mp.godfather-第26章

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　Hagen　said　reluctantly；　〃Maybe　Mike　shouldn't　get　mixed　up　in　this　so　directly。〃
　
　〃Right；〃　Sonny　said。　〃Forget　that；　Mike。　Anyway　I　need　you　on　the　phone　here　in　the　house；　that's　more　important。〃
　
　Michael　didn't　say　anything。　He　felt　awkward；　almost　ashamed；　and　he　noticed　Clemenza　and　Tessio　with　faces　so　carefully　impassive　that　he　was　sure　that　they　were　hiding　their　contempt。　He　picked　up　the　phone　and　dialed　Luca　Brasi's　number　and　kept　the　receiver　to　his　ear　as　it　rang　and　rang。
　
　Chapter　06
　
　Peter　Clemenza　slept　badly　that　night。　In　the　morning　he　got　up　early　and　made　his　own　breakfast　of　a　glass　of　grappa；　a　thick　slice　of　Genoa　salami　with　a　chunk　of　fresh　Italian　bread　that　was　still　delivered　to　his　door　as　in　the　old　days。　Then　he　drank　a　great；　plain　china　mug　filled　with　hot　coffee　that　had　been　lashed　with　anisette。　But　as　he　padded　about　the　house　in　his　old　bathrobe　and　red　felt　slippers　he　pondered　on　the　day's　work　that　lay　ahead　of　him。　Last　night　Sonny　Corleone　had　made　it　very　clear　that　Paulie　Gatto　was　to　be　taken　care　of　immediately。　It　had　to　be　today。
　
　Clemenza　was　troubled。　Not　because　Gatto　had　been　his　protégé　and　had　turned　traitor。　This　did　not　reflect　on　the　caporegime's　judgment。　After　all；　Paulie's　background　had　been　perfect。　He　came　from　a　Sicilian　family；　he　had　grown　up　in　the　same　neighborhood　as　the　Corleone　children；　had　indeed　even　gone　to　school　with　one　of　the　sons。　He　had　been　brought　up　through　each　level　in　the　proper　manner。　He　had　been　tested　and　not　found　wanting。　And　then　after　he　had　〃made　his　bones〃　he　had　received　a　good　living　from　the　Family；　a　percentage　of　an　East　Side　〃book〃　and　a　union　payroll　slot。　Clemenza　had　not　been　unaware　that　Paulie　Gatto　'supplemented　his　ine　with　free…lance　stickups；　strictly　against　the　Family　rules；　but　even　this　was　a　sign　of　the　man's　worth。　The　breaking　of　such　regulations　was　considered　a　sign　of　high…spiritedness；　like　that　shown　by　a　fine　racing　horse　fighting　the　reins。
　
　And　Paulie　had　never　caused　trouble　with　his　stickups。　They　had　always　been　meticulously　planned　and　carried　out　with　the　minimum　of　fuss　and　trouble；　with　no　one　ever　getting　hurt：　a　three…thousand…dollar　Manhattan　garment　center　payroll；　a　small　chinaware　factory　payroll　in　the　slums　of　Brooklyn。　After　all；　a　young　man　could　always　use　some　extra　pocket　money。　It　was　all　in　the　pattern。　Who　could　ever　foretell　that　Paulie　Gatto　would　turn　traitor？
　
　What　was　troubling　Peter　Clemenza　this　morning　was　an　administrative　problem。　The　actual　execution　of　Gatto　was　a　cut…and…dried　chore。　The　problem　was；　who　should　the　caporegime　bring　up　from　the　ranks　to　replace　Gatto　in　the　Family？　It　was　an　important　promotion；　that　to　〃button〃　man；　one　not　to　be　handed　out　lightly。　The　man　had　to　be　tough　and　he　had　to　be　smart。　He　had　to　be　safe；　not　a　person　who　would　talk　to　the　police　if　he　got　in　trouble；　one　well　saturated　in　the　Sicilians'　law　of　omerta；　the　law　of　silence。　And　then；　what　kind　of　a　living　would　he　receive　for　his　new　duties？　Clemenza　had　several　times　spoken　to　the　Don　about　better　rewards　for　the　all…important　button　man　who　was　first　in　the　front　line　when　trouble　arose；　but　the　Don　had　put　him　off。　If　Paulie　had　been　making　more　money；　he　might　have　been　able　to　resist　the　blandishments　of　the　wily　Turk；　Sollozzo。
　
　Clemenza　finally　narrowed　down　the　list　of　candidates　to　three　men。　The　first　was　an　enforcer　who　worked　with　the　colored　policy　bankers　in　Harlem；　a　big　brawny　brute　of　a　man　of　great　physical　strength；　a　man　with　a　great　deal　of　personal　charm　who　could　get　along　with　people　and　yet　when　necessary　make　them　go　in　fear　of　him。　But　Clemenza　scratched　him　off　the　list　after　considering　his　name　for　a　half　hour。　This　man　got　along　too　well　with　the　black　people；　which　hinted　at　some　flaw　of　character。　Also　he　would　be　too　hard　to　replace　in　the　position　he　now　held。
　
