Chapter 26 Section 20
The death of Sandino Corleone set off shocking waves throughout the underground world.When the news spread that old man Corleone got up from the hospital bed and took charge of family affairs again, and when the spies who watched the funeral reported that the old man had apparently fully recovered, the heads of the five major families frantically prepared to launch a defensive war against the inevitable. A bloody war of vengeance to come.No one thought that Don Corleone could be dealt with easily because of his misfortune.He was a man who made only a few mistakes in his career, and each time he made a mistake he learned something.
When the secret envoys were entrusted with making peace proposals to the five major families, only Hagen guessed the old man's true intentions, but he was not surprised.Not only did he offer a peace proposal, but he advocated for a meeting of all the gangster families in the city, and invited gangster families from all over the United States to attend the meeting.Because the power of the New York gangster family is the largest in the country, it goes without saying that their safety affects the safety of the whole country.
At first, some people were skeptical.Could it be that Don Corleone was setting a trap?Was he trying to paralyze his enemies?Could it be that he was trying to avenge his son by killing everyone?But Don Corleone was quick to show that he meant it.On the one hand, he brought all the gangster families in the country into this meeting, and on the other hand, he did nothing to mobilize his own people in a state of war, nor did he take any action to recruit troops and win allies.Then he took the final step which, in the popular mind, established the authenticity of his peaceful intentions while also securing the imminent grand conference.He asked Bu Qiqiu's family to mediate.
The Buqiqiu family is very unique. It was a particularly vicious branch of the gang in Sicily back then.After moving to the United States, it became an instrument of peace.It turned out to be a group of desperadoes who lived their lives blindly, but the way they live now may be called the way of the most holy and sages.The Buqiqiu family has a characteristic: it is a group that is closely bound together by blood ties, and loyalty to the family is very strict. Even in a society where loyalty to the family is higher than loyalty to the wife, their kind Loyalty to the family can still be said to stand out.
The Bu Qiqiu family, including the descendants of children born to parents, cousins, and cousins, once grew to a population of almost two hundred.At that time, they controlled a special economy in a small area of southern Sicily.The income of the entire family depended on four or five flour mills at that time. These flour mills were by no means shared by everyone, but they ensured the employment, living problems and minimum safety of all family members. This is enough to make them form a united front against their enemies.
In that corner of their control, no competing mills could be built, nor dams that might supply water to their competing mills, or destroy their monopoly on buying and selling water power.On one occasion, an invincible landowner attempted to build a private flour mill for his own use, and the mill burned down.He complained to the local gendarmerie and higher authorities, resulting in the arrest of thirty members of the Buccio family.Before the trial was held, the landlord's manor was burned down.Months after the verdict was dropped, along with the charges, a concerned top official in the Italian government traveled to Sicily to try to solve the island's chronic water shortage by building a massive dam.Water conservancy technicians from Rome began to carry out exploration work, and the police flocked to the area like a flood, living in specially built barracks.
It seemed that the construction of the dam could not be stopped, and supplies and equipment had already been brought to Palermo.The authorities took matters to this point, and the Buqiqiu family contacted the leaders of the brother gangs everywhere and obtained a promise of support for them.As a result, heavy equipment was sabotaged and small equipment disappeared.The representatives of the underground gang forces in the Italian Parliament stuck to the rules and acted according to the rules, and launched a well-founded counterattack against the designers.This counterattack lasted for several years, and then Mussolini came to power, and the dictator issued a decree: the dam must be built.The result is still not built.The dictator realized that this family underground power formed an authority independent of his authority and would be a threat to his regime.He entrusted full authority to a high-ranking police officer, who resolved the matter decisively, by simply putting them one by one either in prison, or exiled to other isolated islands for hard labour.In just a few short years, he broke through the family's underground forces. The method he adopted was also very simple. He did not distinguish between indiscriminate and arrested whoever he wanted, even suspected members of the family's underground forces.This also destroyed many innocent families.
Faced with this lawless tyranny, the Buqiqiu family recklessly launched an armed struggle.As a result, half of the men in the family were killed in the armed conflict, and the other half were exiled to the small island of the penal colony.There were very few people left, and it was only at this time that arrangements were made for them to emigrate to the United States by boat through secret underground channels.A total of two dozen immigrants settled in a small town in the Hudson Valley not far from New York City.Here, they started from scratch and worked hard to have their own garbage removal company and their own trucks.Because they have no competitors, they slowly get rich.They don't have competition because competitors keep finding their trucks set on fire or vandalized.There was a stubborn boy who tried to steal the business by cutting prices, and later found him crushed in a garbage dump, smothered to death.
But when the men married, it goes without saying that their Sicilian wives bore many children.That way, the trash haulers, while they can sustain them, can't afford to pay for the finer things America has to offer.As a result, the Buqiqiu family has diversified, serving as peace mediators and hostages between the warring underground families.
The Buqiqiu family has passed down a stupid character from generation to generation, or they are as uncivilized as primitive people.All in all, they are self-aware that they cannot compete with other underground families in their struggle to organize and control complex and difficult business sectors such as prostitution, gambling, drug dealing, public fraud, etc.They are straightforward people who know how to give a simple policeman a gift, but they don't know how to approach a political backdoor matchmaker.They have only two family heirlooms: one is their way of talking, and the other is their brutal character.
Anyone in the Bu Qiqiu family will never lie; never betray; behaviors such as lying and betrayal are too complicated for a person in Qiqiu's family.Also, anyone in Bu Qiqiu's family will never forget that they have been hurt, and they must take revenge no matter how much the cost is.Thus, by their wanderings, they discover at last the occupation which will prove to be their most lucrative.
When the warring families wanted to make peace, and wanted to arrange a meeting, they first approached the Buqiqiu family.The patriarch of the Buqiqiu family controlled the first few negotiations and arranged the necessary hostages.For example, it turned out that when Michael met with Sollozzo, the Buccaccio family assigned one of their own to stay at the Corleone home as a guarantee of Michael's safety, and Sollozzo paid for this obligation.If Michael is killed by Sollozzo, the hostages in the hands of the Corleone family will be killed by Corleone's people.In this case, the Buqiqiu family will take revenge on Sollozzo on the grounds of the death of members of the family.Because the people of Buqiqiu's clan are as uncivilized as primitive people, they will never allow anything, any form of punishment, to hinder their revenge.If they were betrayed, they would rather die than take revenge.There is no effective way to prevent their revenge.Therefore, a Bu Qiqiu hostage is equal to the most secure guarantee.
It can be seen from this that since Don Corleone hired the Buqiqiu family to act as mediators.And ask them to provide hostages so that all the underground families can come to participate in the peace talks, then the sincerity of the old man is beyond doubt, and there is no possibility of conspiracy.Attending such a meeting will be as safe as attending a wedding.
