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

The dying man raised his fevered eyes gratefully to the Don. He let the young men clasp his bony hand in their fleshy ones (дал молодым людям крепко пожать: «сжать, сдавить» свою костлявую ладонь в их мясистых ручищах). His wife and daughters ranged themselves along his bed (встали, выстроились в ряд вдоль его кровати), kissing his cheek, taking his other hand in turn (по очереди).

The Don pressed his old friend's hand. He said comfortingly, "Hurry up and get better (поспеши и выздоравливай = давай скорее выздоравливай) and we'll take a trip back to Italy together to our old village (отправимся вместе; trip – поездка, путешествие). We'll play boccie in front of the wineshop (поиграем в /деревянные/ шары /итал./) like our fathers before us."

The dying man shook his head. He motioned the young men and his family away from his bedside (показал жестом, чтобы отошли от его кровати); with the other bony claw he hung fast to the Don (другой костлявой лапой он крепко, тесно притянул себя: «повис» к Дону; claw – коготь; клешня; лапа). He tried to speak. The Don put his head down and then sat on the bedside chair. Genco Abbandando was babbling about their childhood. Then his coal-black eyes became sly (затем его черные, как уголь, глаза сделались хитрыми). He whispered. The Don bent closer (наклонился ближе; to bend). The others in the room were astonished (удивлены, изумлены [∂s’tonı∫]) to see tears running down Don Corleone's face as he shook his head. The quavering voice (дрожащий голос; to quaver [‘kweıv∂] – дрожать, вибрировать) grew louder (становился громче; to grow – расти), filling the room (наполняя, заполняя комнату). With a tortured, superhuman effort (со сверхчеловеческим = нечеловеческим усилием ['ef∂t]), Abbandando lifted his head off his pillow, eyes unseeing, and pointed a skeletal forefinger (указал указательным пальцем) at the Don. "Godfather, Godfather," he called out blindly, "save me from death, I beg of you (спаси меня от смерти, умоляю тебя). My flesh is burning off my bones (моя плоть «сгорает с моих костей») and I can feel the worms eating away my brain (чувствую червей, пожирающих мой мозг). Godfather, cure me (исцели меня), you have the power, dry the tears of my poor wife (осуши слезы). In Corleone we played together as children and now will you let me die when I fear hell for my sins (когда я боюсь ада за свои грехи)?"

The Don was silent. Abbandando said, "It is your daughter's wedding day, you cannot refuse me."

The Don spoke quietly, gravely, to pierce through the blasphemous delirium (чтобы пробиться сквозь богохульствующий бред; to pierce [‘pı∂s] – прокалывать, пронзать; [‘blæsfım∂s]). "Old friend," he said, "I have no such powers. If I did I would be more merciful than God (более милосердным, милосерднее Бога), believe me. But don't fear death and don't fear hell. I will have a mass said for your soul every night and every morning (закажу мессу). Your wife and your children will pray for you. How can God punish you (наказать) with so many pleas for mercy (при стольких просьбах о помиловании, снисхождении; plea – судебный акт, тяжба; обращение одной из сторон /в суде/; аппеляция)?"

The skeleton face took on a cunning expression (хитрое, коварное выражение; cunning – знание, познания /устар./; хитрость, умение; коварство) that was obscene. Abbandando said slyly (лукаво), "It's been arranged then (значит, все улажено)?"

When the Don answered, his voice was cold, without comfort. "You blaspheme (богохульствуешь [blæs’fi:m]). Resign yourself (смирись [ri'zain])."

Abbandando fell back on the pillow (упал на подушку). His eyes lost their wild gleam of hope (утратили слабый свет, проблеск надежды; to gleam – мерцать). The nurse came back into the room and started shooing them out (выгонять, выпроваживать; shoo – кыш; to shoo – вспугивать, прогонять /птиц/) in a very matter-of-fact way (очень по-деловому, сухо = строго). The Don got up but Abbandando put out his hand. "Godfather," he said, "stay here with me and help me meet death. Perhaps if He sees you near me He will be frightened (испугается: «будет напуган») and leave me in peace. Or perhaps you can say a word, pull a few strings (замолвишь словечко, потянешь за ниточки /как в кукольном театре/ = используешь связи), eh?" The dying man winked as if he were mocking the Don (подмигнул, как будто подшучивал, насмехался), now not really serious. "You're brothers in blood («братья по крови» = побратимы), after all." Then, as if fearing the Don would be offended (словно опасаясь, что Дон будет оскорблен), he clutched at his hand (схватил, зажал). "Stay with me, let me hold your hand. We'll outwit that bastard (перехитрим этого ублюдка; wit – разум, ум) as we've outwitted others. Godfather, don't betray me (не предавай меня)."

