rs.toomanywomen-第26部分

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　　〃Well？〃　Wolfe　demanded。　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　　I　gave　the　tongue　its　freedom。　〃I　am　reminded；〃　I　said；　〃of　the　famous　remark　of　Ferdinand　Bowen　up　at　Sing　Sing　when　they　told　him　to　walk　to　the　chair　they　had　got　ready　for　him。　He　muttered　at　them；　'The　idea　is　repugnant　to　me。'　Not　that　I　regard　the　fix　I'm　in　as　identical；　but　I　am　strongly　disinclined…〃
　　〃What's　repugnant　about　it？〃
　　〃I　like　the　way　the　sun　shines　through　Miss　Livsey's　hair。〃
　　〃Pfui。　Phone　Mr。　Stebbins。〃
　　〃Also；　while　it　is　true　I　pronounced　her　name；　all　I　had　was　a　description　and　I　think　it　should　be　verified　by　having　Saul　look　at　her　before　we　toss　her　into　the　fire。〃
　　〃We're　not　engaged　to　catch　the　murderer　of　Mr。　Naylor。　I'm　not　going　to　pay　transportation　to　Westport　for　Saul　and　you。〃
　　〃You　don't　have　to。　He　can　see　her　Monday　down　at　the　office。〃
　　〃It　would　be　improper　to　withhold　information…〃
　　〃Listen　to　you！　Will　you　please　listen　to　you？〃　My　voice　was　up　without　needing　any　instructions。　〃One　of　the　main　reasons　you　love　to　get　information　is　so　you　can　keep　it　from　the　cops；　and　you　know　it！　You're　just　being　pigheaded；　and　if　you　phone　Stebbins　yourself；　which　you　won't　because　exercise　is　bad　for　you；　I'll　withdraw　my　identification。　From　Saul's　description　I　would　guess　that　it　was　the　Duchess　of　Brimstone；　who　is　in　this　country…〃
　　〃Archie。〃　Wolfe　was　glaring。　〃Has　that　girl　enravished　you？　Has　she　cajoled　you　into　frenzy？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　That　took　the　edge　off　him　instantly。　He　leaned　back；　nodded　to　himself；　made　a　circle　with　his　lips；　and　exhaled　with　a　sort　of　hiss　that　was　the　closest　he　ever　got　to　a　whistle。
　　〃Monday　will　do；〃　he　declared；　as　if　no　one　but　a　fool　could　think　otherwise。　〃I　was　impetuous。〃　He　looked　at　the　clock　on　the　wall；　which　said　two　minutes　to　four；　time　for　his　afternoon　session　with　the　orchids。　He　engineered　himself　out　of　his　chair　and　was　erect。　〃You　can　e　here　Monday　morning；　Saul；　and　go　downtown　with　Archie。　For　the　present…e　up　to　the　plant　rooms　with　me。　I　have　one　or　two　suggestions　for　you。〃
　　They　left；　Saul　for　the　stairs　and　Wolfe　for　his　elevator。　Their　destination　reminded　me　that　I　had　got　behind　on　the　germination　and　blooming　records；　and　I　opened　a　desk　drawer　to　get　the　accumulation　of　memos　from　Theodore。
　　
　　Chapter　Twenty…Four
　　I　had　got　behind　on　sleep　too；　and　I　caught　up　that　night；　Saturday。　But　not　quite　to　the　extent　that　Wolfe　thought　I　did。　Soon　after　he　had　gone　up　to　the　roof　with　Saul　my　mind　had　informed　me　that　it　was　too　restless　to　concentrate　on　germination　records；　at　least　of　plants；　and　I　had　gone　and　got　the　car　and　driven　to　Twentieth　Street　to　see　what　was　stirring。　Sergeant　Purley　Stebbins　had　not　thought　it　necessary；　just　because　for　some　hours　I　had　enjoyed　the　important　role　of　last　man　to　see　the　victim　alive；　to　open　all　the　books　for　me；　but　I　was　allowed　to　hang　around　long　enough　to　get　an　impression　that　nothing　startling　had　developed。　