mp.godfather-第92章

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　The　woman's　name　was　Filomena　and　her　face　was　as　wrinkled　and　brown　as　a　walnut；　her　brown…stained　teeth　showing　through　the　shell　of　her　flesh。　For　the　first　time　since　he　had　been　in　the　villa　she　smiled　at　him。　〃The　Godfather　saved　my　life　once；〃　she　said；　〃and　my　brains　too。〃　She　made　a　gesture　toward　her　head。
　
　She　obviously　wanted　to　say　something　else　so　Michael　smiled　to　encourage　her。　She　asked　almost　fearfully；　〃Is　it　true　that　Luca　Brasi　is　dead？〃
　
　Michael　nodded　again　and　was　surprised　at　the　look　of　release　on　the　old　woman's　face。　Filomena　crossed　herself　and　said；　〃God　forgive　me；　but　may　his　soul　roast　in　hell　for　eternity。〃
　
　Michael　remembered　his　old　curiosity　about　Brasi；　and　had　the　sudden　intuition　that　this　woman　knew　the　story　Hagen　and　Sonny　had　refused　to　tell　him。　He　poured　the　woman　a　glass　of　wine　and　made　her　sit　down。　〃Tell　me　about　my　father　and　Luca　Brasi；〃　he　said　gently。　〃I　know　some　of　it；　but　how　did　they　bee　friends　and　why　was　Brasi　so　devoted　to　my　father？　Don't　be　afraid；　e　tell　me。〃
　
　Filomena's　wrinkled　face；　her　raisin…black　eyes；　turned　to　Don　Tommasino；　who　in　some　way　signaled　his　permission。　And　so　Filomena　passed　the　evening　for　them　by　telling　her　story。
　
　Thirty　years　before；　Filomena　had　been　a　midwife　in　New　York　City；　on　Tenth　Avenue；　servicing　the　Italian　colony。　The　women　were　always　pregnant　and　she　prospered。　She　taught　doctors　a　few　things　when　they　tried　to　interfere　in　a　difficult　birth。　Her　husband　was　then　a　prosperous　grocery　store　owner；　dead　now　poor　soul；　she　blessed　him；　though　he　had　been　a　card　player　and　wencher　who　never　thought　to　put　aside　for　hard　times。　In　any　event　one　cursed　night　thirty　years　ago　when　all　honest　people　were　long　in　their　beds；　there　came　a　knocking　on　Filomena's　door。　She　was　by　no　means　frightened；　it　was　the　quiet　hour　babes　prudently　chose　to　enter　safely　into　this　sinful　world；　and　so　she　dressed　and　opened　the　door。　Outside　it　was　Luca　Brasi　whose　reputation　even　then　was　fearsome。　It　was　known　also　that　he　was　a　bachelor。　And　so　Filomena　was　immediately　frightened。　She　thought　he　had　e　to　do　her　husband　harm；　that　perhaps　her　husband　had　foolishly　refusal　Brasi　some　small　favor。
　
　But　Brasi　had　e　on　the　usual　errand。　He　told　Filomena　that　there　was　a　woman　about　to　give　birth；　that　the　house　was　out　of　the　neighborhood　some　distance　away　and　that　she　was　to　e　with　him。　Filomena　immediately　sensed　something　amiss。　Brasi's　brutal　face　looked　almost　like　that　of　a　madman　that　night；　he　was　obviously　in　the　grip　of　some　demon。　She　tried　to　protest　that　she　attended　only　women　whose　history　she　knew　but　he　shoved　a　handful　of　green　dollars　in　her　hand　and　ordered　her　roughly　to　e　along　with　him。　She　was　too　frightened　to　refuse。
　
　In　the　street　was　a　Ford；　its　driver　of　the　same　feather　as　Luca　Brasi。　The　drive　was　no　more　than　thirty　minutes　to　a　small　frame　house　in　Long　Island　City　right　over　the　bridge。　A　two…family　house　but　obviously　now　tenanted　only　by　Brasi　and　his　gang。　For　there　were　some　other　ruffians　in　the　kitchen　playing　cards　and　drinking。　Brasi　took　Filomena　up　the　stairs　to　a　bedroom。　In　the　bed　was　a　young　pretty　girl　who　looked　Irish；　her　face　painted；　her　hair　red；　and　with　a　belly　swollen　like　a　sow。　The　poor　girl　was　so　frightened。　When　she　saw　Brasi　she　turned　her　head　away　in　terror；　yes　terror；　and　indeed　the　look　of　hatred　on　Brasi's　evil　face　was　the　most　frightening　thing　she　had　ever　seen　in　her　life。　（Here　Filomena　crossed　herself　again。）
　
　To　make　a　long　story　short；　Brasi　left　the　room。　Two　of　his　men　assisted　the　midwife　and　the　baby　was　born；　the　mother　was　exhausted　and　went　into　a　deep　sleep。　Brasi　was　summoned　and　Filomena；　who　had　wrapped　the　newborn　child　in　an　extra　blanket；　extended　the　bundle　to　him　and　said；　〃If　you're　the　father；　take　her。　My　work　is　finished。〃
　
　Brasi　glared　at　her；　malevolent；　insanity　stamped　on　his　face。　〃Yes；　I'm　the　father；〃　he　said。　〃But　I　don't　want　any　of　that　race　to　live。　Take　it　down　to　the　basement　and　throw　it　into　the　furnace。〃
