mp.godfather-第58章
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The tactic was successful。 Not so much because of its ferocity but because of the chilling swiftness； the quickness of the Don's reaction。 If his intelligence was so good； any further moves would be fraught with danger。 It was better； far wiser； to accept the offer of friendship with its implied payoff。 The Capones； sent back word that they would not interfere。
The odds were now equal。 And Vito Corleone had earned an enormous amount of 〃respect〃 throughout the United States underworld with his humiliation of the Capones。 For six months he out…generaled Maranzano。 He raided the crap games under that man's protection； located his biggest policy banker in Harlem and had him relieved of a day's play not only in money but in records。 He engaged his enemies on all fronts。 Even in the garment centers he sent Clemenza and his men to fight on the side of the unionists against the enforcers on the payroll of Maranzano and the owners of the dress firms。 And on all fronts his superior intelligence and organization made him the victor。 Clemenza's jolly ferocity； which Corleone employed judiciously； also helped turn the tide of battle。 And then Don Corleone sent the held…back reserve of the Tessio regime after Maranzano himself。
By this time Maranzano had dispatched emissaries suing for a peace。 Vito Corleone refused to see them； put them off on one pretext or another。 The Maranzano soldiers were deserting their leader； not wishing to die in a losing cause。 Bookmakers and shylocks were paying the Corleone organization their protection money。 The war was all but over。
And then finally on New Year's Eve of 1933。 Tessio got inside the defenses of Maranzano himself。 The Maranzano lieutenants were anxious for a deal and agreed to lead their chief to the slaughter。 They told him that a meeting had been arranged in a Brooklyn restaurant with Corleone and they acpanied Maranzano as his bodyguards。 They left hum sitting at a checkered table； morosely munching a piece of bread； and fled the restaurant as Tessio and four of his men entered。 The execution was swift and sure。 Maranzano； his mouth full of half…chewed bread； was riddled with bullets。 The war was over。
The Maranzano empire was incorporated into the Corleone operation。 Don Corleone set up a system of tribute； allowing all incumbents to remain in their bookmaking and policy number spots。 As a bonus he had a foothold in the unions of the garment center which in later years was to prove extremely important。 And now that he had settled his business affairs the Don found trouble at home。
Santino Corleone； Sonny； was sixteen years old and grown to an astonishing six feet with broad shoulders and a heavy face that was sensual but by no means effeminate。 But where Fredo was a quiet boy； and Michael； of course； a toddler； Santino was constantly in trouble。 He got into fights； did badly in school and； finally； Clemenza； who was the boy's godfather and had a duty to speak； came to Don Corleone one evening and informed him that his son had taken part in an armed robbery； a stupid affair which could have gone very badly。 Sonny was obvidusly the ringleader； the two other boys in the robbery his followers。
It was one of the very few times that Vito Corleone lost his temper。 Tom Hagen had been living in his home for three years and he asked Clemenza if the orphan boy had been involved。 Clemenza shook his head。 Don Corleone had a car sent to bring Santino to his offices in the Genco Pura Olive Oil pany。
For the first time； the Don met defeat。 Alone with his son； he gave full vent to his rage； cursing the hulking Sonny in Sicilian dialect； a language so much more satisfying than any other for expressing rage。 He ended up with a question。 〃What gave you the right to mit such an act？ What made you wish to mit such an act？〃
Sonny stood there； angry； refusing to answer。 The Don said with contempt； 〃And so stupid。 What did you earn for that night's work？ Fifty dollars each？ Twenty dollars？ You risked your life for twenty dollars； eh？〃
As if he had not heard these last words； Sonny said defiantly； 〃I saw you kill Fanucci。〃
The Don said； 〃Ahhh〃 and sank back in his chair。 He waited。
Sonny said； 〃When Fanucci left the building； Mama said I could go up the house。 I saw you go up the roof and I followed you。 I saw everything you did。 I stayed up there and I saw you throw away the wallet and the gun。〃
The Don sighed。 〃Well； then I can't talk to you about how you should behave。 Don't you want to finish school； don't you want to be a lawyer？ Lawyers can steal more money with a briefcase than a thousand men with guns and masks。〃
Sonny grinned at him and said slyly； 〃I want to enter the family business。〃 When he saw that the Don's face remained impassive； that he did not laugh at the joke； he added hastily； 〃I can learn how to sell olive oil。〃
Still the Don did not answer。 Finally he shrugged。 〃Every man has one destiny；〃 he said。 He did not add that the witnessing of Fanucci's murder had decided that of his son。 He merely turned away and added quietly； 〃e in tomorrow morning at nine o'clock。 Genco will show you what to do。〃
But Genco Abbandando； with that shrewd insight that a Consigliere must have； realized the true wish of the Don and used Sonny mostly as a bodyguard for his father； a position in which he could also learn the subtleties of being a Don。 And it brought out a professorial instinct in the Don himself； who often gave lectures on how to succeed for the benefit of his eldest son。
Besides his oft…repeated theory that a man has but one destiny； the Don constantly reproved Sonny for that young man's outbursts of temper。 The Don considered a use of threats the most foolish kind of exposure； the unleashing of anger without forethought as the most dangerous indulgence。 No one had ever heard the Don utter a naked threat； no one had ever seen him in an uncontrollable rage。 It was unthinkable。 And so he tried to teach Sonny his own disciplines。 He claimed that there was no greater natural advantage in life than having an enemy overestimate your faults； unless it was to have a friend underestimate your virtues。
The caporegime； Clemenza； took； Sonny in hand and taught him how to shoot and to wield a garrot。 Sonny had no taste for the Italian rope； he was too Americanized。 He preferred the simple； direct； impersonal Anglo…Saxon gun； which saddened Clemenza。 But Sonny became a constant and wele panion to his father； driving his car； helping him in little details。 For the next two years he seemed like the usual son entering his father's business； not too bright； not too eager； content to hold down a soft job。
Meanwhile his boyhood chum and semiadopted brother Tom Hagen was going to college。 Fredo was still in high school； Michael； the youngest brother； was in grammar school； and baby sister Connie was a toddling girl of four。 The family had long since moved to an apartment house in the Bronx。 Don Corleone was considering buying a house in Long Island； but he wanted to fit this in with other plans he was formulating。
Vito Corleone was a man with vision。 All the great cities of America were being torn by underworld strife。 Guerrilla wars by the dozen flared up； ambitious hoodlums trying to carve themselves a bit of empire； men like Corleone himself were trying to keep their borders and rackets secure。 Don Corleone saw that the newspapers and government agencies were using these killings to get stricter and stricter laws； to use harsher police methods。 He foresaw that public indignation might even lead to a suspension of democratic procedures which could be fatal to him and his people。 His own empire； internally； was secure。 He decided to bring peace to all the warring factions in New York City and then in the nation。
He had no illusions about the dangerousness of his mission。 He spent the first year meeting with different chiefs of gangs in New York； laying the groundwork； sounding them out； proposing spheres of influence that would be honored by a loosely bound confederated council。 But there were too many factions； too many special interests that conflicted。 Agreement was impossible。 Like
