The Godfather

 “The Godfather” By Mario Puzo
 
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retrieve the Family position. Hagen had been Michael’s teacher for the last two years 
and was amazed at how quickly Michael grasped all the intricacies of the Family 
business. Truly his father’s son. 
Clemenza and Tessio were annoyed with Michael because he had reduced the strength 
of their regimes and had never reconstituted Sonny’s regime. The Corleone Family, in 
effect, had now only two fighting divisions with less personnel than formerly. Clemenza 
and Tessio considered this suicidal, especially with the Barzini-Tattaglia encroachments 
on their empires. So now they were hopeful these errors might be corrected at this 
extraordinary meeting convened by the Don. 
Michael started off by telling them about his trip to Vegas and Moe Greene’s refusing 
the offer to buy him out. “But we’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse,” Michael said. “You 
already know the Corleone Family plans to move its operations West. We’ll have four of 
the hotel casinos on the Strip. But it can’t be right away. We need time to get things 
straightened out.” He spoke directly to Clemenza. “Pete, you and Tessio, I want you to 
go along with me for a year without questioning and without reservations. At the end of 
that year, both of you can split off from the Corleone Family and be your own bosses, 
have your own Families. Of course it goes without saying we’d maintain our friendship, I 
wouldn’t insult you and your respect for my father by thinking otherwise for a minute. But 
up until that time l want you just to follow my lead and don’t worry. There are 
negotiations going on that will solve problems that you think are not solvable. So just be 
a little patient.” 
Tessio spoke up. “If Moe Greene wanted to talk to your father, why not let him? The Don 
could always persuade anybody, there was never anyone who could stand up to his 
reasonableness.” 
The Don answered this directly. “I’ve retired, Michael would lose respect if I interfered. 
And besides that’s a man I’d rather not talk to.” 
Tessio remembered the stories he’d heard about Moe Greene slapping Freddie 
Corleone around one night in the Vegas hotel. He began to smell a rat. He leaned back. 
Moe Greene was a dead man, he thought. The Corleone Family did not wish to 
persuade him. 
Carlo Rizzi spoke up. “Is the Corleone Family going to stop operating in New York 
altogether?” 
Michael nodded. “We’re selling the olive oil business. Everything we can, we turn over to 

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