mp.godfather-第68部分

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　maybe　the　guy　didn't　even　have　a　license　and　if　he　did　it　should　be　taken　away　from　him。　Jules　didn't　pay　any　attention　to　the　two　men　now。　He　picked　up　the　phone　and　asked　for　the　throat　man　at　the　hospital　to　e　down。　Then　he　swung　around　and　said　to　Nino　Valenti；　〃I　think　it　might　be　a　long　wait　for　you；　you'd　better　leave。〃
　
　Fontane　stared　at　him　in　utter　disbelief。　〃You　son　of　a　bitch；　you　think　you're　going　to　keep　me　here？　You　think　you're　going　to　fuck　around　with　my　throat？〃
　
　Jules；　with　more　pleasure　than　he　would　have　thought　possible；　gave　it　to　him　straight　between　the　eyes。　〃You　can　do　whatever　you　like；〃　he　said。　〃You've　got　a　growth　of　some　sort　on　your　vocal　cords；　in　your　larynx。　If　you　stay　here　the　next　few　hours；　we　can　nail　it　down；　whether　it's　malignant　or　nonmalignant。　We　can　make　a　decision　for　surgery　or　treatment。　I　can　give　you　the　whole　story。　I　can　give　you　the　name　of　a　top　specialist　in　America　and　we　can　have　him　out　here　on　the　plane　tonight；　with　your　money　that　is；　and　if　I　think　it　necessary。　But　you　can　walk　out　of　here　and　see　your　quack　buddy　or　sweat　while　you　decide　to　see　another　doctor；　or　get　referred　to　somebody　inpetent。　Then　if　it's　malignant　and　gets　big　enough　they'll　cut　out　your　whole　larynx　or　you'll　die。　Or　you　can　just　sweat。　Stick　here　with　me　and　we　can　get　it　all　squared　away　in　a　few　hours。　You　got　anything　more　important　to　do？〃
　
　Valenti　said；　〃Let's　stick　around；　Johnny；　what　the　hell。　I'll　go　down　the　hall　and　call　the　studio。　I　won't　tell　them　anything；　just　that　we're　held　up。　Then　I'll　e　back　here　and　keep　you　pany。〃
　
　It　proved　to　be　a　very　long　afternoon　but　a　rewarding　one。　The　diagnosis　of　the　staff　throat　man　was　perfectly　sound　as　far　as　Jules　could　see　after　the　X　rays　and　swab　analysis。　Halfway　through；　Johnny　Fontane；　his　mouth　soaked　with　iodine；　retching　over　the　roll　of　gauze　stuck　in　his　mouth；　tried　to　gait。　Nino　Valenti　grabbed　him　by　the　shoulders　and　slammed　him　back　into　a　chair。　When　it　was　all　over　Jules　grinned　at　Fontane　and　said；　〃Warts。〃
　
　Fontane　didn't　grasp　it。　Jules　said　again。　〃Just　some　warts。　We'll　slice　them　right　off　like　skin　off　baloney。　In　a　few　months　you'll　be　OK。〃
　
　Valenti　let　out　a　yell　but　Fontane　was　still　frowning。　〃How　about　singing　afterward；　how　will　it　affect　my　singing？〃
　
　Jules　shrugged。　〃On　that　there's　no　guarantee。　But　since　you　can't　sing　now　what's　the　difference？〃
　
　Fontane　looked　at　him　with　distaste。　〃Kid；　you　don't　know　what　the　hell　you're　talking　about。　You　act　like　you're　giving　me　good　news　when　what　you're　telling　me　is　maybe　I　won't　sing　anymore。　Is　that　right；　maybe　I　won't　sing　anymore？〃
　
　Finally　Jules　was　disgusted。　He'd　operated　as　a　real　doctor　and　it　had　been　a　pleasure。　He　had　done　this　bastard　a　real　favor　and　he　was　acting　as　if　he'd　been　done　dirt。　Jules　said　coldly；　〃Listen；　Mr。　Fontane；　I'm　a　doctor　of　medicine　and　you　can　call　me　Doctor；　not　kid。　And　I　did　give　you　very　good　news。　When　I　brought　you　down　here　I　was　certain　that　you　had　a　malignant　growth　in　your　larynx　which　would　entail　cutting　out　your　whole　voice　box。　Or　which　could　kill　you。　I　was　worried　that　I　might　have　to　tell　you　that　you　were　a　dead　man。　And　I　was　so　delighted　when　I　could　say　the　word　'warts。'　Because　your　singing　gave　me　so　much　pleasure；　helped　me　seduce　girls　when　I　was　younger　and　you're　a　real　artist。　