Chapter 2 01-2

Don Corleone nodded and gestured for him to bring Luke Brasi to him. In the garden, Kay Adams marveled at Luke Blasey's savage face.She asks about his past.Michael had brought Kay to the wedding just to let her learn, slowly or without much shock, the truth about his father.However, so far, she seems to only regard the old man as an ordinary businessman who is not so responsible.Michael decided to tell her part of the truth indirectly.Luke Brasi, he explained, was one of the scariest figures in the Eastern American underground.His chief talent, it is said, lay in his ability to carry out murders alone, without the help of accomplices, and with cleanliness.Michael made a face and said, "I can't tell if it's true or not. All I know is that he's been really good friends with my dad."

At this moment, Kai began to wake up.She asked suspiciously: "Are you implying that a person like that actually works for your father?" This, he thought, was a hell of a job.He cuts to the chase: "About fifteen years ago, a few people tried to take over my dad's olive oil import business. They tried desperately to kill him, and they almost did." Luke Blasi He followed them up and took the initiative to find them. As a result, he killed six of them within two weeks. This ended the famous olive oil battle.” He smiled as if what he had just told was a joke. She couldn't help being horrified: "You mean to say that your father was shot by bad guys?"

"That was fifteen years ago," Michael said, "everything has been fine since then." He worried that what he had just said had gone too far. "You're trying to scare me," Kay said. "You just don't want to marry me." She smiled at him and poked him in the ribs with the crook of her arm. "You are very clever." Michael smiled at her. "I want you to think about it," he said. "Did he really kill six?" Kay asked. "That's what it says in the papers," Mike said, "and no one ever checked it out. There's another thing about him that's never been mentioned. It's probably so horrible that even my daddy doesn't talk about it. Tom Hagen knew, but he wouldn't tell me. I was kidding him once, and I said, 'How old do I have to be to hear about Luke?' Tom said, 'Wait When you're a hundred years old.'" Michael picked up the glass and took a few sips. "That must be a great story. It must also say that Luke was a great man."

Seriously, Luke is a man who would scare even the devil in hell.He is short and fat, with a big head, and with his appearance, he will sound the danger alarm wherever he goes.His face seemed to be wearing a mask of evil spirits.His eyes were brown, but not with the usual vibrancy of the color, more like dead tan skin.His mouth, cruel as it was, was more deadly: thin, made of rubber, the color of veal. Blasey's reputation for ferocity was formidable; his devotion to Don Corleone was legendary.He, himself, was one of the great pillars supporting the old man's power structure.People like him are rare.

Luke Brasi was not afraid of the police, he was not afraid of society, he was not afraid of God, he was not afraid of hell, he was not afraid of people and he did not love people. But he was willing to show both fear and love for Don Corleone.The awe-inspiring Brasi, approaching the old man, looked respectful and restrained.He stammered. He said some flowery words of congratulations, and solemnly expressed his hope that the first grandson would be a boy.Then, he handed the old man a paper bag filled with cash, which was gift money for the bride and groom. He came this time, and that's all.Hagen saw the change in Don Corleone's attitude.The old man's reception of Blasi was like a king's reception of a subject who has done a great job; the attitude was far from affectionate, but with the dignity of a king.Don Corleone's every gesture and every word showed that Luke Brasi was in high regard.He personally handed over the gift to congratulate the newlyweds to himself, and he didn't show any surprise at this point.He knew it in his heart.

There must have been more money in the paper bag than anyone else sent.Brasi considered the amount for hours, mentally comparing it with what other guests might have given.He just wanted to show his utmost respect in the most lavish way possible; that's why he gave the wallet to the old man himself, a clumsy act which the old man didn't say a word about. All he said was a pleasant expression of gratitude.Hagen beamed with self-satisfaction as he saw the original fierceness disappear from Luke Brasi's face.Hagen stood in the doorway and pulled it open, and Brasi kissed the old man's hand and went out.Hagen cautiously gave Blasi a friendly smile, and Blasi gave a polite pout of his veal-coloured lips in thanks.

