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！
rried himself； and they knew he was desperate。 They proposed to him that he bee one of their gang which specialized in hijacking trucks of silk dresses after those trucks were loaded up at the factory on 31st Street。 There was no risk。 The truck drivers were sensible workingmen who at the sight of a gun flopped on the sidewalk like angels while the hijackers drove the truck away to be unloaded at a friend's warehouse。 Some of the merchandise would be sold to an Italian wholesaler； part of the loot would be sold door…to…door in the Italian neighborhoods… Arthur Avenue in the Bronx； Mulberry Street； and the Chelsea district in Manhattan… all to poor Italian families looking for a bargain； whose daughters could never be able to afford such fine apparel。 Clemenza and Tessio needed Vito to drive since they knew he chauffeured the Abbandando grocery store delivery truck。 In 1919； skilled automobile drivers were at a premium。
Against his better judgment； Vito Corleone accepted their offer。 The clinching argument was that he would clear at least a thousand dollars for his share of the job。 But his young panions struck him as rash； the planning of the job haphazard； the distribution of the loot foolhardy。 Their whole approach was too careless for his taste。 But he thought them of good； sound character。 Peter Clemenza； already burly； inspired a certain trust； and the lean saturnine Tessio inspired confidence。
The job itself went off without a hitch。 Vito Corleone felt no fear； much to his astonishment； when his two rades flashed guns and made the driver get out of the silk truck。 He was also impressed with the coolness of Clemenza and Tessio。 They didn't get excited but joked with the driver； told him if he was a good lad they'd send his wife a few dresses。 Because Vito thought it stupid to peddle dresses himself and so gave his whole share of stock to the fence； he made only seven hundred dollars。 But this was a considerable sum of money in 1919。
The next day on the street； Vito Corleoue was stopped by the cream…suited； white…fedoraed Fanucci。 Fanucci was a brutal…looking man and he had done nothing to disguise the circular scar that stretched in a white semicircle from ear to ear； looping under his chin。 He had heavy black brows and coarse features which； when he smiled； were in some odd way amiable。
He spoke with a very thick Sicilian accent。 〃Ah； young fellow；〃 he said to Vito。 〃People tell me you're rich。 You and your two friends。 But don't you think you've treated me a little shabbily？ After all； this is my neighborhood and yon should let me wet my beak。〃 He used the Sicilian phrase of the Mafia； 〃Fari vagnari a pizzu。〃 Pizzu means the beak of any small bird such as a canary。 The phrase itself was a demand for part of the loot。
As was his habit； Vito Corleone did not answer。 He understood the implication immediately and was waiting for a definite demand。
Fanucci smiled at him； showing gold teeth and stretching his nooses…like scar tight around his face。 He mopped his face with a handkerchief and unbuttoned his jacket for a moment as if to cool himself but really to show the gun he carried stuck in the waistband of his fortably wide trousers。 Then he sighed and said； 〃Give me five hundred dollars and I'll forget the insult。 After all； young people don't know the courtesies due a man like myself。〃
Vito Corleone smiled at him and even as a young man still unblooded； there was something so chilling in his smile that Fanucci hesitated a moment before going on。 〃Otherwise the police will e to see you； your wife and children will be shamed and destitute。 Of course if my information as to your gains is incorrect I'll dip my beak just a little。 But no less than three hundred dollars。 And don't try to deceive me。〃
For the first time Vito Corleone spoke。 His voice was reasonable； showed no anger。 It was courteous； as befitted a young man speaking to an older man of Fanucci's eminence。 He said softly； 〃My two friend have my share of the money； rll have to speak to them。〃
Fanucci was reassured。 〃You can tell your two friends that I expect them to let me wet my beak in the same manner。 Don't be afraid to tell them；〃 he added reassuringly。 〃Clemenza and I know each other well； he understands these things。 Let yourself be guided by him。 He has more experience in these matters。〃
Vito Corleone shrugged。 He tried to look a little embarrassed。 〃Of course；〃 he said。 〃You understand this is all new to me。 Thank you for speaking to me as a godfather。〃
Fanucci was impressed。 〃You're a good fellow；〃 he said。 He took Vito's hand and clasped it in both of his hairy ones。 〃You have respect；〃 he said。 〃A fine thing in the young。 Next time speak to me first； eh？ Perhaps I can help you in your plans。〃
In later years Vito Corleone understood that what had made him act in such a perfect； tactical way with Fanucci was the death of his own hot…tempered father who had been killed by the Mafia in Sicily。 But at that time all he felt was an icy rage that this man planned to rob him of the money he had risked his life and freedom to earn。 He had not been afraid。 Indeed he thought； at that moment； that Fanucci was a crazy fool。 From what he had seen of Clemenza； that burly Sicilian would sooner give up his life than a penny of his loot。 After all； Clemenza had been ready to kill a policeman merely to steal a rug。 And the slender Tessio had the deadly air of a viper。
But later that night； in Clemenza's tenement apartment across the air shaft； Vito Corleone received another lesson in the education he had just begun。 Clemenza cursed； Tessio scowled； but then both men started talking about whether Fanucci would be satisfied with two hundred dollars。 Tessio thought he might。
Clemenza was positive。 〃No； that scarface bastard must have found out what we made from the wholesaler who bought the dresses。 Fanucci won't take a dime less than three hundred dollars。 We'll have to pay。〃
Vito was astonished but was careful not to show his astonishment。 〃Why do we have to pay him？ What can he do to the three of us？ We're stronger than him。 We have guns。 Why do we have to hand over the money we earned？〃
