rs.toomanywomen-第11部分

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nds；　he　had　the　advantage　in　every　way　but　one：　he　was　mad　and　I　wasn't。　Believing　as　I　do　in　advantages；　so　long　as　you　don't　do　anything　you　aren't　willing　to　have　done　back　at　you；　I　carefully　chose　moments　to　use　a　little　precious　breath　on　remarks。
　　When　he　missed　with　a　right　swing　and　had　to　dance　back　a　step　to　recover　I　told　him；　〃Three　hours　with　her。。。seems　like　three　minutes。。。huh？〃
　　When　I　sneaked　in　a　swift　short　punch　and　had　the　other　one　ing　up　and　he　had　to　clinch；　I　muttered；　〃In　a　month　or　so　I'll　be　through　with　her　anyway。〃
　　At　one　point；　just　after　he　had　jolted　me　good　with　a　solid　one　over　the　heart；　I　thought　he　was　doing　some　conversing　himself。　I　distinctly　heard　a　voice　say；　〃You　might　as　well　pay　me　now。　He　shouldn't　try　to　talk。　You　can't　talk　and　fight　both。〃
　　Then　I　realized　at　the　edge　of　my　mind　that　it　wasn't　him。　The　taxi　drivers　were　leaning　against　the　fender　of　the　cab　I　had　paid　for；　enjoying　a　free　show。　I　resented　that；　and；　knowing　I　was　in　no　position　to　resent　anything；　shoved　it　out　of　the　way。　The　husband　apparently　had　oversize　lungs。　With　no　gong　to　announce　intermissions　I　was　beginning　to　wish　I　had　learned　to　breathe　through　my　ears；　but　he　didn't　even　his　mouth　open。　He　just　kept　ing。　I　told　him；　〃Even　if　you　put　me　to　sleep。。。I'll　wake　up　again。。。and　so　will　she。。。not　three　hours。。。three　days　and　nights。。。and　it'll　be　worth　it。。。〃
　　With　his　right　he　started　a　haymaker　for　my　head；　practically　putting　his　left　in　his　pocket。　He　had　done　that　once　before；　and　I　had　been　a　tenth　of　a　second　too　slow。　My　best　punch　is　a　right　to　the　body；　the　kidney　spot；　turning　my　whole　weight　behind　it　exactly　as　if　I　meant　to　spin　clear　on　around。　When　the　timing　and　distance　are　just　right　it's　as　good　as　I've　got。　That　one　clicked。　He　didn't　go　down；　but　it　softened　the　springs　in　his　legs；　and　for　an　instant　his　arms　were　paralyzed。　I　was　on　him；　in　close；　sawing　with　both　elbows；　my　face　not　six　inches　from　his；　and　when　I　saw　he　was　really　on　the　way　and　perfectly　safe　for　two　full　seconds；　I　backed　out　a　little　and　let　him　have　two　more　kidney　punches。　The　second　one　was　a　little　high　because　he　had　started　down。
　　I　stood　over　him　with　my　fists　still　tight　and　became　aware　that　I　was　trembling　from　head　to　foot　and　there　was　nothing　I　could　do　about　it。　I　heard　the　voice　of　one　of　the　taxi　drivers：
　　〃Boy；　Oh　boy。　Pretty　as　a　picture！　I　felt　them　last　two　myself。〃
　　I　looked　around。　That　block　was　never　much　populated；　and　at　that　time　of　day　was　deserted。　We　hadn't　done　any　yelping　or　bellowing。　Not　a　soul　was　in　sight　except　the　two　drivers。
　　〃Where's　the　lady？〃　I　asked。
　　〃She　beat　it　like　a　streak　when　he　slammed　you　up　against　my　car。〃　He　aimed　a　thumb　west。　〃That　way。　And　I　don't　want　no　argument　with　you。　What　the　hell；　Mac；　you're　good　enough　for　the　Garden！〃
　　I　was　still　trying　to　catch　up　on　my　breathing。　The　husband　rose　to　an　elbow　and　was　evidently　on　his　way　up。　I　spoke　to　him。
　　〃You　goddam　married　wife…chaser；　the　second　you're　on　your　feet　you　get　more　of　the　same；　or　even　on　one　foot。　Do　you　know　who　lives　in　this　house？　Nero　Wolfe。　I　was　taking　her　to　see　him　on　business。　Now　she's　gone；　and　damned　if　I'm　going　in　with　nothing；　so　I'll　take　you。　Besides；　you　ought　to　get　brushed　off　and　drink　a　cup　of　tea。〃
