mp.godfather-第39章

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in；　Mike。〃　He　didn't　know　the　driver；　a　young　punk　with　slick　black　hair　and　an　open　shirt；　but　he　got　in。　In　the　back　seat　were　Captain　McCluskey　and　Sollozzo。
　
　Sollozzo　reached　a　hand　over　the　back　of　the　seat　and　Michael　shook　it。　The　hand　was　firm；　warm　and　dry。　Sollozzo　said；　〃I'm　glad　you　came；　Mike。　I　hope　we　can　straighten　everything　out。　All　this　is　terrible；　it's　not　the　way　I　wanted　things　to　happen　at　all。　It　should　never　have　happened。〃
　
　Michael　Corleone　said　quietly；　〃I　hope　we　can　settle　things　tonight；　I　don't　want　my　father　bothered　any　more。〃
　
　〃He　won't　be；〃　Sollozzo　said　sincerely。　〃I　swear　to　you　by　my　children　he　won't　be。　Just　keep　an　open　mind　when　we　talk。　I　hope　you're　not　a　hothead　like　your　brother　Sonny。　It's　impossible　to　talk　business　with　him。〃
　
　Captain　McCluskey　grunted。　〃He's　a　good　kid；　he's　all　right。〃　He　leaned　over　to　give　Michael　an　affectionate　pat　on　the　shoulder。　〃I'm　sorry　about　the　other　night；　Mike。　I'm　getting　too　old　for　my　job；　too　grouchy。　I　guess　I'll　have　to　retire　pretty　soon。　Can't　stand　the　aggravation；　all　day　I　get　aggravation。　You　know　how　it　is。〃　Then　with　a　doleful　sigh；　he　gave　Michael　a　thorough　frisk　for　a　weapon。
　
　Michael　saw　a　slight　smile　on　the　driver's　lips。　The　car　was　going　west　with　no　apparent　attempt　to　elude　any　trailers。　It　went　up　on　to　the　West　Side　Highway；　speeding　in　and　out　of　traffic。　Anyone　following　would　have　had　to　do　the　same。　Then　to　Michael's　dismay　it　took　the　exit　for　the　George　Washington　Bridge；　they　were　going　over　to　New　Jersey。　Whoever　had　given　Sonny　the　info　on　where　the　meeting　was　to　be　held　had　given　him　the　wrong　dope。
　
　The　car　threaded　through　the　bridge　approaches　and　then　was　on　it；　leaving　the　blazing　city　behind。　Michael　kept　his　face　impassive。　Were　they　going　to　dump　him　into　the　swamps　or　was　it　just　a　last…minute　change　in　meeting　place　by　the　wily　Sollozzo？　But　when　they　were　nearly　all　the　way　across；　the　driver　gave　the　wheel　a　violent　twist。　The　heavy　automobile　jumped　into　the　air　when　it　hit　the　divider　and　bounced　over　into　the　lanes　going　back　to　New　York　City。　Both　McCluskey　and　Sollozzo　were　looking　back　to　see　if　anyone　had　tried　doing　the　same　thing。　The　driver　was　really　hitting　it　back　to　New　York　and　then　they　were　off　the　bridge　and　going　toward　the　East　Bronx。　They　went　through　the　side　streets　with　no　cars　behind　them。　By　this　time　it　was　nearly　nine　o'clock。　They　had　made　sure　there　was　no　one　on　their　tail。　Sollozzo　lit　up　a　cigarette　after　offering　his　pack　to　McCluskey　and　Michael；　both　of　whom　refused。　Sollozzo　said　to　the　driver；　〃Nice　work。　I'll　remember　it。〃
　
　Ten　minutes　later　the　car　pulled　up　in　front　of　a　restaurant　in　a　small　Italian　neighborhood。　There　was　no　one　on　the　streets　and　because　of　the　lateness　of　the　hour　only　a　few　people　were　still　at　dinner。　Michael　had　been　worried　that　the　driver　would　e　in　with　them；　but　he　stayed　outside　with　his　car。　The　negotiator　had　not　mentioned　a　driver；　nobody　had。　Technically　Sollozzo　had　broken　the　agreement　by　bringing　him　along。　But；　Michael　decided　not　to　mention　it；　knowing　they　would　think　he　would　be　afraid　to　mention　it；　afraid　of　ruining　the　chances　for　the　success　of　the　parley。
　
　The　three　of　them　sat　at　the　only　round　table；　Sollozzo　refusing　a　booth。　There　were　only　two　other　people　in　the　restaurant。　Michael　wondered　whether　they　were　Sollozzo　plants。　But　it　didn't　matter。　Before　they　could　interfere　it　would　be　all　over。
　
　McCluskey　asked　with　real　interest；　〃Is　the　Italian　food　good　here？〃
　
　Sollozzo　reassured　him。　〃Try　the　veal；　it's　the　finest　in　New　York。〃　The　solitary　waiter　had　brought　a　bottle　of　wine　to　the　table　and　uncorked　it。　He　poured　three　glasses　full。　Surprisingly　McCluskey　did　not　drink。　〃I　must　be　the　only　Irishman　who　don't　take　the　booze；〃　he　said。　〃I　seen　too　many　good　people　get　in　trouble　because　of　the　booze。〃
　