　
　For　a　moment　Filomena　thought　she　had　not　understood　him　properly。　She　was　puzzled　by　his　use　of　the　word　〃race。〃　Did　he　mean　because　the　girl　was　not　Italian？　Or　did　he　mean　because　the　girl　was　obviously　of　the　lowest　type；　a　whore　in　short？　Or　did　he　mean　that　anything　springing　from　his　loins　he　forbade　to　live。　And　then　she　was　sure　he　was　making　a　brutal　joke。　She　said　shortly；　〃It's　your　child；　do　what　you　want。〃　And　she　tried　to　hand　him　the　bundle。
　
　At　this　time　the　exhausted　mother　awoke　and　turned　on　her　side　to　face　them。　She　was　just　in　time　to　see　Brasi　thrust　violently　at　the　bundle；　crushing　the　newborn　infant　against　Filomena's　chest。　She　called　out　weakly；　〃Luc；　Luc；　I'm　sorry；〃　and　Brasi　turned　to　face　her。
　
　It　was　terrible；　Filomena　said　now。　So　terrible。　They　were　like　two　mad　animals。　They　were　not　human。　The　hatred　they　bore　each　other　blazed　through　the　room。　Nothing　else；　not　even　the　newborn　infant；　existed　for　them　at　that　moment。　And　yet　there　was　a　strange　passion。　A　bloody；　demonical　lust　so　unnatural　you　knew　they　were　damned　forever。　Then　Luca　Brasi　turned　back　to　Filomena　and　said　harshly；　〃Do　what　tell　you；　I'll　make　you　rich。〃
　
　Filomena　could　not　speak　in　her　terror。　She　shook　her　head。　Finally　she　managed　to　whisper；　〃You　do　it；　you're　the　father；　do　it　if　you　like。〃　But　Brasi　didn't　answer。　Instead　he　drew　a　knife　from　inside　his　shirt。　〃I'll　cut　your　throat；〃　he　said。
　
　She　must　have　gone　into　shock　then　because　the　next　thing　she　remembered　they　were　all　standing　in　the　basement　of　the　house　in　front　of　a　square　iron　furnace。　Filomena　was　still　holding　the　blanketed　baby；　which　had　not　made　a　sound。　（Maybe　if　it　had　cried；　maybe　if　I　had　been　shrewd　enough　to　pinch　it；　Filomena　said；　that　monster　would　have　shown　mercy。）
　
　One　of　the　men　must　have　opened　the　furnace　door；　the　fire　now　was　visible。　And　then　she　was　alone　with　Brasi　in　that　basement　with　its　sweating　pipes；　its　mousy　odor。　Brasi　had　his　knife　out　again。　And　there　could　be　no　doubting　that　he　would　kill　her。　There　were　the　flames；　there　were　Brasi's　eyes。　His　face　was　the　gargoyle　of　the　devil；　it　was　not　human；　it　was　not　sane：　He　pushed　her　toward　the　open　furnace　door。
　
　At　this　point　Filomena　fell　silent。　She　folded　her　bony　hands　in　her　lap　and　looked　directly　at　Michael。　He　knew　what　she　wanted；　how　she　wanted　to　tell　him；　without　using　her　voice。　He　asked　gently；　〃Did　you　do　it？〃　She　nodded。
　
　It　was　only　after　another　glass　of　wine　and　crossing　herself　and　muttering　a　prayer　that　she　continued　her　story。　She　was　given　a　bundle　of　money　and　driven　home。　She　understood　that　if　she　uttered　a　word　about　what　had　happened　she　would　be　killed。　But　two　days　later　Brasi　murdered　the　young　Irish　girl；　the　mother　of　the　infant；　and　was　arrested　by　the　police。　Filomena；　frightened　out　of　her　wits；　went　to　the　Godfather　and　told　her　story。　He　ordered　her　to　keep　silent；　that　he　would　attend　to　everything。　At　that　time　Brasi　did　not　work　for　Don　Corleone。
　
　Before　Don　Corleone　could　set　matters　aright；　Luca　Brasi　tried　to　mit　suicide　in　his　cell；　hacking　at　his　throat　with　a　piece　of　glass。　He　was　transferred　to　the　prison　hospital　and　by　the　time　he　recovered　Don　Corleone　had　arranged　everything。　The　police　did　not　have　a　case　they　could　prove　in　court　and　Luca　Brasi　was　released。
　
　Though　Don　Corleone　assured　Filomena　that　she　had　nothing　to　fear　from　either　Luca　Brasi　or　the　police；　she　had　no　peace。　Her　nerves　were　shattered　and　she　could　no　longer　work　at　her　profession。　Finally　she　persuaded　her　husband　to　sell　the　grocery　store　and　they　returned　to　Italy。　Her　husband　was　a　good　man；　had　been　told　everything　and　understood。　But　he　was　a　weak　man　and　in　Italy　squandered　the　fortune　they　had　both　slaved　in　America　to　earn。　And　so　after　he　died　she　had　bee　a　servant。　So　Filomena　ended　her　story。　She　had　another　glass　of　wine　and　said　to　Michael；　〃I　bless　the　name　of　your　father。　He　always　sent　me　money　when　I　asked；　he　saved　me　from　Brasi。　Tell　him　I　say　a　prayer　for　his　soul　every　night　and　that　he　shouldn't　fear　dying。〃
　
　Aft