Don Corleone let out a soft sigh of relief when the door closed.Blasey was the only person in the world who could get on his nerves.This person is like a blind force that won't really give in to control.He must be treated with the same care and caution as dynamite.The old man shrugged.Even explosives can be made to explode without causing damage if necessary.He looked at Hagen, as if asking something: "Is Bonasera the last?" Hagen nodded.Don Corleone frowned thoughtfully, and said, "Bring him in slowly. Get me Sandino first, so he can learn something." Hagen was running up and down the garden outside, looking impatiently for Sonny Corleone.He told Bonasera to be patient and walked over to Michael Corleone and his girlfriend.

"Did you see Sonny just now?" he asked. Michael shook his head.Hell, thought Hagen, if Sonny had an affair with a bridesmaid at this hour, it would really make a mess.His wife, the young girl's parents, it would be a disaster if they found out and started a fight.He came to the gate of the building restlessly.Almost half an hour before he had seen Sonny go through the gate, and now he was gone. Kay Adams saw Hagen enter the gate and asked Michael Corleone, "Who is he? You introduced him as if he were your brother, but he doesn't have the same last name as you, and he looks Obviously not Italian."

"Tom has been living with me since he was twelve," Michael said. "His parents died long ago, and he has a bad eye infection. He has come down. He has nowhere to go. He has been living in my house until he got married and did not set up another family." "It's the stuff of legend," she said. "Your dad must have been a passionate man. He's had so many children of his own and adopted people like that." Michael did not point out that the Italian expatriate did not consider four children to be many.He just said, "Tom wasn't adopted, he just lived with us."

"Oh!" Kay sighed, and then asked curiously, "Then why not adopt him?" Michael laughed loudly: "Because my father said that asking Tom to change his surname would lose his dignity, and it would also lose the dignity of his biological parents." They watched Hagen herd Sonny into the Don's office like a hen, then curl his finger at Amerigo Bonasera. "Why are they bothering your dad on a day like today?" Kay asked. Michael laughed again: "They all know that according to tradition, a Sicilian will not refuse any request made by others on his daughter's wedding day, and on the other hand, no Sicilian will let such a request go for nothing. Chance."

Lucy Mancini hoisted her pink gown up the floor and ran up the stairs, Sonny Corleone's thick-eyed Cupid-shaped face flushed with voluptuousness from the lust of wine. The ferocious appearance startled her.But she's been teasing him all week, and that's what she ended up with, and she didn't really feel any of the two romances she had at college, because both of them had blown up in less than a week.Her second lover had grumbled at her during an altercation: "It's big down there." Lucy figured it out, and she hadn't dated any men since then until the end of term. In the summer, while planning a wedding for her best friend Connie Corleone, Lucy heard people gossip about Sonny.One Sunday afternoon in the Corleone kitchen, Sonny's wife, Sandra, was blunt in small talk. Sandra was a rough, kind woman born in Italy but brought to America at a very young age.She is strong, with large breasts, and has given birth to three children in five years of marriage.Sandra and some girls teased Connie about how terrible the wedding night was. "My God," Sandra giggled, "the first time I saw Sonny's thing, I couldn't help yelling for help. When I heard him doing this with other girls , I'll go to church and light a candle." Now, as she ran up the stairs, a powerful torrent of sexual desire ran through her body.At the foot of the stairs Sonny grabbed her by the hand and led her across the hall into a spare bedroom where her legs gave way when the door closed.She felt Sonny's mouth close to hers, the smell of tobacco was bitter, and she opened it, and at once she felt his hand come up from under her gown, and heard her dress being touched by his hand. It rustled, and felt his big warm hand between her legs, pulling at her satin panties... They cuddled together, out of breath. They could have stayed longer, but they heard a soft