　Sollozzo　said　placatingly　to　the　captain；　〃I　am　going　to　talk　Italian　to　Mike；　not　because　I　don't　trust　you　but　because　I　can't　explain　myself　properly　in　English　and　I　want　to　convince　Mike　that　I　mean　well；　that　it's　to　everybody's　advantage　for　us　to　e　to　an　agreement　tonight。　Don't　be　insulted　by　this；　it's　not　that　I　don't　trust　you。〃
　
　Captain　McCluskey　gave　them　both　an　ironic　grin。。〃Sure；　you　two　go　right　ahead；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　concentrate　on　my　veal　and　spaghetti。〃
　
　Sollozzo　began　speaking　to　Michael　in　rapid　Sicilian。　He　said；　〃You　must　understand　that　what　happened　between　me　and　your　father　was　strictly　a　business　matter。　I　have　a　great　respect　for　Don　Corleone　and　would　beg　for　the　opportunity　to　enter　his　service。　But　you　must　understand　that　your　father　is　an　old…fashioned　man。　He　stands　in　the　way　of　progress。　The　business　I　am　in　is　the　ing　thing；　the　wave　of　the　future；　there　are　untold　millions　of　dollars　for　everyone　to　make。　But　your　father　stands　in　the　way　because　of　certain　unrealistic　scruples。　By　doing　this　he　imposes　his　will　on　men　like　myself。　Yes；　yes；　I　know；　he　says　to　me；　'Go　ahead；　it's　your　business；'　but　we　both　know　that　is　unrealistic。　We　must　tread　on　each　other's　corns。　What　he　is　really　telling　me　is　that　I　cannot　operate　my　business。　I　am　a　man　who　respects　himself　and　cannot　let　another　man　impose　his　will　on　me　so　what　had　to　happen　did　happen。　Let　me　say　that　I　had　the　support；　the　silent　support　of　all　the　New　York　Families。　And　the　Tattaglia　Family　became　my　partners。　If　this　quarrel　continues；　then　the　Corleone　Family　will　stand　alone　against　everyone。　Perhaps　if　your　father　were　well；　it　could　be　done。　But　the　eldest　son　is　not　the　man　the　Godfather　is；　no　disrespect　intended。　And　the　Irish　Consigliere；　Hagen；　is　not　the　man　Genco　Abbandando　was；　God　rest　his　soul。　So　I　propose　a　peace；　a　truce。　Let　us　cease　all　hostilities　until　your　father　is　well　again　and　can　take　part　in　these　bargainings。　The　Tattaglia　Family　agrees；　upon　my　persuasions　and　my　indemnities；　to　forgo　justice　for　their　son　Bruno。　We　will　have　peace。　Meanwhile；　I　have　to　make　a　living　and　will　do　a　little　trading　in　my　business。　I　do　not　ask　your　cooperation　but　I　ask　you；　the　Corleone　Family；　not　to　interfere。　These　are　my　proposals。　I　assume　you　have　the　authority　to　agree；　to　make　a　deal。〃
　
　Michael　said　in　Sicilian；　〃Tell　me　more　about　how　you　propose　to　start　your　business；　exactly　what　part　my　Family　has　to　play　in　it　and　what　profit　we　can　take　from　this　business。〃
　
　〃You　want　the　whole　proposition　in　detail　then？〃　Sollozzo　asked。
　
　Michael　said　gravely；　〃Most　important　of　all　I　must　have　sure　guarantees　that　no　more　attempts　will　be　made　on　my　father's　life。〃
　
　Sollozzo　raised　his　hand　expressively。　〃What　guarantees　can　I　give　you？　I'm　the　hunted　one。　I've　missed　my　chance。　You　think　too　highly　of　me；　my　friend。　I　am　not　that　clever。〃
　
　Michael　was　sure　now　that　the　conference　was　only　to　gain　a　few　days'　time。　That　Sollozzo　would　make　another　attempt　to　kill　the　Don。　What　was　beautiful　was　that　the　Turk　was　underrating　him　as　a　punk　kid。　Michael　felt　that　strange　delicious　chill　filling　his　body。　He　made　his　face　look　distressed。　Sollozzo　asked　sharply；　〃What　is　it？〃
　
　Michael　said　with　an　embarrassed　air；　〃The　wine　went　right　to　my　bladder。　I've　been　holding　it　in。　Is　it　all　right　if　I　go　to　the　bathroom？〃
　
　Sollozzo　was　searching　his　face　intently　with　his　dark　eyes。　He　reached　over　and　roughly　thrust　his　hand　in　Michael's　crotch；　under　it　and　around；　searching　for　a　weapon。　Michael　looked　offended。　McCluskey　said　curtly；　〃I　frisked　him。　I've　frisked　thousands　of　young　punks。　He's　clean。〃
　
　Sollozzo　didn't　like　it。　For　no　reason　at　all　he　didn't　like　it。　He　glanced　at　the　man　sitting　at　a　table　opposite　them　and　raised　his　eyebrows　toward　the　door　of　the　bathroom。　The　man　gave　a　slight　nod　that　he　had　checked　it；　that　there　was　nobody　inside。　Sollozzo　said　reluctantly；　〃Don't　take　too　long。〃　He　had　marvelous　antenna；　he　was　nervous。
　
　Michael　got　up　and　went　into　the　bathroom。　The　urinal　had　a　pink　bar　of　soap　in　it　secured　by　a　wire　net。　He　went　into　the　booth。　He　really　had　to　go；　his　bowels　were　loose。　He　did　it　very　quickly；　then　reached　behind　the　enamel　wate