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But the Don had insisted that he put in three years of general law practice in addition to his duties for the family business。 This experience had proved invaluable later on； and also removed any doubts in Hagen's mind about working for Don Corleone。 He had then spent two years of training in the offices of a top firm of criminal lawyers in which the Don had some influence。 It was apparent to everyone that he had a flair for this branch of the law。 He did well and when he went into the full…time service of the family business； Don Corleone had not been able to reproach him once in the six years that followed。
When he had been made the acting Consigliere； the other powerful Sicilian families referred contemptuously to the Corleone family as the 〃Irish gang。〃 This had amused Hagen。 It had also taught him that he could never hope to succeed the Don as the head of the family business。 But he was content。 That had never been his goal； such an ambition would have been a 〃disrespect〃 to his benefactor and his benefactor's blood family。
**********
It was still dark when the plane landed in Los Angeles。 Hagen checked into his hotel； showered and shaved； and watched dawn e over the city。 He ordered breakfast and newspapers to be sent up to his room and relaxed until it was time for his ten A。M。 appointment with Jack Woltz。 The appointment had been surprisingly easy to make。
The day before； Hagen had called the most powerful man in the movie labor unions； a man named Billy Goff。 Acting on instructions from Don Corleone； Hagen had told Goff to arrange an appointment on the next day for Hagen to call on Jack Woltz； that he should hint to Woltz that if Hagen was not made happy by the results of the interview； there could be a labor strike at the movie studio。 An hour later Hagen received a call from Goff。 The appointment would be at ten A。M。 Woltz had gotten the message about the possible labor strike but hadn't seemed too impressed； Goff said。 He added； 〃If it really es down to that； I gotta talk to the Don myself。〃
〃If it es to that he'll talk to you；〃 Hagen said。 By saying this he avoided making any promises。 He was not surprised that Goff was so agreeable to the Don's wishes。 The family empire； technically； did not extend beyond the New York area but Don Corleone had first bee strong by helping labor leaders。 Many of them still owed him debts of friendship。
But the ten A。M。 appointment was a bad sign。 It meant that he would be first on the appointment list； that he would not be invited to lunch。 It meant that Woltz held him in small worth。 Goff had not been threatening enough； probably because Woltz had him on his graft payroll。 And sometimes the Don's success in keeping himself out of the limelight worked to the disadvantage of the family business； in that his name did not mean anything to outside circles。
His analysis proved correct。 Woltz kept him waiting for a half hour past the appointed time。 Hagen didn't mind。 The reception room was very plush； very fortable； and on a plum…colored couch opposite him sat the most beautiful child Hagen had ever seen。 She was no more than eleven or twelve； dressed in a very expensive but simple way as a grown woman。 She had incredibly golden hair； huge deep sea…blue eyes and a fresh raspberry…red mouth。 She was guarded by a woman obviously her mother； who tried to stare Hagen down with a cold arrogance that made him want to punch her in the face。 The angel child and the dragon mother； Hagen thought； returning the mother's cold stare。
Finally an exquisitely dressed but stout middle…aged woman came to lead him through a string of offices to the office…apartment of the movie producer。 Hagen was impressed by the beauty of the offices and the people working in them。 He smiled。 They were all shrewdies； trying to get their foot in the movie door by taking office jobs； and most of them would work in these offices for the rest of their lives or until they accepted defeat and returned to their home towns。
Jack Woltz was a tall； powerfully built man with a heavy paunch almost concealed by his perfectly tailored suit。 Hagen knew his history。 At ten years of age Woltz had hustled empty beer kegs and pushcarts on the East Side。 At twenty he helped his father sweat garment workers。 At thirty he had left New York and moved West； invested in the nickelodeon and pioneered motion pictures。 At forty…eight he had been the most powerful movie magnate in Hollywood； still rough…spoken； rapaciously amorous； a raging wolf ravaging helpless flocks of young starlets。 At fifty he transformed himself。 He took speech lessons； learned how to dress from an English valet and how to behave socially from an English butler。 When his first wife died he married a world…famous and beautiful actress who didn't like acting。 Now at the age of sixty he collected old master paintings； was a member of the President's Advisory mittee； and had set up a multimillion…dollar foundation in his name to promote art in motion pictures。 His daughter had married an English lord； his son an Italian princess。
His latest passion； as reported dutifully by every movie columnist in America； was his own racing stables on which he had spent ten million dollars in the past year。 He had made headlines by purchasing the famed English racing horse Khartoum for the incredible price of six hundred thousand dollars and then announcing that the undefeated racer would be retired and put to stud exclusively for the Woltz stables。
He received Hagen courteously； his beautifully； evenly tanned； meticulously barbered face contorted with a grimace meant to be a smile。 Despite all the money spent； despite the ministrations of the most knowledgeable technicians； his age showed； the flesh of his face looked as if it had been seamed together。 But there was an enormous vitality in his movements and he had what Don Corleone had； the air of a man who manded absolutely the world in which he lived。
Hagen came directly to the point。 That he was an emissary from a friend of Johnny Fontane。 That this friend was a very powerful man who would pledge his gratitude and undying friendship to Mr。 Woltz if Mr。 Woltz would grant a small favor。 The small favor would be the casting of Johnny Fontane in the new war movie the studio planned to start next week。
The seamed face was impassive； polite。 〃What favors can your friend do me？〃 Woltz asked。 There was just a trace of condescension in his voice。
Hagen ignored the condescension。 He explained。 〃You've got some labor trouble ing up。 My friend can absolutely guarantee to make that trouble disappear。 You have a top male star who makes a lot of money for your studio but he just graduated from marijuana to heroin。 My friend will guarantee that your male star won't be able to get any more heroin。 And if some other little things e up over the years a phone call to me can solve your problems。〃
Jack Woltz listened to this as if he were hearing the boasting of a child。 Then he said harshly； his voice deliberately all East Side； 〃You trying to put muscle on me？〃
Hagen said coolly； 〃Absolutely not。 I've e to ask a service for a friend。 I've tried