mp.godfather-第38节

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　〃Ah；　what　the　hell；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　tired　of　that　stuff。　I　have　to　grow　up　sometime。　And　now　that　I　can't　sing　anymore　I　guess　I'll　have　a　tough　time　with　dames。　I　never　got　in　on　my　looks；　you　know。〃
　
　She　said　loyally；　〃You　were　always　better　looking　than　you　photographed。〃
　
　Johnny　shook　his　head。　〃I'm　getting　fat　and　I'm　getting　bald。　Hell；　if　this　picture　doesn't　make　me　big　again　I　better　learn　how　to　bake　pizzas。　Or　maybe　we'll　put　you　in　the　movies；　you　look　great。〃
　
　She　looked　thirty…five。　A　good　thirty…five；　but　thirty…five。　And　out　here　in　Hollywood　that　might　as　well　be　a　hundred。　The　young　beautiful　girls　thronged　through　the　city　like　lemmings；　lasting　one　year；　some　two。　Some　of　them　so　beautiful　they　could　make　a　man's　heart　almost　stop　beating　until　they　opened　their　mouths；　until　the　greedy　hopes　for　success　clouded　the　loveliness　of　their　eyes。　Ordinary　women　could　never　hope　to　pete　with　them　on　a　physical　level。　And　you　could　talk　all　you　wanted　to　about　charm；　about　intelligence；　about　chic；　about　poise；　the　raw　beauty　of　these　girls　overpowered　everything　else。　Perhaps　if　there　were　not　so　many　of　them　there　might　be　a　chance　for　an　ordinary；　nice…looking　woman。　And　since　Johnny　Fontane　could　have　all　of　them；　or　nearly　all　of　them；　Ginny　knew　that　he　was　saying　all　this　just　to　flatter　her。　He　had　always　been　nice　that　way。　He　had　always　been　polite　to　women　even　at　the　height　of　his　fame；　paying　them　pliments；　holding　lights　for　their　cigarettes；　opening　doors。　And　since　an　this　was　usually　done　for　him；　it　made　it　even　more　impressive　to　the　girls　he　went　out　with。　And　he　did　it　with　all　girls；　even　the　one…night　stands；　I…don't…know…your…name　girls。
　
　She　smiled　at　him；　a　friendly　smile。　〃You　already　made　me；　Johnny；　remember？　For　twelve　years。　You　don't　have　to　give　me　your　line。〃
　
　He　sighed　and　stretched　out　on　the　sofa。　〃No　kidding；　Ginny；　you　look　good。　I　wish　I　looked　that　good。〃
　
　She　didn't　answer　him。　She　could　see　he　was　depressed。　〃Do　you　think　the　picture　is　OK？　Will　it　do　you　some　good？〃　she　asked。
　
　Johnny　nodded。　〃Yeah。　It　could　bring　me　all　the　way　back。　If　I　get　the　Academy　thing　and　play　my　cards　right；　I　can　make　it　big　again　even　without　the　singing。　Then　maybe　I　can　give　you　and　the　kids　more　dough。〃
　
　〃We　have　more　than　enough；〃　Ginny　said。
　
　〃I　wants　see　more　of　the　kids　too；〃　Johnny　said。　〃I　want　to　settle　down　a　little　bit。　Why　can't　I　e　every　Friday　night　for　dinner　here？　I　swear　I'll　never　miss　one　Friday；　I　don't　care　how　far　away　I　am　or　how　busy　I　am。　And　then　whenever　I　can　I'll　spend　weekends　or　maybe　the　kids　can　spend　some　part　of　their　vacations　with　me。〃
　
　Ginny　put　an　ashtray　on　his　chest。　〃It's　OK　with　me；〃　she　said。　〃I　never　got　married　because　I　wanted　you　to　keep　being　their　father。〃　She　said　this　without　any　kind　of　emotion；　but　Johnny　Fontane；　staring　up　at　the　ceiling；　knew　she　said　it　as　an　atonement　for　those　other　things；　the　cruel　things　she　had　once　said　to　him　when　their　marriage　had　broken　up；　when　his　career　had　started　going　down　the　drain。
