mp.godfather-第46节

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　Vito　never　said　a　word　to　anyone　and　of　course　his　terrified　wife　dared　not　open　her　lips　even　in　gossip　for　fear　her　own　husband　would　be　sent　to　prison。　Two　days　later　Peter　Clemenza　reappeared　in　the　neighborhood　and　asked　Vito　casually；　〃Do　you　have　my　goods　still？〃
　
　Vito　nodded。　He　was　in　the　habit　of　talking　little。　Clemenza　came　up　to　his　tenement　flat　and　was　given　a　glass　of　wine　while　Vito　dug　the　bundle　out　of　his　bedroom　closet。
　
　Clemenza　drank　his　wine；　his　heavy　good…natured　face　alertly　watching　Vito。　〃Did　you　look　inside？〃
　
　Vito；　his　face　impassive；　shook　his　head。　〃I'm　not　interested　in　things　that　don't　concern　me；〃　he　said。
　
　They　drank　wine　together　the　rest　of　the　evening。　They　found　each　other　congenial。　Clemenza　was　a　storyteller；　Vito　Corleone　was　a　listener　to　storytellers。　They　became　casual　friends。
　
　A　few　days　later　Clemenza　asked　the　wife　of　Vito　Corleone　if　she　would　like　a　fine　rug　for　her　living　room　floor。　He　took　Vito　with　him　to　help　carry　the　rug。
　
　Clemenza　led　Vito　to　an　apartment　house　with　two　marble　pillars　and　a　white　marble　stoop。　He　used　a　key　to　open　the　door　and　they　were　inside　a　plush　apartment。　Clemenza　grunted；　〃Go　on　the　other　side　of　the　room　and　help　me　roll　it　up。〃
　
　The　rug　was　a　rich　red　wool。　Vito　Corleone　was　astonished　by　Clemenza's　generosity。　Together　they　rolled　the　rug　into　a　pile　and　Clemenza　took　one　end　while　Vito　took　the　other。　They　lifted　it　and　started　carrying　it　toward　the　door。
　
　At　that　moment　the　apartment　bell　rang。　Clemenza　immediately　dropped　the　rug　and　strode　to　the　window。　He　pulled　the　drape　aside　slightly　and　what　he　saw　made　him　draw　a　gun　from　inside　his　jacket。　It　was　only　at　that　moment　the　astonished　Vito　Corleone　realized　that　they　were　stealing　the　rug　from　some　stranger's　apartment。
　
　The　apartment　bell　rang　again。　Vito　went　up　alongside　Clemenza　so　that　he　too　could　see　what　was　happening。　At'　the　door　was　a　uniformed　policeman。　As　they　watched；　the　policeman　gave　the　doorbell　a　final　push；　then　shrugged　and　walked　away　down　the　marble　steps　and　down　the　street。
　
　Clemenza　grunted　in　a　satisfied　way　and　said；　〃e　on；　let's　go。〃　He　picked　up　his　end　of　the　rug　and　Vito　picked　up　the　other　end。　The　policeman　had　barely　turned　the　corner　before　they　were　edging　out　the　heavy　oaken　door　and　into　the　street　with　the　rug　between　them。　Thirty　minutes　later　they　were　cutting　the　rug　to　fit　the　living　rooms　of　Vito　Corleone's　apartment。　They　had　enough　left　over　for　the　bedroom。　Clemenza　was　an　expert　workman　and　from　the　pockets　of　his　wide；　ill…fitting　jacket　（even　then　he　liked　to　wear　loose　clothes　though　he　was　not　so　fat）；　he　had　the　necessary　carpet…cutting　tools。
　
