mp.godfather-第32部分

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he　lobby　at　least。
　
　Even　the　latest　visitors　had　departed；　it　was　almost　ten…thirty　at　night。　Michael　was　tense　and　alert　now。　He　didn't　bother　to　stop　at　the　information　desk；　he　already　knew　his　father's　room　number　up　on　the　fourth　floor。　He　took　the　self…service　elevator。　Oddly　enough　nobody　stopped　him　until　he　reached　the　nurses'　station　on　the　fourth　floor。　But　he　strode　right　past　her　query　and　on　to　his　father's　room。　There　was　no　one　outside　the　door。　Where　the　hell　were　the　two　detectives　who　were　supposed　to　be　waiting　around　to　guard　and　question　the　old　man？　Where　the　hell　were　Tessio　and　Clemenza's　people？　Could　there　be　someone　inside　the　room？　But　the　door　was　open。　Michael　went　in。　There　was　a　figure　in　the　bed　and　by　the　December　moonlight　straining　through　the　window　Michael　could　see　his　father's　face。　Even　now　it　was　impassive；　the　chest　heaved　shallowly　with　his　uneven　breath。　Tubes　hung　from　steel　gallows　beside　the　bed　and　ran　into　his　nose。　On　the　floor　was　a　glass　jar　receiving　the　poisons　emptied　from　his　stomach　by　other　tubes。　Michael　stayed　there　for　a　few　moments　to　make　sure　his　father　was　all　right；　then　backed　out　of　the　room。
　
　He　told　the　nurse；　〃My　name　is　Michael　Corleone；　I　just　want　to　sit　with　my　father。　What　happened　to　the　detectives　who　were　supposed　to　be　guarding　him？〃
　
　The　nurse　was　a　pretty　young　thing　with　a　great　deal　of　confidence　in　the　power　of　her　office。　〃Oh；　your　father　just　had　too　many　visitors；　it　interfered　with　the　hospital　service；〃　she　said。　〃The　police　came　and　made　them　all　leave　about　ten　minutes　ago。　And　then　just　five　minutes　ago　I　had　to　call　the　detectives　to　the　phone　for　an　emergency　alarm　from　their　headquarters；　and　then　they　left　too。　But　don't　worry；　I　look　in　on　your　father　often　and　I　can　hear　any　sound　from　his　room。　That's　why　we　leave　the　doors　open。〃
　
　〃Thank　you；〃　Michael　said。　〃I'll　sit　with　him　for　a　little　while。　OK？〃
　
　She　smiled　at　him。　〃Just　for　a　little　bit　and　then　I'm　afraid　you'll　have　to　leave。　It's　the　rules；　you　know。〃
　
　Michael　went　back　into　his　father's　room。　He　took　the　phone　from　its　cradle　and　got　the　hospital　operator　to　give　him　the　house　in　Long　Beach；　the　phone　in　the　corner　office　room。　Sonny　answered。　Michael　whispered；　〃Sonny；　I'm　down　at　the　hospital；　I　came　down　late。　Sonny；　there's　nobody　here。　None　of　Tessio's　people。　No　detectives　at　the　door。　The　old　man　was　pletely　unprotected。〃　His　voice　was　trembling。
　
　There　was　a　long　silence　and　then　Sonny's　voice　came；　low　and　impressed；　〃This　is　Sollozzo's　move　you　were　talking　about。〃
　
　Michael　said；　〃That's　what　I　figured　too。　But　how　did　he　get　the　cops　to　clear　everybody　out　and　where　did　they　go？　What　happened　to　Tessio's　men？　Jesus　Christ；　has　that　bastard　Sollozzo　got　the　New　York　Police　Department　in　his　pocket　too？〃
　
　〃Take　it　easy；　kid。〃　Sonny's　voice　was　soothing。　〃We　got　lucky　again　with　you　going　to　visit　the　hospital　so　late。　Stay　in　the　old　man's　room。　Lock　the　door　from　the　inside。　I'll　have　some　men　there　inside　of　fifteen　minutes；　soon　as　I　make　some　calls。　Just　sit　tight　and　don't　panic。　OK；　kid？〃
　
　〃I　won't　panic；〃　Michael　said。　For　the　first　time　since　it　had　all　started　he　felt　a　furious　anger　rising　in　him；　a　cold　hatred　for　his　father's　enemies。
　
　He　hung　up　the　phone　and　rang　the　buzzer　for　the　nurse。　He　decided　to　use　his　own　judgment　and　disregard　Sonny's　orders。　When　the　nurse　came　in　he　said；　〃I　don't　want　you　to　get　frightened；　but　we　have　to　move　my　father　right　away。　To　another　room　or　another　floor。　Can　you　disconnect　all　these　tubes　so　we　can　wheel　the　bed　out？〃
　
　The　nurse　said；　〃That's　ridiculous。　We　have　to　get　permission　from　the　doctor。〃
　
　Michael　spoke　very　quickly。　〃You've　read　about　my　father　in　the　papers。　You've　seen　that　there's　no　one　here　tonight　to　guard　him。　Now　I've　just　gotten　word　some　men　will　e　into　the　hospital　to　kill　him。　Please　believe　me　and　help　me。〃　He…could　be　extraordinarily　persuasive　when　he　wanted　to　be。
　
