mp.godfather-第13节

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　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　is　budgeted　at　five　million。〃
　
　Hagen　whistled　softly　to　show　that　he　was　impressed。　Then　he　said　very　casually；　〃My　boss　has　a　lot　of　friends　who　back　his　judgment。〃
　
　For　the　first　time　Woltz　seemed　to　take　the　whole　thing　seriously。　He　studied　Hagen's　card。　〃I　never　heard　of　you；〃　he　said。　〃I　know　most　of　the　big　lawyers　in　New　York；　but　just　who　the　hell　are　you？〃
　
　〃I　have　one　of　those　dignified　corporate　practices；〃　Hagen　said　dryly。　〃I　just　handle　this　one　account。〃　He　rose。　〃I　won't　take　up　any　more　of　your　time。〃　He　held　out　his　hand；　Woltz　shook　it。　Hagen　took　a　few　steps　toward　the　door　and　turned　to　face　Woltz　again。　〃I　understand　you　have　to　deal　with　a　lot　of　people　who　try　to　seem　more　important　than　they　are。　In　my　case　the　reverse　is　true。　Why　don't　you　check　me　out　with　our　mutual　friend？　If　you　reconsider；　call　me　at　my　hotel。〃　He　paused。　〃This　may　be　sacrilege　to　you；　but　my　client　can　do　things　for　you　that　even　Mr。　Hoover　might　find　out　of　his　range。〃　He　saw　the　movie　producer's　eyes　narrowing。　Woltz　was　finally　getting　the　message。　〃By　the　way；　I　admire　your　pictures　very　much；〃　Hagen　said　in　the　most　fawning　voice　he　could　manage。　〃I　hope　you　can　keep　up　the　good　work。　Our　country　needs　it。〃
　
　Late　that　afternoon　Hagen　received　a　call　from　the　producer's　secretary　that　a　car　would　pick　him　up　within　the　hour　to　take　him　out　to　Mr。　Woltz's　country　home　for　dinner。　She　told　him　it　would　be　about　a　three…hour　drive　but　that　the　car　was　equipped　with　a　bar　and　some　hors　d'oeuvres。　Hagen　knew　that　Woltz　made　the　trip　in　his　private　plane　and　wondered　why　he　hadn't　been　invited　to　make　the　trip　by　air。　The　secretary's　voice　was　adding　politely；　〃Mr。　Woltz　suggested　you　bring　an　overnight　bag　and　he'll　get　you　to　the　airport　in　the　morning。〃
　
　〃I'll　do　that；〃　Hagen　said。　That　was　another　thing　to　wonder　about。　How　did　Woltz　know　he　was　taking　the　morning　plane　back　to　New　York？　He　thought　about　it　for　a　moment。　The　most　likely　explanation　was　that　Woltz　had　set　private　detectives　on　his　trail　to　get　all　possible　information。　Then　Woltz　certainly　knew　he　represented　the　Don；　which　meant　that　he　knew　something　about　the　Don；　which　in　turn　meant　that　he　was　now　ready　to　take　the　whole　matter　seriously。　Something　might　be　done　after　all；　Hagen　thought。　And　maybe　Woltz　was　smarter　than　he　had　appeared　this　morning。
　
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　The　home　of　Jack　Woltz　looked　like　an　implausible　movie　set。　There　was　a　plantation…type　mansion；　huge　grounds　girdled　by　a　rich　black…dirt　bridle　path；　stables　and　pasture　for　a　herd　of　horses。　The　hedges；　flower　beds　and　grasses　were　as　carefully　manicured　as　a　movie　star's　nails。
　
