mp.godfather-第22章

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e　was　sick；　he　had　a　cold；　so　he　stayed　home。　He's　been　a　little　sick　all　winter。〃
　
　Sonny　was　instantly　alert。　〃How　many　times　did　he　stay　home　the　last　couple　of　months？〃
　
　〃Maybe　three　or　four　times；〃　Clemenza　said。　〃I　always　asked　Freddie　if　he　wanted　another　guy　but　he　said　no。　There's　been　no　cause；　the　last　ten　years　things　been　smooth；　you　know。〃
　
　〃Yeah；〃　Sonny　said。　〃I'll　see　you　at　my　father's　house。　Be　sure　you　bring　Paulie。　Pick　him　up　on　your　way　over。　I　don't　care　how　sick　he　is。　You　got　that？〃　He　slammed　down　the　phone　without　waiting　for　an　answer。
　
　His　wife　was　weeping　silently。　He　stared　at　her　for　a　moment；　then　said　in　a　harsh　voice；　〃Any　of　our　people　call；　tell　them　to　get　me　in　my　father's　house　on　his　special　phone。　Anybody　else　call；　you　don't　know　nothing。　If　Tom's　wife　calls；　tell　her　that　Tom　won't　be　home　for　a　while；　he's　on　business。〃
　
　He　pondered　for　a　moment。　〃A　couple　of　our　people　will　e　to　stay　here。〃　He　saw　her　look　of　fright　and　said　impatiently；　〃You　don't　have　to　be　scared；　I　just　want　them　here。　Do　whatever　they　tell　you　to　do。　If　you　wanta　talk　to　me；　get　me　on　Pop's　special　phone　but　don't　call　me　unless　it's　really　important。　And　don't　worry。〃　He　went　out　of　the　house。
　
　Darkness　had　fallen　and　the　December　wind　whipped　through　the　mall。　Sonny　had　no　fear　about　stepping　out　into　the　night。　All　eight　houses　were　owned　by　Don　Corleone。　At　the　mouth　of　the　mall　the　two　houses　on　either　side　were　rented　by　family　retainers　with　their　own　families　and　star　boarders；　single　men　who　lived　in　the　basement　apartments。　Of　the　remaining　six　houses　that　formed　the　rest　of　the　half　circle；　one　was　inhabited　by　Tom　Hagen　and　his　family；　his　own；　and　the　smallest　and　least　ostentatious　by　the　Don　himself。　The　other　three　houses　were　given　rent…free　to　retired　friends　of　the　Don　with　the　understanding　that　they　would　be　vacated　whenever　he　requested。　The　harmless…looking　mall　was　an　impregnable　fortress。
　
　All　eight　houses　were　equipped　with　floodlights　which　bathed　the　grounds　around　them　and　made　the　mall　impossible　to　lurk　in。　Sonny　went　across　the　street　to　his　father's　house　and　let　himself　inside　with　his　own　key。　He　yelled　out；　〃Ma；　where　are　you？〃　and　his　mother　came　out　of　the　kitchen。　Behind　her　rose　the　smell　of　frying　peppers。　Before　she　could　say　anything；　Sonny　took　her　by　the　arm　and　made　her　sit　down。　〃I　just　got　a　call；〃　he　said。　〃Now　don't　get　worried。　Pop's　in　the　hospital；　he's　hurt。　Get　dressed　and　get　ready　to　get　down　there。　I'll　have　a　car　and　a　driver　for　you　in　a　little　while。　OK？〃
　
　His　mother　looked　at　him　steadily　for　a　moment　and　then　asked　in　Italian；　〃Have　they　shot　him？〃
　
　Sonny　nodded。　His　mother　bowed　her　head　for　a　moment。　Then　she　went　back　into　the　kitchen。　Sonny　followed　her。　He　watched　her　turn　off　the　gas　under　the　panful　of　peppers　and　then　go　out　and　up　to　the　bedroom。　He　took　peppers　from　the　pan　and　bread　from　the　basket　on　the　table　and　made　a　sloppy　sandwich　with　hot　olive　oil　dripping　from　his　fingers。　He　went　into　the　huge　corner　room　that　was　his　father's　office　and　took　the　special　phone　from　a　locked　cabinet　box。　The　phone　had　been　especially　installed　and　was　listed　under　a　phony　name　and　a　phony　address。　The　first　person　he　called　was　Luca　Brasi。　There　was　no　answer。　Then　he　called　the　safety…valve　caporegime　in　Brooklyn；　a　man　of　unquestioned　loyalty　to　the　Don。　This　man's　name　was　Tessio。　Sonny　told　him　what　had　happened　and　what　he　wanted。　Tessio　was　to　recruit　fifty　absolutely　reliable　men。　He　was　to　send　guards　to　the　hospital；　he　was　to　send　men　out　to　Long　Beach　to　work　here。　Tessio　asked；　〃Did　they　get　Clemenza　too？〃　Sonny　said；　〃I　don't　want　to　use　Clemenza's　people　right　now。〃　Tessio　understood　immediately；　there　was　a　pause；　and　then　he　said；　〃Excuse　me；　Sonny；　I　say　this　as　your　father　would　say　it。　Don't　move　too　fast。　I　can't　believe　Clemenza　would　betray　us。〃
　
　〃Thanks；〃　Sonny　said。　〃I　don't　think　so　but　I　have　to　be　careful。　Right？〃
　
　〃Right；〃　Tessio　said。
　
