Крестный отец

           DoyouwantmetocallFreddiehomeforafewdays?"

           TheDonshookhishead.Hesaidcruelly,"Whatfor?Mywifecanstillcookourmeals.Lethimstayoutthere."Thethreemenshifteduneasilyintheirseats.TheyhadnotrealizedFreddiewasinsuchseveredisfavorwithhisfatherandtheysuspecteditmustbebecauseofsomethingtheydidnotknow.

           DonCorleonesighed."Ihopetogrowsomegoodgreenpeppersandtomatoesinthegardenthisyear,morethanwecaneat.I’llmakeyoupresentsofthem.Iwantalittlepeace,alittlequietandtranquillityformyoldage.Well,that’sall.Haveanotherdrinkifyoulike."

           Itwasadismissal.Themenrose.HagenaccompaniedClemenzaandTessiototheircarsandarrangedmeetingswiththemtothrashouttheoperationaldetailsthatwouldaccomplishthestateddesiresoftheirDon.ThenhewentbackintothehousewhereheknewDonConrleoneworldbewaitingforhim.

           TheDonhadtakenoffhisjacketandtieandwaslyingdownonthecouch.Hissternfacewasrelaxedintolinesoffatigue.HewavedHagenintoachairandsaid,"Well,Consigliere,doyoudisapproveofanyofmydeedstoday?"

           Hagentookhistimeanswering."No,"hesaid."ButIdon’tfinditconsistent,nortruetoyournature.Yousayyoudon’twanttofindouthowSantinowaskilledorwantvengeanceforit.Idon’tbelievethat.Yougaveyourwordforpeaceandsoyou’llkeepthepeacebutIcan’tbelieveyouwillgiveyourenemiesthevictorytheyseemtohavewontoday.