The band took a refreshment break. A young man named Nino Valenti picked up a discarded mandolin, put his left foot up on a chair and began to sing a coarse Sicilian love song. Nino Valenti's face was handsome though bloated by continual drinking and he was already a little drunk. He rolled his eyes as his tongue caressed the obscene lyrics. The women shrieked with glee and the men shouted the last word of each stanza with the singer.
Don Corleone, notoriously straitlaced in such matters, though his stout wife was screaming joyfully with the others, disappeared tactfully into the house. Seeing this, Sonny Corleone made his way to the bride's table and sat down beside young Lucy Mancini, the maid of honor. They were safe. His wife was in the kitchen putting the last touches on the serving of the wedding cake. Sonny whispered a few words in the young girl's ear and she rose. Sonny waited a few minutes and then casually followed her, stopping to talk with a guest here and there as he worked his way through the crowd.
All eyes followed them. The maid of honor, thoroughly Americanized by three years of college, was a ripe girl who already had a "reputation." All through the marriage rehearsals she had flirted with Sonny Corleone in a teasing, joking way she thought was permitted because he was the best man and her wedding partner. Now holding her pink gown up off the ground, Lucy Mancini went into the house, smiling with false innocence, ran lightly up the stairs to the bathroom. She stayed there for a few moments. When she came out Sonny Corleone was on the landing above, beckoning her upward.
From behind the closed window of Don Corleone's "office," a slightly raised corner room (cлегка приподнятой угловой комнаты), Thomas Hagen watched the wedding party in the festooned garden. The walls behind him were stacked with law books (были уставлены юридическими книгами; to stack – складывать в стог; stack – куча, груда; law – закон). Hagen was the Don's lawyer (адвокат) and acting consigliori (исполняющим обязанности консильори /советника – итал./), or counselor, and as such held the most vital subordinate position (и в качестве такового занимал наиболее важную: «жизненную» подчиненную должность) in the family business. He and the Don had solved many a knotty problem (разрешили немало запутанных проблем; knot – узел) in this room, and so when he saw the Godfather leave the festivities and enter the house, he knew, wedding or no (свадьба свадьбой, несмотря на свадьбу), there would be a little work this day. The Don would be coming to see him. Then Hagen saw Sonny Corleone whisper in Lucy Mancini's ear and their little comedy as he followed her into the house. Hagen grimaced (to grimace [grı'meıs]), debated whether to inform the Don (поразмыслил, сообщить ли), and decided against it. He went to the desk and picked up a handwritten list of the people who had been granted permission (которым было позволено: «предоставлено разрешение»; to grant – дарить, даровать; предоставлять) to see Don Corleone privately. When the Don entered the room, Hagen handed him the list. Don Corleone nodded (кивнул) and said, "Leave Bonasera to the end (оставь на конец, напоследок)."
Hagen used the French doors (застекленные створчатые двери) and went directly out into the garden to where the supplicants clustered (просители столпились; cluster – кисть, пучок, гроздь) around the barrel of wine. He pointed (указал пальцем) to the baker, the pudgy Nazorine.
Don Corleone greeted the baker with an embrace (приветствовал объятием). They had played together as children in Italy and had grown up in friendship. Every Easter (на каждую Пасху) freshly baked clotted-cheese (с расплавленным сыром; clot – комок, сгусток, свернувшийся) and wheat-germ (покрытые зернышками; wheat – пшеница; germ – зародыш; завязь) pies (пироги), their crusts (их корочки) yolk-gold (yolk [j∂uk] – желток яйца), big around as truck wheels (как колеса грузовика), arrived at Don Corleone's home. On Christmas, on family birthdays, rich creamy pastries (кондитерские изделия /пирожные, печенья/; pastry ['peıstrı]) proclaimed the Nazorines' respect. And all through the years, lean and fat (благополучные и неблагополучные: «тощие, скудные – и жирные, толстые»), Nazorine cheerfully (весело, бодро = не ропща) paid his dues (налоги, пошлины) to the bakery union (в союз пекарей) organized by the Don in his salad days (в пору юношеской неопытности). Never asking for a favor in return except for the chance to buy black-market OPA sugar coupons (правительственные карточки на сахар; OPA – Office of Price Administration) during the war. Now the time had come for the baker to claim his rights (заявить о своих правах) as a loyal friend, and Don Corleone looked forward with great pleasure (с большим удовольствием ожидал, собирался; to look forward – ожидать с нетерпением, предвкушать: «смотреть вперед») to granting his request (удовлетворить его просьбу).
He gave the baker a Di Nobili cigar and a glass of yellow Strega (итальянский лимонный ликер) and put his hand on the man's shoulder to urge him on (чтобы подбодрить его, побудить /изложить просьбу/; to urge – подгонять, подстегивать; побуждать, советовать). That was the mark (знак, метка) of the Don's humanity (человечности). He knew from bitter experience (по горькому опыту) what courage it took (сколько смелости требуется) to ask a favor from a fellow man (попросить ближнего об одолжении; fellow – приятель, коллега, напарник).
The baker told the story of his daughter and Enzo. A fine Italian lad (отличный парень) from Sicily; captured (взятый в плен) by the American Army; sent to the United States as a prisoner of war; given parole to help our war effort (усилие; достижение, успех ['ef∂t])! A pure and honorable love had sprung up between honest Enzo and his sheltered Katherine (невинной: «оберегаемой дома») Катериной; shelter – приют; to shelter – приютить, укрыть) but now that the war was ended the poor lad would be repatriated to Italy and Nazorine's daughter would surely die of a broken heart (наверняка, несомненно умрет от разбитого сердца). Only Godfather Corleone could help this afflicted couple (несчастной паре; to afflict [∂’flıkt] – беспокоить, причинять боль, огорчать). He was their last hope.
The Don walked Nazorine up and down the room, his hand on the baker's shoulder, his head nodding with understanding to keep up (чтобы поддержать) the man's courage. When the baker had finished, Don Corleone smiled at him and said, "My dear friend, put all your worries aside (вам не о чем волноваться: «отложите /в сторону/ все ваши беспокойства»)." He went on (продолжил) to explain very carefully (объяснять очень тщательно = детально) what must be done (что должно быть сделано). The Congressman of the district (округа ['dıstrıkt]) must be petitioned (к нему нужно обратиться с просьбой, ходатайством [pı’tı∫∂n]). The Congressman would propose a special bill (предложит особый законопроект [pr∂'p∂uz]) that would allow (позволит [∂’lau]) Enzo to become a citizen (стать гражданином). The bill would surely pass Congress (пройдет = будет принят). A privilege all those rascals extended to each other (которую эти мошенники оказывают друг другу; to extend [ıks’tend] – расширять, распространять влияние; оказывать протекцию, покровительство). Don Corleone explained that this would cost money, the going price (нынешняя, актуальная цена) was now two thousand dollars. He, Don Corleone, would guarantee performance (гарантирует исполнение [gær∂n’ti:] [p∂’fo:m∂ns]) and accept payment (готов принять плату [∂’ksept]). Did his friend agree (согласен [∂g'ri:])?