knock at the door.Sonny buttoned up her trousers hastily, and at the same time blocked the door with her body to prevent anyone from entering.Lucy leveled her pink clothes in a panic, her eyes flickered, as if she was looking for something...Then they both heard Tom Hagen's voice, softly: "Sonny, are you in there?" Sonny breathed a sigh of relief.He winked at Lucy. "Yes, Tom, what's the matter?" Still in a low voice, Hagen said, "The old man wants you into his office, right away." They heard his footsteps, and he moved away.Sonny waited a few minutes, kissed Lucy hard on the lips, and then slipped out after Hagen. Lucy brushed her hair, looked her clothes up and down, stretched her garters, she felt bruised, her lips felt limp and tender.Instead of going to the bathroom to wash, she ran straight down the stairs and across the garden.She sat down at the bridal table, next to Connie.Connie exclaimed somewhat sullenly: "Lucy, where have you been? You look drunk, sit next to me, don't go away." The blond groom poured Lucy a glass of wine and smiled knowingly. Lucy pretended to be calm, took the crimson grape juice, put it to her thirsty lips, and drank it, her body was shaking, she was drinking from the glass, and at the same time her eyes were rolling Go, look around, hungrily for Sonny Corleone, there's no one else here she wants to see.She leaned into Connie's ear, and playfully said: "In a few more hours, you'll understand how it all went." Connie giggled, and Lucy put her fingers together on the table, looking smug, as if she'd stolen one of the bride's treasures. . Amerigo Bonasera followed Hagen into the room and saw Don Corleone sitting behind the big desk.Sonny Corleone stood at the window, looking out into the garden.The old man was very cold, he did not hug or shake hands with the guests.The sallow undertaker got the invitation because his wife was the closest friend of the old man's.Don Corleone had always had an aversion to Amerigo Bonasera himself. Bonasera began to obliquely and subtly formulate her request: "You must forgive my daughter, your wife's goddaughter, for not coming to congratulate you today. She is still in the hospital." He glanced at Sonny Corleone and Tom Hagen, suggesting that he did not wish to speak further in their presence.But the old man paid no attention. "We know your daughter's misfortune," said Don Corleone. "If there's anything I can do to help you just say so. My wife is her godmother anyway. I never forgot the honor." It was a slap in the face.It was only because the undertaker, who had never followed the custom, called Don Corleone "Godfather." Bonasera's face turned ashen, and she couldn't help asking directly, "May I have a private talk with you?" Don Corleone shook his head and said, "I trust these two men. I trust them with my life. They are my right and left hands. I can't bear to send them away and insult them." The undertaker closed his eyes for a moment before continuing.His voice is quiet, and he usually uses this quiet voice to comfort the family members of the deceased. "I raised my daughter to be American. I believed in America. America gave me the opportunity to have a little family business. I let my daughter move freely, but I also taught her never to insult her family. She found A 'boyfriend' but not Italian. She goes to the movies with him and comes home late at night. But he never comes to meet her parents. I put up with it all without objecting, it's all Blame me. Two months ago he took her for a ride in the car with a friend of his, a stout kid. They lured her to drink whiskey and then tried to play tricks on her. She resisted and kept her Honor. They beat her inappropriately. I went to the hospital and saw that her eyes were blacked out, the bridge of her nose was broken, and her lower jaw was comminuted. They had to use steel wire She was crying in pain: 'Daddy, Daddy, why are they doing this? Why are they doing this to me?' I cried too." Bonasera could say no more.He cried, but his voice was still very quiet, never showing his emotion too much. Don Corleone, as if against his will, made a gesture of sympathy; Bonasera went on,his voice human with suffering. "Why should I weep? She was the light of my life, a lovely daughter, a very pretty girl. She had believed in people, and now she would never believe it again.She will never be pretty again. " He