mp.godfather-第44节

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corner；　turned　her　head　to　look　at　them。　Nino　waved　his　glass　at　her　in　greeting。
　
　Johnny　Fontane　sighed。　〃OK；　you're　just　a　guinea　peasant。〃
　
　〃And　I　ain't　gonna　change；〃　Nino　said　with　his　charmingly　drunken　smile。
　
　Johnny　understood　him　perfectly。　He　knew　Nino　was　not　as　drunk　as　he　pretended。　He　knew　that　Nino　was　only　pretending　so　that　he　could　say　things　which　he　felt　were　too　rude　to　say　to　his　new　Hollywood　padrone　when　sober。　He　put　his　arm　around　Nino's　neck　and　said　affectionately；　〃You　wise　guy　bum；　you　know　you　got　an　ironclad　contract　for　a　year　and　you　can　say　and　do　anything　you　want　and　I　can't　fire　you。〃
　
　〃You　can't　fire　me？〃　Nino　said　with　drunken　cunning。
　
　〃No；〃　Johnny　said。
　
　〃Then　fuck　you；〃　Nino　said。
　
　For　a　moment　Johnny　was　surprised　into　anger。　He　saw　the　careless　grin　on　Nino's　face。　But　in　the　past　few　years　he　must　have　gotten　smarter；　or　his　own　descent　from　stardom　had　made　him　more　sensitive。　In　that　moment　he　understood　Nino；　why　his　boyhood　singing　partner　had　never　bee　successful；　why　he　was　trying　to　destroy　any　chance　of　success　now。　That　Nino　was　reacting　away　from　all　the　prices　of　success；　that　in　some　way　he　felt　insulted　by　everything　that　was　being　done　for　him。
　
　Johnny　took　Nino　by　the　arm　and　led　him　out　of　the　house。　Nino　could　barely　walk　now。　Johnny　was　talking　to　him　soothingly。　〃OK；　kid；　you　just　sing　for　me；　I　wants　make　dough　on　you。　I　won't　try　to　run　your　life。　You　do　whatever　you　wants　do。　OK；　paisan？　All　you　gotta　do　is　sing　for　me　and　earn　me　money　now　that　I　can't　sing　anymore。　You　got　that；　old　buddy？〃
　
　Nino　straightened　up。　〃I'll　sing　for　you；　Johnny；〃　he　said；　his　voice　slurring　so　that　he　could　barely　be　understood。　〃I'm　a　better　singer　than　you　now。　I　was　always　a　better　singer　than　you；　you　know　that？〃
　
　Johnny　stood　there　thinking；　so　that　was　it。　He　knew　that　when　his　voice　was　healthy　Nino　simply　wasn't　in　the　same　league　with　him；　never　had　been　in　those　years　they　had　sung　together　as　kids。　He　saw　Nino　was　waiting　for　an　answer；　weaving　drunkenly　in　the　California　moonlight。　〃Fuck　you；〃　he　said　gently；　and　they　both　laughed　together　like　the　old　days　when　they　had　both　been　equally　young。
　
　**********
　
　When　Johnny　Fontane　got　word　about　the　shooting　of　Don　Corleone　he　not　only　worried　about　his　Godfather；　but　also　wondered　whether　the　financing　for　his　movie　was　still　alive。　He　had　wanted　to　go　to　New　York　to　pay　his　respects　to　his　Godfather　in　the　hospital　but　he　had　been　told　not　to　get　any　bad　publicity；　that　was　the　last　thing　Don　Corleone　would　want。　So　he　waited。　A　week　later　a　messenger　came　from　Tom　Hagen。　The　financing　was　still　on　but　for　only　one　picture　at　a　time。
　
　Meanwhile　Johnny　let　Nino　go　his　own　way　in　Hollywood　and　California；　and　Nino　was　doing　all　right　with　the　young　starlets。　Sometimes　Johnny　called　him　up　for　a　night　out　together　but　never　leaned　on　him。　When　they　talked　about　the　Don　getting　shot；　Nino　said　to　Johnny；　〃You　know；　once　I　asked　the　Don　for　a　job　in　his　organization　and　he　wouldn't　give　it　to　me。　I　was　tired　of　driving　a　truck　and　I　wanted　to　make　a　lot　of　dough。　You　know　what　he　told　me？　He　says　every　man　has　only　one　destiny　and　that　my　destiny　was　to　be　an　artist。　Meaning　that　I　couldn't　be　a　racket　guy。〃
