mp.godfather-第44部分

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　Arrangements　had　been　made　by　his　PR　man　and　aide。　At　his　house　a　chauffeured　car　was　waiting；　a　rented　car。　In　it　were　the　PR　man　and　another　member　of　his　entourage。　Johnny　parked　his　car　and　hopped　in　and　they　were　on　their　way　to　the　airport。　He　waited　inside　the　car　while　the　PR　man　went　out　to　meet　Tom　Hagen's　plane。　When　Tom　got　into　the　car　they　shook　hands　and　drove　back　to　his　house。
　
　Finally　he　and　Tom　were　alone　in　the　living　room。　There　was　a　coolness　between　them。　Johnny　had　never　forgiven　Hagen　for　acting　as　a　barrier　to　his　getting　in　touch　with　the　Don　when　the　Don　was　angry　with　him；　in　those　bad　days　before　Connie's　wedding。　Hagen　never　made　excuses　for　his　actions。　He　could　not。　It　was　part　of　his　job　to　ad　as　a　lightning　rod　for　resentments　which　people　were　too　awed　to　feel　toward　the　Don　himseif　though　he　had　earned　them。
　
　〃Your　Godfather　sent　me　out　here　to　give　you　a　hand　on　some　things；〃　Hagen　said。　〃I　wanted　to　get　it　out　of　the　way　before　Christmas。〃
　
　Johnny　Fontane　shrugged。　〃The　picture　is　finished。　The　director　was　a　square　guy　and　treated　me　right。　My　scenes　are　too　important　to　be　left　on　the　cutting…room　floor　just　for　Woltz　to　pay　me　off。　He　can't　ruin　a　ten…million…dollar　picture。　So　now　everything　depends　on　how　good　people　think　I　am　in　the　movie。〃
　
　Hagen　said　cautiously；　〃Is　winning　this　Academy　Award　so　terribly　important　to　an　actor's　career；　or　is　it　just　the　usual　publicity　crap　that　really　doesn't　mean　anything　one　way　or　the　other？〃　He　paused　and　added　hastily；　〃Except　of　course　the　glory；　everybody　likes　glory。〃
　
　Johnny　Fontane　grinned　at　him。　〃Except　my　Godfather。　And　you。　No；　Tom；　it's　not　a　lot　of　crap。　An　Academy　Award　can　make　an　actor　for　ten　years。　He　can　get　his　pick　of　roles。　The　public　goes　to　see　him。　It's　not　everything；　but　for　an　actor　it's　the　most　important　thing　in　the　business。　I'm　counting　on　winning　it。　Not　because　I'm　such　a　great　actor　but　because　I'm　known　primarily　as　a　singer　and　the　part　is　foolproof。　And　I'm　pretty　good　too；　no　kidding。〃
　
　Tom　Hagen　shrugged　and　said；　〃Your　Godfather　tells　me　that　the　way　things　stand　now；　you　don't　have　a　chance　of　winning　the　award。〃
　
　Johnny　Fontane　was　angry。　〃What　the　hell　are　you　talking　about？　The　picture　hasn't　even　been　cut　yet；　much　less　shown。　And　the　Don　isn't　even　in　the　movie　business。　Why　the　hell　did　you　fly　the　three　thousand　miles　just　to　tell　me　that　shit？〃　He　was　so　shaken　he　was　almost　in　tears。
　
　Hagen　said　worriedly；　〃Johnny；　I　don't　know　a　damn　thing　about　all　this　movie　stuff。　Remember；　I'm　just　a　messenger　boy　for　the　Don。　But　we　have　discussed　this　whole　business　of　yours　many　times。　He　worries　about　you；　about　your　future。　He　feels　you　still　need　his　help　and　he　wants　to　settle　your　problem　once　and　for　all。　That's　why　I'm　here　now；　to　get　things　rolling。　But　you　have　to　start　growing　up；　Johnny。　You　have　to　stop　thinking　about　yourself　as　a　singer　or　an　actor。　You've　got　to　start　thinking　about　yourself　as　a　prime　mover；　as　a　guy　with　muscle。〃
　
　Johnny　Fontane　laughed　and　filled　his　glass。　〃If　I　don't　win　that　Oscar　I'll　have　as　much　muscle　as　one　of　my　daughters。　My　voice　is　gone；　if　I　had　that　back　I　could　make　some　moves。　Oh；　hell。　How　does　my　Godfather　know　I　won't　win　it？　OK；　I　believe　he　knows。　He's　never　been　wrong。〃
　
　Hagen　lit　a　thin　cigar。　〃We　got　the　word　that　Jack　Woltz　won't　spend　studio　money　to　support　your　candidacy。　In　fact　he's　sent　the　word　out　to　everybody　who　votes　that　he　does　not　want　you　to　win。　But　holding　back　the　money　for　ads　and　all　that　may　do　it。　He's　also　arranging　to　have　one　other　guy　get　as　much　of　the　opposition　votes　as　he　can　swing。　He's　using　all　sorts　of　bribes…　jobs；　money；　broads；　everything。　And　he's　trying　to　do　it　without　hurting　the　picture　or　hurting　it　as　little　as　possible。〃
　
　Johnny　Fontane　shrugged。　He　filled　his　glass　with　whiskey　and　downed　it。　〃Then　I'm　dead。〃
　
　Hagen　was　watching　him　with　his　mouth　curled　up　with　distaste。　〃Drinking　won't　help　your　voice；〃　he　said。
　
