mp.godfather-第97部分

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oney　and　ownership　of　other　valuables。　I'd　like　to　make　my　children　as　secure　as　possible　before　they　join　that　general　destiny。〃
　
　〃But　you　volunteered　to　fight　for　your　country；　you　were　a　war　hero；〃　Kay　said。　〃What　happened　to　make　you　change？〃
　
　Michael　said；　〃'This　is　really　getting　us　no　place。　But　maybe　I'm　just　one　of　those　real　old…fashioned　conservatives　they　grow　up　in　your　hometown。　I　take　care　of　myself；　individual。　Governments　really　don't　do　much　for　their　people；　that's　what　it　es　down　to；　but　that's　not　it　really。　All　I　can　say；　I　have　to　help　my　father；　I　have　to　be　on　his　side。　And　you　have　to　make　your　decision　about　being　on　my　side。〃　He　smiled　at　her。　〃I　guess　getting。　married　was　a　bad　idea。〃
　
　Kay　patted　the　bed。　〃I　don't　know　about　marrying；　but　I've　gone　without　a　man　for　two　years　and　I'm　not　letting　you　off　so　easy　now。　e　on　in　here。〃
　
　When　they　were　in　bed　together；　the　light　out；　she　whispered　to　him；　〃Do　you　believe　me　about　not　having　a　man　since　you　left？〃
　
　〃I　believe　you；〃　Michael　said。
　
　〃Did　you？〃　she　whispered　in　a　softer　voice。
　
　〃Yes；〃　Michael　said。　He　felt　her　stiffen　a　little。　〃But　not　in　the　last　six　months。〃　It　was　true。　Kay　was　the　first　woman　he　had　made　love　to　since　the　death　of　Apollonia。
　
　Chapter　26
　
　The　garish　suite　overlooked　the　fake　fairyland　grounds　in　the　rear　of　the　hotel；　transplanted　palm　trees　lit　up　by　climbers　of　orange　lights；　two　huge　swimming　pools　shimmering　dark　blue　by　the　light　of　the　desert　stars。　On　the　horizon　were　the　sand　and　stone　mountains　that　ringed　Las　Vegas　nestling　in　its　neon　valley。　Johnny　Fontane　let　the　heavy；　richly　embroidered　gray　drape　fall　and　turned　back　to　the　room。
　
　A　special　detail　of　four　men；　a　pit　boss；　a　dealer；　extra　relief　man；　and　a　cocktail　waitress　in　her　scanty　nightclub　costume　were　getting　things　ready　for　private　action。　Nino　Valenti　was　lying　on　the　sofa　in　the　living　room　part　of　the　suite；　a　water　glass　of　whiskey　in　his　hand。　He　watched　the　people　from　the　casino　setting　up　the　blackjack　table　with　the　proper　six　padded　chairs　around　its　horseshoe　outer　rim。　〃That's　great；　that's　great；〃　he　said　in　a　slurred　vote　that　was　not　quite　drunken。　〃Johnny；　e　on　and　gamble　with　me　against　these　bastards。　I　got　the　luck。　We'll　beat　their　crullers　in。〃
　
　Johnny　sat　on　a　footstool　opposite　the　couch。　〃You　know　I　don't　gamble；〃　he　said：　〃How　you　feeling；　Nino？〃
　
　Nino　Valenti　grinned　at　him。　〃Great。　I　got　broads　ing　up　at　midnight；　then　some　supper；　then　back　to　the　blackjack　table。　You　know　I　got　the　house　beat　for　almost　fifty　grand　and　they've　been　grinding　me　for　a　week？〃
　
　〃Yeah；〃　Johnny　Fontane　said。　〃Who　do　you　want　to　leave　it　to　when　you　croak？〃
　
　Nino　drained　his　glass　empty。　〃Johnny；　where　the　hell　did　you　get　your　rep　as　a　swinger？　You're　a　deadhead；　Johnny。　Christ；　the　tourists　in　this　town　have　more　fun　than　you　do。〃
　
　Johnny　said；　〃Yeah。　You　want　a　lift　to　that　blackjack　table？〃
　
　Nino　struggled　erect　on　the　sofa　and　pleated　his　feet　firmly　on　the　rug。　〃I　can　make　it；〃　he　said。　He　let　the　glass　slip　to　the　floor　and　got　up　and　walked　quite　steadily　to　where　the　blackjack　table　had　been　set　up。　The　dealer　was　ready。　The　pit　boss　stood　behind　the　dealer　watching。　The　relief　dealer　sat　on　a　chair　away　from　the　table。　The　cocktail　waitress　sat　on　another　chair　in　a　line　of　vision　so　that　she　could　see　any　of　Nino　Valenti's　gestures。
　
　Nino　rapped　on　the　green　baize　with　his　knuckles。　〃Chips；〃　he　said。
　
　The　pit　boss　took　a　pad　from　his　pocket　and　filled　out　a　slip　and　put　it　in　front　of　Nino　with　a　small　fountain　pen。　〃Here　you　are；　Mr。　Valenti；〃　he　said。　〃The　usual　five　thousand　to　start。〃　Nino　scrawled　his　signature　on　the　bottom　of　the　slip　and　the　pit　boss　put　it　in　his　pocket。　He　nodded　to　the　dealer。
　
　The　dealer　with　incredibly　deft　fingers　took　stacks　of　black　and　gold　one…hundred…dollar　daps　from　the　built…in　racks　before　him。　In　not　more　than　fire　seconds　Nino　had　five　even　stacks　of　one…hundred…dollar　chips　before　him；　each　stack　had　ten　chips。