　Time　went　on；　things　did　not　improve。　The　Corleone　family　could　not　eat　the　beautiful　rug。　Very　well；　there　was　no　work；　his　wife　and　children　must　starve。　Vito　took　some　parcels　of　food　from　his　friend　Genco　while　he　thought　things　out。　Finally　he　was　approached　by　Clemenza　and　Tessio；　another　young　tough　of　the　neighborhood。　They　were　men　who　thought　well　of　him；　the　way　he　carried　himself；　and　they　knew　he　was　desperate。　They　proposed　to　him　that　he　bee　one　of　their　gang　which　specialized　in　hijacking　trucks　of　silk　dresses　after　those　trucks　were　loaded　up　at　the　factory　on　31st　Street。　There　was　no　risk。　The　truck　drivers　were　sensible　workingmen　who　at　the　sight　of　a　gun　flopped　on　the　sidewalk　like　angels　while　the　hijackers　drove　the　truck　away　to　be　unloaded　at　a　friend's　warehouse。　Some　of　the　merchandise　would　be　sold　to　an　Italian　wholesaler；　part　of　the　loot　would　be　sold　door…to…door　in　the　Italian　neighborhoods…　Arthur　Avenue　in　the　Bronx；　Mulberry　Street；　and　the　Chelsea　district　in　Manhattan…　all　to　poor　Italian　families　looking　for　a　bargain；　whose　daughters　could　never　be　able　to　afford　such　fine　apparel。　Clemenza　and　Tessio　needed　Vito　to　drive　since　they　knew　he　chauffeured　the　Abbandando　grocery　store　delivery　truck。　In　1919；　skilled　automobile　drivers　were　at　a　premium。
　
　Against　his　better　judgment；　Vito　Corleone　accepted　their　offer。　The　clinching　argument　was　that　he　would　clear　at　least　a　thousand　dollars　for　his　share　of　the　job。　But　his　young　panions　struck　him　as　rash；　the　planning　of　the　job　haphazard；　the　distribution　of　the　loot　foolhardy。　Their　whole　approach　was　too　careless　for　his　taste。　But　he　thought　them　of　good；　sound　character。　Peter　Clemenza；　already　burly；　inspired　a　certain　trust；　and　the　lean　saturnine　Tessio　inspired　confidence。
　
　The　job　itself　went　off　without　a　hitch。　Vito　Corleone　felt　no　fear；　much　to　his　astonishment；　when　his　two　rades　flashed　guns　and　made　the　driver　get　out　of　the　silk　truck。　He　was　also　impressed　with　the　coolness　of　Clemenza　and　Tessio。　They　didn't　get　excited　but　joked　with　the　driver；　told　him　if　he　was　a　good　lad　they'd　send　his　wife　a　few　dresses。　Because　Vito　thought　it　stupid　to　peddle　dresses　himself　and　so　gave　his　whole　share　of　stock　to　the　fence；　he　made　only　seven　hundred　dollars。　But　this　was　a　considerable　sum　of　money　in　1919。
　
　The　next　day　on　the　street；　Vito　Corleoue　was　stopped　by　the　cream…suited；　white…fedoraed　Fanucci。　Fanucci　was　a　brutal…looking　man　and　he　had　done　nothing　to　disguise　the　circular　scar　that　stretched　in　a　white　semicircle　from　ear　to　ear；　looping　under　his　chin。　He　had　heavy　black　brows　and　coarse　features　which；　when　he　smiled；　were　in　some　odd　way　amiable。
　
　He　spoke　with　a　very　thick　Sicilian　accent。　〃Ah；　young　fellow；〃　he　said　to　Vito。　〃People　tell　me　you're　rich。　You　and　your　two　friends。　But　don't　you　think　you've　treated　me　a　little　shabbily？　After　all；　this　is　my　neighborhood　and　yon　should　let　me　wet　my　beak。〃　He　used　the　Sicilian　phrase　of　the　Mafia；　〃Fari　vagnari　a　pizzu。〃　Pizzu　means　the　beak　of　any　small　bird　such　as　a　canary。　The　phrase　itself　was　a　demand　for　part　of　the　loot。
　
　As　was　his　habit；　Vito　Corleone　did　not　answer。　He　understood　the　implication　immediately　and　was　waiting　for　a　definite　demand。
　
