The Godfather / Крестный отец. Марио Пьюзо

not come cheap. Nazorine was almost tearful in his thanks.

      The next man was a very simple case. His name was Anthony Coppola and he was the son of a man Don Corleone had worked with in his youth. Coppola needed five hundred dollars to open a pizzeria. For some reason, he couldn’t get credit. The Don reached into his pocket and took out a roll of bills. It was not quite enough. He grimaced and said to Tom Hagen, “Loan me a hundred dollars, I’ll pay you back Monday when I go to the bank.” The man protested that four hundred dollars would be enough, but Don Corleone patted his shoulder[29], saying, apologetically, “This wedding left me a little short of cash.” Hagen watched with admiration. How flattering to Anthony Coppola that a man like the Don would borrow to loan him money.

      When Coppola had gone, the Don raised his head inquiringly. Hagen said, “He’s not on the list but Luca Brasi wants to see you. He understands it can’t be public but he wants to congratulate you in person.”

      For the first time the Don seemed displeased. “Is it necessary?” he asked.

      Hagen shrugged. “You understand him better than I do. But he was very grateful that you invited him to the wedding. He never expected that. I think he wants to show his gratitude.”

      Don Corleone nodded and gestured that Luca Brasi should be brought to him.

      Luca Brasi was one of the most feared men in the Eastern underworld. His great talent, it was said, was that he could do a job of murder all by himself and never be found by the police.

      When Michael told Kay that story, for the first time Kay began to understand. She asked, “You’re not saying that a man like that works for your father?”

      The hell with it[30], he thought. He said, straight out.[31]“Nearly fifteen years ago some people wanted to take over my father’s oil importing business. They tried to kill him and nearly did. Luca Brasi went after them. The story is that he killed six men in two weeks and that ended the famous olive oil war.” He smiled as if it were a joke.

      “You mean your father was shot by gangsters?”

      “Fifteen years ago,” Michael said. “Everything’s been peaceful since then.” He was afraid he had gone too far.

      “You’re trying to scare me,” Kay said. “You just don’t want me to marry you.” She smiled at him. “Very clever.”

      Luca Brasi was indeed a man to frighten the devil in hell himself. Short, squat, massive-skulled, his presence sent out danger. Brasi’s reputation for violence was awesome and his devotion to Don Corleone legendary. Luca Brasi did not fear the police, he did not fear society, he did not fear God, he did not fear hell, he did not fear or love his fellow man. But he had chosen, to fear and love Don Corleone. When Hagen brought him in, the terrible Brasi felt stiff with respect. He stuttered over the flowery congratulations and then handed the Don an envelope with cash as a gift for the bridal couple.

      So that was what he wanted to do. Hagen noticed the change in Don Corleone. The Don received Brasi as a man who has done him an enormous service. The money in the envelope was sure to be more than anyone else had given. Brasi had spent many hours deciding on the sum. He wanted to be the most generous to show that he had the most respect, and that was why he had given his envelope to the Don personally. Brasi kissed the Don’s hand before he went out the door.

      When the door closed Don Corleone gave a small sigh of relief. Brasi was the only man in the world who could make him nervous. The man was like a natural force, he had to be handled as carefully as dynamite. He looked at Hagen. “Is Bonasera the only one left?”

      Hagen nodded. Don Corleone frowned in thought, then said, “Before you bring him in, tell Santino to come here. He should learn some things.”

      Out in the garden, Hagen looked for Sonny Corleone. He told the waiting Bonasera to be patient and went over to Michael Corleone and his girl friend. “Did you see Sonny?” he asked. Michael shook his head. Damn, Hagen thought, if Sonny was with the maid of honor all this time there was going to be a mess of trouble.

      Seeing Hagen go into the house, Kay Adams asked Michael Corleone, “Who is he? You introduced him as your brother but his name is different and he certainly doesn’t look Italian.”

      “Tom lived with us since he was twelve years old,” Michael said. “His parents died and he was in the streets with this bad eye infection. Sonny brought him home one night and he just stayed. He didn’t have any place to go. He lived with us until he got married.”

      Kay Adams was excited. “That’s really romantic,” she said. “Your father must be a warmhearted person. To adopt somebody just like that[32] when he had so many children of his own.”

      They saw Hagen follow Sonny into the Don’s ofcif e and then point a finger at Amerigo Bonasera. “Why do they bother your father with business on a day like this?” Kay asked.

      Michael laughed again. “Because they know that by tradition no Sicilian can refuse a request on his daughter’s wedding day. And no Sicilian ever lets a chance like that go by.[33]”

      During the summer, preparing for the wedding of her best friend, Connie Corleone, Lucy Mancini heard the whispered stories about Sonny.

      Now as she ran up the steps toward Sonny a tremendous flash of desire went through her body. On the landing Sonny grabbed her hand and pulled her down the hall into an empty bedroom. Her legs went weak as the door closed behind them. She felt Sonny’s mouth on hers, his lips tasting of burnt tobacco, bitter. At that moment she felt his hand come up beneath her bridesmaid’s gown. And for the first time in her life she reached a shattering climax. They leaned against each other, out of breath.

      It might have been going on for some time but now they could hear the soft knocking on the door. Then they heard Tom Hagen’s voice, very low, “Sonny, you in there?”

      Sonny winked at Lucy. “Yeah, Tom, what is it?”

      Hagen’s voice, still low, said, “The Don wants you in his ofcif e. Now.” They could hear his footsteps as he walked away. Sonny waited for a few moments and then slipped out the door after Hagen.

      Lucy combed her hair and checked her dress. She went out the door and ran into the garden. She took her seat at the bridal table next to Connie, who exclaimed, “Lucy, where were you? You look drunk. Stay beside me now.”

      The blond groom poured Lucy a glass of wine and smiled knowingly. Lucy didn’t care. She lifted the dark red juice to her mouth and drank. Slyly she whispered in Connie’s ear, “Only a few hours more and you’ll know what it’s all about.” Connie giggled.

      Amerigo Bonasera followed Hagen into the corner room of the house and found Don Corleone sitting behind a huge desk. Sonny Corleone was standing by the window, looking out into the garden. For the first time that afternoon the

      Don did not embrace the visitor or shake hands. The undertaker got the invitation because his wife and the wife of the Don were the closest of friends. Amerigo Bonasera himself was in disfavor with Don Corleone.

      Bonasera began his request. “You must excuse my daughter, your wife’s goddaughter, for not doing your family the respect of coming today. She is in the hospital still.” “We all know of your daughter’s misfortune,” Don Corleone said. “If I can help her in any way, you have only to speak. My wife is her godmother after all. I have never forgotten that honor.” This was a rebuke. The undertaker never called Don Corleone “Godfather” as custom dictated.

      Bonasera

29

похлопал его по плечу

30

Чёрт с ним

31

напрямик

32

Вот так просто усыновить кого-то

33

И ни один сицилиец не упустит такой случай.