It was late Sunday night before Tom Hagen could kiss his wife goodbye and
Drive out to the airport. With his special number one priority (a grateful gift from a
Pentagon staff general officer) he had no trouble getting on a plane to Los
Angeles.
97
It had been a busy but satisfying day for Tom Hagen. Genco Abbandando had
Died at three in the morning and when Don Corleone returned from the hospital,
he had informed Hagen that he was now officially the new Consigliori to the
Family. This meant that Hagen was sure to become a very rich man, to say
Nothing of power.
3 The Don had broken a long-standing tradition. The Consigliori was always a
Full-blooded Sicilian, and the fact that Hagen had been brought up as a member of
The Don's family made no difference to that tradition. It was a question of blood.
Only a Sicilian born to the ways of omerta, the law of silence, could be trusted in
the key post of Consigliori.
Between the head of the family, Don Corleone, who dictated policy, and the
Operating level of men who actually carried out the orders of the Don, there were
Three layers, or buffers. In that way nothing could be traced to the top. Unless the
Consigliori turned traitor. That Sunday morning Don Corleone gave explicit
Instructions on what should be done to the two young men who had beaten the
Daughter of Amerigo Bonasera. But he had given those orders in private to Tom
Hagen. Later in the day Hagen had, also in private without witnesses, instructed
Clemenza. In turn Clemenza had told Paulie Gatto to execute the commission.
Paulie Gatto would now muster the necessary manpower and execute the orders.
Paulie Gatto and his men would not know why this particular task was being
Carried out or who had ordered it originally. Each link of the chain would have to
Turn traitor for the Don to be involved and though it had never yet happened,
There was always the possibility. The cure for that possibility also was known.
Only one link in the chain had to disappear.
5 The Consigliori was also what his name implied. He was the counselor to the
Don, his right-hand man, his auxiliary brain. He was also his closest companion
And his closest friend. On important trips he would drive the Don's car, at
|
|
|
Conferences he would go out and get the Don refreshments, coffee and
Sandwiches, fresh cigars. He would know everything the Don knew or nearly
Everything, all the cells of power. He was the one man in the world who could
bring the Don crashing down to destruction. But no Consigliori had ever betrayed
A Don, not in the memory of any of the powerful Sicilian families who had
Established themselves in America. There was no future in it. And every
Consigliori knew that if he kept the faith, he would become rich, wield power and
Win respect. If misfortune came, his wife and children would be sheltered and
cared for as if he were alive or free. If he kept the faith.
98
6 In some matters the Consigliori had to act for his Don in a more open way and
Yet not involve his principal. Hagen was flying to Califomia on just such a matter.
He realized that his career as Consigliori would be seriously affected by the
Success or failure of this mission. By family business standards whether Johnny
Fontane got his coveted part in the war movie, or did not, was a minor matter. Far
More important was the meeting Hagen had set up with Virgil Sollozzo the
Following Friday. But Hagen knew that to the Don, both were of equal importance,
which settled the matter for any good Consigliori.
1 The piston plane (самолет с поршневым двигателем; piston [‘pıst∂n] – поршень)
shook Tom Hagen's already nervous insides («и без того уже нервные внутренности»)
and he ordered a martini from the hostess to quiet them (заказал у стюардессы
мартини, чтобы их успокоить; hostess ['h∂ustıs] – хозяйка; стюардесса;
официантка). Both the Don and Johnny had briefed him on the character of the movie
|
|
|
producer, Jack Woltz (вкратце рассказали ему, инструктировали его по поводу
характера кинопродюсера). From everything that Johnny said, Hagen knew he would
never be able to persuade Woltz (никогда, ни за что не сможет убедить [p∂’sweıd]).
But he also had no doubt whatsoever (вовсе никакого сомнения) that the Don would
keep his promise to Johnny. His own role was that of negotiator and contact (его ролью
была роль посредника).
2 Lying back in his seat, Hagen went over all the information given to him that day.
Jack Woltz was one of the three most important movie producers in Hollywood, owner
of his own studio with dozens of stars under contract (с дюжинами звезд «под
контрактом»). He was on the President of the United States' Advisory Council for War
Information (он был членом Президентского консультативного совета по вопросам
военной информации; аdvisory [∂’dvaız∂rı] – совещательный), Cinematic Division
(Отдел киноискусства), which meant simply (что просто означало) that he helped
make propaganda movies. He had had dinner at the White House. He had entertained J.
Edgar Hoover in his Hollywood home (принимал, угощал). But none of this was as
impressive as it sounded (но ничто из этого не было таким впечатляющим, как
казалось: «звучало»). They were all official relationships (все это были официальные
связи). Woltz didn't have any personal political power, mainly (в основном) because he
was an extreme reactionary (крайне реакционен, крайним реакционером; extreme
|
|
|
[ıkstri:m]), partly (отчасти) because he was a megalomaniac (страдал манией
99
величия) who loved to wield power wildly (который любил полновластно, самодурно:
«дико» распоряжаться своей властью; to wield – уметь обращаться; иметь в своем
распоряжении, владеть) without regard to the fact (не обращая внимания на то) that
by so doing (что, оттого что он так делал: «так делая») legions of enemies sprang up
out of the ground (легионы врагов вырастали из земли /как грибы/).
3 Hagen sighed. There would be no way to "handle" Jack Woltz (справиться,
управиться /путем переговоров/). He opened his briefcase (портфель) and tried to
get some paper work done (попытался сделать кое-какую бумажную работу), but he
was too tired. He ordered another martini and reflected on his life (стал размышлять).
He had no regrets (сожалений), indeed he felt that he had been extremely lucky.
Whatever the reason (какая бы на то ни была причина = как бы то ни было), the
course he had chosen ten years ago had proved to be right for him (курс, путь, образ
действия оказался верен, подходящ для него). He was successful, he was as happy
as any grown man could reasonably expect (наскольку зрелый мужчина может
«разумно ожидать»), and he found life interesting.
Дата добавления: 2018-10-26; просмотров: 119; Мы поможем в написании вашей работы! |
Мы поможем в написании ваших работ!