Mario Puzo - Крестный отец, часть 1. Английский язык с Марио Пьюзо.

"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).

But the Don gave him no encouragement (никак его не обнадежил; encouragement – одобрение, поощрение [ın'kLrıdGm∂nt]). He asked, "When does my daughter leave with her bridegroom?"

Hagen looked at his wristwatch (ручные часы; wrist – запястье). "In a few minutes they'll cut the cake and then a half hour after that." That reminded him of something else. "Your new son-in-law. Do we give him something important, inside the Family (какое-нибудь важное дело, поручение в Семье)?"

He was surprised at the vehemence of the Don's answer (был удивлен силой, горячностью [‘vi:ım∂ns]). "Never." The Don hit the desk with the flat of his hand (ладонью, разжатой рукой; flat – плоский). "Never. Give him something to earn his living (чтобы зарабатывать на жизнь), a good living. But never let him know the Family's business. Tell the others, Sonny, Fredo, Clemenza."

The Don paused. "Instruct my sons, all three of them, that they will accompany me to the hospital (сопровождать [∂'kLmp∂nı]) to see poor Genco. I want them to pay their last respects (чтобы оказали последние почести). Tell Freddie to drive the big car and ask Johnny if he will come with us, as a special favor to me (как особое одолжение)." He saw Hagen look at him questioningly. "I want you to go to California tonight. You won't have time to go see Genco. But don't leave until I come back from the hospital and speak with you. Understood?"

"Understood," Hagen said. "What time should Fred have the car waiting?"

"When the guests have left," Don Corleone said. "Genco will wait for me."

"The Senator called," Hagen said. "Apologizing for not coming personally (извиняясь, что не прибыл лично) but that you would understand. He probably means (возможно, имеет в виду) those two FBI men across the street taking down license numbers. But he sent his gift over by special messenger (переслал со специальным посланником, курьером ['mesındG∂])."

The Don nodded. He did not think it necessary to mention (не посчитал необходимым упомянуть, сказать) that he himself had warned the Senator not to come (предостерег). "Did he send a nice present?"

Hagen made a face of impressed approval («впечатленного одобрения») that was very strangely Italian on his German-Irish features. "Antique silver, very valuable (очень ценное ['vælju∂bl]). The kids can sell it for a grand at least (за штуку /баксов/ как минимум, самое малое). The Senator spent a lot of time getting exactly the right thing (потратил массу времени, чтобы достать точно то, что нужно, что он искал). For those kind of people that's more important than how much it costs."

Don Corleone did not hide his pleasure (не скрыл: «не спрятал» удовольствия, радости) that so great a man as the Senator had shown him such respect. The Senator, like Luca Brasi, was one of the great stones in the Don's power structure, and he too, with this gift, had resworn his loyalty (возобновил клятву, присягу своей лояльности: «поклялся вновь»; to swear [swe∂] – клясться, присягать).

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. 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."

This answer told Hagen two things. Most important, that the answer to Virgil Sollozzo would be no. The second, that Don Corleone, since he would not give the answer before his daughter's wedding, expected his no to cause trouble.