mp.godfather-第75章

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ami　Beach　and　Cuba。　After　the　Corleone　Family；　his　was　perhaps　the　strongest　in　New　York　and　therefore　in　the　country。　His　influence　reached　even　to　Sicily。　His　hand　was　in　every　unlawful　pie。　He　was　even　rumored　to　have　a　toehold　in　Wall　Street。　He　had　supported　the　Tattaglia　Family　with　money　and　influence　since　the　start　of　the　war。　It　was　his　ambition　to　supplant　Don　Corleone　as　the　most　powerful　and　respected　Mafia　leader　in　the　country　and　to　take　over　part　of　the　Corleone　empire。　He　was　a　man　much　like　Don　Corleone；　but　more　modern；　more　sophisticated；　more　businesslike。　He　could　never　be　called　an　old　Moustache　Pete　and　he　had　the　confidence　of　the　newer；　younger；　brasher　leaders　on　their　way　up。　He　was　a　man　of　great　personal　force　in　a　cold　way；　with　none　of　Don　Corleone's　warmth　and　he　was　perhaps　at　this　moment　the　most　〃respected〃　man　in　the　group。
　
　The　last　to　arrive　was　Don　Phillip　Tattaglia；　the　head　of　the　Tattagfia　Family　that　had　directly　challenged　the　Corleone　power　by　supporting　Sollozzo；　and　had　so　nearly　succeeded。　And　yet　curiously　enough　he　was　held　in　a　slight　contempt　by　the　others。　For　one　thing；　it　was　known　that　he　had　allowed　himself　to　be　dominated　by　Sollozzo；　had　in　fact　been　led　by　the　nose　by　that　fine　Turkish　hand。　He　was　held　responsible　for　all　this　motion；　this　uproar　that　had　so　affected　the　conduct　of　everyday　business　by　the　New　York　Families。　Also　he　was　a　sixty…year…old　dandy　and　woman…chaser。　And　he　had　ample　opportunity　to　indulge　his　weakness。
　
　For　the　Tattaglia　Family　dealt　in　women。　Its　main　business　was　prostitution。　It　also　controlled　most　of　the　nightclubs　in　the　United　States　and　could　place　any　talent　anywhere　in　the　country。　Phillip　Tattaglia　was　not　above　using　strong…arm　to　get　control　of　promising　singers　and　ics　and　muscling　in　on　record　firms。　But　prostitution　was　the　main　source　of　the　Family　ine。
　
　His　personality　was　unpleasant　to　these　men。　He　was　a　whiner；　always　plaining　of　the　costs　in　his　Family　business。　Laundry　bills；　all　those　towels；　ate　up　the　profits　（but　he　owned　the　laundry　firm　that　did　the　work）。　The　girls　were　lazy　and　unstable；　running　off；　mitting　suicide。　The　pimps　were　treacherous　and　dishonest　and　without　a　shred　of　loyalty。　Good　help　was　hard　to　find。　Young　lads　of　Sicilian　blood　turned　up　their　noses　at　such　work；　considered　it　beneath　their　honor　to　traffic　and　abuse　women；　those　rascals　who　would　slit　a　throat　with　a　song　on　their　lips　and　the　cross　of　an　Easter　palm　in　the　lapel　of　their　jackets。　So　Phillip　Tattaglia　would　rant　on　to　audiences　unsympathetic　and　contemptuous。　His　biggest　howl　was　reserved　for　authorities　who　had　it　in　their　power　to　issue　and　cancel　liquor　licenses　for　his　nightclubs　and　cabarets。　He　swore　he　had　made　more　millionaires　than　Wall　Street　with　the　money　he　had　paid　those　thieving　guardians　of　official　seals。
　
　In　a　curious　way　his　almost　victorious　war　against　the　Corleone　Family　had　not　won　him　the　respect　it　deserved。　They　knew　his　strength　had　e　first　from　Sollozzo　and　then　from　the　Barzini　Family。　Also　the　fact　that　with　the　advantage　of　surprise　he　had　not　won　plete　victory　was　evidence　against　him。　If　he　had　been　more　efficient；　all　this　trouble　could　have　been　avoided。　The　death　of　Don　Corleone　would　have　meant　the　end　of　the　war。
　
　It　was　proper；　since　they　had　both　lost　sons　in　their　war　against　each　other；　that　Don　Corleone　and　Phillip　Tattaglia　should　acknowledge　each　other's　presence　only　with　a　formal　nod。　Don　Corleone　was　the　object　of　attention；　the　other　men　studying　him　to　see　what　mark　of　weakness　had　been　left　on　him　by　his　wounds　and　defeats。　The　puzzling　factor　was　why　Don　Corleone　had　sued　for　peace　after　the　death　of　his　favorite　son。　It　was　an　acknowledgment　of　defeat　and　would　almost　surely　lead　to　a　lessening　of　his　power。　But　they　would　soon　know。
　
　There　were　greetings；　there　were　drinks　to　be　served　and　almost　another　half　hour　went　by　before　Don　Corleone　took　his　seat　at　the　polished　walnut　table。　Unobtrusively；　Hagen　sat　in　the　chair　slightly　to　the　Don's　left　and　behind　him。　This　was　the　signal　for　the　other　Dons　to　make　their　way　to　the　table。　Their　aides　sat　behind　them；　the　Consiglieres　up　close　so　that　they　could　offer　any　advice　when　needed。
