mp.godfather-第42节

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unfaithful　they　were。　It　didn't　matter　that　the　women　he　loved　most　in　the　world　were　secretly　glad　to　see　him　crushed；　humiliated；　by　a　wayward　fortune；　it　did　not　matter　that　in　the　most　awful　way；　not　sexually；　they　had　been　unfaithful　to　him。　He　had　no　choice。　He　had　to　accept　them。　And　so　he　made　love　to　all　of　them；　gave　them　presents；　hid　the　hurt　their　enjoyment　of　his　misfortunes　gave　him。　He　forgave　them　knowing　he　was　being　paid　back　for　having　lived　in　the　utmost　freedom　from　women　and　in　the　fullest　flush　of　their　favor。　But　now　he　never　felt　guilty　about　being　untrue　to　them。　He　never　felt　guilty　about　how　he　treated　Ginny；　insisting　on　remaining　the　sole　father　of　his　children；　yet　never　even　considering　remarrying　her；　and　letting　her　know　that　too。　That　was　one　thing　he　had　salvaged　out　of　his　fall　from　the　top。　He　had　grown　a　thick　skin　about　the　hurts　he　gave　women。
　
　He　was　tired　and　ready　for　bed　but　one　note　of　memory　stuck　with　him：　singing　with　Nino　Valenti。　And　suddenly　he　knew　what　would　please　Don　Corleone　more　than　anything　else。　He　picked　up　the　phone　and　told　the　operator　to　get　him　New　York。　He　called　Sonny　Corleone　and　asked　him　for　Nino　Valenti's　number。　Then　he　called　Nino。　Nino　sounded　a　little　drunk　as　usual。
　
　〃Hey；　Nino；　how'd　you　like　to　e　out　here　and　work　for　me；〃　Johnny　said。　〃I　need　a　guy　I　can　trust。〃
　
　Nino；　kidding　around；　said；　〃Gee；　I　don't　know；　Johnny；　I　got　a　good　job　on　the　truck；　boffing　housewives　along　my　route；　picking　up　a　clear　hundred…fifty　every　week。　What　you　got　to　offer？〃
　
　〃I　can　start　you　at　five　hundred　and　get　you　blind　dates　with　movie　stars；　how's　that？〃　Johnny　said。　〃And　maybe　I'll　let　you　sing　at　my　parties。〃
　
　〃Yeah；　OK；　let　me　think　about　it。〃　Nino　said。　〃Let　me　talk　it　over　with　my　lawyer　and　my　accountant　and　my　helper　on　the　truck。〃
　
　〃Hey；　no　kidding　around；　Nino；〃　Johnny　said。　〃I　need　you　out　here。　I　want　you　to　fly　out　tomorrow　morning　and　sign　a　personal　contract　for　five　hundred　a　week　for　a　year。　Then　if　you　steal　one　of　my　broads　and　I　fire　you；　you　pick　up　at　least　a　year's　salary。　OK？〃
　
　There　was　a　long　pause。　Nino's　voice　was　sober。　〃Hey；　Johnny；　you　kidding？〃
　
　Johnny　said；　〃I'm　serious；　kid。　Go　to　my　agent's　office　in　New　York。　They'll　have　your　plane　ticket　and　some　cash。　I'm　gonna　call　them　first　thing　in　the　morning。　So　you　go　up　there　in　the　afternoon。　OK？　Then　I'll　have　somebody　meet　you　at　the　plane　and　bring　you　out　to　the　house。〃
　
　Again　there　was　a　long　pause　and　then　Nino's　voice；　very　subdued；　uncertain；　said；　〃OK；　Johnny。〃　He　didn't　sound　drunk　anymore。
　
　Johnny　hung　up　the　phone　and　got　ready　for　bed。　He　felt　better　than　any　time　since　he　had　smashed　that　master　record。
　
　Chapter　13
　
　Johnny　Fontane　sat　in　the　huge　recording　studio　and　figured　costs　on　a　yellow　pad。　Musicians　were　filing　in；　all　of　them　friends　he　had　known　since　he　was　a　kid　singer　with　the　bands。　The　conductor；　top　man　in　the　business　of　pop　acpaniment　and　a　man　who　had　been　kind　to　him　when　things　went　sour；　was　giving　each　musician　bundles　of　music　and　verbal　instructions。　His　name　was　Eddie　Neils。　He　had　taken　on　this　recording　as　a　favor　to　Johnny；　though　his　schedule　was　crowded。
