mp.godfather-第79节

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　They　let　him　bring　the　wine　in　a　jug　and　it　was　even　better　than　he　claimed；　dark　purple　and　as　powerful　as　a　brandy。　Fabrizzo　said　to　the　café　proprietor；　〃You　know　all　the　girls　here；　I'll　bet。　We　saw　some　beauties　ing　down　the　road；　one　in　particular　got　our　friend　here　hit　with　the　thunderbolt。〃　He　motioned　to　Michael。
　
　The　cafe　owner　looked　at　Michael　with　new　interest。　The　cracked　face　had　seemed　quite　ordinary　to　him　before；　not　worth　a　second　glance。　But　a　man　hit　with　the　thunderbolt　was　another　matter。　〃You　had　better　bring　a　few　bottles　home　with　you；　my　friend；〃　he　said。　〃You'll　need　help　in　getting　to　sleep　tonight。〃
　
　Michael　asked　the　man；　〃Do　you　know　a　girl　with　her　hair　all　curly？　Very　creamy　skin；　very　big　eyes；　very　dark　eyes。　Do　you　know　a　girl　like　that　in　the　village？〃
　
　The　café　owner　said　curdy；　〃No。　I　don't　know　any　girl　like　that。〃　He　vanished　from　the　terrace　into　his　café。
　
　The　three　men　drank　their　wine　slowly；　finished　off　the　jug　and　called　for　more。　The　owner　did　not　reappear。　Fabrizzio　went　into　the　café　after　him。　When　Fabrizzio　came　out　he　grimaced　and　said　to　Michael；　〃Just　as　I　thought；　it's　his　daughter　we　were　talking　about　and　now　he's　in　the　back　boiling　up　his　blood　to　do　us　a　mischief。　I　think　we'd　better　start　walking　toward　Corleone。〃
　
　Despite　his　months　on　the　island　Michael　still　could　not　get　used　to　the　Sicilian　touchiness　on　matters　of　sex；　and　this　was　extreme　even　for　a　Sicilian。　But　the　two　shepherds　seemed　to　take　it　as　a　matter　of　course。　They　were　waiting　for　him　to　leave。　Fabrizzio　said；　〃The　old　bastard　mentioned　he　has　two　sons；　big　tough　lads　that　he　has　only　to　whistle　up。　Let's　get　going。〃
　
　Michael　gave　him　a　cold　stare。　Up　to　now　he　had　been　a　quiet；　gentle　young　man；　a　typical　American；　except　that　since　he　was　hiding　in　Sicily　he　must　have　done　something　manly。　This　was　the　first　time　the　shepherds　had　seen　the　Corleone　stare。　Don　Tommasino；　knowing　Michael's　true　identity　and　deed；　had　always　been　wary　of　him；　treating　him　as　a　fellow　〃man　of　respect。〃　But　these　unsophisticated　sheep　herders　had　e　to　their　own　opinion　of　Michael；　and　not　a　wise　one。　The　cold　look；　Michael's　rigid　white　face；　his　anger　that　came　off　him　like　cold　smoke　off　ice；　sobered　their　laughter　and　snuffed　out　their　familiar　friendliness。
　
　When　he　saw　he　had　their　proper；　respectful　attention　Michael　said　to　them；　〃Get　that　man　out　here　to　me。〃
　
　They　didn't　hesitate。　They　shouldered　their　luparas　and　went　into　the　dark　coolness　of　the　café。　A　few　seconds　later　they　reappeared　with　the　café　owner　between　them。　The　stubby　man　looked　in　no　way　frightened　but　his　anger　had　a　certain　wariness　about　it。
　
　Michael　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　studied　the　man　for　a　moment。　Then　he　said　very　quietly；　〃I　understand　I've　offended　you　by　talking　about　your　daughter。　I　offer　you　my　apologies；　I'm　a　stranger　in　this　country；　i　don't　know　the　customs　that　well。　Let　me　say　this。　I　meant　no　disrespect　to　you　or　her。〃
