"The Godfather" - читать интересную книгу автора (Mario Puzo)

Michael shook his head. тАЬI canтАЩt tell that one,тАЭ he said.

тАЬTrust me,тАЭ 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 JohnnyтАЩs 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 Consigliere, 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 тАЬwhore.тАЭ He drank, he gambled, he chased other wo vi 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.

Kay said thoughtfully, тАЬ Are you sure youтАЩre not jealous of your father? Everything youтАЩve told me about him shows him doing something for other people. He must be goodhearted.тАЭ She smiled wryly. тАЬOf course his methods are not exactly constitutional.тАЭ

Michael sighed. тАЬI guess thatтАЩs the way it sounds, but let me tell you this. You know those Arctic explorers who leave caches of food scattered on the route to the North Pole? Just in case they may need them someday? ThatтАЩs my fatherтАЩs favors. Someday heтАЩll be at each one of those peopleтАЩs houses and they had better come across.тАЭ



It was nearly twilight before the wedding cake was shown, exclaimed over and eaten. Specially baked by Nazorine, it was cleverly decorated with shells of cream so dizzyingly delicious that the bride greedily plucked them from the corpse of the cake before she whizzed away on her honeymoon with her blond groom. The Don politely sped his guestsтАЩ departure, noting meanwhile that the black sedan with its FBI men was no longer visible.

Finally the only car left in the driveway was the long black Cadillac with Freddie at the wheel. The Don got into the front seat, moving with quick coordination for his age and bulk. Sonny, Michael and Johnny Fontane got into the back seat. Don Corleone said to his son Michael, тАЬYour girl friend, sheтАЩll get back to the city by herself all right?тАЭ

Michael nodded. тАЬTom said heтАЩd take care of it.тАЭ Don Corleone nodded with satisfaction at HagenтАЩs efficiency.

Because of the gas rationing still in effect, there was little traffic on the Belt Parkway to Manhattan. In less than an hour the Cadillac rolled into the street of French Hos0000l. During the ride Don Corleone asked his youngest son if he was doing well in school. Michael nodded. Then Sonny in the back seat asked his father, тАЬJohnny says youтАЩre getting him squared away with that Hollywood business. Do you want me to go out there and help?тАЭ

Don Corleone was curt. тАЬTom is going tonight. He wonтАЩt need any help, itтАЩs a simple affair.тАЭ

Sonny Corleone laughed. тАЬJohnny thinks you canтАЩt fix it, thatтАЩs why I thought you might want me to go out there.тАЭ

Don Corleone turned his head. тАЬWhy do you doubt me?тАЭ he asked Johnny Fontane. тАЬHasnтАЩt your Godfather always done what he said he would do? Have I ever been taken for a fool?тАЭ

Johnny apologized nervously. тАЬGodfather, the man who runs it is a real .90 caliber pezzonovante. You canтАЩt budge him, not even with money. He has big connections. And he hates me. I just donтАЩt know how you can swing it.тАЭ

The Don spoke with affectionate amusement. тАЬI say to you: you shall have it.тАЭ He nudged Michael with his elbow. тАЬWe wonтАЩt disappoint my godson, eh, Michael?тАЭ

Michael, who never doubted his father for a moment, shook his head.

As they walked toward the hospital entrance, Don Corleone put his hand on MichaelтАЩs arm so that the others forged ahead. тАЬWhen you get through with college, come and talk to me,тАЭ the Don said. тАЬI have some plans you will like.тАЭ

Michael didnтАЩt say anything. Don Corleone grunted in exasperation. тАЬI know how you are. I wonтАЩt ask you to do anything you donтАЩt approve of. This is something special. Go your own way now, youтАЩre a man after all. But come to me as a son should when you have finished with your schooling.тАЭ



The family of Genco Abbandando, wife and three daughters dressed in black, clustered like a flock of plump crows on the white tile floor of the hospital corridor. When they saw Don Corleone come out of the elevator, they seemed to flutter up off the white tiles in an instinctive surge toward him for protection. The mother was regally stout in black, the daughters fat and plain. Mrs. Abbandando pecked at Don CorleoneтАЩs cheek, sobbing, wailing, тАЬOh, what a saint you are, to come here on your daughterтАЩs wedding day.тАЭ

Don Corleone brushed these thanks aside. тАЬDonтАЩt I owe respect to such a friend, a friend who has been my right arm for twenty years?тАЭ He had understood immediately that the soon-to-be widow did not comprehend that her husband would die this night. Genco Abbandando had been in this hospital for nearly a year dying of his cancer and the wife had come to consider his fatal illness almost an ordinary part of life. Tonight was just another crisis. She babbled on. тАЬGo in and see my poor husband,тАЭ she said, тАЬhe asks for you. Poor man, he wanted to come to the wedding to show his respect but the doctor would not permit it. Then he said you would come to see him on this great day but I did not believe it possible. Ah, men understand friendship more than we women. Go inside, you will make him happy.тАЭ