was trembling, and his sallow face had turned a terrible crimson; "I went to the police as a dutiful American, and those two boys were arrested. They were brought to court, and the evidence Sure enough, they pleaded guilty. The judge sentenced them to three years with probation, and they went free the day they were sentenced. I stood in the courtroom like a fool; the bastards were still smiling at me. And then I Said to my wife: 'We must seek justice from Don Corleone. '" The old man bowed his head, appreciating the man's suffering, but when he spoke, every word he uttered seemed cruel and offended by his dignity. "Why did you go to the police? Why didn't you go to me in the first place?" Bonasera grunted and said, "What do you want from me? Tell me what you want. But please do what I ask you to do." His words were barbed, almost arrogant. Don Corleone scowled and said, "What does that mean?" Bonasera glanced at Hagen and Sonny Corleone, then shook his head.The old man, still sitting at his desk, leaned over towards the undertaker.Bonasera hesitated, then stooped and pressed her mouth against the old man's shaggy ear.Don Corleone listened like a priest in a confessional, gazing into the distance, impassive and indifferent.They stood like this for a long time, and Bonasera finally straightened up after finishing her whisper.The old man looked up and looked at Bonasera seriously.Bonasera blushed, but gazed at him unflinchingly. The old man finally said: "Then, I can't do it. You are dreaming." Bonasera raised his voice and said clearly, "I'll give you what you want." Hearing this sentence, Hagen flinched a little, his brain tensed for a while.Sonny Corleone, arms folded, sneered as he turned from the window to watch the interior scene for the first time. Don Corleone rose from behind the desk.He remained emotionless, but his voice sounded like cold death. "We've known each other for years," he said to the undertaker, "but it's only today that you've come to me for advice and help. Although my wife is godmother to your only daughter, I don't recall you ever asking I'm coming over to your house for coffee. Let's talk straight. You kick my friendship away lest you take my favor." Bonasera grumbled, "That's because I didn't want to get in trouble." The old man raised his hand up: "Forget it, don't talk about it. You thought America was heaven. You have a good business and a good life, and you think the world is carefree, and you can enjoy it as you like. You never want loyal friends as yourself With the police protecting you and the courts, you and your wife and children can do no harm. You don't need Don Corleone. Well, I hurt my feelings, but I'm not the kind of person who I impose my friendship on those who don't value it—those who think I'm of little importance." The old man stopped and smiled politely but mockingly at the undertaker: "If next time you come to me and say, 'Don Corleone give me justice.' And, when you make this request, you're still impious, you'd better not be friendly to me. You're My daughter came to my house on the wedding day and asked me to assassinate others, and you still..." Here the old man imitated Bonasera's voice with deliberate contempt: "'I'll pay you back anything.' I'm not offended, but I want to ask you, what did I do that you were so rude to me?" Bonasera, in pain and terror, exclaimed: "America has always been good to me. I want to be a good citizen. I want my kids to be American." The old man clapped his hands together, expressing his firm approval. "Excellent point. Then, you have nothing to complain about. The judge has control. The state has control. When you go to the hospital to see your daughter, please bring her flowers, a box of candy. That would comfort her. That's all, take it easy. Besides, it wasn't a big deal after all, the boys were young and fresh, and one of them was the son of a powerful politician. Well, dear Amerigo, you have been honest, and though you have trampled upon our friendship, I must confess: I trust Bonasera's promises more than I trust anyone else's. Therefore, I Please promise me a word, you will get rid of that crazy idea, which is not in keeping with the American style. Be tolerant and forget, life is full of misfortunes!" The cruel sarcasm and sarcasm contained in the old man's restrained angry words tormented the undertaker, who was trembling