After the hostages were provided, the meeting took place in the manager's conference room of a small commercial bank: the bank's president was very grateful to Don Corleone, and although part of the bank's share capital was in the name of the president, but actually belonged to Don Corleone.The President had voluntarily provided Don Corleone with a written document proving his ownership of those shares to rule out any possibility of treachery.The president has always cherished the scene at that time.Don Corleone was terribly disgusted by the Governor's supply of such documents.
"I will entrust to you all my fortune," he said to the Governor, "I will entrust to you my life and the happiness of my grandchildren, saying that you will play tricks on me or will not trust me, My party must be incredible. Then my whole world, and all my confidence in my own judgment about human nature, would collapse. Of course, I also keep accounts myself, just in case I encounter No matter what happens, my heirs will know that you are keeping some property for them. But, I know that even if I am no longer in this world and cannot take care of my children and grandchildren, you will take good care of them.
Although the bank president is not a Sicilian, he is also a very emotional person.He knew the old man very well.Nowadays, the godfather's request is also an order to the president. Therefore, on a Saturday afternoon, a set of rooms in the bank's general manager's office, the conference room and the soft leather chairs inside, and the absolutely quiet environment, all belong to the bank. Let it be used by the leaders of the underground families.
The security of the bank was carried out by a small and carefully selected unit: this unit wore the uniform of the bank guard squad.At about ten o'clock on a Saturday morning, everyone in the meeting room was present.In addition to the five major families in New York, there are representatives of the other ten major families in the country, except for the black sheep in their world, the Chicago faction.They had long since given up trying to civilize the Chicago faction, and they thought it unreasonable to include the mad dogs in such an important meeting.
A bar and a bistro have been set up exclusively for conference attendees.Each representative participating in the meeting can only bring one assistant according to regulations.Most of the old men brought their respective staff officers as assistants.So there are relatively few young people in the house.Tom Hagen was a young man, and the only representative of all the delegates present who was not of Sicilian descent.He was the object of curiosity, an oddball like no other.
Hagen knew how to keep his word and his actions in check.He doesn't talk easily, and he doesn't smile easily.He served his boss, Don Corleone, as respectfully as a favorite would serve a king: brought him a cold drink, lighted his cigarette, moved the ashtray to his front, showing respect for the old man, but Not groveling.
Of all the people in the room, only Hagen could recognize the people in the pictures on the surrounding walls.These colorful oil paintings are all legendary figures in the financial world.One of them was Secretary of the Treasury Hamilton.Hagen couldn't help feeling that perhaps Hamilton would approve of such a peace conference being held at the bank.There is nothing more calming than money, and nothing more capable of urging people to pure reason than other distractions.
The arrival time of the attendees is scheduled to last from 9:30 am to 10:00 am.Don Corleone was the first to arrive because he was an advocate of this peace conference and had a sense of responsibility as a master.One of the many qualities about him is punctuality.The twentieth attendee was Carlo Tramonti, who dominated the southern United States.He was a middle-aged man with a particularly fine face, and he was quite tall for the average Sicilian.His clothes are particularly well-made, and his hair style is also particularly well-crafted.He looked less Italian than a magazine fishing millionaire lounging on his yacht.The Tramonti family used to rely on gambling to make a living. People who met him for the first time would never have imagined how cruel the means he used when he seized the power of the current empire.
He was a child when he came out of Sicily.He made his home in Florida, grew up, and was employed by the coalition of small-town politicians in the South, which controlled the gambling industry.These politicians are very powerful people, supported by very powerful police officers, and they have no idea that they will be knocked out by a fledgling new immigrant.They did not expect him to be so ferocious, and at the same time they did not think that what they were fighting for was worth so much blood, so they did not think it was worth fighting him hard.Tramonti used more money from the gross as a bribe to win over the police first.He then wiped out those bumpkin hooligans who were not creative in their business operations one by one.Tramonti established contact with the Batista regime in Cuba, invested a lot of money in entertainment venues such as casinos and brothels in Havana, and lured gamblers from the American mainland.Tramonti now owns several times the property of a millionaire and owns one of the most luxurious hotels in Miami Beach.
Tramonti was escorted into the conference room by his assistant, his staff officer.He immediately hugs Don Corleone and has a sympathetic look on his face, expressing how sorry he is for Don Corleone's loss of his son.
The other old men also arrived one after another.They all knew each other, and they had seen each other over the years, either in general social situations or in business contacts.They showed each other professional courtesy every time they met.In the days when they were both relatively young and their bodies were not fat, they all did small favors for each other.The old man who arrived on the twentieth was Joseph Zaluqi of Detroit.The Zarouqi family owns a racetrack in the Detroit area and owns a large part of the gambling business.Zaluqi was a round-faced, amiable man who lived in a $100,000 house in the trendy Louths Corner in the Detroit area.One of his sons was related by marriage to an old and famous American family.Like Don Corleone, Zarugi was a man of the world.Compared with any city controlled by underground family forces, Detroit has the least violence.In the city, where only two people have been executed in the last three years, he disapproves of drug trafficking.
Zarouqi arrived with his staff, and both of them stepped forward to hug Don Corleone.Zaluqi spoke with a humming American accent, and his original accent was extremely slight.His movements are very steady, he has the spirit of a businessman, and he is kind-hearted and warm to others.He said to Don Corleone, "Only your voice could have called me here."
Don Corleone bowed his thanks.He can count on Zaluqi to support him.
The next two old men who arrived were from the West Coast.As they co-operated so closely on every question, they had come from there in the same car.There were two of them, Franco Falcon and Anthony Molinari.They were both younger than everyone else at the meeting, in their forties, and they were dressed more casually than the others, in a Hollywood-like attire.They were also a little too friendly.Franco Falcon controlled the movie unions and gambling at the studios, as well as a complex system of supplying girls to brothels in the western states.It is impossible for any old man to acquire the air of a place of entertainment, but Falcon did.The old man of his company, of course, distrusted him.
Anthony Molinari controlled the San Francisco coast and was a well-known figure in sports betting.He is an Italian fisherman who owns the best seafood restaurant in San Francisco.He is very proud of owning such a hotel.There is a legend that he opened this restaurant and lost money because he guaranteed good quality and low price.He had the expressionless face of a professional gambler.It is reported that he is also related to the drug smuggling activities to and from the Far Eastern sea lanes across the Mexican border.The assistants brought by the two old men, Falcon and Molinari, were young and burly, obviously not staff officers but bodyguards, but they did not dare to bring weapons to such an occasion.Everyone knows that these two bodyguards know the martial arts of unarmed self-defense.The other old men were amused by this, but not surprised at all; and if they were, they were no more surprised than if they found these two old Californians wearing amulets blessed by the Pope.However, it must be explained that some of these people are very devout and believe in God.
