mp.godfather-第66章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


r。　When　she　turned　to　smile　at　one　of　her　brothers　Michael　gave　that　young　man　a　murderous　look　without　even　realizing　it。　The　family　could　see　it　was　a　classical　case　of　the　〃thunderbolt〃　and　they　were　reassured。　This　young　man　would　be　putty　in　their　daughter's　hands　until　they　were　married。　After　that　of　course　things　would　change　but　it　wouldn't　matter。
　
　Michael　had　bought　himself　some　new　clothes　in　Palermo　and　was　no　longer　the　roughly　dressed　peasant；　and　it　was　obvious　to　the　family　that　he　was　a　Don　of　some　kind。　His　smashed　face　did　not　make　him　as　evil…looking　as　he　believed；　because　his　other　profile　was　so　handsome　it　made　the　disfigurement　interesting　even。　And　in　any　case　this　was　a　land　where　to　be　called　disfigured　you　had　to　pete　with　a　host　of　men　who　had　suffered　extreme　physical　misfortune。
　
　Michael　looked　directly　at　the　girl；　the　lovely　ovals　of　her　face。　Her　lips　now　he　could　see　were　almost　blue　so　dark　was　the　blood　pulsating　in　them。　He　said；　not　daring　to　speak　her　name；　〃I　saw　you　by　the　orange　groves　the　other　day。　When　you　ran　away。　I　hope　I　didn't　frighten　you？〃
　
　The　girl　raised　her　eyes　to　him　for　just　a　fraction。　She　shook　her　head。　But　the　loveliness　of　those　eyes　had　made　Michael　look　away。　The　mother　said　tartly；　〃Apollonia；　speak　to　the　poor　fellow；　he's　e　miles　to　see　you；〃　but　the　girl's　long　jet　lashes　remained　closed　like　wings　over　her　eyes。　Michael　handed　her　the　present　wrapped　in　gold　paper　and　the　girl　put　it　in　her　lap。　The　father　said；　〃Open　it；　girl；〃　but　her　hands　did　not　move。　Her　hands　were　small　and　brown；　an　urchin's　hands。　The　mother　reached　over　and　opened　the　package　impatiently；　yet　careful　not　to　tear　the　precious　paper。　The　red　velvet　jeweler's　box　gave　her　pause；　she　had　never　held　such　a　thing　in　her　hands　and　didn't　know　how　to　spring　its　catch。　But　she　got　it　open　on　pure　instinct　and　then　took　out　the　present。
　
　It　was　a　heavy　gold　chain　to　be　worn　as　a　necklace；　and　it　awed　them　not　only　because　of　its　obvious　value　but　because　a　gift　of　gold　in　this　society　was　also　a　statement　of　the　most　serious　intentions。　It　was　no　less　than　a　proposal　of　matrimony；　or　rather　the　signal　that　there　was　the　intention　to　propose　matrimony。　They　could　no　longer　doubt　the　seriousness　of　this　stranger。　And　they　could　not　doubt　his　substance。
　
　Apollonia　still　had　not　touched　her　present。　Her　mother　held　it　up　for　her　to　see　and　she　raised　those　long　lashes　for　a　moment　and　then　she　looked　directly　at　Michael；　her　doelike　brown　eyes　grave；　and　said；　〃Grazie。〃　It　was　the　first　time　he　had　heard　her　voice。
　
　It　had　all　the　velvety　softness　of　youth　and　shyness　and　it　set　Michael's　ears　ringing。　He　kept　looking　away　from　her　and　talking　to　the　father　and　mother　simply　because　looking　at　her　confused　him　so　much。　But　he　noticed　that　despite　the　conservative　looseness　of　her　dress　her　body　almost　shone　through　the　cloth　with　sheer　sensuality。　And　he　noticed　the　darkening　of　her　skin　blushing；　the　dark　creamy　skin；　going　darker　with　the　blood　surging　to　her　feet。
　
　Finally　Michael　rose　to　go　and　the　family　rose　too。　They　said　their　good…byes　formally；　the　girl　at　last　confronting　him　as　they　shook　hands；　and　he　felt　the　shock　of　her　skin　on　his　skin；　her　skin　warm　and　rough；　peasant　skin。　The　father　walked　down　the　hill　with　him　to　his　car　and　invited　him　to　Sunday　dinner　the　next　week。　Michael　nodded　but　he　knew　he　couldn't　wait　a　week　to　see　the　girl　again。
　
　He　didn't。　The　next　day；　without　his　shepherds；　he　drove　to　the　village　and　sat　on　the　garden　terrace　of　the　café　to　chat　with　her　father。　Signor　Vitelli　took　pity　on　him　and　sent　for　his　wife　and　daughter　to　e　down　to　the　café　to　join　them。　This　meeting　was　less　awkward。　The　girl　Apollonia　was　less　shy；　and　spoke　more。　She　was　dressed　in　her　everyday　print　frock　which　suited　her　coloring　much　better。
