mp.godfather-第100节

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　〃Lunchtime；〃　Michael　said。　〃e　on　and　eat　with　me　and　my　family。　My　father　said　he'd　like　to　meet　you。　We'll　walk　over　to　his　house。　My　mother　should　have　some　fried　peppers　and　eggs　and　sausages。　Real　Sicilian　style。〃
　
　That　afternoon　was　the　most　agreeable　Albert　Neri　had　spent　since　he　was　a　small　boy；　since　the　days　before　his　parents　had　died　when　he　was　only　fifteen。　Don　Corleone　was　at　his　most　amiable　and　was　delighted　when　he　discovered　that　Neri's　parents　had　originally　e　from　a　small　village　only　a　few　minutes　from　his　own。　The　talk　was　good；　the　food　was　delicious；　the　wine　robustly　red。　Neri　was　struck　by　the　thought　that　he　was　finally　with　his　own　true　people。　He　understood　that　he　was　only　a　casual　guest　but　he　knew　he　could　find　a　permanent　place　and　be　hazy　in　such　a　world。
　
　Michael　and　the　Don　walked　him　out　to　his　car。　The　Don　shook　his　hand　and　said；　〃You're　a　fine　fellow。　My　son　Michael　here；　I've　been　teaching　him　the　olive　business；　I'm　getting　old；　I　want　to　retire。　And　he　es　to　me　and　he　says　he　wants　to　interfere　in　your　little　affair。　I　tell　him　to　just　learn　about　the　olive　oil。　But　he　won't　leave　me　alone。　He　says；　here　is　this　fine　fellow；　a　Sicilian　and　they　are　doing　this　dirty　trick　to　him。　He　kept　on；　he　gave　me　no　peace　until　I　interested　myself　in　it。　I　tell　you　this　to　tell　that　he　was　right。　Now　that　I've　met　you；　I'm　glad　we　took　the　trouble。　So　if　we　can　do　anything　further　for　you；　just　ask　the　favor。　Understand？　We're　at　your　service。〃　（Remembering　the　Don's　kindness；　Neri　wished　the　great　man　was　still　alive　to　see　the　service　that　would　be　done　this　day。）
　
　It　took　Neri　less　than　three　days　to　make　up　his　mind。　He　understood　he　was　being　courted　but　understood　more。　That　the　Corleone　Family　approved　that　act　of　his　which　society　condemned　and　had　punished　him　for。　The　Corleone　Family　valued　him；　society　did　not。　He　understood　that　he　would　be　happier　in　the　world　the　Corleones　had　created　than　in　the　world　outside。　And　he　understood　that　the　Corleone　Family　was　the　more　powerful；　within　its　narrower　limits。
　
　He　visited　Michael　again　and　put　his　cards　on　the　table。　He　did　not　want　to　work　in　Vegas　but　he　would　take　a　job　with　the　Family　in　New　York。　He　made　his　loyalty　clear。　Michael　was　touched；　Neri　could　see　that。　It　was　arranged。　But　Michael　insisted　that　Neri　take　a　vacation　first；　down　in　Miami　at　the　Family　hotel　there；　all　expenses　paid　and　a　month's　salary　in　advance　so　he　could　have　the　necessary　cash　to　enjoy　himself　properly。
　
　That　vacation　was　Neri's　first　taste　of　luxury。　People　at　the　hotel　took　special　care　of　him；　saying；　〃Ah；　you're　a　friend　of　Michael　Corleone。〃　The　word　had　been　passed　along。　He　was　given　one　of　the　plush　suites；　not　the　grudging　small　room　a　poor　relation　might　be　fobbed　off　with。　The　man　running　the　nightclub　in　the　hotel　fixed　him　up　with　some　beautiful　girls。　When　Neri　got　back　to　New　York　he　had　a　slightly　different　view　on　life　in　general。
　
