mp.godfather-第49节

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　What　followed　then　was　inevitable。　One　night　Vito's　wife　brought　a　neighbor；　a　widow；　to　the　flat。　The　woman　was　Italian　and　of　unimpeachable　character。　She　worked　hard　to　keep　a　home　for　her　fatherless　children。　Her　sixteen…year…old　son　brought　home　his　pay　envelope　sealed；　to　hand　over　to　her　in　the　old…country　style；　her　seventeen…year…old　daughter；　a　dressmaker；　did　the　same。　The　whole　family　sewed　buttons　on　cards　at　night　at　slave　labor　piece　rates。　The　woman's　name　was　Signora　Colombo。
　
　Vito　Corleone's　wife　said；　〃The　Signora　has　a　favor　to　ask　of　you。　She　is　having　some　trouble。〃
　
　Vito　Corleone　expected　to　be　asked　for　money；　which　he　was　ready　to　give。　But　it　seemed　that　Mrs。　Colombo　owned　a　dog　which　her　youngest　son　adored。　The　landlord　had　received　plaints　on　the　dog　barking　at　night　and　had　told　Mrs。　Colombo　to　get　rid　of　it。　She　had　pretended　to　do　so：　The　landlord　had　found　out　that　she　had　deceived　him　and　had　ordered　her　to　vacate　her　apartment。　She　had　promised　this　time　to　truly　get　rid　of　the　dog　and　she　had　done　so。　But　the　landlord　was　so　angry　that　he　would　not　revoke　his　order。　She　had　to　get　out　or　the　police　would　be　summoned　to　put　her　out。　And　her　poor　little　boy　had　cried　so　when　they　had　given　the　dog　away　to　relatives　who　lived　in　Long　Island。　All　for　nothing；　they　would　lose　their　home。
　
　Vito　Corleone　asked　her　gently；　〃Why　do　you　ask　me　to　help　you？〃
　
　Mrs。　Colombo　nodded　toward　his　wife。　〃She　told　me　to　ask　you。〃
　
　He　was　surprised。　His　wife　had　never　questioned　him　about　the　clothes　he　had　washed　the　night　he　had　murdered　Fanucci。　Had　never　asked　him　where　all　the　money　came　from　when　he　was　not　working。　Even　now　her　face　was　impassive。　Vito　said　to　Mrs。　Colombo；　〃I　can　give　you　some　money　to　help　you　move；　is　that　what　you　want？〃
　
　The　woman　shook　her　head；　she　was　in　tears。　〃All　my　friends　are　here；　all　the　girls　I　grew　up　with　in　Italy。　How　can　I　move　to　another　neighborhood　with　strangers？　I　want　you　to　speak　to　the　landlord　to　let　me　stay。〃
　
　Vito　nodded。　〃It's　done　then。　You　won't　have　to　move。　I'll　speak　to　him　tomorrow　morning。〃
　
　His　wife　gave　him　a　smile　which　he　did　not　acknowledge；　but　he　felt　pleased。　Mrs。　Colombo　looked　a　little　uncertain。　〃You're　sure　he'll　say　yes；　the　landlord？〃　she　asked。
　
　〃Signor　Roberto？〃　Vito　said　in　a　surprised　voice。　〃Of　course　he　will。　He's　a　good…hearted　fellow。　Once　I　explain　how　things　are　with　you　he'll　take　pity　on　your　misfortunes。　Now　don't　let　it　trouble　you　any　more。　Don't　get　so　upset。　Guard　your　health；　for　the　sake　of　your　children。〃
　
　**********
　
