mp.godfather-第49部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　
　Nino　saw　there　was　a　small　table　beside　the　couch　and　on　the　table　were　an　ice　bowl；　glasses　and　bottles　of　liquor　plus　a　tray　of　cigarettes。　He　gave　Deanna　Dunn　a　cigarette；　lit　it　and　then　mixed　them　both　drinks。　They　didn't　speak　to　each　other。　After　a　few　minutes　the　lights　went　out。
　
　He　had　been　expecting　something　outrageous。　After　all；　he　had　heard　the　legends　of　Hollywood　depravity。　But　he　was　not　quite　prepared　for　Deanna　Dunn's　voracious　plummet　on　his　sexual　organ　without　even　a　courteous　and　friendly　word　of　preparation。　He　kept　sipping　his　drink　and　watching　the　movie；　but　not　tasting；　not　seeing。　He　was　excited　in　a　way　he　had　never　been　before　but　part　of　it　was　because　this　woman　servicing　him　in　the　dark　had　been　the　object　of　his　adolescent　dreams。
　
　Yet　in　a　way　his　masculinity　was　insulted。　So　when　the　world…famous　Deanna　Dunn　was　sated　and　had　tidied　him　up；　he　very　coolly　fixed　her　a　fresh　drink　in　the　darkness　and　lit　her　a　fresh　cigarette　and　said　in　the　most　relaxed　voice　imaginable；　〃This　looks　like　a　pretty　good　movie。〃
　
　He　felt　her　stiffen　beside　him　on　the　couch。　Could　it　be　she　was　waiting　for　some　sort　of　pliment？　Nino　poured　his　glass　full　from　the　nearest　bottle　his　hand　touched　in　the　darkness。　The　hell　with　that。　She'd　treated　him　like　a　goddamn　male　whore。　For　some　reason　now　he　felt　a　cold　anger　at　all　these　women。　They　watched　the　picture　for　another　fifteen　minutes。　He　leaned　away　from　her　so　their　bodies　did　not　touch。
　
　Finally　she　said　in　a　low　harsh　whisper；　〃Don't　be　such　a　snotty　punk；　you　liked　it。　You　were　as　big　as　a　house。〃
　
　Nino　sipped　his　drink　and　said　in　his　natural　off…hand　manner；　〃That's　the　way　it　always　is。　You　should　see　it　when　I　get　excited。〃
　
　She　laughed　a　little　and　kept　quiet　for　the　rest　of　the　picture。　Finally　it　was　over　and　the　lights　went　on。　Nino　took　a　look　around。　He　could　see　there　had　been　a　ball　here　in　the　darkness　though　oddly　enough　he　hadn't　heard　a　thing。　But　some　of　the　dames　had　that　hard；　shiny；　brighteyed　look　of　women　who　had　just　been　worked　over　real　good。　They　sauntered　out　of　the　projection　room。　Deanna　Dunn　left　him　immediately　to　go　over　and　talk　to　an　older　man　Nino　recognized　as　a　famous　featured　player；　only　now；　seeing　the　guy　in　person；　he　realized　that　he　was　a　fag。　He　sipped　his　drink　thoughtfully。
　
　Johnny　Fontane　came　up　beside　him　and　said；　〃Hi；　old　buddy；　having　a　good　time？〃
　
　Nino　grinned。　〃I　don't　know。　It's　different。　Now　when　I　go　back　to　the　old　neighborhood　I　can　say　Deanna　Dunn　had　me。〃
　
　Johnny　laughed。　〃She　can　be　better　than　that　if　she…invites　you　home　with　her。　Did　she？〃
　
　Nino　shook　his　head。　〃I　got　too　interested　in　the　movie；〃　he　said。　But　this　time　Johnny　didn't　laugh。
　
　〃Get　serious；　kid；〃　he　said。　〃A　dame　like　that　cn　do　you　a　lot　of　good。　And　you　used　to　boff　anything。　Man；　sometimes　I　still　get　nightmares　when　I　remember　those　ugly　broads　you　used　to　bang。〃
　
　Nino　waved　his　glass　drunkenly　and　said　very　loud；　〃Yeah；　they　were　ugly　but　they　were　women。〃　Deanna　Dunn；　in　the　corner；　turned　her　head　to　look　at　them。　Nino　waved　his　glass　at　her　in　greeting。
　
　Johnny　Fontane　sighed。　〃OK；　you're　just　a　guinea　peasant。〃
　
　〃And　I　ain't　gonna　change；〃　Nino　said　with　his　charmingly　drunken　smile。
　
　Johnny　understood　him　perfectly。　He　knew　Nino　was　not　as　drunk　as　he　pretended。　He　knew　that　Nino　was　only　pretending　so　that　he　could　say　things　which　he　felt　were　too　rude　to　say　to　his　new　Hollywood　padrone　when　sober。　He　put　his　arm　around　Nino's　neck　and　said　affectionately；　〃You　wise　guy　bum；　you　know　you　got　an　ironclad　contract　for　a　year　and　you　can　say　and　do　anything　you　want　and　I　can't　fire　you。〃
　
　〃You　can't　fire　me？〃　Nino　said　with　drunken　cunning。
　
　〃No；〃　Johnny　said。
　
　〃Then　fuck　you；〃　Nino　said。
　
