Крестный отец

Chapter 23

           Thecapo-mafiosowasamaninhislatefiftiesnamedDonTommasinoandheoperatedasthegabbellottoforahugeestatebelongingtooneofSicily’smostnoblefamilies.Thegabbellotto,asortofoverseertotheestatesoftherich,alsoguaranteedthatthepoorwouldnottrytoclaimlandnotbeingcultivated,wouldnottrytoencroachinanywayontheestate,bypoachingortryingtofarmitassquatters.Inshort,thegabbellottowasamafiosowhoforacertainsumofmoneyprotectedtherealestateoftherichfromallclaimsmadeonitbythepoor,legalorillegal.Whenanypoorpeasanttriedtoimplementthelawwhichpermittedhimtobuyuncultivatedland,thegabbellottofrightenedhimoffwiththreatsofbodilyharmordeath.Itwasthatsimple.

           DonTommasinoalsocontrolledthewaterrightsintheareaandvetoedthelocalbuildingofanynewdamsbytheRomangovernment.Suchdamswouldruinthelucrativebusinessofsellingwaterfromtheartesianwellshecontrolled,makewatertoocheap,ruinthewholeimportantwatereconomysolaboriouslybuiltupoverhundredsofyears.However,DonTommasinowasanold-fashionedMafiachiefandwouldhavenothingtodowithdopetrafficorprostitution.InthisDonTommasinowasatoddswiththenewbreedofMafialeadersspringingupinbigcitieslikePalermo,newmenwho,influencedbyAmericangangstersdeportedtoItaly,hadnosuchscruples.

           TheMafiachiefwasanextremelyportlyman,a"manwithabelly,"literallyaswellasisthefigurativesensethatmeantamanabletoinspirefearinhisfellowmen.

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