desire to see Felix Bocchicchio in the electric chair. The governor of the state would no
more grant him clemency (милость, помилование) than the officials of the pound
(загон /для скота/) spare a mad dog, which was the phrase of one of the governor's
closest political aides. The Bocchicchio clan of course would spend whatever money
was needed for appeals to higher courts, they were proud of him now, but the
conclusion was certain. After the legal folderol (= folderal – бессмысленная болтовня),
which might take a little time, Felix Bocchicchio would die in the electric chair.
It was Hagen who brought this case to the attention of the Don at the request of one
of the Bocchicchios who hoped that something could be done for the young man. Don
Corleone curtly refused. He was not a magician. People asked him the impossible. But
the next day the Don called Hagen into his office and had him go over the case in the
most intimate detail. When Hagen was finished, Don Corleone told him to summon the
head of the Bocchicchio clan to the mall for a meeting.
What happened next had the simplicity of genius. Don Corleone guaranteed to the
head of the Bocchicchio clan that the wife and children of Felix Bocchicchio would be
rewarded with a handsome pension. The money for this would be handed over to the
Bocchicchio clan immediately. In turn, Felix must confess to the murder of Sollozzo and
the police captain McCluskey.
There were many details to be arranged. Felix Bocchicchio would have to confess
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convincingly, that is, he would have to know some of the true details to confess to. Also
he must implicate (вовлекать, впутывать) the police captain in narcotics. Then the
waiter at the Luna Restaurant must be persuaded to identify Felix Bocchicchio as the
murderer. This would take some courage, as the description would change radically,
Felix Bocchicchio being much shorter and heavier. But Don Corleone would attend to
that. Also since the condemned man had been a great believer in higher education and
a college graduate, he would want his children to go to college. And so a sum of money
would have to be paid by Don Corleone that would take care of the children's college.
Then the Bocchicchio clan had to be reassured that there was no hope for clemency on
the original murders. The new confession of course would seal the man's already
almost certain doom (рок, судьба; осуждение, приговор).
Everything was arranged, the money paid and suitable contact made with the
condemned man so that he could be instructed and advised. Finally the plan was
sprung and the confession made headlines in all the newspapers. The whole thing was
a huge success. But Don Corleone, cautious as always, waited until Felix Bocchicchio
was actually executed four months later before finally giving the command that Michael
Corleone could return home.
Сhapter 22
Lucy Mancini, a year after Sonny's death, still missed him terribly, grieved for him
more fiercely than any lover in any romance. And her dreams were not the insipid
(безвкусный, пресный; вялый, неинтересный [ın'sıpıd]) dreams of a schoolgirl, her
longings (сильные, страстные желания, стремления; to long – страстно желать,
стремиться) not the longing of a devoted wife. She was not rendered desolate by the
loss of her "life's companion," or miss him because of his stalwart (стойкий, верный,
решительный ['sto:lw∂t]) character. She held no fond remembrances of sentimental
gifts, of girlish hero worship, his smile, the amused glint of his eyes when she said
something endearing (to endear [ın’dı∂] – заставить полюбить, внушить любовь) or
witty.
No. She missed him for the more important reason that he had been the only man in
the world who could make her body achieve the act of love. And, in her youth and
innocence, she still believed that he was the only man who could possibly do so.
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Now a year later she sunned herself in the balmy Nevada air. At her feet the slender,
blond young man was playing with her toes. They were at the side of the hotel pool for
the Sunday afternoon and despite the people all around them his hand was sliding up
her bare thigh.
"Oh, Jules, stop," Lucy said. "I thought doctors at least weren't as silly as other men."
Jules grinned at her. "I'm a Las Vegas doctor." He tickled the inside of her thigh and
was amazed how just a little thing like that could excite her so powerfully. It showed on
her face though she tried to hide it. She was really a very primitive, innocent girl. Then
why couldn't he make her come across (признаться, все выложить)? He had to figure
that one out and never mind the crap about a lost love that could never be replaced.
This was living tissue here under his hand and living tissue required other living tissue.
Dr. Jules Segal decided he would make the big push tonight at his apartment. He'd
wanted to make her come across without any trickery but if trickery there had to be, he
was the man for it. All in the interests of science of course. And, besides, this poor kid
was dying for it.