mp.godfather-第8节

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　Johnny　Fontane　laughed。　〃Godfather；　not　all　women　are　like　the　old　Italian　wives。　Ginny　won't　stand　for　it。〃
　
　Now　the　Don　was　mocking。　〃Because　you　acted　like　a　finocchio。　You　gave　her　more　than　the　court　said。　You　didn't　hit　the　other　in　the　face　because　she　was　making　a　picture。　You　let　women　dictate　your　actions　and　they　are　not　petent　in　this　world；　though　certainly　they　will　be　saints　in　heaven　while　we　men　burn　in　hell。　And　then　I've　watched　you　all　these　years。〃　The　Don's　voice　became　earnest。　〃You've　been　a　fine　godson；　you've　given　me　all　the　respect。　But　what　of　your　other　old　friends？　One　year　you　run　around　with　this　person；　the　next　year　with　another　person。　That　Italian　boy　who　was　so　funny　in　the　movies；　he　had　some　bad　luck　and　you　never　saw　him　again　because　you　were　more　famous。　And　how　about　your　old；　old　rade　that　you　went　to　school　with；　who　was　your　partner　singing？　Nino。　He　drinks　too　much　out　of　disappointment　but　he　never　plains。　He　works　hard　driving　the　gravel　truck　and　sings　weekends　for　a　few　dollars。　He　never　says　anything　against　you。　You　couldn't　help　him　a　bit？　Why　not？　He　sings　well。〃
　
　Johnny　Fontane　said　with　patient　weariness；　〃Godfather；　he　just　hasn't　got　enough　talent。　He's　OK；　but　he's　not　big　time。〃
　
　Don　Corleone　lidded　his　eyes　almost　closed　and　then　said；　〃And　you；　godson；　you　now；　you　just　don't　have　talent　enough。　Shall　I　get　you　a　job　on　the　gravel　truck　with　Nino？〃　When　Johnny　didn't　answer；　the　Don　went　on。　〃Friendship　is　everything。　Friendship　is　more　than　talent。　It　is　more　than　government。　It　is　almost　the　equal　of　family。　Never　forget　that。　If　you　had　built　up　a　wall　of　friendships　you　wouldn't　have　to　ask　me　to　help。　Now　tell　me；　why　can't　you　sing？　You　sang　well　in　the　garden。　As　well　as　Nino。〃
　
　Hagen　and　Johnny　smiled　at　this　delicate　thrust。　It　was　Johnny's　turn　to　be　patronizingly　patient。　〃My　voice　is　weak。　I　sing　one　or　two　songs　and　then　I　can't　sing　again　for　hours　or　days。　I　can't　make　it　through　the　rehearsals　or　the　retakes。　My　voice　is　weak；　it's　got　some　sort　of　sickness。〃
　
　〃So　you　have　woman　trouble。　Your　voice　is　sick。　Now　tell　me　the　trouble　you're　having　with　this　Hollywood　pezzonovante　who　won't　let　you　work。〃　The　Don　was　getting　down　to　business。
　
　〃He's　bigger　than　one　of　your　pezzonovantes；〃　Johnny　said。　〃He　owns　the　studio。　He　advises　the　President　on　movie　propaganda　for　the　war。　Just　a　month　ago　he　bought　the　movie　rights　to　the　biggest　novel　of　the　year。　A　best　seller。　And　the　main　character　is　a　guy　just　like　me。　I　wouldn't　even　have　to　act；　just　be　myself。　I　wouldn't　even　have　to　sing。　I　might　even　win　the　Academy　Award。　Everybody　knows　it's　perfect　for　me　and　I'd　be　big　again。　As　an　actor。　But　that　bastard　Jack　Woltz　is　paying　me　off；　he　won't　give　it　to　me。　I　offered　to　do　it　for　nothing；　for　a　minimum　price　and　he　still　says　no。　He　sent　the　word　that　if　I　e　and　kiss　his　ass　in　the　studio　missary；　maybe　he'll　think　about　it。〃
　
