The narrow entrance mouth of the mall blocked off with a link chain. The mall

Itself was bright with the floodlights of all eight houses, outlining at least ten cars

Parked along the curving cement walk.

2 Two men he didn't know were leaning against the chain. One of them asked in

a Brooklyn accent, "Who're you?"

He told them. Another man came out of the nearest house and peered at his

face. "That's the Don's kid," he said. "I'll bring him inside." Mike followed this

man to his father's house, where two men at the door let him and his escort pass

Inside.

4 The house seemed to be full of men he didn't know, until he went into the

living room. There Michael saw Tom Hagen's wife, Theresa, sitting stiffly on the

Sofa, smoking a cigarette. On the coffee table in front of her was a glass of

whiskey. On the other side of the sofa sat the bulky Clemenza. The caporegime's

Face was impassive, but he was sweating and the cigar in his hand glistened

Slickly black with his saliva.

5 Clemenza came to wring his hand in a consoling way, muttering, "Your mother

is at the hospital with your father, he's going to be all right." Paulie Gatto stood

Up to shake hands. Michael looked at him curiously. He knew Paulie was his

father's bodyguard but did not know that Paulie had stayed home sick that day.

But he sensed tension in the thin dark face. He knew Gatto's reputation as an up-