　
　The　shepherd　bodyguards　were　impressed。　Michael's　voice　had　never　sounded　like　this　before　when　speaking　to　them。　There　was　mand　and　authority　in　it　though　he　was　making　an　apology。　The　café　owner　shrugged；　more　wary　still；　knowing　he　was　not　dealing　with　some　farmboy。　〃Who　are　you　and　what　do　you　want　from　my　daughter？〃
　
　Without　even　hesitating　Michael　said；　〃I　am　an　American　hiding　in　Sicily；　from　the　police　of　my　country。　My　name　is　Michael。　You　can　inform　the　police　and　make　your　fortune　but　then　your　daughter　would　lose　a　father　rather　than　gain　a　husband。　In　any　case　I　want　to　meet　your　daughter。　With　your　permission　and　under　the　supervision　of　your　family。　With　all　decorum。　With　all　respect。　I'm　an　honorable　man　and　I　don't　think　of　dishonoring　your　daughter。　I　want　to　meet　her；　talk　to　her　and　then　if　it　hits　us　both　right　we'll　marry。　If　not；　you'll　never　see　me　again。　She　may　find　me　unsympathetic　after　all；　and　no　man　can　remedy　that。　But　when　the　proper　time　es　I'll　tell　you　everything　about　me　that　a　wife's　father　should　know。〃
　
　All　three　men　were　looking　at　him　with　amazement。　Fabrizzio　whispered　in　awe；　〃It's　the　real　thunderbolt。〃　The　café　owner；　for　the　first　time；　didn't　look　so　confident；　or　contemptuous；　his　anger　was　not　so　sure。　Finally　he　asked；　〃Are　you　a　friend　of　the　friends？〃
　
　Since　the　word　Mafia　could　never　be　uttered　aloud　by　the　ordinary　Sicilian；　this　was　as　close　as　the　café　owner　could　e　to　asking　if　Michael　was　a　member　of　the　Mafia。　It　was　the　usual　way　of　asking　if　someone　belonged　but　it　was　ordinarily　not　addressed　to　the　person　directly　concerned。
　
　〃No；〃　Michael　said。　〃I'm　a　stranger　in　this　country。〃
　
　The　café　owner　gave　him　another　look；　the　smashed　left　side　of　his　face；　the　long　legs　rare　in　Sicily。　He　took　a　look　at　the　two　shepherds　carrying　their　luparas　quite　openly　without　fear　and　remembered　how　they　had　e　into　his　café　and　told　him　their　padrone　wanted　to　talk　to　him。　The　café　owner　had　snarled　that　he　wanted　the　son　of　a　bitch　out　of　his　terrace　and　one　of　the　shepherds　had　said；　〃Take　my　word；　it's　best　you　go　out　and　speak　to　him　yourself。〃　And　something　had　made　him　e　out。　Now　something　made　him　realize　that　it　would　be　best　to　show　this　stranger　some　courtesy。　He　said　grudgingly；　〃e　Sunday　afternoon。　My　name　is　Vitelli　and　my　house　is　up　there　on　the　hill；　above　the　village。　But　e　here　to　the　café　and　I'll　take　you　up。〃
　
　Fabrizzio　started　to　say　something　but　Michael　gave　him　one　look　and　the　shepherd's　tongue　froze　in　his　mouth。　This　was　not　lost　on　Vitelli。　So　when　Michael　stood　up　and　stretched　out　his　hand；　the　café　owner　took　it　and　smiled。　He　would　make　some　inquiries　and　if　the　answers　were　wrong　he　could　always　greet　Michael　with　his　two　sons　bearing　their　own　shotguns。　The　café　owner　was　not　without　his　contacts　among　the　〃friends　of　the　friends。〃　But　something　told　him　this　was　one　of　those　wild　strokes　of　good　fortune　that　Sicilians　always　believed　in；　something　told　him　that　his　daughter's　beauty　would　make　her　fortune　and　her　family　secure。　And　it　was　just　as　well。　Some　of　the　local　youths　were　already　beginning　to　buzz　around　and　this　stranger　with　his　broken　face　could　do　the　necessary　job　of　scaring　them　off。　Vitelli；　to　show　his　goodwill；　sent　the　strangers　off　with　a　bottle　of　his　best　and　coldest　wine。　He　noticed　that　one　of　the　shepherds　paid　the　bill。　This　impressed　him　even　more；　made　it　clear　that　Michael　was　the　superior　of　the　two　men　who　acpanied　him。
