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！
〃By the way； guess who called me；〃 she said。
Johnny wouldn't play that game； he never did。 〃Who？〃 he asked。
Ginny said； 〃You could take at least one lousy guess。〃 Johnny didn't answer。 〃Your Godfather；〃 she said。
Johnny was really surprised。 〃He never talks to anybody on the phone。 What did he say to you？〃
〃He told me to help you；〃 Ginny said。 〃He said you could be as big as you ever were； that you were on your way back； but that you needed people to believe in you。 I asked him why should I？ And he said because you're the father of my children。 He's such a sweet old guy and they tell such horrible stories about him。〃
Virginia hated phones and she had had all the extensions taken out except for the one in her bedroom and one in the kitchen。 Now they could hear the kitchen phone ringing。 She went to answer it。 When she came back into the living room there was a look of surprise on her face。 〃It's for you； Johnny；〃 she said。 〃It's Tom Hagen。 He says it's important。〃
Johnny went into the kitchen and picked up the phone。 〃Yeah； Tom；〃 he said。
Tom Hagen's voice was cool。 〃Johnny； the Godfather wants me to e out and see you and set some things up that can help you out now that the picture is finished。 He wants me to catch the morning plane。 Can you meet it in Los Angeles？ I have to fly back to New York the same night so you won't have to worry about keeping your night free for me。〃
〃Sure； Tom；〃 Johnny said。 〃And don't worry about me losing a night。 Stay over and relax a bit。 I'll throw a party and you can meet some movie people。〃 He always made that offer； he didn't want the folks from his old neighborhood to think he was ashamed of them。
〃Thanks；〃 Hagen said； 〃but I really have to catch the early morning plane back。 OK； you'll meet the eleven…thirty A。M。 out of New York？〃
〃Sure；〃 Johnny said。
〃Stay in your car；〃 Hagen said。 〃Send one of your people to meet me when I get off the plane and bring me to you。〃
〃Right；〃 Johnny said。
He went back to the living room and Ginny looked at him inquiringly。 〃My Godfather has some plan for me； to help me out；〃 Johnny said。 〃He got me the part in the movie； I don't know how。 But I wish he'd stay out of the rest of it。〃
He went back onto the sofa。 He felt very tired。 Ginny said； 〃Why don't you sleep in the guest bedroom tonight instead of going home？ You can have breakfast with the kids and you won't have to drive home so late。 I hate to think of you all alone in that house of yours anyway。 Don't you get lonely？〃
〃I don't stay home much；〃 Johnny said。
She laughed and said； 〃Then you haven't changed much。〃 She paused and then said； 〃Shall I fix up the other bedroom？〃
Johnny said； 〃Why can't I sleep in your bedroom？〃
She flushed。 〃No；〃 she said。 She smiled at him and he smiled back。 They were still friends。
When Johnny woke up the next morning it was late； he could tell by the sun ing in through the drawn blinds。 It never came in that way unless it was in the afternoon。 He yelled； 〃Hey； Ginny； do I still rate breakfast？〃 And far away he heard her voice call； 〃Just a second。〃
And it was just a second。 She must have had everything ready； hot in the oven； the tray waiting to be loaded； because as Johnny lit his fast cigarette of the day； the door of the bedroom opened and his two small daughters came in wheeling the breakfast cart。
They were so beautiful it broke his heart。 Their faces were shining and clear； their eyes alive with curiosity and the eager desire to run to him。 They wore their hair braid old…fashioned in long pigtails and they wore old…fashioned frocks and white patent…leather shoes。 They stood by the breakfast cart watching him as he stubbed out his cigarette and waited for him to call and hold his arms wide。 Then they came running to him。 He pressed his face between their two fresh fragrant cheeks and scraped them with his beard so that they shrieked。 Ginny appeared in the bedroom door and wheeled the breakfast cart the rest of the way so that he could eat in bed。 She sat beside him on the edge of the bed； pouring his coffee； buttering his toast。 The two young daughters sat on the bedroom couch watching him。 They were too old now for pillow fights or to be tossed around。 They were already smoothing their mussed hair。 Oh； Christ； he thought； pretty soon they'll be all grown up； Hollywood punks will be out after them。
He shared his toast and bacon with them as he ate； gave them sips of coffee。 It was a habit left over from when he had been singing with the band and rarely ate with them so they liked to share his food when he had his odd…hour meals like afternoon breakfasts or morning suppers。 The change…around in food delighted them… to eat steak and french fries at seven in the morning； bacon and eggs in the afternoon。
Only Ginny and a few of his close friends knew how much he idolized his daughters。 That had been the worst thing about the divorce and leaving home。 The one thing he had fought about； and for； was his position as a father to them。 In a very sly way he had made Ginny understand he would not be pleased by her remarrying； not because he was jealous of her； but because he was jealous of his position as a father。 He had arranged the money to be paid to her so it would be enormously to her advantage financially not to remarry。 It was understood that she could have lovers as long as they were not introduced into her home life。 But on this score he had absolute faith in her。 She had always been amazingly shy and old…fashioned in sex。 The Hollywood gigolos had batted zero when they started swarming around her； sniffing for the financial settlement and the favors they could get from her famous husband。
He had no fear that she expected a reconciliation because he had wanted to sleep with her the night before。 Neither one of them wanted to renew their old marriage。 She understood his hunger for beauty； his irresistible impulse toward young women far more beautiful than she。 It was known that he always slept with his movie co…stars at least once。 His boyish charm was irresistible to them； as their beauty was to him。
