Tom Hagen went to his law office in the city on Thursday morning. He planned

To catch up on his paper work so as to have everything cleared away for the

Meeting with Virgil Sollozzo on Friday. A meeting of such importance that he had

Asked the Don for a full evening of talk to prepare for the proposition they knew

Sollozzo would offer the family business. Hagen wanted to have all little details

Cleared away so that he could go to that preparatory meeting with an

Unencumbered mind.

The Don had not seemed surprised when Hagen returned from California late

Tuesday evening and told him the results of the negotiations with Woltz. He had

Made Hagen go over every detail and grimaced with distaste when Hagen told

about the beautiful little girl and her mother. He had murmured " infamita," his

strongest disapproval. He has asked Hagen one final question. "Does this man

have real balls?"

Hagen considered exactly what the Don meant by this question. Over the years

he had learned that the Don's values were so different from those of most people

that his words also could have a different meaning. Did Woltz have character?

Did he have a strong will? He most certainly did, but that was not what the Don

was asking. Did the movie producer have the courage not to be bluffed? Did he