The Godfather

 “The Godfather” By Mario Puzo
 
29
Hagen sat behind the desk and made notes. The Don heaved a sigh and asked, “Is 
there anything else?” 
“Sollozzo can’t be put off any more. You’ll have to see him this week.” Hagen held his 
pen over the calendar. 
The Don shrugged. “Now that the wedding is over, whenever you like.” 
This answer told Hagen two things. Most important, that the answer to Virgil Sollozzo 
would be no. The second, that Don Corleone, since he would not give the answer before 
his daughter’s wedding, expected his no to cause trouble. 
Hagen said cautiously, “Shall I tell Clemenza to have some men come live in the 
house?” 
The Don said impatiently, “For what? I didn’t answer before the wedding because on an 
important day like that there should be no cloud, not even in the distance. Also I wanted 
to know beforehand what he wanted to talk about. We know now. What he will propose 
is an infamita.” 
Hagen asked, “Then you will refuse?” When the Don nodded, Hagen said, “I think we 
should all discuss it– the whole Family– before you give your answer.” 
The Don smiled. “You think so? Good, we will discuss it. When you come back from 
California. I want you to fly there tomorrow and settle this business for Johnny. See that 
movie pezzonovante. Tell Sollozzo I will see him when you get back from California. Is 
there anything else?” 
Hagen said formally, “The hospital called. Consigliere Abbandando is dying, he won’t 
last out the night. His family was told to come and wait.” 
Hagen had filled the Consigliere’s post for the past year, ever since the cancer had 
imprisoned Genco Abbandando in his hospital bed. Now he waited to hear Don 
Corleone say the post was his permanently. The odds were against it. So high a position 
was traditionally given only to a man descended from two Italian parents. There had 
already been trouble about his temporary performance of the duties. Also, he was only 
thirty-five, not old enough, supposedly, to have acquired the necessary experience and 
cunning for a successful Consigliere. 
But the Don gave him no encouragement. He asked, “When does my daughter leave 
with her bridegroom?” 
Hagen looked at his wristwatch. “In a few minutes they’ll cut the cake and then a half 

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