mp.godfather-第78部分

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m　the　casino　setting　up　the　blackjack　table　with　the　proper　six　padded　chairs　around　its　horseshoe　outer　rim。　〃That's　great；　that's　great；〃　he　said　in　a　slurred　vote　that　was　not　quite　drunken。　〃Johnny；　e　on　and　gamble　with　me　against　these　bastards。　I　got　the　luck。　We'll　beat　their　crullers　in。〃
　
　Johnny　sat　on　a　footstool　opposite　the　couch。　〃You　know　I　don't　gamble；〃　he　said：　〃How　you　feeling；　Nino？〃
　
　Nino　Valenti　grinned　at　him。　〃Great。　I　got　broads　ing　up　at　midnight；　then　some　supper；　then　back　to　the　blackjack　table。　You　know　I　got　the　house　beat　for　almost　fifty　grand　and　they've　been　grinding　me　for　a　week？〃
　
　〃Yeah；〃　Johnny　Fontane　said。　〃Who　do　you　want　to　leave　it　to　when　you　croak？〃
　
　Nino　drained　his　glass　empty。　〃Johnny；　where　the　hell　did　you　get　your　rep　as　a　swinger？　You're　a　deadhead；　Johnny。　Christ；　the　tourists　in　this　town　have　more　fun　than　you　do。〃
　
　Johnny　said；　〃Yeah。　You　want　a　lift　to　that　blackjack　table？〃
　
　Nino　struggled　erect　on　the　sofa　and　pleated　his　feet　firmly　on　the　rug。　〃I　can　make　it；〃　he　said。　He　let　the　glass　slip　to　the　floor　and　got　up　and　walked　quite　steadily　to　where　the　blackjack　table　had　been　set　up。　The　dealer　was　ready。　The　pit　boss　stood　behind　the　dealer　watching。　The　relief　dealer　sat　on　a　chair　away　from　the　table。　The　cocktail　waitress　sat　on　another　chair　in　a　line　of　vision　so　that　she　could　see　any　of　Nino　Valenti's　gestures。
　
　Nino　rapped　on　the　green　baize　with　his　knuckles。　〃Chips；〃　he　said。
　
　The　pit　boss　took　a　pad　from　his　pocket　and　filled　out　a　slip　and　put　it　in　front　of　Nino　with　a　small　fountain　pen。　〃Here　you　are；　Mr。　Valenti；〃　he　said。　〃The　usual　five　thousand　to　start。〃　Nino　scrawled　his　signature　on　the　bottom　of　the　slip　and　the　pit　boss　put　it　in　his　pocket。　He　nodded　to　the　dealer。
　
　The　dealer　with　incredibly　deft　fingers　took　stacks　of　black　and　gold　one…hundred…dollar　daps　from　the　built…in　racks　before　him。　In　not　more　than　fire　seconds　Nino　had　five　even　stacks　of　one…hundred…dollar　chips　before　him；　each　stack　had　ten　chips。
　
　There　were　six　squares　a　little　larger　than　playing　card　shapes　etched　in　white　on　the　green　baize；　each　square　placed　to　correspond　to　where　a　player　would　sit。　Now　Nino　was　placing　bets　on　three　of　these　squares；　single　chips；　and　so　playing　three　hands　each　for　a　hundred　dollars。　He　refused　to　take　a　hit　on　ail　three　hands　because　the　dealer　had　a　six　up；　a　bust　card；　and　the　dealer　did　bust。　Nino　raked　in　his　chips　and　turned　to　Johnny　Fontane。　〃That's　how　to　start　the　night；　huh；　Johnny？〃
　
　Johnny　smiled。　It　was　unusual　for　a　gambler　like　Nino　to　have　to　sign　a　chit　while　gambling。　A　word　was　usually　good　enough　for　the　high　rollers。　Maybe　they　were　afraid　Nino　wouldn't　remember　his　take…out　because　of　his　drinking。　They　didn't　know　that　Nino　remembered　everything。
　
　Nino　kept　winning　and　after　the　third　round　lifted　a　finger　at　the　cocktail　waitress。　She　went　to　the　bar　at　the　end　of　the　room　and　brought　him　his　usual　rye　in　a　water　glass。　Nino　took　the　drink；　switched　it　to　his　other　hand　so　he　could　put　an　arm　around　the　waitress。　〃Sit　with　me；　honey；　play　a　few　hands；　bring　me　luck。〃
　
