Крестный отец

           Buthewasstillconscious.Theplainclothesdetectivehadsteppedinfrontofhimtokeepthecaptainfromhittinghimagainandwassaying,"JesusChrist,Captain,youreallyhurthim."

           Thecaptainsaidloudly,"Ididn’ttouchhim.Heattackedmeandhefell.Doyouunderstandthat?Heresistedarrest."

           ThrougharedhazeMichaelcouldseemorecarspullinguptothecurb.Menweregettingout.OneofthemherecognizedasClemenza’slawyer,whowasnowspeakingtothepolicecaptain,suavelyandsurely."TheCorleoneFamilyhashiredafirmofprivatedetectivestoguardMr.Corleone.Thesemenwithmearelicensedtocarryfirearms,Captain.Ifyouarrestthem,you’llhavetoappearbeforeajudgeinthemorningandtellhimwhy."

           ThelawyerglancedatMichael."Doyouwanttopreferchargesagainstwhoeverdidthistoyou?"heasked.

           Michaelhadtroubletalking.Hisjawswouldn’tcometogetherbuthemanagedtomumble."Islipped,"hesaid."Islippedandfell."Hesawthecaptaingivehimatriumphantglanceandhetriedtoanswerthatglancewithasmile.Atallcostshewantedtohidethedeliciousicychillinessthatcontrolledhisbrain,thesurgeofwintrycoldhatredthatpervadedhisbody.Hewantedtogivenowarningtoanyoneinthisworldastohowhefeltatthismoment.AstheDonwouldnot.Thenhefelthimselfcarriedintothehospitalandhelostconsciousness.

           Whenhewokeupinthemorninghefoundthathisjawhadbeenwiredtogetherandthatfourofhisteethalongtheleftsideofhismouthweremissing.