mp.godfather-第63节

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　Even　so；　his　huge　body　in　a　reflex　for　life　crashed　against　the　Buick　door；　bursting　its　lock。　The　man　in　the　darkened　tollbooth　opened　fire　and　the　shots　caught　Sonny　Corleone　in　the　head　and　neck　as　his　massive　frame　spilled　out　of　the　car。　The　two　men　in　front　held　up　their　guns　now；　the　man　in　the　darkened　tollbooth　cut　his　fire；　and　Sonny's　body　sprawled　on　the　asphalt　with　the　legs　still　partly　inside。　The　two　men　each　fired　shots　into　Sonny's　body；　then　kicked　him　in　the　face　to　disfigure　his　features　even　more；　to　show　a　mark　made　by　a　more　personal　human　power。
　
　Seconds　afterward；　all　four　men；　the　three　actual　assassins　and　the　bogus　toll　collector；　were　in　their　car　and　speeding　toward　the　Meadowbrook　Parkway　on　the　other　side　of　Jones　Beach。　Their　pursuit　was　blocked　by　Sonny's　car　and　body　in　the　tollgate　slot　but　when　Sonny's　bodyguards　pulled　up　a　few　minutes　later　and　saw　his　body　lying　there；　they　had　no　intention　to　pursue。　They　swung　their　car　around　in　a　huge　arc　and　returned　to　Long　Beach。　At　the　first　public　phone　off　the　causeway　one　of　them　hopped　out　and　called　Tom　Hagen。　He　was　very　curt　and　very　brisk。　〃Sonny's　dead；　they　got　him　at　the　Jones　Beach　toll。〃
　
　Hagen's　voice　was　perfectly　calm。　〃OK；〃　he　said。　〃Go　to　Clemenza's　house　and　tell　him　to　e　here　right　away。　He'll　tell　you　what　to　do。〃
　
　Hagen　had　taken　the　call　in　the　kitchen；　with　Mama　Corleone　bustling　around　preparing　a　snack　for　the　arrival　of　her　daughter。　He　had　kept　his　posure　and　the　old　woman　had　not　noticed　anything　amiss。　Not　that　she　could　not　have；　if　she　wanted　to；　but　in　her　life　with　the　Don　she　had　learned　it　was　far　wiser　not　to　perceive。　That　if　it　was　necessary　to　know　something　painful；　it　would　be　told　to　her　soon　enough。　And　if　it　was　a　pain　that　could　be　spared　her；　she　could　do　without。　She　was　quite　content　not　to　share　the　pain　of　her　men；　after　all　did　they　share　the　pain　of　women？　Impassively　she　boiled　her　coffee　and　set　the　table　with　food。　In　her　experience　pain　and　fear　did　not　dull　physical　hunger；　in　her　experience　the　taking　of　food　dulled　pain。　She　would　have　been　outraged　if　a　doctor　had　tried　to　sedate　her　with　a　drug；　but　coffee　and　a　crust　of　bread　were　another　matter；　she　came；　of　course；　from　a　more　primitive　culture。
　
　And　so　she　let　Tom　Hagen　escape　to　his　corner　conference　room　and　once　in　that　room；　Hagen　began　to　tremble　so　violently　he　had　to　sit　down　with　his　legs　squeezed　together；　his　head　hunched　into　his　contracted　shoulders；　hands　clasped　together　between　his　knees　as　if　he　were　praying　to　the　devil。
　