　The　cocktail　waitress　was　a　very　beautiful　girl；　but　Johnny　could　see　she　was　all　cold　hustle；　no　real　personality；　though　she　worked　at　it。　She　was　giving　Nino　a　big　smile　but　her　tongue　was　hanging　out　for　one　of　those　black　and　gold　chips。　What　the　hell；　Johnny　thought；　why　shouldn't　she　get　some　of　it？　He　just　regretted　that　Nino　wasn't　getting　something　better　for　his　money。
　
　Nino　let　the　waitress　play　his　hands　for　a　few　rounds　and　then　gave　her　one　of　the　chips　and　a　pat　on　the　behind　to　send　her　away　from　the　table。　Johnny　motioned　to　her　to　bring　him　a　drink。　She　did　so　but　she　did　it　as　if　she　were　playing　the　most　dramatic　moment　in　the　most　dramatic　movie　ever　made。　She　turned　all　her　charm　on　the　great　Johnny　Fontane。　She　made　her　eyes　sparkle　with　invitation；　her　walk　was　the　sexiest　walk　ever　walked；　her　mouth　was；　very　slightly　parted　as　if　she　were　ready　to　bite　the　nearest　object　of　her　obvious　passion。　She　resembled　nothing　so　much　as　a　female　animal　in　heat；　but　it　was　a　deliberate　act。　Johnny　Fontane　thought；　oh；　Christ；　one　of　them。　It　was　the　most　popular　approach　of　women　who　wanted　to　take　him　to　bed。　It　only　worked　when　he　was　very　drunk　and　he　wasn't　drunk　now。　He　gave　the　girl　one　of　his　famous　grins　and　said；　〃Thank　you；　honey。〃　The　girl　looked　at　him　and　parted　her　lips　in　a　thank…you　smile；　her　eyes　went　all　smoky；　her　body　tensed　with　the　torso　leaning　slightly　back　from　the　long　tapering　legs　in　their　mesh　stockings。　An　enormous　tension　seemed　to　be　building　up　in　her　body；　her　breasts　seemed　to　grow　fuller　and　swell　burstingly　against　her　thin　scantily　cut　blouse。　Then　her　whole　body　gave　a　slight　quiver　that　almost　let　off　a　sexual　twang。　The　whole　impression　was　one　of　a　woman　having　an　orgasm　simply　because　Johnny　Fontane　had　smiled　at　her　and　said；　〃Thank　you；　honey。〃　It　was　very　well　done。　It　was　done　better　than　Johnny　had　ever　seen　it　done　before。　But　by　now　he　knew　it　was　fake。　And　the　odds　were　always　good　that　the　broads　who　did　it　were　a　lousy　lay。
　
　He　watched　her　go　back　to　her　chair　and　nursed　his　drink　slowly。　He　didn't　want　to　see　that　little　trick　again。　He　wasn't　in　the　mood　for　it　tonight。
　
　It　was　an　hour　before　Nino　Valenti　began　to　go。　He　started　leaning　first；　wavered　back；　and　then　plunged　off　the　chair　straight　to　the　floor。　But　the　pit　boss　and　the　relief　dealer　had　been　alerted　by　the　first　weave　and　caught　him　before　he　hit　the　ground。　They　lifted　him　and　carried　him　through　the　parted　drapes　that　led　to　the　bedroom　of　the　suite。
　
　Johnny　kept　watching　as　the　cocktail　waitress　helped　the　other　two　men　undress　Nino　and　shove　him　under　the　bed　covers。　The　pit　boss　was　counting　Nino's　chips　and　making　a　note　on　his　pad　of　chits；　then　guarding　the　table　with　its　dealer's　chips。　Johnny　said　to　him；　〃How　long　has　that　been　going　on？〃
　
　The　pit　boss　shrugged。　〃He　went　early　tonight。　The　first　time　we　got　the　house　doc　and　he　fixed　Mr。　Valenti　up　with　something　and　gave　him　some　sort　of　lecture。　Then　Nino　told　us　that　we　shouldn't　call　the　doc　when　that　happened；　just　put　him　to　bed　and　he'd　be　OK　in　the　morning。　So　that's　what　we　do。　He's　pretty　lucky；　he　was　a　winner　again　tonight；　almost　three　grand。〃
　
　Johnny　Fontane　said；　〃Well；　let's　get　the　house　doc　up　here　tonight。　OK？　Page　the　casino　floor　if　you　have　to。〃
　
　It　was　almost　fifteen　minutes　before　Jules　Segal　came　into　the　suite。　Johnny　noted　with　irritation　that　this　guy　never　looked　like　a　doctor。　Tonight　he　was　wearing　a　blue　loose…knit　polo　shirt　with　white　trim；　some　sort　of　white　suede　shoes　and　no　socks。　He　looked　funny　as　hell　carrying　the　traditional　black　doctor's　bag。