　
　The　next　day　the　same　thing　happened。　Only　this　time　Apollonia　was　wearing　the　gold　chain　he　had　given　her。　He　smiled　at　her　then；　knowing　that　this　was　a　signal　to　him。　He　walked　with　her　up　the　hill；　her　mother　close　behind　them。　But　it　was　impossible　for　the　two　young　people　to　keep　their　bodies　from　brushing　against　each　other　and　once　Apollonia　stumbled　and　fell　against　him　so　that　he　had　to　hold　her　and　her　body　so　warm　and　alive　in　his　hands　started　a　deep　wave　of　blood　rising　in　his　body。　They　could　not　see　the　mother　behind　them　smiling　because　her　daughter　was　a　mountain　goat　and　had　not　stumbled　on　this　path　since　she　was　an　infant　in　diapers。　And　smiling　because　this　was　the　only　way　this　young　man　was　going　to　get　his　hands　on　her　daughter　until　the　marriage。
　
　This　went　on　for　two　weeks。　Michael　brought　her　presents　every　time　he　came　and　gradually　she　became　less　shy。　But　they　could　never　meet　without　a　chaperone　being　present。　She　was　just　a　village　girl；　barely　literate；　（scanned　and　fully　proofed　by　iliter8）　with　no　idea　of　the　world；　but　she　had　a　freshness；　an　eagerness　for　life　that；　with　help　of　the　language　barrier；　made　her　seem　interesting。　Everything　went　very　swiftly　at　Michael's　request。　And　because　the　girl　was　not　only　fascinated　by　him　but　knew　he　must　be　rich；　a　wedding　date　was　set　for　the　Sunday　two　weeks　away。
　
　Now　Don　Tommasino　took　a　hand。　He　had　received　word　from　America　that　Michael　was　not　subject　to　orders　but　that　all　elementary　precautions　should　be　taken。　So　Don　Tommasino　appointed　himself　the　parent　of　the　bridegroom　to　insure　the　presence　of　his　own　bodyguards。　Calo　and　Fabrizzio　were　also　members　of　the　wedding　party　from　Corieone　as　was　Dr。　Taza。　The　bride　and　groom　would　live　in　Dr。　Taza's　villa　surrounded　by　its　stone　wall。
　
　The　wedding　was　the　usual　peasant　one。　The　villagers　stood　in　the　streets　and　threw　flowers　as　the　bridal　party；　principals　and　guests；　went　on　foot　from　the　church　to　the　bride's　home。　The　wedding　procession　pelted　the　neighbors　with　sugar…coated　almonds；　the　traditional　wedding　candies；　and　with　candies　left　over　made　sugary　white　mountain　on　the　bride's　wedding　bed；　in　this　case　only　a　symbolic　one　since　the　first　night　would　be　spent　in　the　villa　outside　Corleone。　The　wedding　feast　went　on　until　midnight　but　bride　and　groom　would　leave　before　that　in　the　Alfa　Romeo。　When　that　time　came　Michael　was　surprised　to　find　that　the　mother　was　ing　with　them　to　the　Corleone　villa　at　the　request　of　the　bride。　The　father　explained：　the　girl　was　young；　a　virgin；　a　little　frightened；　she　would　need　someone　to　talk　to　on　the　morning　following　her　bridal　night；　to　put　her　on　the　right　track　if　things　went　wrong。　These　matters　could　sometimes　get　very　tricky。　Michael　saw　Apollonia　looking　at　him　with　doubt　in　her　huge　doe…brown　eyes。　He　smiled　at　her　and　nodded。
　
　And　so　it　came　about　that　they　drove　back　to　the　villa　outside　Corleone　with　the　mother…in…law　in　the　car。　But　the　older　woman　immediately　put　her　head　together　with　the　servants　of　Dr。　Taza；　gave　her　daughter　a　hug　and　a　kiss　and　disappeared　from　the　scene。　Michael　and　his　bride　were　allowed　to　go　to　their　huge　bedroom　alone。
　
　Apollonia　was　still　wearing　her　bridal　costume　with　a　cloak　thrown　over　it。　Her　trunk　and　case　had　been　brought　up　to　the　room　from　the　car。　On　a　small　table　was　a　bottle　of　wine　and　a　plate　of　small　wedding　cakes。　The　huge　canopied　bed　was　never　out　of　their　vision。　The　young　girl　in　the　center　of　the　room　waited　for　Michael　to　make　the　first　move。
　
