Крестный отец

           Thenhesaid,"OK,I’llkeepthispurelybusiness."

           JohnnyFontaneputhisdrinkdownandwentovertostandinfrontofHagen."I’msorryIsaidthat,Tom,"hesaid."Christ,I’msorry.I’mtakingitoutonyoubecauseIwantakillthatbastardJackWoltzandI’mafraidtotelloffmyGodfather.SoIgetsoreatyou."Thereweretearsinhiseyes.Hethrewtheemptywhiskeyglassagainstthewallbutsoweaklythattheheavyshotglassdidnotevenshatterandrolledalongthefloorbacktohimsothathelookeddownatitinbaffledfury.Thenhelaughed."JesusChrist,"hesaid.

           HewalkedovertotheothersideoftheroomandsatoppositeHagen."Youknow,Ihadeverythingmyownwayforalongtime.ThenIdivorcedGinnyandeverythingstartedgoingsour.Ilostmyvoice.Myrecordsstoppedselling.Ididn’tgetanymoremoviework.AndthenmyGodfathergotsoreatmeandwouldn’ttalktomeonthephoneorseemewhenIcameintoNewYork.YouwerealwaystheguybarringthepathandIblamedyou,butIknewyouwouldn’tdoitwithoutordersfromtheDon.Butyoucan’tgetsoreathim.It’slikegettingsoreatGod.SoIcurseyou.Butyou’vebeenrightallalongtheline.AndtoshowyouImeanmyapologyI’mtakingyouradvice.NomoreboozeuntilIgetmyvoiceback.OK?"

           Theapologywassincere.Hagenforgothisanger.Theremustbesomethingtothisthirty-five-year-oldboyortheDonwouldnotbesofondofhim.Hesaid,"Forgetit,Johnny."