Крестный отец

           Hedidnothavetheheavy,Cupid-shapedfaceoftheotherchildren,andhisjetblackhairwasstraightratherthancurly.Hisskinwasaclearolive-brownthatwouldhavebeencalledbeautifulinagirl.Hewashandsomeinadelicateway.IndeedtherehadbeenatimewheytheDonhadworriedabouthisyoungestson’smasculinity.AworrythatwasputtorestwhenMichaelCorleonebecameseventeenyearsold.

           Nowthisyoungestsonsatatatableintheextremecornerofthegardentoproclaimhischosenalienationfromfatherandfamily.BesidehimsattheAmericangirleveryonehadheardaboutbutwhomnoonehadseenuntilthisday.Hehad,ofcourse,showntheproperrespectandintroducedhertoeveryoneatthewedding,includinghisfamily.Theywerenotimpressedwithher.Shewastoothin,shewastoofair,herfacewastoosharplyintelligentforawoman,hermannertoofreeforamaiden.Hername,too,wasoutlandishtotheirears;shecalledherselfKayAdams.IfshehadtoldthemthatherfamilyhadsettledinAmericatwohundredyearsagoandhernamewasacommonone,theywouldhaveshrugged.

           EveryguestnoticedthattheDonpaidnoparticularattentiontothisthirdson.Michaelhadbeenhisfavoritebeforethewarandobviouslythechosenheirtorunthefamilybusinesswhenthepropermomentcame.Hehadallthequietforceandintelligenceofhisgreatfather,theborninstincttoactinsuchawaythatmenhadnorecoursebuttorespecthim.ButwhenWorldWarIIbrokeout,MichaelCorleonevolunteeredfortheMarineCorps.