mp.godfather-第113部分

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　〃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　of　no　concern　to　ourselves　but　a　Brasi　is　a　powerful　weapon　to　be　used。　The　trick　is　that　since　he　does　not　fear　death　and　indeed　looks　for　it；　then　the　trick　is　to　make　yourself　the　only　person　in　the　world　that　he　truly　desires　not　to　kill　him。　He　has　only　that　one　fear；　not　of　death；　but　that　you　may　be　the　one　to　kill　him。　He　is　yours　then。〃
　
　It　was　one　of　the　most　valuable　lessons　given　by　the　Don　before　he　died；　and　Michael　had　used　it　to　make　Neri　his　Luca　Brasi。
　
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　And　now；　finally；　Albert　Neri；　alone　in　his　Bronx　apartment；　was　going　to　put　on　his　police　uniform　again。　He　brushed　it　carefully。　Polishing　the　holster　would　be　next。　And　his　policeman's　cap　too；　the　visor　had　to　be　cleaned；　the　stout　black　shoes　shined。　Neri　worked　with　a　will。　He　had　found　his　place　in　the　world；　Michael　Corelone　had　placed　his　absolute　trust　in　him；　and　today　he　would　not　fail　that　trust。
　
　Chapter　31
　
　On　that　same　day　two　limousines　parked　on　the　Long　Beach　mall。　One　of　the　big　cars　waited　to　take　Connie　Corleone；　her　mother；　her　husband　and　her　two　children　to　the　airport。　The　Carlo　Rizzi　family　was　to　take　a　vacation　in　Las　Vegas　in　preparation　for　their　permanent　move　to　that　city。　Michael　had　given　Carlo　the　order；　over　Connie's　protests。　Michael　had　not　bothered　to　explain　that　he　wanted　everyone　out　of　the　mall　before　the　Corleone…Barzini　Families'　meeting。　Indeed　the　meeting　itself　was　top　secret。　The　only　ones　who　knew　about　it　were　the　capos　of　the　Family。
　
　The　other　limousine　was　for　Kay　and　her　children；　who　were　being　driven　up　to　New　Hampshire　for　a　visit　with　her　parents。　Michael　would　have　to　stay　in　the　mall；　he　had　affairs　too　pressing　to　leave。
　
　The　night　before　Michael　had　also　sent　word　to　Carlo　Rizzi　that　he　would　require　his　presence　on　the　mall　for　a　few　days；　that　he　could　join　his　wife　and　children　later　that　week。　Connie　had　been　furious。　She　had　tried　to　get　Michael　on　the　phone；　but　he　had　gone　into　the　city。　Now　her　eyes　were　searching　the　mall　for　him；　but　he　was　closeted　with　Tom　Hagen　and　not　to　be　disturbed。　Connie　kissed　Carlo　good…bye　when　he　put　her　in　the　limousine。　〃If　you　don't　e　out　there　in　two　days；　I'll　e　back　to　get　you；〃　she　threatened　him。
　
　He　gave　her　a　polite　husbandly　smile　of　sexual　plicity。　〃I'll　be　there；〃　he　said。
　
　She　hung　out　the　window。　〃What　do　you　think　Michael　wants　you　for？〃　she　asked。　Her　worried　frown　made　her　look　old　and　unattractive。
　
　Carlo　shrugged。　〃He's　been　promising　me　a　big　deal。　Maybe　that's　what　he　wants　to　talk　about。　That's　what　he　hinted　anyway。〃　Carlo　did　not　know　of　the　meeting　scheduled　with　the　Barzini　Family　for　that　night。
　
　Connie　said　eagerly；　〃Really；　Carlo？〃
　
　Carlo　nodded　at　her　reassuringly。　The　limousine　moved　off　through　the　gates　of　the　mall。
　
　It　was　only　after　the　first　limousine　had　left　that　Michael　appeared　to　say　good…bye　to　Kay　and　his　own　two　children。　Carlo　also　came　over　and　wished　Kay　a　good　trip　and　a　good　vacation。　Finally　the　second　limousine　pulled　away　and　went　through　the　gate。
　
　Michael　said；　〃I'm　sorry　I　had　to　keep　you　here；　Carlo。　It　won't　be　more　than　a　couple　of　days。〃
　
　Carlo　said　quickly；　〃I　don't　mind　at　all。〃
　
　〃Good；〃　Michael　said。　〃Just　stay　by　your　phone　and　I'll　call　you　when　I'm　ready　for　you。　I　have　to　get　some　other　dope　before。　OK？〃
　
　〃Sure；　Mike；　sure；〃　Carlo　said。　He　went　into　his　own　house；　made　a　phone　call　to　the　mistress　he　was　discreetly　keeping　in　Westbury；　promising　he　would　try　to　get　to　her　late　that　night。　Then　he　got　set　with　a　bottle　of　rye　and　waited。　He　waited　a　long　time。　Cars　started　ing　through　the　gate　shortly　after　noontime。　He　saw　Clemenza　get　out　of　one；　and　then　a　little　later　Tessio　came　out　of　another。　Both　of　them　were　admitted　to　Michael's　house　by　one　of　the　bodyguards。　Clemenza　left　after　a　few　hours；　but　Tessio　did　not　reappear。
　
