Крестный отец

           "Hasn’tyourGodfatheralwaysdonewhathesaidhewoulddo?HaveIeverbeentakenforafool?"

           Johnnyapologizednervously."Godfather,themanwhorunsitisareal.90caliberpezzonovante.Youcan’tbudgehim,notevenwithmoney.Hehasbigconnections.Andhehatesme.Ijustdon’tknowhowyoucanswingit."

           TheDonspokewithaffectionateamusement."Isaytoyou:youshallhaveit."HenudgedMichaelwithhiselbow."Wewon’tdisappointmygodson,eh,Michael?"

           Michael,whoneverdoubtedhisfatherforamoment,shookhishead.

           Astheywalkedtowardthehospitalentrance,DonCorleoneputhishandonMichael’sarmsothattheothersforgedahead."Whenyougetthroughwithcollege,comeandtalktome,"theDonsaid."Ihavesomeplansyouwilllike."

           Michaeldidn’tsayanything.DonCorleonegruntedinexasperation."Iknowhowyouare.Iwon’taskyoutodoanythingyoudon’tapproveof.Thisissomethingspecial.Goyourownwaynow,you’reamanafterall.Butcometomeasasonshouldwhenyouhavefinishedwithyourschooling."

           ***

           ThefamilyofGencoAbbandando,wifeandthreedaughtersdressedinblack,clusteredlikeaflockofplumpcrowsonthewhitetilefloorofthehospitalcorridor.WhentheysawDonCorleonecomeoutoftheelevator,theyseemedtoflutterupoffthewhitetilesinaninstinctivesurgetowardhimforprotection.Themotherwasregallystoutinblack,thedaughtersfatandplain.Mrs.