　For　a　moment　Johnny　was　surprised　into　anger。　He　saw　the　careless　grin　on　Nino's　face。　But　in　the　past　few　years　he　must　have　gotten　smarter；　or　his　own　descent　from　stardom　had　made　him　more　sensitive。　In　that　moment　he　understood　Nino；　why　his　boyhood　singing　partner　had　never　bee　successful；　why　he　was　trying　to　destroy　any　chance　of　success　now。　That　Nino　was　reacting　away　from　all　the　prices　of　success；　that　in　some　way　he　felt　insulted　by　everything　that　was　being　done　for　him。
　
　Johnny　took　Nino　by　the　arm　and　led　him　out　of　the　house。　Nino　could　barely　walk　now。　Johnny　was　talking　to　him　soothingly。　〃OK；　kid；　you　just　sing　for　me；　I　wants　make　dough　on　you。　I　won't　try　to　run　your　life。　You　do　whatever　you　wants　do。　OK；　paisan？　All　you　gotta　do　is　sing　for　me　and　earn　me　money　now　that　I　can't　sing　anymore。　You　got　that；　old　buddy？〃
　
　Nino　straightened　up。　〃I'll　sing　for　you；　Johnny；〃　he　said；　his　voice　slurring　so　that　he　could　barely　be　understood。　〃I'm　a　better　singer　than　you　now。　I　was　always　a　better　singer　than　you；　you　know　that？〃
　
　Johnny　stood　there　thinking；　so　that　was　it。　He　knew　that　when　his　voice　was　healthy　Nino　simply　wasn't　in　the　same　league　with　him；　never　had　been　in　those　years　they　had　sung　together　as　kids。　He　saw　Nino　was　waiting　for　an　answer；　weaving　drunkenly　in　the　California　moonlight。　〃Fuck　you；〃　he　said　gently；　and　they　both　laughed　together　like　the　old　days　when　they　had　both　been　equally　young。
　
　**********
　
　When　Johnny　Fontane　got　word　about　the　shooting　of　Don　Corleone　he　not　only　worried　about　his　Godfather；　but　also　wondered　whether　the　financing　for　his　movie　was　still　alive。　He　had　wanted　to　go　to　New　York　to　pay　his　respects　to　his　Godfather　in　the　hospital　but　he　had　been　told　not　to　get　any　bad　publicity；　that　was　the　last　thing　Don　Corleone　would　want。　So　he　waited。　A　week　later　a　messenger　came　from　Tom　Hagen。　The　financing　was　still　on　but　for　only　one　picture　at　a　time。
　
　Meanwhile　Johnny　let　Nino　go　his　own　way　in　Hollywood　and　California；　and　Nino　was　doing　all　right　with　the　young　starlets。　Sometimes　Johnny　called　him　up　for　a　night　out　together　but　never　leaned　on　him。　When　they　talked　about　the　Don　getting　shot；　Nino　said　to　Johnny；　〃You　know；　once　I　asked　the　Don　for　a　job　in　his　organization　and　he　wouldn't　give　it　to　me。　I　was　tired　of　driving　a　truck　and　I　wanted　to　make　a　lot　of　dough。　You　know　what　he　told　me？　He　says　every　man　has　only　one　destiny　and　that　my　destiny　was　to　be　an　artist。　Meaning　that　I　couldn't　be　a　racket　guy。〃
　
　Johnny　thought　that　one　over。　The　Godfather　must　be　just　about　the　smartest　guy　in　the　world。　He'd　known　immediately　that　Nino　could　never　make　a　racket　guy；　would　only　get　himself　in　trouble　or　get　killed。　Get　killed　with　just　one　of　his　wisecracks。　But　how　did　the　Don　know　that　he　would　be　an　artist？　Because；　goddamn　it；　he　figured　that　someday　I'd　help　Nino。　And　how　did　he　figure　that？　Because　he　would　drop　the　word　to　me　and　I　would　try　to　show　my　gratitude。　Of　course　he　never　asked　me　to　do　it。　He　just　let　me　know　it　would　make　him　happy　if　I　did　it。　Johnny　Fontane　sighed。　Now　the　Godfather　was　hurt；　in　trouble；　and　he　could　kiss　the　Academy　Award　good…bye　with　Woltz　working　against　him　and　no　help　on　his　side。　Only　the　Don　had　the　personal　contacts　that　could　apply　pressure　and　the　Corleone　Family　had　other　things　to　think　about。　Johnny　had　offered　to　help；　Hagen　had　given　him　a　curt　no。
　
　Johnny　was　busy　getting　his　own　picture　going。　The　author　of　the　book　he　had　starred　in　had　finished　his　new　novel　and　came　west　on　Johnny's　invitation；　to　talk　it　over　without　agents　or　studios　getting　into　the　act。　The　second　book　was　perfect　for　what　Johnny　wanted。　He　wouldn't　have　to　sing；　it　had　a　good　gutsy　story　with　plenty　of　dames　and　sex　and　it　had　a　part　that　Johnny　instantly　recognized　as　tailor…made　for　Nino。　The　character　talked　like　Nino；　acted　like　him；　even　looked　like　him。　It　was　uncanny。　All　Nino　would　have　to　do　would　be　to　get　up　on　the　screen　and　be　himself。
　
　Johnny　worked　fast。　He　found　that　he　knew　a　lot　more　about　production　than　he　thought　he　did；　but　he　hired　an　executive　producer；　a　man　who　knew　his　stuff　but　had　trouble　finding　work　because　of　the　blacklist。　Johnny　didn't　take　advantage　but　gave　the　man　a　fair　contract。　〃I　expect　you　to　save　me　more　dough　t