mp.godfather-第81节

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ng　went　very　swiftly　at　Michael's　request。　And　because　the　girl　was　not　only　fascinated　by　him　but　knew　he　must　be　rich；　a　wedding　date　was　set　for　the　Sunday　two　weeks　away。
　
　Now　Don　Tommasino　took　a　hand。　He　had　received　word　from　America　that　Michael　was　not　subject　to　orders　but　that　all　elementary　precautions　should　be　taken。　So　Don　Tommasino　appointed　himself　the　parent　of　the　bridegroom　to　insure　the　presence　of　his　own　bodyguards。　Calo　and　Fabrizzio　were　also　members　of　the　wedding　party　from　Corieone　as　was　Dr。　Taza。　The　bride　and　groom　would　live　in　Dr。　Taza's　villa　surrounded　by　its　stone　wall。
　
　The　wedding　was　the　usual　peasant　one。　The　villagers　stood　in　the　streets　and　threw　flowers　as　the　bridal　party；　principals　and　guests；　went　on　foot　from　the　church　to　the　bride's　home。　The　wedding　procession　pelted　the　neighbors　with　sugar…coated　almonds；　the　traditional　wedding　candies；　and　with　candies　left　over　made　sugary　white　mountain　on　the　bride's　wedding　bed；　in　this　case　only　a　symbolic　one　since　the　first　night　would　be　spent　in　the　villa　outside　Corleone。　The　wedding　feast　went　on　until　midnight　but　bride　and　groom　would　leave　before　that　in　the　Alfa　Romeo。　When　that　time　came　Michael　was　surprised　to　find　that　the　mother　was　ing　with　them　to　the　Corleone　villa　at　the　request　of　the　bride。　The　father　explained：　the　girl　was　young；　a　virgin；　a　little　frightened；　she　would　need　someone　to　talk　to　on　the　morning　following　her　bridal　night；　to　put　her　on　the　right　track　if　things　went　wrong。　These　matters　could　sometimes　get　very　tricky。　Michael　saw　Apollonia　looking　at　him　with　doubt　in　her　huge　doe…brown　eyes。　He　smiled　at　her　and　nodded。
　
　And　so　it　came　about　that　they　drove　back　to　the　villa　outside　Corleone　with　the　mother…in…law　in　the　car。　But　the　older　woman　immediately　put　her　head　together　with　the　servants　of　Dr。　Taza；　gave　her　daughter　a　hug　and　a　kiss　and　disappeared　from　the　scene。　Michael　and　his　bride　were　allowed　to　go　to　their　huge　bedroom　alone。
　
　Apollonia　was　still　wearing　her　bridal　costume　with　a　cloak　thrown　over　it。　Her　trunk　and　case　had　been　brought　up　to　the　room　from　the　car。　On　a　small　table　was　a　bottle　of　wine　and　a　plate　of　small　wedding　cakes。　The　huge　canopied　bed　was　never　out　of　their　vision。　The　young　girl　in　the　center　of　the　room　waited　for　Michael　to　make　the　first　move。
　
　And　now　that　he　had　her　alone；　now　that　he　legally　possessed　her；　now　that　there　was　no　barrier　to　his　enjoying　that　body　and　face　he　had　dreamed　about　every　night；　Michael　could　not　bring　himself　to　approach　her。　He　watched　as　she　took　off　the　bridal　shawl　and　draped　it　over　a　chair；　and　placed　the　bridal　crown　on　the　small　dressing　table。　That　table　had　an　array　of　perfumes　and　creams　that　Michael　had　had　sent　from　Palermo。　The　girl　tallied　them　with　her　eyes　for　a　moment。
　
　Michael　turned　off　the　lights；　thinking　the　girl　was　waiting　for　some　darkness　to　shield　her　body　while　she　undressed。　But　the　Sicilian　moon　came　through　the　unshuttered　windows；　bright　as　gold；　and　Michael　went　to　close　the　shutters　but　not　all　the　way；　the　room　would　be　too　warm。
　
　The　girl　was　still　standing　by　the　table　and　so　Michael　went　out　of　the　room　and　down　the　hall　to　the　bathroom。　He　and　Dr。　Taza　and　Don　Tommasino　had　taken　a　glass　of　wine　together　in　the　garden　while　the　women　had　prepared　themselves　for　bed。　He　had　expected　to　find　Apollonia　in　her　nightgown　when　he　returned；　already　between　the　covers。　He　was　surprised　that　the　mother　had　not　done　this　service　for　her　daughter。　Maybe　Apollonia　had　wanted　him　to　help　her　to　undress。　But　he　was　certain　she　was　too　shy；　too　innocent　for　such　forward　behavior。
　