　Fanucci　smiled　at　him；　showing　gold　teeth　and　stretching　his　nooses…like　scar　tight　around　his　face。　He　mopped　his　face　with　a　handkerchief　and　unbuttoned　his　jacket　for　a　moment　as　if　to　cool　himself　but　really　to　show　the　gun　he　carried　stuck　in　the　waistband　of　his　fortably　wide　trousers。　Then　he　sighed　and　said；　〃Give　me　five　hundred　dollars　and　I'll　forget　the　insult。　After　all；　young　people　don't　know　the　courtesies　due　a　man　like　myself。〃
　
　Vito　Corleone　smiled　at　him　and　even　as　a　young　man　still　unblooded；　there　was　something　so　chilling　in　his　smile　that　Fanucci　hesitated　a　moment　before　going　on。　〃Otherwise　the　police　will　e　to　see　you；　your　wife　and　children　will　be　shamed　and　destitute。　Of　course　if　my　information　as　to　your　gains　is　incorrect　I'll　dip　my　beak　just　a　little。　But　no　less　than　three　hundred　dollars。　And　don't　try　to　deceive　me。〃
　
　For　the　first　time　Vito　Corleone　spoke。　His　voice　was　reasonable；　showed　no　anger。　It　was　courteous；　as　befitted　a　young　man　speaking　to　an　older　man　of　Fanucci's　eminence。　He　said　softly；　〃My　two　friend　have　my　share　of　the　money；　rll　have　to　speak　to　them。〃
　
　Fanucci　was　reassured。　〃You　can　tell　your　two　friends　that　I　expect　them　to　let　me　wet　my　beak　in　the　same　manner。　Don't　be　afraid　to　tell　them；〃　he　added　reassuringly。　〃Clemenza　and　I　know　each　other　well；　he　understands　these　things。　Let　yourself　be　guided　by　him。　He　has　more　experience　in　these　matters。〃
　
　Vito　Corleone　shrugged。　He　tried　to　look　a　little　embarrassed。　〃Of　course；〃　he　said。　〃You　understand　this　is　all　new　to　me。　Thank　you　for　speaking　to　me　as　a　godfather。〃
　
　Fanucci　was　impressed。　〃You're　a　good　fellow；〃　he　said。　He　took　Vito's　hand　and　clasped　it　in　both　of　his　hairy　ones。　〃You　have　respect；〃　he　said。　〃A　fine　thing　in　the　young。　Next　time　speak　to　me　first；　eh？　Perhaps　I　can　help　you　in　your　plans。〃
　
　In　later　years　Vito　Corleone　understood　that　what　had　made　him　act　in　such　a　perfect；　tactical　way　with　Fanucci　was　the　death　of　his　own　hot…tempered　father　who　had　been　killed　by　the　Mafia　in　Sicily。　But　at　that　time　all　he　felt　was　an　icy　rage　that　this　man　planned　to　rob　him　of　the　money　he　had　risked　his　life　and　freedom　to　earn。　He　had　not　been　afraid。　Indeed　he　thought；　at　that　moment；　that　Fanucci　was　a　crazy　fool。　From　what　he　had　seen　of　Clemenza；　that　burly　Sicilian　would　sooner　give　up　his　life　than　a　penny　of　his　loot。　After　all；　Clemenza　had　been　ready　to　kill　a　policeman　merely　to　steal　a　rug。　And　the　slender　Tessio　had　the　deadly　air　of　a　viper。
　
　But　later　that　night；　in　Clemenza's　tenement　apartment　across　the　air　shaft；　Vito　Corleone　received　another　lesson　in　the　education　he　had　just　begun。　Clemenza　cursed；　Tessio　scowled；　but　then　both　men　started　talking　about　whether　Fanucci　would　be　satisfied　with　two　hundred　dollars。　Tessio　thought　he　might。
　
　Clemenza　was　positive。　〃No；　that　scarface　bastard　must　have　found　out　what　we　made　from　the　wholesaler　who　bought　the　dresses。　Fanucci　won't　take　a　dime　less　than　three　hundred　dollars。　We'll　have　to　pay。〃
　
　Vito　was　astonished　but　was　careful　not　to　show　his　astonishment。　〃Why　do　we　have　to　pay　him？　What　can　he　do　to　the　three