mp.godfather-第95部分

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　Mrs。　Corleone　herself　opened　the　door　and　greeted　Kay　with　a　warm　embrace　that　surprised　her。　Then　she　surveyed　Kay　with　an　appraising　eye。　〃You　a　beautiful　girl；〃　she　said　flatly。　〃I　have　stupid　sons。〃　She　pulled　Kay　inside　the　door　and　led　her　to　the　kitchen；　where　a　platter　of　food　was　already　set　out　and　a　pot　of　coffee　perked　on　the　stove。　〃Michael　es　home　pretty　soon；〃　she　said。　〃You　surprise　him。〃
　
　They　sat　down　together　and　the　old　woman　forced　Kay　to　eat；　meanwhile　asking　questions　with　great　curiosity。　She　was　delighted　that　Kay　was　a　schoolteacher　and　that　she　had　e　to　New　York　to　visit　old　girl　friends　and　that　Kay　was　only　twenty…four　years　old。　She　kept　nodding　her　head　as　if　all　the　facts　accorded　with　some　private　specifications　in　her　mind。　Kay　was　so　nervous　that　she　just　answered　the　questions；　never　saying　anything　else。
　
　She　saw　him　first　through　the　kitchen　window。　A　car　pulled　up　in　front　of　the　house　and　the　two　other　men　got　out。　Then　Michael。　He　straightened　up　to　talk　with　one　of　the　other　men。　His　profile；　the　left　one；　was　exposed　to　her　view。　It　was　cracked；　indented；　like　the　plastic　face　of　a　doll　that　a　child　has　wantonly　kicked。　In　a　curious　way　it　did　not　mar　his　handsomeness　in　her　eyes　but　moved　her　to　tears。　She　saw　him　put　a　snow…white　handkerchief　to　his　mouth　and　nee　and　hold　it　there　for　a　moment　while　he　turned　away　to　e　into　the　house。
　
　She　heard　the　door　open　and　his　footsteps　in　the　hall　turning　into　the　kitchen　and　then　he　was　in　the　open　space；　seeing　her　and　his　mother。　He　seemed　impassive；　and　then　he　smiled　ever　so　slightly；　the　broken　half　of　his　face　halting　the　widening　of　his　mouth。　And　Kay；　who　had　want　just　to　say　〃Hello；　how　are　you；〃　in　the　coolest　possible　way；　slipped　out　of　her　seat　to　run　into　his　arms；　bury　her　face　against　his　shoulder。　He　kissed　her　wet　cheek　and　held　her　until　she　finished　weeping　and　then　he　walked　her　out　to　his　car；　waved　his　bodyguard　away　and　drove　off　with　her　beside　him；　she　repairing　her　makeup　by　simply　wiping　what　was　left　of　it　away　with　her　handkerchief。
　
　〃I　never　meant　to　do　that；〃　Kay　said。　〃It's　just　that　nobody　told　me　how　badly　they　hurt　you。〃
　
　Michael　laughed　and　touched　the　broken　side　of　his　face。　〃You　mean　this？　That's　nothing。　Just　gives　me　sinus　trouble。　Now　that　I'm　home　I'll　probably　get　it　fixed。　I　couldn't　write　you　or　anything；〃　Michael　said。　〃You　have　to　understand　that　before　anything　else。〃
　
　〃OK；〃　she　said。
　
　〃I've　got　a　place　in　the　city；〃　Michael　said。　〃Is　it　all　right　if　we　go　there　or　should　it　be　dinner　and　drinks　at　a　restaurant？〃
　
　〃I'm　not　hungry；〃　Kay　said。
　
　They　drove　toward　New　York　in　silence　for　a　while。　〃Did　you　get　your　degree？〃　Michael　asked。
　
　〃Yes；〃　Kay　said。　〃I'm　teaching　grade　school　in　my　hometown　now。　Did　they　find　the　man　who　really　killed　the　policeman；　is　that　why　you　were　able　to　e　home？〃
　
　For　a　moment　Michael　didn't　answer。　〃Yes；　they　did；〃　he　said。　〃It　was　in　all　the　New　York　papers。　Didn't　you　read　about　it？〃
　
　Kay　laughed　with　the　relief　of　him　denying　he　was　a　murderer。　〃We　only　get　The　New　York　Times　up　in　our　town；〃　she　said。　〃I　guess　it　was　buried　back　in　page　eighty…nine。　If　I'd　read　about　it　I'd　have　called　your　mother　sooner。〃　She　paused　and　then　said；　〃It's　funny；　the　way　your　mother　used　to　talk；　I　almost　believed　you　had　done　it。　And　just　before　you　came；　while　we　were　drinking　coffee；　she　told　me　about　that　crazy　man　who　confessed。〃
　
　Michael　said；　〃Maybe　my　mother　did　believe　it　at　first。〃
　
　〃Your　own　mother？〃　Kay　asked。
　
　Michael　grinned。　〃Mothers　are　like　cops。　They　always　believe　the　worst。〃
　
　Michael　parked　the　car　in　a　garage　on　Mulberry　Street　where　the　owner　seemed　to　know　him。　He　took　Kay　around　the　corner　to　what　looked　like　a　fairly　decrepit　brownstone　house　which　fitted　into　the　rundown　neighborhood。　Michael　had　a　key　to　the　front　door　and　when　they　went　inside　Kay　saw　that　it　was　as　expensively　and　fortably　furnished　as　a　millionaire's　town　house。　Michael　led　her　to　the　upstairs　apartment　which　consisted　of　an　enormous　living　room；　a　huge　kitchen　and　door　that　led　to　the　bedroom。　In　one　corner　of　the　living　room　was　a　bar　and　Michael　mixed　them　both　a　drink。　They　sat　on　a　sofa　together　and　Michael　said　quietly；　〃We　might　as　well　go　into　the　bedroom。〃　Kay　took　a　long　pull　from　her　drink　and　smiled　at　him。　〃Yes；〃　she　said。
