mp.godfather-第4节

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Every　Easter　freshly　baked　clotted…cheese　and　wheat…germ　pies；　their　crusts　yolk…gold；　big　around　as　truck　wheels；　arrived　at　Don　Corleone's　home。　On　Christmas；　on　family　birthdays；　rich　creamy　pastries　proclaimed　the　Nazorines'　respect。　And　all　through　the　years；　lean　and　fat；　Nazorine　cheerfully　paid　his　dues　to　the　bakery　union　organized　by　the　Don　in　his　salad　days。　Never　asking　for　a　favor　in　return　except　for　the　chance　to　buy　black…market　OPA　sugar　coupons　during　the　war。　Now　the　time　had　e　for　the　baker　to　claim　his　rights　as　a　loyal　friend；　and　Don　Corleone　looked　forward　with　great　pleasure　to　granting　his　request。
　
　He　gave　the　baker　a　Di　Nobili　cigar　and　a　glass　of　yellow　Strega　and　put　his　hand　on　the　man's　shoulder　to　urge　him　on。　That　was　the　mark　of　the　Don's　humanity。　He　knew　from　bitter　experience　what　courage　it　took　to　ask　a　favor　from　a　fellow　man。
　
　The　baker　told　the　story　of　his　daughter　and　Enzo。　A　fine　Italian　lad　from　Sicily；　captured　by　the　American　Army；　sent　to　the　United　States　as　a　prisoner　of　war；　given　parole　to　help　our　war　effort！　A　pure　and　honorable　love　had　sprung　up　between　honest　Enzo　and　his　sheltered　Katherine　but　now　that　the　war　was　ended　the　poor　lad　would　be　repatriated　to　Italy　and　Nazorine's　daughter　would　surely　die　of　a　broken　heart。　Only　Godfather　Corleone　could　help　this　afflicted　couple。　He　was　their　last　hope。
　
　The　Don　walked　Nazorine　up　and　down　the　room；　his　hand　on　the　baker's　shoulder；　his　head　nodding　with　understanding　to　keep　up　the　man's　courage。　When　the　baker　had　finished；　Don　Corleone　smiled　at　him　and　said；　〃My　dear　friend；　put　all　your　worries　aside。〃　He　went　on　to　explain　very　carefully　what　must　be　done。　The　Congressman　of　the　district　must　be　petitioned。　The　Congressman　would　propose　a　special　bill　that　would　allow　Enzo　to　bee　a　citizen。　The　bill　would　surely　pass　Congress。　A　privilege　all　those　rascals　extended　to　each　other。　Don　Corleone　explained　that　this　would　cost　money；　the　going　price　was　now　two　thousand　dollars。　He；　Don　Corleone；　would　guarantee　performance　and　accept　payment。　Did　his　friend　agree？
　
　The　baker　nodded　his　head　vigorously。　He　did　not　expect　such　a　great　favor　for　nothing。　That　was　understood。　A　special　Act　of　Congress　does　not　e　cheap。　Nazorine　was　almost　tearful　in　his　thanks。　Don　Corleone　walked　him　to　the　door；　assuring　him　that　petent　people　would　be　sent　to　the　bakery　to　arrange　all　details；　plete　all　necessary　documents。　The　baker　embraced　him　before　disappearing　into　the　garden。
　
　Hagen　smiled　at　the　Don。　〃That's　a　good　investment　for　Nazorine。　A　son…in…law　and　a　cheap　lifetime　helper　in　his　bakery　all　for　two　thousand　dollars。〃　He　paused。　〃Who　do　I　give　this　job　to？〃
　
　Don　Corleone　frowned　in　thought。　〃Not　to　our　paisan。　Give　it　to　the　Jew　in　the　next　district。　Have　the　home　addresses　changed。　I　think　there　might　be　many　such　cases　now　the　war　is　over；　we　should　have　extra　people　in　Washington　that　can　handle　the　overflow　and　not　raise　the　price。〃　Hagen　made　a　note　on　his　pad。　〃Not　Congressman　Luteco。　Try　Fischer。〃