Clemenza explained patiently。 〃Fanucci has friends； real brutes。 He has connections with the police。 He'd like us to tell him our plans because he could set us up for the gyps and earn their gratitude。 Then they would owe him a favor。 That's how he operates。 And he has a license from Maranzalla himself to work this neighborhood。〃 Maranzalla was a gangster often in the newspapers； reputed to be the leader of a criminal ring specializing in extortion； gambling and armed robbery。
Clemenza served wine that he had made himself。 His wife； after putting a plate of salami； olives and a loaf of Italian bread on the table； went down to sit with her women cronies in front of the building； carrying her chair with her。 She was a young Italian girl only a few years in the country and did not yet understand English。
Vito Corleone sat with his two friends and drank wine。 He had never used his intelligence before as he was using it now。 He was surprised at how clearly he could think。 He recalled everything he knew about Fanucci。 He remembered the day the man had had his throat cut and had run down the street holding his fedora under his chin to catch the dripping blood。 He remembered the murder of the man who had wield the knife and the other two having their sentences removed by paying an indemnity。 And suddenly he was sure that Fanucci had no great connections； could not possibly have。 Not a man who informed to the police。 Not a man who allowed his vengeance to be bought off。 A real Mafioso chief would have had the other two men killed also。 No。 Fanucci had got lucky and killed one man but had known he could not kill the other two after they were alerted。 And so he had allowed himself to be paid。 It was the personal brutal force of the man that allowed him to levy tribute on the shopkeepers； the gambling games that ran in the tenement apartments。 But Vito Corleone knew of at least one gambling game that had never paid Fanucci tributes and nothing had ever happened to the men running it。
And so it was Fanucci alone。 Or Fanucci with some gunmen hired for special jobs on a strictly cash basis。 Which left Vito Corleone with another decision。 The course his own life must take。
It was from this experience came his oft…repeated belief that every man has but one destiny。 On that night he could have paid Fanucci the tribute and have bee again a grocery clerk with perhaps his own grocery store in the years to e。 But destiny had decided that he was to bee a Don and had brought Fanucci to him to set him on his destined path。
When they finished the bottle of wine； Vito said cautiously to Clemenza and Tessio； 〃If you like； why not give me two hundred dollars each to pay to Fanucci？ I guarantee he will accept that amount from me。 Then leave everything in my hands。 I'll settle this problem to your satisfaction。〃
At once Clemenza's eyes gleamed with suspicion。 Vito said to him coldly； 〃I never lie to people I have accepted as my friends。 Speak to Fanucci yourself tomorrow。 Let him ask you for the money。 But don't pay him。 And don't in any way quarrel with him。 Tell him you have to get the money and will give it to me to give him。 Let him understand that you are willing to pay what he asks。 Don't bargain。 I'll quarrel over the price with him。 There's no point making him angry with us if he's as dangerous a man as you say he is。〃
They left it at that。 The next day Clemenza spoke with Fanucci to make sure that Vito was not making up the story。 Then Clemenza came to Vito's apartment and gave him the two hundred dollars。 He peered at Vito Corleone and said； 〃Fanucci told me nothing below three hundred dollars； how will you make him take less？〃
Vito Corleone said reasonably； 〃Surely that's no concern of yours。 Just remember that I've done you a service。〃
Tessio came later。 Tessio was more reserved than Clemenza； sharper； more clever but with less force。 He sensed something amiss； something not quite right。 He was a little worried。 He said to Vito Corleone； 〃Watch yourself with that bastard of a Black Hand； he's tricky as a priest。 Do you want me to be here when you hand him the money； as a witness？〃
Vito Corleone shook his head。 He didn't even bother to answer。 He merely said to Tessio； 〃Tell Fanucci I'll pay him the money here； in my house at nine o'clock tonight。 I'll have to give him a glass of wine and talk； reason with him to take the lesser sum。〃
Tessio shook his head。 〃You won't have much luck。 Fanucci never retreats。〃
〃I'll reason with him；〃 Vito Corleone said。 It was to bee a famous phrase in the years to e。 It was to bee the warning rattle before a deadly strike。 When he became a Don and asked opponents to sit down and reason with him； they understood it was the last chance to resolve an affair without bloodshed and murder。
Vito Corleone told his wife to take the two children； Sonny and Fredo； down into the street after supper and on no account to let them e up to the house until he gave her permission。 She was to sit on guard at the tenement door。 He had some private business with Fanucci that could not be interrupted。 He saw the look of fear on her face and was angry。 He said to her quietly； 〃Do you think you've married a fool？〃 She didn't answer。 She did not answer because she was frightened； not of Fanucci now； but of her husband。 He was changing visibly before her eyes； hour by hour； into a man who radiated some dangerous force。 He had always been quiet； speaking little； but always gentle； always reasonable； which was extraordinary in a young Sicilian male。 What she was seeing was the shedding of his protective coloration of a harmless nobody now that he was ready to start on his destiny。 He had started late； he was twenty…five years old； but he was to start with a flourish。
Vito Corleone had decided to murder Fanucci。 By doing so he would have an extra seven hundred dollars in his bankroll。 The three hundred dollars he himself would have to pay the Black Hand terrorist and the two hundred dollars from Tessio and the two hundred