　And　now　that　he　had　her　alone；　now　that　he　legally　possessed　her；　now　that　there　was　no　barrier　to　his　enjoying　that　body　and　face　he　had　dreamed　about　every　night；　Michael　could　not　bring　himself　to　approach　her。　He　watched　as　she　took　off　the　bridal　shawl　and　draped　it　over　a　chair；　and　placed　the　bridal　crown　on　the　small　dressing　table。　That　table　had　an　array　of　perfumes　and　creams　that　Michael　had　had　sent　from　Palermo。　The　girl　tallied　them　with　her　eyes　for　a　moment。
　
　Michael　turned　off　the　lights；　thinking　the　girl　was　waiting　for　some　darkness　to　shield　her　body　while　she　undressed。　But　the　Sicilian　moon　came　through　the　unshuttered　windows；　bright　as　gold；　and　Michael　went　to　close　the　shutters　but　not　all　the　way；　the　room　would　be　too　warm。
　
　The　girl　was　still　standing　by　the　table　and　so　Michael　went　out　of　the　room　and　down　the　hall　to　the　bathroom。　He　and　Dr。　Taza　and　Don　Tommasino　had　taken　a　glass　of　wine　together　in　the　garden　while　the　women　had　prepared　themselves　for　bed。　He　had　expected　to　find　Apollonia　in　her　nightgown　when　he　returned；　already　between　the　covers。　He　was　surprised　that　the　mother　had　not　done　this　service　for　her　daughter。　Maybe　Apollonia　had　wanted　him　to　help　her　to　undress。　But　he　was　certain　she　was　too　shy；　too　innocent　for　such　forward　behavior。
　
　ing　back　into　the　bedroom；　he　found　it　pletely　dark；　someone　had　closed　the　shutters　all　the　way。　He　groped　his　way　toward　the　bed　and　could　make　out　the　shape　of　Apollonia's　body　lying　under　the　covers；　her　back　to　him；　her　body　curved　away　from　him　and　huddled　up。　He　undressed　and　slipped　naked　beneath　the　sheets。　He　stretched　out　one　hand　and　touched　silky　naked　skin。　She　had　not　put　on　her　gown　and　this　boldness　delighted　him。　Slowly；　carefully；　he　put　one　hand　on　her　shoulder　and　pressed　her　body　gently　so　that　she　would　turn　to　him。　She　turned　slowly　and　his　hand　touched　her　breast；　soft；　full　and　then　she　was　in　his　arms　so　quickiy　that　their　bodies　came　together　in　one　line　of　silken　electricity　and　he　finally　had　his　arms　around　her；　was　kissing　her　warm　mouth　deeply；　was　crushing　her　body　and　breasts　against　him　and　then　rolling　his　body　on　top　of　hers。
　
　Her　flesh　and　hair　taut　silk；　now　she　was　all　eagerness；　surging　against　him　wildly　in　a　virginal　erotic　frenzy。　When　he　entered　her　she　gave　a　little　gasp　and　was　still　for　just　a　second　and　then　in　a　powerful　forward　thrust　of　her　pelvis　she　locked　her　satiny　legs　around　his　hips。　When　they　came　to　the　end　they　were　locked　together　so　fiercely；　straining　against　each　other　so　violently；　that　falling　away　from　each　other　was　like　the　tremble　before　death。
　
　That　night　and　the　weeks　that　followed；　Michael　Corleone　came　to　understand　the　premium　put　on　virginity　by　socially　primitive　people。　It　was　a　period　of　sensuality　that　he　had　never　before　experienced；　a　sensuality　mixed　with　a　feeling　of　masculine　power。　Apollonia　in　those　first　days　became　almost　his　slave。　Given　trust；　given　affection；　a　young　full…blooded　girl　aroused　from　virginity　to　erotic　awareness　was　as　delicious　as　an　exactly　ripe　fruit。
　
　She　on　her　part　brightened　up　the　rather　gloomy　masculine　atmosphere　of　the　villa。　She　had　packed　her　mother　off　the　very　next　day　after　her　bridal　night　and　presided　at　the　munal　table　with　bright　girlish　charm。　Don　Tommasino　dined　with　them　every　night　and　Dr。　Taza　told　all　his　old　stories　as　they　drank　wine　in　the　garden　full　of　statues　garlanded　with　blood…red　flowers；　and　so　the　evenings　passed　pleasantly　enough。　At　night　in　their　bedroom　the　newly　married　couple　spent　hours　of　feverish　lovemaking。　Michael　could　not　get　enough　of　Apollonia's　beautifully　sculpted　body；　her　honey…colored　skin；　her　huge　brown　eyes　glowing　with　passion。　She　had　a　wonderfully　fresh　smell；　a　fleshly　smell　perfumed