〃You'll have to start getting dressed pretty soon；〃 Ginny said。 〃Tom's plane will be getting in。〃 She shooed the daughters out of the room。
〃Yeah；〃 Johnny said。 〃By the way； Ginny； you know I'm getting divorced？ I'm gonna be a free man again。〃
She watched him getting dressed。 He always kept fresh clothes at her house ever since they had e to their new arrangement after the wedding of Don Corleone's daughter。 〃Christmas is only two weeks away；〃 she said。 〃Shall I plan on you being here？〃
It was the first time he had even thought about the holidays。 When his voice was in shape； holidays were lucrative singing dates but even then Christmas was sacred。 If he missed this one； it would be the second one。 Last year he had been courting his second wife in Spain； trying to get her to marry him。
〃Yeah；〃 he said。 〃Christmas Eve and Christmas。〃 He didn't mention New Year's Eve。 That would be one of the wild nights he needed every once in a while； to get drunk with his friends； and he didn't want a wife along then。 He didn't feel guilty about it。
She helped him put on his jacket and brushed it off。 He was always fastidiously neat。 She could see him frowning because the shirt he had put on was not laundered to his taste； the cuff links； a pair he had not worn for some time； were a little too loud for the way he liked to dress now。 She laughed softly and said； 〃Tom won't notice the difference。〃
The three women of the family walked him to the door and out on the driveway to his car。 The two little girls held his hands； one on each side。 His wife walked a little behind him。 She was getting pleasure out of how happy he looked。 When he reached his car he turned around and swung each girl in turn high up in the air and kissed her on the way down。 Then he kissed his wife and got into the car。 He never liked drawn…out good…byes。
**********
Arrangements had been made by his PR man and aide。 At his house a chauffeured car was waiting； a rented car。 In it were the PR man and another member of his entourage。 Johnny parked his car and hopped in and they were on their way to the airport。 He waited inside the car while the PR man went out to meet Tom Hagen's plane。 When Tom got into the car they shook hands and drove back to his house。
Finally he and Tom were alone in the living room。 There was a coolness between them。 Johnny had never forgiven Hagen for acting as a barrier to his getting in touch with the Don when the Don was angry with him； in those bad days before Connie's wedding。 Hagen never made excuses for his actions。 He could not。 It was part of his job to ad as a lightning rod for resentments which people were too awed to feel toward the Don himseif though he had earned them。
〃Your Godfather sent me out here to give you a hand on some things；〃 Hagen said。 〃I wanted to get it out of the way before Christmas。〃
Johnny Fontane shrugged。 〃The picture is finished。 The director was a square guy and treated me right。 My scenes are too important to be left on the cutting…room floor just for Woltz to pay me off。 He can't ruin a ten…million…dollar picture。 So now everything depends on how good people think I am in the movie。〃
Hagen said cautiously； 〃Is winning this Academy Award so terribly important to an actor's career； or is it just the usual publicity crap that really doesn't mean anything one way or the other？〃 He paused and added hastily； 〃Except of course the glory； everybody likes glory。〃
Johnny Fontane grinned at him。 〃Except my Godfather。 And you。 No； Tom； it's not a lot of crap。 An Academy Award can make an actor for ten years。 He can get his pick of roles。 The public goes to see him。 It's not everything； but for an actor it's the most important thing in the business。 I'm counting on winning it。 Not because I'm such a great actor but because I'm known primarily as a singer and the part is foolproof。 And I'm pretty good too； no kidding。〃
Tom Hagen shrugged and said； 〃Your Godfather tells me that the way things stand now； you don't have a chance of winning the award。〃
Johnny Fontane was angry。 〃What the hell are you talking about？ The picture hasn't even been cut yet； much less shown。 And the Don isn't even in the movie business。 Why the hell did you fly the three thousand miles just to tell me that shit？〃 He was so shaken he was almost in tears。
Hagen said worriedly； 〃Johnny； I don't know a damn thing about all this movie stuff。 Remember； I'm just a messenger boy for the Don。 But we have discussed this whole business of yours many times。 He worries about you； about your future。 He feels you still need his help and he wants to settle your problem once and for all。 That's why I'm here now； to get things rolling。 But you have to start growing up； Johnny。 You have to stop thinking about yourself as a singer or an actor。 You've got to start thinking about yourself as a prime mover； as a guy with muscle。〃
Johnny Fontane laughed and filled his glass。 〃If I don't win that Oscar I'll have as much muscle as one of my daughters。 My voice is gone； if I had that back I could make some moves。 Oh； hell。 How does my Godfather know I won't win it？ OK； I believe he knows。 He's never been wrong。〃
Hagen lit a thin cigar。 〃We got the word that Jack Woltz won't spend studio money to support your candidacy。 In fact he's sent the word out to everybody who votes that he does not want you to win。 But holding back the money for ads and all that may do it。 He's also arranging to have one other guy get as much of the opposition votes as he can swing。 He's using all sorts of bribes… jobs； money； broads； everything。 And he's trying to do it without hurting the picture or hurting it as little as possible。〃
Johnny Fontane shrugged。 He filled his glass with whiskey and downed it。 〃Then I'm dead。〃
Hagen was watching him with his mouth curled up with distaste。 〃Drinking won't help your voice；〃 he said。
〃Fuck you；〃 Johnny said。
Hagen's face suddenly became smoothly impassive。 Then he said； 〃OK； I'll keep this purely business