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

Bonasera began his request obliquely and cleverly. тАЬYou must excuse my daughter, your wifeтАЩs goddaughter, for not doing your family the respect of coming today. She is in the hospital still.тАЭ He glanced at Sonny Corleone and Tom Hagen to indicate that he did not wish to speak before them. But the Don was merciless.

тАЬWe all know of your daughterтАЩs misfortune,тАЭ Don Corleone said. тАЬIf I can help her in any way, you have only to speak. My wife is her godmother after all. I have never forgotten that honor.тАЭ This was a rebuke. The undertaker never called Don Corleone тАЬGodfatherтАЭ as custom dictated.

Bonasera, ashen-faced, asked, directly now, тАЬMay I speak to you alone?тАЭ

Don Corleone shook his head. тАЬI trust these two men with my life. They are my two right arms. I cannot insult them by sending them away.тАЭ

The undertaker closed his eyes for a moment and then began to speak. His voice was quiet, the voice he used to console the bereaved. тАЬI raised my daughter in the American fashion. I believe in America. America has made my fortune. I gave my daughter her freedom and yet taught her never to dishonor her family. She found a тАШboy friend,тАЩ not an Italian. She went to the movies with him. She stayed out late. But he never came to meet her parents. I accepted all this without a protest, the fault is mine. Two months ago he took her for a drive. He had a masculine friend with him. They made her drink whiskey and then they tried to take advantage of her. She resisted. She kept her honor. They beat her. Like an animal. When I went to the hospital she had two black eyes. Her nose was broken. Her jaw was shattered. They had to wire it together. She wept through her pain. тАШFather, Father, why did they do it? Why did they do this to me?тАЩ And I wept.тАЭ Bonasera could not speak further, he was weeping now though his voice had not betrayed his emotion.

Don Corleone, as if against his will, made a gesture of sympathy and Bonasera went on, his voice human with suffering. тАЬWhy did I weep? She was the light of my life, an affectionate daughter. A beautiful girl. She trusted people and now she will never trust them again. She will never be beautiful again.тАЭ He was trembling, his sallow face flushed an ugly dark red.

тАЬI went to the police like a good American. The two boys were arrested. They were brought to trial. The evidence was overwhelming and they pleaded guilty. The judge sentenced them to three years in prison and suspended the sentence. They went free that very day. I stood in the courtroom like a fool and those bastards smiled at me. And then I said to my wife: тАШWe must go to Don Corleone for justice.тАЭтАШ

The Don had bowed his head to show respect for the manтАЩs grief. But when he spoke, the words were cold with offended dignity. тАЬWhy did you go to the police? Why didnтАЩt you come to me at the beginning of this affair?тАЭ

Bonasera muttered almost inaudibly, тАЬWhat do you want of me? Tell me what you wish. But do what I beg you to do.тАЭ There was something almost insolent in his words.

Don Corleone said gravely, тАЬ And what is that?тАЭ

Bonasera glanced at Hagen and Sonny Corleone and shook his head. The Don, still sitting at HagenтАЩs desk, inclined his body toward the undertaker. Bonasera hesitated, then bent down and put his lips so close to the DonтАЩs hairy ear that they touched. Don Corleone listened like a priest in the confessional, gazing away into the distance, impassive, remote. They stood so for a long moment until Bonasera finished whispering and straightened to his full height. The Don looked up gravely at Bonasera. Bonasera, his face flushed, returned the stare unflinchingly.

Finally the Don spoke. тАЬThat I cannot do. You are being carried away.тАЭ

Bonasera said loudly, clearly, тАЬI will pay you anything you ask.тАЭ On hearing this, Hagen flinched, a nervous flick of his head. Sonny Corleone folded his arms, smiled sardonically as he turned from the window to watch the scene in the room for the first time.

Don Corleone rose from behind the desk. His face was still impassive but his voice rang like cold death. тАЬWe have known each other many years, you and I,тАЭ he said to the undertaker, тАЬbut until this day you never came to me for counselor help. I canтАЩt remember the last time you invited me to your house for coffee though my wife is godmother to your only child. Let us be frank. You spurned my friendship. You feared to be in my debt.тАЭ

Bonasera murmured, тАЬI didnтАЩt want to get into trouble.тАЭ

The Don held up his hand. тАЬNo. DonтАЩt speak. You found America a paradise. You had a good trade, you made a good living, you thought the world a harmless place where you could take your pleasure as you willed. You never armed yourself with true friends. After all, the police guarded you, there were courts of law, you and yours could come to no harm. You did not need Don Corleone. Very well. My feelings were wounded but I am not that sort of person who thrusts his friendship on those who do not value itтАФ0n those who think me of little account.тАЭ The Don paused and gave the undertaker a polite, ironic smile. тАЬNow you come to me and say, тАШDon Corleone give me justice.тАЩ And you do not ask with respect. You do not offer me your friendship. You come into my home on the bridal day of my daughter and you ask me to do murder and you sayтАФтАЭ here the DonтАЩs voice became a scornful mimicryтАФтАЭ тАШI will pay you anything.тАЩ No, no, I am not offended, but what have I ever done to make you treat me so disrespectfully?тАЭ

Bonasera cried out in his anguish and his fear, тАЬ America has been good to me. I wanted to be a good citizen. I wanted my child to be American.тАЭ

The Don clapped his hands together with decisive approval. тАЬWell spoken. Very fine. Then you have nothing to complain about. The judge has ruled. America has ruled. Bring your daughter flowers and a box of candy when you go visit her in the hospital. That will comfort her. Be content. After all, this is not a serious affair, the boys were young, high-spirited, and one of them is the son of a powerful politician. No, my dear Amerigo, you have always been honest. I must admit, though you spurned my friendship, that I would trust the given word of Amerigo Bonasera more than I would any other manтАЩs. So give me your word that you will put aside this madness. It is not American. Forgive. Forget. Life is full of misfortunes.тАЭ

The cruel and contemptuous irony with which all this was said, the controlled anger of the Don, reduced the poor undertaker to a quivering jelly but he spoke up bravely again. тАЬI ask you for justice.тАЭ

Don Corleone said curtly, тАЬThe court gave you justice.тАЭ

Bonasera shook his head stubbornly. тАЬNo. They gave the youths justice. They did not give me justice.тАЭ

The Don acknowledged this fine distinction with an approving nod, then asked, тАЬWhat is your justice?тАЭ

тАЬAn eye for an eye,тАЭ Bonasera said.

тАЬYou asked for more,тАЭ the Don said. тАЬYour daughter is alive.тАЭ

Bonasera said reluctantly, тАЬLet them suffer as she suffers.тАЭ The Don waited for him to speak further. Bonasera screwed up the last of his courage and said, тАЬHow much shall I pay you?тАЭ It was a despairing wail.