Крестный отец

           Itwastothiseffect:"YouknownowhowIdealwithenemies.WhydoesaNeapolitaninterfereinaquarrelbetweentwoSicilians?IfyouwishmetoconsideryouasafriendIoweyouaservicewhichIwillpayondemand.Amanlikeyourselfmustknowhowmuchmoreprofitableitistohaveafriendwho,insteadofcallingonyouforhelp,takescareofhisownaffairsandstandseverreadytohelpyouinsomefuturetimeoftrouble.Ifyoudonotwishmyfriendship,sobeit.ButthenImusttellyouthattheclimateinthiscityisdamp;unhealthyforNeapolitans,andyouareadvisednevertovisitit."

           Thearroganceofthisletterwasacalculatedone.TheDonheldtheCaponesinsmallesteemasstupid,obviouscutthroats.HisintelligenceinformedhimthatCaponehadforfeitedallpoliticalinfluencebecauseofhispublicarroganceandtheflauntingofhiscriminalwealth.TheDonknew,infactwaspositive,thatwithoutpoliticalinfluence,withoutthecamouflageofsociety,Capone’sworld,andotherslikeit,couldbeeasilydestroyed.HeknewCaponewasonthepathtodestruction.HealsoknewthatCapone’sinfluencedidnotextendbeyondtheboundariesofChicago,terribleandall-pervadingasthatinfluencetheremightbe.

           Thetacticwassuccessful.Notsomuchbecauseofitsferocitybutbecauseofthechillingswiftness,thequicknessoftheDon’sreaction.Ifhisintelligencewassogood,anyfurthermoveswouldbefraughtwithdanger.Itwasbetter,farwiser,toaccepttheofferoffriendshipwithitsimpliedpayoff.