mp.godfather-第48章

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　〃Yeah；〃　Johnny　said。　〃Thanks；　Eddie。　See　you　tomorrow。〃　He　took　Nino　by　the　arm　and　walked　out　of　the　studio。　They　went　to　his　house　instead　of　Ginny's。
　
　By　this　time　it　was　late　afternoon。　Nino　was　still　more　than　half…drunk。　Johnny　told　him　to　get　under　the　shower　and　then　take　a　snooze。　They　had　to　be　at　a　big　party　at　eleven　that　night。
　
　When　Nino　woke　up；　Johnny　briefed　him。　〃This　party　is　a　movie　star　Lonely　Hearts　Club；〃　he　said。　〃These　broads　tonight　are　dames　you've　seen　in　the　movies　as　glamour　queens　millions　of　guys　would　give　their　right　arms　to　screw。　And　the　only　reason　they'll　be　at　the　party　tonight　is　to　find　somebody　to　shack　them　up。　Do　yov　know　why？　Because　they　are　hungry　for　it；　they　are　just　a　little　old。　And　just　like　every　dame；　they　want　it　with　a　little　bit　of　class。〃
　
　〃What's　the　matter　with　your　voice？〃　Nino　asked。
　
　Johnny　had　been　speaking　almost　in　a　whisper。　〃Every　time　after　I　sing　a　little　bit　that　happens。　I　won't　be　able　to　sing　for　a　month　now。　But　I'll　get　over　the　hoarseness　in　a　couple　of　days。〃
　
　Nino　said　thoughtfully；　〃Tough；　huh？〃
　
　Johnny　shrugged。　〃Listen；　Nino；　don't　get　too　drunk　tonight。　You　have　to　show　these　Hollywood　broads　that　my　paisan　buddy　ain't　weak　in　the　poop。　You　gotta　e　across。　Remember；　some　of　these　dames　are　very　powerful　in　movies；　they　can　get　you　work。　It　doesn't　hurt　to　be　charming　after　you　knock　off　a　piece。〃
　
　Nino　was　already　pouring　himself　a　drink。　〃I'm　always　charming；〃　he　said。　He　drained　the　glass。　Grinning；　he　asked；　〃No　kidding；　can　you　really　get　me　close　to　Deanna　Dunn？〃
　
　〃Don't　be　so　anxious；〃　Johnny　said。　〃It's　not　going　to　be　like　you　think。〃
　
　**********
　
　The　Hollywood　Movie　Star　Lonely　Hearts　Club　（so　called　by　the　young　juvenile　leads　whose　attendance　was　mandatory）　met　every　Friday　night　at　the　palatial；　studio…owned　home　of　Roy　McElroy；　press　agent　or　rather　public　relations　counsel　for　the　Woltz　International　Film　Corporation。　Actually；　though　it　was　McElroy's　open　house　party；　the　idea　had　e　from　the　practical　brain　of　Jack　Woltz　himself。　Some　of　his　money…making　movie　stars　were　getting　older　now。　Without　the　help　of　special　lights　and　genius　makeup　men　they　looked　their　age。　They　were　having　problems。　They　had　also　bee；　to　some　extent；　desensitized　physically　and　mentally。　They　could　no　longer　〃fall　in　love。〃　They　could　no　longer　assume　the　role　of　hunted　women。　They　had　been　made　too　imperious；　by　money；　by　fame；　by　their　former　beauty。　Woltz　gave　his　parties　so　that　it　would　be　easier　for　them　to　pick　up　lovers；　one…night　stands；　who；　if　they　had　the　stuff；　could　graduate　into　full…time　bed　partners　and　so　work　their　way　upward。　Since　the　action　sometimes　degenerated　into　brawls　or　sexual　excess　that　led　to　trouble　with　the　police；　Woltz　decided　to　hold　the　parties　in　the　house　of　the　public　relation　counselor；　who　would　be　right　there　to　fix　things　up；　pay　off　newsmen　and　police　officers　and　keep　everything　quiet。
　
　For　certain　virile　young　male　actors　on　the　studio　payroll　who　had　not　yet　achieved　stardom　or　featured　roles；　attendance　at　the　Friday　night　parties　was　not　always　pleasant　duty。　This　was　explained　by　the　fact　that　a　new　film　yet　to　be　released　by　the　studio　would　be　shown　at　the　party。　In　fact　that　was　the　excuse　for　the　party　itself。　People　would　say；　〃Let's　go　over　to　see　what　the　new　picture　so　and　so　made　is　like。〃　And　so　it　was　put　in　a　professional　context。
　
　Young　female　starlets　were　forbidden　to　attend　the　Friday　night　parties。　Or　rather　discouraged。　Most　of　them　took　the　hint。
　
　Screenings　of　the　new　movies　took　place　at　midnight　and　Johnny　and　Nino　arrived　at　eleven。　Roy　McElroy　proved　to　be；　at　first　sight；　an　enormously　likable　man；　well…groomed；　beautifully　dressed。　He　greeted　Johnny　Fontane　with　a　surprised　cry　of　delight。　〃What　the　hell　are　you　doing　here？〃　he　said　with　genuine　astonishment。
　
　Johnny　shook　his　hand。　〃I'm　showing　my　country　cousin　the　sights。　Meet　Nino。〃
　