and bewildered.But he mustered up his courage, and said again: "I ask you to do justice." Corleone said bluntly: "The court has given you justice long ago." Bonasera shook his head and said stubbornly, "No. They only administered 'justice' to those two young boys, but not to me." The old man nodded in agreement.At the same time, he expressed his appreciation for this clear-cut attitude before asking: "What justice do you demand?" "An eye for an eye," Bonasera said. "But your specific demands are too high," said the old man. "Your daughter is still alive." Bonasera forced him to say, "Whatever my daughter suffers, let them suffer as well." The old man waited for him to speak further.Bonasera summoned up his last courage and said: "How much do you want me to pay?" It was simply a cry of despair. Don Corleone turned his back on him, and that was the eviction order.Bonasera stood there, motionless. Finally Don Corleone, with a sigh, turned to face the undertaker.The undertaker was as pale now as he was with dead bodies: a well-meaning man like the old man would not be long angry with a misguided and lost friend.He is bold and unrestrained, but also tolerant of others. "Why don't you dare to be loyal to me first?" he said. "You go to court and you wait months. You spend your money on a lawyer who knows full well that you're going to end up being fooled. You accept the sentence of a judge who acts like the nastiest whore on the street Selling yourself. A few years ago, when you needed money, you went to the bank to borrow it and paid a devastating high interest rate; Respectfully like a beggar, stand aside and wait." The old man paused for a moment, then continued, in a more severe voice: "But if you had come to me to borrow money, my money would have been yours. If you had come to me earlier to demand justice, the scum of society who destroyed your daughter would have shed bitter tears today, Crying all the time. If an honest man like you offends anyone, your enemy will be my enemy." Here the old man stretched out his arm; pointing his finger at Bonasera, "then, Believe me, they will be afraid of you too." Bonasera lowered his head and said in a subdued voice, "Make friends, I accept your opinion." Don Corleone put his hand on Bonasera's shoulder. "Okay!" he said, "I'm responsible for the justice you will get. When the time comes, maybe that day will never come, I may ask you to do something small. Before that day comes, please put this justice, As a gift from my wife, she is your daughter's godmother." When the grateful undertaker went out and closed the door behind him, Don Corleone turned to Hagen and said: "Give this to Clemenza and tell him to be sure, to use reliable people, to use people who won't be disoriented by the smell of blood. We're not murderers anyway, And don't care what's going on in the foolish head of that servant who waits on the corpse." He only now noticed that his eldest son had been gazing out of the window at the feast in the garden.It was disappointing, Don Corleone thought.If Sandino refused to be taught, he would never be able to manage the house, never be an old man.He had to find someone else, and he had to hurry.Because he himself cannot live forever. To the great astonishment of all three, there was an earth-shattering cheer from the garden.Sonny Corleone, peering out the window, saw that and hurried to the door with a broad smile on his face. "It's Johnny. He's at the wedding. What did I report to you?" Hagen went to the window. "It's really your godson," he said to Don Corleone. "Shall I bring him to you at once?" "No," said the old man. "Let everybody see him, have fun, and let him see me when he's ready." He smiled at Hagen. "You understand? He's a good godson." Hagen felt a twinge of jealousy and said dryly, "It's been two years. It's likely he's in some trouble again and asked for your help." "If he doesn't look for his godfather, who should he look for?" Don Corleone asked back. Connie Corleone was the first to see Johnny Fontane enter the garden.She forgot her dignity as a bride and screamed, "Johnny—" She draws out the last syllable very long.Then, she ran over and threw herself into his arms, letting him hug her.He hugged her tightly and kissed her on the mouth.When others gathered around to greet him, his arm never let go of her.They were all his old friends, old companions