　Don　Corleone　dismissed　this　emotional　nonsense　with　a　wave　of　his　hand。　Among　reasonable　men　problems　of　business　could　always　be　solved。　He　patted　his　godson　on　the　shoulder。　〃You're　discouraged。　Nobody　cares　about　you；　so　you　think。　And　you've　lost　a　lot　of　weight。　You　drink　a　lot；　eh？　You　don't　sleep　and　you　take　pills？〃　He　shook　his　head　disapprovingly。
　
　〃Now　I　want　you　to　follow　my　orders；〃　the　Don　said。　〃I　want　you　to　stay　in　my　house　for　one　month。　I　want　you　to　eat　well；　to　rest　and　sleep。　I　want　you　to　be　my　panion；　I　enjoy　your　pany；　and　maybe　you　can　learn　something　about　the　world　from　your　Godfather　that　might　even　help　you　in　the　great　Hollywood。　But　no　singing；　no　drinking　and　no　women。　At　the　end　of　the　month　you　can　go　back　to　Hollywood　and　this　pezzonovante；　this　。90　caliber　will　give　you　that　job　you　want。　Done？〃
　
　Johnny　Fontane　could　not　altogether　believe　that　the　Don　had　such　power。　But　his　Godfather　had　never　said　such　and　such　a　thing　could　be　done　without　having　it　done。　〃This　guy　is　a　personal　friend　of　J。　Edgar　Hoover；〃　Johnny　said。　〃You　can't　even　raise　your　voice　to　him。〃
　
　〃He's　a　businessman；〃　the　Don　said　blandly。　〃I'll　make　him　an　offer　he　can't　refuse。〃
　
　〃It's　too　late；〃　Johnny　said。　〃All　the　contracts　have　been　signed　and　they　start　shooting　in　a　week。　It's　absolutely　impossible。〃
　
　Don　Corleone　said；　〃Go；　go　back　to　the　party。　Your　friends　are　waiting　for　you。　Leave　everything　to　me。〃　He　pushed　Johnny　Fontane　out　of　the　room。
　
　Hagen　sat　behind　the　desk　and　made　notes。　The　Don　heaved　a　sigh　and　asked；　〃Is　there　anything　else？〃
　
　〃Sollozzo　can't　be　put　off　any　more。　You'll　have　to　see　him　this　week。〃　Hagen　held　his　pen　over　the　calendar。
　
　The　Don　shrugged。　〃Now　that　the　wedding　is　over；　whenever　you　like。〃
　
　This　answer　told　Hagen　two　things。　Most　important；　that　the　answer　to　Virgil　Sollozzo　would　be　no。　The　second；　that　Don　Corleone；　since　he　would　not　give　the　answer　before　his　daughter's　wedding；　expected　his　no　to　cause　trouble。
　
　Hagen　said　cautiously；　〃Shall　I　tell　Clemenza　to　have　some　men　e　live　in　the　house？〃
　
　The　Don　said　impatiently；　〃For　what？　I　didn't　answer　before　the　wedding　because　on　an　important　day　like　that　there　should　be　no　cloud；　not　even　in　the　distance。　Also　I　wanted　to　know　beforehand　what　he　wanted　to　talk　about。　We　know　now。　What　he　will　propose　is　an　infamita。〃
　
　Hagen　asked；　〃Then　you　will　refuse？〃　When　the　Don　nodded；　Hagen　said；　〃I　think　we　should　all　discuss　it…　the　whole　Family…　before　you　give　your　answer。〃
　
　The　Don　smiled。　〃You　think　so？　Good；　we　will　discuss　it。　When　you　e　back　from　California。　I　want　you　to　fly　there　tomorrow　and　settle　this　business　for　Johnny。　See　that　movie　pezzonovante。　Tell　Sollozzo　I　will　see　him　when　you　get　back　from　California。　Is　there　anything　else？〃
　
　Hagen　said　formally；　〃The　hospital　called。　Consigliere　Abbandando　is　dying；　he　won't　last　out　the　night。　His　family　was　told　to　e　and　wait。〃
　
