mp.godfather-第12节

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and　his　benefactor's　blood　family。
　
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　It　was　still　dark　when　the　plane　landed　in　Los　Angeles。　Hagen　checked　into　his　hotel；　showered　and　shaved；　and　watched　dawn　e　over　the　city。　He　ordered　breakfast　and　newspapers　to　be　sent　up　to　his　room　and　relaxed　until　it　was　time　for　his　ten　A。M。　appointment　with　Jack　Woltz。　The　appointment　had　been　surprisingly　easy　to　make。
　
　The　day　before；　Hagen　had　called　the　most　powerful　man　in　the　movie　labor　unions；　a　man　named　Billy　Goff。　Acting　on　instructions　from　Don　Corleone；　Hagen　had　told　Goff　to　arrange　an　appointment　on　the　next　day　for　Hagen　to　call　on　Jack　Woltz；　that　he　should　hint　to　Woltz　that　if　Hagen　was　not　made　happy　by　the　results　of　the　interview；　there　could　be　a　labor　strike　at　the　movie　studio。　An　hour　later　Hagen　received　a　call　from　Goff。　The　appointment　would　be　at　ten　A。M。　Woltz　had　gotten　the　message　about　the　possible　labor　strike　but　hadn't　seemed　too　impressed；　Goff　said。　He　added；　〃If　it　really　es　down　to　that；　I　gotta　talk　to　the　Don　myself。〃
　
　〃If　it　es　to　that　he'll　talk　to　you；〃　Hagen　said。　By　saying　this　he　avoided　making　any　promises。　He　was　not　surprised　that　Goff　was　so　agreeable　to　the　Don's　wishes。　The　family　empire；　technically；　did　not　extend　beyond　the　New　York　area　but　Don　Corleone　had　first　bee　strong　by　helping　labor　leaders。　Many　of　them　still　owed　him　debts　of　friendship。
　
　But　the　ten　A。M。　appointment　was　a　bad　sign。　It　meant　that　he　would　be　first　on　the　appointment　list；　that　he　would　not　be　invited　to　lunch。　It　meant　that　Woltz　held　him　in　small　worth。　Goff　had　not　been　threatening　enough；　probably　because　Woltz　had　him　on　his　graft　payroll。　And　sometimes　the　Don's　success　in　keeping　himself　out　of　the　limelight　worked　to　the　disadvantage　of　the　family　business；　in　that　his　name　did　not　mean　anything　to　outside　circles。
　
　His　analysis　proved　correct。　Woltz　kept　him　waiting　for　a　half　hour　past　the　appointed　time。　Hagen　didn't　mind。　The　reception　room　was　very　plush；　very　fortable；　and　on　a　plum…colored　couch　opposite　him　sat　the　most　beautiful　child　Hagen　had　ever　seen。　She　was　no　more　than　eleven　or　twelve；　dressed　in　a　very　expensive　but　simple　way　as　a　grown　woman。　She　had　incredibly　golden　hair；　huge　deep　sea…blue　eyes　and　a　fresh　raspberry…red　mouth。　She　was　guarded　by　a　woman　obviously　her　mother；　who　tried　to　stare　Hagen　down　with　a　cold　arrogance　that　made　him　want　to　punch　her　in　the　face。　The　angel　child　and　the　dragon　mother；　Hagen　thought；　returning　the　mother's　cold　stare。
　
　Finally　an　exquisitely　dressed　but　stout　middle…aged　woman　came　to　lead　him　through　a　string　of　offices　to　the　office…apartment　of　the　movie　producer。　Hagen　was　impressed　by　the　beauty　of　the　offices　and　the　people　working　in　them。　He　smiled。　They　were　all　shrewdies；　trying　to　get　their　foot　in　the　movie　door　by　taking　office　jobs；　and　most　of　them　would　work　in　these　offices　for　the　rest　of　their　lives　or　until　they　accepted　defeat　and　returned　to　their　home　towns。
　
