rs.toomanywomen-第10部分

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anyone　in　my　life；　but　I　was　with　him。　I　was　so　jealous　of　all　his　other　girls　I　would　think　of　ways　they　might　die。　You　wouldn't　think　I　could　be　like　that；　would　you？　I　wouldn't。〃
　　My　reply　was　nonmittal　because　the　waiter　arrived　with　the　steak。　After　he　had　served　it；　with　grilled　sweet　potatoes　and　endive　and　the　wine；　and　left　the　reserve　there　on　our　table　over　a　brazier　of　charcoal；　I　picked　up　my　knife　and　fork　but　was　interrupted　by　Rosa。
　　〃This　looks　wonderful。　I'll　bet　that　curtain's　stuck　so　you　couldn't　close　it　again。〃
　　I　went　and　closed　the　curtain。　This　time　she　left　her　seat　too；　and　we　had　panionship　standing。　All　the　time　it　lasted　the　warm　inviting　smell　of　the　steak　came　floating　up　to　us；　with　a　tang　in　it　that　came　from　the　poured　Burgundy；　and　the　bination　of　everything　made　it　a　very　pleasant　experience。
　　〃We　mustn't　let　it　get　cold；〃　I　said　finally。
　　She　agreed；　with　good　mon　sense；　and　I　pulled　the　curtain　open　for　air。
　　That　wrecked　most　of　the　remaining　barriers。　By　the　time　the　meal　was　finished　I　had　enough　to　fill　six　pages；　single…spaced。　She　gave　me　most　of　it　in　straight　English；　but　on　the　two　or　three　points　where　she　merely　implied　I　am　supplying　my　own　translation。　Beginning　with　the　day　he　started　to　work；　Waldo　Wilmot　Moore　had　gone　through　the　personnel　of　the　stock　department　like　a　dolphin　through　waves。　There　could　be　no　conservative　estimate　of　the　total　score　he　had　piled　up；　because　there　had　been　nothing　conservative　about　it。　I　got　the　impression　that　he　had　tallied　up　into　the　dozens；　but　Rosa　was　probably　exaggerating　through　loyalty　to　his　memory；　and　only　four　names　stood　out…and　two　of　those　were　men。
　　GWYNNE　FERRIS；　according　to　Rosa；　was　a　Perfect　bitch。　Being　a　born　beckoner　and　promiser；　she　had　tried　her　routine　on　Moore；　had　been　caught　off　balance；　and　had　had　her　beckoning　and　promising　career　abruptly　terminated；　or　at　least　temporarily　interrupted。　She　was　about　Rosa's　age；　in　her　early　twenties；　and　was　still　a　stenographer　in　the　reserve　pool　after　nearly　two　years。
　　BENJAMIN　FRENKEL；　a　serious　and　intense　young　man　who　was　assistant　head　of　a　section；　and　who　was　generally　regarded　as　the　third…best　letter　dictator　in　the　whole　department；　had　been　beckoned　and　promised　by　Gwynne　Ferris　until　he　didn't　know　which　way　was　south。　He　had　hated　Waldo　Moore　with　all　the　seriousness　and　intensity　he　had；　or　even　a　little　extra。
　　HESTER　LIVSEY　was　a　phony；　a　heel；　and　a　halfwit。　Moore　had　kidded　her　along　and　had　never　had　the　faintest　intention　of　marrying　her。　He　would　never　have　married　anyone；　but　she　was　too　dumb　to　know　it。　For　a　while　she　had　actually　believed　that　Moore　was　her　private　property；　and　when　she　had　learned　that　he　was　still　enjoying　the　panionship　of　Rosa；　not　to　mention　any　others；　she　had　gone　pletely　crazy　and　had　not　recovered　to　date。
　　SUMNER　HOFF　was　something　special；　being　a　civil　engineer　and　a　technical　adviser　to　the　whole　stock　department。　He　had　been　the　hero…or　the　villain；　depending　On　where　you　stood…of　the　most　dramatic　episode　of　the　whole　Moore　story。　On　a　day　in　October；　just　before　quitting　time；　at　the　edge　of　the　arena　outside　Dickerson's　office；　he　had　plugged　Moore　in　the　jaw　and　knocked　him　into　the　lap　of　a　girl　at　a　near…by　desk；　ruining　a　letter　she　was　typing。　He　had　implied；　just　before　he　swung；　that　what　was　biting　him　was　a　checker's　report　Moore　had　made　on　a　letter　he　had　dictated；　but　according　to　Rosa　that　was　only　a　cover　and　what　was　really　biting　him　was　Moore's　conquest　of　Hester　Livsey。　Sumner　Hoff　had　been　after　Hester　Livsey；　strictly　honorable；　for　over　a　year。