　〃Another　thing；〃　Sonny　said。　〃My　kid　brother　Mike　goes　to　college　in　Hanover；　New　Hampshire。　Get　some　people　we　know　in　Boston　to　go　up　and　get　him　and　bring　him　down　here　to　the　house　until　this　blows　over。　I'll　call　him　up　so　he'll　expect　them。　Again　I'm　just　playing　the　percentages；　just　to　make　sure。〃
　
　〃OK；〃　Tessio　said；　〃I'll　be　over　your　father's　house　as　soon　as　I　get　things　rolling。　OK？　You　know　my　boys；　right？〃
　
　〃Yeah；〃　Sonny　said。　He　hung　up。　He　went　over　to　a　small　wall　safe　and　unlocked　it。　From　it　he　took　an　indexed　book　bound　in　blue　leather。　He　opened　it　to　the　T's　until　he　found　the　entry　he　was　looking　for。　It　read；　〃Ray　Farrell　5；000　Christmas　Eve。〃　This　was　followed　by　a　telephone　number。　Sonny　dialed　the　number　and　said；　〃Farrell？〃　The　man　on　the　other　end　answered；　〃Yes。〃　Sonny　said；　〃This　is　Santino　Corleone。　I　want　you　to　do　me　a　favor　and　I　want　you　to　do　it　right　away。　I　want　you　to　check　two　phone　numbers　and　give　me　all　the　calls　they　got　and　all　the　calls　they　made　for　the　last　three　months。〃　He　gave　Farrell　the　number　of　Paulie　Gatto's　home　and　Clemenza's　home。　Then　he　said；　〃This　is　important。　Get　it　to　me　before　midnight　and　you'll　have　an　extra　very　Merry　Christmas。〃
　
　Before　he　settled　back　to　think　things　out　he　gave　Luca　Brasi's　number　one　more　call。　Again　there　was　no　answer。　This　worried　him　but　he　put　it　out　of　his　mind。　Luca　would　e　to　the　house　as　soon　as　he　heard　the　news。　Sonny　leaned　back　in　the　swivel　chair。　In　an　hour　the　house　would　be　swarming　with　Family　people　and　he　would　have　to　tell　them　all　what　to　do；　and　now　that　he　finally　had　time　to　think　he　realized　how　serious　the　situation　was。　It　was　the　first　challenge　to　the　Corleone　Family　and　their　power　in　ten　years。　There　was　no　doubt　that　Sollozzo　was　behind　it；　but　he　would　never　have　dared　attempt　such　a　stroke　unless　he　had　support　from　at　least　one　of　the　five　great　New　York　families。　And　that　support　must　have　e　from　the　Tattaglias。　Which　meant　a　full…scale　war　or　an　immediate　settlement　on　Sollozzo's　terms。　Sonny　smiled　grimly。　The　wily　Turk　had　planned　well　but　he　had　been　unlucky。　The　old　man　was　alive　and　so　it　was　war。　With　Luca　Brasi　and　the　resources　of　the　Corleone　Family　there　could　be　but　one　oute。　But　again　the　nagging　worry。　Where　was　Luca　Brasi？
　
　Chapter　03
　
　Counting　the　driver；　there　were　four　men　in　the　car　with　Hagen。　They　put　him　in　the　back　seat；　in　the　middle　of　the　two　men　who　had　e　up　behind　him　in　the　street。　Sollozzo　sat　up　front。　The　man　on　Hagen's　right　reached　over　across　his　body　and　tilted　Hagen's　hat　over　his　eyes　so　that　he　could　not　see。　〃Don't　even　move　your　pinkie；〃　he　said。
　
　It　was　a　short　ride；　not　more　than　twenty　minutes　and　when　they　got　out　of　the　car　Hagen　could　not　recognize　the　neighborhood　because　darkness　had　fallen。　They　led　him　into　a　basement　apartment　and　made　him　sit　on　a　straightbacked　kitchen　chair。　Sollozzo　sat　across　the　kitchen　table　from　him。　His　dark　face　had　a　peculiarly　vulturine　look。
　
　〃I　don't　want　you　to　be　afraid；〃　he　said。　〃I　know　you're　not　in　the　muscle　end　of　the　Family。　I　want　you　to　help　the　Corleones　and　I　want　you　to　help　me。〃
　
　Hagen's　hands　were　shaking　as　he　put　a　cigarette　in　his　mouth。　One　of　the　men　brought　a　bottle　of　rye　to　the　table　and　gave　him　a　slug　of　it　in　a　china　coffee　cup。　Hagen　drank　the　fiery　liquid　gratefully。　It　steadied　his　hand　and　took　the　weakness　out　of　his　legs。
　
　〃Your　boss　is　dead；〃　Sollozzo　said。　He　paused；　surprised　at　the　tears　that　sprang　to　Hagen's　eyes。　Then　he　went　on。　〃We　got　him　outside　his　office；　in　the　street。　As　soon　as　I　got　the　word；　I　picked　you　up。　You　have　to　make　the　peace　between　me　and　Sonny。〃
　
　Hagen　didn't　answer。　He　was　surprised　at　his　own　grief。　And　the　feeling　of　desolation　mixed　with　his　fear　of　death。　Sollozzo　was　speaking　again。　〃Sonny　was　hot　for　my　deal。　Right？　You　know　it's　the　smart　thing　to　do　too。　Narcotics　is　the　ing　thing。　There's　so　much　money　in　it　that　everybody　can　get　rich　just　in　a　couple　of　years。　The　Don　was　an　old　'Moustache　Pete；'　his　day　was　over　but　he　didn't　know　it。　Now　he's　dead；　nothing　can　bring　him　back。　I'm