　
　Michael　was　no　longer　interested　in　his　hike。　They　found　a　garage　and　hired　a　car　and　driver　to　take　them　back　to　Corleone；　and　some　time　before　supper；　Dr。　Taza　must　have　been　informed　by　the　shepherds　of　what　had　happen。　That　evening；　sitting　in　the　garden；　Dr。　Taza　said　to　Don　Tommasino；　〃Our　friend　got　hit　by　the　thunderbolt　today。〃
　
　Don　Tommasino　did　not　seem　surprised。　He　grunted。　〃I　wish　some　of　those　young　fellows　in　Palermo　would　get　a　thunderbolt；　maybe　I　could　get　some　peace。〃　He　was　talking　about　the　new…style　Mafia　chiefs　rising　in　the　big　cities　of　Palermo　and　challenging　the　power　of　old…regime　stalwarts　like　himself。
　
　Michael　said　to　Tommasino；　〃I　want　you　to　tell　those　two　sheep　herders　to　leave　me　alone　Sunday。　I'm　going　to　go　to　this　girl's　family　for　dinner　and　I　don't　want　them　hanging　around。〃
　
　Don　Tommasino　shook　his　head。　〃I'm　responsible　to　your　father　for　you；　don't　ask　me　that。　Another　thing；　I　hear　you've　even　talked　marriage。　I　can't　allow　that　until　I've　sent　somebody　to　speak　to　your　father。〃
　
　Michael　Corleone　was　very　careful；　this　was　after　all　a　man　of　respect。　〃Don　Tommasino；　you　know　my　father。　He's　a　man　who　goes　deaf　when　somebody　says　the　word　no　to　him。　And　he　doesn't　get　his　hearing　back　until　they　answer　him　with　a　yes。　Well；　he　has　heard　my　no　many　times。　I　understand　about　the　two　guards；　I　don't　want　to　cause　you　trouble；　they　can　e　with　me　Sunday；　but　if　I　want　to　marry　I'll　marry。　Surely　if　I　don't　permit　my　own　father　to　interfere　with　my　personal　life　it　would　be　an　insult　to　him　to　allow　you　to　do　so。〃
　
　The　capo…mafioso　sighed。　〃Well；　then；　marriage　it　will　have　to　be。　I　know　your　thunderbolt。　She's　a　good　girl　from　a　respectable　family。　You　can't　dishonor　them　without　the　father　trying　to　kill　you；　and　then　you'll　have　to　shed　blood。　Besides；　I　know　the　family　well；　I　can't　allow　it　to　happen。〃
　
　Michael　said；　〃She　may　not　be　able　to　stand　the　sight　of　me；　and　she's　a　very　young　girl；　she'll　think　me　old。〃　He　saw　the　two　men　smiling　at　him。　〃I'll　need　some　money　for　presents　and　I　think　I'll　need　a　car。〃
　
　The　Don　nodded。　〃Fabrizzio　will　take　care　of　everything；　he's　a　clever　boy；　they　taught　him　mechanics　in　the　navy。　I'll　give　you　some　money　in　the　morning　and　I'll　let　your　father　know　what's　happening。　That　I　must　do。〃
　
　Michael　said　to　Dr。　Taza；　〃Have　you　got　anything　that　can　dry　up　this　damn　snot　always　ing　out　of　my　nose？　I　can't　have　that　girl　seeing　me　wiping　it　all　the　time。〃
　
　Dr。　Taza　said；　〃I'll　coat　it　with　a　drug　before　you　have　to　see　her。　It　makes　your　flesh　a　little　numb　but；　don't　worry；　you　won't　be　kissing　her　for　a　while　yet。〃　Both　doct