　
　For　Kay　the　lovemaking　was　almost　like　it　had　been　before　except　that　Michael　was　rougher；　more　direct；　not　as　tender　as　he　had　been。　As　if　he　were　on　guard　against　her。　But　she　didn't　want　to　plain。　It　would　wear　off。　In　a　funny　way；　men　were　more　sensitive　in　a　situation　like　this；　she　thought。　She　had　found　making　love　to　Michael　after　a　two…year　absence　the　most　natural　thing　in　the　world。　It　was　as　if　he　had　never　been　away。
　
　〃You　could　have　written　me；　you　could　have　trusted　me；〃　she　said；　nestling　against　his　body。　〃I　would　have　practiced　the　New　England　omerta。　Yankees　are　pretty　closemouthed　too；　you　know。〃
　
　Michael　laughed　softly　in　the　darkness。　〃I　never　figured　you　to　be　waiting；〃　he　said。　〃I　never　figured　you　to　wait　after　what　happened。〃
　
　Kay　said　quickly；　〃I　never　believed　you　killed　those　two　men。　Except　maybe　when　your　mother　seemed　to　think　so。　But　I　never　believed　it　in　my　heart。　I　know　you　too　well。〃
　
　She　could　hear　Michael　give　a　sigh。　〃It　doesn't　matter　whether　I　did　or　not；〃　he　said。　〃You　have　to　understand　that。〃
　
　Kay　was　a　little　stunned　by　the　coldness　in　his　voice。　She　said；　〃So　just　tell　me　now；　did　you　or　didn't　you？〃
　
　Michael　sat　up　on　his　pillow　and　in　the　darkness　a　light　flared　as　he　got　a　cigarette　going。　〃If　I　asked　you　to　marry　me；　would　I　have　to　answer　that　question　first　before　you'd　give　me　an　answer　to　mine？〃
　
　Kay　said；　〃I　don't　care；　I　love　you；　I　don't　care。　If　you　loved　me　you　wouldn't　be　afraid　to　tell　me　the　truth。　You　wouldn't　be　afraid　I　might　tell　the　police。　That's　it；　isn't　it？　You're　really　a　gangster　then；　isn't　that　so？　But　I　really　don't　care。　What　I　care　about　is　that　you　obviously　don't　love　me。　You　didn't　even　call　me　up　when　you　got　back　home。〃
　
　Michael　was　puffing　on　his　cigarette　and　some　burning　ashes　fell　on　Kay's　bare　back。　She　flinched　a　little　and　said　jokingly；　〃Stop　torturing　me；　I　won't　talk。〃
　
　Michael　didn't　laugh。　His　voice　sounded　absentminded。　〃You　know；　when　I　came　home　I　wasn't　that　glad　when　I　saw　my　family；　my　father；　my　mother；　my　sister　Connie；　and　Tom。　It　was　nice　but　I　didn't　really　give　a　damn。　Then　I　came　home　tonight　and　saw　you　in　the　kitchen　and　I　was　glad。　Is　that　what　you　mean　by　love？〃
　
　〃That's　close　enough　for　me；〃　Kay　said。
　
　They　made　love　again　for　a　while。　Michael　was　more　tender　this　time。　And　then　he　went　out　to　get　them　both　a　drink。　When　he　came　back　he　sat　on　an　armchair　facing　the　bed。　〃Let's　get　serious；〃　he　said。　〃How　do　you　feel　about　marrying　me？〃　Kay　smiled　at　him　and　motioned　him　into　the　bed。　Michael　smiled　back　at　her。　〃Be　serious；〃　he　said。　〃I　can't　tell　you　about　anything　that　happened。　I'm　working　for　my　father　now。　I'm　being　trained　to　take　over　the　family　olive　oil　business。　But　you　know　my　family　has　enemies；　my　father　has　enemies。　You　might　be　a　very　young　widow；　there's　a　chance；　not　much　of　one；　but　it　could　happen。　And　I　won't　be　telling　you　what　happened　at　the　office　every　day。　I　won't　be　telling　you　anything　about　my　business。　You'll　be　my　wife　but　you　won't　be　my　partner　in　life；　as　I　think　they　say。　Not　an　equal　partner。　That　can't　be。〃
　
　Kay　sat　up　in　bed。　She　switched　on　a　huge　lamp　standing　on　the　night　table　and　then　she　lit　a　cigarette。　She　leaned　back　on　the　pillows　and　said　quietly；　〃You're　telling　me　you're　a　gangster；　isn't　that　it？　You're　telling　me　that　you're　responsible　for　people　being　killed　and　other　sundry　crimes　related　to　murder。　And　that　I'm　not　ever　to　ask　about　that　part　of　your　life；　not　even　to　think　about　it。　Just　like　in　the　horror　movies　when　the　monster　asks　the　beautiful　girl　to　marry　him。〃　Michael　grinned；　the　cracked　part　of　his　face　turned　toward　her；　and　Kay　said　in　contrition；　〃Oh；　Mike；　I　don't　even　notice　that　stupid　thing；　I　sw