Читать интересную книгу Английский язык с Крестным Отцом - Илья Франк

Hagen said cautiously, "Shall I tell Clemenza to have some men come 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 come 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. Consigliori Abbandando is dying, he won't last out the night. His family was told to come and wait."

Hagen had filled the Consigliori’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 Consigliori.

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 accompany 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 come 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 come 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 coming 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 come. "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 (сразу узнала). She was truly surprised (поистине удивлена). "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 (хочешь с ним познакомиться)?" Michael asked.

"Not now," Kay said. She sighed. "I was in love with him for three years (была влюблена). I used to come down to New York whenever he sang at the Capitol and scream my head off (и орала, как сумасшедшая: «так, что голова отваливалась»; to scream – пронзительно кричать, вопить). He was so wonderful."

"We'll meet him later," Michael said.

When Johnny finished singing and vanished into the house with Don Corleone (скрылся в дом; to vanish [‘vænı∫] – исчезать, пропадать), Kay said archly (лукаво, насмешливо) to Michael, "Don't tell me a big movie star like Johnny Fontane has to ask your father for a favor?"

"He's my father's godson," Michael said. "And if it wasn't for my father (и если бы не мой отец: не из-за моего отца») he might not be a big movie star today."

Kay Adams laughed with delight (весело рассмеялась; delight – удовольствие, наслаждение). "That sounds like another great story (это похоже на еще одну отличную историю: «звучит как еще одна отличная история»)."

Michael shook his head. "I can't tell that one," he said.

"Trust me (доверься мне, доверяй мне)," she said.

He told her. He told her without being funny (без шуток, не стремясь ее позабавить: «не будучи забавным»). He told it without pride (без гордости = не гордясь). He told it without any sort of explanation (безо всякого объяснения) except that eight years before his father had been more impetuous (был более импульсивный, порывистый, горячий [ım’petju∂s]; impetus [‘ımpet∂s] – стремительность; импульс), and because the matter concerned his godson (поскольку дело касалось его крестника), the Don considered it an affair of personal honor (счел это делом, расценил это как дело личной чести).

The story was quickly told (рассказать эту историю было недолго: «была быстро рассказана»). Eight years ago Johnny Fontane had made an extraordinary success (добился необыкновенного успеха [ıks’tro:dn∂rı]) singing with a popular dance band. He had become a top radio attraction (главным «привлечением» = звездой, гвоздем программ). Unfortunately the band leader, a well-known show business personality named Les Halley, had signed Johnny to a five-year personal services contract (подписал контракт; to sign [saın]). It was a common show business practice (это была обычная практика = так практиковалось в шоу-бизнесе). Les Halley could now loan Johnny out («одалживать» /другим фирмам/) and pocket most of the money (и класть в карман большую часть денег).

Don Corleone entered the negotiations personally (лично занялся переговорами [nıg∂u∫i’eı∫n]). He offered Les Halley twenty thousand dollars (предложил) to release (освободить = чтобы он освободил) Johnny Fontane from the personal services contract. Halley offered to take only fifty percent of Johnny's earnings (50 процентов заработков; to earn [∂:n] – зарабатывать). Don Corleone was amused (его это позабавило, развеселило: «был развлечен» to amuse [∂’mju:z]). He dropped his offer (снизил; to drop – уронить) from twenty thousand dollars to ten thousand dollars. The band leader, obviously (очевидно) not a man of the world (не светский человек, не от мира сего) outside his beloved show business (вне своего любимого шоу-бизнеса), completely missed the significance of this lower offer (совершенно упустил значение этого более низкого, сниженного предложения = не понял, что оно означает). He refused (отказался).

The next day Don Corleone went to see the band leader personally. He brought with him his two best friends, Genco Abbandando, who was his Consigliori, and Luca Brasi. With no other witnesses (без других каких-либо свидетелей) Don Corleone persuaded Les Halley to sign a document (убедил [p∂’sweıd]) giving up all rights (отказавшись, отказываясь от всех прав) to all services from Johnny Fontane upon payment of a certified check to the amount of ten thousand dollars (взамен на выплату заверенного чека на сумму в десять тысяч долларов). Don Corleone did this by putting a pistol to the forehead of the band leader (приставив ко лбу) and assuring him (заверив его) with the utmost seriousness (с крайней серьезностью) that either his signature or his brains would rest on that document (либо подпись, либо мозги будут на документе; to rest – покоиться, лежать) in exactly one minute. Les Halley signed. Don Corleone pocketed his pistol and handed over the certified check (передал).