　Woltz　greeted　Hagen　on　a　glass…paneled　air…conditioned　porch。　The　producer　was　informally　dressed　in　blue　silk　shirt　open　at　the　neck；　mustard…colored　slacks；　soft　leather　sandals。　Framed　in　all　this　color　and　rich　fabric　his　seamed；　tough　face　was　startling。　He　handed　Hagen　an　outsized　martini　glass　and　took　one　for　himself　from　the　prepared　tray。　He　seemed　more　friendly　than　he　had　been　earlier　in　the　day。　He　put　his　arm　over　Hagen's　shoulder　and　said；　〃We　have　a　little　time　before　dinner；　let's　go　look　at　my　horses。〃　As　they　walked　toward　the　stables　he　said；　〃I　checked　you　out；　Tom；　you　should　have　told　me　your　boss　is　Corleone。　I　thought　you　were　just　some　third…rate　hustler　Johnny　was　running　in　to　bluff　me。　And　I　don't　bluff。　Not　that　I　want　to　make　enemies；　I　never　believed　in　that。　But　let's　just　enjoy　ourselves　now。　We　can　talk　business　after　dinner。〃
　
　Surprisingly　Woltz　proved　to　be　a　truly　considerate　host。　He　explained　his　new　methods；　innovations　that　he　hoped　would　make　his　stable　the　most　successful　in　America。　The　stables　were　all　fire…proofed；　sanitized　to　the　highest　degree；　and　guarded　by　a　special　security　detail　of　private　detectives。　Finally　Woltz　led　him　to　a　stall　which　had　a　huge　bronze　plaque　attached　to　its　outside　wall。　On　the　plaque　was　the　name　〃Khartoum。〃
　
　The　horse　inside　the　stall　was；　even　to　Hagen's　inexperienced　eyes；　a　beautiful　animal。　Khartoum's　skin　was　jet　black　except　for　a　diamond…shaped　white　patch　on　his　huge　forehead。　The　great　brown　eyes　glinted　like　golden　apples；　the　black　skin　over　the　taut　body　was　silk。　Woltz　said　with　childish　pride；　〃The　greatest　racehorse　in　the　world。　I　bought　him　in　England　last　year　for　six　hundred　grand。　I　bet　even　the　Russian　Czars　never　paid　that　much　for　a　single　horse。　But　I'm　not　going　to　race　him；　I'm　going　to　put　him　to　stud。　I'm　going　to　build　the　greatest　racing　stable　this　country　has　ever　known。〃　He　stroked　the　horse's　mane　and　called　out　softly；　〃Khartoum；　Khartoum。〃　There　was　real　love　in　his　voice　and　the　animal　responded。　Woltz　said　to　Hagen；　〃I'm　a　good　horseman；　you　know；　and　the　first　time　I　ever　rode　I　was　fifty　years　old。〃　He　laughed。　〃Maybe　one　of　my　grandmothers　in　Russia　got　raped　by　a　Cossack　and　I　got　his　blood。〃　He　tickled　Khartoum's　belly　and　said　with　sincere　admiration；　〃Look　at　that　cock　on　him。　I　should　have　such　a　cock。〃
　
　They　went　back　to　the　mansion　to　have　dinner。　It　was　served　by　three　waiters　under　the　mand　of　a　butler；　the　table　linen　and　ware　were　all　gold　thread　and　silver；　but　Hagen　found　the　food　mediocre。　Woltz　obviously　lived　alone；　and　just　as　obviously　was　not　a　man　who　cared　about　food。　Hagen　waited　until　they　had　both　lit　up　huge　Havana　cigars　before　he　asked　Woltz；　〃Does　Johnny　get　it　or　not？〃
　
　〃I　can't；〃　Woltz　said。　〃I　can't　put　Johnny　into　that　picture　even　if　I　wanted　to。　The　contracts　are　all　signed　for　all　the　performers　and　the　cameras　roll　next　week。　There's　no　way　I　can　swing　it。〃
　
　Hagen　said　impatiently；　〃Mr。　Woltz；　the　big　advantage　of　dealing　with　a　man　at　the　top　is　that　such　an　excuse　is　not　valid。　You　can　do　anything　you　want　to　do。〃　He　puffed　on　his　cigar。　〃Don't　you　believe　my　client　can　keep　his　promises？〃
　