　　I　was　beginning　to　understand　why　Pine　had　said　that　Moore　was　the　type　that　stirs　up　gossip。
　　For　nearly　two　hours；　sitting　there　working　on　the　steak　and　its　accessories；　and　another　bottle　of　wine；　and　then　pastry　and　coffee　and　brandy；　Rosa　told　me　things。　When　she　got　through　I　had　a　bushel　of　details；　but　fundamentally　I　didn't　know　anything　I　hadn't　known　before。　It　was　no　news　that　Moore　had　made　various　people　sore　in　his　capacity　as　a　correspondence　checker；　or　that　his　own　section　head　hadn't　liked　him　or　wanted　him；　or　even　that　he　was　death　on　dames。　All　Rosa　had　done　was　fill　in。；　and　when　we　got　right　down　to　it；　how　did　she　know　Moore　had　been　murdered　and　who　did　it；　all　she　had　was　loose　feathers。　She　knew　he　had　been　murdered　because　she　knew　who　wanted　him　dead。　Okay；　who？　On　that　she　reminded　me　of　the　old　gag　about　which　one　would　he　save；　his　wife　or　his　son？　She　would　have　rooted　for　Hester　Livsey　if　it　hadn't　been　for　Gwynne　Ferris；　and　she　would　have　rooted　for　Ferris　if　it　hadn't　been　for　Livsey。　As　for　the　actual　circumstances　of　Moore's　death；　she　had　plenty　of　gossip；　unshakable　opinions；　and　a　fine　healthy　set　of　suspicions　and　prejudices；　but　no　facts　I　didn't　already　know。
　　I　wasn't　greatly　disappointed；　since　in　the　detective　business　you　always　draw　ten　times　as　many　blanks　as　you　do　paying　numbers；　but　with　all　her　pouring　it　out　I　had　an　uneasy　feeling　that　she　might　have　something　I　wasn't　getting。　It　was　plausible　that　she　had　waylaid　me　just　to　give　me　moral　support　and　a　friendly　shove　in　what　she　regarded　as　the　right　direction；　she　was　quite　capable　of　that；　but　by　the　time　we　finished　with　the　brandy　I　had　decided　that　she　was　also　capable　of　hiding　an　ace。　And　I　seemed　to　be　stymied。　So　I　told　her：
　　〃It's　only　a　little　after　eight。　We　could　go　somewhere　and　dance；　or　take　in　a　show；　or　I　could　get　my　car　and　we　could　ride　around；　but　that　can　wait。　I　think　for　tonight　we　ought　to　concentrate　on　Wally　Moore；　Did　you　ever　hear　of　Nero　Wolfe？〃
　　〃Nero　Wolfe　the　detective？　Certainly。〃
　　〃Good。　I　know　him　quite　well。　As　I　said。　I'm　not　a　cop；　but　I'm　a　sort　of　a　detective　myself；　and　I　often　consult　Nero　Wolfe。　His　office　is　in　his　house　on　Thirty…fifth　Street。　What　do　you　say　we　go　down　there　and　talk　it　over　with　him？　He　knows　how　to　fit　things　together。〃
　　She　had　got　pletely　relaxed；　but　now　she　darted　a　glance　at　me。
　　〃What　is　it；　just　a　house？〃
　　〃Sure；　with　a　room　in　it　he　uses　for　an　office。〃
　　She　shook　her　head。　〃You've　got　me　wrong；　Mr。　Truett。　I　wouldn't　go　into　a　house　I'd　never　been　in　with　a　man　I　didn't　know　well　enough　to　call　him　by　his　first　name。〃
　　The　girl　interpreted　everything　in　terms　of　panionship。　〃You've　got　me　wrong；〃　I　assured　her。　〃If　and　when　I　ask　you　to　enjoy　life　with　me　it　won't　be　on　the　pretense　that　we've　got　work　to　do。　I　doubt　if　I'll　feel　like　it　until　you　get　this　Wally　Moore　out　of　your　system。　That　might　even　be　why　I　want　to　go　and　discuss　it　with　Mr。　Wolfe。〃
　　She　wasn't　stubborn。　Fifteen　minutes　later　we　were　down　on　the　sidewalk；　climbing　into　a　taxi。　In　that　quarter…hour　I　had　signed　the　check；　drawn　the　curtain　again　for　a　decent　interval；　and　phoned　Wolfe　to　tell　him　what　was　ing。
