mp.godfather-第112章

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s　permanent　residence　upstate；　he　was　informed　that　the　judge　had　reconsidered　his　case　on　the　basis　of　new　information　and　affidavits　submitted　by　high　police　officials。　His　sentence　was　suspended　and　he　was　released。
　
　Albert　Neri　was　no　fool　and　his　father…in…law　no　shrinking　violet。　Neri　learned　what　had　happened　and　paid　his　debt　to　his　father…in…law　by　agreeing　to　get　a　divorce　from　Rita。　Then　he　made　a　trip　out　to　Long　Beach　to　thank　his　benefactor。　Arrangements　had　been　made　beforehand；　of　course。　Michael　received　him　in　his　library。
　
　Neri　stated　his　thanks　in　formal　tones　and　was　surprised　and　gratified　by　the　warmth　with　which　Michael　received　his　thanks。
　
　〃Hell；　I　couldn't　let　them　do　that　to　a　fellow　Sicilian；〃　Michael　said。　〃They　should　have　given　you　a　goddamn　medal。　But　those　damn　politicians　don't　give　a　shit　about　anything　except　pressure　groups。　Listen；　I　would　never　have　stepped　into　the　picture　if　I　hadn't　checked　everything　out　and　saw　what　a　raw　deal　you　got。　One　of　my　people　talked　to　your　sister　and　she　told　us　how　you　were　always　worried　about　her　and　her　kid；　how　you　straightened　the　kid　out；　kept　him　from　going　bad。　Your　father…in…law　says　you're　the　finest　fellow　in　the　world。　That's　rare。〃　Tactfully　Michael　did　not　mention　anything　about　Neri's　wife　having　left　him。
　
　They　chatted　for　a　while。　Neri　had　always　been　a　taciturn　man；　but　he　found　himself　opening　up　to　Michael　Corleone。　Michael　was　only　about　five　years　his　senior；　but　Neri　spoke　to　him　as　if　he　were　much　older；　older　enough　to　be　his　father。
　
　Finally　Michael　said；　〃There's　no　sense　getting　you　out　of　jail　and　then　just　leaving　you　high　and　dry。　I　can　arrange　some　work　for　you。　I　have　interests　out　in　Las　Vegas；　with　your　experience　you　could　be　a　hotel　security　man。　Or　if　there's　some　little　business　you'd　like　to　go　into；　I　can　put　a　word　in　with　the　banks　to　advance　you　a　loan　for　capital。〃
　
　Neri　was　overe　with　grateful　embarrassment。　He　proudly　refused　and　then　added；　〃I　have　to　stay　under　the　jurisdiction　of　the　court　anyway　with　the　suspended　sentence。〃
　
　Michael　said　briskly；　〃That's　all　crap　detail；　I　can　fix　that。　Forget　about　that　supervision　and　just　so　the　banks　won't　get　choosy　I'll　have　your　yellow　sheet　pulled。〃
　
　The　yellow　sheet　was　a　police　record　of　criminal　offenses　mitted　by　any　individual。　It　was　usually　submitted　to　a　judge　when　he　was　considering　what　sentence　to　give　a　convicted　criminal。　Neri　had　been　long　enough　on　the　police　force　to　know　that　many　hoodlums　going　up　for　sentencing　had　been　treated　leniently　by　the　judge　because　a　clean　yellow　sheet　had　been　submitted　by　the　bribed　Police　Records　Department。　So　he　was　not　too　surprised　that　Michael　Corleone　could　do　such　a　thing；　he　was；　however；　surprised　that　such　trouble　would　be　taken　on　his　account。
　
　〃If　I　need　help；　I'll　get　in　touch；〃　Neri　said。
　
　〃Good；　good；〃　Michael　said。　He　looked　at　his　watch　and　Neri　took　this　for　his　dismissal。　He　rose　to　go。　Again　he　was　surprised。
　
　〃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