Then came the representative of Boston's underground family, an old man who had no respect for his peers.It is reported that he is not decent to his "subjects" and hard-hearted to deceive his "subjects".This is forgivable, and everyone will adjust their greediness according to the environment.What cannot be forgiven is his inability to maintain order within his empire.In the Boston area, there are many assassinations, many small-scale wars for power and profit, and many individual reckless activities without background support. The mockery of the law is blatant.If the underground gangster families in Chicago are savages, then the underground gangster families in Boston are a bunch of rogues, shameless.Shameless fools, lawless thugs.The old Boston gangster's name was Domenico Pancha.He was short and fat, and, as another old man said, he looked like a thief with his eyes and eyes.
The Cleveland Gang, perhaps the largest of the strictly gambling underground in America, was represented by a very shrewd elderly man.He had a thin face and white hair.He is considered (without pointing it out to him, of course) "Jewish gang" because his assistants are mostly Jewish and mostly Sicilian. Rumor has it that he would have appointed A Jew came to serve as his staff. In short, just as the Corleone family, the country is considered to be the Irish Gang for the leading members of Hagen. The family of old Vincent Fowler is more accurately called For the Jewish family. However, the organization he runs is extremely efficient. Although his appearance is a bit sentimental, no one has ever seen him dizzy at the sight of a murderer. His ruling strategy is: wearing spring velvet on iron hands as soft and smooth as a political glove.
Representatives of the five New York families were the last to arrive.Tom Hagen especially noticed that these five people stood out and attracted people's attention compared with the country bumpkins from other places.These five old men still retain the ancient Sicilian tradition and are all "potbellied characters".In a symbolic sense, it means strength and courage, and in a literal sense, it means a broad-minded and fat body, and the meanings of these two aspects are always mutual, and in fact it is true in Sicily.These five old men are strong and fat, with big heads that look like lion heads, and all parts of their faces are very big, with big fleshy noses, big thick lips, and bulging cheeks.Their clothes are not very elegant, and their hair is not very delicately cut.They are down-to-earth doers without vanity.
There was an old man named Anthony Strachey, who controlled the dock shipping business in the New Jersey area and on the west side of Manhattan.He runs the gambling business in South Jersey and has a very close relationship with the Democratic Party.He made his fortune with a fleet of freight cars, largely because his trucks could be vastly overloaded and pass without being stopped and fined by road transport overweight inspectors.The trucks damaged the road, and his road repair company contracted with state authorities to repair the damaged road.It's the kind of business that would make anyone happy: one way of making money leads to another.Strachey, too, was old-fashioned and refused to run prostitution, but since his business was mainly on the wharves, he had to get involved in drug smuggling.Of the five New York families that opposed Corleone, the Strachey family was the weakest, but the most secure.
to be Tyrion.The family headed by Cornio controls the upstate of New York, and specially arranges for Italian immigrants to sneak across the border from Canada and enter the United States to operate the gambling industry in remote areas of New York State. veto power.The face of this old man is like that of a rural baker who laughs and laughs all day long. That funny look can completely disarm you.His legal status is to run a large dairy company.Corneo was a lover of children, and his pockets were full of sweets.He has many grandchildren, and his colleagues have a lot of information, and he hopes to meet one and tease him with candy.He often wore a fedora with the brim drooping a little like a woman's sun hat, which made his round face look even wider, which was funny.He was one of the few old men who was never arrested, whose real activities were never even suspected.As such, he remains a member of the Citizens' Council and has the honor of being selected as "New York State Businessman of the Year" by the Chamber of Commerce.
The closest ally of the Tattaglia family is Don Emilio Bazzini.He runs part of the gambling industry in New York City's Brooklyn and Queens boroughs.He also engages in a bit of prostitution business, very domineering.He completely controls Capitol Island.He also manipulated sports betting in the Bronx and Westchester counties, and was involved in the narcotics trade.He was close to the Cleveland Gang and the Western Gang, and was one of the few canny figures interested in the open cities of Nevada, Vegas and Reno.He has branches in Miami Beach and Cuba.Apart from the Corleone family, his family is in New York, which is considered the largest in the whole country, and his power has even expanded to Sicily.He will intervene in any profitable illegal activities.He was even rumored to have a foothold on Wall Street, supporting the Tattaglias with money and behind-the-scenes activities since the family war broke out.His ambition is to replace Don Corleone, make himself the most powerful and admired underground gang leader in the country, and at the same time annex part of the Corleone Empire.He was a lot like Don Corleone, but more modern, more thoughtful and methodical.He should never be called senile: he is trusted by the new, younger, more active, thriving leaders.He displayed great strength of character in his calm, none of Don Corleone's enthusiasm; perhaps he was the most "respected" figure in the group at the moment.
The last to arrive was old Philip Tattaglia.He was the leader of the Tattaglia family who supported Sollozzo's direct challenge to Corleone's authority.But, strange to say, he was treated with a little contempt.One of the reasons is that he was willing to allow himself to be influenced by Sollozzo, and in fact led by that ingenious "Turkish" hand.He was responsible for all this upheaval: a disturbance which greatly affected the daily business activities of the great families in New York.Another reason is that he is still a playboy over sixty years old, a pervert who chases after women whenever he sees them, and he also has ample opportunities to satisfy his animal desires and indulge himself.
This is because the Tattaglia family is in the business of buying and selling women.The family's profession was organizing prostitution, and besides controlling nightclubs all over the United States, there was a way to place any talented person anywhere.Philippe Tattaglia resorted to violence to capture promising singers and comedians and threatened to force his way into record labels, but organizing prostitution was the family's main source of income. source.
His character made everyone here feel very unpleasant.He muttered all day, always complaining that his family business was costing too much.The laundromat's receipt, with so many towels on it, ate up all the profits (in fact, the laundry is his own); those female dolls are very lazy, very unreliable, some run away, and some commit suicide; Those in charge of picking up prostitutes are not trustworthy, dishonest, and not loyal at all. Good helpers are really hard to find; young men of Ximianli blood are very proud, and they often sneer at such jobs, thinking that trafficking and ruining women To the detriment of their dignity; those little hooligans would rather sing at the top of their voices and wear a crucifix of Easter palm leaves on the lapels of their suit jackets as a token of their devotion.Therefore, Philippe Tattaglia was always yelling, impersonal, and arrogant when speaking to his subordinates.His biggest rants were directed at the powerful people who had the power to issue or sell liquor licenses to his nightclubs and bars, and he insisted that the millions he had raised from paying the pickpockets in charge There are more millionaires than there are millionaires on Wall Street.