　The　landlord；　Mr。　Roberto；　came　to　the　neighborhood　every　day　to　check　on　the　row　of　five　tenements　that　he　owned。　He　was　a　padrone；　a　man　who　sold　Italian　laborers　just　off　the　boat　to　the　big　corporations。　With　his　profits　he　had　bought　the　tenements　one　by　one。　An　educated　man　from　the　North　of　Italy；　he　felt　only　contempt　for　these　illiterate　（scanned　and　fully　proofed　by　iliter8）　Southerners　from　Sicily　and　Naples；　who　swarmed　like　vermin　through　his　buildings；　who　threw　garbage　down　the　air　shafts；　who　let　cockroaches　and　rats　eat　away　his　walls　without　lifting　a　hand　to　preserve　his　property。　He　was　not　a　bad　man；　he　was　a　good　husband　and　father；　but　constant　worry　about　his　investments；　about　the　money　he　earned；　about　the　inevitable　expenses　that　came　with　being　a　man　of　property　had　worn　his　nerves　to　a　frazzle　so　that　he　was　in　a　constant　state　of　irritation。　When　Vito　Corleone　stopped　him　on　the　street　to　ask　for　a　word；　Mr。　Roberto　was　brusque。　Not　rude；　since　any　one　of　these　Southerners　might　stick　a　knife　into　you　if　rubbed　the　wrong　way；　though　this　young　man　looked　like　a　quiet　fellow。
　
　〃Signor　Roberto；〃　said　Vito　Corleone；　〃the　friend　of　my　wife；　a　poor　widow　with　no　man　to　protect　her；　tells　me　that　for　some　reason　she　has　been　ordered　to　move　from　her　apartment　in　your　building。　She　is　in　despair。　She　has　no　money；　she　has　no　friends　except　those　that　live　here。　I　told　her　that　I　would　speak　to　you；　that　you　are　a　reasonable　man　who　acted　out　of　some　misunderstanding。　She　has　gotten　rid　of　the　animal　that　caused　all　the　trouble　and　so　why　shouldn't　she　stay？　As　one　Italian　to　another；　I　ask　you　the　favor。〃
　
　Signor　Roberto　studied　the　young　man　in　front　of　him。　He　saw　a　man　of　medium　stature　but　strongly　built；　a　peasant　but　not　a　bandit；　though　he　so　laughably　dared　to　call　himself　an　Italian。　Roberto　shrugged。　〃I　have　already　rented　the　apartment　to　another　family　for　higher　rent；〃　he　said。　〃I　cannot　disappoint　them　for　the　sake　of　your　friend。〃
　
　Vito　Corleone　nodded　in　agreeable　understanding。　〃How　much　more　a　month？〃　he　asked。
　
　〃Five　dollars；〃　Mr。　Roberto　said。　This　was　a　lie。　The　railway　flat；　four　dark　rooms；　rented　for　twelve　dollars　a　month　to　the　widow　and　he　had　not　been　able　to　get　more　than　that　from　the　new　tenant。
　
　**********
　
　Vito　Corleone　took　a　roll　of　bills　out　of　his　pocket　and　peeled　off　three　tens。　〃Here　is　the　six　months'　increase　in　advance。　You　needn't　speak　to　her　about　it；　she's　a　proud　woman。　See　me　again　in　another　six　months。　But　of　course　you'll　let　her　keep　her　dog。〃
　
　〃Like　hell；〃　Mr。　Roberto　said。　〃And　who　the　hell　are　you　to　give　me　orders。　Watch　your　manners　or　you'll　be　out　on　your　Sicilian　ass　in　the　street　there。〃
　
　Vito　Corleone　raised　his　hands　in　surprise。　〃I'm　asking　you　a　favor；　only　that。　One　never　knows　when　one　might　need　a　friend；　isn't　that　true？　Here；　take　this　money　as　a　sign　of　my　goodwill　and　make　your　own　decision。　I　wouldn't　dare　to　quarrel　with　it。〃　He　thrust　the　money　into　Mr。　Roberto's　hand。　〃Do　me　this　little　favor；　just　take　the　money　and　think　things　over。　Tomorrow　morning　if　you　want　to　give　me　the　money　back　by　all　means　do　so。　If　you　want　the　woman　out　of　your　house；　how　can　I　stop　you？　It's　your　property；　after　all。　If　you　don't　want　the　dog　in　there；　I　can　understand。　I　dislike　animals　myself。〃　He　patted　Mr。　Roberto　on　the　shoulder。　〃Do　me　this　service；　eh？　I　won't　forget　it。　Ask　your　friends　in　the　neighborhood　about　me；　they'll　tell　you　I'm　a　man　who　believes　in　showing　his　gratitude。〃
