Крестный отец

           Andbesides,ifMichaelisthenewchiefoftheCorleoneFamily,what’stostophimfromtakinganyactionheseesfit?Yourworddoesn’tstrictlybindhim."

           Michaelbrokeinsharply.HesaidtoTessio,verymuchthechiefnow,"Therearethingsbeingnegotiatedwhichwillansweryourquestionsandresolveyourdoubts.Ifmywordisn’tenoughforyou,askyourDon."

           ButTessiounderstoodhehadfinallygonetoofar.IfhedaredtoquestiontheDonhewouldmakeMichael,hisenemy.Soheshruggedandsaid,"IspokeforthegoodoftheFamily,notformyself.Icantakecareofmyself."

           Michaelgavehimafriendlysmile."Tessio,Ineverdoubtyouinanyway.Ineverdid.Buttrustinme.OfcourseI’mnotequaltoyouandPeteinthesethings,butafterallI’vemyfathertoguideme.Iwon’tdotoobadly,we’llallcomeoutfine."

           Themeetingwasover.ThebignewswasthatClemenzaandTessiowouldbepermittedtoformtheirownFamiliesfromtheirregimes.TessiowouldhavehisgamblinganddocksinBrooklyn,ClemenzathegamblinginManhattanandtheFamilycontactsintheracingtracksofLongIsland.

           Thetwocaporegimesleftnotquitesatisfied,stillalittleuneasy.CarloRizzilingeredhopingthatthetimehadcomewhenhefinallywouldbetreatedasoneofthefamily,buthequicklysawthatMichaelwasnotofthatmind.HelefttheDon,TomHagenandMichaelaloneinthecornerlibraryroom.AlbertNeriusheredhimoutofthehouseandCarlonoticedthatNeristoodinthedoorwaywatchinghimwalkacrossthefloodlitmall."