　
　There　were　six　squares　a　little　larger　than　playing　card　shapes　etched　in　white　on　the　green　baize；　each　square　placed　to　correspond　to　where　a　player　would　sit。　Now　Nino　was　placing　bets　on　three　of　these　squares；　single　chips；　and　so　playing　three　hands　each　for　a　hundred　dollars。　He　refused　to　take　a　hit　on　ail　three　hands　because　the　dealer　had　a　six　up；　a　bust　card；　and　the　dealer　did　bust。　Nino　raked　in　his　chips　and　turned　to　Johnny　Fontane。　〃That's　how　to　start　the　night；　huh；　Johnny？〃
　
　Johnny　smiled。　It　was　unusual　for　a　gambler　like　Nino　to　have　to　sign　a　chit　while　gambling。　A　word　was　usually　good　enough　for　the　high　rollers。　Maybe　they　were　afraid　Nino　wouldn't　remember　his　take…out　because　of　his　drinking。　They　didn't　know　that　Nino　remembered　everything。
　
　Nino　kept　winning　and　after　the　third　round　lifted　a　finger　at　the　cocktail　waitress。　She　went　to　the　bar　at　the　end　of　the　room　and　brought　him　his　usual　rye　in　a　water　glass。　Nino　took　the　drink；　switched　it　to　his　other　hand　so　he　could　put　an　arm　around　the　waitress。　〃Sit　with　me；　honey；　play　a　few　hands；　bring　me　luck。〃
　
　The　cocktail　waitress　was　a　very　beautiful　girl；　but　Johnny　could　see　she　was　all　cold　hustle；　no　real　personality；　though　she　worked　at　it。　She　was　giving　Nino　a　big　smile　but　her　tongue　was　hanging　out　for　one　of　those　black　and　gold　chips。　What　the　hell；　Johnny　thought；　why　shouldn't　she　get　some　of　it？　He　just　regretted　that　Nino　wasn't　getting　something　better　for　his　money。
　
　Nino　let　the　waitress　play　his　hands　for　a　few　rounds　and　then　gave　her　one　of　the　chips　and　a　pat　on　the　behind　to　send　her　away　from　the　table。　Johnny　motioned　to　her　to　bring　him　a　drink。　She　did　so　but　she　did　it　as　if　she　were　playing　the　most　dramatic　moment　in　the　most　dramatic　movie　ever　made。　She　turned　all　her　charm　on　the　great　Johnny　Fontane。　She　made　her　eyes　sparkle　with　invitation；　her　walk　was　the　sexiest　walk　ever　walked；　her　mouth　was；　very　slightly　parted　as　if　she　were　ready　to　bite　the　nearest　object　of　her　obvious　passion。　She　resembled　nothing　so　much　as　a　female　animal　in　heat；　but　it　was　a　deliberate　act。　Johnny　Fontane　thought；　oh；　Christ；　one　of　them。　It　was　the　most　popular　approach　of　women　who　wanted　to　take　him　to　bed。　It　only　worked　when　he　was　very　drunk　and　he　wasn't　drunk　now。　He　gave　the　girl　one　of　his　famous　grins　and　said；　〃Thank　you；　honey。〃　The　girl　looked　at　him　and　parted　her　lips　in　a　thank…you　smile；　her　eyes　went　all　smoky；　her　body　tensed　with　the　torso　leaning　slightly　back　from　the　long　tapering　legs　in　their　mesh　stockings。　An　enormous　tension　seemed　to　be　building　up　in　her　body；　her　breasts　seemed　to　grow　fuller　and　swell　burstingly　against　her　thin　scantily　cut　blouse。　Then　her　whole　body　gave　a　slight　quiver　that　almost　let　off　a　sexual　twang。　The　whole　impression　was　one　of　a　woman　having　an　orgasm　simply　because　Johnny　Fontane　had　smiled　at　her　and　said；　〃Thank　you；　honey。〃　It　was　very　well　done。　It　was　done　better　than　Johnny　had　ever　seen　it　done　before。　But　by　now　he　knew　it　was　fake。　And　the　odds　were　always　good　that　the　broads　who　did　it　were　a　lousy　lay。
　
　He　watched　her　go　back　to　her　chair　and　nursed　his　drink　slowly。　He　didn't　want　to　see　that　little　trick　again。　He　wasn't　in　the　mood　for　it　tonight。
　
　It　was　an　hour　before　Nino　Valenti　began　to　go。　He　started　leaning　first；　wavered　back；　and　then　plunged　off　the　chair　straight　to　the　floor。　But　the　pit　boss　and　the　relief　dealer　had　been　alerted　by　the　first　weave　and　caught　him　before　he　hit　the　ground。　They　lifted　him　and　carried　him　through　the　parted　drapes　that　led　to　the　bedroom　of　the　suite。
　
　Johnny　kept　watching　as　the　cocktail　waitress　helped　the　other　two　men　undress　Nino　and　shove　him　under　the　bed　covers。　The　pit　boss　was　counting　Nino's　chips　and　making　a　note　on　his　pad　of　chits；　then　guarding　the　table　with　its　dealer's　chips。　Johnny　said　to　him；　〃How　long　has　that　been　going　on？〃
　
　The　pit　boss　shrugged。　〃He　went　early　tonight。　The　first　time　we　got　the　house　doc　and　he　fixed　Mr。　Valenti　up　with　something　and　gave　him　some　sort　of　l