mp.godfather-第22部分

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　Whenever　a　war　between　the　Families　became　bitterly　intense；　the　opponents　would　set　up　headquarters　in　secret　apartments　where　the　〃soldiers〃　could　sleep　on　mattresses　scattered　through　the　rooms。　This　was　not　so　much　to　keep　their　families　out　of　danger；　their　wives　and　little　children；　since　any　attack　on　nonbatants　was　undreamed　of。　All　parties　were　too　vulnerable　to　similar　retaliation。　But　it　was　always　smarter　to　live　in　some　secret　place　where　your　everyday　movements　could　not　be　charted　either　by　your　opponents　or　by　some　police　who　might　arbitrarily　decide　to　meddle。
　
　And　so　usually　a　trusted　caporegime　would　be　sent　out　to　rent　a　secret　apartment　and　fill　it　with　mattresses。　That　apartment　would　be　used　as　a　sally　port　into　the　city　when　an　offensive　was　mounted。　It　was　natural　for　Clemenza　to　be　sent　on　such　an　errand。　It　was　natural　for　him　to　take　Gatto　and　Lampone　with　him　to　arrange　all　the　details；　including　the　furnishing　of　the　apartment。　Also；　Clemenza　thought　with　a　grin；　Paulie　Gatto　had　proved　he　was　greedy　and　the　first　thought　that　would　pop　into　his　head　was　how　much　he　could　get　from　Sollozzo　for　this　valuable　intelligence。
　
　Rocco　Lampone　arrived　early　and　Clemenza　explained　what　had　to　be　done　and　what　their　roles　would　be。　Lampone's　face　lit　up　with　surprised　gratitude　and　he　thanked　Clemenza　respectfully　for　the　promotion　allowing　him　to　serve　the　Family。　Clemenza　was　sure　he　had　done　well。　He　clapped　Lampone　on　the　shoulder　and　said；　〃You'll　get　something　better　for　your　living　after　today。　We'll　talk　about　that　later。　You　understand　the　Family　now　is　occupied　with　more　critical　matters；　more　important　things　to　do。〃　Lampone　made　a　gesture　that　said　he　would　be　patient；　knowing　his　reward　was　certain。
　
　Clemenza　went　to　his　den's　safe　and　opened　it。　He　took　out　a　gun　and　gave　it　to　Lampone。　〃Use　this　one；〃　he　said。。　〃They　can　never　trace　it。　Leave　it　in　the　car　with　Paulie。　When　this　job　is　finished　I　want　you　to　take　your　wife　and　children　on　a　vacation　to　Florida。　Use　your　own　money　now　and　I'll　pay　you　back　later。　Relax；　get　the　sun。　Use　the　Family　hotel　in　Miami　Beach　so　I'll　know　where　I　can　get　you　when　I　want。〃
　
　Clemenza's　wife　knocked　on　the　door　of　the　den　to　tell　them　that　Paulie　Gatto　had　arrived。　He　was　parked　in　the　driveway。　Clemenza　led　the　way　through　the　garage　and　Lampone　followed　him。　When　Clemenza　got　into　the　front　seat　with　Gatto　he　merely　grunted　in　greeting；　an　exasperated　look　on　his　face。　He　looked　at　his　wristwatch　as　if　he　expected　to　find　that　Gatto　was　late。
　
　The　ferret…faced　button　man　was　watching　him　intently；　looking　for　a　clue。　He　flinched　a　little　when　Lampone　got　into　the　rear　seat　behind　him　and　said；　〃Rocco；　sit　on　the　other　site。　A　big　guy　like　you　blocks　up　my　rear…view　mirror。〃　Lampone　shifted　dutifully；　so　that　he　was　sitting　behind　Clemenza；　as　if　such　a　request　was　the　most　natural　thing　in　the　world。
　
　Clemenza　said　sourly　to　Gatto；　〃Damn　that　Sonny；　he's　running　scared。　He's　already　thinking　of　going　to　the　mattresses。　We　have　to　find　a　place　on　the　West　Side。　Paulie；　you　and　Rocco　gotta　staff　and　supply　it　until　the　word　es　down　for　the　rest　of　the　soldiers　to　use　it。　You　know　a　good　location？〃
　