It was also puzzling to say that the war he had waged against the Corleones, nearly won, hadn't brought him the respect he deserved.People know that his strength comes first from Sollozzo, and also from the Bazzini family.Also, it was obviously to his disadvantage to take a sudden attack, to preemptively strike, but not to achieve complete victory.Had he been more capable, all this trouble could have been avoided.Don Corleone's death would mean the end of the war.
Since they had both lost sons, the logical ending was for Don Corleone and Philip Tattaglia to welcome each other to the meeting with a formal bow.Don Corleone was the object of all attention, everyone was staring at him, trying to see what the gunshot wounds and defeat had left on him. What was puzzling was why Don Corleone was in his Aizi had to make peace after his death. This was obviously an admission of defeat, which would definitely damage his personal prestige. They will soon understand the mystery of this.
After greeting each other, pouring each other toasts, it was almost another half hour before Don Corleone was seated at the shiny walnut table.Hagen sat modestly behind the old man and slightly to the left, letting the other old men come forward and sit at the table.The assistants sat behind their old bosses, and the staff officers sat next to their old bosses, making it easy to offer opinions and suggestions when necessary.
Don Corleone was the first to speak, and he spoke as if nothing had happened, as if it never happened that he was shot and his eldest son was killed, as if his empire wasn't in shambles, and his family wasn't torn apart, Freddie Nor did Michael escape to the West, under the protection of the Molinari family, nor did Michael hide secretly in the wilderness of the West.He spoke naturally, in the Sicilian dialect.
"You all came and I want to say thank you," he said. "I think that you are here to take care of me; I should express my gratitude to you. Therefore, I would like to first explain that I am neither here to quarrel with others nor to persuade others, but to reason ;and I will, as a reasonable man should, do my best to make us all friends when we part. This is what I promise to do. Some of you know me as a person, know me Anyone here will know that I don't give guarantees lightly. Well, let's talk about business. Everyone in this room is trustworthy, and we don't need to ask for written guarantees like those lawyers who live by paper.
He paused for a moment, and no one else spoke.Some were smoking cigars, others were sipping wine.These are patient people who are good at listening to others.They also have one thing in common: they are rare characters, characters who refuse to accept social constraints, and characters who refuse to be manipulated by others.No power in the world, no one can bring them to their knees unless they themselves will.They are men who will not hesitate to resort to deceit and murder to preserve their will.Only death can make them give up their will.In addition, reasoning completely and thoroughly can also make them give up their own will.
Don Corleone let out a long sigh.
"How did things evolve to this point?" He raised such a question that did not need to be answered in order to remind everyone to pay attention. "Well, that's nothing, a lot of stupidity has already happened. It's unfortunate and unnecessary. But let me give my personal opinion of what happened.
He paused to see if anyone objected to his one-sided account of what had happened.
"Thank God I'm back to health and maybe I can do something to get this right, maybe my son is being too reckless and stubborn. That, I don't deny. Anyway, let me put it in perspective , Sollozzo came to me to discuss a business matter. In this business, he asked me to provide funds and political influence. He said he had been funded by the Tattaglia family. The business involved When it comes to drugs, I'm not interested in the drug business. I'm a quiet person, and the volume of such laborious buying and selling is too much. I explained this to Sollozzo, and in explaining, I told him, I showed as much respect as possible to the Tattaglia family. I politely declined his request. I told him that his business would not interfere with mine, and I had no reason to object to him making a living in this way. He misunderstood me and made us all miserable. Well, life is what it is. Everyone here has a sad history. Things didn't turn out the way I wanted them to. "
Don Corleone stopped and gestured to Hagen for a cold drink.Hagen quickly brought him a cold drink, and Don Corleone moistened his mouth.
"Now I am willing to make peace," he said.Tattaglia lost a son, I lost a son, and we are equals.What would the world be like if people were all desperate and full of resentment?Herein lies the root of traditional Sicilian misery: people are too busy fighting family vendettas to try to get the whole family to make ends meet.This is stupidity.So I'm here to say, let's get back to the original peace.As for who betrayed my son and who killed my son, I did not take any steps to investigate and find out before that.With peace, I'm not going to investigate the case either.I have a son who has a family and cannot return.So I had to be assured that when I got things sorted and he could go home safely, there would be no disturbances, no persecution from the authorities.Once that's settled, we may be able to talk about other things, things that have a lot to do with us.In this way, we may be able to do something beneficial for ourselves and everyone today.Speaking of this, old man Corleone said excitedly and humbly: "This is all I ask."
It worked out well, that's what Corleone was back then, presenting the facts, reasoning, soft and resilient, speaking softly, but everyone in the room noticed that he claimed to be in good health, which meant that although Despite all the misfortunes that have befallen the Corleone family, he remains a figure to be reckoned with.It was also noted that until his demands for peace were met, there was no point in discussing anything else.It was also noted that he called for the restoration of the old order.Although he has suffered a lot in the past year, once the old order is restored, he has nothing to lose.
But it was Emilio Bazzini who answered Don Corleone, and then Tattaglia.He spoke simply, to the point, without being vulgar or overbearing.