　
　Johnny　thought　that　one　over。　The　Godfather　must　be　just　about　the　smartest　guy　in　the　world。　He'd　known　immediately　that　Nino　could　never　make　a　racket　guy；　would　only　get　himself　in　trouble　or　get　killed。　Get　killed　with　just　one　of　his　wisecracks。　But　how　did　the　Don　know　that　he　would　be　an　artist？　Because；　goddamn　it；　he　figured　that　someday　I'd　help　Nino。　And　how　did　he　figure　that？　Because　he　would　drop　the　word　to　me　and　I　would　try　to　show　my　gratitude。　Of　course　he　never　asked　me　to　do　it。　He　just　let　me　know　it　would　make　him　happy　if　I　did　it。　Johnny　Fontane　sighed。　Now　the　Godfather　was　hurt；　in　trouble；　and　he　could　kiss　the　Academy　Award　good…bye　with　Woltz　working　against　him　and　no　help　on　his　side。　Only　the　Don　had　the　personal　contacts　that　could　apply　pressure　and　the　Corleone　Family　had　other　things　to　think　about。　Johnny　had　offered　to　help；　Hagen　had　given　him　a　curt　no。
　
　Johnny　was　busy　getting　his　own　picture　going。　The　author　of　the　book　he　had　starred　in　had　finished　his　new　novel　and　came　west　on　Johnny's　invitation；　to　talk　it　over　without　agents　or　studios　getting　into　the　act。　The　second　book　was　perfect　for　what　Johnny　wanted。　He　wouldn't　have　to　sing；　it　had　a　good　gutsy　story　with　plenty　of　dames　and　sex　and　it　had　a　part　that　Johnny　instantly　recognized　as　tailor…made　for　Nino。　The　character　talked　like　Nino；　acted　like　him；　even　looked　like　him。　It　was　uncanny。　All　Nino　would　have　to　do　would　be　to　get　up　on　the　screen　and　be　himself。
　
　Johnny　worked　fast。　He　found　that　he　knew　a　lot　more　about　production　than　he　thought　he　did；　but　he　hired　an　executive　producer；　a　man　who　knew　his　stuff　but　had　trouble　finding　work　because　of　the　blacklist。　Johnny　didn't　take　advantage　but　gave　the　man　a　fair　contract。　〃I　expect　you　to　save　me　more　dough　this　way；〃　he　told　the　man　frankly。　
　
　So　he　was　surprised　when　the　executive　producer　came　to　him　and　told　him　the　union　rep　had　to　be　taken　care　of　to　the　tune　of　fifty　thousand　dollars。　There　were　a　lot　of　problems　dealing　with　overtime　and　hiring　and　the　fifty　thousand　dollars　would　be　well　spent。　Johnny　debated　whether　the　executive　producer　was　hustling　him　and　then　said；　〃Send　the　union　guy　to　me。〃
　
　The　union　guy　was　Billy　Goff。　Johnny　said　to　him；　〃I　thought　the　union　stuff　was　fixed　by　my　friends。　I　was　told　not　to　worry　about　it。　At　all。〃
　
　Goff　said；　〃Who　told　you　that？〃
　
　Johnny　said；　〃You　know　goddamn　well　who　told　me。　I　won't　say　his　name　but　if　he　tells　me　something　that's　it。〃
　
　Goff　said；　〃Things　have　changed。　Your　friend　is　in　trouble　and　his　word　don't　go　this　far　west　anymore。〃
　
　Johnny　shrugged。　〃See　me　in　a　couple　of　days。　OK？〃
　
　Goff　smiled。　〃Sure；　Johnny；〃　he　said。　〃But　calling　in　New　York　ain't　going　to　help　you。〃
　
