rs.toomanywomen-第14部分

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　　〃Baseball。　I　go　as　often　as　I　can　get　away。〃
　　〃It's　a　wonderful　game；　isn't　it？　Yankees　or　Giants？〃
　　〃Both。　Either　one；　whichever's　in　town。〃
　　〃I'll　send　you　season　tickets。　Frankly；　Archie；　I　think　my　brother　is　crazy。　Don't　tell　Mr。　Wolfe　I　said　that。〃
　　〃I　never　tell　him　anything。〃
　　〃Then　that's　our　first　secret。　Good　night。〃
　　I　escorted　her　out；　down　the　stoop　and　to　the　curb；　but　didn't　get　to　open　the　car　door　for　her　because　her　chauffeur　was　already　attending　to　that。　As　I　descended　the　steps　I　was　telling　myself　that　I　mustn't　forget　to　phone　Lon　Cohen　in　the　morning　and　inform　him　that　the　job　was　practically　mine　but　nothing　doing　on　his　ten　per　cent　because　I　was　landing　it　strictly　on　merit。
　　Back　in　the　house　I　made　a　beeline　for　the　stairs；　taking　no　chances；　but　found　it　desirable　to　mount　one　step　at　a　time。　My　room　was　two　flights　up。　On　the　first　landing　I　turned　and　yelled　back　down；　〃I'm　going　up　and　figure　how　much　it　will　set　her　back　to　furnish　my　office！　Good　night！〃
　　
　　Chapter　Fifteen
　　The　next　morning；　Thursday；　the　arena　of　the　stock　department　was　a　different　place　as　far　as　I　was　concerned。　Whenever　I　showed　my　face；　ing　and　going；　the　change　could　be　seen；　felt；　and　tasted。　Wednesday　morning　I　had　been　a　bination　of　a　new　male；　to　be　given　the　once　over　and　labeled；　and　an　intruder　from　outside　who　could　be　expected　to　regard　the　lovely　little　darlings　merely　as　units　of　personnel。　Thursday　morning　I　was　a　detective　after　a　murderer。　That's　what　they　all　thought；　and　they　all　showed　it。　Whether　Kerr　Naylor　had　started　another　ball　rolling；　or　whether　it　was　just　seepage　from　various　leaks；　I　didn't　know；　but　the　reaction　that　greeted　me　wherever　I　went　left　no　doubt　of　the　fact。
　　The　bits　of　tobacco　in　the　folder　had　not　been　disturbed。　That　was　no　great　disappointment；　since　I　had　no　good　reason　to　suppose　that　anyone　in　the　place　was　sitting　on　tacks；　and　I　left　the　set…up　intact。　At　ten　o'clock　I　got　Jasper　Pine　on　the　phone　and　gave　him　a　report　of　the　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Harold　Anthony　episode。
　　I　also　said；　〃Your　wife　came　to　see　us　last　night。〃
　　〃I　know　she　did；〃　he　replied；　and　let　it　go　at　that。　It　was　a　fair　guess　that　his　position　was　that　there　was　no　point　in　asking　what　she　had　said　because　she　had　already　said　everything　to　him　about　everything。　When　I　told　him　that　the　whole　department　apparently　had　me　tagged　as　a　bloodhound　he　said　grimly　that　in　that　case　I　might　as　well　act　like　one　and　gave　me　the　run　of　the　pasture。
　　My　first　gallop　was　out　of　the　pasture　entirely；　up　to　the　Gazetee　office　to　see　Lon　Cohen；　having　first　called　him。　I　had　a　healthy　curiosity　not　only　about　Pine's　attitude　toward　his　wife's　fondness　for　pets；　but　also　about　her　and　Moore。　Wanting　the　low…down；　I　came　away；　after　a　session　with　Lon　and　talks　with　a　couple　of　legmen；　satisfied　that　I　had　it。　Either　Pine　had　years　ago　adopted　the　philosophy　that　a　wife's　personal　habits　are　none　of　a　husband's　business；　and　really　didn't　give　a　damn；　and　Mrs。　Pine　had　pletely　lost　interest　in　Moore　early　in　1946；　except　to　see　that　he　got　a　job；　or　the　Gazetee　boys　were　living　in　a　dream　world；　which　didn't　seem　likely。