But　also　you're　a　very　spoiled　guy。　Do　you　think　because　you're　Johnny　Fontane　you　can't　get　cancer？　Or　a　brain　tumor　that's　inoperable。　Or　a　failure　of　the　heart？　Do　you　think　you're　never　going　to　die？　Well；　it's　not　all　sweet　music　and　if　you　want　to　see　real　trouble　take　a　walk　through　this　hospital　and　you'll　sing　a　love　song　about　warts。　So　just　stop　the　crap　and　get　on　with　what　you　have　to　do。　Your　Adolphe　Menjou　medical　man　can　get　you　the　proper　surgeon　but　if　he　tries　to　get　into　the　operating　room　I　suggest　you　have　him　arrested　for　attempted　murder。〃
　
　Jules　started　to　walk　out　of　the　room　when　Valenti　said；　〃Attaboy；　Doc；　that's　telling　him。〃
　
　Jules　whirled　around　and　said；　〃Do　you　always　get　looped　before　noontime？〃
　
　Valenti　said；　〃Sure；〃　and　grinned　at　him　and　with　such　good　humor　that　Jules　said　more　gently　than　he　had　meant　to；　〃You　have　to　figure　you'll　be　dead　in　five　years　if　you　keep　that　up。〃
　
　Valenti　was　lumbering　up　to　him　with　little　dancing　steps。　He　threw　his　arms　around　Jules；　his　breath　stank　of　bourbon。　He　was　laughing　very　hard。　〃Five　years？〃　he　asked　still'　laughing。　〃Is　it　going　to　take　that　long？〃
　
　**********
　
　A　month　after　her　operation　Lucy　Mancini　sat　beside　the　Vegas　hotel　pool；　one　hand　holding　a　cocktail；　the　other　hand　stroking　Jules'　head；　which　lay　in　her　lap。
　
　〃You　don't　have　to　build　up　your　courage；〃　Jules　said　teasingly。　〃I　have　champagne　waiting　in　our　suite。〃
　
　〃Are　you　sure　it's　OK　so　soon？〃　Lucy　asked。
　
　〃I'm　the　doctor；〃　Jules　said。　〃Tonight's　the　big　night。　Do　you　realize　I'll　be　the　first　surgeon　in　medical　history　who　tried　out　the　results　of　his　'medical　first'　operation？　You　know；　the　Before　and　After。　I'm　going　to　enjoy　writing　it　up　for　the　journals。　Let's　see；　'while　the　Before　was　distinctly　pleasurable　for　psychological　reasons　and　the　sophistication　of　the　surgeon…instructor；　the　post…operative　coitus　was　extremely　rewarding　strictly　for　its　neurological〃…　he　stopped　talking　because　Lucy　had　yanked　on　his　hair　hard　enough　for　him　to　yell　with　pain。
　
　She　smiled　down　at　him。　〃If　you're　not　satisfied　tonight　I　can　really　say　it's　your　fault；〃　she　said。
　
　〃I　guarantee　my　work。　I　planned　it　even　though　I　just　let　old　Kellner　do　the　manual　labor；〃　Jules　said。　〃Now　let's　just　rest　up；　we　have　a　long　night　of　research　ahead。〃
　
　When　they　went　up　to　their　suite…　they　were　living　together　now…　Lucy　found　a　surprise　waiting：　a　gourmet　supper　and　next　to　her　champagne　glass；　a　jeweler's　box　with　a　huge　diamond　engagement　ring　inside　it。
　
　〃That　shows　you　how　much　confidence　I　have　in　my　work；〃　Jules　said。　〃Now　let's　see　you　earn　it。〃
　
　He　was　very　tender；　very　gentle　with　her。　She　was　a　little　scary　at　first；　her　flesh　jumping　away　from　his　touch　but　then；　reassured；　she　felt　her　body　building　up　to　a　passion　she　had　never　known；　and　when　they　were　done　the　first　time　and　Jules　whispered；　〃I　do　good　work；〃　she　whispered　back；　〃Oh；　yes；　you　do；　yes；　you　do。〃　And　they　both　laughed　to　each　other　as　they　started　making　love　again。
　
　Book　six
　
　Chapter　23
　
　After　five　months　of　exile　in　Sicily；　Michael　Corleone　came　finally　to　understand　his　father's　character　and　his　destiny。　He　came　to　understand　men　like　Luca　Brasi；　the　ruthless　caporegime　Clemenza；　his　mother's　resignation　and　acceptance　of　her　role。　For　in　Sicily　he　saw　what　they　would　have　been　if　they　had　chosen　not　to　struggle　against　their　fate。　He　understood　why　the　Don　always　said；　〃A　man　has　only　one　destiny。〃　He　came　to　understand　the　contempt　for　authority　and　legal　government；　the　hatred　for　any　man　who　broke　omerta；　the　law　of　silence。