　He　was　put　in　the　Clemenza　regime　and　tested　carefully　by　that　masterful　personnel　man。　Certain　precautions　had　to　be　taken。　He　had；　after　all；　once　been　a　policeman。　But　Neri's　natural　ferocity　overcame　whatever　scruples　he　might　have　had　at　being　on　the　other　side　of　the　fence。　In　less　than　a　year　he　had　〃made　his　bones。〃　He　could　never　turn　back。
　
　Clemenza　sang　his　praises。　Neri　was　a　wonder；　the　new　Luca　Brasi。　He　would　be　better　than　Luca；　Clemenza　bragged。　After　all；　Neri　was　his　discovery。　Physically　the　man　was　a　marvel。　His　reflexes　and　coordination　such　that　he　could　have　been　another　Joe　DiMaggio。　Clemenza　also　knew　that　Neri　was　not　a　man　to　be　controlled　by　someone　like　himself。　Neri　was　made　directly　responsible　to　Michael　Corleone；　with　Tom　Hagen　as　the　necessary　buffer。　He　was　a　〃special〃　and　as　such　manded　a　high　salary　but　did　not　have　his　own　living；　a　bookmaking　or　strong…arm　operation。　It　was　obvious　that　his　respect　for　Michael　Corleone　was　enormous　and　one　day　Hagen　said　jokingly　to　Michael；　〃Well　now　you've　got　your　Luca。〃
　
　Michael　nodded。　He　had　brought　it　off。　Albert　Neri　was　his　man　to　the　death。　And　of　course　it　was　a　trick　learned　from　the　Don　himself。　While　learning　the　business；　undergoing　the　long　days　of　tutelage　by　his　father；　Michael　had　one　time　asked；　〃How　e　you　used　a　guy　like　Luca　Brasi？　An　animal　like　that？〃
　
　The　Don　had　proceeded　to　instruct　him。　〃There　are　men　in　this　world；〃　he　said；　〃who　go　about　demanding　to　be　killed。　You　must　have　noticed　them。　They　quarrel　in　gambling　games；　they　jump　out　of　their　automobiles　in　a　rage　if　someone　so　much　as　scratches　their　fender；　they　humiliate　and　bully　people　whose　capabilities　they　do　not　know。　I　have　seen　a　man；　a　fool；　deliberately　infuriate　a　group　of　dangerous　men；　and　he　himself　without　any　resources。　These　are　people　who　wander　through　the　world　shouting；　'Kill　me。　Kill　me。'　And　there　is　always　somebody　ready　to　oblige　them。　We　read　about　it　in　the　newspapers　every　day。　Such　people　of　course　do　a　great　deal　of　harm　to　others　also。
　
　〃Luca　Brasi　was　such　a　man。　But　he　was　such　an　extraordinary　man　that　for　a　long　time　nobody　could　kill　him。　Most　of　these　people　are　of　no　concern　to　ourselves　but　a　Brasi　is　a　powerful　weapon　to　be　used。　The　trick　is　that　since　he　does　not　fear　death　and　indeed　looks　for　it；　then　the　trick　is　to　make　yourself　the　only　person　in　the　world　that　he　truly　desires　not　to　kill　him。　He　has　only　that　one　fear；　not　of　death；　but　that　you　may　be　the　one　to　kill　him。　He　is　yours　then。〃
　
　It　was　one　of　the　most　valuable　lessons　given　by　the　Don　before　he　died；　and　Michael　had　used　it　to　make　Neri　his　Luca　Brasi。
　
　**********
　
　And　now；　finally；　Albert　Neri；　alone　in　his　Bronx　apartment；　was　going　to　put　on　his　police　uniform　again。　He　brushed　it　carefully。　Polishing　the　holster　would　be　next。　And　his　policeman's　cap　too；　the　visor　had　to　be　cleaned；　the　stout　black　shoes　shined。　Neri　worked　with　a　will。　He　had　found　his　place　in　the　world；　Michael　Corelone　had　placed　his　absolute　trust　in　him；　and　today　he　would　not　fail　that　trust。
　
　Chapter　31
