　devil。〃
　
　Don　Corleone　curtly　broke　in。　〃How　is　your　family？〃
　
　Johnny　sighed。　〃I　took　care　of　them。　After　the　divorce　I　gave　Ginny　and　the　kids　more　than　the　courts　said　I　should。　I　go　see　them　once　a　week。　I　miss　them。　Sometimes　I　think　I'm　going　crazy。〃　He　took　another　drink。　〃Now　my　second　wife　laughs　at　me。　She　can't　understand　my　being　jealous。　She　calls　me　an　old…fashioned　guinea；　she　makes　fun　of　my　singing。　Before　I　left　I　gave　her　a　nice　beating　but　not　in　the　face　because　she　was　making　a　picture。　I　gave　her　cramps；　I　punched　her　on　the　arms　and　legs　like　a　kid　and　she　kept　laughing　at　me。〃　He　lit　a　cigarette。　〃So；　Godfather；　right　now；　life　doesn't　seem　worth　living。〃
　
　Don　Corleone　said　simply。　〃These　are　troubles　I　can't　help　you　with。〃　He　paused；　then　asked；　〃What's　the　matter　with　your　voice？〃
　
　All　the　assured　charm；　the　self…mockery；　disappeared　from　Johnny　Fontane's　face。　He　said　almost　brokenly；　〃Godfather；　I　can't　sing　anymore；　something　happened　to　my　throat；　the　doctors　don't　know　what。〃　Hagen　and　the　Don　looked　at　him　with　surprise；　Johnny　had　always　been　so　tough。　Fontane　went　on。　〃My　two　pictures　made　a　lot　of　money。　I　was　a　big　star。　Now　they　throw　me　out。　The　head　of　the　studio　always　hated　my　guts　and　now　he's　paying　me　off。〃
　
　Don　Corleone　stood　before　his　godson　and　asked　grimly；　〃Why　doesn't　this　man　like　you？〃
　
　〃I　used　to　sing　those　songs　for　the　liberal　organizations；　you