Английский язык с Крестным Отцом
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Fontane listened intently. Eddie Neils would play all the songs through in their special
arrangements. Then would come the first take (выручка) for the record. As Johnny
listened he made mental notes on exactly how he would handle each phrase, how he
would come into each song. He knew his voice wouldn't last long, but Nino would be
24
doing most of the singing, Johnny would be singing under him. Except of course in the
duet-duel song. He would have to save himself for that.
He pulled Nino to his feet and they both stood by their microphones. Nino flubbed (to
flub –
was beginning to get red with embarrassment. Johnny kidded him, "Hey, you stalling (to
stall – ставить в стойло; застревать; останавливать, задерживать) for overtime?"
"I don't feel natural without my mandolin," Nino said.
Johnny thought that over for a moment. "Hold that glass of booze in your hand," he
said. It seemed to do the trick. Nino kept drinking from the glass as he sang but he was
doing fine. Johnny sang easily, not straining, his voice merely dancing around Nino's
main melody. There was no emotional satisfaction in this kind of singing but he was
amazed at his own technical skill. Ten years of vocalizing had taught him something.
When they came to the duet-duel song that ended the record, Johnny let his voice go
and when they finished his vocal chords ached. The musicians had been carried away
by the last song, a rare thing for these calloused (callous ['kжls] – огрубелый:
«мозолистый») veterans. They hammered down their instruments and stamped their
feet in approval as applause. The drummer gave them a ruffle (дробь барабана) of
drums.
With stops and conferences they worked nearly four hours before they quit. Eddie
Neils came over to Johnny and said quietly, "You sounded pretty good, kid. Maybe
you're ready to do a record. I have a new song that's perfect for you."
Johnny shook his head. "Come on, Eddie, don't kid me. Besides in a couple of hours
I'll be too hoarse to even talk. Do you think we'll have to fix up much of the stuff we did
today?"
Eddie said thoughtfully, "Nino will have to come into the studio tomorrow. He made
some mistakes. But he's much better than I thought he would be. As for your stuff, I'll
have the sound engineers fix anything I don't like. OK?"
"OK," Johnny said. "When can I hear the pressing (запись /на пластинку,
граммофонную/)?"
"Tomorrow night," Eddie Neils said. "Your place?"
"Yeah," Johnny said. "Thanks, Eddie. See you tomorrow." He took Nino by the arm
and walked out of the studio. They went to his house instead of Ginny's.
25
By this time it was late afternoon. Nino was still more than half-drunk. Johnny told him
to get under the shower and then take a snooze (короткий
at a big party at eleven that night.
When Nino woke up, Johnny briefed him. "This party is a movie star Lonely Hearts
Club," he said. "These broads tonight are dames you've seen in the movies as glamour
(чары; романтический ореол, очарование; эффектный ['glжm]) queens millions of
guys would give their right arms to screw. And the only reason they'll be at the party
tonight is to find somebody to shack them up. Do you know why? Because they are
hungry for it, they are just a little old. And just like every dame, they want it with a little
bit of class."
"What's the matter with your voice?" Nino asked.
Johnny had been speaking almost in a whisper. "Every time after I sing a little bit that
happens. I won't be able to sing for a month now. But I'll get over the hoarseness in a
couple of days."
Nino said thoughtfully, "Tough, huh?"
Johnny shrugged. "Listen, Nino, don't get too drunk tonight. You have to show these
Hollywood broads that my paisan buddy ain't weak in the poop (корма). You gotta come
across. Remember, some of these dames are very powerful in movies, they can get you
work. It doesn't hurt to be charming after you knock off a piece (кое-что урвешь)."
Nino was already pouring himself a drink. "I'm always charming," he said. He drained
the glass. Grinning, he asked, "No kidding, can you really get me close to Deanna
Dunn?"
"Don't be so anxious," Johnny said. "It's not going to be like you think."
The Hollywood Movie Star Lonely Hearts Club (so called by the young juvenile leads
whose attendance was mandatory (обязательный, принудительный)) met every
Friday night at the palatial, studio-owned home of Roy McElroy, press agent or rather
public relations counsel for the Woltz International Film Corporation. Actually, though it
was McElroy's open house party, the idea had come from the practical brain of Jack
Woltz himself. Some of his money-making movie stars were getting older now. Without
the help of special lights and genius makeup men they looked their age. They were