“说得对，完全对，”巴茨尼说，“但是，有一点点需要补充的是，考利昂老头子太谦虚了，有一点他故意没有说到，那就是实际上索洛佐和塔塔格里亚家族要是没有考利昂老头子的协助，就无法着手进行新生意。实际上，他拒绝，就等于损害了他们。当然罗，这也不怪他。说到底，事实是这样的：那些愿意从考利昂老头子那里接受小恩小惠的法官和政客，甚至在毒品贩运问题上也愿意帮他，但是对别的人，一旦涉及到麻醉剂买卖问题，他们就变得固执，扳也扳不动。如果索洛佐人自己的安全问题得不到某种保证，他就无法开展活动。这个道理大家都明白，如果连这个道理都不明白，那咱们也就发不了财。如今人家加重了刑罚，当咱们的人在麻醉剂问题上犯了案，那些法官和检察官就趁机拼命敲诈。即使一个西西里人，若被判二十年徒刑，也可能打破“缄默”的原则，把肚子里的话全说出来。这，是不能允许的。考利昂老头子把这一系统牢牢地掌握在手中。我们想利用一下，他却拒绝了，这就不够朋友了。这就等于他从我们的嘴里夺食。时代变了，不像过去那样每个人都可以各行其是。如果考利昂掌握着纽约市所有的法官，那他就必须把法官拿出来分配一下，也就是咱们大家都来利用一下。当然罗，我们利用他所掌握的法官，他也可以提出一份帐单向我们要使用费。要使用费也是应该的，因为咱们大家究竟不是共产主义者。但是，他必须让我们也从井里打水喝。问题就是这么简单。”
巴茨尼发表了这通议论之后，会场上一片寂静。生米已经煮成了熟饭，要恢复到原来的状态是不可能了。更为重要的是巴茨尼借着发言的机会流露出来的言外之意是：如果和平不能实现，他就将参加到塔塔格里亚一边，继续进行反对考利昂家族的战争。他的活收到了立竿见影的效果：大家都明白他们的生命和他们的产业所依靠的关键就是大家互相补台；同时大家还明白，拒绝一个朋友提出的帮忙的要求，就等于侵略行为。帮忙的要求一般都不是随随便便提出来的，因而也不可随随便便地加以拒绝。
考利昂老头子最后又作了一次答辩发言。
“朋友们，”他说，“我当时拒绝并不是出于恶意。你们大家都很了解我，我什么时候拒绝过向咱们这一行人提供方便？见死不救是违背我的天性的。但是，那次我却不得不拒绝。为什么呢？因为我认为毒品这种生意在几年内会把咱们大家都毁掉。在这个国家里。对毒品贩卖的反应太强烈了。毒品同威士忌、赌博，甚至女人是不一样的。威士忌、赌博，甚至女人是大多数人所需要的，只是教会和政府的头面人物要禁止而已。而毒品，谁牵涉进去，谁就要遭殃。毒品还可能危及其他一切生意。说实在的，大家认为我有很大的魔力，能左右法官和司法官，我对此感到很荣幸，我也巴不得这是真的。后门嘛，我确实是有一些，但是，如果涉及到毒品问题，那么平时对我的意见很尊重的人就很可能翻脸，不再尊重我的意见。在这个问题上，他们也怕牵连；对这个问题他们也有强烈的反感。而且，即使在赌博和其他方面愿意帮助我们的警察，在毒品问题上也会拒绝帮助我们。因此。要求我在这些问题上帮忙，也就等于要求我危害自己。但是，如果诸位觉得力了解决其他问题，这样干也是适当的，那么即使危害我自己，我也愿意干。”
当考利昂老头子讲完之后，屋子里的气氛大大地轻松活跃起来。更多的人在叽叽咕咕，同左右的人交谈。他作出了重大让步，表示愿意对任何有组织的毒品买卖提供保护。实际上，他等于完全同意索洛佐原来的建议；那个建议当初若受到像聚集在这里的全国小组的认可，他早就会同意。大家心照不宣的默契是他绝不参加经营活动，也不拿自己的钱投资。他仅仅利用一下自己在司法部门的后门和保护作用。但是，这已经是骇人听闻的让步了。
洛杉矶帮的老头子弗朗哥·法尔孔接着发言，表明了自己的态度：“没有任何办法能够禁止咱们经营这种生意。这种生意利太大了，无法抵制，因此，如果咱们不闯进去，危险性就更大。如果咱们主动控制这种生意，至少可以把它隐蔽得好一些，组织得好一些，还可以保证少出些乱子。经营这种生意也没有什么了不起的坏处，问题是要有控制，要有保护，要有组织。咱们可不能允许各人自行其是，像一群无政府主义者一样，各人高兴怎么办就怎么办。”
底特律帮的老头子，比在座的任何人对考利昂都要友好一些。如今也反驳起他的朋友来了。
“我并不醉心于毒品生意，”他说，“几年来，我一直在给我的人附加工资，以免他们做那种生意捞外快，但是我的办法不灵，不起作用。有人找到他们，说：“我能搞到白面儿，如果你能拿出三四千美元来投资，咱们就可以赚五万美元来平分。”谁能不接受这样高的利润？他们忙于他们的小副业，忽略了我给他们的工作，原因是毒品生意利更大。利润一直在上升，越来越大。涨势是无法制止的，因此咱们必须设法控制这种生意，把它搞得像个样子。我反对在学校附近搞这种生意；我反对把毒品卖给小孩子，不看对象地乱卖是不光彩的。在我那个城市里，我想把贩卖活动局限在黑人中间，有色人中间。因为他们是最好的顾客，最好对付的顾客。他们究竟是动物嘛：他们不尊重他们的妻子儿女，也下尊重他们自己，让他们吸毒，失去灵魂吧。但是，一定要采取措施，切切不可放任自流，到头来给咱们大家造成麻烦。
底特律帮的老头子的这一席后，引起了一片叽叽喳喳的表示赞同的声音。他击中了问题的要害。你就是给人家送钱，同时要人家不做毒品买卖，也办不到。至于他提到小孩，那是他有口皆碑的善良感情和慈悲心肠的表白。活又说回来，准会把毒品卖给小孩子？小孩子从哪儿搞钱来买毒品？至于他还提到有色人种，这是连听也没有听到过的言论。黑人被认为是绝对不在话下的入，他们没有任何力量，他们甘愿让社会碾成粉末，这就证明他们是不在话下的人。在讲话中随便提到他们，证明底特律帮的这位老头子思想不集中，讲话老是离题万里。
所有的老头子都发了言，他们都哀叹贩卖毒品是会引起麻烦的坏事，但却都一致认为无法限制毒品买卖。原因就是做这种生意可赚到的钱大多了，所以势必有人才冒任何风险也要尝试一下。这，就是入性。
