The Godfather

 “The Godfather” By Mario Puzo
 
73
friends.” 
Hagen stared down at his hands, not answering. Sollozzo went on persuasively. “The 
Don was slipping. In the old days I could never have gotten to him. The other Families 
distrust him because he made you his Consigliere and you’re not even Italian, much 
less Sicilian. If it goes to all-out war the Corleone Family will be smashed and everybody 
loses, me included. I need the Family political contacts more than I need the money 
even. So talk to Sonny, talk to the caporegimes; you’ll save a lot of bloodshed.” 
Hagen held out his china cup for more whiskey. “I’ll try,” he said. “But Sonny is 
strong-headed. And even Sonny won’t be able to call off Luca. You have to worry about 
Luca. I’ll have to worry about Luca if I go for your deal.” 
Sollozzo said quietly, “I’ll take care of Luca. You take care of Sonny and the other two 
kids. Listen, you can tell them that Freddie would have gotten it today with his old man 
but my people had strict orders not to gun him. I didn’t want any more hard feelings than 
necessary. You can tell them that, Freddie is alive because of me.” 
Finally Hagen’s mind was working. For the first time he really believed that Sollozzo did 
not mean to kill him or hold him as a hostage. The sudden relief from fear that flooded 
his body made him flush with shame. Sollozzo watched him with a quiet understanding 
smile. Hagen began to think things out. If he did not agree to argue Sollozzo’s case, he 
might be killed. But then he realized that Sollozzo expected him only to present it and 
present it properly, as he was bound to do as a responsible Consigliere. And now, 
thinking about it, he also realized that Sollozzo was right. An unlimited war between the 
Tattaglias and the Corleones must be avoided at all costs. The Corleones must bury 
their dead and forget, make a deal. And then when the time was right they could move 
against Sollozzo. 
But glancing up, he realized that Sollozzo knew exactly what he was thinking. The Turk 
was smiling. And then it struck Hagen. What had happened to Luca Brasi that Sollozzo 
was so unconcerned? Had Luca made a deal? He remembered that on the night Don 
Corleone had refused Sollozzo, Luca had been summoned into the office for a private 
conference with the Don. But now was not the time to worry about such details. He had 
to get back to the safety of the Corleone Family fortress in Long Beach. “I’ll do my best,” 
he said to Sollozzo. “I believe you’re right, it’s even what the Don would want us to do.” 
Sollozzo nodded gravely. “Fine,” he said. “I don’t like bloodshed, I’m a businessman and 
blood costs too much money.” At that moment the phone rang and one of the men 

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