　
　The　next　man　Hagen　brought　in　was　a　very　simple　case。　His　name　was　Anthony　Coppola　and　he　was　the　son　of　a　man　Don　Corleone　had　worked　with　in　the　railroad　yards　in　his　youth。　Coppola　needed　five　hundred　dollars　to　open　a　pizzeria；　for　a　deposit　on　fixtures　and　the　special　oven。　For　reasons　not　gone　into；　credit　was　not　available。　The　Don　reached　into　his　pocket　and　took　out　a　roll　of　bills。　It　was　not　quite　enough。　He　grimaced　and　said　to　Tom　Hagen；　〃Loan　me　a　hundred　dollars；　I'll　pay　you　back　Monday　when　I　go　to　the　bank。〃　The　supplicant　protested　that　four　hundred　dollars　would　be　ample；　but　Don　Corleone　patted　his　shoulder；　saying；　apologetically；　〃This　fancy　wedding　left　me　a　little　short　of　cash。〃　He　took　the　money　Hagen　extended　to　him　and　gave　it　to　Anthony　Coppola　with　his　own　roll　of　bills。
　
　Hagen　watched　with　quiet　admiration。　The　Don　always　taught　that　when　a　man　was　generous；　he　must　show　the　generosity　as　personal。　How　flattering　to　Anthony　Coppola　that　a　man　like　the　Don　would　borrow　to　loan　him　money。　Not　that　Coppola　did　not　know　that　the　Don　was　a　millionaire　but　how　many　millionaires　let　themselves　be　put　to　even　a　small　inconvenience　by　a　poor　friend？
　
　The　Don　raised　his　head　inquiringly。　Hagen　said；　〃He's　not　on　the　list　but　Luca　Brasi　wants　to　see　you。　He　understands　it　can't　be　public　but　he　wants　to　congratulate　you　in　person。〃
　
　For　the　first　time　the　Don　seemed　displeased。　The　answer　was　devious。　〃Is　it　necessary？〃　he　asked。
　
　Hagen　shrugged。　〃You　understand　him　better　than　I　do。　But　he　was　very　grateful　that　you　invited　him　to　the　wedding。　He　never　expected　that。　I　think　he　wants　to　show　his　gratitude。〃
　
　Don　Corleone　nodded　and　gestured　that　Luca　Brasi　should　be　brought　to　him。
　
　In　the　garden　Kay　Adams　was　struck　by　the　violet　fury　imprinted　on　the　face　of　Luca　Brasi。　She　asked　about　him。　Michael　had　brought　Kay　to　the　wedding　so　that　she　would　slowly　and　perhaps　without　too　much　of　a　shock；　absorb　the　truth　about　his　father。　But　so　far　she　seemed　to　regard　the　Don　as　a　slightly　unethical　businessman。　Michael　decided　to　tell　her　part　of　the　truth　indirectly。　He　explained　that　Luca　Brasi　was　one　of　the　most　feared　men　in　the　Eastern　underworld。　His　great　talent；　it　was　said；　was　that　he　could　do　a　job　of　murder　all　by　himself；　without　confederates；　which　automatically　made　discovery　and　conviction　by　the　law　almost　impossible。　Michael　grimaced　and　said；　〃I　don't　know　whether　all　that　stuff　is　true。　I　do　know　he　is　sort　of　a　friend　to　my　father。〃
　
　For　the　first　time　Kay　began　to　understand。　She　asked　a　little　incredulously；　〃You're　not　hinting　that　a　man　like　that　works　for　your　father？〃
　
　The　hell　with　it；　he　thought。　He　said；　straight　out；　〃Nearly　fifteen　years　ago　some　people　wanted　to　take　over　my　father's　oil　importing　business。　They　tried　to　kill　him　and　nearly　did。　Luca　Brasi　went　after　them。　The　story　is　that　he　killed　six　men　in　two　weeks　and　that　ended　the　famous　olive　oil　war。〃　He　smiled　as　if　it　were　a　joke。
　
