Крестный отец

           Notthatshecouldnothave,ifshewantedto,butinherlifewiththeDonshehadlearneditwasfarwisernottoperceive.Thatifitwasnecessarytoknowsomethingpainful,itwouldbetoldtohersoonenough.Andifitwasapainthatcouldbesparedher,shecoulddowithout.Shewasquitecontentnottosharethepainofhermen,afteralldidtheysharethepainofwomen?Impassivelysheboiledhercoffeeandsetthetablewithfood.Inherexperiencepainandfeardidnotdullphysicalhunger;inherexperiencethetakingoffooddulledpain.Shewouldhavebeenoutragedifadoctorhadtriedtosedateherwithadrug,butcoffeeandacrustofbreadwereanothermatter;shecame,ofcourse,fromamoreprimitiveculture.

           AndsosheletTomHagenescapetohiscornerconferenceroomandonceinthatroom,Hagenbegantotremblesoviolentlyhehadtositdownwithhislegssqueezedtogether,hisheadhunchedintohiscontractedshoulders,handsclaspedtogetherbetweenhiskneesasifhewereprayingtothedevil.

           Hewas,heknewnow,nofitConsigliereforaFamilyatwar.Hehadbeenfooled,fakedout,bytheFiveFamiliesandtheirseemingtimidity.Theyhadremainedquiet,layingtheirterribleambush.Theyhadplannedandwaited,holdingtheirbloodyhandsnomatterwhatprovocationtheyhadbeengiven.Theyhadwaitedtolandoneterribleblow.Andtheyhad.OldGencoAbbandandowouldneverhavefallenforit,hewouldhavesmelledarat,hewouldhavesmokedthemout,tripledhisprecautions.AndthroughallthisHagenfelthisgrief.