mp.godfather-第67章

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　Family　position　was　being　precarious。　He　decided　to　strike　back。
　
　But　he　decided　to　strike　right　at　the　heart　of　the　enemy。　He　planned　the　execution　of　the　heads　of　the　five　Families　in　one　grand　tactical　maneuver。　To　that　purpose　he　put　into　effect　an　elaborate　system　of　surveillance　of　these　leaders。　But　after　a　week　the　enemy　chiefs　promptly；　dived　underground　and　were　seen　no　more　in　public。
　
　The　Five　Families　and　the　Corleone　Empire　were　in　stalemate。
　
　Chapter　18
　
　Amerigo　Bonasera　lived　only　a　few　blocks　from　his　undertaking　establishment　on　Mulberry　Street　and　so　always　went　home　for　supper。　Evenings　he　returned　to　his　place　of　business；　dutifully　joining　those　mourners　paying　their　respects　to　the　dead　who　lay　in　state　in　his　somber　parlors。
　
　He　always　resented　the　jokes　made　about　his　profession；　the　macabre　technical　details　which　were　so　unimportant。　Of　course　none　of　his　friends　or　family　or　neighbors　would　make　such　jokes。　Any　profession　was　worthy　of　respect　to　men　who　for　centuries　earned　bread　by　the　sweat　of　their　brows。
　
　Now　at　supper　with　his　wife　in　their　solidly　furnished　apartment；　gilt　statues　of　the　Virgin　Mary　with　their　red…glassed　candles　flickering　on　the　sideboard；　Bonasera　lit　a　Camel　cigarette　and　took　a　relaxing　glass　of　American　whiskey。　His　wife　brought　steaming　plates　of　soup　to　the　table。　The　two　of　them　were　alone　now；　he　had　sent　his　daughter　to　live　in　Boston　with　her　mother's　sister；　where　she　could　forget　her　terrible　experience　and　her　injuries　at　the　hands　of　the　two　ruffians　Don　Corleone　had　punished。
　
　As　they　ate　their　soup　his　wife　asked；　〃Are　you　going　back　to　work　tonight？〃
　
　Amerigo　Bonasera　nodded。　His　wife　respected　his　work　but　did　not　understand　it。　She　did　not　understand　that　the　technical　part　of　his　profession　was　the　least　important。　She　thought；　like　most　other　people；　that　he　was　paid　for　his　skill　in　making　the　dead　look　so　lifelike　in　their　coffins。　And　indeed　his　skill　in　this　was　legendary。　But　even　more　important；　even　more　necessary　was　his　physical　presence　at　the　wake。　When　the　bereaved　family　came　at　night　to　receive　their　blood　relatives　and　their　friends　beside　the　coffin　of　their　loved　one；　they　needed　Amerigo　Bonasera　with　them。
　
　For　he　was　a　strict　chaperone　to　death。　His　face　always　grave；　yet　strong　and　forting；　his　voice　unwavering；　yet　muted　to　a　low　register；　he　manded　the　mourning　ritual。　He　could　quiet　grief　that　was　too　unseemly；　he　could　rebuke　unruly　children　whose　parents　had　not　the　heart　to　chastise。　Never　cloying　in　the　tender　of　his　condolences；　yet　never　was　he　offhand。　Once　a　family　used　Amerigo　Bonasera　to　speed　a　loved　one　on；　they　came　back　to　him　again　and　again。　And　he　never；　never；　deserted　one　of　his　clients　on　that　terrible　last　night　above　ground。
　
　Usually　he　allowed　himself　a　little　nap　after　supper。　Then　he　washed　and　shaved　afresh；　talcum　powder　generously　used　to　shroud　the　heavy　black　beard。　A　mouthwash　always。　He　respectfully　changed　into　fresh　linen；　white　gleaming　shirt；　the　black　tie；　a　freshly　pressed　dark　suit；　dull　black　shoes　and　black　socks。　And　yet　the　effect　was　forting　instead　of　somber。　He　also　kept　his　hair　dyed　black；　an　unheard…of　frivolity　in　an　Italian　male　of　his　generation；　but　not　out　of　vanity。　Simply　because　his　hair　had　turned　a　lively　pepper　and　salt；　a　color　which　struck　him　as　unseemly　for　his　profession。
　
　After　he　finished　his　soup；　his　wife　placed　a　small　steak　before　him　with　a　few　forkfuls　of　green　spinach　oozing　yellow　oil。　He　was　a　light　eater。　When　he　finished　this　he　drank　a　cup　of　coffee　and　smoked　another　Camel　cigarette。　Over　his　coffee　he　thought　about　his　poor　daughter。　She　would　never　be　the　same。　Her　outward　beauty　had　been　restored　but　there　was　the　look　of　a　frightened　animal　in　her　eyes　that　had　made　him　unable　to　bear　the　sight　of　her。　And　so　they　had　sent　her　to　live　in　Boston　for　a　time。　Time　would　heal　her　wounds。　Pain　and　terror　was　not　so　final　as　death；　as　he　well　knew。　His　work　made　him　an　optimist。
　