　　He　was　sitting　up；　looking　the　way　I　felt。　〃Is　that　straight？〃　he　demanded。　〃You　were　bringing　her　here　to　see　Nero　Wolfe？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　Then　I'm　sorry。　I　apologize。〃　He　scrambled　to　his　feet。　〃When　it　es　to　her　I　don't　stop　to　think。　I　could　use　a　drink　and　I　don't　mean　tea；　and　I'd　like　to　take　a　look　in　a　mirror。〃
　　〃Then　up　that　stoop。　I　know　where　there's　a　mirror。　Your　hat's　there　in　the　gutter。〃
　　One　of　the　drivers　handed　it　to　him。　I　followed　him　up　the　seven　steps　and　let　us　in　with　my　key。　We　hung　our　things　in　the　hall；　and　I　steered　him　on　to　the　office。　Wolfe　was　there　behind　his　desk。　He　took　the　husband　in　with　a　swift　glance；　then　transferred　it　to　me　and　demanded：
　　〃What　the　devil　are　you　up　to　now？　Is　this　the　young　woman　who　dined　with　you？〃
　　〃No；　sir；〃　I　said。　I　was　feeling　battered　but　self…satisfied；　and　I　had　my　breath　back。　〃This　is　her　husband；　Mr。　Harold　Anthony　from　the　financial　district；　a　college　man。　He　tailed　her　from　her　office；　and　tailed　her　and　me　clear　here；　and　he　thought　I　was　bringing　her　as　a　plaything　for　you。　Evidently　he　knows　your　reputation。　He　aimed　for　my　face　and　missed；　on　the　sidewalk　out　in　front。　He　has　taken　lessons　and　it　took　me　ten　minutes　or　more　to　nail　him；　which　I　did　with　three　kidney　punches。　He　was　down　flat。　Is　that　correct；　Mr。　Anthony？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　he　said。
　　〃Okay。　Scotch；　rye；　or　bourbon？〃
　　〃Plenty　of　bourbon。〃
　　〃We　have　it。　Mr。　Wolfe　will　ask　Fritz　to　bring　it。　The　bathroom　is　this　way。　e　along。〃
　　Wolfe's　voice　came　behind　us；　〃Confound　it；　where　is　Mrs。　Anthony？〃
　　〃No　soap；〃　I　told　him　from　the　bathroom　door。　〃You'll　have　to　stifle　your　desires　for　tonight。　She　went　for　a　walk。　Her　husband　is　substituting　for　her。〃
　　
　　Chapter　Thirteen
　　A　few　feet　from　the　end　of　Wolfe's　desk　is　a　roomy　and　fortable　red　leather　chair；　and　next　to　it　on　one　side　is　a　solid　little　table　made　of　massaranduba；　the　primary　function　of　which　is　as　a　resting　place　for　checkbooks　while　clients　write　in　them；　Harold　Anthony　sat　in　the　chair；　with　a　bottle　of　bourbon　at　his　elbow　on　the　little　table；　while　Wolfe　kept　at　him　for　over　an　hour。
　　Mr。　Anthony　had　a　conviction：　the　stock　department　of　Naylor…Kerr　was　a　hotbed　of　lust　and　lechery　where　the　primitive　appetites　germinated　like　sweet　potato　sprouts。
　　Mr。　Anthony　had　a　record：　since　he　had　got　out　of　the　Army　in　November　he　had　bopped　four　assorted　men　whom　he　had　detected　in　the　act　of　escorting　his　wife　somewhere；　and　one　of　them　had　gone　to　a　hospital　with　a　broken　jaw。　He　did　not　know　if　one　of　them　had　been　named　either　Wally　or　Moore。
　　Mr。　Anthony　had　an　alibi：　the　evening　of　December　4　had　been　spent　by　him　in　a　bowling　alley；　with　friends。　They　had　quit　around　eleven…thirty　and　he　had　gone　home。　When　Wolfe　observed　that　that　would　have　left　him　plenty　of　time　to　get　over　to　Thirty…ninth　Street　and　run　a　car　over　Moore；　he　agreed　without　hesitation　but　added　that　he　couldn't　have　had　the　car；　since　it　had　been　stolen　before　eleven…twenty；　at　which　time　the　owner；　ing　from　the　theater；　had　arrived　where　he　had　parked　the　car　and　found　it　gone。
　　〃You　appear；〃　Wolfe　mented；　〃to　have　followed　the　accounts　of　Mr。　Moore's　death　with　interest　and　assiduity。　In　newspapers？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Why　were　you　interested？〃
　　〃Because　the　papers　had　pictures　of　Moore；　and　I　recognized　him　as　the　man　I　had　seen　with　my　wife　a　few　days　before。〃
