"The Godfather" - читать интересную книгу автора (Mario Puzo)

A nurse and a doctor came out of Genco AbbandandoтАЩs private room. The doctor was a young man, serious-faced and with the air of one born to command, that is to say, the air of one who has been immensely rich all his life. One of the daughters asked timidly, тАЬDr. Kennedy, can we go to see him now?тАЭ

Dr. Kennedy looked over the large group with exasperation. DidnтАЩt these people realize that the man inside was dying and dying in torturous pain? It would be much better if everyone let him die in peace. тАЬI think just the immediate family,тАЭ he said in his exquisitely polite voice. He was surprised when the wife and daughters turned to the short, heavy man dressed in an awkwardly fitted tuxedo, as if to hear his decision.

The heavy man spoke. There was just the slightest trace of an Italian accent in his voice. тАЬMy dear doctor,тАЭ said Don Corleone, тАЬis it true he is dying?тАЭ

тАЬYes,тАЭ said Dr. Kennedy.

тАЬThen there is nothing more for you to do,тАЭ said Don Corleone. тАЬWe will take up the burden. We will comfort him. We will close his eyes. We will bury him and weep at his funeral and afterwards we will watch over his wife and daughters.тАЭ At hearing things put so bluntly, forcing her to understand, Mrs. Abbandando began to weep.

Dr. Kennedy shrugged. It was impossible to explain to these peasants. At the same time he recognized the crude justice in the manтАЩs remarks. His role was over. Still exquisitely polite, he said, тАЬPlease wait for the nurse to let you in, she has a few necessary things to do with the patient.тАЭ He walked away from them down the corridor, his white coat flapping.

The nurse went back into the room and they waited. Finally she came out again, holding the door for them to enter. She whispered, тАЬHeтАЩs delirious with the pain and fever, try not to excite him. And you can stay only a few minutes, except for the wife.тАЭ She recognized Johnny Fontane as he went by her and her eyes opened wide. He gave her a faint smile of acknowledgment and she stared at him with frank invitation. He filed her away for future reference, then followed the others into the sick manтАЩs room.

Genco Abbandando had run a long race with death, and now, vanquished, he lay exhausted on the raised bed. He was wasted away to no more than a skeleton, and what had once been vigorous black hair had turned into obscene stringy wisps. Don Corleone said cheerily, тАЬGenco, dear friend, I have brought my sons to pay their respects, and look, even Johnny, all the way from Hollywood.тАЭ

The dying man raised his fevered eyes gratefully to the Don. He let the young men clasp his bony hand in their fleshy ones. His wife and daughters ranged themselves along his bed, kissing his cheek, taking his other hand in turn.

The Don pressed his old friendтАЩs hand. He said comfortingly, тАЬHurry up and get better and weтАЩll take a trip back to Italy together to our old village. WeтАЩll play boccie in front of the wineshop like our fathers before us.тАЭ

The dying man shook his head. He motioned the young men and his family away from his bedside; with the other bony claw he hung fast to the Don. He tried to speak. The Don put his head down and then sat on the bedside chair. Genco Abbandando was babbling about their childhood. Then his coal-black eyes became sly. He whispered. The Don bent closer. The others in the room were astonished to see tears running down Don CorleoneтАЩs face as he shook his head. The quavering voice grew louder, filling the room. With a tortured, superhuman effort, Abbandando lifted his head off his pillow, eyes unseeing, and pointed a skeletal forefinger at the Don. тАЬGodfather, Godfather,тАЭ he called out blindly, тАЬsave me from death, I beg of you. My flesh is burning off my bones and I can feel the worms eating away my brain. Godfather, cure me, you have the power, dry the tears of my poor wife. In Corleone we played together as children and now will you let me die when I fear hell for my sins?тАЭ

The Don was silent. Abbandando said, тАЬIt is your daughterтАЩs wedding day, you cannot refuse me.тАЭ