　As　he　had　expected；　Gatto's　eyes　became　greedily　interested。　Paulie　had　swallowed　the　bait　and　because　he　was　thinking　how　much　the　information　was　worth　to　Sollozzo；　he　was　forgetting　to　think　about　whether　he　was　in　danger。　Also；　Lampone　was　acting　his　part　perfectly；　staring　out　the　window　in　a　disinterested；　relaxed　way。　Clemenza　congratulated　himself　on　his　choice。
　
　Gatto　shrugged。　〃I'd　have　to　think　about　it；〃　he　said。
　
　Clemenza　grunted。　〃Drive　while　you　think；　I　want　to　get。　to　New　York　today。〃
　
　Paulie　was　an　expert　driver　and　traffic　going　into　the　city　was　light　at　this　time　in　the　afternoon；　so　the　early　winter　darkness　was　just　beginning　to　fall　when　they　arrived。　There　was　no　small　talk　in　the　car。　Clemenza　directed　Paulie　to　drive　up　to　the　Washington　Heights　section。　He　checked　a　few　apartment　buildings　and　told　him　to　park　near　Arthur　Avenue　and　wait。　He　also　left　Rocco　Lampone　in　the　car。　He　went　into　the　Vera　Mario　Restaurant　and　had　a　light　dinner　of　veal　and　salad；　nodding　his　hellos　to　some　acquaintances。　After　an　hour　had　gone　by　he　walked　the　several　blocks　to　where　the　car　was　parked　and　entered　it。　Gatto　and　Lampone　were　still　waiting。　〃Shit；〃　Clemenza　said；　〃they　want　us　back　in　Long　Beach。　They　got　some　other　job　for　us　now。　Sonny　says　we　can　let　this　one　go　until　later。　Rocco；　you　live　in　the　city；　can　we　drop　you　off？〃
　
　Rocco　said　quietly；　〃I　have　my　car　out　at　your　place　and　my　old　lady　needs　it　first　thing　in　the　morning。〃
　
　〃That's　right；〃　Clemenza　said。　〃Then　you　have　to　e　back　with　us；　after　all。〃
　
　Again　on　the　ride　back　to　Long　Beach　nothing　was　said。　On　the　stretch　of　road　that　led　into　the　city；　Clemenza　said　suddenly；　〃Paulie；　pull　over；　I　gotta　take　a　leak。〃　From　working　together　so　long；　Gatto　knew　the　fat　caporegime　had　a　weak　bladder。　He　had　often　made　such　a　request。　Gatto　pulled　the　car　off　the　highway　onto　the　soft　earth　that　led　to　the　swamp。　Clemenza　climbed　out　of　the　car　and　took　a　few　steps　into　the　bushes。　He　actually　relieved　himself。　Then　as　he　opened　the　door　to　get　back　into　the　car　he　took　a　quick　look　up　and　down　the　highway。　There　were　no　lights；　the　road　was　pletely　dark。　〃Go　ahead；〃　Clemenza　said。　A　second　later　the　interior　of　the　car　reverberated　with　the　report　of　a　gun。　Paulie　Gatto　seemed　to　jump　forward；　his　body　flinging　against　the　steering　wheel　and　then　slumping　over　to　the　seat。　Clemenza　had　stepped　back　hastily　to　avoid　being　hit　with　fragments　of　skull　bone　and　blood。
　
　Rocco　Lampone　scrambled　out　of　the　back　seat。　He　still　held　the　gun　and　he　threw　it　into　the　swamp。　He　and　Clemenza　walked　hastily　to　a　car　parked　nearby　and　got　in。　Lampone　reached　underneath　the　seat　and　found　the　key　that　had　been　left　for　them。　He　started　the　car　and　drove　Clemenza　to　his　home。　Then　instead　of　going　back　by　the　same　route；　he　took　the　Jones　Beach　Causeway　right　on　through　to　the　town　of　Merrick　and　onto　the　Meadowbrook　Parkway　until　he　reached　the　Northern　State　Parkway。　He　rode　that　to　the　Long　Island　Expressway　and　then　continued　on　to　the　Whitestone　Bridge　and　through　the　Bronx　to　his　home　in　Manhattan。
　
　Chapter　07
　
