Крестный отец

           Remember,I’mjustamessengerboyfortheDon.Butwehavediscussedthiswholebusinessofyoursmanytimes.Heworriesaboutyou,aboutyourfuture.Hefeelsyoustillneedhishelpandhewantstosettleyourproblemonceandforall.That’swhyI’mherenow,togetthingsrolling.Butyouhavetostartgrowingup,Johnny.Youhavetostopthinkingaboutyourselfasasingeroranactor.You’vegottostartthinkingaboutyourselfasaprimemover,asaguywithmuscle."

           JohnnyFontanelaughedandfilledhisglass."IfIdon’twinthatOscarI’llhaveasmuchmuscleasoneofmydaughters.Myvoiceisgone;ifIhadthatbackIcouldmakesomemoves.Oh,hell.HowdoesmyGodfatherknowIwon’twinit?OK,Ibelieveheknows.He’sneverbeenwrong."

           Hagenlitathincigar."WegotthewordthatJackWoltzwon’tspendstudiomoneytosupportyourcandidacy.Infacthe’ssentthewordouttoeverybodywhovotesthathedoesnotwantyoutowin.Butholdingbackthemoneyforadsandallthatmaydoit.He’salsoarrangingtohaveoneotherguygetasmuchoftheoppositionvotesashecanswing.He’susingallsortsofbribes—jobs,money,broads,everything.Andhe’stryingtodoitwithouthurtingthepictureorhurtingitaslittleaspossible."

           JohnnyFontaneshrugged.Hefilledhisglasswithwhiskeyanddownedit."ThenI’mdead."

           Hagenwaswatchinghimwithhismouthcurledupwithdistaste."Drinkingwon’thelpyourvoice,"hesaid.

           "Fuckyou,"Johnnysaid.

           Hagen’sfacesuddenlybecamesmoothlyimpassive.