　The　second　name　Clemenza　considered　and　almost　settled　on　was　a　hard…working　chap　who　served　faithfully　and　well　in　the　organization。　This　man　was　the　collector　of　delinquent　accounts　for　Family…licensed　shylocks　in　Manhattan。　He　had　started　off　as　a　bookmaker's　runner。　But　he　was　not　quite　yet　ready　for　such　an　important　promotion。
　
　Finally　he　settled　on　Rocco　Lampone。　Lampone　had　served　a　short　but　impressive　apprenticeship　in　the　Family。　During　the　war　he　had　been　wounded　in　Africa　and　been　discharged　in　1943。　Because　of　the　shortage　of　young　men；　Clemenza　had　taken　him　on　even　though　Lampone　was　partially　incapacitated　by　his　injuries　and　walked　with　a　pronounced　limp。　Clemenza　had　used　him　as　a　black…market　contact　in　the　garment　center　and　with　government　employees　controlling　OPA　food　stamps。　From　that；　Lampone　had　graduated　to　trouble…shooter　for　the　whole　operation。　What　Clemenza　liked　about　him　was　his　good　judgment。　He　knew　that　there　was　no　percentage　in　being　tough　about　something　that　would　only　cost　a　heavy　fine　or　six　months　in　jail；　small　prices　to　pay　for　the　enormous　profits　earned。　He　had　the　good　sense　to　know　that　it　was　not　an　area　for　heavy　threats　but　light　ones。　He　kept　the　whole　operation　in　a　minor　key；　which　was　exactly　what　was　needed。
　
　Clemenza　felt　the　relief　of　a　conscientious　administrator　who　has　solved　a　knotty　personnel　problem。　Yes；　it　would　be　Rocco　Lampone　who　would　assist。　For　Clemenza　planned　to　handle　this　job　himself；　not　only　to　help　a　new；　inexperienced　man　〃make　his　bones；〃　but　to　settle　a　personal　score　with　Paulie　Gatto。　Paulie　had　been　his　protégé；　he　had　advanced　Paulie　over　the　heads　of　more　deserving　and　more　loyal　people；　he　had　helped　Paulie　〃make　his　bones〃　and　furthered　his　career　in　every　way。　Paulie　had　not　only　betrayed　the　Family；　he　had　betrayed　his　padrone；　Peter　Clemenza。　This　lack　of　respect　had　to　be　repaid。
　
　Everything　else　was　arranged。　Paulie　Gatto　had　been　instructed　to　pick　him　up　at　three　in　the　afternoon；　and　to　pick　him　up　with　his　own　car；　nothing　hot。　Now　Clemenza　took　up　the　telephone　and　dialed　Rocco　Lampone's　number。　He　did　not　identify　himself。　He　simply　said；　〃e　to　my　house；　I　have　an　errand　for　you。〃　He　was　pleased　to　note　that　despite　the　early　hour；　Lampone's　voice　was　not　surprised　or　dazed　with　sleep　and　he　simply　said；　〃OK。〃　Good　man。　Clemenza　added；　〃No　rush；　have　your　breakfast　and　lunch　first　before　you　e　see　me。　But　not　later　than　two　in　the　afternoon。〃
　
　There　was　another　laconic　OK　on　the　other　end　and　Clemenza　hung　up　the　phone。　He　had　already　alerted　his　people　about　replacing　caporegime　Tessio's　people　in　the　Corleone　mall　so　that　was　done。　He　had　capable　subordinates　and　never　interfered　in　a　mechanical　operation　of　that　kind。
　
　He　decided　to　wash　his　Cadillac。　He　loved　the　car。　It　gave　him　such　a　quiet　peaceful　ride；　and　its　upholstery　was　so　rich　that　he　sometimes　sat　in　it　for　an　hour　when　the　weather　was　good　because　it　was　more　pleasant　than　sitting　in　the　house。　And　it　always　helped　him　think　when　he　was　grooming　the　car。　He　remembered　his　father　in　Italy　doing　the　same　thing　with　donkeys。
　
　Clemenza　worked　inside　the　heated　garage；　he　hated　cold。　He　ran　over　his　plans。　You　had　to　be　careful　with　Paulie；　the　man　was　like　a　rat；　he　could　smell　danger。　And　now　of　course　despite　being　so　tough　he　must　be　shitting　in　his　pants　because　the　old　man　was　still　alive。　He'd　be　as　skittish　as　a　donkey　with　ants　up　his　ass。　But　Clemenza　was　accustomed　to　these　circumstances；　usual　in　his　work。　First；　he　had　to　have　a　good　excuse　for　Rocco　to　acpany　them。　Second；　he　had　to　have　a　plausible　mission　for　the　three　of　them　to　go　on。
　
　Of　course；　strictly　speaking；　this　was　not　necessary。　Paulie　Gatto　could　be　killed　without　any　of　these　frills。　He　was　locked　in；　he　could　not　run　away。　But　Clemenza　felt　strongly　that　it　was　important　to　keep　good　working　habits　and　never　give　away　a　fraction　of　a　percentage　point。　You　never　could　tell　what　might　happen　and　these　matters　were；　after　all；　questions　of　life　and　death。
　
　As　he　washed　his　baby…blue　Cadillac；　Peter　Clemenza　pondered　and　rehearsed　his　lines；　the　expressions　of　his　face。　He　would　be　curt　with　Paulie；　as　if　displeased　with　him。　With　a　man　so　s