　The　nurse　said；　〃We　don't　have　to　disconnect　the　tubes。　We　can　wheel　the　stand　with　the　bed。〃
　
　〃Do　you　have　an　empty　room？〃　Michael　whispered。
　
　〃At　the　end　of　the　hall；〃　the　nurse　said。
　
　It　was　done　in　a　matter　of　moments；　very　quickly　and　very　efficiently。　Then　Michael　said　to　the　nurse；　〃Stay　here　with　him　until　help　es。　If　you're　outside　at　your　station　you　might　get　hurt。〃
　
　At　that　moment　he　heard　his　father's　voice　from　the　bed；　hoarse　but　full　of　strength；　〃Michael；　is　it　you？　What　happened；　what　is　it？〃
　
　Michael　leaned　over　the　bed。　He　took　his　father's　hand　in　his。　〃It's　Mike；〃　he　said。　〃Don't　be　afraid。　Now　listen；　don't　make　any　noise　at　all；　especially　if　somebody　calls　out　your　name。　Some　people　want　to　kill　you；　understand？　But　I'm　here　so　don't　be　afraid。〃
　
　Don　Corleone；　still　not　fully　conscious　of　what　had　happened　to　him　the　day　before；　in　terrible　pain；　yet　smiled　benevolently　on　his　youngest　son；　wanting　to　tell　him；　but　it　was　too　much　effort；　〃Why　should　I　be　afraid　now？　Strange　men　have　e　to　kill　me　ever　since　I　was　twelve　years　old。〃
　
　Chapter　10
　
　The　hospital　was　small　and　private　with　just　one　entrance。　Michael　looked　through　the　window　down　into　the　street。　There　was　a　curved　courtyard　that　had　steps　leading　down　into　the　street　and　the　street　was　empty　of　cars。　But　whoever　came　into　the　hospital　would　have　to　e　through　that　entrance。　He　knew　he　didn't　have　much　time　so　he　ran　out　of　the　room　and　down　the　four　flights　and　through　the　wide　doors　of　the　ground　floor　entrance。　Off　to　the　side　he　saw　the　ambulance　yard　and　there　was　no　car　there；　no　ambulances　either。
　
　Michael　stood　on　the　sidewalk　outside　the　hospital　and　lit　a　cigarette。　He　unbuttoned　his　coat　and　stood　in　the　light　of　a　lamppost　so　that　his　features　could　be　seen。　A　young　man　was　walking　swiftly　down　from　Ninth　Avenue；　a　package　under　his　arm。　The　young　man　wore　a　bat　jacket　and　had　a　heavy　shock　of　black　hair。　His　face　was　familiar　when　he　came　under　the　lamplight　but　Michael　could　not　place　it。　But　the　young　man　stopped　in　front　of　him　and　put　out　his　hand；　saying　in　a　heavy　Italian　accent；　〃Don　Michael；　do　you　remember　me？　Enzo；　the　baker's　helper　to　Nazorine　the　Paniterra；　his　son…in…law。　Your　father　saved　my　life　by　getting　the　government　to　let　me　stay　in　America。〃
　
　Michael　shook　his　hand。　He　remembered　him　now。
　
　Enzo　went　on；　〃I've　e　to　pay　my　respects　to　your　father。　Will　they　let　me　into　the　hospital　so　late？〃
　
　Michael　smiled　and　shook　his　head。　〃No；　but　thanks　anyway。　I'll　tell　the　Don　you　came。〃　A　car　came　roaring　down　the　street　and　Michael　was　instantly　alert。　He　said　to　Enzo；　〃Leave　here　quickly。　There　may　be　trouble。　You　don't　want　to　get　involved　with　the　police。〃
　
　He　saw　the　look　of　fear　on　the　young　Italian's　face。　Trouble　with　the　police　might　mean　being　deported　or　refusal　of　citizenship。　But　the　young　man　stood　fast。　He　whispered　in　Italian。　〃If　there's　trouble　I'll　stay　to　help。　I　owe　it　to　the　Godfather。〃
　
　Michael　was　touched。　He　was　about　to　tell　the　young　man　to　go　away　again；　but　then　he　thought；　why　not　let　him　stay？　Two　men　in　front　of　the　hospital　might　scare　off　any　of　Sollozzo's　crew　sent　to　do　a　job。　One　man　almost　certainly　would　not。　He　gave　Enzo　a　cigarette　and　lit　it　for　him。　They　both　stood　under　the　lamppost　is　the　cold　December　night。　The　yellow　panes　of　the　hospital；　bisected　by　the　greens　of　Christmas　decorations；　twinkled　down　on　them。　They　had　almost　finished　their　cigarettes　when　a　long　low　black　car　turned　into　30th　Street　from　Ninth　Avenue　and　cruised　toward　them；　very　close　to　the　curb。　It　almost　stopped。　Michael　peered　to　see　their　faces　inside；　his　body　flinching　involuntarily。　The　car　seemed　about　to　stop；　then　speeded　forward。　Somebody　had　recognized　him。　Michael　gave　Enzo　another　cigarette　and　noticed　that　the　baker's　hands　were　shaking。　To　his　surprise　his　own　hands　were　steady。
　
　They　stayed　in　the　street　smoking　for　what　was　no　more　than　ten　minutes　when　suddenly　the　night　air　was　split　by　a　police　siren。　A　patrol　car　made　a　screaming　turn　from　Ninth　Avenue　and　pulled　up　in　front　of　the　hospital。　Two　more　squad