Hagen said quietly, "You are deliberately misunderstanding me (вы нарочно, специально не понимаете, превратно понимаете меня). You are trying to make me an accomplice to extortion (сообщником в вымогательстве; accomplice [∂'komplıs]; to extort [ıks’to:rt] – вымогать /деньги/). Mr. Corleone promises only to speak in your favor (в вашу пользу) on this labor trouble as a matter of friendship (в знак дружбы) in return (взамен) for your speaking in behalf of his client (в пользу, ради его клиента). A friendly exchange of influence (дружеский обмен влиянием), nothing more. But I can see you don't take me seriously. Personally, I think that is a mistake (ошибка)."
Woltz, as if he had been waiting for such a moment, let himself get angry («позволил, дал себе рассердиться»). "I understood perfectly," he said. "That's the Mafia style, isn't it? All olive oil and sweet talk when what you're really doing is making threats. So let me lay it on the line. Johnny Fontane will never get that part and he's perfect for it. It would make him a great star. But he never will be because I hate that pinko punk (ненавижу этого жалкого франта, фраера; pinko – розовый /сленг/; punk – /устар./ проститутка; пассивный гомосексуалист; бродяга, побирающийся с другим, более опытным; никчемный человек) and I'm going to run him out of the movies (собираюсь выдворить его из кино вообще). And I'll tell you why. He ruined one of my most valuable protégés (испортил, загубил одну из самых ценных моих протеже). For five years I had this girl under training, singing, dancing, acting lessons, I spent hundreds of thousands of dollars. I was going to make her a star. I'll be even more frank (откровенен), just to show you that I'm not a hard-hearted man, that it wasn't all dollars and cents. That girl was beautiful and she was the greatest piece of ass («самый великолепный кусок задницы») I've ever had (который у меня когда-либо был) and I've had them all over the world (а они были у меня повсюду, по всему миру). She could suck you out like a water pump (могла высосать тебя не хуже водяного насоса). Then Johnny comes along with that olive-oil voice (заявляется со своим оливковым, масляным голосом) and guinea charm and she runs off (сбегает). She threw it all away just to make me ridiculous (сделать меня смешным, осрамить ; ridiculous [rı’dıkjul∂s] – нелепый, смехотворный, смешной). A man in my position, Mr. Hagen, can't afford to look ridiculous (не может позволить себе [∂'fo:d]). I have to pay Johnny off (пришлось отплатить; рассчитать)."
That solved one puzzle for Hagen. Why Woltz was putting in so much time on him when he had already decided not to give Johnny the part. And that could not be changed at this meeting. Woltz felt secure; he was not afraid of the power of Don Corleone. And certainly Woltz with his national political connections, his acquaintanceship with the FBI chief, his huge personal fortune and his absolute power in the film industry, could not feel threatened by Don Corleone. To any intelligent man, even to Hagen, it seemed that Woltz had correctly assessed his position. He was impregnable to the Don if he was willing to take the losses the labor struggle would cost. There was only one thing wrong with the whole equation. Don Corleone had promised his godson he would get the part and Don Corleone had never, to Hagen's knowledge, broken his word in such matters.
Hagen said quietly, "You are deliberately misunderstanding me. You are trying to make me an accomplice to extortion. Mr. Corleone promises only to speak in your favor on this labor trouble as a matter of friendship in return for your speaking in behalf of his client. A friendly exchange of influence, nothing more. But I can see you don't take me seriously. Personally, I think that is a mistake."
Woltz, as if he had been waiting for such a moment, let himself get angry. "I understood perfectly," he said. "That's the Mafia style, isn't it? All olive oil and sweet talk when what you're really doing is making threats. So let me lay it on the line. Johnny Fontane will never get that part and he's perfect for it. It would make him a great star. But he never will be because I hate that pinko punk and I'm going to run him out of the movies. And I'll tell you why. He ruined one of my most valuable protégés. For five years I had this girl under training, singing, dancing, acting lessons, I spent hundreds of thousands of dollars. I was going to make her a star. I'll be even more frank, just to show you that I'm not a hard-hearted man, that it wasn't all dollars and cents. That girl was beautiful and she was the greatest piece of ass I've ever had and I've had them all over the world. She could suck you out like a water pump. Then Johnny comes along with that olive-oil voice and guinea charm and she runs off. She threw it all away just to make me ridiculous. A man in my position, Mr. Hagen, can't afford to look ridiculous. I have to pay Johnny off."
For the first time, Woltz succeeded in astounding Hagen (удалось удивить; to succeed [s∂k’si:d] – следовать за чем-либо; достигать цели; to astound [∂s'taund] – удивлять, поражать). He found it inconceivable (немыслимым, непостижимым [ınk∂n'si:v∂bl]; to conceive [k∂n'si:v] – постигать) that a grown man of substance (солидный; substance ['sLbst∂ns] – материя; содержание; имущество) would let such trivialities (может позволить таким пустякам, столь тривиальным вещам) affect his judgment (повлиять на свое суждение, решение) in an affair of business, and one of such importance (да еще /в деле/ такой важности). In Hagen's world, the Corleones' world, the physical beauty, the sexual power of women, carried not the slightest weight in worldly matters (не имело: «не несло» ни малейшего веса в мирских делах). It was a private affair, except, of course, in matters of marriage and family disgrace (бесчестья; позора). Hagen decided to make one last try (последнюю попытку).
"You are absolutely right, Mr. Woltz," Hagen said. "But are your grievances that major (но настолько ли велика ваша обида, значительны ваши страдания; grievance [gri:v∂ns] – обида, недовольство /чтобы затмевать все/; major [‘meıdG∂] – более важный)? I don't think you've understood how important this very small favor is to my client. Mr. Corleone held the infant Johnny in his arms when he was baptized (крещен; to baptize [bæp’taız]). When Johnny's father died, Mr. Corleone assumed the duties of parenthood (взял на себя, принял родительские обязанности: «обязанности родительства»), indeed he is called 'Godfather' by many, many people who wish to show their respect and gratitude for the help he has given them. Mr. Corleone never lets his friends down (никогда не оставляет в беде)."
Woltz stood up abruptly (резко). "I've listened to about enough. Thugs don't give me orders (головорезы не дают мне приказаний), I give them orders. If I pick I up this phone (сниму трубку), you'll spend the night in jail (проведете ночь в тюрьме). And if that Mafia goombah tries any rough stuff (что-нибудь крутое: «грубые вещи»; rough [rLf] – грубый), he'll find out (обнаружит, поймет) I'm not a band leader. Yeah, I heard that story too. Listen, your Mr. Corleone will never know what hit him. Even if I have to use my influence at the White House."