That solved one puzzle for Hagen. Why Woltz was putting in so much time on
Him when he had already decided not to give Johnny the part. And that could not
Be changed at this meeting. Woltz felt secure; he was not afraid of the power of
Don Corleone. And certainly Woltz with his national political connections, his
Acquaintanceship with the FBI chief, his huge personal fortune and his absolute
Power in the film industry, could not feel threatened by Don Corleone. To any
Intelligent man, even to Hagen, it seemed that Woltz had correctly assessed his
Position. He was impregnable to the Don if he was willing to take the losses the
Labor struggle would cost. There was only one thing wrong with the whole
Equation. Don Corleone had promised his godson he would get the part and Don
Corleone had never, to Hagen's knowledge, broken his word in such matters.
2 Hagen said quietly, "You are deliberately misunderstanding me. You are trying
To make me an accomplice to extortion. Mr. Corleone promises only to speak in
Your favor on this labor trouble as a matter of friendship in return for your
Speaking in behalf of his client. A friendly exchange of influence, nothing more.
But I can see you don't take me seriously. Personally, I think that is a mistake."
3 Woltz, as if he had been waiting for such a moment, let himself get angry. "I
understood perfectly," he said. "That's the Mafia style, isn't it? All olive oil and
Sweet talk when what you're really doing is making threats. So let me lay it on the
Line. Johnny Fontane will never get that part and he's perfect for it. It would make
Him a great star. But he never will be because I hate that pinko punk and I'm
Going to run him out of the movies. And I'll tell you why. He ruined one of my
Most valuable protй gй s. For five years I had this girl under training, singing,
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Dancing, acting lessons, I spent hundreds of thousands of dollars. I was going to
Make her a star. I'll be even more frank, just to show you that I'm not a hard-
Hearted man, that it wasn't all dollars and cents. That girl was beautiful and she
Was the greatest piece of ass I've ever had and I've had them all over the world.
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She could suck you out like a water pump. Then Johnny comes along with that
Olive-oil voice and guinea charm and she runs off. She threw it all away just to
Make me ridiculous. A man in my position, Mr. Hagen, can't afford to look
ridiculous. I have to pay Johnny off."
1 For the first time, Woltz succeeded in astounding Hagen (удалось удивить; to
succeed [s∂k’si:d] – следовать за чем-либо; достигать цели; to astound [∂s'taund] –
удивлять, поражать). He found it inconceivable (немыслимым, непостижимым
[ınk∂n'si:v∂bl]; to conceive [k∂n'si:v] – постигать) that a grown man of substance
(солидный; substance ['sΛbst∂ns] – материя; содержание; имущество) would let
such trivialities (может позволить таким пустякам, столь тривиальным вещам) affect
his judgment (повлиять на свое суждение, решение) in an affair of business, and one
of such importance (да еще /в деле/ такой важности). In Hagen's world, the
Corleones' world, the physical beauty, the sexual power of women, carried not the
slightest weight in worldly matters (не имело: «не несло» ни малейшего веса в
мирских делах). It was a private affair, except, of course, in matters of marriage and
family disgrace (бесчестья; позора). Hagen decided to make one last try (последнюю
попытку).
2 "You are absolutely right, Mr. Woltz," Hagen said. "But are your grievances that
major (но настолько ли велика ваша обида, значительны ваши страдания;
grievance [gri:v∂ns] – обида, недовольство /чтобы затмевать все/; major [‘meıdG∂] –
более важный)? I don't think you've understood how important this very small favor is
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to my client. Mr. Corleone held the infant Johnny in his arms when he was baptized
(крещен; to baptize [bжp’taız]). When Johnny's father died, Mr. Corleone assumed the
duties of parenthood (взял на себя, принял родительские обязанности:
«обязанности родительства»), indeed he is called 'Godfather' by many, many people
who wish to show their respect and gratitude for the help he has given them. Mr.
Corleone never lets his friends down (никогда не оставляет в беде)."
3 Woltz stood up abruptly (резко). "I've listened to about enough. Thugs don't give me
orders (головорезы не дают мне приказаний), I give them orders. If I pick I up this
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phone (сниму трубку), you'll spend the night in jail (проведете ночь в тюрьме). And if
that Mafia goombah tries any rough stuff (что-нибудь крутое: «грубые вещи»; rough
[rΛf] – грубый), he'll find out (обнаружит, поймет) I'm not a band leader. Yeah, I heard
that story too. Listen, your Mr. Corleone will never know what hit him. Even if I have to
use my influence at the White House."
4 The stupid, stupid son of a bitch. How the hell did he get to be a pezzonovante,
Hagen wondered. Advisor to the President, head of the biggest movie studio in the
world. Definitely (решительно) the Don should get into the movie business. And the
guy was taking his words at their sentimental face value (воспринимал слова на их
поверхностном, сентиментальном уровне). He was not getting the message.
5 "Thank you for the dinner and a pleasant evening," Hagen said. "Could you give me
transportation to the airport? I don't think I'll spend the night." He smiled coldly at Woltz.
"Mr. Corleone is a man who insists on hearing bad news at once (настаивает на том,
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чтобы плохую новость услышать сразу, тут же)."
6 While waiting in the floodlit colonnade (в прожекторном освещении, в освещении
заливающим светом; floodlight – прожектор; to floodlight – освещать прожектором;
flood [flΛd] – наводнение, разлив) of the mansion for his car, Hagen saw two women
about to enter a long limousine already parked in the driveway. They were the beautiful
twelve-year-old blond girl and her mother he had seen in Woltz's office that morning.
But now the girl's exquisitely cut mouth («изящно вырезанный рот») seemed to have
smeared into a thick, pink mass (казался смазанным, размазанным в густую,
розовую массу). Her sea-blue eyes were filmed over (покрыты пленкой) and when
she walked down the steps toward the open car her long legs tottered like a crippled
foal's (дрожали, шатались как у хромого жеребенка; cripple – калека, увечный). Her
mother supported the child (поддерживала), helping her into the car, hissing (шипя; to
hiss – шипеть, свистеть) commands into her ear. The mother's head turned for a quick
furtive look (взгляд украдкой; furtive [‘f∂:tıv] – вороватый; затаенный) at Hagen and
he saw in her eyes a burning, hawklike (ястребиный; hawk – ястреб) triumph. Then
she too disappeared into the limousine.
7 So that was why he hadn't got the plane ride from Los Angeles, Hagen thought. The
girl and her mother had made the trip with the movie producer. That had given Woltz
enough time to relax before dinner and do the job on the little kid. And Johnny wanted to
live in this world? Good luck to him, and good luck to Woltz.
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