rs.toomanywomen-第4部分

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　　〃Then　it　wasn't　murder。　Technically。〃
　　Naylor　smiled　at　me。　His　neat　little　mouth　wasn't　designed　for　anything　expansive；　but　it　was　certainly　meant　for　a　smile；　though　it　went　as　quick　as　it　came。　〃Mr。　Truett；〃　he　said；　〃if　we　are　to　work　together　we　should　understand　each　other。　I　am　rather　perceptive；　and　it　would　probably　surprise　you　to　know　how　much　I　understand　of　you　already。　One　little　fact　about　me；　I　have　always　been　a　student　of　languages；　and　I　am　extraordinarily　meticulous　in　my　choice　of　words。　I　detest　euphemisms　and　circumlocutions；　and　I　am　acquainted　with　all　the　verbs；　including　those　of　the　argots；　which　mean　to　cause　the　death　of。　What　did　I　say　happened　to　this　man　Moore？〃
　　〃You　said　he　was　murdered。〃
　　〃Very　well。　That's　what　I　meant。〃
　　〃Okay；　Mr。　Naylor；　but　I　like　words　too。〃　I　had　a　strong　feeling　that　no　matter　what　his　reason　had　been　for　tossing　this　at　me　right　off　the　bat；　if　I　fielded　it　right　I　might　at　least　end　the　inning；　and　possibly　the　game；　that　first　morning。　I　tried。　I　grinned　at　him。　〃I　have　always　been　fond　of　words；〃　I　declared。　〃I　never　got　worse　than　B　in　grammar；　clear　to　the　eighth　grade。　Not　that　it's　any　hide　off　of　me；　but　since　we're　speaking　of　words；　when　you　say　Moore　was　murdered　I　take　it　to　mean　that　the　driver　of　the　car　knew　it　was　Moore；　wanted　him　dead　or　at　least　hurt；　and　aimed　the　car　at　him。　Doesn't　it　e　down　to　that？〃
　　Naylor　was　looking　up　at　the　wall　behind　me。　His　eyes　stayed　that　way；　with　no　glint　showing　because　they　were　upraised；　until　I　twisted　my　neck　to　see　what　he　was　looking　at。　All　that　was　there　was　a　clock。　I　untwisted　back　to　him；　and　his　gaze　came　down　to　my　level。
　　He　smiled　again。　〃Twenty　minutes　past　ten；〃　he　said　resentfully。　〃I　understand；　Mr。　Truett；　that　Mr。　Pine　has　hired　you　to　survey　our　personnel　problems。　What　do　you　think　he　would　say　if　he　knew　you　were　sitting　here　at　your　ease；　prolonging　a　discussion　of　a　murder　which　has　no　possible　connection　with　your　job？〃
　　The　damn　little　squirt。　The　only　satisfactory　way　to　field　that　one　would　have　been　to　pick　him　up　and　use　him　for　a　dust　rag。　Under　the　circumstances　that　satisfaction　would　have　to　be　postponed。　I　swallowed　it；　stood　up；　and　grinned　down　at　him。
　　〃Yeah；〃　I　said；　〃I'm　a　great　talker。　It　was　nice　of　you　to　listen。　Why　don't　you　put　through　a　voucher　in　triplicate；　or　however　you　do　it；　docking　me　for　an　hour？　I　deserve　it；　I　really　do。〃
　　I　left。　If　the　〃uh；　plexities〃　that　Pine　had　mentioned　included　a　desire　on　the　part　of　his　brother　executives　and　him　to　tie　a　can　to　Kerr　Naylor's　tail；　I　was　all　for　it。　He　sure　was　tricky　and　mean。　He　had　me　so　sore　that　I　went　from　his　office　straight　to　the　main　arena；　took　a　random　course　through　the　labyrinth　of　desks；　glancing　in　all　directions　at　faces；　shoulders；　and　arms；　and　took　my　time　picking　one　who　had　probably　been　a　Powers　model　and　got　fired　because　she　made　all　her　colleagues　look　below　standard。
