mp.godfather-第51章

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en　by　relatives　and　shipped　to　America。　There　he　was　boarded　with　the　Abbandandos；　whose　son　Genco　was　later　to　bee　Consigliere　to　his　Don。
　
　Young　Vito　went　to　work　in　the　Abbandando　grocery　store　on　Ninth　Avenue　in　New　York's　Hell's　Kitchen。　At　the　age　of　eighteen　Vito　married　an　Italian　girl　freshly　arrived　from　Sicily；　a　girl　of　only　sixteen　but　a　skilled　cook；　a　good　housewife。　They　settled　down　in　a　tenement　on　Tenth　Avenue；　near　35th　Street；　only　a　few　blocks　from　where　Vito　worked；　and　two　years　later　were　blessed　with　their　first　child；　Santino；　called　by　all　his　friends　Sonny　because　of　his　devotion　to　his　father。
　
　In　the　neighborhood　lived　a　man　called　Fanucci。　He　was　a　heavy…set；　fierce…looking　Italian　who　wore　expensive　light…colored　suits　and　a　cream…colored　fedora。　This　man　was　reputed　to　be　of　the　〃Black　Hand；〃　an　offshoot　of　the　Mafia　which　extorted　money　from　families　and　storekeepers　by　threat　of　physical　violence。　However；　since　most　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　neighborhood　were　violent　themselves；　Fanucci's　threats　of　bodily　harm　were　effective　only　with　elderly　couples　without　male　children　to　defend　them。　Some　of　the　storekeepers　paid　him　trifling　sums　as　a　matter　of　convenience。　However；　Fanucci　was　also　a　scavenger　on　fellow　criminals；　people　who　illegally　sold　Italian　lottery　or　ran　gambling　games　in　their　homes。　The　Abbandando　grocery　gave　him　a　small　tribute；　this　despite　the　protests　of　young　Genco；　who　told　his　father　he　would　settle　the　Fanucci　hash。　His　father　forbade　him。　Vito　Corleone　observed　all　this　without　feeling　in　any　way　involved。
　
　One　day　Fanucci　was　set　upon　by　three　young　men　who　cut　his　throat　from　ear　to　ear；　not　deeply　enough　to　kill　him；　but　enough　to　frighten　him　and　make　him　bleed　a　great　deal。　Vito　saw　Fanucci　fleeing　from　his　punishers；　the　circular　slash　flowing　red。　What　he　never　forgot　was　Fanucci　holding　the　cream…colored　fedora　under　his　chin　to　catch　the　dripping　blood　as　he　ran。　As　if　he　did　not　want　his　suit　soiled　or　did　not　want　to　leave　a　shameful　trail　of　carmine。
　
　But　this　attack　proved　a　blessing　in　disguise　for　Fanucci。　The　three　young　men　were　not　murderers；　merely　tough　young　boys　determined　to　teach　him　a　lesson　and　stop　him　from　scavenging。　Fannucci　proved　himself　a　murderer。　A　few　weeks　later　the　knife…wielder　was　shot　to　death　and　the　families　of　the　other　two　young　men　paid　an　indemnity　to　Fanucci　to　make　him　forswear　his　vengeance。　After　that　the　tributes　became　higher　and　Fanucci　became　a　partner　in　the　neighborhood　gambling　games。　As　for　Vito　Corleone；　it　was　none　of　his　affair。　He　forgot　about　it　immediately。
　
　During　World　War　I；　when　imported　olive　oil　became　scarce；　Fanucci　acquired　a　part…interest　in　the　Abbandando　grocery　store　by　supplying　it　not　only　with　oil；　but　imported　Italian　salami；　hams　and　cheeses。　He　then　moved　a　nephew　into　the　store　and　Vito　Corleone　found　himself　out　of　a　job。
　
　By　this　time；　the　second　child；　Frederioo；　had　arrived　and　Vito　Corleone　had　four　mouths　to　feed。　Up　to　this　time　he　had　been　a　quiet；　very　contained　young　man　who　kept　his　thoughts　to　himself。　The　son　of　the　grocery　store　owner；　young　Genco　Abbandando；　was　his　closest　friend；　and　to　the　surprise　of　both　of　them；　Vito　reproached　his　friend　for　his　father's　deed。　Genco；　flushed　with　shame；　vowed　to　Vito　that　he　would　not　have　to　worry　about　food。　That　he；　Genco；　would　steal　food　from　the　grocery　to　supply　his　friend's　needs。　This　offer　though　was　sternly　refused　by　Vito　as　too　shameful；　a　son　stealing　from　his　father。
　
　The　young　Vito；　however；　felt　a　cold　anger　for　the　dreaded　Fanucci。　He　never　showed　this　anger　in　any　way　but　bided　his　time。　He　worked　in　the　railroad　for　a　few　months　and　then；　when　the　war　ended；　work　became　slow　and　he　could　earn　only　a　few　days'　pay　a　month。　Also；　most　of　the　foremen　were　Irish　and　American　and　abused　the　workmen　in　the　foulest　language；　which　Vito　always　bore　stone…faced　as　if　he　did　not　prehend；　though　he　understood　English　very　well　despite　his　accent。
　
　One　evening　as　Vito　was　having　supper　with　his　family　there　was　a　knock　on　the　window　that　led　to　the　open　sir　shaft　that　separated　them　from　the　next　building。　When　Vito　pulled　aside　the　curtain　he　saw　to　his　astonishment　one　of　the　young　men　in　the　neighborhood；　Peter　Clemenza；　leaning　out　from　a　window　on　the　other　side　of　the　air　shaft。　He　was　extending　a　white…sheeted　bundle。
　
　〃Hey；　paisan；〃　Clemenza　said。　〃Hold　these　for　me　until　I　ask　for　them。　Hurry　up。〃　Automatically　Vito　reached　over　the　empty　space　of　the　air　shaft　and　took　the　bundle。　Clemenza's　face　was　strained　and　urgent。　He　was　in　some　sort　of　trouble　and　Vito's　helping　action　was　instinctive。　But　when　he　untied　the　bundle　in　his　kitchen；　there　were　five　oily　guns　staining　the　white　cloth。　He　put　them　in　his　bedroom　closet　and　waited。　He　learned　that　Clemenza　had　been　taken　away　by　the　police。　They　must　have　been　knocking　on　his　door　when　he　handed　the　guns　over　the　air　shaft。
　
　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　wh