最后终于达成了协议：毒品贩卖是可以允许的；考利昂老头子必须给东部毒品贩卖活动提供某种法律保护。同时，不言而喻，巴茨尼和塔塔格里亚这两大家族，将负责大规模贩运工作。这个拦路虎似的问题解决了之后，会议才能够进一步研究处理其他问题，还有许多复杂的问题有待解决。大家同意：韦加斯和迈阿密这两个城市定为开放城市，在这两个开放城市里，任何一个黑帮家族都可以开展活动，他们一致认为这两个城市是大有可为的城市。此外，大家还同意：在这两个城市里，绝不允许暴力行动，形形色色的小刑事犯一定要加以制止。大家同意：凡重大问题、凡必要的但可能引起群众强烈抗议的处决，执行时必须经过这个协商会的批准。大家同意：武工队员和其他士兵必须加以约束，不许他们因个人区区小事而互相采取暴力犯罪和报复。大家同意：各家族在受到要求时应互相帮助，例如提供刽子手，或向贿赂陪审员提供技术协助等，这种讨论，不拘形式，像随便聊天一样，不慌不忙，很费时间。中间还休会，让大家到小吃部吃点中餐，喝点酒。
最后，巴茨尼老头子想要会议早点结束。
“全部问题也就是这些了，”他说，“总算有了和平啦，让我向考利昂老头子表示敬意，咱们大家多年来都知道他是一个言必行、行必果的人。如果还有什么分歧的话，可以再开会嘛，咱们不必重蹈覆辙，又去做蠢事。就我这方面来说，道路是新开辟的。我很高兴，这个问题总算彻底解决了。”
只有斐力普·塔塔格里亚仍然有点担心。要是战争重新爆发，由于桑迪诺·考利昂遭到谋杀，他就会首当其冲，是一个受攻击的目标。到未了，他才作了第一次发言。
“这所有的决定，我都表示同意。我愿意忘记掉我自己的不幸。但是，我愿意听到考利昂的一些严格保证。他还打算搞任何个人报复吗？随着时间推移，他的势力也许会发展得更加强大，咱们已经发誓要建立友谊，到时候他是否会忘记掉呢？我怎么知道他在三四年之后仍然不至于感到他原来是受骗了，这个协议是违背他的意志而强加于他的，因而破坏协议？咱们还得时刻互相防备吗？换句话说，咱们能不能以和平的心情去过和平的日子？我现在就提出我的保证，但是考利昂也愿意像我一样提出他自己的保证吗？”
就在这个时候，考利昂老头子发表重要演说，这篇演说将会长期被人们记着。这篇演说确立了他在他们中间的最有远见卓识的政治家的地位，这篇演说句句充满人之常情，字字发自肺腑，字字切中间题要害。在这篇演说里，他创造了一种说法，这个说法像丘吉尔的“铁幕”一同一样，也变得家喻户晓了，不过考利昂的说法过了十年之后，外面的群众才知道。
他站了起来向协调会议致同。他个儿很矮，由于“生病”也显得瘦削，也许年逾花甲使他自然有点显老了。但是，他完全恢复了健康，同时机敏的思维能力也不减当年，这一点是毫无疑问的。
“要是没有理智，那咱们就成了什么样的人哪？要是真的没有理智，那咱们也就无异于丛林里的野兽了。但是，咱们有理智，可以互相以理服人，各人也可以以理说服自己。我为了什么目的还要挑起这一切争端哪？就为了暴力和混战吗？我儿子死了，这是不幸，我也只好忍受，我可不能让我周围无辜的世界也同我一样要遭受不幸。因此，我说，我用人格担保，我绝不报复，对过去发生的种种事件，我也绝不追查其中的来龙去脉。我将胸怀坦荡地离开这里。
“我想要说的是，咱们必须时刻注意自己的真正利益所在，咱们这些人都是不愿意当傻瓜的，都不愿意当那种让人牵着线蹦蹦跳跳的木偶。咱们来到这个国家算是走运了。咱们儿女中的大多数已经过上下比较好的生活，你们当中有些人的儿子当了教授、科学家、音乐家，你们算是走运了。也许你们的孙子会成为新的一代风云人物。咱们在座的诸位没有一个愿意看到自己的子女步自己的后尘，过艰险的生活。咱们的子女可以像普通人一样过日子，安安稳稳地生活，这是靠咱们的勇气赢来的。我如今已有孙子了，我希望他们的子女有朝一日——这，谁知道——可以当上州长、总统。在美国，没有什么是办不到的。但是，咱们也必须赶上时代的潮流。动不动就用枪、动不动就杀、大规模屠杀的时代已经过去了。咱们也必须像商人那样圆滑：当商人更有大钱可捞，当商人对咱们的子女，对咱们的子孙来说要更好一些。
“至于咱们的行为，并不对那些权贵势力、政坛上的风云人物负责。这些人擅自决定咱们的生命；这些人对外宣战，希望咱们上前线去保卫他们所占有的东西。谁说咱们应该服从他们所制定的有利于他们而有善于咱们的那一套法律？当咱们照顾自己的利益时，他们横加干涉。他们算老几？真是狗抓耗子——多管闲事。”
接着，考利昂老头子又说：“这是我们自己的事。我们之所以要管理自己的世界，就是因为这是我们自己的世界，我们自己的事。所以说，咱们必须紧密团结起来，共同抵制外来干涉，不然的话，人家就会把牛鼻子圈套在咱们的鼻子上，就像人家已经把牛鼻子圈套在这个国家好几百万那不勒斯人和其他意大利人的鼻子上那样。
“因为这个理由，为了共同的利益，我放弃为我死去的儿子报仇的权利。我现在宣誓：只要我负责指挥我的家族的行动，除非有正当理由，除非受到了不堪忍受的挑衅，在我这方面就不会有一根指头举起来反对在座的任何人。为了共同的利益，我甘愿牺牲我自己的商业利益。这就是我的誓言，这就是我的人格保证。在座的诸位中有些人是知道的，我从来没有违背过自己的誓言或人格保证。
“但是，我也有一个目的。我的幺儿子原来不得不逃跑，原因是他被指控谋杀了索洛佐，谋杀了一个上尉警官。我必须作一些安排，把那些诬告统统澄清，好让他能安全回家。这是我个人的私事。我自己打算作些必要的安排。也许我还必须找到真正的罪犯，或者设法让当局相信他是无罪的。也许见证人和提供情况的人会宣布撤回他们的谎言，但是，我再说一遍，这是我个人的私事。我相信，我能够设法让我的儿子回家。
“但是，让我再补充一点，我是一个疑心很重的人，这是一个可笑的毛病，我必须在这儿交代清楚。因此，如果有什么不幸发生在我的夕儿身上，如果有哪个警官偶然开枪打死了他，如果他被抓进牢房后寻了自尽，如果另有新的见证人出庭证明他是罪犯，那么我的疑心就会使我党得，那就是在座的某些人仍然对我怀着恶意造成的结果。如果我儿子遭雷击了，那么我也会把责任推到某些人身上。如果他坐的飞机坠毁到海里去了，如果他搭的轮船沉没于波涛汹涌的大洋里，如果他染上了致命的热病，如果他坐的汽车给火车撞了，那么我也会责怪在座的人心怀恶意。我的疑心就是这个样子。先生们，这样的恶意所造成的不幸，我是绝对不能宽容的。但是，除此而外，让我发誓，我绝不会破坏咱们所建立的和平。同那些政坛上的风云人物比较起来，咱们这些人到底是比他们好还是不比他们好？