　On　the　night　before　the　shooting　of　Don　Corleone；　his　strongest　and　most　loyal　and　most　feared　retainer　prepared　to　meet　with　the　enemy。　Luca　Brasi　had　made　contact　with　the　forces　of　Sollozzo　several　months　before。　He　had　done　so　on　the　orders　of　Don　Corleone　himself。　He　had　done　so　by　frequenting　the　nightclubs　controlled　by　the　Tattaglia　Family　and　by　taking　up　with　one　of　their　top　call　girls。　In　bed　with　this　call　girl　he　grumbled　about　how　he　was　held　down　in　the　Corleone　Family；　how　his　worth　was　not　recognized。　After　a　week　of　this　affair　with　the　call　girl；　Luca　was　approached　by　Bruno　Tattaglia；　manager　of　the　nightclub。　Bruno　was　the　youngest　son；　and　ostensibly　not　connected　with　the　Family　business　of　prostitution。　But　his　famous　nightclub　with　its　dancing　line　of　long…stemmed　beauties　was　the　finishing　school　for　many　of　the　city　hookers。
　
　The　first　meeting　was　all　above…board；　Tattaglia　offering　him　a　job　to　work　in　the　Family　business　as　enforcer。　The　flirtation　went　on　for　nearly　a　month。　Luca　played　his　role　of　man　infatuated　with　a　young　beautiful　girl；　Bruno　Tattaglia　the　role　of　a　businessman　trying　to　recruit　an　able　executive　from　a　rival。　At　one　such　meeting；　Luca　pretended　to　be　swayed；　then　said；　〃But　one　thing　must　be　understood。　I　will　never　go　against　the　Godfather。　Don　Corleone　is　a　man　I　respect。　I　understand　that　he　must　put　his　sons　before　me　in　the　Family　business。〃
　
　Bruno　Tattaglia　was　one　of　the　new　generation　with　a　barely　hidden　contempt　for　the　old　Moustache　Petes　like　Luca　Brasi；　Don　Corleone　and　even　his　own　father。　He　was　just　a　little　too　respectful。　Now　he　said；　〃My　father　wouldn't　expect　you　to　do　anything　against　the　Corleones。　Why　should　he？　Everybody　gets　along　with　everybody　else　now；　it's　not　like　the　old　days。　It's　just　that　if　you're　looking　for　a　new　job；　I　can　pass　along　the　word　to　my　father。　There's　always　need　for　a　man　like　you　in　our　business。　It's　a　hard　business　and　it　needs　hard　men　to　keep　it　running　smooth。　Let　me　know　if　you　ever　make　up　your　mind。〃
　
　Luca　shrugged。　〃It's　not　so　bad　where　I'm　at。〃　And　so　they　left　it。
　
　The　general　idea　had　been　to　lead　the　Tattaglias　to　believe　that　he　knew　about　the　lucrative　narcotics　operation　and　that　he　wanted　a　piece　of　it　free…lance。　In　that　fashion　he　might　hear　something　about　Sollozzo's　plans　if　the　Turk　had　any；　or　whether　he　was　getting　ready　to　step　on　the　toes　of　Don　Corleone。　After　waiting　for　two　months　with　nothing　else　happening；　Luca　reported　to　the　Don　that　obviously　Sollozzo　was　taking　his　defeat　graciously。　The　Don　had　told　him　to　keep　trying　but　merely　as　a　sideline；　not　to　press　it。
　
　Luca　had　dropped　into　the　nightclub　the　evening　before　Don　Corleone's　being　shot。　Almost　immediately　Bruno　Tattaglia　had　e　to　his　table　and　sat　down。
　
　〃I　have　a　friend　who　wants　to　talk　to　you；〃　he　said。
　
　〃Bring　him　over；〃　Luca　said。　〃I'll　talk　to　any　friend　of　yours。〃
　
　〃No；〃　Bruno　said。　〃He　wants　to　see　you　in　private。〃
　
　〃Who　is　he？〃　Luca　asked。
　
　〃Just　a　friend　of　mine；〃　Bruno　Tattaglia　said。　〃He　wants　to　put　a　proposition　to　you。　Can　you　meet　him　later　on　tonight？〃
　
　〃Sure；〃　Luca　said。　〃What　time　and　where？〃
　
　Tattaglia　said　softly；　〃The　club　closes　at　four　in　the　morning。　Why　don't　you　meet　in　here　while　the　waiters　are　cleaning　ups。
　
　They　knew　his　habits；　Luca　thought；　they　must　have　been　checking　him　out。　He　usually　got　up　about　three　or　four　in　the　afternoon　and　had　breakfast；　then　amused　himself　by　gambling　with　cronies　in　the　Family　or　had　a　girl。　Sometimes　he　saw　one　of　the　midnight　movies　and　then　would　drop　in　for　a　drink　at　one　of　the　clubs。　He　never　went　to　bed　before　dawn。　So　the　suggestion　of　a　four　A。M。　meeting　was　not　as　outlandish　as　it　seemed。
　
　〃Sure；　sure；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　be　back　at　four。〃　He　left　the　club