　
　〃By　the　way；　guess　who　called　me；〃　she　said。
　
　Johnny　wouldn't　play　that　game；　he　never　did。　〃Who？〃　he　asked。
　
　Ginny　said；　〃You　could　take　at　least　one　lousy　guess。〃　Johnny　didn't　answer。　〃Your　Godfather；〃　she　said。
　
　Johnny　was　really　surprised。　〃He　never　talks　to　anybody　on　the　phone。　What　did　he　say　to　you？〃
　
　〃He　told　me　to　help　you；〃　Ginny　said。　〃He　said　you　could　be　as　big　as　you　ever　were；　that　you　were　on　your　way　back；　but　that　you　needed　people　to　believe　in　you。　I　asked　him　why　should　I？　And　he　said　because　you're　the　father　of　my　children。　He's　such　a　sweet　old　guy　and　they　tell　such　horrible　stories　about　him。〃
　
　Virginia　hated　phones　and　she　had　had　all　the　extensions　taken　out　except　for　the　one　in　her　bedroom　and　one　in　the　kitchen。　Now　they　could　hear　the　kitchen　phone　ringing。　She　went　to　answer　it。　When　she　came　back　into　the　living　room　there　was　a　look　of　surprise　on　her　face。　〃It's　for　you；　Johnny；〃　she　said。　〃It's　Tom　Hagen。　He　says　it's　important。〃
　
　Johnny　went　into　the　kitchen　and　picked　up　the　phone。　〃Yeah；　Tom；〃　he　said。
　
　Tom　Hagen's　voice　was　cool。　〃Johnny；　the　Godfather　wants　me　to　e　out　and　see　you　and　set　some　things　up　that　can　help　you　out　now　that　the　picture　is　finished。　He　wants　me　to　catch　the　morning　plane。　Can　you　meet　it　in　Los　Angeles？　I　have　to　fly　back　to　New　York　the　same　night　so　you　won't　have　to　worry　about　keeping　your　night　free　for　me。〃
　
　〃Sure；　Tom；〃　Johnny　said。　〃And　don't　worry　about　me　losing　a　night。　Stay　over　and　relax　a　bit。　I'll　throw　a　party　and　you　can　meet　some　movie　people。〃　He　always　made　that　offer；　he　didn't　want　the　folks　from　his　old　neighborhood　to　think　he　was　ashamed　of　them。
　
　〃Thanks；〃　Hagen　said；　〃but　I　really　have　to　catch　the　early　morning　plane　back。　OK；　you'll　meet　the　eleven…thirty　A。M。　out　of　New　York？〃
　
　〃Sure；〃　Johnny　said。
　
　〃Stay　in　your　car；〃　Hagen　said。　〃Send　one　of　your　people　to　meet　me　when　I　get　off　the　plane　and　bring　me　to　you。〃
　
　〃Right；〃　Johnny　said。
　
　He　went　back　to　the　living　room　and　Ginny　looked　at　him　inquiringly。　〃My　Godfather　has　some　plan　for　me；　to　help　me　out；〃　Johnny　said。　〃He　got　me　the　part　in　the　movie；　I　don't　know　how。　But　I　wish　he'd　stay　out　of　the　rest　of　it。〃
　
　He　went　back　onto　the　sofa。　He　felt　very　tired。　Ginny　said；　〃Why　don't　you　sleep　in　the　guest　bedroom　tonight　instead　of　going　home？　You　can　have　breakfast　with　the　kids　and　you　won't　have　to　drive　home　so　late。　I　hate　to　think　of　you　all　alone　in　that　house　of　yours　anyway。　Don't　you　get　lonely？〃
　
　〃I　don't　stay　home　much；〃　Johnny　said。
　
　She　laughed　and　said；　〃Then　you　haven't　changed　much。〃　She　paused　and　then　said；　〃Shall　I　fix　up　the　other　bedroom？〃
　
　Johnny　said；　〃Why　can't　I　sleep　in　your　bedroom？〃
　
　She　flushed。　〃No；〃　she　said。　She　smiled　at　him　and　he　smiled　back。　They　were　still　friends。
　
　When　Johnny　woke　up　the　next　morning　it　was　late；　he　could　tell　by　the　sun　ing　in　through　the　drawn　blinds。　It　never　came　in　that　way　unless　it　was　in　the　afternoon。　He　yelled；　〃Hey；　Ginny；　do　I　still　rate　breakfast？〃　And　far　away　he　heard　her　voice　call；　〃Just　a　second。〃
