Keep trying but merely as a sideline, not to press it

6 Luca had dropped into the nightclub the evening before Don Corleone's being

Shot. Almost immediately Bruno Tattaglia had come to his table and sat down.

7 "I have a friend who wants to talk to you," he said.

8 "Bring him over," Luca said. "I'll talk to any friend of yours."

9 "No," Bruno said. "He wants to see you in private."

10 "Who is he?" Luca asked.

11 "Just a friend of mine," Bruno Tattaglia said. "He wants to put a proposition

to you. Can you meet him later on tonight?"

12 "Sure," Luca said. "What time and where?"

13 Tattaglia said softly, "The club closes at four in the morning. Why don't you

meet in here while the waiters are cleaning up?"

They knew his habits, Luca thought, they must have been checking him out.

He usually got up about three or four in the afternoon and had breakfast, then

Amused himself by gambling with cronies in the Family or had a girl. Sometimes

He saw one of the midnight movies and then would drop in for a drink at one of

The clubs. He never went to bed before dawn. So the suggestion of a four A.M.

Meeting was not as outlandish as it seemed.

15 "Sure, sure," he said. "I'll be back at four." He left the club and caught a cab

To his furnished room on Tenth Avenue. He boarded with an Italian family to