　He　was；　he　knew　now；　no　fit　Consigliere　for　a　Family　at　war。　He　had　been　fooled；　faked　out；　by　the　Five　Families　and　their　seeming　timidity。　They　had　remained　quiet；　laying　their　terrible　ambush。　They　had　planned　and　waited；　holding　their　bloody　hands　no　matter　what　provocation　they　had　been　given。　They　had　waited　to　land　one　terrible　blow。　And　they　had。　Old　Genco　Abbandando　would　never　have　fallen　for　it；　he　would　have　smelled　a　rat；　he　would　have　smoked　them　out；　tripled　his　precautions。　And　through　all　this　Hagen　felt　his　grief。　Sonny　had　been　his　true　brother；　his　savior；　his　hero　when　they　had　been　boys　together。　Sonny　had　never　been　mean　or　bullying　with　him；　had　always　treated　him　with　affection；　had　taken　him　in　his　arms　when　Sollozzo　had　turned　him　loose。　Sonny's　joy　at　that　reunion　had　been　real。　That　he　had　grown　up　to　be　a　cruel　and　violent　and　bloody　man　was；　for　Hagen；　not　relevant。
　
　He　had　walked　out　of　the　kitchen　because　he　knew　he　could　never　tell　Mama　Corleone　about　her　son's　death。　He　had　never　thought　of　her　as　his　mother　as　he　thought　of　the　Don　as　his　father　and　Sonny　as　his　brother。　His　affection　for　her　was　like　his　affection　for　Freddie　and　Michael　and　Connie。　The　affection　for　someone　who　has　been　kind　but　not　loving。　But　he　could　not　tell　her。　In　a　few　short　months　she　had　lost　all　her　sons；　Freddie　exiled　to　Nevada；　Michael　hiding　for　his　life　in　Sicily；　and　now　Santino　dead。　Which　of　the　three　had　she　loved　most　of　all？　She　had　never　shown。
　
　It　was　no　more　than　a　few　minutes。　Hagen　got　control　of　himself　again　and　picked　up　the　phone。　He　called　Connie's　number。　It　rang　for　a　long　time　before　Connie　answered　in　a　whisper。
　
　Hagen　spoke　to　her　gentiy。　〃Connie；　this　is　Tom。　Wake　your　husband　up；　I　have　to　talk　to　him。〃
　
　Connie　said　in　a　low　frightened　voice；　〃Tom；　is　Sonny　ing　here？〃
　
　〃No；〃　Hagen　said。　〃Sonny's　not　ing　there。　Don't　worry　about　that。　Just　wake　Carlo　up　and　tell　him　it's　very　important　I　speak　to　him。〃
　
　Connie's　voice　was　weepy。　〃Tom；　he　beat　me　up；　I'm　afraid　he'll　hurt　me　again　if　he　knows　I　called　home。〃
　
　Hagen　said　gently；　〃He　won't。　He'll　talk　to　me　and　I'll　straighten　him　out。　Everything　will　be　OK。　Tell　him　it's　very　important；　very；　very　important　he　e　to　the　phone。　OK？〃
　
　It　was　almost　five　minutes　before　Carlo's　voice　came　over　the　phone；　a　voice　half　slurred　by　whiskey　and　sleep。　Hagen　spoke　sharply　to　make　him　alert。
　
　〃Listen；　Carlo；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　going　to　tell　you　something　very　shocking。　Now　prepare　yourself　because　when　I　tell　it　to　you　I　want　you　to　answer　me　very　casually　as　if　it's　less　than　it　is。　I　told　Connie　it　was　important　so　you　have　to　give　her　a　story。　Tell　her　the　Family　has　decided　to　move　you　both　to　one　of　the　houses　in　the　mall　and　to　give　you　a　big　job。　That　the　Don　has　finally　decided　to　give　you　a　chance　in　the　hope　of　making　your　home　life　better。　You　got　that？〃
　
　There　was　a　hopeful　note　in　Carlo's　voice　as　he　answered；　〃Yeah；　OK。〃
　
　Hagen　went　on；　〃In　a　few　minutes　a　couple　of　my　men　are　going　to　knock　on　your　door　to　take　you　away　with　them。　Tell　them　I　want　them　to　call　me　first。　Just　tell　them　that。　Don't　say　anything　else。　I'll　instruct　them　to　leave　you　there　with　Connie。　OK？〃
　
　〃Yeah；　yeah；　I　got　it；〃　Carlo　said。　His　voice　was　excited。　The　tension　in　Hagen's　voice　seemed　to　have　finally　alerted　him　that　the　news　ing　up　was　going　to　be　really　important。
　
