Крестный отец

           "Howdidthingsevergosofar?"heaskedrhetorically."Well,nomatter.Alotoffoolishnesshascometopass.Itwassounfortunate,sounnecessary.Butletmetellwhathappened,asIseeit."

           Hepausedtoseeifsomeonewouldobjecttohistellinghissideofthestory.

           "ThankGodmyhealthhasbeenrestoredandmaybeIcanhelpsetthisaffairaright.Perhapsmysonwastoorash,tooheadstrong,Idon’tsaynotothat.AnywayletmejustsaythatSollozzocametomewithabusinessaffairinwhichheaskedmeformymoneyandmyinfluence.HesaidhehadtheinterestoftheTattagliaFamily.Theaffairinvolveddrugs,inwhichIhavenointerest.I’maquietmanandsuchendeavorsaretoolivelyformytaste.IexplainedthistoSollozzo,withallrespectforhimandtheTattagliaFamily.Igavehimmy‘no’withallcourtesy.Itoldhimhisbusinesswouldnotinterferewithmine,thatIhadnoobjectiontohisearninghislivinginthisfashion.Hetookitillandbroughtmisfortunedownonallourheads.Well,that’slife.Everyoneherecouldtellhisowntaleofsorrow.That’snottomypurpose."

           DonCorleonepausedandmotionedtoHagenforacolddrink,whichHagenswiftlyfurnishedhim.DonCorleonewethismouth."I’mwillingtomakethepeace,"hesaid."Tattagliahaslostason,Ihavelostason.Wearequits.Whatwouldtheworldcometoifpeoplekeptcarryinggrudgesagainstallreason?ThathasbeenthecrossofSicily,wheremenaresobusywithvendettastheyhavenotimetoearnbreadfortheirfamilies.