　But　calling　New　York　did　help。　Johnny　spoke　to　Hagen　at　his　office。　Hagen　told　him　bluntly　not　to　pay。　〃Your　Godfather　will　be　sore　as　hell　if　you　pay　that　bastard　a　dime；〃　he　told　Johnny。　〃It　will　make　the　Don　lose　respect　and　right　now　he　can't　afford　that。〃
　
　〃Can　I　talk　to　the　Don？〃　Johnny　asked。　〃Will　you　talk　to　him？　I　gotta　get　the　picture　rolling。〃
　
　〃Nobody　can　talk　to　the　Don　right　now；〃　Hagen　said。　〃He's　too　sick。　I'll　talk　to　Sonny　about　fixing　things　up。　But　I'll　make　the　decision　on　this。　Don't　pay　that　smart　bastard　a　dime。　If　anything　changes；　I'll　let　you　know。〃
　
　Annoyed；　Johnny　hung　up。　Union　trouble　could　add　a　fortune　to　making　the　film　and　screw　up　the　works　generally。　For　a　moment　he　debated　slipping　Goff　the　fifty　grand　on　the　quiet。　After　all；　the　Don　telling　him　something　and　Hagen　telling　him　something　and　giving　him　orders　were　two　different　things。　But　he　decided　to　wait　for　a　few　days。
　
　By　waiting　he　saved　fifty　thousand　dollars。　Two　nights　later；　Goff　was　found　shot　to　death　in　his　home　in　Glendale。　There　was　no　more　talk　of　union　trouble。　Johnny　was　a　little　shaken　by　the　killing。　It　was　the　first　time　the　long　arm　of　the　Don　had　struck　such　a　lethal　blow　so　close　to　him。
　
　As　the　weeks　went　by　and　he　became　busier　and　busier　with　getting　the　script　ready；　casting　the　movie　and　working　out　production　details；　Johnny　Fontane　forgot　about　his　voice；　his　not　being　able　to　sing。　Yet　when　the　Academy　Award　nominations　came　out　and　he　found　himself　one　of　the　candidates；　he　was　depressed　because　he　was　not　asked　to　sing　one　of　the　songs　nominated　for　the　Oscar　at　the　ceremony　that　would　be　televised　nationally。　But　he　shrugged　it　off　and　kept　working。　He　had　no　hope　of　winning　the　Academy　Award　now　that　his　Godfather　was　no　longer　able　to　put　pressure　on；　but　getting　the　nomination　had　some　value。
　
　The　record　he　and　Nino　had　cut；　the　one　of　Italian　songs；　was　selling　much　better　than　anything　he　had　cut　lately；　but　he　knew　that　it　was　Nino's　success　more　than　his。　He　resigned　himself　to　never　being　able　to　again　sing　professionally。
　
　Once　a　week　he　had　dinner　with　Ginny　and　the　kids。　No　matter　how　hectic　things　got　he　never　skipped　that　duty。　But　he　didn't　sleep　with　Ginny。　Meanwhile　his　second　wife　had　finagled　a　Mexican　divorce　and　so　he　was　a　bachelor　again。　Oddly　enough　he　was　not　that　frantic　to　bang　starlets　who　would　have　been　easy　meat。　He　was　too　snobbish　really。　He　was　hurt　that　none　of　the　young　stars；　the　actresses　who　were　still　on　top；　ever　gave　him　a　tumble。　But　it　was　good　to　work　hard。　Most　nights　he　would　go　home　alone；　put　his　old　records　on　the　player；　have　a　drink　and　hum　along　with　them　for　a　few　bars。　He　had　been　good；　damn　good。　He　hadn't　realized　how　good　he　was。　Even　aside　from　the　special　voice；　which　could　have　happened　to　anybody；　he　was　good。　He　had　been　a　real　artist　and　never　knew　it；　and　never　knew　how　much　he　loved　it。　He'd　ruined　his　voice　with　booze　and　tobacco　and　broads　just　when　he　really　knew　what　it　was　all　about。
　
　Sometimes　Nino　came　over　for　a　drink　and　listened　with　him　and　John