　
　Johnny　said；　〃You　oughta　figure　out　a　way　to　carry　your　stuff　in　a　cut…down　golf　bag。〃
　
　Jules　grinned　understandingly；　〃Yeah；　this　medical　school　carryall　is　a　real　drag。　Scares　the　hell　out　of　people。　They　should　change　the　color　anyway。〃
　
　He　went　over　to　where　Nino　was　lying　in　bed。　As　he　opened　his　bag　he　said　to　Johnny。　〃Thanks　for　that　check　you　sent　me　as　a　consultant。　It　was　excessive。　I　didn't　do　that　much。〃
　
　〃Like　hell　you　didn't；〃　Johnny　said。　〃Anyway；　forget　that；　that　was　a　long　time　ago。　What's　with　Nino？〃
　
　Jules　was　making　a　quick　examination　of　heartbeat；　pulse　and　blood　pressure。　He　took　a　needle　out　of　his　bag　and　shoved　it　casually　into　Nino's　arm　and　pressed　the　plunger。　Nino's　sleeping　face　lost　its　waxy　paleness；　color　came　into　the　cheeks；　as　if　the　blood　had　started　pumping　faster。
　
　〃Very　simple　diagnosis；〃　Jules　said　briskly。　〃I　had　a　chance　to　examine　him　and　run　some　tests　when　he　first　came　here　and　fainted。　I　had　him　moved　to　the　hospital　before　he　regained　consciousness。　He's　got　diabetes；　mild　adult　stabile；　which　is　no　problem　if　you　take　care　of　it　with　medication　and　diet　and　so　forth。　He　insists　on　ignoring　it。　Also　he　is　firmly　determined　to　drink　himself　to　death。　His　liver　is　going　and　his　brain　will　go。　Right　now　he's　in　a　mild　diabetic　a。　My　advice　is　to　have　him　put　away。〃
　
　Johnny　felt　a　sense　of　relief。　It　couldn't　be　too　serious；　all　Nino　had　to　do　was　take　care　of　himself。　〃You　mean　in　one　of　those　joints　where　they　dry　you　out？〃　Johnny　asked。
　
　Jules　went　over　to　the　bar　in　the　far　corner　of　the　room　and　made　himself　a　drink。　〃No；〃　he　said。　〃I　mean　mitted。　You　know；　the　crazy　house。〃
　
　〃Don't　be　funny；〃　Johnny　said。
　
　〃I'm　not　joking；〃　Jules　said。　〃I'm　not　up　on　all　the　psychiatric　jazz　but　I　know　something　about　it；　part　of　my　trade。　Your　friend　Nino　can　be　put　back　into　fairly　good　shape　unless　the　liver　damage　has　gone　too　far；　which　we　can't　know　until　an　autopsy　really。　But　the　real　disease　is　in　his　head。　In　essence　he　doesn't　care　if　he　dies；　maybe　he　even　wants　to　kill　himself。　Until　that　is　cured　there's　so　hope　for　him。　That's　why　I　say；　have　him　mitted　and　then　he　can　undergo　the　necessary　psychiatric　treatment。〃
　
　There　was　a　knock　on　the　door　and　Johnny　went　to　answer　it。　It　was　Lucy　Mancini。　She　came　into　Johnny's　arms　and　kissed　him。　〃Oh；　Johnny；　it's　so　good　to　see　you；〃　she　said。
　
　〃It's　been　a　long　time；〃　Johnny　Fontane　said。　He　noticed　that　Lucy　had　changed。　She　had　gotten　much　slimmer；　her　clothes　were　a　hell　of　a　lot　better　and　she　wore　them　better。　Her　hair　style　fitted　her　face　in　a　sort　of　boyish　cut。　She　looked　younger　and　better　than　he　had　ever　seen　her　and　the　thought　crossed　his　mind　that　she　could　keep　him　pany　here　is　Vegas。　It　would　be　a　pleasure　hanging　out　with　a　real　broad。　But　before　he　could　turn　on　the　charm　he　remembered　she　was　the　doc's　girl。　So　it　was　out。　He　made　his　smile　just　friendly　and　said；　〃What　are　you　doing　ing　to　Nino's　apartment　at　night；　eh？〃
　
　She　punched　him　in　the　shoulder。　〃I　heard　Nino　was　sick　and　that　Jules　came　up。　I　just　wanted　to　see　if　I　could　help。　Nino's　OK；　isn't　he？〃
　
　〃Sure；〃　Johnny　said。　〃He'll　be　fine。〃
　
　Jules　Segal　had　sprawled　out　on　the　couch。　〃Like　hell　he　is；〃　Jules　said。　〃I　suggest　we　all　sit　here　and　wait　for　Nino　to　e　to。　And　then　we　all　talk　him　into　mittin