When Michael Corleone went into the city that night it was with a depressed

Spirit. He felt that he was being enmeshed in the Family business against his will

And he resented Sonny using him even to answer the phone. He felt

Uncomfortable being on the inside of the Family councils as if he could be

Absolutely trusted with such secrets as murder. And now, going to see Kay, he

Felt guilty about her also. He had never been completely honest with her about his

Family. He had told her about them but always with little jokes and colorful

Anecdotes that made them seem more like adventurers in a Technicolor movie

Than what they really were. And now his father had been shot down in the street

And his eldest brother was making plans for murder. That was putting it plainly

And simply but that was never how he would tell it to Kay. He had already said his

father being shot was more like an "accident" and that all the trouble was over.

Hell, it looked like it was just beginning. Sonny and Tom were off-center on this

Guy Sollozzo, they were still underrating him, even though Sonny was smart

Enough to see the danger. Michael tried to think what the Turk might have up his

Sleeve. He was obviously a bold man, a clever man, a man of extraordinary force.

You had to figure him to come up with a real surprise. But then Sonny and Tom

And Clemenza and Tessio were all agreed that everything was under control and

they all had more experience than he did. He was the "civilian" in this war,

Michael thought wryly. And they'd have to give him a hell of a lot better medals

Than he'd gotten in World War II to make him join this one.

Thinking this made him feel guilty about not feeling more sympathy for his

Father. His own father shot full of holes and yet in a curious way Michael, better

Than anyone else, understood when Tom had said it was just business, not

Personal. That his father had paid for the power he had wielded all his life, the

Respect he had extorted from all those around him.

What Michael wanted was out, out of all this, to lead his own life. But he

Couldn't cut loose from the family until the crisis was over. He had to help in a

Civilian capacity. With sudden clarity he realized that he was annoyed with the

Role assigned to him, that of the privileged noncombatant, the excused

conscientious objector. That was why the word "civilian" kept popping into his

Skull in such an irritating way.

 

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When he got to the hotel, Kay was waiting for him in the lobby. (A couple of

Clemenza's people had driven him into town and dropped him off on a nearby

Corner after making sure they were not followed.)

5 They had dinner together and some drinks. "What time are you going to visit

your father?" Kay asked.

6 Michael looked at his watch. "Visiting hours end at eight-thirty. I think I'll go

After everybody has left. They'll let me up. He has a private room and his own

Nurses so I can just sit with him for a while. I don't think he can talk yet or even

know if I'm there. But I have to show respect."

7 Kay said quietly, "I feel so sorry for your father, he seemed like such a nice

Man at the wedding. I can't believe the things the papers are printing about him.

I'm sure most of it's not true."

8 Michael said politely, "I don't think so either." He was surprised to find himself

So secretive with Kay. He loved her, he trusted her, but he would never tell her

Anything about his father or the Family. She was an outsider.

9 "What about you?" Kay asked. "Are you going to get mixed up in this gang

war the papers are talking about so gleefully?"

10 Michael grinned, unbuttoned his jacket and held it wide open. "Look, no

guns," he said. Kay laughed.

It was getting late and they went up to their room. She mixed a drink for both

Of them and sat on his lap as they drank. Beneath her dress she was all silk until