说到这里，考利昂者头子离开了位子，绕过桌子向着斐力普·塔塔格里亚老头子所坐的地方走去。塔塔格里亚站起来欢迎他，于是两个人拥抱起来了，互相吻着脸蛋儿。屋子里的其他老头子看到此情此景，都唱起来了，站起来一齐握手，恭贺考利昂老头子和塔培格里亚老头子言归于好，建立了新的友谊。这也许还不能算是世界上最热情的友谊，他俩还不至于在圣诞节互相送礼祝贺，但他俩也不至于互相谋杀了。在这个世界里，这样的友谊也就够了，最需要的也就是这一点。
考利昂老头子因为二儿子弗烈特是在西部莫里纳瑞家族的保护之下，所以在散会之后就同旧金山帮的老头子留下来攀谈了一会儿，向他表示谢意。从莫里纳瑞所讲的话里，考利昂老头子有充分理由认为，弗烈特在那儿适得其所，过得很快活，有点像个专在女人中间厮混的男人。他似乎是个经营旅馆的天才。像许多当父亲的在听到他们的孩子有梦想不到的才华时总要持怀疑态度一样，考利昂老头子摇摇头表示怀疑。据说，有时最大的不幸会带来预料不到的报偿，这敢情是真的吗？他俩一致认为真的如此。同时，考利昂老头子向旧金山帮老头子表示，因为旧金山老头子在保护弗烈特方面帮了大忙，他是很感恩的。他表明的态度是，不管未来的政权机构发生什么变化，他都要尽力通通后门，保证重要的赛马电讯能够经常送到旧金山老头子的人手中。这个保证很重要，为了强占这个便利而开展的斗争本来就是一个破伤疤，再加上芝加哥那一帮人硬是抓住不放，又把问题搞复杂了。但是，即使在野人控制的地区，考利昂老头子也并不是一筹莫展。因此，他的应诺就等于千金。
当考利昂老头子、汤姆·黑根和跟着执行任务的保镖司机罗科·拉朋回到长滩镇林荫道时，天早就黑了。老头子和黑根进了家门。老头子对黑根说：“给咱们开车的那个司机拉朋要注意培养。我看他有潜力，可以干重要的事。”
黑根对这一评语感到很诧异。拉朋整天连一句话也没有说，甚至在汽车里连对坐在后面的老头子和黑根都没有瞥一眼。汽车开到银行门前时，他给老头子开门。他把样样事情都做得恰到好处，但并不过分，恰好适合一个训练有素的给私人开汽车的司机的身份。显然，老头子的眼睛看到了黑根所没有看到的一些现象。
老头子让黑根离去，并要他晚饭店再来。因为他们晚饭后要熬夜讨论问题，他得先轻松一下。他还要黑根通知克莱门扎和忒希奥也来，时间在晚上十一点，不要提前。黑根向克莱门扎和忒希奥扼要介绍了一下当天下午开会的情况。
十点，老头子在他那个收藏着许多法学书籍，并装配着专用电话的屋角办公室里等待他们三个人。他专门准备了一个大盘，上面摆满了瓶装威士忌、冰淇淋和汽水。老头子在向他们发表训令。
“今天下午我们达成了和平协议，”他说。 “我向他们作出了誓言和人格保证。对你们大家来说，我的一句活也就可以算数了。但是，咱们的那些朋友可并不那么老实可靠，因此咱们大家还得保持警惕，不能让人家再钻空子，偷偷摸摸地再袭击咱们。”说到这里，老头子回头间黑根，你把卜启丘家的人质都放走了吗？ "
黑根点点头，“我一回家就给克莱门扎打了电话，让他放走人质。
专利昂又回头，望着大胖子克莱门扎。这位司令也点点头。“我放走了他们。请问，教父，任何一个西西里人能像卜启丘家族的人那么守口如瓶吗？”
考利昂老头子微微一笑。“他们很聪明，能想办法过上好日子。比这个再聪明一些又有什么必要哪？搞得这个世界不得安宁的人不是卜启丘这一家族。但是，的的确确，他们这一家族的人没有西西里人的头脑。”
他们大家的情绪都很轻松，因为战争已经过去了。考利昂老头子亲手调制饮料，给每人递了一杯。老头子端起他自己的一杯，仔细品味，然后点着了一支雪茄烟。
“我不想采取任何行动去为桑儿破案，事情已经过去了，忘了也就算了。我要同别的家族全面合作，即使他们多占点，咱们得不到应有的红利，也没有什么关系。在咱们把迈克尔搞回家之前，不管遇到什么挑衅，我都不免许破坏这种和平。我要你们把这个问题作为首要问题放在心上。要记牢这一点：他要回来，必须在绝对安全的情况下回来。我不是提防塔塔格里亚家族的人或巴茨尼家族的人。我感到焦虑的是警察。可以确定，咱们能够把不利的证据搞掉，那个堂倌不会作证。另外还有那个旁观者或者带枪的歹徒，以及别的什么人，反正也是不会作证的。真正的证据，咱们既然知道了，也就不值得担心了。我担心的是警察炮制假证据，因为向他们告密的人使他们确信迈克尔·考利昂就是杀害他们上尉的凶手，所以没有真证据，他们也会捏造出假证据。好吧，这就要看咱们的本事了。咱们要求五大家族各尽所能设法纠正警方的这一观点。一定要设法使所有被警方使用的秘密检举人改奎说法。我认为他们今天下午听了我的发言之后，一定会认识到这样做对他们是有利的。但是，这还不够，咱们必须想一个特别办法，以便迈克尔今后再也不会担心这件事。不然的话，回到这个国家，对他来说就毫无意义了。因此，大家还是多在这方面动动脑筋吧。这是个头等重要的问题。
“看来应该允许一个人在他的一生中做一件蠢事，我已经做过一件蠢事了。我要把林荫道附近的土地统统买下来。附近的房子也统统买下来。我不要任何人从他的窗口看到我的花园。哪怕从一英里之外看到，也不能允许。我要在林荫道周围筑一道篱笆，让林荫道时刻都受到充分保护。总而言之，如今我希望住在戒备森严的堡垒里。现在我就告诉你们，今后我绝不到市区里去上班了。我要退休了。我很想在花园里劳动劳动，当葡萄成熟了的时候就做点葡萄酒。我要住在我的这栋房子里，只在短期休假或因要事会探望某人时才离开。在离开的时候，我要采取一些预防措施。这你们可别误解。我并不是在准备打仗，只是小心谨慎罢了。我为人一向是谨慎小心的。在生活中，我发现粗心大意最不合我的脾气。女人和儿童粗心大意一下倒没有什么，男人一粗心大意可就不得了。在于这类事情的时候要显出从容不迫的样子。绝不可放肆地蛮干，像是在扩军备战，这就会把咱们的朋友吓一跳。事情不妨办得在表面上显得自自然然的。
“从今以后，我打算逐步把工作移交给你们三个。我要把桑迪诺兵团解散，把人员分别编到你们两个人的兵团里去，这一措施会使咱们的朋友放心，同时也表明我主张和平是认真的。汤姆，我要你物色几个人，组成一个小组，派到韦加斯去调查一下，然后担那儿的实际情况向我作一次全面的详细汇报。把弗烈特的情况也告诉我，他在那儿究竟在干些什么。我听说他变得很厉害，我可能都不认识自己的儿子了。他眼下似乎是在当厨师，他平时就在年轻姑娘中间寻欢作乐，有失成年人的体统。哎，他年轻的时候一直太严肃。他这个人根本不适合于家族业务的组织领导工作。但是，咱们不妨调查研究一下，看他究竟适合干些什么。”
