Английский язык с Крестным Отцом

In some matters the Consigliori had to act for his Don in a more open way and yet not involve his principal (и все же не втягивать, не вмешивать своего начальника [‘prıns∂p∂l]). Hagen was flying to Califomia on just such a matter (как раз по такому делу). He realized that his career as Consigliori would be seriously affected by the success or failure of this mission (что на его карьеру серьезно повлияет, чем окончится его миссия: успехом или провалом, неудачей; to affect [∂’fekt] – подвергать воздействию, затрагивать; failure ['feılj∂] – неспособность, несостоятельность; банкротство; неудача; to fail – недоставать; потерпеть неудачу). By family business standards whether Johnny Fontane got his coveted part in the war movie (получил ли желанную роль: to covet [‘kLvıt] – жаждать, домогаться, сильно желать), or did not, was a minor matter (мелочь, нечто несущественное; minor [‘maın∂] – незначительный). Far more important was the meeting (гораздо важнее была встреча) Hagen had set up (назначил, спланировал) with Virgil Sollozzo the following Friday. But Hagen knew that to the Don, both were of equal importance (оба дела были одинаковой важности; equal [‘i:kw∂l] – равный, одинаковый, идентичный), which settled the matter for any good Consigliori (что решало вопрос = что и было решающим для каждого хорошего консильори).

It was late Sunday night before Tom Hagen could kiss his wife goodbye and drive out to the airport. With his special number one priority (a grateful gift from a Pentagon staff general officer) he had no trouble getting on a plane to Los Angeles.

It had been a busy but satisfying day for Tom Hagen. Genco Abbandando had died at three in the morning and when Don Corleone returned from the hospital, he had informed Hagen that he was now officially the new Consigliori to the family. This meant that Hagen was sure to become a very rich man, to say nothing of power.

The Don had broken a long-standing tradition. The Consigliori was always a full-blooded Sicilian, and the fact that Hagen had been brought up as a member of the Don's family made no difference to that tradition. It was a question of blood. Only a Sicilian born to the ways of omerta, the law of silence, could be trusted in the key post of Consigliori.

Between the head of the family, Don Corleone, who dictated policy, and the operating level of men who actually carried out the orders of the Don, there were three layers, or buffers. In that way nothing could be traced to the top. Unless the Consigliori turned traitor. That Sunday morning Don Corleone gave explicit instructions on what should be done to the two young men who had beaten the daughter of Amerigo Bonasera. But he had given those orders in private to Tom Hagen. Later in the day Hagen had, also in private without witnesses, instructed Clemenza. In turn Clemenza had told Paulie Gatto to execute the commission. Paulie Gatto would now muster the necessary manpower and execute the orders. Paulie Gatto and his men would not know why this particular task was being carried out or who had ordered it originally. Each link of the chain would have to turn traitor for the Don to be involved and though it had never yet happened, there was always the possibility. The cure for that possibility also was known. Only one link in the chain had to disappear.

The Consigliori was also what his name implied. He was the counselor to the Don, his right-hand man, his auxiliary brain. He was also his closest companion and his closest friend. On important trips he would drive the Don's car, at conferences he would go out and get the Don refreshments, coffee and sandwiches, fresh cigars. He would know everything the Don knew or nearly everything, all the cells of power. He was the one man in the world who could bring the Don crashing down to destruction. But no Consigliori had ever betrayed a Don, not in the memory of any of the powerful Sicilian families who had established themselves in America. There was no future in it. And every Consigliori knew that if he kept the faith, he would become rich, wield power and win respect. If misfortune came, his wife and children would be sheltered and cared for as if he were alive or free. If he kept the faith.

In some matters the Consigliori had to act for his Don in a more open way and yet not involve his principal. Hagen was flying to Califomia on just such a matter. He realized that his career as Consigliori would be seriously affected by the success or failure of this mission. By family business standards whether Johnny Fontane got his coveted part in the war movie, or did not, was a minor matter. Far more important was the meeting Hagen had set up with Virgil Sollozzo the following Friday. But Hagen knew that to the Don, both were of equal importance, which settled the matter for any good Consigliori.