Крестный отец

           ThefeewassoenormousthatVitoCorleonecutbackdrasticallyonhisoilbusinesstousethetrucksalmostexclusivelyfortheserviceofthebootlegger-smugglers.Thisdespitethefactthatthesegentlemenhadaccompaniedtheirofferwithasilkythreat.ButeventhenVitoCarleonewassomatureamanthathedidnottakeinsultatathreatorbecomeangryandrefuseaprofitableofferbecauseofit.Heevaluatedthethreat,founditlackinginconviction,andloweredhisopinionofhisnewpartnersbecausetheyhadbeensostupidtousethreatswherenonewereneeded.Thiswasusefulinformationtobeponderedatitspropertime.

           Againheprospered.But,moreimportant,heacquiredknowledgeandcontactsandexperience.Andhepiledupgooddeedsasabankerpilesupsecurities.ForinthefollowingyearsitbecameclearthatVitoCorleonewasnotonlyamanoftalentbut,inhisway,agenius.

           HemadehimselftheprotectoroftheItalianfamilieswhosetthemselvesupassmallspeakeasiesintheirhomes,sellingwhiskeyatfifteencentsaglasstobachelorlaborers.HebecamegodfathertMrs.Colombo’syoungestsonwhentheladmadehisconfirmationandgaveahandsomepresentofatwenty-dollargoldpiece.Meanwhile,sinceitwasinevitablethatsomeofhistrucksbestoppedbythepolice,GencoAbbandandohiredafinelawyerwithmanycontactsinthePoliceDepartmentandthejudiciary.AsystemofpayoffswassetupandsoontheCorleoneorganizationhadasizable"sheet,"thelistofofficialsentitledtoamonthlysum.