　Jack　Woltz　was　a　tall；　powerfully　built　man　with　a　heavy　paunch　almost　concealed　by　his　perfectly　tailored　suit。　Hagen　knew　his　history。　At　ten　years　of　age　Woltz　had　hustled　empty　beer　kegs　and　pushcarts　on　the　East　Side。　At　twenty　he　helped　his　father　sweat　garment　workers。　At　thirty　he　had　left　New　York　and　moved　West；　invested　in　the　nickelodeon　and　pioneered　motion　pictures。　At　forty…eight　he　had　been　the　most　powerful　movie　magnate　in　Hollywood；　still　rough…spoken；　rapaciously　amorous；　a　raging　wolf　ravaging　helpless　flocks　of　young　starlets。　At　fifty　he　transformed　himself。　He　took　speech　lessons；　learned　how　to　dress　from　an　English　valet　and　how　to　behave　socially　from　an　English　butler。　When　his　first　wife　died　he　married　a　world…famous　and　beautiful　actress　who　didn't　like　acting。　Now　at　the　age　of　sixty　he　collected　old　master　paintings；　was　a　member　of　the　President's　Advisory　mittee；　and　had　set　up　a　multimillion…dollar　foundation　in　his　name　to　promote　art　in　motion　pictures。　His　daughter　had　married　an　English　lord；　his　son　an　Italian　princess。
　
　His　latest　passion；　as　reported　dutifully　by　every　movie　columnist　in　America；　was　his　own　racing　stables　on　which　he　had　spent　ten　million　dollars　in　the　past　year。　He　had　made　headlines　by　purchasing　the　famed　English　racing　horse　Khartoum　for　the　incredible　price　of　six　hundred　thousand　dollars　and　then　announcing　that　the　undefeated　racer　would　be　retired　and　put　to　stud　exclusively　for　the　Woltz　stables。
　
　He　received　Hagen　courteously；　his　beautifully；　evenly　tanned；　meticulously　barbered　face　contorted　with　a　grimace　meant　to　be　a　smile。　Despite　all　the　money　spent；　despite　the　ministrations　of　the　most　knowledgeable　technicians；　his　age　showed；　the　flesh　of　his　face　looked　as　if　it　had　been　seamed　together。　But　there　was　an　enormous　vitality　in　his　movements　and　he　had　what　Don　Corleone　had；　the　air　of　a　man　who　manded　absolutely　the　world　in　which　he　lived。
　
　Hagen　came　directly　to　the　point。　That　he　was　an　emissary　from　a　friend　of　Johnny　Fontane。　That　this　friend　was　a　very　powerful　man　who　would　pledge　his　gratitude　and　undying　friendship　to　Mr。　Woltz　if　Mr。　Woltz　would　grant　a　small　favor。　The　small　favor　would　be　the　casting　of　Johnny　Fontane　in　the　new　war　movie　the　studio　planned　to　start　next　week。
　
　The　seamed　face　was　impassive；　polite。　〃What　favors　can　your　friend　do　me？〃　Woltz　asked。　There　was　just　a　trace　of　condescension　in　his　voice。
　
　Hagen　ignored　the　condescension。　He　explained。　〃You've　got　some　labor　trouble　ing　up。　My　friend　can　absolutely　guarantee　to　make　that　trouble　disappear。　You　have　a　top　male　star　who　makes　a　lot　of　money　for　your　studio　but　he　just　graduated　from　marijuana　to　heroin。　My　friend　will　guarantee　that　your　male　star　won't　be　able　to　get　any　more　heroin。　And　if　some　other　little　things　e　up　over　the　years　a　phone　call　to　me　can　solve　your　problems。〃
　
　Jack　Woltz　listened　to　this　as　if　he　were　hearing　the　boasting　of　a　child。　Then　he　said　harshly；　his　voice　deliberately　all　East　Side；　〃You　trying　to　put　muscle　on　me？〃
　