　ing　back　into　the　bedroom；　he　found　it　pletely　dark；　someone　had　closed　the　shutters　all　the　way。　He　groped　his　way　toward　the　bed　and　could　make　out　the　shape　of　Apollonia's　body　lying　under　the　covers；　her　back　to　him；　her　body　curved　away　from　him　and　huddled　up。　He　undressed　and　slipped　naked　beneath　the　sheets。　He　stretched　out　one　hand　and　touched　silky　naked　skin。　She　had　not　put　on　her　gown　and　this　boldness　delighted　him。　Slowly；　carefully；　he　put　one　hand　on　her　shoulder　and　pressed　her　body　gently　so　that　she　would　turn　to　him。　She　turned　slowly　and　his　hand　touched　her　breast；　soft；　full　and　then　she　was　in　his　arms　so　quickiy　that　their　bodies　came　together　in　one　line　of　silken　electricity　and　he　finally　had　his　arms　around　her；　was　kissing　her　warm　mouth　deeply；　was　crushing　her　body　and　breasts　against　him　and　then　rolling　his　body　on　top　of　hers。
　
　Her　flesh　and　hair　taut　silk；　now　she　was　all　eagerness；　surging　against　him　wildly　in　a　virginal　erotic　frenzy。　When　he　entered　her　she　gave　a　little　gasp　and　was　still　for　just　a　second　and　then　in　a　powerful　forward　thrust　of　her　pelvis　she　locked　her　satiny　legs　around　his　hips。　When　they　came　to　the　end　they　were　locked　together　so　fiercely；　straining　against　each　other　so　violently；　that　falling　away　from　each　other　was　like　the　tremble　before　death。
　
　That　night　and　the　weeks　that　followed；　Michael　Corleone　came　to　understand　the　premium　put　on　virginity　by　socially　primitive　people。　It　was　a　period　of　sensuality　that　he　had　never　before　experienced；　a　sensuality　mixed　with　a　feeling　of　masculine　power。　Apollonia　in　those　first　days　became　almost　his　slave。　Given　trust；　given　affection；　a　young　full…blooded　girl　aroused　from　virginity　to　erotic　awareness　was　as　delicious　as　an　exactly　ripe　fruit。
　
　She　on　her　part　brightened　up　the　rather　gloomy　masculine　atmosphere　of　the　villa。　She　had　packed　her　mother　off　the　very　next　day　after　her　bridal　night　and　presided　at　the　munal　table　with　bright　girlish　charm。　Don　Tommasino　dined　with　them　every　night　and　Dr。　Taza　told　all　his　old　stories　as　they　drank　wine　in　the　garden　full　of　statues　garlanded　with　blood…red　flowers；　and　so　the　evenings　passed　pleasantly　enough。　At　night　in　their　bedroom　the　newly　married　couple　spent　hours　of　feverish　lovemaking。　Michael　could　not　get　enough　of　Apollonia's　beautifully　sculpted　body；　her　honey…colored　skin；　her　huge　brown　eyes　glowing　with　passion。　She　had　a　wonderfully　fresh　smell；　a　fleshly　smell　perfumed　by　her　sex　yet　almost　sweet　and　unbearably　aphrodisiacal。　Her　virginal　passion　matched　his　nuptial　lust　and　often　it　was　dawn　when　they　fell　into　an　exhausted　slumber。　Sometimes；　spent　but　not　yet　ready　for　sleep；　Michael　sat　on　the　window　ledge　and　stared　at　Apollonia's　naked　body　while　she　slept。　Her　face　too　was　lovely　in　repose；　a　perfect　face　he　had　seen　before　only　in　art　books　of　painted　Italian　Madonnas　who　by　no　stretch　of　the　artist's　skill　could　be　thought　virginal。
　
　In　the　first　week　of　their　marriage　they　went　on　picnics　and　small　trips　in　the　Alfa　Romeo。　But　then　Don　Tommasino　took　Michael　aside　and　explained　that　the　marriage　had　made　his　presence　and　identity　mon　knowledge　in　that　part　of　Sicily　and　precautions　had　to　be　taken　against　the　enemies　of　the　Corleone　Family；　whose　long　arms　also　stretched　to　this　island　refuge。　Don　Tommasino　put　armed　guards　around　his　villa　and　the　two　shepherds；　Calo　and　Fabrizzio；　were　fixtures　inside　the　walls。　So　Michael　and　his　wife　had　to　remain　on　the　villa　grounds。　Michael　passed　the　time　by　teaching　Apollonia　to　read　and　write　English　and　to　drive　the　car　along　the　inner　walls　of　the　villa。　About　this　time　Don　Tommasino　seemed　to　be　preoccupied　and　poor　pany。　He　was　still　having　trouble　with　the　new　Mafia　in　the　town　of　Palermo；　Dr。　Taza　said。
　
　One　night　in　the　garden　an　old　village　woman　who　worked　in　the　house　as　a　servant　brought　a　dish　of　fresh　olives　and　then　turned　to　Michael　and　said；　〃Is　it　true　what　everybody　is　saying　that　you　are　the　son　of　Don　Corleone　in　New　York　City；　the　Godfather？〃
　
　Michael　saw　Don　Tommasino　shaking　his　head　in　disgust　at　the　general　knowledge　of　their　secret。　But　the　old　crone　was　looking　at　him　in　so　concerned　a　fashion；　as　if　it　was　important　for　her　to　know　the　truth；　that　Michael　nodded。　〃Do　you　know　my　father？〃　he　asked。
　
　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　passe