Крестный отец

           "Thebosssayshe’llcomeinaseparatecar.Hesaysforyoutwotogoonahead."

           TessiofrownedandturnedtoHagen."Hell,hecan’tdothat;thatscrewsupallmyarrangements."

           Atthatmomentthreemorebodyguardsmaterializedaroundthem.Hagensaidgently,"Ican’tgowithyoueither,Tessio."

           Theferret-facedcaporegimeunderstoodeverythinginaflashofasecond.Andacceptedit.Therewasamomentofphysicalweakness,andthenherecovered.HesaidtoHagen,"TellMikeitwasbusiness,Ialwayslikedhim."

           Hagennodded."Heunderstandsthat."

           Tessiopausedforamomentandthensaidsoftly,"Tom,canyougetmeoffthehook?Foroldtimes’sake?"

           Hagenshookhishead."Ican’t,"hesaid.

           HewatchedTessiobeingsurroundedbybodyguardsandledintoawaitingcar.Hefeltalittlesick.TessiohadbeenthebestsoldierintheCorleoneFamily;theoldDonhadreliedonhimmorethananyothermanwiththeexceptionofLucaBrasi.Itwastoobadthatsointelligentamanhadmadesuchafatalerrorinjudgmentsolateinlife.

           CarloRizzi,stillwaitingforhisinterviewwithMichael,becamejitterywithallthearrivalsanddepartures.Obviouslysomethingbigwasgoingonanditlookedasifheweregoingtobeleftout.ImpatientlyhecalledMichaelonthephone.Oneofthehousebodyguardsanswered,wenttogetMichael,andcamebackwiththemessagethatMichaelwantedhimtosittight,thathewouldgettohimsoon.