mp.godfather-第53部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ligible for Army draft； excused from fighting in the foreign war。 He did this with the aid of doctors。 who advised what drugs had to be taken before physical examination； or by placing the men in draft…exempt positions in the war industries。
And so the Don could take pride in his rule。 His world was safe for those who had sworn loyalty to him； other men who believed in law and order were dying by the millions。 The only fly in the ointment was that his own son； Michael Corleone； refused to be helped； insisted on volunteering to serve his own country。 And to the Don's astonishment； so did a few of his other young men in the organization。 One of the men； trying to explain this to his caporegime； said； 〃This country has been good to me。〃 Upon this story being relayed to the Don he said angrily to the caporegime； 〃I have been good to him。〃 It might have gone badly for these people but； as he had excused his son Michael； so must he excuse other young men who so misunderstood their duty to their Don and to themselves。
At the end of World War II Don Corleone knew that again his world would have to change its ways； that it would have to fit itself more snugly into the ways of the other； larger world。 He believed he could do this with no loss of profit。
There was reason for this belief in his own experience。 What had put him on the right track were two personal affairs。 Early in his career the then…young Nazorine； only a baker's helper planning to get married； had e to him for assistance。 He and his future bride； a good Italian girl； had saved their money and had paid the enormous sum of three hundred dollars to a wholesaler of furniture remended to them。 This wholesaler had let them pick out everything they wanted to furnish their tenement apartment。 A fine sturdy bedroom set with two bureaus and lamps。 Also the living room set of heavy stuffed sofa and stuffed armchairs； all covered with rich gold…threaded fabric。 Nazorine and his fiancée had spent a happy day picking out what they wanted from the huge warehouse crowded with furniture。 The wholesaler took their money； their three hundred dollars wrung from the sweat of their blood； and pocketed it and promised the furniture to be delivered within the week to the already rented flat。
The very next week however； the firm had gone into bankruptcy。 The great warehouse stocked with furniture had been sealed shut and attached for payment of creditors。 The wholesaler had disappeared to give other creditors time to unleash their anger on the empty air。 Nazorine； one of these； went to his lawyer； who told him nothing could be done until the case was settled in court and all creditors satisfied。 This might take three years and Nazorine would be lucky to get back ten cents on the dollar。
Vito Corleone listened to this story with amused disbelief。 It was not possible that the law could allow such thievery。 The wholesaler owned his own palatial home； an estate in Long Island； a luxurious automobile； and was seeding his children to college。 How could he keep the three hundred dollars of the poor baker Nazorine and not give him the furniture he had paid for？ But； to make sure； Vito Corleone had Genco Abbandando check it out with the lawyers who represented the Genco Pura pany。
They verified the story of Nazorine。 The wholesaler had all his personal wealth in his wife's name。 His furniture business was incorporated and he was not personally liable。 True； he had shown bad faith by taking the money of Nazorine when he knew he was going to file bankruptcy but this was a mon practice。 Under law there was nothing to be done。
Of course the matter was easily adjusted。 Don Corleone sent his Consigliere； Genco Abbandando； to speak to the wholesaler； and as was to be expected； that wide…awake businessman caught the drift immediately and arranged for Nazorine to get his furniture。 But it was an interesting lesson for the young Vito Corleone。
The second incident had more far…reaching repercussions。 In 1939； Don Corleone had decided to move his family out of the city。 Like any other parent he wanted his children to go to better schools and mix with better panions。 For his own personal reasons he wanted the anonymity of suburban life where his reputation was not known。 He bought the mall property in Long Beach； which at that time had only four newly built houses but with plenty of room for more。 Sonny was formally engaged to Sandra and would soon marry； one of the houses would be for him。 One of the houses was for the Don。 Another was for Genco Abbandando and his family。 The other was kept vacant at the time。
A week after the mall was occupied； a group of three workmen came in all innocence with their truck。 They claimed to be furnace inspectors for the town of Long Beach。 One of the Don's young bodyguards let the men in and led them to the furnace in the basement。 The Don； his wife and Sonny were in the garden taking their ease and enjoying the salty sea air。
Much to the Don's annoyance he was summoned into the house by his bodyguard。 The three workmen； all big burly fellows； were grouped around the furnace。 They had taken it apart； it was strewn around the cement basement floor。 Their leader； an authoritative man； said to the Don in a gruff voice； 〃Your furnace is in lousy shape。 If you want us to fix it and put it together again； it'll cost you one hundred fifty dollars for labor and parts and then we'll pass you for county inspection。〃 He took out a red paper label。 〃We stamp this seal on it； see； then nobody from the county bothers you again。〃
The Don was amused。 It had been a boring； quiet week in which he had had to neglect his business to take care of such family details moving to a new house entailed。 In more broken English than his usual slight accent he asked； 〃If I don't pay you； what happens to my furnace？〃
The leader of the three men shrugged。 〃We just leave the furnace the way it is now。〃 He gestured at the metal parts strewn over the floor。
The Don said meekly； 〃Wait； I'll get you your money。〃 Then he went out into the garden and said to Sonny； 〃Listen； there's some men working on the furnace； I don't understand what they want。 Go in and take care of the matter。〃 It was not simply a joke； he was considering making his son his underboss。 This was one of the tests a business executive had to pass。
Sonny's solution did not altogether please his father。 It was too direct； too lacking in Sicilian subtleness。 He was the Club； not the Rapier。 For as soon as Sonny heard the leader's demand he held the three men at gunpoint and had them thoroughly bastinadoed by the bodyguards。 Then he made them put the furnace together again and tidy up the basement。 He searched them and found that they actually were employed by a house…improvement firm with headquarters in Suffolk County。 He learned the name of the man who owned the firm。 Then he kicked the three men to their truck。 〃Don't let me see you in Long Beach again；〃 he told them。 〃I'll have your balls hanging from your ears。〃
It was typical of the young Santino； before he became older and crueler； that he extended his protection to the munity he lived in。 Sonny paid a personal call to the home…improvement firm owner and told him not to send any of his men into the Long Beach area ever again。 As soon as the Corleone Family set up their usual business liaison with the local police force they were informed of all such plaints and all crimes by professional criminals。 In less than a year Long Beach became the most crime…free town of its size in the United States。 Professional stickup artists and strong…arms received one warning not to ply their trade in the town。 They were allowed one offense。 When they mitted a second they simply disappeared。 The flimflam home…improvement gyp artists； the door…to…door con men were politely warned that they were not wele in Long Beach。 Those confident con men who disregarded the warning were beaten within an inch of their lives。 Resident young punks who had no respect for law and proper authority were advised in the most fatherly fashion to run away from home。 Long Beach became a model city。
What impressed the Don was the legal validity of these sales swindles。 Clearly there was a place for a man of his talents in that other world which had been closed to him as an honest youth。 He took appropriate steps to enter that world。
And so he lived happily on the mall in Long Beach； consolidating and enlarging his empire； until after the war was over； the Turk Sollozzo broke the peace and plunged the Don's world into its own war； and brought him to his hospital bed。
Book four
Chapter 15
In the New Hampshire village； every foreign phenomenon was properly noticed by housewives peering from windows； storekeepers lounging behind their doors。 And so when the black automobile bearing New York license plates stopped in front of the Adams' home； every citizen knew about it in a matter of minutes。
Kay Adams； really a small…town girl despite her college education； was also peering from her bedroom window。 She had been studying for her exams and preparing to go downstairs for lunch when she spotted the car ing up the
