Крестный отец

           Governors.Presidents.Anythingatall.Hewouldseetoitthattheyjoinedthegeneralfamilyofhumanity,buthe,asapowerfulandprudentparentwouldmostcertainlykeepawaryeyeonthatgeneralfamily.

           Onthemorningafterthefuneral,allthemostimportantofficialsoftheCorleoneFamilyassembledonthemall.ShortlybeforenoontheywereadmittedintotheemptyhouseoftheDon.MichaelCorleonereceivedthem.

           Theyalmostfilledthecornerlibraryroom.Therewerethetwocaporegimes,ClemenzaandTessio;RoccoLampone,withhisreasonable,competentair;CarloRizzi,veryquiet,verymuchknowinghisplace;TomHagenforsakinghisstrictlylegalroletorallyaroundinthiscrisis;AlbertNeritryingtostayphysicallyclosetoMichael,lightinghisnewDon’scigarette,mixinghisdrink,alltoshowanunswervingloyaltydespitetherecentdisastertotheCorleoneFamily.

           ThedeathoftheDonwasagreatmisfortunefortheFamily.WithouthimitseemedthathalftheirstrengthwasgoneandalmostalltheirbargainingpoweragainsttheBarzini-Tattagliaalliance.EveryoneintheroomknewthisandtheywaitedforwhatMichaelwouldsay.IntheireyeshewasnotyetthenewDon;hehadnotearnedthepositionorthetitle.IftheGodfatherhadlived,hemighthaveassuredhisson’ssuccession;nowitwasbynomeanscertain.

           MichaelwaiteduntilNedhadserveddrinks.Thenhesaidquietly,"IjustwanttotelleverybodyherethatIunderstandhowtheyfeel.