　He　had　just　finished　the　coffee　when　his　phone　in　the　living　room　rang。　His　wife　never　answered　it　when　he　was　home；　so　he　got　up　and　drained　his　cup　and　stubbed　out　his　cigarette。　As　he　walked　to　the　phone　he　pulled　off　his　tie　and　started　to　unbutton　his　shirt；　getting　ready　for　his　little　nap。　Then　he　picked　up　the　phone　and　said　with　quiet　courtesy；　〃Hello。〃
　
　The　voice　on　the　other　end　was　harsh；　strained。　〃This　is　Tom　Hagen；〃　it　said。　〃I'm　calling　for　Don　Corleone；　at　his　request。〃
　
　Amerigo　Bonasera　felt　the　coffee　churning　sourly　in　his　stomach；　felt　himself　going　a　little　sick。　It　was　more　than　a　year　since　he　had　put　himself　in　the　debt　of　the　Don　to　avenge　his　daughter's　honor　and　in　that　time　the　knowledge　that　he　must　pay　that　debt　had　receded。　He　had　been　so　grateful　seeing　the　bloody　faces　of　those　two　ruffians　that　he　would　have　done　anything　for　the　Don。　But　time　erodes　gratitude　more　quickly　than　it　does　beauty。　Now　Bonasera　felt　the　sickness　of　a　man　faced　with　disaster。　His　voice　faltered　as　he　answered；　〃Yes；　I　understand。　I'm　listening。〃
　
　He　was　surprised　at　the　coldness　in　Hagen's　voice。　The　Consigliere　had　always　been　a　courteous　man；　though　not　Italian；　but　now　he　was　being　rudely　brusque。　〃You　owe　the　Don　a　service；〃　Hagen　said。　〃He　has　no　doubt　that　you　will　repay　him。　That　you　will　be　happy　to　have　this　opportunity。　In　one　hour；　not　before；　perhaps　later；　he　will　be　at　your　funeral　parlor　to　ask　for　your　help。　Be　there　to　greet　him。　Don't　have　any　people　who　work　for　you　there。　Send　them　home。　If　you　have　any　objections　to　this；　speak　now　and　I'll　inform　Don　Corleone。　He　has　other　friends　who　can　do　him　this　service。〃
　
　Amerigo　Bonasera　almost　cried　out　in　his　fright；　〃How　can　you　think　I　would　refuse　the　Godfather？　Of　course　I'll　do　anything　he　wishes。　I　haven't　forgotten　my　debt。　I'll　go　to　my　business　immediately；　at　once。〃
　
　Hagen's　voice　was　gentler　now；　but　there　was　something　strange　about　it。　〃Thank　you；〃　he　said　〃The　Don　never　doubted　you。　The　question　was　mine。　Oblige　him　tonight　and　you　can　always　e　to　me　in　any　trouble；　you'll　earn　my　personal　friendship。〃
　
　This　frightened　Amerigo　Bonasera　even　more。　He　stuttered；　〃The　Don　himself　is　ing　to　me　tonight？〃
　
　〃Yes；〃　Hagen　said。
　
　〃Then　he's　pletely　recovered　from　his　injuries；　thank　God；〃　Bonasera　said。　His　voice　made　it　a　question。
　
　There　was　a　pause　at　the　other　end　of　the　phone；　then　Hagen's　voice　said　very　quietly；　〃Yes。〃　There　was　a　click　and　the　phone　went　dead。
　
　Bonasera　was　sweating。　He　went　into　the　bedroom　and　changed　his　shirt　and　rinsed　his　mouth。　But　he　didn't　shave　or　use　a　fresh　tie。　He　put　on　the　same　one　he　had　used　during　the　day。　He　called　the　funeral　parlor　and　told　his　assistant　to　stay　with　the　bereaved　family　using　the　front　parlor　that　night。　He　himself　would　be　busy　in　the　laboratory　working　area　of　the　building。　When　the　assistant　started　asking　question　Bonesera　cut　him　off　very　curtly　and　told　him　to　follow　orders　exactly。
　
　He　put　on　his　suit　jacket　and　his　wife；　still　eating；　looked　up　at　him　in　surprise。　〃I　have　work　to　do；〃　he　said　and　she　did　not　dare　question　him　because　of　the　look　on　his　face。　Bonasera　went　out　of　the　house　and　walked　the　few　blocks　to　his　funeral　parlor。
　
　This　building　stood　by　itself　on　a　large　lot　with　a　white　picket　fence　running　all　around　it。　There　was　a　narrow　roadway　leading　from　the　street　to　the　rear；　just　wide　enough　for　ambulances　and　hearses。　Bonasera　unlocked　the　gate　and　left　it　open。　Then　he　walked　to　the　rear　of　the　building　and　entered　it　through　the　wide　door　there。　As　he　did　so　he　could　see　mourners　already　entering　the　front　door　of　the　funeral　parlor　to　pay　their　respects　to　the　current　corpse。
　
　Many　years　ago　when　Bonasgra　had　bought　this　building　from　an　undertaker　planning　to　retire；　there　had　been　a　stoop　of　about　ten　steps　that　mourners　had　to　mount　before　entering　the　funeral　parlor。　This　had　posed　a　problem。　Old　and　crippled　mourners　determined　to　pay　their　respects　had　found　the　steps　almost　impossible　to　mount；　so　the　former　undertaker　had　used　the　freight　elevator　for　these　pe