The family business

1 The third son, Michael Corleone, did not stand with his father and his two brothers

but sat at a table in the most secluded corner (в самом безлюдном уголке; to seclude

[sı’klu:d] – отстранять, изолировать) of the garden. But even there he could not

escape the attentions (избежать знаков внимания) of the family friends.

2 Michael Corleone was the youngest son of the Don and the only child who had

refused the great man's direction (отказался следовать указаниям этого великого

человека). He did not have the heavy, Cupid-shaped face of the other children, and his

jet black hair (черные, как смоль; jet – гагат, черный янтарь) was straight rather than

curly (скорее прямые, чем вьющиеся). His skin was a clear olive-brown that would

have been called beautiful in a girl. He was handsome in a delicate way (красив тонкой,

изящной красотой). Indeed there had been a time when the Don had worried about his

youngest son's masculinity (беспокоился о «мужеских качествах» = не слишком ли

женственен его сын). A worry that was put to rest (беспокойство это отпало, было

снято: «было успокоено») when Michael Corleone became seventeen years old.

3 Now this youngest son sat at a table in the extreme corner (в наиболее удаленном)

of the garden to proclaim his chosen alienation (избранную им непричастность;

alienation [eılj∂’neı∫∂n] − отдаление, отчужденность) from father and family. Beside

him sat the American girl everyone had heard about but whom no one had seen until

this day. He had, of course, shown the proper respect (выказал надлежащее

уважение) and introduced her (представил ее) to everyone at the wedding, including

(включая) his family. They were not impressed with her (она не произвела на них

большого впечатления: «не были впечатлены ею»). She was too thin, she was too

fair (светлая), her face was too sharply intelligent («остро-умные») for a woman, her

manner too free for a maiden. Her name, too, was outlandish (было чуждым,

иностранным) to their ears; she called herself Kay Adams. If she had told them that her

family had settled (поселилась) in America two hundred years ago and her name was a

common one (обычное), they would have shrugged (пожали бы /плечами/).

4 Every guest noticed that the Don paid no particular attention (не уделил особого

внимания) to this third son. Michael had been his favorite before the war and obviously

(очевидно) the chosen heir to run the family business (вести семейное дело,

управлять делом) when the proper moment came (когда придет надлежащий

момент). He had all the quiet force and intelligence of his great father, the born instinct

to act in such a way that men had no recourse but to respect him (что людям не

оставалось ничего иного, как уважать его; recourse [rı'ko:s] – прибежище,

пристанище). But when World War II broke out, Michael Corleone volunteered for the

Marine Corps (пошел добровольцем во флот [vol∂n’tı∂]; Marine [m∂’ri:n] –

государственный морской флот). He defied his father's express command (он

пренебрег явным, недвусмысленно выраженным указанием отца; to defy [dı'faı] –

бросать вызов; игнорировать, не обращать внимания) when he did so.

5 Don Corleone had no desire (никакого желания [dı'zaı∂]), no intention (намерения),

of letting his youngest son be killed (допустить, чтобы его сын был убит: «быть

убитым») in the service of a power foreign to himself (за чужую, чуждую ему власть:

«на службе у власти = державы, иностранной по отношению к нему»). Doctors had

been bribed (были подкуплены), secret arrangements (договоренности) had been

made. A great deal of money (большое количество) had been spent to take the proper

precautions (неоходимые меры предосторожности; precaution [prı'ko:∫∂n] −

предосторожность). But Michael was twenty-one years of age and nothing could be

done against his own willfulness (своеволие, упрямство). He enlisted (записался) and

fought (бился; to fight) over the Pacific Ocean. He became a Captain and won medals.

In 1944 his picture was printed in Life magazine with a photo layout of his deeds («с

фотографическим изображением» его деяний = подвигов; layout – планировка,

расположение; выставка, показ). A friend had shown Don Corleone the magazine (his

family did not dare (не осмеливалась)), and the Don had grunted disdainfully (крякнул

презрительно; to grunt – хрюкать; ворчать, мычать; disdain [dıs’deın] – презрение,

пренебрежение) and said, "He performs those miracles for strangers (выполняет те

чудеса для чужаков, иностранцев; miracle ['mır∂kl])."

6 When Michael Corleone was discharged (демобилизован) early in 1945 to recover

(чтобы поправиться, прийти в себя; to recover [rı’kΛv∂] – вновь обретать; прийти в

себя; выздороветь) from a disabling wound (от раны, мешающей ему продолжать

службу; to disable – делать неспособным, непригодным), he had no idea that his

father had arranged his release (устроил его освобождение). He stayed home for a

few weeks, then, without consulting anyone, entered Dartmouth College in Hanover,

New Hampshire, and so he left his father's house. To return for the wedding of his sister

and to show his own future wife to them, the washed-out rag of an American girl

(бесцветную американку: the washed-out rag – застиранная тряпка).