　Kay　shuddered。　〃You　mean　your　father　was　shot　by　gangsters？〃
　
　〃Fifteen　years　ago；〃　Michael　said。　〃Everything's　been　peaceful　since　then。〃　He　was　afraid　he　had　gone　too　far。
　
　〃You're　trying　to　scare　me；〃　Kay　said。　〃You　just　don't　want　me　to　marry　you。〃　She　smiled　at　him　and　poked　his　ribs　with　her　elbow。　〃Very　clever。〃
　
　Michael　smiled　back　at　her。　〃I　want　you　to　think　about　it；〃　he　said。
　
　〃Did　he　really　kill　six　men？〃　Kay　asked。
　
　〃That's　what　the　newspapers　claimed；〃　Mike　said。　〃Nobody　ever　proved　it。　But　there's　another　story　about　him　that　nobody　ever　tells。　It's　supposed　to　be　so　terrible　that　even　my　father　won't　talk　about　it。　Tom　Hagen　knows　the　story　and　he　won't　tell　me。　Once　I　kidded　him；　I　said；　'When　will　I　be　old　enough　to　hear　that　story　about　Luca？'　and　Tom　said；　'When　you're　a　hundred。'　〃　Michael　sipped　his　glass　of　wine。　〃That　must　be　some　story。　That　must　be　some　Luca。〃
　
　Luca　Brasi　was　indeed　a　man　to　frighten　the　devil　in　hell　himself。　Short；　squat；　massive…skulled；　his　presence　sent　out　alarm　bells　of　danger。　His　face　was　stamped　into　a　mask　of　fury。　The　eyes　were　brown　but　with　none　of　the　warmth　of　that　color；　more　a　deadly　tan。　The　mouth　was　not　so　much　cruel　as　lifeless；　thin；　rubbery　and　the　color　of　veal。
　
　Brasi's　reputation　for　violence　was　awesome　and　his　devotion　to　Don　Corleone　legendary。　He　was；　in　himself；　one　of　the　great　blocks　that　supported　the　Don's　power　structure。　His　kind　was　a　rarity。
　
　Luca　Brasi　did　not　fear　the　police；　he　did　not　fear　society；　he　did　not　fear　God；　he　did　not　fear　hell；　he　did　not　fear　or　love　his　fellow　man。　But　he　had　elected；　he　had　chosen；　to　fear　and　love　Don　Corleone。　Ushered　into　the　presence　of　the　Don；　the　terrible　Brasi　held　himself　stiff　with　respect。　He　stuttered　over　the　flowery　congatulations　he　offered　and　his　formal　hope　that　the　first　grandchild　would　be　masculine。　He　then　handed　the　Don　an　envelope　stuffed　with　cash　as　a　gift　for　the　bridal　couple。
　
　So　that　was　what　he　wanted　to　do。　Hagen　noticed　the　change　in　Don　Corleone。　The　Don　received　Brasi　as　a　king　greets　a　subject　who　has　done　him　an　enormous　service；　never　familiar　but　with　regal　respect。　With　every　gesture；　with　every　word；　Don　Corleone　made　it　clear　to　Luca　Brasi　that　he　was　valued。　Not　for　one　moment　did　he　show　surprise　at　the　wedding　gift　being　presented　to　him　personally。　He　understood。
　
　The　money　in　the　envelope　was　sure　to　be　more　than　anyone　else　had　given。　Brasi　had　spent　many　hours　deciding　on　the　sum；　paring　it　to　what　the　other　guests　might　offer。　He　wanted　to　be　the　most　generous　to　show　that　he　had　the　most　respect；　and　that　was　why　he　had　given　his　envelope　to　the　Don　personally；　a　gaucherie　the　Don　overlooked　in　his　own　flowery　sentence　of　thanks。　Hagen　saw　Luca　Brasi's　face　lose　its　mask　of　fury；　swell　with　pride　and　pleasure。　Brasi　kissed　the　Don's　hand　before　he　went　out　the　door　that　Hagen　held　open。　Hagen　prudently　gave　Brasi　a　friendly　smile　which　the　squat　man　acknowledged　with　a　polite　stretching　of　rubbery；　veal…colored　lips。
　
　When　the　door　closed　Don　Corleone　gave　a　small