黑根不慌不忙地说：“就派你女婿去，怎么样？卡罗也是土生土长的内华达州人。他在那一带路熟。”
考利昂老头子摇摇头。
“不行，我老伴这儿，跟前连一个子女也没有，感到很寂寞，我要康斯但脂娅同她丈夫搬到林荫道来。我要给卡罗分配一个有职有权的工作，也许以往我对他太刻薄了。而现在”——说到这里，考利昂老人子做了个怪相——“我跟前没有儿子了，把他从赌博部门调出来，安插到工会里去，在工会里他可以做做文书工作，可以多谈谈话。他那个人倒挺健谈。说到这里，老头子的声音里流露出了极微弱的轻蔑语气。
Hagen nodded. “好，那我就同克莱门扎把所有的人都通盘考虑一下，然后选些人编成一个小组，负责报告韦加斯方面的情况。要不要叫弗烈特回家住几天？
老头子摇摇头。他很烦躁地说：“要他回家干什么？我老伴仍然可以给我们做饭，让他就待在那儿。”听了这些话，那三个人都不安地在椅子里移动了几下。他们原来还不了解弗烈特在他父亲的思想上竟引起了如此严重的反感。他们猜测这里面一定有他们所不知道的原因。
考利昂老头子叹了一口气：“今后我希望在花园里种些青椒和番前，我们小家庭吃不完，到时候我就给你们各人送一些。我上年纪了，需要一点和平，一点安了和平静。好啦，我的活完了，请再干一杯！”
这最后的话也就是逐客令。几个人都站起来。黑根把克莱门扎和忒希奥送到他们的汽车跟前，同他们安排会议，讨论研究一些具体措施，以便贯彻老头子明确表示出来的愿望。然后，他又回到那栋房子里，他知道考利昂老头子正在等待着他呢。
老头子脱去了上衣，懈下领带，正躺在长沙发上。他那严肃的脸松驰了下来，显出了疲倦的皱纹。他挥手让黑根坐在一把椅子上，然后说，“好啦，参谋，我今天所作的一切，你有什么不同意见吗？
黑根想了一会才回答。
“无法说，”他说，“但是，我党得你今天所作的事情，前后不一致，也不合乎你的夭性。你说，你一不想调查了解桑儿是怎么被打死的，二不想为他报仇。这，我有点不相信。你发誓赞成和平，因而你就要保持和平，但是你的敌人表面上赢得的胜利，实际上是你拱手送给他的。说你甘愿如此，我实在信不了。你编织了一个我无法解释的大谜，这叫我怎么表示赞成或反对呢？”
满意的神态显露在老头子的脸上。“对啦，你比任何别人都更了解我。即使你生下来不是西西旱人，我早把你熏陶成西西里人了。你所说的每一点都是对的，但是解决办法还是有的。用不着等到这个锦囊妙计彻底抽出来，你就会明白的。你同意的是：每个人都得接受我的意见，我也遵守自己的诺言，而且我要我的命令得到严格执行。但是，汤姆，当务之急，咱们必须尽量早点把迈克尔搞回家。在你的思想上和实际工作中都要把这个问题摆在头等地位。把所有的司法渠道都疏通一下，你随便花多少钱，我都在所不借。他回家的时候，一定要绝对保险。有关刑法问题，你还是同最优秀的内行商量商量。我可以给你开几个法官的名字，这些法官是会单独会见你的。在事成之前，咱们一定要提高警惕，严防有人出卖咱们。
黑根说：“同你一样，我也并不那么担心真正的证据，比较担心的倒是人家可以制造假证据。还有，某个警察朋友在迈克尔被捕之后，可以觉得他反正是一死而打死他。人家也会亲自动手把他杀死在牢房里，或者示意另外一个犯人动手杀死他。在我看来·要是他被捕或受到起诉，那咱就受不了。
考利昂老头子叹了一口气：“我知道，我知道。困难就在这里，但是，咱们不可耽搁太久。西西里出现了麻烦，那儿的年轻人对长者不再像以前那样听命了，美国把许许多多的人驱逐回去了，这些人使那些守；日的老头子实在太难办了。迈克尔夹在老、少矛盾中间，日子很不好过。针对这一点，我早就采取了一些预防措施。他目前仍然隐蔽得很好，但是，这种隐蔽不可能永远保持下去而不出破绽，这就是我之所以要讲和的原因之一。巴茨尼有些朋友在西西里，他们正在探听迈克尔的踪迹。这就给你所感觉到的谜提供了一个答案。为了保护我儿子的安全，我不得不委屈求和，别的办法是没有的。”
黑根没有去问老头子，他是怎么搞到的情报。他甚至并不感到惊讶。
“在塔塔格里亚派人来会谈，并落实一些具体问题时，我是否应该坚持要他挑选历史清白的人作为贩运毒品的中间人？法官们对于有前科的人重罪轻判大都有点顾虑。”
考利昂老头子耸了耸肩膀。
“他们自己本该想到这一点。提是可以提一下，但不要坚持，到时候咱们尽力而为就行了。万一他们雇用一个有可卡因瘾的人，而这个人被捕了，那咱们就懒得管了，只好直截了当地告诉他们：咱们无能为力。但是，巴茨尼这个人，你用不着给他讲，他也懂得这些道理。你可得注意，他在这个问题上根本就不表明态度，不承担义务，从表面上你根本就看不出他是否卷进去了。这种人滑得很，哪边输了，哪边就没有他。”
黑根听了大为吃惊：“你的意思是说，他一直是索洛佐和塔塔格里亚的后合？
考利昂老头子叹了一口气：“塔塔格里亚是个拉皮条的，他根本不可能胜过桑迪诺，这就是我为什么认为不必对事件进行调查了解的主要原因。知道巴茨尼插手了，这就够了。”
老头子的这个分析在黑根的思想上留下了深刻的印象。老头子对黑根提供的只是一些线索，而下把一些非常重要的关键问题说出来。黑根明白是怎么回事——，但是他知道他所处的地位是不便追根究底的。他说了再见，回头想走。老头子对他最后又吩咐了一句：“要记住，要尽量多动动脑筋，拟一个计划，把迈克尔给我搞回家。”老头子又紧接着说，“另外还有一件事马上要办。同电话员安排一下，要他把克莱门扎和忒希奥这两个人所打出去的和接到的一切电话全都记录下来，列一张表按月送给我。我一点也不怀疑他们。我敢发誓，他们两个绝对不会背叛我。但是，事前了解一切对咱们有用的细小情况，也是无妨的。”
黑根点了点头就出去了。他怀疑老头子也在用某种方式监视着他，然后又觉得自己的疑心重而羞愧起来。但是，这时他满有把握地认为，在教父那敏锐而复杂的头脑里，一套广泛的行动计划正在形成。正是因为这个行动计划，才使得白天在会议上的谈判结果无异于战术退却。这里面隐藏着一个秘密，没有人提