　〃Fuck　you；〃　Johnny　said。
　
　Hagen's　face　suddenly　became　smoothly　impassive。　Then　he　said；　〃OK；　I'll　keep　this　purely　business。〃
　
　Johnny　Fontane　put　his　drink　down　and　went　over　to　stand　in　front　of　Hagen。　〃I'm　sorry　I　said　that；　Tom；〃　he　said。　〃Christ；　I'm　sorry。　I'm　taking　it　out　on　you　because　I　wanta　kill　that　bastard　Jack　Woltz　and　I'm　afraid　to　tell　off　my　Godfather。　So　I　get　sore　at　you。〃　There　were　tears　in　his　eyes。　He　threw　the　empty　whiskey　glass　against　the　wall　but　so　weakly　that　the　heavy　shot　glass　did　not　even　shatter　and　rolled　along　the　floor　back　to　him　so　that　he　looked　down　at　it　in　baffled　fury。　Then　he　laughed。　〃Jesus　Christ；〃　he　said。
　
　He　walked　over　to　the　other　side　of　the　room　and　sat　opposite　Hagen。　〃You　know；　I　had　everything　my　own　way　for　a　long　time。　Then　I　divorced　Ginny　and　everything　started　going　sour。　I　lost　my　voice。　My　records　stopped　selling。　I　didn't　get　any　more　movie　work。　And　then　my　Godfather　got　sore　at　me　and　wouldn't　talk　to　me　on　the　phone　or　see　me　when　I　came　into　New　York。　You　were　always　the　guy　barring　the　path　and　I　blamed　you；　but　I　knew　you　wouldn't　do　it　without　orders　from　the　Don。　But　you　can't　get　sore　at　him。　It's　like　getting　sore　at　God。　So　I　curse　you。　But　you've　been　right　all　along　the　line。　And　to　show　you　I　mean　my　apology　I'm　taking　your　advice。　No　more　booze　until　I　get　my　voice　back。　OK？〃
　
　The　apology　was　sincere。　Hagen　forgot　his　anger。　There　must　be　something　to　this　thirty…five…year…old　boy　or　the　Don　would　not　be　so　fond　of　him。　He　said；　〃Forget　it；　Johnny。〃　He　was　embarrassed　at　the　depth　of　Johnny's　feeling　and　embarrassed　by　the　suspicion　that　it　might　have　been　inspired　by　fear；　fear　that　he　might　turn　the　Don　against　him。　And　of　course　the　Don　could　never　be　turned　by　anyone　for　any　reason。　His　affection　was　mutable　only　by　himself。
　
　〃Things　aren't　so　bad；〃　he　told　Johnny。　〃The　Don　says　he　can　cancel　out　everything　Woltz　does　against　you。　That　you　will　almost　certainly　win　the　Award。　But　he　feels　that　won't　solve　your　problem。　He　wants　to　know　if　you　have　the　brains　and　balls　to　bee　a　producer　on　your　own；　make　your　own　movies　from　top　to　bottom。〃
　
　〃How　the　hell　is　he　going　to　get　me　the　Award？〃　Johnny　asked　incredulously。
　
　Hagen　said　sharply；　〃How　do　you　find　it　so　easy　to　believe　that　Woltz　can　finagle　it　and　your　Godfather　can't？　Now　since　it's　necessary　to　get　your　faith　for　the　other　part　of　our　deal　I　must　tell　you　this。　Just　keep　it　to　yourself。　Your　Godfather　is　a　much　more　powerful　man　than　Jack　Woltz。　And　he　is　much　more　powerful　in　areas　far　more　critical。　How　can　he　swing　the　Award？　He　controls；　or　controls　the　people　who　control；　all　the　labor　unions　in　the　industry；　all　the　people　or　nearly　all　the　people　who　vote。　Of　course　you　have　to　be　good；　you　have　to　be　in　contention　on　your　own　merits。　And　your　Godfather　has　more　brains　than　Jack　Woltz。　He　doesn't　go　up　to　these　people　and　put　a　gun　to　their　heads　and　say；　'Vote　for　Johnny　Fontane　or　you　are　out　of　a　job。'　He　doesn't　strong…arm　where　strong…arm　doesn't　work　or　leaves　too　many　hard　feelings。　He'll　make　those　people　vote　for　you　because　they　want　to。　But　they　won't　want　to　unless　he　takes　an　interest。　Now　just　take　my　word　for　it　that　he　can　get　you　the　Award。　And　that　if　he　doesn't　do　it；　you　won't　get　it。〃
　
　〃OK；〃　Johnny　said。　〃I　believe　you。　And　I　have　the　balls　and　brains　to　be　a　producer　but　I　don't　have　the　money。　No　bank　would　finance　me。　It　takes　millions　to　support　a　movie。〃
　
　Hagen　said　dryly；　〃When　you　get　the　Award；　start　making　plans　to　produce　three　of　your　own　movies。　Hire　the　best　people　in　the　business；　the　best　technicians；　the　best　stars；　whoever　you　need。　Plan　on　three　to　five　movies。〃
　
　〃You're　crazy；〃　Johnny　said。　〃That　many　movies　could　mean　twenty　million　bucks。〃
　
　〃When　you　need　the　money；〃　Hagen　said；　〃get　in　touch　with　me。　I'll　give　you　the　name　of　the　bank　out　here　in　California　to　ask　for　financing。　Don't　worry；　they　finance　movies　all　the　time。　Just　ask　them　for　the　money　in　the　ordinary　way；　with　the　proper　justifications；　like　a　regular　business　deal。　T