Of　course　a　couple　of　them　took　a　stab　at　trying　to　filter　out　of　me　the　dope　on　how　Wolfe　had　learned　about　Naylor　taking　a　taxi　on　Fifty…third　Street；　but　I　had　insisted　that　I　had　had　nothing　whatever　to　do　with　it；　which　was　perfectly　true。　The　taxi　driver　had　not　yet　been　collected；　though　the　number　of　his　cab　had　of　course　led　them　straight　to　where　he　should　have　been。　He　had　gone　to　Connecticut　to　fish　for　shad；　and　a　courier　had　been　sent　to　get　him；　and　I　only　hoped　to　God　he　wouldn't　find　him　walking　back　and　forth　on　a　river　bank　with　Hester　Livsey。
　　It　was　because　of　her　that　Wolfe　thought　I　got　more　sleep　Saturday　night　than　I　really　did。　Saturday　nights　I　usually　take　some　person　of　an　interesting　sex　to　a　hockey　or　basketball　game；　or　maybe　a　fight　at　the　Garden；　but　that　one　I　worked　in　the　office　a　while　after　dinner　and　then　announced　that　I　was　sleepy。　Taking　some　doughnuts；　blackberry　jam；　and　a　pitcher　of　milk　upstairs　with　me；　I　sat　in　the　chair　I　had　selected　and　paid　for　myself　and　went　over　matters。　On　account　of　Saul's　description　of　her　clothes；　particularly　the　dark　brown　hat　with　a　white　cloth　flower；　I　knew　darned　well　it　had　been　Hester　Livsey　he　had　seen　with　Naylor。　I　deny　I　was　in　a　frenzy；　but　when　a　girl　has　patted　a　man's　head　he　should　be　willing　to　go　to　a　little　trouble　to　see　that　she　gets　a　break。　Besides；　it　isn't　often　that　at　first　sight；　in　the　very　first　minute；　a　girl　gives　you　the　feeling　that　no　one　on　earth　but　you　knows　how　beautiful　she　is；　and　that　too　seemed　to　me　to　be　worthy　of　consideration。
　　I　thought　she　should　have　a　chance　to　wipe　off　the　smudge；　in　case　it　hadn't　made　a　stain　that　wouldn't　e　out；　and　I　well　knew　what　the　wiping　process　would　be　like　if　we　turned　her　over　to　Cramer　and　his　bozos。　It　could　be　that　her　walkie…talkie　with　Naylor　had　concerned　a　private　matter　not　connected　with　what　was　about　to　happen　to　him；　and　if　it　had；　and　if　she　chose　to　keep　it　to　herself；　she　was　as　likely　a　prospect　as　I　had　ever　seen　for　an　all…day　and　all…night　conference　with　men；　ing　at　her　in　shifts；　who　think　nothing　of　taking　their　coats　off　in　front　of　ladies。　What　I　had　e　to　my　room　to　consider　was　whether　to　go　get　the　car　and　drive　to　Westport　and　have　some　conversation　with　her。　I　decided　against　it　finally；　and　undressed　and　went　to　bed；　because　if　it　turned　out　wrong　in　the　end　it　would　be　Wolfe　who　would　have　to　save　the　pieces；　not　me。
　　Next　morning；　Sunday；　I　was　in　the　kitchen　finishing　breakfast；　enjoying　the　last　two　swallows　of　my　second　cup　of　coffee　and　reading　the　paper；　when　the　doorbell　rang。　Fritz　went　to　answer　it；　and　when；　a　moment　later；　I　heard　a　female　voice　in　the　hall　I　tossed　the　paper　down　and　went　to　see。
　　〃A　lady；　Archie；〃　Fritz　told　me。
　　〃Yeah；　that's　what　you　always　think。　Hello　there。〃
　　It　was　Rosa　Bendini；　Mrs。　Harold　Anthony；　and　she　was　good　and　scared　if　I　know　what　emotions　look　like。
　　She　came　down　the　hall　to　me　and　practically　demanded；　〃For　God's　sake　put　your　arms　around　me！〃
