mp.godfather-第91节

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　Johnny　said　hurriedly；　〃I　believe　you；　Mike。　But　there's　ten　more　hotels　and　casinos　being　built　on　the　Strip　right　now。　When　you　e　in；　the　market　may　be　glutted；　you　may　be　too　late　with　all　that　petition　already　there。〃
　
　Tom　Hagen　spoke　up。　〃The　Corleone　Family　has　friends　who　are　financing　three　of　those　hotels。〃　Johnny　understood　immediately　that　he　meant　the　Corleone　Family　owned　the　three　hotels；　with　their　casinos。　And　that　there　would　be　plenty　of　points　to　give　out。
　
　〃I'll　start　working　on　it；〃　Johnny　said。
　
　Michael　turned　to　Lucy　and　Jules　Segal。　〃I　owe　you；〃　he　said　to　Jules。　〃I　hear　you　want　to　go　back　to　cutting　people　up　and　that　hospitals　won't　let　you　use　their　facilities　because　of　that　old　abortion　business。　I　have　to　know　from　you；　is　that　what　you　want？〃
　
　Jules　smiles。　〃I　guess　so。　But　you　don't　know　the　medical　setup。　Whatever　power　you　have　doesn't　mean　anything　to　them。　I'm　afraid　you　can't　help　me　in　that。〃
　
　Michael　nodded　absentmindedly。　〃Sure；　you're　right。　But　some　friends　of　mine；　pretty　well…known　people；　are　going　to　build　a　big　hospital　for　Las　Vegas。　The　town　will　need　it　the　way　it's　growing　and　the　way　it's　projected　to　grow。　Maybe　they'll　let　you　into　the　operating　room　if　it's　put　to　them　right。　Hell；　how　many　surgeons　as　good　as　you　can　they　get　to　e　out　to　this　desert？　Or　any　half　as　good？　We'll　be　doing　the　hospital　a　favor。　So　stick　around。　I　hear　you　and　Lucy　are　going　to　get　married？〃
　
　Jules　shrugged。　〃When　I　see　that　I　have　any　future。〃
　
　Lucy　said　wryly；　〃Mike；　if　you　don't　build　that　hospital；　I'll　die　an　old　maid。〃
　
　They　all　laughed。　All　except　Jules。　He　said　to　Michael；　〃If　I　took　a　job　like　that　there　couldn't　be　any　strings　attached。〃
　
　Michael　said　coldly；　〃No　strings。　I　just　owe　you　and　I　want　to　even　out。〃
　
　Lucy　said　gently；　〃Mike；　don't　get　sore。〃
　
　Michael　smiled　at　her。　〃I'm　not　sore。〃　He　turned　to　Jules。　〃That　was　a　dumb　thing　for　you　to　say。　The　Corleone　Family　has　pulled　some　strings　for　you。　Do　you　think　I'm　so　stupid　I'd　ask　you　to　do　things　you'd　hate　to　do？　But　if　I　did；　so　what？　Who　the　hell　else　ever　lifted　a　finger　to　help　you　when　you　were　in　trouble？　When　I　heard　you　wanted　to　get　back　to　being　a　real　surgeon；　I　took　a　lot　of　time　to　find　out　if　I　could　help。　I　can。　I'm　not　asking　you　for　anything。　But　at　least　you　can　consider　our　relationship　friendly；　and　I　assume　you　would　do　for　me　what　you'd　do　for　any　good　friend。　That's　my　string。　But　you　can　refuse　it。〃
　
　Tom　Hagen　lowered　his　head　and　smiled。　Not　even　the　Don　himself　could　have　done　it　any　better。
　
　Jules　was　flushing。　〃Mike；　I　didn't　mean　it　that　way　at　all。　I'm　very　grateful　to　you　and　your　father。　Forget　I　said　it。〃
　
　Michael　nodded　and　said；　〃Fine。　Until　the　hospital　gets　built　and　opens　up　you'll　be　medical　director　for　the　four　hotels。　Get　yourself　a　staff。　Your　money　goes　up　too；　but　you　can　discuss　that　with　Tom　at　a　later　time。　And　Lucy；　I　want　you　to　do　something　more　important。　Maybe　coordinate　all　the　shops　that　will　be　opening　up　in　the　hotel　arcades。　On　the　financial　side。　Or　maybe　hiring　the　girls　we　need　to　work　in　the　casinos。　something　like　that。　So　if　Jules　doesn't　marry　you；　you　can　be　a　rich　old　maid。〃
