Английский язык с Крестным Отцом
Шрифт:
move in the constellations of power.
Michael went on. "Tom Hagen is no longer the Consigliori. He's going to be our lawyer
in Vegas. In about two months he'll move out there permanently with his family. Strictly
as a lawyer. Nobody goes to him with any other business as of now, this minute. He's a
lawyer and that's all. No reflection on Tom. That's the way I want it. Besides, if I ever
need any advice, who's a better counselor than my father?" They all laughed. But they
had gotten the message despite the joke. Tom Hagen was out; he no longer held any
power. They all took their fleeting glances to check Hagen's reaction but his face was
impassive.
Clemenza spoke up in his fat man's wheeze. "Then in a year's time we're on our own,
is that it?"
"Maybe less," Michael said courteously. "Of course you can always remain part of the
Family, that's your choice. But most of our strength will be out West and maybe you'd
do better organized on your own."
Tessio said quietly, "In that case I think you should give us permission to recruit new
men for our regimes. Those Barzini bastards keep chiseling in on my territory. I think
maybe it would be wise to teach them a little lesson in manners."
Michael shook his head. "No. No good. Just stay still. All that stuff will be negotiated,
everything will be straightened out before we leave."
Tessio was not to be so easily satisfied. He spoke to the Don directly, taking a chance
on incurring Michael's ill will. "Forgive me, Godfather, let our years of friendship be my
excuse. But I think you and your son are all wrong with this Nevada business. How can
you hope for success there without your strength here to back you up? The two go hand
in hand. And with you gone from here the Barzini and the Tattaglia will be too strong for
us. Me and Pete will have trouble, we'll come under their thumb sooner or later. And
Barzini is a man not to my taste. I say the Corleone Family has to make its move from
strength, not from weakness. We should build up our regimes and take back our lost
territories in Staten Island at least."
The Don shook his head. "I made the peace, remember, I can't go back on my word."
Tessio refused to be silenced. "Everybody knows Barzini gave you provocation since
then. And besides, if Michael is the new chief of the Corleone Family, what's to stop him
from taking any action he sees fit? Your word doesn't strictly bind him."
Мультиязыковой
Michael broke in sharply. He said to Tessio, very much the chief now, "There are
215
things being negotiated which will answer your questions and resolve your doubts. If my
word isn't enough for you, ask your Don."
But Tessio understood he had finally gone too far. If he dared to question the Don he
would make Michael his enemy. So he shrugged and said, "I spoke for the good of the
Family, not for myself. I can take care of myself."
Michael gave him a friendly smile. "Tessio, I never doubt you in any way. I never did.
But trust in me. Of course I'm not equal to you and Pete in these things, but after all I've
my father to guide me. I won't do too badly, we'll all come out fine."
The meeting was over. The big news was that Clemenza and Tessio would be
permitted to form their own Families from their regimes. Tessio would have his gambling
and docks in Brooklyn, Clemenza the gambling in Manhattan and the Family contacts in
the racing tracks of Long Island.
The two caporegimes left not quite satisfied, still a little uneasy. Carlo Rizzi lingered
hoping that the time had come when he finally would be treated as one of the family, but
he quickly saw that Michael was not of that mind. He left the Don, Tom Hagen and
Michael alone in the corner library room. Albert Neri ushered him out of the house and
Carlo noticed that Neri stood in the doorway watching him walk across the floodlit mall.
In the library the three men had relaxed as only people can who have lived years
together in the same house, in the same family. Michael served some anisette to the
Don and scotch to Tom Hagen. He took a drink for himself, which he rarely did.
Tom Hagen spoke up first. "Mike, why are you cutting me out of the action?"
Michael seemed surprised. "You'll be my number one man in Vegas. We'll be
legitimate all the way and you're the legal man. What can be more important than that?"
Hagen smiled a little sadly. "I'm not talking about that, I'm talking about Rocco
Lampone building a secret regime without my knowledge. I'm talking about you dealing
direct with Neri rather than through me or a caporegime. Unless of course you don't
know what Lampone's doing."