　Hagen　gave　it　to　him　straight。　〃They　killed　Sonny　tonight。　Don't　say　anything。　Connie　called　him　while　you　were　asleep　and　he　was　on　his　way　over　there；　but　I　don't　want　her　to　know　that；　even　if　she　guesses　it；　I　don't　want　her　to　know　it　for　sure。　She'll　start　thinking　it's　all　her　fault。　Now　I　want　you　to　stay　with　her　tonight　and　not　tell　her　anything。　I　want　you　to　make　up　with　her。　I　want　you　to　be　the　perfect　loving　husband。　And　I　want　you　to　stay　that　way　until　she　has　her　baby　at　least。　Tomorrow　morning　somebody；　maybe　you；　maybe　the　Don；　maybe　her　mother；　will　tell　Connie　that　her　brother　got　killed。　And　I　want　you　by　her　side。　Do　me　this　favor　and　I'll　take　care　of　you　in　the　times　to　e。　You　got　that？〃
　
　Carlo's　voice　was　a　little　shaky。　〃Sure；　Tom；　sure。　Listen；　me　and　you　always　got　along。　I'm　grateful。　Understand？〃
　
　〃Yeah；〃　Hagen　said。　〃Nobody　will　blame　your　fight　with　Connie　for　causing　this；　don't　worry　about　that。　I'll　take　care　of　that。〃　He　paused　and　softly；　encouragingly；　〃Go　ahead　now；　take　care　of　Connie。〃　He　broke　the　connection。
　
　He　had　learned　never　to　make　a　threat；　the　Don　had　taught　him　that；　but　Carlo　had　gotten　the　message　all　right：　he　was　a　hair　away　from　death。
　
　Hagen　made　another　call　to　Tessio；　telling　him　to　e　to　the　mall　in　Long　Beach　immediately。　He　didn't　say　why　and　Tessio　did　not　ask。　Hagen　sighed。　Now　would　e　the　part　he　dreaded。
　
　He　would　have　to　waken　the　Don　from　his　drugged　slumber。　He　would　have　to　tell　the　man　he　most　loved　in　the　world　that　he　had　failed　him；　that　he　had　failed　to　guard　his　domain　and　the　life　of　his　eldest　son。　He　would　have　to　tell　the　Don　everything　was　lost　unless　the　sick　man　himself　could　enter　the　battle。　For　Hagen　did　not　delude　himself。　Only　the　great　Don　himself　could　snatch　even　a　stalemate　from　this　terrible　defeat。　Hagen　didn't　even　bother　checking　with　Don　Corleone's　doctors；　it　would　be　to　no　purpose。　No　matter　what　the　doctors　ordered；　even　if　they　told　him　that　the　Don　could　not　rise　from　his　sickbed　on　pain　of　death；　he　must　tell　his　adoptive　father　and　then　follow　him。　And　of　course　there　was　no　question　about　what　the　Don　would　do。　The　opinions　of　medical　men　were　irrelevant　now；　everything　was　irrelevant　now。　The　Don　must　be　told　and　he　must　either　take　mand　or　order　Hagen　to　surrender　the　Corleone　power　to　the　Five　Families。
　
　And　yet　with　all　his　heart；　Hagen　dreaded　the　next　hour。　He　tried　to　prepare　his　own　manner。　He　would　have　to　be　in　all　ways　strict　with　his　own　guilt。　To　reproach　himself　would　only　add　to　the　Don's　burden。　To　show　his　own　grief　would　only　sharpen　the　grief　of　the　Don。　To　point　out　his　own　shortings　as　a　wartime　Consigliere；　would　only　make　the　Don　reproach　himself　for　his　own　bad　judgment　for　picking　such　a　man　for　such　an　important　post。
　
　He　must；　Hagen　knew；　tell　the　news；　present　his　analysis　of　what　must　be　done　to　rectify　the　situation　and　then　keep　silent。　His　reactions　thereafter　must　be　the　reactions　invited　by　his　Don。　If　the　Don　wanted　him　to　show　guilt；　he　would　show　guilt；　if　the　Don　invited　grief；　he　would　lay　bare　his　genuine　sorrow。
　
　Hagen　lifted　his　head　at　the　sound　of　motors；　cars　rolling　up　onto