　Carlo　took　a　breath　of　fresh　air　around　the　mall；　not　more　than　ten　minutes。　He　was　familiar　with　all　the　guards　who　pulled　duty　on　the　mall；　was　even　friendly　with　some　of　them。　He　thought　he　might　gossip　a　bit　to　pass　the　time。　But　to　his　surprise　none　of　the　guards　today　were　men　he　knew。　They　were　all　strangers　to　him。　Even　more　surprising；　the　man　in　charge　at　the　gate　was　Rocco　Lampone；　and　Carlo　knew　that　Rocco　was　of　too　high　a　rank　is　the　Family　to　be　pulling　such　menial　duty　unless　something　extraordinary　was　afoot。
　
　Rocco　gave　him　a　friendly　smile　and　hello。　Carlo　was　wary。　Rocco　said；　〃Hey；　I　thought　you　were　going　an　vacation　with　the　Don？〃
　
　Carlo　shrugged。　〃Mike　wanted　me　to　stick　around　for　a　couple　of　days。　He　has　something　for　me　to　do。〃
　
　〃Yeah；〃　Rocco　Lampone　said。　〃Me　too。　Then　he　tells　me　to　keep　a　check　on　the　gate。　Well；　what　the　hell；　he's　the　boss。〃　His　tones　implied　that　Michael　was　not　the　man　his　father　was；　a　bit　derogatory。
　
　Carlo　ignored　the　tone。　〃Mike　knows　what　he's　doing；〃　he　said。　Rocco　accepted　the　rebuke　in　silence。　Carlo　said　so　long　and　walked　back　to　the　house。　Something　was　up；　but　Rocco　didn't　know　what　it　was。
　
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　Michael　stood　in　the　window　of　his　living　room　and　watched　Carlo　strolling　around　the　mall。　Hagen　brought　him　a　drink；　strong　brandy。　Michael　sipped　at　it　gratefully。　Behind　him；　Hagen　said；　gently；　〃Mike；　you　have　to　start　moving。　It's　time。〃
　
　Michael　sighed。　〃I　wish　it　weren't　so　soon。　I　wish　the　old　man　had　lasted　a　little　longer。〃
　
　〃Nothing　will　go　wrong；〃　Hagen　said。　〃If　I　didn't　tumble；　then　nobody　did。　You　set　it　up　real　good。〃
　
　Michael　turned　away　from　the　window。　〃The　old　man　planned　a　lot　of　it。　I　never　realized　how　smart　he　was。　But　I　guess　you　know。〃
　
　〃Nobody　like　him；〃　Hagen　said。　〃But　this　is　beautiful。　This　is　the　best。　So　you　can't　be　too　bad　either。〃
　
　〃Let's　see　what　happens；〃　Michael　said。　〃Are　Tessio　and　Clemenza　on　the　mall？〃
　
　Hagen　nodded。　Michael　finished　the　brandy　in　his　glass。　〃Send　Clemenza　in　to　me。　I'll　instruct　him　personally。　I　don't　want　to　see　Tessio　at　all。　Just　tell　him　I'll　be　ready　to　go　to　the　Barzini　meeting　with　him　in　about　a　half　hour。　Clemenza's　people　will　take　care　of　him　after　that。〃
　
　Hagen　said　in　a　nonmittal　voice；　〃There's　no　way　to　let　Tessio　off　the　hook？〃
　
　〃No　way；〃　Michael　said。
　
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　Upstate　in　the　city　of　Buffalo；　a　small　pizza　parlor　on　a　side　street　was　doing　a　rush　trade。　As　the　lunch　hours　passed；　business　finally　slackened　off　and　the　counterman　took　his　round　tin　tray　with　its　few　leftover　slices　out　of　the　window　and　put　it　on　the　shelf　on　the　huge　brick　oven。　He　peeked　into　the　oven　at　a　pie　baking　there。　The　cheese　had　not　yet　started　to　bubble。　When　he　turned　back　to　the　counter　that　enabled　him　to　serve　people　in　the　street；　there　was　a　young；　tough…looking　man　standing　there。　The　man　said；　〃Gimme　a　slice。〃
　
　The　pizza　counterman　took　his　wooden　shovel　and　scooped　one　of　the　cold　slices　into　the　oven　to　warm　it　up。　The　customer；　instead　of　waiting　outside；　decided　to　e　through　the　door　and　be　served。　The　store　was　empty　now。　The　counterman　opened　the　oven　and　took　out　the　hot　slice　and　served　it　on　a　paper　plate。　But　the　customer；　instead　of　giving　the　money　for　it；　was　staring　at　him　intently。
　
　〃I　hear　you　got　a　great　tattoo　on　your　chest；〃　the　customer　said。　〃I　can　see　the　top　of　it　over　your　shirt；　how　about　letting　me　see　the　rest　of　it？〃
　
　The　counterman　froze。　He　seemed　to　be　paralyzed。
　
　〃Open　your　shirt；〃　the　customer　said。
　
　The　counterman　shook　his　head。　〃I　got　no　tattoo；〃　he　said　in　heavily　accented　English。　〃That's　the　man　who　works　at　night。〃
　
　The　customer　laughed。　It　was　an　unpleasant　laugh；　harsh；　strained。　〃e　on；　unbutton　your　shirt；　let　me　see。〃
　
　The　counterman　started　backing　toward　the　rear　of　the　store；　aiming　to　edge　around　the　huge　oven。　But　the　customer　raised　his　hand　above　the　counter。　There　was　a　gun　in　it。　He　fired。　The　bullet　caught　the　counterman　in　the　chest　and　hurled　him　against　the　oven。　The　customer　fired　into　his　body　aga