mp.godfather-第12部分
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and his benefactor's blood family。
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It was still dark when the plane landed in Los Angeles。 Hagen checked into his hotel； showered and shaved； and watched dawn e over the city。 He ordered breakfast and newspapers to be sent up to his room and relaxed until it was time for his ten A。M。 appointment with Jack Woltz。 The appointment had been surprisingly easy to make。
The day before； Hagen had called the most powerful man in the movie labor unions； a man named Billy Goff。 Acting on instructions from Don Corleone； Hagen had told Goff to arrange an appointment on the next day for Hagen to call on Jack Woltz； that he should hint to Woltz that if Hagen was not made happy by the results of the interview； there could be a labor strike at the movie studio。 An hour later Hagen received a call from Goff。 The appointment would be at ten A。M。 Woltz had gotten the message about the possible labor strike but hadn't seemed too impressed； Goff said。 He added； 〃If it really es down to that； I gotta talk to the Don myself。〃
〃If it es to that he'll talk to you；〃 Hagen said。 By saying this he avoided making any promises。 He was not surprised that Goff was so agreeable to the Don's wishes。 The family empire； technically； did not extend beyond the New York area but Don Corleone had first bee strong by helping labor leaders。 Many of them still owed him debts of friendship。
But the ten A。M。 appointment was a bad sign。 It meant that he would be first on the appointment list； that he would not be invited to lunch。 It meant that Woltz held him in small worth。 Goff had not been threatening enough； probably because Woltz had him on his graft payroll。 And sometimes the Don's success in keeping himself out of the limelight worked to the disadvantage of the family business； in that his name did not mean anything to outside circles。
His analysis proved correct。 Woltz kept him waiting for a half hour past the appointed time。 Hagen didn't mind。 The reception room was very plush； very fortable； and on a plum…colored couch opposite him sat the most beautiful child Hagen had ever seen。 She was no more than eleven or twelve； dressed in a very expensive but simple way as a grown woman。 She had incredibly golden hair； huge deep sea…blue eyes and a fresh raspberry…red mouth。 She was guarded by a woman obviously her mother； who tried to stare Hagen down with a cold arrogance that made him want to punch her in the face。 The angel child and the dragon mother； Hagen thought； returning the mother's cold stare。
Finally an exquisitely dressed but stout middle…aged woman came to lead him through a string of offices to the office…apartment of the movie producer。 Hagen was impressed by the beauty of the offices and the people working in them。 He smiled。 They were all shrewdies； trying to get their foot in the movie door by taking office jobs； and most of them would work in these offices for the rest of their lives or until they accepted defeat and returned to their home towns。
Jack Woltz was a tall； powerfully built man with a heavy paunch almost concealed by his perfectly tailored suit。 Hagen knew his history。 At ten years of age Woltz had hustled empty beer kegs and pushcarts on the East Side。 At twenty he helped his father sweat garment workers。 At thirty he had left New York and moved West； invested in the nickelodeon and pioneered motion pictures。 At forty…eight he had been the most powerful movie magnate in Hollywood； still rough…spoken； rapaciously amorous； a raging wolf ravaging helpless flocks of young starlets。 At fifty he transformed himself。 He took speech lessons； learned how to dress from an English valet and how to behave socially from an English butler。 When his first wife died he married a world…famous and beautiful actress who didn't like acting。 Now at the age of sixty he collected old master paintings； was a member of the President's Advisory mittee； and had set up a multimillion…dollar foundation in his name to promote art in motion pictures。 His daughter had married an English lord； his son an Italian princess。
His latest passion； as reported dutifully by every movie columnist in America； was his own racing stables on which he had spent ten million dollars in the past year。 He had made headlines by purchasing the famed English racing horse Khartoum for the incredible price of six hundred thousand dollars and then announcing that the undefeated racer would be retired and put to stud exclusively for the Woltz stables。
