Английский язык с Крестным Отцом

man. Certain precautions had to be taken. He had, after all, once been a policeman. But

Neri's natural ferocity overcame whatever scruples he might have had at being on the

other side of the fence. In less than a year he had "made his bones." He could never

turn back.

Clemenza sang his praises. Neri was a wonder, the new Luca Brasi. He would be

better than Luca, Clemenza bragged. After all, Neri was his discovery. Physically the

man was a marvel. His reflexes and coordination such that he could have been another

Joe DiMaggio. Clemenza also knew that Neri was not a man to be controlled by some

one like himself. Neri was made directly responsible to Michael Corleone, with Tom

Hagen as the necessary buffer. He was a "special" and as such commanded a high

salary but did not have his own living, a bookmaking or strong-arm operation. It was

obvious that his respect for Michael Corleone was enormous and one day Hagen said

jokingly to Michael, "Well now you've got your Luca."

Michael nodded. He had brought it off. Albert Neri was his man to the death. And of

course it was a trick learned from the Don himself. While learning the business,

undergoing the long days of tutelage by his father, Michael had one time asked, "How

come you used a guy like Luca Brasi? An animal like that?"

The Don had proceeded to instruct him. "There are men in this world," he said, "who

go about demanding to be killed. You must have noticed them. They quarrel in gambling

games, they jump out of their automobiles in a rage if someone so much as scratches

their fender, they humiliate and bully people whose capabilities they do not know. I have

seen a man, a fool, deliberately infuriate a group of dangerous men, and he himself

without any resources. These are people who wander through the world shouting, 'Kill

me. Kill me.' And there is always somebody ready to oblige them. We read about it in

the newspapers every day. Such people of course do a great deal of harm to others

also.

"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

234

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.

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 come out there in two days, I'll come back to get you," she threatened

him.

He gave her a polite husbandly smile of sexual complicity. "I'll be there," he said.

235

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