　Hagen　had　filled　the　Consigliere's　post　for　the　past　year；　ever　since　the　cancer　had　imprisoned　Genco　Abbandando　in　his　hospital　bed。　Now　he　waited　to　hear　Don　Corleone　say　the　post　was　his　permanently。　The　odds　were　against　it。　So　high　a　position　was　traditionally　given　only　to　a　man　descended　from　two　Italian　parents。　There　had　already　been　trouble　about　his　temporary　performance　of　the　duties。　Also；　he　was　only　thirty…five；　not　old　enough；　supposedly；　to　have　acquired　the　necessary　experience　and　cunning　for　a　successful　Consigliere。
　
　But　the　Don　gave　him　no　encouragement。　He　asked；　〃When　does　my　daughter　leave　with　her　bridegroom？〃
　
　Hagen　looked　at　his　wristwatch。　〃In　a　few　minutes　they'll　cut　the　cake　and　then　a　half　hour　after　that。〃　That　reminded　him　of　something　else。　〃Your　new　son…in…law。　Do　we　give　him　something　important；　inside　the　Family？〃
　
　He　was　surprised　at　the　vehemence　of　the　Don's　answer。　〃Never。〃　The　Don　hit　the　desk　with　the　flat　of　his　hand。　〃Never。　Give　him　something　to　earn　his　living；　a　good　living。　But　never　let　him　know　the　Family's　business。　Tell　the　others；　Sonny；　Fredo；　Clemenza。〃
　
　The　Don　paused。　〃Instruct　my　sons；　all　three　of　them；　that　they　will　acpany　me　to　the　hospital　to　see　poor　Genco。　I　want　them　to　pay　their　last　respects。　Tell　Freddie　to　drive　the　big　car　and　ask　Johnny　if　he　will　e　with　us；　as　a　special　favor　to　me。〃　He　saw　Hagen　look　at　him　questioningly。　〃I　want　you　to　go　to　California　tonight。　You　won't　have　time　to　go　see　Genco。　But　don't　leave　until　I　e　back　from　the　hospital　and　speak　with　you。　Understood？〃
　
　〃Understood；〃　Hagen　said。　〃What　time　should　Fred　have　the　car　waiting？〃
　
　〃When　the　guests　have　left；〃　Don　Corleone　said。　〃Genco　will　wait　for　me。〃
　
　〃The　Senator　called；〃　Hagen　said。　〃Apologizing　for　not　ing　personally　but　that　you　would　understand。　He　probably　means　those　two　FBI　men　across　the　street　taking　down　license　numbers。　But　he　sent　his　gift　over　by　special　messenger。〃
　
　The　Don　nodded。　He　did　not　think　it　necessary　to　mention　that　he　himself　had　warned　the　Senator　not　to　e。　〃Did　he　send　a　nice　present？〃
　
　Hagen　made　a　face　of　impressed　approval　that　was　very　strangely　Italian　on　his　German…Irish　features。　〃Antique　silver；　very　valuable。　The　kids　can　sell　it　for　a　grand　at　least。　The　Senator　spent　a　lot　of　time　getting　exactly　the　right　thing。　For　those　kind　of　people　that's　more　important　than　how　much　it　costs。〃
　
　Don　Corleone　did　not　hide　his　pleasure　that　so　great　a　man　as　the　Senator　had　shown　him　such　respect。　The　Senator；　like　Luca　Brasi；　was　one　of　the　great　stones　in　the　Don's　power　structure；　and　he　too；　with　this　gift；　had　resworn　his　loyalty。
　
　**********
　
　When　Johnny　Fontane　appeared　in　the　garden；　Kay　Adams　recognized　him　immediately。　She　was　truly　surprised。　〃You　never　told　me　your　family　knew　Johnny　Fontane；〃　she　said。　〃Now　I'm　sure　I'll　marry　you。〃
　
　〃Do　you　want　to　meet　him？〃　Michael　asked。
　
　〃Not　now；〃　Kay　said。　She　sighed。　〃I　was　in　love　with　him　for　three　years。　I　used　to　e　down　to　New　York　whenever　he　sang　at　the　Capitol　and　scream　my　head　off。　He　was　so　wonderful。〃
　
　〃We'll　meet　him　later；〃　Michael　said。
　
　When　Johnny　finished　singing　and　vanished　into