mp.godfather-第14章

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riend　was　a　very　powerful　man　who　would　pledge　his　gratitude　and　undying　friendship　to　Mr。　Woltz　if　Mr。　Woltz　would　grant　a　small　favor。　The　small　favor　would　be　the　casting　of　Johnny　Fontane　in　the　new　war　movie　the　studio　planned　to　start　next　week。
　
　The　seamed　face　was　impassive；　polite。　〃What　favors　can　your　friend　do　me？〃　Woltz　asked。　There　was　just　a　trace　of　condescension　in　his　voice。
　
　Hagen　ignored　the　condescension。　He　explained。　〃You've　got　some　labor　trouble　ing　up。　My　friend　can　absolutely　guarantee　to　make　that　trouble　disappear。　You　have　a　top　male　star　who　makes　a　lot　of　money　for　your　studio　but　he　just　graduated　from　marijuana　to　heroin。　My　friend　will　guarantee　that　your　male　star　won't　be　able　to　get　any　more　heroin。　And　if　some　other　little　things　e　up　over　the　years　a　phone　call　to　me　can　solve　your　problems。〃
　
　Jack　Woltz　listened　to　this　as　if　he　were　hearing　the　boasting　of　a　child。　Then　he　said　harshly；　his　voice　deliberately　all　East　Side；　〃You　trying　to　put　muscle　on　me？〃
　
　Hagen　said　coolly；　〃Absolutely　not。　I've　e　to　ask　a　service　for　a　friend。　I've　tried　to　explain　that　you　won't　lose　anything　by　it。〃
　
　Almost　as　if　he　willed　it；　Woltz　made　his　face　a　mask　of　anger。　The　mouth　curled；　his　heavy　brows；　dyed　black；　contracted　to　form　a　thick　line　over　his　glinting　eyes。　He　leaned　over　the　desk　toward　Hagen。　〃All　right；　you　smooth　son　of　a　bitch；　let　me　lay　it　on　the　line　for　you　and　your　boss；　whoever　he　is。　Johnny　Fontane　never　gets　that　movie。　I　don't　care　how　many　guinea　Mafia　goombahs　e　out　of　the　woodwork。〃　He　leaned　back。　〃A　word　of　advice　to　you；　my　friend。　J。　Edgar　Hoover；　I　assume　you've　heard　of　him〃…　Woltz　smiled　sardonically…　〃is　a　personal　friend　of　mine。　If　I　let　him　know　I'm　being　pressured；　you　guys　will　never　know　what　hit　you。〃
　
　Hagen　listened　patiently。　He　had　expected　better　from　a　man　of　Woltz's　stature。　Was　it　possible　that　a　man　who　acted　this　stupidly　could　rise　to　the　head　of　a　pany　worth　hundreds　of　millions？　That　was　something　to　think　about　since　the　Don　was　looking　for　new　things　to　put　money　into；　and　if　the　top　brains　of　this　industry　were　so　dumb；　movies　might　be　the　thing。　The　abuse　itself　bothered　him　not　at　all。　Hagen　had　learned　the　art　of　negotiation　from　the　Don　himself。　〃Never　get　angry；〃　the　Don　had　instructed。　〃Never　make　a　threat。　Reason　with　people。〃　The　word　〃reason〃　sounded　so　much　better　in　Italian；　ragione；　to　rejoin。　The　art　of　this　was　to　ignore　all　insults；　all　threats；　to　turn　the　other　cheek。　Hagen　had　seen　the　Don　sit　at　a　negotiating　table　for　eight　hours；　swallowing　insults；　trying　to　persuade　a　notorious　and　megalomaniac　strong…arm　man　to　mend　his　ways。　At　the　end　of　the　eight　hours　Don　Corleone　had　thrown　up　his　hands　in　a　helpless　gesture　and　said　to　the　other　men　at　the　table；　〃But　no　one　can　reason　with　this　fellow；〃　and　had　stalked　out　of　the　meeting　room。　The　strong…arm　man　had　turned　white　with　fear。　Emissaries　were　sent　to　bring　the　Don　back　into　the　room。　An　agreement　was　reached　but　two　months　later　the　strong…arm　was　shot　to　death　in　his　favorite　barbershop。
　
　So　Hagen　started　again；　speaking　in　the　most　ordinary　voice。　〃Look　at　my　card；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　a　lawyer。　Would　I　stick　my　neck　out？　Have　I　uttered　one　threatening　word？　Let　me　just　say　that　I　am　prepared　to　meet　any　condition　you　name　to　get　Johnny　Fontane　that　movie。　I　think　I've　already　offered　a　great　deal　for　such　a　small　favor。　A　favor　that　I　understand　it　would　be　in　your　interest　to　grant。　Johnny　tells　me　that　you　admit　he　would　be　perfect　for　that　part。　And　let　me　say　that　this　favor　would　never　be　asked　if　that　were　not　so。　In　fact；　if　you're　worried　about　your　investment；　my　client　would　finance　the　picture。　But　please　let　me　make　myself　absolutely　clear。　We　understand　your　no　is　no。　Nobody　can　force　you　or　is　trying　to。　We　know　about　your　friendship　with　Mr。　Hoover；　I　may　add；　and　my　boss　respects　you　for　it。　He　respects　that　relationship　very　much。〃
　
