mp.godfather-第15章

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e　was　the　name　〃Khartoum。〃
　
　The　horse　inside　the　stall　was；　even　to　Hagen's　inexperienced　eyes；　a　beautiful　animal。　Khartoum's　skin　was　jet　black　except　for　a　diamond…shaped　white　patch　on　his　huge　forehead。　The　great　brown　eyes　glinted　like　golden　apples；　the　black　skin　over　the　taut　body　was　silk。　Woltz　said　with　childish　pride；　〃The　greatest　racehorse　in　the　world。　I　bought　him　in　England　last　year　for　six　hundred　grand。　I　bet　even　the　Russian　Czars　never　paid　that　much　for　a　single　horse。　But　I'm　not　going　to　race　him；　I'm　going　to　put　him　to　stud。　I'm　going　to　build　the　greatest　racing　stable　this　country　has　ever　known。〃　He　stroked　the　horse's　mane　and　called　out　softly；　〃Khartoum；　Khartoum。〃　There　was　real　love　in　his　voice　and　the　animal　responded。　Woltz　said　to　Hagen；　〃I'm　a　good　horseman；　you　know；　and　the　first　time　I　ever　rode　I　was　fifty　years　old。〃　He　laughed。　〃Maybe　one　of　my　grandmothers　in　Russia　got　raped　by　a　Cossack　and　I　got　his　blood。〃　He　tickled　Khartoum's　belly　and　said　with　sincere　admiration；　〃Look　at　that　cock　on　him。　I　should　have　such　a　cock。〃
　
　They　went　back　to　the　mansion　to　have　dinner。　It　was　served　by　three　waiters　under　the　mand　of　a　butler；　the　table　linen　and　ware　were　all　gold　thread　and　silver；　but　Hagen　found　the　food　mediocre。　Woltz　obviously　lived　alone；　and　just　as　obviously　was　not　a　man　who　cared　about　food。　Hagen　waited　until　they　had　both　lit　up　huge　Havana　cigars　before　he　asked　Woltz；　〃Does　Johnny　get　it　or　not？〃
　
　〃I　can't；〃　Woltz　said。　〃I　can't　put　Johnny　into　that　picture　even　if　I　wanted　to。　The　contracts　are　all　signed　for　all　the　performers　and　the　cameras　roll　next　week。　There's　no　way　I　can　swing　it。〃
　
　Hagen　said　impatiently；　〃Mr。　Woltz；　the　big　advantage　of　dealing　with　a　man　at　the　top　is　that　such　an　excuse　is　not　valid。　You　can　do　anything　you　want　to　do。〃　He　puffed　on　his　cigar。　〃Don't　you　believe　my　client　can　keep　his　promises？〃
　
　Woltz　said　dryly；　〃I　believe　that　I'm　going　to　have　labor　trouble。　Goff　called　me　up　on　that；　the　son　of　a　bitch；　and　the　way　he　talked　to　me　you'd　never　guess　I　pay　him　a　hundred　grand　a　year　under　the　table。　And　I　believe　you　can　get　that　fag　he…man　star　of　mine　off　heroin。　But　I　don't　care　about　that　and　I　can　finance　my　own　pictures。　Because　I　hate　that　bastard　Fontane。　Tell　your　boss　this　is　one　favor　I　can't　give　but　that　he　should　try　me　again　on　anything　else。　Anything　at　all。〃
　
　Hagen　thought；　you　sneaky　bastard；　then　why　the　hell　did　you　bring　me　all　the　way　out　here？　The　producer　had　something　on　his　mind。　Hagen　said　coldly；　〃I　don't　think　you　understand　the　situation。　Mr。　Corleone　is　Johnny　Fontane's　godfather。　That　is　a　very　close；　a　very　sacred　religious　relationship。〃　Woltz　bowed　his　head　in　respect　at　this　reference　to　religion。　Hagen　went　on。　〃Italians　have　a　little　joke；　that　the　world　is　so　hard　a　man　must　have　two　fathers　to　look　after　him；　and　that's　why　they　have　godfathers。　Since　Johnny's　father　died；　Mr。　Corleone　feels　his　responsibility　even　more　deeply。　As　for　trying　you　again；　Mr。　Corleone　is　much　too　sensitive。　He　never　asks　a　second　favor　where　he　has　been　refused　the　first。〃
　
　Woltz　shrugged。　〃I'm　sorry。　The　answer　is　still　no。　But　since　you're　here；　what　will　it　cost　me　to　have　that　labor　trouble　cleared　up？　In　cash。　Right　now。〃
　
　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。
　
　Hagen　said　quietly；　〃You　are　deliberately　misunderstanding　me。　You　are　trying　to　make　me　an　acplice　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。〃
　
　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　is？　All　olive　oil　and　sweet　talk　when　what　you're　really　doing　is　making　threats。　So　let　me　lay　it　on　the　line。　Johnny　Fonfane　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　protégées。　For　five　years　I　had　this　girl　under　training；　singing；　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。　She　could　suck　you　out　like　a　water　pump。　Then　Johnny　es　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。〃
　
　For　the　first　time；　Woltz　succeeded　in　astounding　Hagen。　He　found　it　inconceivable　that　a　grown　man　of　substance　would　let　such　trivialities　affect　his　judgment　in　an　affair　of　business；　and　one　of　such　importance。　In　Hagen's　world；　the　Corleones'　world；　the　physical　beauty；　the　sexual　power　of　women；　carried　not　the　slightest　weight　in　worldly　matters。　It　was　a　private　affair；　except；　of　course；　in　matters　of　marriage　and　family　disgrace。　Hagen　decided　to　make　one　last　try。
　
　〃You　are　absolutely　right；　Mr。　Woltz；〃　Hagen　said。　〃But　are　your　grievances　that　major？　I　don't　think　you've　understood　how　important　this　very　small　favor　is　to　my　client。　Mr。　Corleone　held　the　infant　Johnny　in　his　arms　when　he　was　baptized。　When　Johnny's　father　died；　Mr。　Corleone　assumed　the　duties　of　parenthood；　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。〃
　
　Woltz　stood　up　abruptly。　〃I've　listened　to　about　enough。　Thugs　don't　give　me　orders；　I　give　them　orders。　If　I　pick　up　this　phone；　you'll　spend　the　night　in　jail。　And　if　that　Mafia　goombah　tries　any　rough　stuff；　he'll　find　out　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。〃
　
　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　the　Don　should　get　into　the　movie　business。　And　the　guy　was　taking　his　words　at　their　sentimental　face　value。　He　was　not　getting　the　message。
　
　〃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。〃
　
　While　waiting　in　the　floodlit　colonnade　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　seemed　to　have　smeared　into　a　thick；　pink　mass。　Her　sea…blue　eyes　were　filmed　over　and　when　she　walked　down　the　steps　toward　the　open　car　her　long　legs　tottered　like　a　crippled　foal's。　Her　mother　supported　the　child；　helping　her　into