　McElroy　shook　hands　with　Nino　and　gazed　at　him　appraisingly。　〃They'll　eat　him　up　alive；〃　he　said　to　Johnny。　He　led　them　to　the　rear　patio。
　
　The　rear　patio　was　really　a　series　of　huge　rooms　whose　glass　doors　had　been　opened　to　a　garden　and　pool。　There　were　almost　a　hundred　people　milling　around；　all　with　drinks　in　their　hands。　The　patio　lighting　was　artfully　arranged　to　flatter　feminine　faces　and　skin。　These　were　women　Nino　had　seen　on　the　darkened　movie　screens　when　he　had　been　a　teenager。　They　had　played　their　part　in　his　erotic　dreams　of　adolescence。　But　seeing　them　now　in　the　flesh　was　like　seeing　them　in　some　horrible　makeup。　Nothing　could　hide　the　tiredness　of　their　spirit　and　their　flesh；　time　had　eroded　their　godhead。　They　posed　and　moved　as　charmingly　as　he　remembered　but　they　were　like　wax　fruit；　they　could　not　lubricate　his　glands。　Nino　took　two　drinks；　wandered　to　a　table　where　he　could　stand　next　to　a　nest　of　bottles。　Johnny　moved　with　him。　They　drank　together　until　behind　them　came　the　magic　voice　of　Deanna　Dunn。
　
　Nino；　like　millions　of　other　men；　had　that　voice　imprinted　on　his　brain　forever。　Deanna　Dunn　had　won　two　Academy　Awards；　had　been　in　the　biggest　movie　grosser　made　in　Hollywood。　On　the　screen　she　had　a　feline　feminine　charm　that　made　her　irresistible　to　all　men。　But　the　words　she　was　saying　had　never　been　heard　on　the　silver　screen。　〃Johnny；　you　bastard；　I　had　to　go　to　my　psychiatrist　again　because　you　gave　me　a　one…night　stand。　How　e　you　never　came　back　for　seconds？〃
　
　Johnny　kissed　her　on　her　proffered　cheek。　〃You　wore　me　out　for　a　month；〃　he　said。　〃I　want　you　to　meet　my　cousin　Nino。　A　nice　strong　Italian　boy。　Maybe　he　can　keep　up　with　you。〃
　
　Deanna　Dunn　turned　to　give　Nino　a　cool　look。　〃Does　he　like　to　watch　previews？〃
　
　Johnny　laughed。　〃I　don't　think　he's　ever　had　the　chance。　Why　don't　you　break　him　in？〃
　
　Nino　had　to　take　a　big　drink　when　he　was　alone　with　Deanna　Dunn。　He　was　trying　to　be　nonchalant　but　it　was　hard。　Deanna　Dunn　had　the　upturned　nose；　the　clean…cut　classical　features　of　the　Anglo…Saxon　beauty。　And　he　knew　her　so　well。　He　had　seen　her　alone　in　a　bedroom；　heartbroken；　weeping　over　her　dead　flier　husband　who　had　left　her　with　fatherless　children。　He　had　seen　her　angry；　hurt；　humiliated；　yet　with　a　shining　dignity　when　a　caddish　Clark　Gable　had　taken　advantage　of　her；　then　left　her　for　a　sexpot。　（Deanna　Dunn　never　played　sexpots　in　the　movies。）　He　had　seen　her　flushed　with　requited　love；　writhing　in　the　embrace　of　the　man　she　adored　and　he　had　seen　her　die　beautifully　at　least　a　half　dozen　times。　He　had　seen　her　and　heard　her　and　dreamed　about　her　and　yet　he　was　not　prepared　for　the　first　thing　she　said　to　him　alone。
　
　〃Johnny　is　one　of　the　few　men　with　balls　in　this　town；〃　she　said。　〃The　rest　are　all　fags　and　sick　morons　who　couldn't　get　it　up　with　a　broad　if　you　pumped　a　truckload　of　Spanish　fly　into　their　scrotums。〃　She　took　Nino　by　the　hand　and　led　him　into　a　corner　of　the　room；　out　of　traffic　and　out　of　petition。
　
　Then　still　coolly　charming；　she　asked　him　about　himself。　He　saw　through　her。　He　saw　that　she　was　playing　the　role　of　the　rich　society　girl　who　is　being　kind　to　the　stableboy　or　the　chauffeur；　but　who　in　the　movie　would　either　discourage　his　amatory　interest　（if　the　part　were　played　by　Spencer　Tracy）；　or　throw　up　everything　in　her　mad　desire　for　him　（if　the　part　were　played　by　Clark　Gable）。　But　it　didn't　matter。　He　found　himself　telling　her　about　how　he　and　Johnny　had　grown　up　together　in　New　York；　about　how　he　and　Johnny　had　sung　together　on　little　club　dates。　He　found　her　marvelously　sympathetic　and　interested。　Once　she　asked　casually；　〃Do　you　know　how　Johnny　made　that　bastard　Jack　Woltz　give　him　the　part？〃　Nino　froze　and　shook　his　head。　She　didn't　pursue　it。
　
　The　time　had　e　to　see　the　preview　of　a　new　Woltz　movie。　Deanna　Dunn　led　Nino；　her　warm　hand　imprisoning　his；　to　an　interior　room　of　the　mansion　that　had　no　windows　but　was　furnished　with　about　fifty　small　two…person　couches　scattered　around　in　such　a　way　as　to　give　each　one　a　little　island　of　semiprivacy。
　
　Nino　saw　there　was　a　small　table　beside　the　couch　and　on　the　table　were　an　ice　bowl；