　
　Don　Corleone　was　the　first　to　speak　and　he　spoke　as　if　nothing　had　happened。　As　if　he　had　not　been　grievously　wounded　and　his　eldest　son　slain；　his　empire　in　a　shambles；　his　personal　family　scattered；　Freddie　in　the　West　and　under　the　protection　of　the　Molinari　Family　and　Michael　secreted　in　the　wastelands　of　Sicily。　He　spoke　naturally；　in　Sicilian　dialect。
　
　〃I　want　to　thank　you　all　for　ing；〃　he　said。　〃I　consider　it　a　service　done　to　me　personally　and　I　am　in　the　debt　of　each　and　every　one　of　you。　And　so　I　will　say　at　the　beginning　that　I　am　here　not　to　quarrel　or　convince；　but　only　to　reason　and　as　a　reasonable　man　do　everything　possible　for　us　all　to　part　friends　here　too。　I　give　my　word　on　that；　and　some　of　you　who　know　me　well　know　I　do　not　give　my　word　lightly。　Ah；　well；　let's　get　down　to　business。。　We　are　all　honorable　men　here；　we　don't　have　to　give　each　other　assurances　as　if　we　were　lawyers。〃
　
　He　paused。　None　of　the　others　spoke。　Some　were　smoking　cigars；　others　sipping　their　drinks。　All　of　these　men　were　good　listeners；　patient　men。　They　had　one　other　thing　in　mon。　They　were　those　rarities；　men　who　had　refused　to　accept　the　rule　of　organized　society；　men　who　refused　the　dominion　of　other　men。　There　was　no　force；　no　mortal　man　who　could　bend　them　to　their　will　unless　they　wished　it。　They　were　men　who　guarded　their　free　will　with　wiles　and　murder。　Their　wills　could　be　subverted　only　by　death。　Or　the　utmost　reasonableness。
　
　Don　Corleone　sighed。　〃How　did　things　ever　go　so　far？〃　he　asked　rhetorically。　〃Well；　no　matter。　A　lot　of　foolishness　has　e　to　pass。　It　was　so　unfortunate；　so　unnecessary。　But　let　me　tell　what　happened；　as　I　see　it。〃
　
　He　paused　to　see　if　someone　would　object　to　his　telling　his　side　of　the　story。
　
　〃Thank　God　my　health　has　been　restored　and　maybe　I　can　help　set　this　affair　aright。　Perhaps　my　son　was　too　rash；　too　headstrong；　I　don't　say　no　to　that。　Anyway　let　me　just　say　that　Sollozzo　came　to　me　with　a　business　affair　in　which　he　asked　me　for　my　money　and　my　influence。　He　said　he　had　the　interest　of　the　Tattaglia　Family。　The　affair　involved　drugs；　in　which　I　have　no　interest。　I'm　a　quiet　man　and　such　endeavors　are　too　lively　for　my　taste。　I　explained　this　to　Sollozzo；　with　all　respect　for　him　and　the　Tattaglia　Family。　I　gave　him　my　'no'　with　all　courtesy。　I　told　him　his　business　would　not　interfere　with　mine；　that　I　had　no　objection　to　his　earning　his　living　in　this　fashion。　He　took　it　ill　and　brought　misfortune　down　on　all　our　heads。　Well；　that's　life。　Everyone　here　could　tell　his　own　tale　of　sorrow。　That's　not　to　my　purpose。〃
　
　Don　Corleone　paused　and　motioned　to　Hagen　for　a　cold　drink；　which　Hagen　swiftly　furnished　him。　Don　Corleone　wet　his　mouth。　〃I'm　willing　to　make　the　peace；〃　he　said。　〃Tattaglia　has　lost　a　son；　I　have　lost　a　son。　We　are　quits。　What　would　the　world　e　to　if　people　kept　carrying　grudges　against　all　reason？　That　has　been　the　cross　of　Sicily；　where　men　are　so　busy　with　vendettas　they　have　no　time　to　earn　bread　for　their　families。　It's　foolishness。　So　I　say　now；　let　things　be　as　they　were　before。　I　have　not　taken　any　steps　to　learn　who　betrayed　and　killed　my　son。　Given　peace；　I　will　not　do　so。　I　have　a　son　who　cannot　e　home　and　I　must　receive　assurances　that　when　I　arrange　matters　so　that　he　can　return　safely　that　there　will　be　no　interference；　no　danger　from　the　authorities。　Once　that's　settled　maybe　we　can　talk　about　other　matters　that　interest　us　and　do　ourselves；　all　of　us；　a　profitable　service　today。〃　Corleone　gestured　expressively；　submissively；　with　his　hands。　〃That　is　all　I　want。〃
　
　It　was　very　well　done。　It　was　the　Don　Corleone　of　old。　Reasonable。　Pliant。　Soft…spoken。　But　every　man　there　had　noted　that　he　had　claimed　good　health；　which　meant　he　was　a　man　not　to　be　held　cheaply　despite　the　misfortunes　of　the　Corleone　Family。　It　was　noted　that　he　had　said　the　discussion　of　other　business　was　useless　until　the　peace　he