　　I　didn't　regard　the　request　as　offensive　per　se；　but　Fritz　was　there；　on　his　way　back　to　the　kitchen；　and　in　his　Swiss…French　way　he　can　be　a　very　tenacious　kidder。　So　I　tried　to　hold　her　off　and　spoke　sharply；　but　she　kept　uttering　sounds；　possibly　even　words；　and　was　determined　to　crawl　inside　of　me。　Fritz　was　staying　as　an　impartial　observer。　She　wasn't　keeping　her　voice　down；　we　were　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs；　and　Wolfe　was　in　his　room　one　flight　up；　eating　his　breakfast。　I　picked　her　up；　carried　her　into　the　office；　deposited　her　in　the　red　leather　chair；　and　told　her　roughly：
　　〃You　look　like　you　just　escaped　from　night　court　and　the　chase　is　hot。　Is　your　husband　out　front？〃
　　〃My　husband？〃　She　slid　forward　to　the　edge　of　the　chair。　〃Is　he　here？〃
　　〃I　don't　know；　I　was　asking　you；　and　stay　in　that　chair。　After　you　ran　out　on　me　the　other　night　I　knocked　him　flat　and　made　him　tame。〃　I　thought　it　might　give　her　some　perspective　and　steady　her　to　refer　to　the　past。　〃Have　you　seen　him　since？〃
　　She　didn't　answer　that。　Apparently　her　husband　was　the　least　of　her　troubles。　But　she　slid　back　again　until　enough　of　her　fanny　was　on　the　chair　so　she　could　sit　instead　of　squat；　and　said　so　the　words　could　be　heard：
　　〃The　police　are　after　me！〃
　　〃I'll　shoot　the　first　six　and　then　start　throwing　rocks。　How　far　back　are　they？〃
　　She　bounced　out　of　the　chair　and　was　on　my　lap　before　I　could　even　brace　myself；　requesting　me　for　the　second　time　to　put　my　arms　around　her；　and　it　seemed　less　trouble　to　ply　than　to　argue　with　her。　I　gathered　her　in　and　held　her；　and　she　encircled　my　neck；　twisting　her　body　around　so　as　to　make　the　contact　more　prehensive。　There　have　been　occasions　on　which　I　have　held　a　creature　like　that　and　as　time　passed　she　has　begun　to　tremble；　but　this　time　it　was　the　other　way　around。　She　was　trembling　at　first；　but　gradually　it　tapered　off；　and　after　a　while　she　was　warm　and　quiet　against　me；　with　her　face　burrowing　into　the　side　of　my　neck；　which　I　kept　relaxed　for　her。
　　Finally　she　lifted　the　face　an　inch　to　murmur　at　my　ear；　〃I　was　so　scared　I　was　going　to　go　jump　off　a　pier。　I　always　have　been　scared　of　the　cops；　ever　since　I　can　remember；　I　guess　because　they　came　and　arrested　my　brother　when　I　was　a　little　kid。〃　She　kept　close　against　me。　〃When　I　got　home　and　the　janitor　and　Isabel…she's　the　girl　that　lives　across　the　hall…when　they　told　me　the　police　had　been　there　three　times　and　they　might　e　back　any　minute…no；　hold　me　tight；　I　don't　mind　if　it's　hard　to　breathe…I　didn't　even　go　in　my　room；　I　just　scooted。　I　ran　towards　the　subway；　I　don't　know　where　I　thought　I　was　going；　and　after　I　got　on　an　uptown　express　I　remembered　about　Nero　Wolfe；　so　I　got　off　at　Thirty…third　Street　and　came　here　to　see　him。　And　you　were　here！　How　did　that　happen？　Now　you　ought　to　kiss　me。〃
　　I　held　her　firm　enough　to　keep　her　from　changing　position。　〃I　never　kiss　people　before　noon　except　the　one　I　had　breakfast　with。　Then　you　just　got　home？〃
　　〃Yes。　Then　let's　eat　breakfast。　Oh；　I　know　how　you　happened　to　be　here！　That　piece　in　the　paper！　Your　name's　Archie　Goodwin　and　you're　Nero　Wolfe's　brilliant　lieutenant！〃
　　〃Right。　Her