who had grown up together on the West Side.Connie dragged him to meet her groom.John was amused to see the blond young man showing jealousy that he was no longer the star of the day.With all his charm, Johnny shook the groom's hand generously and congratulated him with a glass of wine. A familiar voice called from the bandstand: "Sing us a song, how about it, Johnny?" He looked up and saw Nino Valenti smiling at him from above.What about John Fontane, jumped onto the bandstand, threw up his arms, and hugged Nino.They used to be inseparable, singing and playing together.Johnny became famous and was often invited to sing on the radio, and they parted ways.After Johnny went to Hollywood to shoot a movie, he called Nino twice, just to talk.He had promised to arrange a day for him to go to the club to sing, but he never made such an arrangement.Seeing Nino still so jovial, teasing, drunk, and grinning now, their old friendship came back to them all at once. Nino played the mandolin absently.Johnny Fontane put a hand on Nino's shoulder. "This song is dedicated to the bride," he said. Then he kicked and stomped and hummed an obscene Sicilian love song over and over again.He was singing, and Nino used his body to make gestures according to the meaning of the lyrics.The bride blushed with embarrassment, but also looked triumphant; the guests cheered in unison, expressing their approval.As they sang, they all stomped and stomped their feet and roared out the line of puns at the end of each verse.When it was over, they continued to applaud until Johnny cleared his throat and sang another song. They are all proud of him.They considered him their own; he had become a famous singer, a movie star, and slept with the most desirable women in the world.Nevertheless, he paid a fitting tribute to his godfather by traveling three thousand miles to attend the wedding.He still loves old friends like Nino Valenti. Many in the crowd had seen Johnny and Nino singing together as babies, and no one would have guessed that Johnny Fontane would grow up to hold the hearts of fifty million women in his hands. Johnny Fontane reached down and grabbed the bride, Connie, and dragged her to the bandstand, placing her between him and Nino.The two men squatted down, facing each other, and Nino waved and played the mandolin, and some piercing trios were about to come.It was their daily routine, a mock battle of proposals.Their voices are swords, and the chorus is everyone roaring for a while in turn.With the most subtle courtesy, Johnny let Nino's voice over his own, let Nino snatch the bride from his arms, let Nino transition to the final verse of victory, and His own voice gradually lowered.Disappeared.There was bursts of applause at the banquet, and the three of them hugged each other at the end.The guests begged for another song. Only Don Corleone, standing at the door of the house, felt that something was wrong.With frank and friendly humor, and with all his care not to annoy his guests, he exclaimed: "My godson came from three thousand miles away to congratulate him. Didn't anyone think of moistening his throat?" As soon as the words were finished, a dozen glasses filled with wine were handed to Johnny Fontane.He took a sip from each glass before he threw himself on his godfather and hugged him.As he embraced the godfather, he whispered something into the elder's ear, and the old man led him into the house. Tom Hagen shook hands with Johnny when he entered the house.Johnny shook the hand that Tom offered, and said: "Hello, Tom!" His tone lacked his usual sincere and enthusiastic charm.This indifferent performance made Hagen feel that his self-esteem was hurt, but he just shrugged his shoulders and let it go. Johnny Fontane said to the old man: "When I got the invitation, I said to myself, 'My godfather is not mad at me anymore.' I called you five times after my divorce, and Tom tells me every time you're out or busy, so I think you're still mad at me." Don Corleone filled the glasses from the yellow leather basket. "The past has long been forgotten. The question is, what else can I do for you now? Could it be that you are so famous and rich that even I can't do anything to help you?" Johnny drained the glass of the orange-yellow and reddish wine in one gulp, and held out the glass for another to be poured for him.He began to speak, trying to