　
　Nino　Valenti　was　sitting　at　a　piano　fooling　around　nervously　with　the　keys。　He　was　also　sipping　from　a　huge　glass　of　rye。　Johnny　didn't　mind　that。　He　knew　Nino　sang　just　as　well　drunk　as　sober　and　what　they　were　doing　today　wouldn't　require　any　real　musicianship　on　Nino's　part。
　
　Eddie　Neils　had　made　special　arrangements　of　some　old　Italian　and　Sicilian　songs；　and　a　special　job　on　the　duel…duet　song　that　Nino　and　Johnny　had　sung　at　Connie　Corleone's　wedding。　Johnny　was　making　the　record　primarily　because　he　knew　that　the　Don　loved　such　songs　and　it　would　be　a　perfect　Christmas　gift　for　him。　He　also　had　a　hunch　that　the　record　would　sell　in　the　high　numbers；　not　a　million；　of　course。　And　he　had　figured　out　that　helping　Nino　was　how　the　Don　wanted　his　payoff。　Nino　was；　after　all；　another　one　of　the　Don's　godchildren。
　
　Johnny　put　his　clipboard　and　yellow　pad　on　the　folding　chair　beside　him　and　got　up　to　stand　beside　the　piano。　He　said；　〃Hey；　paisan；〃　and　Nino　glanced　up　and　tried　to　smile。　He　looked　a　little　sick。　Johnny　leaned　over　and　rubbed　his　shoulder　blades。　〃Relax；　kid；〃　he　said。　〃Do　a　good　job　today　and　I'll　fix　you　up　with　the　best　and　most　famous　piece　of　ass　in　Hollywood。〃
　
　Nino　took　a　gulp　of　whiskey。〃Who's　that；　Lassie？〃
　
　Johnny　laughed。　〃No；　Deanna　Dunn。　I　guarantee　the　goods。〃
　
　Nino　was　impressed　but　couldn't　help　saying　with　pseudo…hopefulness；　〃You　can't　get　me　Lassie？〃
　
　The　orchestra　swung　into　the　opening　song　of　the　medley。　Johnny　Fontane　listened　intently。　Eddie　Neils　would　play　all　the　songs　through　in　their　special　arrangements。　Then　would　e　the　first　take　for　the　record。　As　Johnny　listened　he　made　mental　notes　on　exactly　how　he　would　handle　each　phrase；　how　he　would　e　into　each　song。　He　knew　his　voice　wouldn't　last　long；　but　Nino　would　be　doing　most　of　the　singing；　Johnny　would　be　singing　under　him。　Except　of　course　in　the　duet…duel　song。　He　would　have　to　save　himself　for　that。
　
　He　pulled　Nino　to　his　feet　and　they　both　stood　by　their　microphones。　Nino　flubbed　the　opening；　flubbed　it　again。　His　face　was　beginning　to　get　red　with　embarrassment。　Johnny　kidded　him；　〃Hey；　you　stalling　for　overtime？〃
　
　〃I　don't　feel　natural　without　my　mandolin；〃　Nino　said。
　
　Johnny　thought　that　over　for　a　moment。　〃Hold　that　glass　of　booze　in　your　hand；〃　he　said。
　
　It　seemed　to　do　the　trick。　Nino　kept　drinking　from　the　glass　as　he　sang　but　he　was　doing　fine。　Johnny　sang　easily；　not　straining；　his　voice　merely　dancing　around　Nino's　main　melody。　There　was　no　emotional　satisfaction　in　this　kind　of　singing　but　he　was　amazed　at　his　own　technical　skill。　Ten　years　of　vocalizing　had　taught　him　something。
　
　When　they　came　to　the　duet…duel　song　that　ended　the　record；　Johnny　let　his　voice　go　and　when　they　finished　his　vocal　cords　ached。　The　musicians　had　been　carried　away　by　the　last　song；　a　rare　thing　for　these　calloused　veterans。　They　hammered　down　their　instruments　and　stamped　their　feet　in　approval　as　applause。　The　drummer　gave　them　a　ruffle　of　drums。