　Woltz　had　been　doodling　with　a　huge；　red…feathered　pen。　At　the　mention　of　money　his　interest　was　aroused　and　he　stopped　doodling。　He　said　patronizingly；　〃This　picture　is　budgeted　at　five　million。〃
　
　Hagen　whistled　softly　to　show　that　he　was　impressed。　Then　he　said　very　casually；　〃My　boss　has　a　lot　of　friends　who　back　his　judgment。〃
　
　For　the　first　time　Woltz　seemed　to　take　the　whole　thing　seriously。　He　studied　Hagen's　card。　〃I　never　heard　of　you；〃　he　said。　〃I　know　most　of　the　big　lawyers　in　New　York；　but　just　who　the　hell　are　you？〃
　
　〃I　have　one　of　those　dignified　corporate　practices；〃　Hagen　said　dryly。　〃I　just　handle　this　one　account。〃　He　rose。　〃I　won't　take　up　any　more　of　your　time。〃　He　held　out　his　hand；　Woltz　shook　it。　Hagen　took　a　few　steps　toward　the　door　and　turned　to　face　Woltz　again。　〃I　understand　you　have　to　deal　with　a　lot　of　people　who　try　to　seem　more　important　than　they　are。　In　my　case　the　reverse　is　true。　Why　don't　you　check　me　out　with　our　mutual　friend？　If　you　reconsider；　call　me　at　my　hotel。〃　He　paused。　〃This　may　be　sacrilege　to　you；　but　my　client　can　do　things　for　you　that　even　Mr。　Hoover　might　find　out　of　his　range。〃　He　saw　the　movie　producer's　eyes　narrowing。　Woltz　was　finally　getting　the　message。　〃By　the　way；　I　admire　your　pictures　very　much；〃　Hagen　said　in　the　most　fawning　voice　he　could　manage。　〃I　hope　you　can　keep　up　the　good　work。　Our　country　needs　it。〃
　
　Late　that　afternoon　Hagen　received　a　call　from　the　producer's　secretary　that　a　car　would　pick　him　up　within　the　hour　to　take　him　out　to　Mr。　Woltz's　country　home　for　dinner。　She　told　him　it　would　be　about　a　three…hour　drive　but　that　the　car　was　equipped　with　a　bar　and　some　hors　d'oeuvres。　Hagen　knew　that　Woltz　made　the　trip　in　his　private　plane　and　wondered　why　he　hadn't　been　invited　to　make　the　trip　by　air。　The　secretary's　voice　was　adding　politely；　〃Mr。　Woltz　suggested　you　bring　an　overnight　bag　and　he'll　get　you　to　the　airport　in　the　morning。〃
　
　〃I'll　do　that；〃　Hagen　said。　That　was　another　thing　to　wonder　about。　How　did　Woltz　know　he　was　taking　the　morning　plane　back　to　New　York？　He　thought　about　it　for　a　moment。　The　most　likely　explanation　was　that　Woltz　had　set　private　detectives　on　his　trail　to　get　all　possible　information。　Then　Woltz　certainly　knew　he　represented　the　Don；　which　meant　that　he　knew　something　about　the　Don；　which　in　turn　meant　that　he　was　now　ready　to　take　the　whole　matter　seriously。　Something　might　be　done　after　all；　Hagen　thought。　And　maybe　Woltz　was　smarter　than　he　had　appeared　this　morning。
　
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　The　home　of　Jack　Woltz　looked　like　an　implausible　movie　set。　There　was　a　plantation…type　mansion；　huge　grounds　girdled　by　a　rich　black…dirt　bridle　path；　stables　and　pasture　for　a　herd　of　horses。　The　hedges；　flower　beds　and　grasses　were　as　carefully　manicured　as　a　movie　star's　nails。
　
　Woltz　greeted　Hagen　on　a　glass…paneled　air…conditioned　porch。　The　producer　was　informally　dressed　in　blue　silk　shirt　open　at　the　neck；　mustard…colored　slacks；　soft　leather　sandals。　Framed　in　all　this　color　and　rich　fabric　his　seamed；　tough　face　was　startling。　He　handed　Hagen　an　outsized　martini　glass　and　took　one　for　himself　from　the　prepared　tray。　He　seemed　more　friendly　than　he　had　been　earlier　in　the　day。　He　put　his　arm　over　Hagen's　shoulder　and　said；　〃We　have　a　little　time　before　dinner；　let's　go　look　at　my　horses。〃　As　they　walked　toward　the　stables　he　said；　〃I　checked　you　out；　Tom；　you　should　have　told　me　your　boss　is　Corleone。　I　thought　you　were　just　some　third…rate　hustler　Johnny　was　running　in　to　bluff　me。　And　I　don't　bluff。　Not　that　I　want　to　make　enemies；　I　never　believed　in　that。　But　let's　just　enjoy　ourselves　now。　We　can　talk　business　after　dinner。〃
　
　Surprisingly　Woltz　proved　to　be　a　truly　considerate　host。　He　explained　his　new　methods；　innovations　that　he　hoped　would　make　his　stable　the　most　successful　in　America。　The　stables　were　all　fire…proofed；　sanitized　to　the　highest　degree；　and　guarded　by　a　special　security　detail　of　private　detectives。　Finally　Woltz　led　him　to　a　stall　which　had　a　huge　bronze　plaque　attached　to　its　outside　wall。　On　the　plaque　was　the　name　〃Khartoum。〃
　
　The　horse　inside　the　stall　was；　even　to　Hagen's　inexperienced　eyes