The Don spoke quietly, gravely, to pierce through the blasphemous delirium. тАЬOld friend,тАЭ he said, тАЬI have no such powers. If I did I would be more merciful than God, believe me. But donтАЩt fear death and donтАЩt fear hell. I will have a mass said for your soul every night and every morning. Your wife and your children will pray for you. How can God punish you with so many pleas for mercy?тАЭ

The skeleton face took on a cunning expression that was obscene. Abbandando said slyly, тАЬItтАЩs been arranged then?тАЭ

When the Don answered, his voice was cold, without comfort. тАЬYou blaspheme. Resign yourself.тАЭ

Abbandando fell back on the pillow. His eyes lost their wild gleam of hope. The nurse came back into the room and started shooing them out in a very matter-of-fact way. The Don got up but Abbandando put out his hand. тАЬGodfather,тАЭ he said, тАЬstay here with me and help me meet death. Perhaps if He sees you near me He will be frightened and leave me in peace. Or perhaps you can say a word, pull a few strings, eh?тАЭ The dying man winked as if he were mocking the Don, now not really serious. тАЬYouтАЩre brothers in blood, after all.тАЭ Then, as if fearing the Don would be offended, be clutched at his hand. тАЬStay with me, let me hold your hand. WeтАЩll outwit that bastard as weтАЩve outwitted others. Godfather, donтАЩt betray me.тАЭ

The Don motioned the other people out of the room. They left. He took the withered claw of Genco Abbandando in his own two broad hands. Softly, reassuringly, he comforted his friend, as they waited for death together. As if the Don could truly snatch the life of Genco Abbandando back from that most foul and criminal traitor to man.



The wedding day of Connie Corleone ended well for her. Carlo Rizzi performed his duties as a bridegroom with skill and vigor, spurred on by the contents of the brideтАЩs gift purse which totaled up to over twenty thousand dollars. The bride, however, gave up her virginity with a great deal more willingness than she gave up her purse. For the latter, he had to blacken one of her eyes.

Lucy Mancini waited in her house for a call from Sonny Corleone, sure that he would ask her for a date. Finally she called his house and when she heard a womanтАЩs voice answer the phone she hung up. She had no way of knowing that nearly everyone at the wedding had remarked the absence of her and Sonny for that fatal half hour and the gossip was already spreading that Santino Corleone had found another victim. That he had тАЬdone the jobтАЭ on his own sisterтАЩs maid of honor.

Amerigo Bonasera had a terrible nightmare. In his dreams he saw Don Corleone, in peaked cap, overalls and heavy gloves, unloading bullet-riddled corpses in front of his funeral parlor and shouting, тАЬRemember, Amerigo, not a word to anyone, and bury them quickly.тАЭ He groaned so loud and long in his sleep that his wife shook him awake. тАЬEh, what a man you are,тАЭ she grumbled. тАЬTo have a nightmare only after a wedding.тАЭ

Kay Adams was escorted to her New York City hotel by Paulie Gatto and Clemenza. The car was large, luxurious and driven by Gat to. Clemenza sat in the back seat and Kay was given the front seat next to the driver. She found both men wildly exotic. Their speech was movie Brooklynese and they treated her with exaggerated courtliness. During the ride she chatted casually with both men and was surprised when they spoke of Michael with unmistakable affection and respect. He had led her to believe that he was an alien in his fatherтАЩs world. Now Clemenza was assuring her in his wheezing guttural voice that the тАЬold manтАЭ thought Mike was the best of his sons, the one who would surely inherit the family business.

тАЬWhat business is that?тАЭ Kay asked in the most natural way.

Paulie Gatto gave her a quick glance as he turned the wheel. Behind her Clemenza said in a surprised voice. тАЬDidnтАЩt Mike tell you? Mr. Corleone is the biggest importer of Italian olive oil in the States. Now that the war is over the business could get real rich. HeтАЩll need a smart boy like Mike.тАЭ

At the hotel Clemenza insisted on coming to the desk with her. When she protested, he said simply, тАЬThe boss said to make sure you got home OK. I gotta do it.тАЭ