　　In　the　taxi　she　was　nervous。　Thinking　it　would　be　a　good　idea　to　keep　her　relaxed；　and　anyway　I　had　drunk　my　half　of　the　wine　and　brandy；　I　courteously　got　hold　of　her　hand；　but　she　pulled　it　away。　It　irritated　me　a　little；　because　I　felt　sure　that　what　made　her　balky　was　not　the　idea　of　discussing　murder　with　Nero　Wolfe　but　the　prospect　of　entering　a　strange　house　with　me。　It　seemed　a　little　late　in　the　day　for　a　Puritan　streak　to　show。　As　a　result；　however；　my　faculties　resumed　their　normal　operations；　and　therefore　I　became　aware；　at　Forty…seventh　Street　and　Tenth　Avenue；　that　we　had　an　outrider。　Another　taxi　had　stuck　to　our　rear　all　the　way　across　town；　and　turned　south　on　Tenth　Avenue　behind　us。　The　driver　was　apparently　not　the　subtle　type。　Since　Rosa　had　seen　fit　to　build　a　fence　between　us；　I　said　nothing　about　it　to　her。
　　When　we　turned　right　on　Thirty…fifth　Street　our　suffix　came　along。　By　the　time　we　rolled　to　the　curb　in　front　of　Wolfe's　house　there　wasn't　even　a　hyphen　between　us。　I　paid　the　driver　from　my　seat；　and　my　giving　Rosa　a　hand　out　to　the　sidewalk；　and　the　emergence　from　the　other　cab　of　a　big　husky　male　in　a　topcoat　and　a　conservative　felt　hat；　were　simultaneous。
　　As　he　started　toward　us　I　addressed　him；　〃I　didn't　quite　catch　the　name。〃
　　He　snubbed　me　and　spoke　to　her；　ing　right　up　to　her　and　ignoring　me　entirely。　〃Where　are　you　going　with　this　man？〃
　　Masterful　as　he　was；　it　by　no　means　withered　her。　〃You're　getting　to　be　a　bigger　fool　every　day；　Harry；〃　she　declared；　extremely　annoyed。　〃I've　told　you　a　thousand　times　that　it's　none　of　your　business　where　I　go　or　who　with！〃
　　〃And　I've　told　you　it　is　and　it　still　is。〃　He　was　towering　over　her。　〃You　were　going　in　that　house　with　him。　By　God；　you　e　with　me！〃　He　gripped　her　shoulder。
　　She　squirmed；　but　not　a　panicky　squirm；　he　was　probably　squeezing　her　flesh　into　her　bones。　With　his　build　he　could　have　tucked　her　under　one　arm。　Grimacing　from　it；　she　appealed　to　me。
　　〃Mr。　Truett；　this　is　that　husband　I　was　telling　you　about。　He's　so　big！〃
　　Implying　I　was　helpless。　So　I　spoke　to　〃Listen；　brother；　here's　a　suggestion。　We'll　only　be　in　there　three　or　four　hours　that　ought　to　do　it。　You　wait　here　on　the　stoop　and　when　she　es　out　you　can　take　her　home。〃
　　I　suppose　it　was　badly　phrased；　but　husbands　who　try　to　go　on　steering　when　the　car　is　upside　down　in　a　ditch　always　aggravate　me。　He　reacted　immediately　by　letting　go　of　her　shoulder；　which　was　a　necessary　preliminary　to　his　next　move；　an　accurate　and　powerful　punch　aimed　for　the　middle　of　my　face。
　　Ducking　out　of　its　path；　my　thought　was　that　this　would　be　simple；　since　he　didn't　know　enough　about　it　to　go　for　something　more　vulnerable　and　easier　to　get　at　than　a　face；　but　I　was　wrong。　He　knew　plenty　about　it；　and　evidently；　also　thinking　it　would　be　simple；　hadn't　bothered　about　tactics。　When　I　merely　jerked　my　head　sideways　to　let　the　punch　go　by　and　planted　a　left　hook　with　my　weight　behind　it　just　below　the　crotch　of　his　ribs；　thereby　informing　him　that　I　knew　the　alphabet；　he　became　a　different　man。
　　Within　a　minute　he　had　landed　on　my　body　three　times　and　underneath　my　jaw　once；　and　I　had　bee　aware　that；　with　his　extra　fifteen　or　twenty　pounds；　he　had　the　advantage　in　every　way　but　one：　he　was　mad　and　I　wasn't。　Believing　as　I　do　in　advant