　
　With　stops　and　conferences　they　worked　nearly　four　hours　before　they　quit。　Eddie　Neils　came　over　to　Johnny　and　said　quietly；　〃You　sounded　pretty　good；　kid。　Maybe　you're　ready　to　do　a　record。　I　have　a　new　song　that's　perfect　for　you。〃
　
　Johnny　shook　his　head。　〃e　on；　Eddie；　don't　kid　me。　Besides；　in　a　couple　of　hours　I'll　be　too　hoarse　to　even　talk。　Do　you　think　we'll　have　to　fix　up　much　of　the　stuff　we　did　today？〃
　
　Eddie　said　thoughtfully；　〃Nino　will　have　to　e　into　the　studio　tomorrow。　He　made　some　mistakes。　But　he's　much　better　than　I　thought　he　would　be。　As　for　your　stuff；　I'll　have　the　sound　engineers　fix　anything　I　don't　like。　OK？〃
　
　〃OK；〃　Johnny　said。　〃When　can　I　hear　the　pressing？〃
　
　〃Tomorrow　night；〃　Eddie　Neils　said。　〃Your　place？〃
　
　〃Yeah；〃　Johnny　said。　〃Thanks；　Eddie。　See　you　tomorrow。〃　He　took　Nino　by　the　arm　and　walked　out　of　the　studio。　They　went　to　his　house　instead　of　Ginny's。
　
　By　this　time　it　was　late　afternoon。　Nino　was　still　more　than　half…drunk。　Johnny　told　him　to　get　under　the　shower　and　then　take　a　snooze。　They　had　to　be　at　a　big　party　at　eleven　that　night。
　
　When　Nino　woke　up；　Johnny　briefed　him。　〃This　party　is　a　movie　star　Lonely　Hearts　Club；〃　he　said。　〃These　broads　tonight　are　dames　you've　seen　in　the　movies　as　glamour　queens　millions　of　guys　would　give　their　right　arms　to　screw。　And　the　only　reason　they'll　be　at　the　party　tonight　is　to　find　somebody　to　shack　them　up。　Do　yov　know　why？　Because　they　are　hungry　for　it；　they　are　just　a　little　old。　And　just　like　every　dame；　they　want　it　with　a　little　bit　of　class。〃
　
　〃What's　the　matter　with　your　voice？〃　Nino　asked。
　
　Johnny　had　been　speaking　almost　in　a　whisper。　〃Every　time　after　I　sing　a　little　bit　that　happens。　I　won't　be　able　to　sing　for　a　month　now。　But　I'll　get　over　the　hoarseness　in　a　couple　of　days。〃
　
　Nino　said　thoughtfully；　〃Tough；　huh？〃
　
　Johnny　shrugged。　〃Listen；　Nino；　don't　get　too　drunk　tonight。　You　have　to　show　these　Hollywood　broads　that　my　paisan　buddy　ain't　weak　in　the　poop。　You　gotta　e　across。　Remember；　some　of　these　dames　are　very　powerful　in　movies；　they　can　get　you　work。　It　doesn't　hurt　to　be　charming　after　you　knock　off　a　piece。〃
　
　Nino　was　already　pouring　himself　a　drink。　〃I'm　always　charming；〃　he　said。　He　drained　the　glass。　Grinning；　he　asked；　〃No　kidding；　can　you　really　get　me　close　to　Deanna　Dunn？〃
　
　〃Don't　be　so　anxious；〃　Johnny　said。　〃It's　not　going　to　be　like　you　think。〃
　
　**********
　
　The　Hollywood　Movie　Star　Lonely　Hearts　Club　（so　called　by　the　young　juvenile　leads　whose　attendance　was　mandatory）　met　every　Friday　night　at　the　palatial；　studio…owned　home　of　Roy　McElroy；　press　agent　or　rather　public　relations　counsel　for　the　Woltz　International　Film　Corporation。　Actually；　though　it　was　McElroy's　open　house　party；　the　idea　had　e　from　the　practical　brain　of　Jack　Woltz　himself。　Some　of　his　money…making　movie　stars　were　getting　older　now。　Without　the　he