　　〃Where？〃
　　〃Getting　into　a　taxi　on　Broadway；　downtown。〃
　　〃Had　you　spoken　with　him？〃
　　〃Yes；　I　said　something　to　him；　and　then　I　cooled　him　off。〃
　　〃Cooled？　By　what　process？〃
　　〃I　knocked　him　halfway　across　Broadway　and　took　my　wife。〃
　　〃You　did？〃　Wolfe　scowled　at　him。　〃What's　the　matter　with　your　brain？　Does　it　leak？　You　said　you　didn't　know　whether　one　of　your　wife's　escorts；　the　ones　you　bombarded；　was　named　Moore。〃
　　〃Sure　I　did。〃　The　husband　was　not　disturbed。　〃What　the　hell；　I　didn't　know　then　you　were　going　into　it。〃
　　He　was　really　two　different　persons。　Sitting　there　with　a　couple　of　men；　drinking　good　bourbon；　he　had　poise　and　he　knew　the　score。　I　would　hardly　have　recognized　him　as　the　wild…eyed　infuriated　male　moose　who　had　lost　all　self…control　at　the　sight　of　me　helping　an　assistant　chief　filer　from　a　taxicab；　if　it　hadn't　been　for　a　band…aid　covering　a　gash　on　his　face。　The　gash　was　the　result　of　my　having　neglected　to　remember；　for　a　brief　moment；　that　cheekbones　are　hard　on　knuckles。
　　At　the　beginning；　after　he　and　I　had　finished　in　the　bathroom　and　returned　to　the　office；　he　had　been　suspicious　and　cagey；　even　with　bourbon　in　him；　until　he　was　satisfied　that　I　really　had　been　bringing　Rosa　there　on　business。　Then；　when　he　learned　that　the　business　was　an　inquiry　into　the　death　of　Waldo　Wilmot　Moore；　it　took　him　only　a　minute　to　decide　that　his　best　line　was　full　and　frank　co…operation　if　he　wanted　any　help　from　us　in　keeping　his　wife　out　of　it　as　far　as　possible。　At　least　that　was　the　way　it　looked　to　me；　and　by　the　time　we　got　to　his　alibi　for　December　4　I　was　almost　ready　to　regard　him　as　a　fellow　being。
　　Around　a　quarter　to　ten　he　left；　not　because　the　bottle　was　empty　or　Wolfe　had　run　out　of　questions；　but　because　Saul　Panzer　arrived。　I　let　Saul　in；　and　as　he　headed　for　the　office　the　husband　came　out；　got　his　things　from　the　rack；　and　grunted　and　groaned　without　any　false　modesty　as　he　got　into　his　coat。　He　offered　a　hand。
　　〃Christ；　I'll　be　a　cripple　for　a　week；〃　he　admitted。　〃That　right　of　yours　would　dent　a　tank。〃
　　I　acknowledged　the　pliment；　closed　the　door　after　him；　and　returned　to　the　office。
　　Saul　Panzer；　who　was　under　size；　who　had　a　nose　which　could　be　accounted　for　only　on　the　theory　that　a　nose　is　all　a　face　needs；　and　who　always　looked　as　if　he　had　shaved　the　day　before；　was　the　best　free…lance　operative　in　New　York。　He　was　the　only　colleague　I　knew　that　I　would　give　a　blank　check　to　and　forget　it。　He　had　e　to　make　a　report；　and；　judging　from　the　ground　it　covered；　Wolfe　must　have　got　in　touch　with　him　and　put　him　to　work　that　morning　as　soon　as　I　had　left　the　house。
　　But　that　was　about　all　you　could　say　for　it；　that　it　covered　lots　of　ground。　He　had　talked　with　squad　men　who　had　worked　on　the　case；　had　gone　through　three　newspaper　files；　had　been　shown　the　record　by　Captain　Bowen　downtown；　and　had　even　seen　the　owner　of　the　car；　and　all　he　had　harvested　was　one　of　the　most　plete　collections　of　negatives　I　had　ever　seen。　No　fingerprints　from　the　car；　nobody　had　any　idea　what　Moore　had　been　doing　on　Thirty…ninth　Street；　no　one　had　seen　the　car　being　parked；　afterwards；　on　Ninety…fifth　Street；　not　a　single　lead　had　been　picked　up　anywhere。　The　police　knew　about　Moore's　friendship　with　Mrs。　Pine；　and　his　romantic　career　at　Naylor…Kerr；　and　a　few　other　things　about　him　that　were　news　to　me；　but　none　of　them　had　turned　on　a　light　they　could　see　by。　It