　
　But　of　course　Mr。　Roberto　had　already　begun　to　understand。　That　evening　he　made　inquiries　about　Vito　Corleone。　He　did　not　wait　until　the　next　morning。　He　knocked　on　the　Corleone　door　that　very　night；　apologizing　for　the　lateness　of　the　hour　and　accepted　a　glass　of　wine　from　Signora　Corleone。　He　assured　Vito　Corleone　that　it　had　all　been　a　dreadful　misunderstanding；　that　of　course　Signora　Colombo　could　remain　in　the　flat；　of　course　she　could　keep　her　dog。　Who　were　those　miserable　tenants　to　plain　about　noise　from　a　poor　animal　when　they　paid　such　a　low　rent？　At　the　finish　he　threw　the　thirty　dollars　Vito　Corleone　had　given　him　on　the　table　and　said　in　the　most　sincere　fashion；　〃Your　good　heart　in　helping　this　poor　widow　has　shamed　me　and　I　wish　to　show　that　I；　too；　have　some　Christian　charity。　Her　rent　will　remain　what　it　was。〃
　
　All　concerned　played　this　edy　prettily。　Vito　poured　wine；　called　for　cakes；　wrung　Mr。　Roberto's　hand　and　praised　his　warm　heart。　Mr。　Roberto　sighed　and　said　that　having　made　the　acquaintance　of　such　a　man　as　Vito　Corleone　restored　his　faith　in　human　nature。　Finally　they　tore　themselves　away　from　each　other。　Mr。　Roberto；　his　bones　turned　to　jelly　with　fear　at　his　narrow　escape；　caught　the　streetcar　to　his　home　in　the　Bronx　and　took　to　his　bed。　He　did　not　reappear　in　his　tenements　for　three　days。
　
　**********
　
　Vito　Corleone　was　now　a　〃man　of　respect〃　in　the　neighborhood。　He　was　reputed　to　be　a　member　of　the　Mafia　of　Sicily。　One　day　a　man　who　ran　card　games　in　a　furnished　room　came　to　him　and　voluntarily　paid　him　twenty　dollars　each　week　for　his　〃friendship。〃　He　had　only　to　visit　the　game　once　or　twice　a　week　to　let　the　players　understand　they　were　under　his　protection。
　
　Store　owners　who　had　problems　with　young　hoodlums　asked　him　to　intercede。　He　did　so　and　was　properly　rewarded。　Soon　he　had　the　enormous　ine　for　that　time　and　place　of　one　hundred　dollars　a　week。　Since　Clemenza　and　Tessio　were　his　friends；　his　allies；　he　had　to　give　them　each　part　of　the　money；　but　this　he　did　without　being　asked。　Finally　he　decided　to　go　into　the　olive　oil；　importing　business　with　his　boyhood　chum；　Genco　Abbandundo。　Genco　would　handle　the　business；　the　importing　of　the　olive　oil　from　Italy；　the　buying　at　the　proper　price；　the　storing　in　his　father's　warehouse。　Genco　had　the　experience　for　this　part　of　the　business。　Clemenza　and　Tessio　would　be　the　salesmen。　They　would　go　to　every　Italian　grocery　store　in　Manhattan；　then　Brooklyn；　then　the　Bronx；　to　persuade　store　owners　to　stock　Genco　Pura　olive　oil。　（With　typical　modesty；　Vito　Corleone　refused　to　name　the　brand　after　himself。）　Vito　of　course　would　be　the　head　of　the　firm　since　he　was　supplying　most　of　the　capital。　He　also　would　be　called　in　on　special　cases；　where　store　owners　resisted　the　sales　talks　of　Clemenza　and　Tessio。　Then　Vito　Corleone　would　use　his　own　formidable　powers　of　persuasion。
　
　For　the　next　few　years　Vito　Corleone　lived　that　pletely　satisfying　life　of　a　small　businessman　wholly　devoted　to　building　up　his　mercial　enterprise　in　a