Крестный отец

           ButhewasindeadlyfearofSonnythoughtheytreatedeachotherwithcoldpoliteness.CarlohadthesensetorealizethatSonnywouldkillhim,thatSonnywasamanwhocould,withthenaturalnessofananimal,killanotherman,whilehehimselfwouldhavetocallupallhiscourage,allhiswill,tocommitmurder.ItneveroccurredtoCarlothatbecauseofthishewasabettermanthanSonnyCorleone,ifsuchtermscouldbeused;heenviedSonnyhisawesomesavagery,asavagerywhichwasnowbecomingalegend.

           TomHagen,astheConsigliere,disapprovedofSonny’stacticsandyetdecidednottoprotesttotheDonsimplybecausethetactics,tosomeextent,worked.TheFiveFamiliesseemedtobecowed,finally,astheattritionwenton,andtheircounterblowsweakenedandfinallyceasedaltogether.HagenatfirstdistrustedthisseemingpacificationoftheenemybutSonnywasjubilant."I’llpouriton,"hetoldHagen,"andthenthosebastardswillcomebeggingforadeal."

           Sonnywasworriedaboutotherthings.HiswifewasgivinghimahardtimebecausetherumorshadgottentoherthatLucyMancinihadbewitchedherhusband.AndthoughshejokedpubliclyaboutherSonny’sequipmentandtechnique,hehadstayedawayfromhertoolongandshemissedhiminherbed,andshewasmakinglifemiserableforhimwithhernagging.

           InadditiontothisSonnywasundertheenormousstrainofbeingamarkedman.HehadtobeextraordinarilycarefulinallhismovementsandheknewthathisvisitstoLucyMancinihadbeenchartedbytheenemy.