　　I　sat　on　the　corner　of　her　desk　and　she　looked　up　at　me　with　the　clear　blue　eyes　of　an　angel　and　a　virgin。
　　I　leaned　to　her。　〃My　name　is　Peter　Truett；〃　I　told　her；　〃and　I've　been　hired　as　a　personnel　expert。　If　your　section　head　hasn't　told　you　about　me。。。〃
　　〃He　has；〃　she　said；　in　a　sweet　musical　voice；　a　contralto；　which　is　my　favorite。
　　〃Then　please　tell　me；　have　you　heard　any　gossip　recently　about　a　man　named　Moore？　Waldo　Wilmot　Moore？　Did　you　know　him　when　he　worked　here？〃
　　She　shook　her　head。　〃I'm　awfully　sorry；〃　she　said；　sweeter　than　before　if　anything；　〃but　I　only　started　here　day　before　yesterday；　and　I'm　leaving　on　Friday。　Just　because　I　can't　spell！　I　never　could　spell。〃　Her　lovely　fingers　were　resting　on　my　knee　and　her　eyes　were　going　straight　to　my　heart。　〃Mr。　Truman；　do　you　know　of　any　job　where　you　don't　have　to　spell？〃
　　I　forget　exactly　how　I　got　away。
　　
　　Chapter　Seven
　　I　had　been　assigned　a　room　of　my　own；　about　the　right　size　for　an　Irish　setter　but　not　big　enough　for　a　Great　Dane；　about　midway　of　the　row　of　offices　that　ran　along　the　uptown　side　of　the　arena。　It　contained　a　cute　little　desk；　three　chairs；　and　a　filing　cabinet　with　a　lock　to　which　I　had　been　given　the　key。　Apparently　there　were　nothing　but　shanties　across　the　street；　since　the　window　had　space　outside；　and　if　you　took　it　at　a　slant　there　was　a　good　view　of　the　East　River。
　　I　went　there　and　sat。
　　It　seemed　I　had　breezed　into　something　with　insufficient　consideration　of　strategy　and　tactics。　As　a　result　I　had　already　pulled　two　boners。　When　Kerr　Naylor　had　unexpectedly　jumped　the　gun　by　shoving　Moore　and　murder　at　me；　I　should　have　shrugged　it　off　as　a　man　with　a　single…track　stomach　and　no　appetite　for　anything　but　personnel　problems。　And　when　he　side…stepped　and　caught　me　off　balance；　I　should　have　backed　clear　up　and　looked　it　over；　instead　of　getting　peeved　and　spilling　Moore's　name　to　a　vision　of　delight　that　couldn't　spell。　I　was　too　exuberant。
　　On　the　other　hand；　I　certainly　didn't　intend　to　spend　a　week　or　so　just　getting　myself　established　as　a　personnel　expert。　I　sat　there　through　two　cigarettes；　thinking　it　over；　and　then　went　and　unlocked　the　filing　cabinet　and　got　out　a　couple　of　the　folders　I　had　stowed　there。　On　one　of　them　the　tab　said　STOCK　DEPARTMENT…STRUCTURAL　METALS　SECTION/font》；　and　on　the　other　STOCK　DEPARTMENT…CORRESPONDENCE　CHECKERS　SECTION。　With　the　folders　under　my　arm；　I　emerged　to　the　arena；　crossed　it　by　a　main　traffic　aisle；　and　knocked　at　the　door　of　an　office　on　the　other　side。　When　a　voice　told　me　to　e　in　I　entered。
　　〃Excuse　me；〃　I　said；　〃you're　busy。〃
　　Mr。　Rosenbaum；　the　head　of　the　Structural　Metals　Section；　was　a　middle…aged；　bald…headed　guy　with　black…rimmed　glasses。　He　waved　me　on　in。
　　〃So　what；〃　he　said　without　a　question　mark。　〃If　I　ever　dictated　a　letter　without　being　interrupted　I'd　lose　my　train　of　thought。　No　one　ever　knocks　around　here；　you　just　bust　in。　Sit　down。　I'll　ring　later；　Miss　Livsey。　This　is　the　Mr。　Truett　mentioned　in　that　memo　we　sent　around。　Miss　Hester　Livsey；　my　secretary；　Mr。　Truett。〃
