Could be. I think though that Sollozzo gave him a little surprise. That fits in with

what the Consigliori says. We should expect the worst."

49 Sonny said to all of them, "Sollozzo should get the word soon about Paulie

Gatto. How will that affect him?"

50 Clemenza said grimly, "It will make him think. He will know the Corleone

Family are not fools. He will realize that he was very lucky yesterday."

51 Sonny said sharply, "That wasn't luck. Sollozzo was planning that for weeks.

They must have tailed the old man to his office every day and watched his routine.

 

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www.franklang.ru

 

 

Then they bought Paulie off and maybe Luca. They snatched Tom right on the

Button. They did everything they wanted to do. They were unlucky, not lucky.

Those button men they hired weren't good enough and the old man moved too

Quick. If they had killed him, I would have had to make a deal and Sollozzo would

Have won. For now. I would have waited maybe and got him five, ten years from

Now. But don't call him lucky, Pete, that's underrating him. And we've done that

too much lately."

One of the button men brought a bowl of spaghetti in from the kitchen and

Then some plates, forks and wine. They ate as they talked. Michael watched in

Amazement. He didn't eat and neither did Tom, but Sonny, Clemenza and Tessio

Dug in, mopping up sauce with crusts of bread. It was almost comical. They

Continued their discussion.

Tessio didn't think that the loss of Paulie Gatto would upset Sollozzo, in fact

He thought that the Turk might have anticipated it, indeed might have welcomed it.

A useless mouth off the payroll. And he would not be frightened by it; after all,

Would they be in such a situation?

54 Michael spoke up diffidently. "I know I'm an amateur in this, but from

Everything you guys have said about Sollozzo, plus the fact that all of a sudden

He's out of touch with Tom, I'd guess he has an ace up his sleeve. He might be

Ready to pull off something real tricky that would put him back on top. If we could

figure out what that would be, we'd be in the driver's seat."

55 Sonny said reluctantly, "Yeah, I thought of that and the only thing I can figure

Is Luca. The word is already out that he's to be brought here before he's allowed

Any of his old rights in the Family. The only other thing I can think of is that

Sollozzo has made his deal with the Families in New York and we'll get the word

Tomorrow that they will be against us in a war. That we'll have to give the Turk his

deal. Right, Tom?"

56 Hagen nodded. "That's what it looks like to me. And we can't move against

That kind of opposition without your father. He's the only one who can stand

Against the Families. He has the political connections they always need and he

can use them for trading. If he wants to badly enough."

Clemenza said, a little arrogantly for a man whose top button man had

recently betrayed him, "Sollozzo will never get near this house, Boss, you don't

have to worry about that."

 

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www.franklang.ru

58 Sonny looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. Then he said to Tessio, "How

about the hospital, your men got it covered?"

For the first time during the conference Tessio seemed to be absolutely sure

of his ground. "Outside and inside," he said. "Right around the clock. The cops

Have it covered pretty good too. Detectives at the bedroom door waiting to

Question the old man. That's a laugh. The Don is still getting that stuff in the

Tubes, no food, so we don't have to worry about the kitchen, which would be

Something to worry about with those Turks, they believe in poison. They can't get

at the Don, not in any way."

60 Sonny tilted back in his chair. "It wouldn't be me, they have to do business

with me, they need the Family machine." He grinned at Michael. "I wonder if it's

You? Maybe Sollozzo figures to snatch you and hold you for a hostage to make a

deal."