Английский язык с Крестным Отцом
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complex that was springing up. Las Vegas was part of the West Coast empire still
neutral and the Don of that empire had guaranteed Freddie's safety there. The New
York five Families had no desire to make more enemies by going into Vegas after
Freddie Corleone. They had enough trouble on their hands in New York.
Dr. Kennedy had forbade any discussion of business in front of the Don. This edict
was completely disregarded. The Don insisted on the council of war being held in his
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room. Sonny, Tom Hagen, Pete Clemenza and Tessio gathered there the very first night
of his homecoming.
Don Corleone was too weak to speak much but he wished to listen and exercise veto
powers. When it was explained that Freddie had been sent to Las Vegas to learn the
gambling casino business, he nodded his head approvingly. When he learned that
Bruno Tattaglia had been killed by Corleone button men he shook his head and sighed.
But what distressed him most of all was learning that Michael had killed Sollozzo and
Captain McCluskey and had then been forced to flee to Sicily. When he heard this he
motioned them out and they continued the conference in the corner room that held the
law library.
Sonny Corleone relaxed in the huge armchair behind the desk. "I think we'd better let
the old man take it easy for a couple of weeks, until the doc says he can do business."
He paused. "I'd like to have it going again before he gets better. We have the go-ahead
from the cops to operate. The first thing is the policy banks in Harlem. The black boys
up there had their fun, now we have to take it back. They screwed up the works but
good, just like they usually do when they run things. A lot of their runners (runner –
/здесь/
tell their players they gotta wait for their dough or maybe just pay them half what they
win. I don't want any runner looking rich to his players. I don't want them dressing too
good. I don't want them driving new cars. I don't want them welching (to welch, to welsh
– скрыться, не уплатив проигрыша) on paying a winner. And I don't want any free-
lancers staying in business, they give us a bad name. Tom, let's get that project moving
right away. Everything else will fall in line as soon as you send out the word that the lid
is off («крышка открыта» = секретность снята, можно работать спокойно)."
Hagen said, "There are some very tough boys up in Harlem. They got a taste of the
big money. They won't go back to being runners or sub-bankers again."
Sonny shrugged. "Just give their names to Clemenza. That's his job, straightening
them out."
Clemenza said to Hagen, "No problem."
It was Tessio who brought up the most important question. "Once we start operating,
the five Families start their raids. They'll hit our bankers in Harlem and our bookmakers
on the East Side. They may even try to make things tough for the garment center outfits
we service. This war is going to cost a lot of money."
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"Maybe they won't," Sonny said. "They know we'll hit them right back. I've got peace
feelers (feeler –
paying an indemnity for the Tattaglia kid."
Hagen said, "We're getting the cold shoulder (нам оказывают холодный прием) on
those negotiations. They lost a lot of dough the last few months and they blame us for it.
With justice. I think what they want is for us to agree to come in on the narcotics trade,
to use the Family influence politically. In other words, Sollozzo's deal minus Sollozzo.
But they won't broach (broach – вертел; to broach – делать прокол, отверстие;
почать /бочку вина/; /здесь/ огласить; начать обсуждать) that until they've hurt us
with some sort of combat action. Then after we've been softened up they figure we'll
listen to a proposition on narcotics."
Sonny said curtly, "No deal on drugs. The Don said no and it's no until he changes it."
Hagen said briskly, "Then we're faced with a tactical problem. Our money is out in the
open. Bookmaking and policy. We can be hit. But the Tattaglia Family has prostitution
and call girls and the dock unions. How the hell are we going to hit them? The other
Families are in some gambling. But most of them are in the construction trades,
shylocking, controlling the unions, getting the government contracts. They get a lot from
strong-arm and other stuff that involves innocent people. Their money isn't out in the
street. The Tattaglia nightclub is too famous to touch it, it would cause too much of a
stink. And with the Don still out of action their political influence matches ours. So we've
got a real problem here."
"It's my problem, Tom," Sonny said. "I'll find the answer. Keep the negotiation alive
and follow through on the other stuff. Let's go back into business and see what happens.
Then we'll take it from there. Clemenza and Tessio have plenty of soldiers, we can