　Hagen　said　coolly；　〃Absolutely　not。　I've　e　to　ask　a　service　for　a　friend。　I've　tried　to　explain　that　you　won't　lose　anything　by　it。〃
　
　Almost　as　if　he　willed　it；　Woltz　made　his　face　a　mask　of　anger。　The　mouth　curled；　his　heavy　brows；　dyed　black；　contracted　to　form　a　thick　line　over　his　glinting　eyes。　He　leaned　over　the　desk　toward　Hagen。　〃All　right；　you　smooth　son　of　a　bitch；　let　me　lay　it　on　the　line　for　you　and　your　boss；　whoever　he　is。　Johnny　Fontane　never　gets　that　movie。　I　don't　care　how　many　guinea　Mafia　goombahs　e　out　of　the　woodwork。〃　He　leaned　back。　〃A　word　of　advice　to　you；　my　friend。　J。　Edgar　Hoover；　I　assume　you've　heard　of　him〃…　Woltz　smiled　sardonically…　〃is　a　personal　friend　of　mine。　If　I　let　him　know　I'm　being　pressured；　you　guys　will　never　know　what　hit　you。〃
　
　Hagen　listened　patiently。　He　had　expected　better　from　a　man　of　Woltz's　stature。　Was　it　possible　that　a　man　who　acted　this　stupidly　could　rise　to　the　head　of　a　pany　worth　hundreds　of　millions？　That　was　something　to　think　about　since　the　Don　was　looking　for　new　things　to　put　money　into；　and　if　the　top　brains　of　this　industry　were　so　dumb；　movies　might　be　the　thing。　The　abuse　itself　bothered　him　not　at　all。　Hagen　had　learned　the　art　of　negotiation　from　the　Don　himself。　〃Never　get　angry；〃　the　Don　had　instructed。　〃Never　make　a　threat。　Reason　with　people。〃　The　word　〃reason〃　sounded　so　much　better　in　Italian；　ragione；　to　rejoin。　The　art　of　this　was　to　ignore　all　insults；　all　threats；　to　turn　the　other　cheek。　Hagen　had　seen　the　Don　sit　at　a　negotiating　table　for　eight　hours；　swallowing　insults；　trying　to　persuade　a　notorious　and　megalomaniac　strong…arm　man　to　mend　his　ways。　At　the　end　of　the　eight　hours　Don　Corleone　had　thrown　up　his　hands　in　a　helpless　gesture　and　said　to　the　other　men　at　the　table；　〃But　no　one　can　reason　with　this　fellow；〃　and　had　stalked　out　of　the　meeting　room。　The　strong…arm　man　had　turned　white　with　fear。　Emissaries　were　sent　to　bring　the　Don　back　into　the　room。　An　agreement　was　reached　but　two　months　later　the　strong…arm　was　shot　to　death　in　his　favorite　barbershop。
　
　So　Hagen　started　again；　speaking　in　the　most　ordinary　voice。　〃Look　at　my　card；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　a　lawyer。　Would　I　stick　my　neck　out？　Have　I　uttered　one　threatening　word？　Let　me　just　say　that　I　am　prepared　to　meet　any　condition　you　name　to　get　Johnny　Fontane　that　movie。　I　think　I've　already　offered　a　great　deal　for　such　a　small　favor。　A　favor　that　I　understand　it　would　be　in　your　interest　to　grant。　Johnny　tells　me　that　you　admit　he　would　be　perfect　for　that　part。　And　let　me　say　that　this　favor　would　never　be　asked　if　that　were　not　so。　In　fact；　if　you're　worried　about　your　investment；　my　client　would　finance　the　picture。　But　please　let　me　make　myself　absolutely　clear。　We　understand　your　no　is　no。　Nobody　can　force　you　or　is　trying　to。　We　know　about　your　friendship　with　Mr。　Hoover；　I　may　add；　and　my　boss　respects　you　for　it。　He　respects　that　relationship　very　much。〃
　
　Woltz　had　been　doodling　with　a　huge；　red…feathered　pen。　At　the　mention　of　money　his　interest　was　aroused　and　he　stopped　doodling。　He　said　patronizingly；　〃This　picture　i