Mario Puzo - Крестный отец, часть 1. Английский язык с Марио Пьюзо.
Don Corleone went on. "You took the woman of your boss, a man more powerful than yourself, then you complain he won't help you. What nonsense. You left your family, your children without a father, to marry a whore and you weep because they don't welcome you back with open arms. The whore, you don't hit her in the face because she is making a picture, then you are amazed because she laughs at you. You lived like a fool and you have come to a fool's end."
Don Corleone paused to ask in a patient voice, "Are you willing to take my advice this time?"
Johnny Fontane shrugged. "I can't marry Ginny again, not the way she wants. I have to gamble, I have to drink, I have to go out with the boys. Beautiful broads run after me and I never could resist them. Then I used to feel like a heel when I went back to Ginny. Christ, I can't go through all that crap again."
It was rare that Don Corleone showed exasperation. "'I didn't tell you to get married again. Do what you want. It's good you wish to be a father to your children. A man who is not a father to his children can never be a real man. But then, you must make their mother accept you. Who says you can't see them every day? Who says you can't live in the same house? Who says you can't live your life exactly as you want to live it?"
Johnny Fontane laughed. "Godfather, not all women are like the old Italian wives. Ginny won't stand for it."
Now the Don was mocking. "Because you acted like a finocchio. You gave her more than the court said. You didn't hit the other in the face because she was making a picture. You let women dictate your actions and they are not competent in this world, though certainly they will be saints in heaven while we men burn in hell. And then I've watched you all these years." The Don's voice became earnest. "You've been a fine godson, you've given me all the respect. But what of your other old friends? One year you run around with this person, the next year with another person. That Italian boy who was so funny in the movies, he had some bad luck and you never saw him again because you were more famous. And how about your old, old comrade that you went to school with, who was your partner singing? Nino. He drinks too much out of disappointment but he never complains. He works hard driving the gravel truck and sings weekends for a few dollars. He never says anything against you. You couldn't help him a bit? Why not? He sings well."
Johnny Fontane said with patient weariness, "Godfather, he just hasn't got enough talent. He's OK, but he's not big time."
Don Corleone lidded his eyes almost closed (прикрыл веками; lid – веко) and then said, "And you, godson, you now, you just don't have talent enough. Shall I get you a job on the gravel truck with Nino?" When Johnny didn't answer, the Don went on. "Friendship is everything. Friendship is more than talent. It is more than government. It is almost the equal of family (/дружба/ почти равноценна семье; equal – ['i:kw∂l] – равный, равносильный, тождественный). Never forget that. If you had built up a wall of friendships (если бы ты построил стену = укрепление из дружеских связей) you wouldn't have to ask me to help (тебе бы не пришлось просить у меня помощи). Now tell me, why can't you sing? You sang well in the garden. As well as Nino."
Hagen and Johnny smiled at this delicate thrust (утонченный, искусный выпад, удар, укол; delicate ['delıkıt]). It was Johnny's turn to be patronizingly patient (настала его очередь быть снисходительно-терпеливым; patronize [‘pætr∂naız] – заботиться, опекать; относиться снисходительно, свысока). "My voice is weak. I sing one or two songs and then I can't sing again for hours or days. I can't make it through the rehearsals or the retakes (не выдерживаю, не могу продержаться во время репетиций или повторных записей). My voice is weak, it's got some sort of sickness (что-то с ним не так, тут какая-то болезнь: «получил какую-то болезнь»)."
"So you have woman trouble (женская проблема). Your voice is sick. Now tell me the trouble you're having with this Hollywood pezzonovante (с этой голливудской шишкой: 90-ый калибр /итал./) who won't let you work." The Don was getting down to business (переходил к делу).
"He's bigger than one of your pezzonovantes," Johnny said. "He owns the studio. He advises the President on movie propaganda for the war. Just a month ago he bought the movie rights to the biggest novel of the year. A best seller. And the main character is a guy just like me. I wouldn't even have to act, just be myself. I wouldn't even have to sing. I might even win the Academy Award (я, возможно, даже получу награду академии; award [∂’wo:d] – присуждение /награды, премии/). Everybody knows it's perfect for me and I'd be big again. As an actor. But that bastard Jack Woltz is paying me off, he won't give it to me. I offered to do it for nothing (я предложил сыграть бесплатно), for a minimum price and he still says no. He sent the word that if I come and kiss his ass (его задницу) in the studio commissary (на складе ['komıs∂rı]), maybe he'll think about it."
Don Corleone dismissed this emotional nonsense with a wave of his hand. Among reasonable men (среди разумных людей = между разумными людьми) problems of business could always be solved (всегда могут быть /раз/решены). He patted his godson on the shoulder (похлопал по плечу). "You're discouraged (деморализован: «обескуражен»; courage [‘kLrıdG] – отвага, мужество). Nobody cares about you, so you think. And you've lost a lot of weight (потерял много веса). You drink a lot, eh? You don't sleep and you take pills (таблетки /снотворное/)?" He shook his head disapprovingly (неодобрительно; to disapprove [dıs∂’pru:v] – не одобрять).
"Now I want you to follow my orders (следовать моим указаниям)," the Don said. "I want you to stay in my house for one month. I want you to eat well, to rest (отдохнуть) and sleep. I want you to be my companion, I enjoy your company, and maybe you can learn something about the world from your Godfather that might even help you in the great Hollywood. But no singing, no drinking and no women. At the end of the month you can go back to Hollywood and this pezzonovante, this .90 caliber will give you that job you want. Done (по рукам: «сделано»)?"