He received Hagen courteously； his beautifully； evenly tanned； meticulously barbered face contorted with a grimace meant to be a smile。 Despite all the money spent； despite the ministrations of the most knowledgeable technicians； his age showed； the flesh of his face looked as if it had been seamed together。 But there was an enormous vitality in his movements and he had what Don Corleone had； the air of a man who manded absolutely the world in which he lived。
Hagen came directly to the point。 That he was an emissary from a friend of Johnny Fontane。 That this friend was a very powerful man who would pledge his gratitude and undying friendship to Mr。 Woltz if Mr。 Woltz would grant a small favor。 The small favor would be the casting of Johnny Fontane in the new war movie the studio planned to start next week。
The seamed face was impassive； polite。 〃What favors can your friend do me？〃 Woltz asked。 There was just a trace of condescension in his voice。
Hagen ignored the condescension。 He explained。 〃You've got some labor trouble ing up。 My friend can absolutely guarantee to make that trouble disappear。 You have a top male star who makes a lot of money for your studio but he just graduated from marijuana to heroin。 My friend will guarantee that your male star won't be able to get any more heroin。 And if some other little things e up over the years a phone call to me can solve your problems。〃
Jack Woltz listened to this as if he were hearing the boasting of a child。 Then he said harshly； his voice deliberately all East Side； 〃You trying to put muscle on me？〃
Hagen said coolly； 〃Absolutely not。 I've e to ask a service for a friend。 I've tried to explain that you won't lose anything by it。〃
Almost as if he willed it； Woltz made his face a mask of anger。 The mouth curled； his heavy brows； dyed black； contracted to form a thick line over his glinting eyes。 He leaned over the desk toward Hagen。 〃All right； you smooth son of a bitch； let me lay it on the line for you and your boss； whoever he is。 Johnny Fontane never gets that movie。 I don't care how many guinea Mafia goombahs e out of the woodwork。〃 He leaned back。 〃A word of advice to you； my friend。 J。 Edgar Hoover； I assume you've heard of him〃… Woltz smiled sardonically… 〃is a personal friend of mine。 If I let him know I'm being pressured； you guys will never know what hit you。〃
Hagen listened patiently。 He had expected better from a man of Woltz's stature。 Was it possible that a man who acted this stupidly could rise to the head of a pany worth hundreds of millions？ That was something to think about since the Don was looking for new things to put money into； and if the top brains of this industry were so dumb； movies might be the thing。 The abuse itself bothered him not at all。 Hagen had learned the art of negotiation from the Don himself。 〃Never get angry；〃 the Don had instructed。 〃Never make a threat。 Reason with people。〃 The word 〃reason〃 sounded so much better in Italian； ragione； to rejoin。 The art of this was to ignore all insults； all threats； to turn the other cheek。 Hagen had seen the Don sit at a negotiating table for eight hours； swallowing insults； trying to persuade a notorious and megalomaniac strong…arm man to mend his ways。 At the end of the eight hours Don Corleone had thrown up his hands in a helpless gesture and said to the other men at the table； 〃But no one can reason with this fellow；〃 and had stalked out of the meeting room。 The strong…arm man had turned white with fear。 Emissaries were sent to bring the Don back into the room。 An agreement was reached but two months later the strong…arm was shot to death in his favorite barbershop。
So Hagen started again； speaking in the most ordinary voice。 〃Look at my card；〃 he said。 〃I'm a lawyer。 Would I stick my neck out？ Have I uttered one threatening word？ Let me just say that I am prepared to meet any condition you name to get Johnny Fontane that movie。 I think I've already offered a great deal for such a small favor。 A favor that I understand it would be in your interest to grant。 Johnny tells me that you admit he would be perfect for that part。 And let me say that this favor would never be asked if that were not so。 In fact； if you're worried about your investment； my client would finance the picture。 But please let me make myself absolutely clear。 We understand your no is no。 Nobody can force you or is trying to。 We know about your friendship with Mr。 Hoover； I may add； and my boss respects you for it。 He respects that relationship very much。〃
Woltz had been doodling with a huge； red…feathered pen。 At the mention of money his interest was aroused and he stopped doodling。 He said patronizingly； 〃This picture i