The rest was history (остальное было, стало историей). Johnny Fontane went on to become the greatest singing sensation in the country (продолжал становиться, становился все большей сенсацией). He made Hollywood musicals that earned a fortune for his studio. His records made millions of dollars. Then he divorced his childhood-sweetheart wife (развелся со своей детской любовью; sweetheart – возлюбленная) and left his two children, to marry the most glamorous (на самой обаятельной, эффектной [‘glæm∂r∂s]; glamor [‘glæm∂] – чары, обаяние) blond star in motion pictures (в кино). He soon learned that she was a "whore." He drank, he gambled, he chased other women (гонялся, преследовал). He lost his singing voice. His records stopped selling (его записи перестали продаваться). The studio did not renew his contract. And so now he had come back to his Godfather.

Kay said thoughtfully (задумчиво), "Are you sure you're not jealous of your father (ты уверен, что не завидуешь; jealous [‘dGel∂s]) – ревнивый, ревнующий; завидующий)? Everything you've told me about him shows him doing something for other people. He must be good-hearted (он, должно быть, добрый)." She smiled wryly (криво усмехнулась; wry – кривой, перекошенный). "Of course his methods are not exactly constitutional."

Michael sighed. "I guess that's the way it sounds, but let me tell you this (но я вот что тебе скажу: «позволь мне сказать тебе это»). You know those Arctic explorers (исследователи Арктики; to explore [ıks’plo:] – исследовать) who leave caches of food (запасы провианта; cache [kæ∫] – тайник; запас провианта, оставленный экспедицией в скрытом месте) scattered on the route to the North Pole (разбросанные, рассредоточенные по маршруту к Северному Полюсу; route [ru:t] – путь, направление)? Just in case they may need them someday (просто на тот случай, что это может им когда-нибудь понадобиться)? That's my father's favors. Someday he'll be at each one of those people's houses (он к ним придет, постучится к ним) and they had better come across (и им лучше пойти ему навстречу = помочь ему; to come across – случайно встретиться, натолкнуться)."

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 come 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 the house with Don Corleone, Kay said archly to Michael, "Don't tell me a big movie star like Johnny Fontane has to ask your father for a favor?"

"He's my father's godson," Michael said. "And if it wasn't for my father he might not be a big movie star today."

Kay Adams laughed with delight. "That sounds like another great story."

Michael shook his head. "I can't tell that one," he said.

"Trust me," she said.

He told her. He told her without being funny. He told it without pride. He told it without any sort of explanation except that eight years before his father had been more impetuous, and because the matter concerned his godson, the Don considered it an affair of personal honor.

The story was quickly told. Eight years ago Johnny Fontane had made an extraordinary success singing with a popular dance band. He had become a top radio attraction. Unfortunately the band leader, a well-known show business personality named Les Halley, had signed Johnny to a five-year personal services contract. It was a common show business practice. Les Halley could now loan Johnny out and pocket most of the money.

Don Corleone entered the negotiations personally. He offered Les Halley twenty thousand dollars to release Johnny Fontane from the personal services contract. Halley offered to take only fifty percent of Johnny's earnings. Don Corleone was amused. He dropped his offer from twenty thousand dollars to ten thousand dollars. The band leader, obviously not a man of the world outside his beloved show business, completely missed the significance of this lower offer. He refused.

The next day Don Corleone went to see the band leader personally. He brought with him his two best friends, Genco Abbandando, who was his Consigliori, and Luca Brasi. With no other witnesses Don Corleone persuaded Les Halley to sign a document giving up all rights to all services from Johnny Fontane upon payment of a certified check to the amount of ten thousand dollars. Don Corleone did this by putting a pistol to the forehead of the band leader and assuring him with the utmost seriousness that either his signature or his brains would rest on that document in exactly one minute. Les Halley signed. Don Corleone pocketed his pistol and handed over the certified check.

The rest was history. Johnny Fontane went on to become the greatest singing sensation in the country. He made Hollywood musicals that earned a fortune for his studio. His records made millions of dollars. Then he divorced his childhood-sweetheart wife and left his two children, to marry the most glamorous blond star in motion pictures. He soon learned that she was a "whore." He drank, he gambled, he chased other women. He lost his singing voice. His records stopped selling. The studio did not renew his contract. And so now he had come back to his Godfather.