　Woltz　said　dryly；　〃I　believe　that　I'm　going　to　have　labor　trouble。　Goff　called　me　up　on　that；　the　son　of　a　bitch；　and　the　way　he　talked　to　me　you'd　never　guess　I　pay　him　a　hundred　grand　a　year　under　the　table。　And　I　believe　you　can　get　that　fag　he…man　star　of　mine　off　heroin。　But　I　don't　care　about　that　and　I　can　finance　my　own　pictures。　Because　I　hate　that　bastard　Fontane。　Tell　your　boss　this　is　one　favor　I　can't　give　but　that　he　should　try　me　again　on　anything　else。　Anything　at　all。〃
　
　Hagen　thought；　you　sneaky　bastard；　then　why　the　hell　did　you　bring　me　all　the　way　out　here？　The　producer　had　something　on　his　mind。　Hagen　said　coldly；　〃I　don't　think　you　understand　the　situation。　Mr。　Corleone　is　Johnny　Fontane's　godfather。　That　is　a　very　close；　a　very　sacred　religious　relationship。〃　Woltz　bowed　his　head　in　respect　at　this　reference　to　religion。　Hagen　went　on。　〃Italians　have　a　little　joke；　that　the　world　is　so　hard　a　man　must　have　two　fathers　to　look　after　him；　and　that's　why　they　have　godfathers。　Since　Johnny's　father　died；　Mr。　Corleone　feels　his　responsibility　even　more　deeply。　As　for　trying　you　again；　Mr。　Corleone　is　much　too　sensitive。　He　never　asks　a　second　favor　where　he　has　been　refused　the　first。〃
　
　Woltz　shrugged。　〃I'm　sorry。　The　answer　is　still　no。　But　since　you're　here；　what　will　it　cost　me　to　have　that　labor　trouble　cleared　up？　In　cash。　Right　now。〃
　
　That　solved　one　puzzle　for　Hagen。　Why　Woltz　was　putting　in　so　much　time　on　him　when　he　had　already　decided　not　to　give　Johnny　the　part。　And　that　could　not　be　changed　at　this　meeting。　Woltz　felt　secure；　he　was　not　afraid　of　the　power　of　Don　Corleone。　And　certainly　Woltz　with　his　national　political　connections；　his　acquaintanceship　with　the　FBI　chief；　his　huge　personal　fortune　and　his　absolute　power　in　the　film　industry；　could　not　feel　threatened　by　Don　Corleone。　To　any　intelligent　man；　even　to　Hagen；　it　seemed　that　Woltz　had　correctly　assessed　his　position。　He　was　impregnable　to　the　Don　if　he　was　willing　to　take　the　losses　the　labor　struggle　would　cost。　There　was　only　one　thing　wrong　with　the　whole　equation。　Don　Corleone　had　promised　his　godson　he　would　get　the　part　and　Don　Corleone　had　never；　to　Hagen's　knowledge；　broken　his　word　in　such　matters。
　
　Hagen　said　quietly；　〃You　are　deliberately　misunderstanding　me。　You　are　trying　to　make　me　an　acplice　to　extortion。　Mr。　Corleone　promises　only　to　speak　in　your　favor　on　this　labor　trouble　as　a　matter　of　friendship　in　return　for　your　speaking　in　behalf　of　his　client。　A　friendly　exchange　of　influence；　nothing　more。　But　I　can　see　you　don't　take　me　seriously。　Personally；　I　think　that　is　a　mistake。〃
　
　Woltz；　as　if　he　had　been　waiting　for　such　a　moment；　let　himself　get　angry。　〃I　understood　perfectly；〃　he　said。　〃That's　the　Mafia　style；　isn't　is？　All　olive　oil　and　sweet　talk　when　what　you're　really　doing　is　making　threats。　So　let　me　lay　it　on　the　line。　Johnny　Fonfane　will　never　get　that　part　and　he's　perfect　for　it。　It　would　make　him　a　great　star。　But　he　never　will　be　because　I　hate　that　pinko　punk　and　I'm　going　to　run　him　out　of　the　movies。　And　I'll　tell　you　why。　He　ruined　one　of　my　most　valuable　protégées。　For　fiv