　
　Freddie　had　been　puffing　on　his　cigar　angrily。　Michael　turned　to　him　and　said　gently；　〃I'm　just　the　errand　boy　for　the　Don；　Freddie。　What　he　wants　you　to　do　he'll　tell　you　himself；　naturally；　but　I'm　sure　it　will　be　something　big　enough　to　make　you　happy。　Everybody　tells　us　what　a　great　job　you've　been　doing　here。〃
　
　〃Then　why　is　he　sore　at　me？〃　Freddie　asked　plaintively。　〃Just　because　the　casino　has　been　losing　money？　I　don't　control　that　end；　Moe　Greene　does。　What　the　hell　does　the　old　man　want　from　me？〃
　
　〃Don't　worry　about　it；〃　Michael　said。　He　turned　to　Johnny　Fontane。　〃Where's　Nino？　I　was　looking　forward　to　seeing　him　again。〃
　
　Johnny　shrugged。　〃Nino　is　pretty　sick。　A　nurse　is　taking　care　of　him　in　his　room。　But　the　doc　here　says　he　should　be　mitted；　that　he's　trying　to　kill　himself。　Nino！〃
　
　Michael　said　thoughtfully；　really　surprised；　〃Nino　was　always　a　real　good　guy。　I　never　knew　him　to　do　anything　lousy；　say　anything　to　put　anybody　down。　He　never　gave　a　damn　about　anything。　Except　the　booze。〃
　
　〃Yeah；〃　Johnny　said。　〃The　money　is　rolling　in；　he　could　get　a　lot　of　work；　singing　or　in　the　movies。　He　gets　fifty　grand　a　picture　now　and　he　blows　it。　He　doesn't　give　a　damn　about　being　famous。　All　the　years　we've　been　buddies　I've　never　known　him　to　do　anything　creepy。　And　the　son　of　a　bitch　is　drinking　himself　to　death。〃
　
　Jules　was　about　to　say　something　when　there　was　a　knock　on　the　door　of　the　suite。　He　was　surprised　when　the　man　in　the　armchair；　the　man　nearest　the　door；　did　not　answer　it　but　kept　reading　the　newspaper。　It　was　Hagen　who　went　to　open　it。　And　was　almost　brushed　aside　when　Moe　Greene　came　striding　into　the　room　followed　by　his　two　bodyguards。
　
　Moe　Greene　was　a　handsome　hood　who　had　made　his　rep　as　a　Murder　Incorporated　executioner　in　Brooklyn。　He　had　branched　out　into　gambling　and　gone　west　to　seek　his　fortune；　had　been　the　first　person　to　see　the　possibilities　of　Las　Vegas　and　built　one　of　the　first　hotel　casinos　on　the　Strip。　He　still　had　murderous　tantrums　and　was　feared　by　everyone　in　the　hotel；　not　excluding　Freddie；　Lucy　and　Jules　Segal。　They　always　stayed　out　of　his　way　whenever　possible。
　
　His　handsome　face　was　grim　now。　He　said　to　Michael　Corleone；　〃I've　been　waiting　around　to　talk　to　you；　Mike。　I　got　a　lot　of　things　to　do　tomorrow　so　I　figured　I'd　catch　you　tonight。　How　about　it？〃
　
　Michael　Corleone　looked　at　him　with　what　seemed　to　be　friendly　astonishment。　〃Sure；〃　he　said。　He　motioned　in　Hagen's　direction。　〃Get　Mr。　Greene　a　drink；　Tom。〃
　
　Jules　noticed　that　the　man　called　Albert　Neri　was　studying　Moe　Greene　intently；　not　paying　any　attention　to　the　bodyguards　who　were　leaning　against　the　door。　He　knew　there　was　no　chance　of　any　violence；　not　in　Vegas　itself。　That　was　strictly　forbidden　as　fatal　to　the　whole　project　of　making　Vegas　the　legal　sanctuary　of　American　gamblers。