sound casual. "I'm not rich, godfather! I'm going downhill now. You're right. I shouldn't have left my wife and children to marry that bitch. You're mad at me, but I don't blame you." The old man shrugged: "I was worried about you, because you are my godson, that's all, why not!" Johnny walked up and down the room with square steps. "I was fascinated by this stinky bitch, the biggest star in Hollywood, she looked like an angel, you know what she does after a movie? If a male makeup artist makes her face She was brilliant, and she let people fiddle with her. If a male photographer made her look particularly good, she took him to her private dressing room and let him rape her. Any man, she sees her body like I see the change in my pocket ready to tip, what a bloody whore. " Don Corleone cut in bluntly, "How about your old wife and children?" Johnny sighed: "I worry about them. After the divorce, I gave Ginny and the children more money than the court stipulated. I visit them once a week and miss them very much. Sometimes , I feel like I'm going crazy." He drank another drink: "Nowadays, my second wife always laughs at me. I ask my wife to listen to her husband, and she doesn't understand at all, saying I'm old-fashioned. I sing, and she makes fun of me. Before I leave, I tell her I beat her hard, but not in the face, because she was in a movie. I beat her so badly, I beat her arms and legs with my fists, like a child, and she gave me Keep laughing." He lit a cigarette and smoked: "Godfather, there is no point in living." Don Corleone said bluntly: "I can't help you with these difficulties!" He paused for a while, then asked again: "How is your throat?" The charm and the self-mockery had gone out of Johnny Fontane's face, and he was almost depressed. He said: "Godfather, I can't sing any more. There's something wrong with my throat, and the doctors don't know what it is." Hagen and the old man looked him up in surprise. Fontane had always been quite strong back then. Fang Tan went on to say: "The two films I participated in made a lot of money, and I became a famous star."But now they've thrown me out, and the studio director hates me so much, and he's trying to pay me some money to pay me off. " Don Corleone stood before his godson and asked sternly, "Why doesn't this man like you?" "I've sung some songs for liberal groups in the past. The songs, you know, are all stuff you absolutely don't like me singing. Hi, Jack Woltz doesn't like me singing those songs either.He called me the Communist Party, but he didn't let that title stick to me.Later, I got hold of one of the girls he kept.It was just a one-night relationship, but she chased me afterwards.Me, fuck, what can I do then?后来，我那个第二房妻子就害得我好苦。琪妮和孩子们也不要我再回去了。而且我再也不能唱歌了。教父呀，我究竟应该怎么办？ " 考利昂老头子的脸变得冷冰冰的，连一丝同情也没有。他轻蔑他说： “你应该像个大丈夫一样，重新做人。” 突然，愤怒使他的脸变形了。他高声怒吼起来：“像一个——大——丈——夫！” 他把身子扑过桌子，伸手抓住约翰昵·方檀的头发，动作在猛烈中充满着爱怜：“你在我的跟前待了这么久，结果竟是这个样子，这合道理吗？一个好莱坞红人竟哭哭啼啼，哀求怜悯，像话吗？而且哭得像个女人——'我该怎么办哪？噢，我该怎么办哪？'” 老头子的摹拟表演是那样超乎寻常，那么意想不到，黑根和约翰呢都大为吃惊，继而又放声大笑起来。考利昂老头子也感到沾沾自喜。这会儿，他在思考他是多么爱他的这位教子啊！对这样的申诉，他自己的三个儿子将有什么反应？桑迪诺会好几个星期板着脸；弗烈杜，总是给吓得发愣；迈克尔呢？会对他冷笑一番，跨出门，几个月不露面。但是，约翰昵，他是多么乖的一个小子啊，如今仍然笑咪咪的，正在打起精神，他已经明白了教父的真实意图。 考利昂老头子接着说：“你把你上司的女人夺过来了。他是个比你有势力的人呀！然后你又埋怨他不肯帮你的忙。真荒谬：你遗弃了自己的妻子儿女，去同一个娼妇结婚，害得儿女没有爸爸；人家不伸手欢迎你，你又哭哭啼啼。那个娼妇，你念她正在参加拍摄一部电影而不打她的脸，然后，当她对你笑的时候，你又给迷住了。你生活得像个傻瓜，到头来也落个傻瓜的结局。” 考利昂老头子停下来，以一种很耐心的语气问道：“这次你愿意接受我的忠告吗？” 约翰昵·方檀耸耸肩。“我无法琪滇妮复婚了，不能按她所要求的方式复婚。我戒不了赌，戒不了酒，也不能不同男娃娃出去玩玩。漂亮的下流女人老是追我，我实在没有办法拒绝她们。这样，当我回到琪妮面前的时候，我总是感到自己像个小偷。上帝啊！我这是两头失算了，要我再经受一次这样的折磨，我实在受不了啦。” 考利昂老头子破天荒第一次表现出了恼怒的神色： “我并没有说要你复婚。你想怎么办就怎么办吧，你希望继续给你女儿当爸爸，这很好。一个男子汉在自己子女面前不拿出当爸爸的气度来，绝对不可能是一个真正的男子汉。 但另一方面，你也得设法让他们的妈妈谅解你。谁说你不能每天去看看她们？谁说你们不能住在一个屋子里？谁说你不该严格按照自己的意愿去过自己的生活？ " 约翰昵·方檀放声大笑起来：“教父呀，并不是所有的女人都像老式的意大利妻子。琪妮不会容忍这一套。” 老头子又在说挖苦话了：“只怪你原先装得像个财神。你交给她的钱比法院规定的还要多。在对待另一个女人方面，只因为她正在参加一部电影，你就不打她的脸，你让女人左右你的行为。而她们在这个世界上并没有这样的资格，尽管可以肯定她们会上天堂当圣人，而男人要下地狱，受火烧。另外，这几年我一直在注视着你。” 老头子语气变得严肃了： '你一直是个好教子。你对我表现出了最大的尊敬。但你是怎样对待别的老朋友的？今年跟这个人在一起厮混，明年又跟另外一个在一起厮混。那个意大利小伙子在银幕上是那样的有趣，但他有点倒霉。你却因为自己更为出名而从来不去看看他。你又是怎样对待那个当年与你一起上学一起唱歌的伙伴呢？我说的是尼诺。他由于失望而经常喝酒过量，但他向来不埋怨。他卖苦力、开卡车拉石子，为了赚几块钱，每逢周未都要去唱歌。他从来没有说过你一句坏话。你不能帮他一把？为什么不这样做呢？他的歌唱得很好嘛！ " 约翰昵·方檀以耐心的语气说：“教父呀，他就是没有足够的天赋。他很好，但不突出。” 考利昂老头子耷拉着眼皮，眼睛几乎眯成了一条缝，说： “而你，教子啊，就是你，恰恰就是你没有足够的天赋。要不要我给你也在装运石子的卡车上找个工作，跟尼诺一样地干？” 约翰昵没有回答。老头子又继续说：“友谊就是一切，它比天赋更重要。朋友比政府还重要。朋友简直等于自家人，千万别忘记这一点。如果你用朋友的友谊筑起了一道防线，你也就不会要求我帮忙了。现在请告诉我，你怎么唱不成歌了。你刚才在花园里唱得蛮好嘛。