　
　On　that　same　day　two　limousines　parked　on　the　Long　Beach　mall。　One　of　the　big　cars　waited　to　take　Connie　Corleone；　her　mother；　her　husband　and　her　two　children　to　the　airport。　The　Carlo　Rizzi　family　was　to　take　a　vacation　in　Las　Vegas　in　preparation　for　their　permanent　move　to　that　city。　Michael　had　given　Carlo　the　order；　over　Connie's　protests。　Michael　had　not　bothered　to　explain　that　he　wanted　everyone　out　of　the　mall　before　the　Corleone…Barzini　Families'　meeting。　Indeed　the　meeting　itself　was　top　secret。　The　only　ones　who　knew　about　it　were　the　capos　of　the　Family。
　
　The　other　limousine　was　for　Kay　and　her　children；　who　were　being　driven　up　to　New　Hampshire　for　a　visit　with　her　parents。　Michael　would　have　to　stay　in　the　mall；　he　had　affairs　too　pressing　to　leave。
　
　The　night　before　Michael　had　also　sent　word　to　Carlo　Rizzi　that　he　would　require　his　presence　on　the　mall　for　a　few　days；　that　he　could　join　his　wife　and　children　later　that　week。　Connie　had　been　furious。　She　had　tried　to　get　Michael　on　the　phone；　but　he　had　gone　into　the　city。　Now　her　eyes　were　searching　the　mall　for　him；　but　he　was　closeted　with　Tom　Hagen　and　not　to　be　disturbed。　Connie　kissed　Carlo　good…bye　when　he　put　her　in　the　limousine。　〃If　you　don't　e　out　there　in　two　days；　I'll　e　back　to　get　you；〃　she　threatened　him。
　
　He　gave　her　a　polite　husbandly　smile　of　sexual　plicity。　〃I'll　be　there；〃　he　said。
　
　She　hung　out　the　window。　〃What　do　you　think　Michael　wants　you　for？〃　she　asked。　Her　worried　frown　made　her　look　old　and　unattractive。
　
　Carlo　shrugged。　〃He's　been　promising　me　a　big　deal。　Maybe　that's　what　he　wants　to　talk　about。　That's　what　he　hinted　anyway。〃　Carlo　did　not　know　of　the　meeting　scheduled　with　the　Barzini　Family　for　that　night。
　
　Connie　said　eagerly；　〃Really；　Carlo？〃
　
　Carlo　nodded　at　her　reassuringly。　The　limousine　moved　off　through　the　gates　of　the　mall。
　
　It　was　only　after　the　first　limousine　had　left　that　Michael　appeared　to　say　good…bye　to　Kay　and　his　own　two　children。　Carlo　also　came　over　and　wished　Kay　a　good　trip　and　a　good　vacation。　Finally　the　second　limousine　pulled　away　and　went　through　the　gate。
　
　Michael　said；　〃I'm　sorry　I　had　to　keep　you　here；　Carlo。　It　won't　be　more　than　a　couple　of　days。〃
　
　Carlo　said　quickly；　〃I　don't　mind　at　all。〃
　
　〃Good；〃　Michael　said。　〃Just　stay　by　your　phone　and　I'll　call　you　when　I'm　ready　for　you。　I　have　to　get　some　other　dope　before。　OK？〃
　
　〃Sure；　Mike；　sure；〃　Carlo　said。　He　went　into　his　own　house；　made　a　phone　call　to　the　mistress　he　was　discreetly　keeping　in　Westbury；　promising　he　would　try　to　get　to　her　late　that　night。　Then　he　got　set　with　a　bottle　of　rye　and　waited。　He　waited　a　long　time。　Cars　started　ing　through　the　gate　shortly　after　noontime。　He　saw　Clemenza　get　out　of　one；　and　then　a　little　later　Tessio　came　out　of　another。　Both　of　them　were　admitted　to　Michael's　house　by　one　of　the　bodyguards。　Clemenza　left　after　a　few　hours；　but　Tessio　did　not　reappear。
　
　Carlo　took　a　breath　of　fresh　air　around　the　mall；　not　more　than　ten　minutes。　He　was　familiar　with　all　the　guards　who　pulled　d