　　I　was　wondering　how　I　had　ever　missed　her；　even　in　that　colossal　swarm　outside；　until　it　struck　me　that　a　section　head's　secretary　probably　had　her　own　room。　She　was　not　at　all　spectacular；　not　to　be　pared　with　my　non…speller；　but　there　were　two　things　about　her　that　hit　you　at　a　glance。　You　got　the　instant　impression　that　there　was　something　beautiful　about　her　that　no　one　but　you　would　ever　see；　and　along　with　it　the　feeling　that　she　was　in　some　kind　of　trouble；　real　trouble；　that　no　one　but　you　would　understand　and　no　one　but　you　could　help　her　out　of。　If　that　sounds　too　plicated　for　a　two…second…take；　okay；　I　was　there　and　I　remember　it　distinctly。
　　She　went　out　with　her　notebook　and　I　sat　down。
　　〃Thanks　for　letting　me　horn　in；〃　I　told　Rosenbaum；　taking　papers　from　the　folder。　〃It　won't　take　long。　I　just　want　to　ask　a　few　general　questions　and　one　or　two　specific　ones　about　these　reports。　You　people　have　certainly　got　this　thing　organized　to　a　T；　with　your　sections　and　sub…sections。　It　must　simplify　things。〃
　　He　agreed　that　it　did。　〃Of　course；〃　he　added；　〃it　gets　mixed　up　sometimes。　I'm　Structural　Metals；　but　right　now　I've　got　thirty…seven　elephants　in　stock；　over　in　Africa；　and　I　can't　get　any　other　section　to　take　them。　My　basic　position　is　that　elephants　are　nonmetallic。　I　may　have　to　go　up　to　Mr。　Naylor　to　get　rid　of　them。〃
　　〃Hah；〃　I　said　triumphantly；　〃so　that's　where　your　stock　is；　Africa！　And　elephants。　I've　been　wondering。　With　that　settled；　let's　tackle　personnel。　Speaking　of　which；　I　noticed　that　your　secretary；　Miss　Livsey；　didn't　seem　to　be　wading　through　bliss。　I　hope　she's　not　quitting　too？〃
　　That　proved　she　had　had　that　effect　on　me　as　described；　my　going　out　of　my　way　to　mention　her　name；　with　no　reason　at　all。
　　〃Bliss？〃　Rosenbaum　shook　his　head。　〃No；　I　guess　she　isn't。　The　man　she　was　engaged　to　died　a　few　months　ago。　Got　killed　in　an　accident。〃　He　shook　his　head　again。　〃If　it's　a　part　of　your　job　to　make　our　employees　happy；　I'm　afraid　you　won't　get　to　first　base　with　Miss　Livsey。　She's　a　damn　good　secretary　too。　If　I　had　that　hit…and…run　driver　here　I'd…do　something　to　him。〃
　　〃I'd　be　glad　to　help；〃　I　said　sympathetically。　I　riffled　the　papers。　〃The　man　she　was　engaged　to…is　he　among　these？　Did　he　work　here？〃
　　〃Yes；　but　not　in　my　section。　He　was　a　correspondence　checker。　It　was　an　awful　blow　for　her；　and　she　stayed　away…but　here　I　go　again；　you're　not　here　to　listen　to　me　gab。　What　are　your　questions；　Mr。　Truett？〃
　　Since　I　had　quit　being　exuberant　I　decided　not　to　press　it；　only　it　did　seem　that　wherever　I　went　I　met　Waldo　Wilmot　Moore。　We　got　down　to　business。　I　had　questions　ready　that　I　thought　were　good　enough　to　keep　me　from　being　spotted　as　a　phony；　and　I　stayed　with　him　a　good　twenty　minutes；　which　seemed　ample　for　the　purpose。
　　Then　I　went　down　the　line　to　the　office　of　the　head　of　the　Correspondence　Checkers　Section。　The　door　was　standing　open　and　he　was　there　alone。
　　Grandpa　Dickerson　was　by　no　means　too　old　or　too　watery…eyed　to　know　the　time　of　day。　As　soon　as　the　preliminary　courtesies　had　been　performed　and　I　had　sat　down　and