　
　Moe　Greene　said　to　his　bodyguards；　〃Draw　some　chips　for　all　these　people　so　that　they　can　gamble　on　the　house。〃　He　obviously　meant　Jules；　Lucy；　Johnny　Fontane　and　Michael's　bodyguard；　Albert　Neri。
　
　Michael　Corleone　nodded　agreeably。　〃That's　a　good　idea。〃　It　was　only　then　that　Neri　got　out　of　his　chair　and　prepared　to　follow　the　others　out。
　
　After　the　good…byes　were　said；　there　were　Freddie；　Tom　Hagen；　Moe　Greene　and　Michael　Corleone　left　in　the　room。
　
　Greene　put　his　drink　down　on　the　table　and　said　with　barely　controlled　fury；　〃What's　this　I　hear　the　Corleone　Family　is　going　to　buy　me　out？　I'll　buy　you　out。　You　don't　buy　me　out。〃
　
　Michael　said　reasonably；　〃Your　casino　has　been　losing　money　against　all　the　odds。　There's　something　wrong　with　the　way　you　operate。　Maybe　we　can　do　better。〃
　
　Greene　laughed　harshly。　〃You　goddamn　Dagos；　I　do　you　a　favor　and　take　Freddie　in　when　you're　having　a　bad　time　and　now　you　push　me　out。　That's　what　you　think。　I　don't　get　pushed　out　by　nobody　and　I　got　friends　that　will　back　me　up。〃
　
　Michael　was　still　quietly　reasonable。　〃You　took　Freddie　in　because　the　Corleone　Family　gave　you　a　big　chunk　of　money　to　finish　furnishing　your　hotel。　And　bankroll　your　casino。　And　because　the　Molinari　Family　on　the　Coast　guaranteed　his　safety　and　gave　you　some　service　for　taking　him　in。　The　Corleone　Family　and　you　are　evened　out。　I　don't　know　what　you're　getting　sore　about。　We'll　buy　your　share　at　any　reasonable　price　you　name；　what's　wrong　with　that？　What's　unfair　about　that？　With　your　casino　losing　money　we're　doing　you　a　favor。〃
　
　Greene　shook　his　head。　〃The　Corleone　Family　don't　have　that　much　muscle　anymore。　The　Godfather　is　sick。　You're　getting　chased　out　of　New　York　by　the　other　Families　and　you　think　you　can　find　easier　pickings　here。　I'll　give　you　some　advice；　Mike；　don't　try。〃
　
　Michael　said　softly；　〃Is　that　why　you　thought　you　could　slap　Freddie　around　in　public？〃
　
　Tom　Hagen；　startled；　turned　his　attention　to　Freddie。　Freddie　Corleone's　face　was　getting　red。　〃Ah；　Mike；　that　wasn't　anything。　Moe　didn't　mean　anything。　He　flies　off　the　handle　sometimes；　but　me　and　him　are　good　friends。　Right；　Moe？〃
　
　Greene　was　wary。　〃Yeah；　sure。　Sometimes　I　got　to　kick　asses　to　make　this　place　run　right。　I　got　sore　at　Freddie　because　he　was　banging　all　the　cocktail　waitresses　and　letting　them　goof　off　on　the　job。　We　had　a　little　argument　and　I　straightened　him　out。〃
　
　Michael's　face　was　impassive　when　he　said　to　his　brother；　〃You　straightened　out；　Freddie？〃
　
　Freddie　stared　sullenly　at　his　younger　brother。　He　didn't　answer。　Greene　laughed　and　said；　〃The　son　of　a　bitch　was　taking　them　to　bed　two　at　a　time；　the　old　sandwich　job。　Freddie；　I　gotta　admit　you　really　put　it　to　those　broads。　Nobody　else　could　make　them　happy　after　you　got　through　with　them。〃
　
　Hagen　saw　that　this　had　caught　Michael　by　surprise。　They　looked　at　each　other。　This　was　perhaps　the　real　reason　the　Don　was　displeased　with　Freddie。　The　Don　was　straitlaced　about　sex。　He　would　consider　such　cavorting　by　his　so