Крестный отец

           Thegroom,CarloRizzi,wasahalf-breed,bornofaSicilianfatherandtheNorthItalianmotherfromwhomhehadinheritedhisblondhairandblueeyes.HisparentslivedinNevadaandCarlohadleftthatstatebecauseofalittletroublewiththelaw.InNewYorkhemetSonnyCorleoneandsometthesister.DonCorleone,ofcourse,senttrustedfriendstoNevadaandtheyreportedthatCarlo’spolicetroublewasayouthfulindiscretionwithagun,notserious,thatcouldeasilybewipedoffthebookstoleavetheyouthwithacleanrecord.TheyalsocamebackwithdetailedinformationonlegalgamblinginNevadawhichgreatlyinterestedtheDonandwhichhehadbeenponderingoversince.ItwaspartoftheDon’sgreatnessthatheprofitedfromeverything.

           ConnieCorleonewasanotquiteprettygirl,thinandnervousandcertaintobecomeshrewishlaterinlife.Buttoday,transformedbyherwhitebridalgownandeagervirginity,shewassoradiantastobealmostbeautiful.Beneaththewoodentableherhandrestedonthemuscularthighofhergroom.HerCupid-bowmouthpoutedtogivehimanairykiss.

           Shethoughthimincrediblyhandsome.CarloRizzihadworkedintheopendesertairwhileveryyoung—heavylaborer’swork.Nowhehadtremendousforearmsandhisshouldersbulgedthejacketofhistux.Hebaskedintheadoringeyesofhisbrideandfilledherglasswithwine.Hewaselaboratelycourteoustoherasiftheywerebothactorsinaplay.