　
　And　it　was　just　a　second。　She　must　have　had　everything　ready；　hot　in　the　oven；　the　tray　waiting　to　be　loaded；　because　as　Johnny　lit　his　fast　cigarette　of　the　day；　the　door　of　the　bedroom　opened　and　his　two　small　daughters　came　in　wheeling　the　breakfast　cart。
　
　They　were　so　beautiful　it　broke　his　heart。　Their　faces　were　shining　and　clear；　their　eyes　alive　with　curiosity　and　the　eager　desire　to　run　to　him。　They　wore　their　hair　braid　old…fashioned　in　long　pigtails　and　they　wore　old…fashioned　frocks　and　white　patent…leather　shoes。　They　stood　by　the　breakfast　cart　watching　him　as　he　stubbed　out　his　cigarette　and　waited　for　him　to　call　and　hold　his　arms　wide。　Then　they　came　running　to　him。　He　pressed　his　face　between　their　two　fresh　fragrant　cheeks　and　scraped　them　with　his　beard　so　that　they　shrieked。　Ginny　appeared　in　the　bedroom　door　and　wheeled　the　breakfast　cart　the　rest　of　the　way　so　that　he　could　eat　in　bed。　She　sat　beside　him　on　the　edge　of　the　bed；　pouring　his　coffee；　buttering　his　toast。　The　two　young　daughters　sat　on　the　bedroom　couch　watching　him。　They　were　too　old　now　for　pillow　fights　or　to　be　tossed　around。　They　were　already　smoothing　their　mussed　hair。　Oh；　Christ；　he　thought；　pretty　soon　they'll　be　all　grown　up；　Hollywood　punks　will　be　out　after　them。
　
　He　shared　his　toast　and　bacon　with　them　as　he　ate；　gave　them　sips　of　coffee。　It　was　a　habit　left　over　from　when　he　had　been　singing　with　the　band　and　rarely　ate　with　them　so　they　liked　to　share　his　food　when　he　had　his　odd…hour　meals　like　afternoon　breakfasts　or　morning　suppers。　The　change…around　in　food　delighted　them…　to　eat　steak　and　french　fries　at　seven　in　the　morning；　bacon　and　eggs　in　the　afternoon。
　
　Only　Ginny　and　a　few　of　his　close　friends　knew　how　much　he　idolized　his　daughters。　That　had　been　the　worst　thing　about　the　divorce　and　leaving　home。　The　one　thing　he　had　fought　about；　and　for；　was　his　position　as　a　father　to　them。　In　a　very　sly　way　he　had　made　Ginny　understand　he　would　not　be　pleased　by　her　remarrying；　not　because　he　was　jealous　of　her；　but　because　he　was　jealous　of　his　position　as　a　father。　He　had　arranged　the　money　to　be　paid　to　her　so　it　would　be　enormously　to　her　advantage　financially　not　to　remarry。　It　was　understood　that　she　could　have　lovers　as　long　as　they　were　not　introduced　into　her　home　life。　But　on　this　score　he　had　absolute　faith　in　her。　She　had　always　been　amazingly　shy　and　old…fashioned　in　sex。　The　Hollywood　gigolos　had　batted　zero　when　they　started　swarming　around　her；　sniffing　for　the　financial　settlement　and　the　favors　they　could　get　from　her　famous　husband。
　
　He　had　no　fear　that　she　expected　a　reconciliation　because　he　had　wanted　to　sleep　with　her　the　night　before。　Neither　one　of　them　wanted　to　renew　their　old　marriage。　She　understood　his　hunger　for　beauty；　his　irresistible　impulse　toward　young　women　far　more　beautiful　than　she。　It　was　known　that　he　always　slept　with　his　movie　co…stars　at　least　once。　His　boyis