Johnny Fontane could not altogether believe (не мог вполне поверить) that the Don had such power. But his Godfather had never said such and such a thing could be done (что та или иная вещь может быть сделана) without having it done (и не сделал бы: «без того, чтобы ее сделать»). "This guy is a personal friend of J. Edgar Hoover (этот парень – личный друг Хувера /director of the FBI 1924–72/)," Johnny said. "You can't even raise your voice to him (он вас даже слушать не станет)."
"He's a businessman," the Don said blandly (мягко, ласково). "I'll make him an offer he can't refuse (я сделаю ему предложение, от которого он не сможет отказаться)."
"It's too late," Johnny said. "All the contracts have been signed (были подписаны; to sign [saın]) and they start shooting in a week (и они начинают снимать через неделю). It's absolutely impossible."
Don Corleone said, "Go, go back to the party. Your friends are waiting for you. Leave everything to me." He pushed Johnny Fontane out of the room (вытолкнул).
Don Corleone lidded his eyes almost closed and then said, "And you, godson, you now, you just don't have talent enough. Shall I get you a job on the gravel truck with Nino?" When Johnny didn't answer, the Don went on. "Friendship is everything. Friendship is more than talent. It is more than government. It is almost the equal of family. Never forget that. If you had built up a wall of friendships you wouldn't have to ask me to help. Now tell me, why can't you sing? You sang well in the garden. As well as Nino."
Hagen and Johnny smiled at this delicate thrust. It was Johnny's turn to be patronizingly patient. "My voice is weak. I sing one or two songs and then I can't sing again for hours or days. I can't make it through the rehearsals or the retakes. My voice is weak, it's got some sort of sickness."
"So you have woman trouble. Your voice is sick. Now tell me the trouble you're having with this Hollywood pezzonovante who won't let you work." The Don was getting down to business. "He's bigger than one of your pezzonovantes," Johnny said. "He owns the studio. He advises the President on movie propaganda for the war. Just a month ago he bought the movie rights to the biggest novel of the year. A best seller. And the main character is a guy just like me. I wouldn't even have to act, just be myself. I wouldn't even have to sing. I might even win the Academy Award. Everybody knows it's perfect for me and I'd be big again. As an actor. But that bastard Jack Woltz is paying me off, he won't give it to me. I offered to do it for nothing, for a minimum price and he still says no. He sent the word that if I come and kiss his ass in the studio commissary, maybe he'll think about it."
Don Corleone dismissed this emotional nonsense with a wave of his hand. Among reasonable men problems of business could always be solved. He patted his godson on the shoulder. "You're discouraged. Nobody cares about you, so you think. And you've lost a lot of weight. You drink a lot, eh? You don't sleep and you take pills?" He shook his head disapprovingly.
"Now I want you to follow my orders," the Don said. "I want you to stay in my house for one month. I want you to eat well, to rest and sleep. I want you to be my companion, I enjoy your company, and maybe you can learn something about the world from your Godfather that might even help you in the great Hollywood. But no singing, no drinking and no women. At the end of the month you can go back to Hollywood and this pezzonovante, this .90 caliber will give you that job you want. Done?"
Johnny Fontane could not altogether believe that the Don had such power. But his Godfather had never said such and such a thing could be done without having it done. "This guy is a personal friend of J. Edgar Hoover," Johnny said. "You can't even raise your voice to him."
"He's a businessman," the Don said blandly. "I'll make him an offer he can't refuse."
"It's too late," Johnny said. "All the contracts have been signed and they start shooting in a week. It's absolutely impossible."
Don Corleone said, "Go, go back to the party. Your friends are waiting for you. Leave everything to me." He pushed Johnny Fontane out of the room.
Hagen sat behind the desk and made notes. The Don heaved a sigh and asked, "Is there anything else?"
"Sollozzo can't be put off any more (/его/ нельзя больше откладывать). You'll have to see him this week." Hagen held his pen over the calendar.
The Don shrugged. "Now that the wedding is over, whenever you like (когда угодно)."
This answer told Hagen two things. Most important, that the answer to Virgil Sollozzo would be no (ответ будет отрицательным). The second, that Don Corleone, since he would not give the answer before his daughter's wedding (поскольку не хотел давать ответа до свадьбы дочери), expected his no to cause trouble (вызовет неприятности).
Hagen said cautiously (осторожно; cautious [‘ko:∫∂s] – осторожный, осмотрительный), "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 (чтобы не было ни облачка), not even in the distance (даже вдалеке). Also I wanted to know beforehand (заранее) what he wanted to talk about. We know now. What he will propose is an infamita (бесчестие /итал./ = позорное дело, безобразие)."
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 (уладить). 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 (не протянет; to last [lα:st] – продолжаться, тянуться, длиться). His family was told to come and wait (его семье было сказано прийти и ждать)."
Hagen had filled the Consigliori’s post (занимал пост; to fill – наполнять; занимать /пост/) for the past year, ever since the cancer had imprisoned Genco Abbandando in his hospital bed (с того самого времени, как рак приковал Дженко к постели ['kæns∂]). Now he waited to hear Don Corleone say the post was his permanently (постоянно, навсегда). The odds were against it (все говорило против этого; odds – неравенство, разница; перевес, преимущество). So high a position was traditionally given only to a man descended from two Italian parents (происходящего от родителей-итальянцев; to descend [dı'send] – спускаться; происходить). There had already been trouble about his temporary performance of the duties (из-за временного исполнения этих обязанностей [p∂'fo:m∂ns]). Also (кроме того, к тому же), he was only thirty-five, not old enough, supposedly (как предполагалось), to have acquired the necessary experience (чтобы приобрести необходимый опыт; to acquire [∂’kwaı∂] – обзаводиться, приобретать) and cunning (умение, навыки; хитрость) for a successful Consigliori (для удачливого, преуспевающего советника; success [s∂k’s∂s] – успех, удача).