The Don motioned the other people out of the room. They left. He took the withered claw (высохшую; to wither [‘wıð∂] – вянуть; сохнуть) of Genco Abbandando in his own two broad hands. Softly, reassuringly (мягко, успокаивающе; to reassure [rı∂’∫u∂] – уверять, заверять; успокаивать), he comforted his friend, as they waited for death together. As if the Don could truly snatch the life of Genco Abbandando back (выхватить, вырвать) from that most foul (от этого, у этого самого грязного, подлого [faul]) and criminal traitor to man (и преступного предателя человека).

Genco Abbandando had run a long race with death, and now, vanquished, he lay exhausted on the raised bed. He was wasted away to no more than a skeleton, and what had once been vigorous black hair had turned into obscene stringy wisps. Don Corleone said cheerily, "Genco, dear friend, I have brought my sons to pay their respects, and look, even Johnny, all the way from Hollywood."

The dying man raised his fevered eyes gratefully to the Don. He let the young men clasp his bony hand in their fleshy ones. His wife and daughters ranged themselves along his bed, kissing his cheek, taking his other hand in turn.

The Don pressed his old friend's hand. He said comfortingly, "Hurry up and get better and we'll take a trip back to Italy together to our old village. We'll play boccie in front of the wineshop like our fathers before us."

The dying man shook his head. He motioned the young men and his family away from his bedside; with the other bony claw he hung fast to the Don. He tried to speak. The Don put his head down and then sat on the bedside chair. Genco Abbandando was babbling about their childhood. Then his coal-black eyes became sly. He whispered. The Don bent closer. The others in the room were astonished to see tears running down Don Corleone's face as he shook his head. The quavering voice grew louder, filling the room. With a tortured, superhuman effort, Abbandando lifted his head off his pillow, eyes unseeing, and pointed a skeletal forefinger at the Don. "Godfather, Godfather," he called out blindly, "save me from death, I beg of you. My flesh is burning off my bones and I can feel the worms eating away my brain. Godfather, cure me, you have the power, dry the tears of my poor wife. In Corleone we played together as children and now will you let me die when I fear hell for my sins?"

The Don was silent. Abbandando said, "It is your daughter's wedding day, you cannot refuse me."

The Don spoke quietly, gravely, to pierce through the blasphemous delirium. "Old friend," he said, "I have no such powers. If I did I would be more merciful than God, believe me. But don't fear death and don't fear hell. I will have a mass said for your soul every night and every morning. Your wife and your children will pray for you. How can God punish you with so many pleas for mercy?"

The skeleton face took on a cunning expression that was obscene. Abbandando said slyly, "It's been arranged then?"

When the Don answered, his voice was cold, without comfort. "You blaspheme. Resign yourself."

Abbandando fell back on the pillow. His eyes lost their wild gleam of hope. The nurse came back into the room and started shooing them out in a very matter-of-fact way. The Don got up but Abbandando put out his hand. "Godfather," he said, "stay here with me and help me meet death. Perhaps if He sees you near me He will be frightened and leave me in peace. Or perhaps you can say a word, pull a few strings, eh?" The dying man winked as if he were mocking the Don, now not really serious. "You're brothers in blood, after all." Then, as if fearing the Don would be offended, he clutched at his hand. "Stay with me, let me hold your hand. We'll outwit that bastard as we've outwitted others. Godfather, don't betray me."

The Don motioned the other people out of the room. They left. He took the withered claw of Genco Abbandando in his own two broad hands. Softly, reassuringly, he comforted his friend, as they waited for death together. As if the Don could truly snatch the life of Genco Abbandando back from that most foul and criminal traitor to man.

The wedding day of Connie Corleone ended well for her. Carlo Rizzi performed his duties as a bridegroom (исполнил свои обязанности /в качестве/ жениха) with skill and vigor (с мастерством и энергией ['vıg∂]), spurred on by the contents of the bride's gift purse (подстегиваемый содержимым кошелька-приданого невесты; spur – шпора) which totaled up (доходило до, насчитывало; to total [‘t∂ut∂l]) to over twenty thousand dollars. The bride, however, gave up her virginity with a great deal more willingness (отдала свою девственность с гораздо большей охотой) than she gave up her purse. For the latter, he had to blacken one of her eyes (за последний = чтобы получить последний, ему пришлось подбить ей глаз).

Lucy Mancini waited in her house for a call from Sonny Corleone, sure that he would ask her for a date (на свидание). Finally she called his house and when she heard a woman's voice answer the phone she hung up (повесила трубку; to hang up). She had no way of knowing (не могла знать) that nearly everyone at the wedding had remarked the absence of her and Sonny (заметили отсутствие) for that fatal half hour and the gossip was already spreading (слух уже распространялся) that Santino Corleone had found another victim (нашел еще одну жертву). That he had "done the job" on his own sister's maid of honor.