　
　Dressed　in　old　clothes　and　a　billed　cap；　Michael　had　been　transported　from　the　ship　docked　at　Palermo　to　the　interior　of　the　Sicilian　island；　to　the　very　heart　of　a　province　controlled　by　the　Mafia；　where　the　local　capo…mafioso　was　greatly　indebted　to　his　father　for　some　past　service。　The　province　held　the　town　of　Corleone；　whose　name　the　Don　had　taken　when　he　emigrated　to　America　so　long　ago。　But　there　were　no　longer　any　of　the　Don's　relatives　alive。　The　women　had　died　of　old　age。　All　the　men　had　been　killed　in　vendettas　or　had　also　emigrated；　either　to　America；　Brazil　or　to　some　other　province　on　the　Italian　mainland。　He　was　to　learn　later　that　this　small　poverty…stricken　town　had　the　highest　murder　rate　of　any　place　in　the　world。
　
　Michael　was　installed　as　a　guest　in　the　home　of　a　bachelor　uncle　of　the　capo…mafioso。　The　uncle；　in　his　seventies；　was　also　the　doctor　for　the　district。　The　capo…mafioso　was　a　man　in　his　late　fifties　named　Don　Tommasino　and　he　operated　as　the　gabbellotto　for　a　huge　estate　belonging　to　one　of　Sicily's　most　noble　families。　The　gabbellotto；　a　sort　of　overseer　to　the　estates　of　the　rich；　also　guaranteed　that　the　poor　would　not　try　to　claim　land　not　being　cultivated；　would　not　try　to　encroach　in　any　way　on　the　estate；　by　poaching　or　trying　to　farm　it　as　squatters。　In　short；　the　gabbellotto　was　a　mafioso　who　for　a　certain　sum　of　money　protected　the　real　estate　of　the　rich　from　all　claims　made　on　it　by　the　poor；　legal　or　illegal。　When　any　poor　peasant　tried　to　implement　the　law　which　permitted　him　to　buy　uncultivated　land；　the　gabbellotto　frightened　him　off　with　threats　of　bodily　harm　or　death。　It　was　that　simple。
　
　Don　Tommasino　also　controlled　the　water　rights　in　the　area　and　vetoed　the　local　building　of　any　new　dams　by　the　Roman　government。　Such　dams　would　ruin　the　lucrative　business　of　selling　water　from　the　artesian　wells　he　controlled；　make　water　too　cheap；　ruin　the　whole　important　water　economy　so　laboriously　built　up　over　hundreds　of　years。　However；　Don　Tommasino　was　an　old…fashioned　Mafia　chief　and　would　have　nothing　to　do　with　dope　traffic　or　prostitution。　In　this　Don　Tommasino　was　at　odds　with　the　new　breed　of　Mafia　leaders　springing　up　in　big　cities　like　Palermo；　new　men　who；　influenced　by　American　gangsters　deported　to　Italy；　had　no　such　scruples。
　
　The　Mafia　chief　was　an　extremely　portly　man；　a　〃man　with　a　belly；〃　literally　as　well　as　is　the　figurative　sense　that　meant　a　man　able　to　inspire　fear　in　his　fellow　men。　Under　his　protection；　Michael　had　nothing　to　fear；　yet　it　was　considered　necessary　to　keep　the　fugitive's　identity　a　secret。　And　so　Michael　was　restricted　to　the　walled　estate　of　Dr。　Taza；　the　Don's　uncle。
　
　Dr。　Taza　was　tall　for　a　Sicilian；　almost　six　feet；　and　had　ruddy　cheeks　and　snow…white　hair。　Though　in　his　seventies；　he　went　every　week　to　Palermo　to　pay　his　respects　to　the　younger　prostitutes　of　that　city；　the　younger　the　better。　Dr。　Taza's　other　vice　was　reading。　He　read　everything　and　talked　about　what　he　read　to　his　fellow　townsmen；　patients　who　were　illiterate　（scanned　and　fully　proofed　by　iliter8）　peasants；　the　estate　shepherds；　and　this　gave　him　a　local