　　I　bought　them　a　lunch　at　Pietro's　and　then　returned　to　William　Street。　There　was　nothing　in　my　office　for　me；　no　message　from　Wolfe　or　Pine　or　even　Kerr　Naylor；　and　the　drawer　of　the　cabinet　hadn't　been　touched。　I　was　still　without　a　bridle　and　could　pick　my　own　directions。　Across　the　arena　to　Miss　Livsey's　room　was；　I　thought；　as　good　as　any。
　　Her　door　was　open　and　she　was　inside；　typing。　I　entered；　shut　the　door；　lowered　myself　onto　the　chair　at　the　end　of　her　desk；　and　inquired；　〃What　thoughts　have　you　got　about　Rosa　Bendini？〃
　　〃What　on　earth；〃　she　inquired　back；　〃have　you　been　doing　with　your　face？〃　She　was　gazing　at　it。
　　〃You　may　think；〃　I　said；　〃that　you're　changing　the　subject；　but　actually　you're　not。　There's　a　connection。　It　was　Rosa's　husband　who　embroidered　my　face。　What's　your　opinion　of　her　in　ten　thousand　words？〃
　　〃Does　it　hurt？〃
　　〃e　on；　e　on。　Being　sweet　and　womanly　when　you　haven't　even　started　to　forget　that　Moore？　Quit　stalling。〃
　　She　showed　a　hint　of　color；　very　faint；　but　the　first　I　had　seen　of　it。　〃I'm　not　stalling；〃　she　denied。　〃If　you　can't　feel　it　you　ought　to　look　in　a　mirror　and　see　it。　What　about　Rosa　Bendini？〃
　　I　grinned　at　her　to　show　her　that　the　muscles　worked；　no　matter　how　it　looked。　〃So　you're　asking　me　instead。　Okay。　She　calls　Moore　Wally。　She　says　that　he　never　had　any　intention　of　marrying　you；　and　that　you　went　crazy…these　are　her　words…when　you　found　out　that　he　was　still　seeing　her；　and　that　you　have　never　recovered。　I　may　add　that　I　don't　believe　everything　I　hear；　because　if　you　have　never　recovered　you　must　be　crazy　now；　and　on　that　I　vote　no。〃
　　The　color　had　gone。　She　had　held　her　working　pose　in　front　of　her　typewriter；　her　fingertips　resting　on　the　frame　of　the　machine；　implying　that　I　had　just　dropped　in　to　say　hello　and　would　soon　drop　out　again；　but　now　her　torso　and　head　came　square　to　me　to　meet　my　eyes　straight。　The　tone　of　her　voice　matched　the　expression　of　her　eyes。
　　〃You　should　have　asked　me　to　give　you　a　list　of　the　best　ones　to　go　to　for　gossip；　but　maybe　you　didn't　need　to；　because；　if　you　had；　Rosa　would　have　been　near　the　top；　and　you've　already　found　her　yourself。　When　you've　found　the　others；　please　don't　bother　repeating　it　to　me。　I　have　a　lot　of　work　to　do。〃　Her　body　pivoted　back　to　its　working　position；　she　looked　at　the　paper　in　the　machine　and　then　at　her　notebook；　and　her　fingers　hit　the　keys。
　　I　had　my　choice　of　several　remarks；　among　them　being　that　Rosa　had　found　me；　not　me　her；　but　it　would　have　had　to　be　a　loud　yawp　to　carry　over　the　din　of　the　typewriter；　so　I　saved　my　breath　and　departed。
　　The　day　was　more　than　half　gone　and　I　hadn't　made　a　beginning　on　the　names　I　had　got　from　Rosa。　I　returned　to　my　room；　got　the　head　of　the　reserve　pool　on　the　phone；　said　I　would　like　to　have　a　talk　with　Miss　Gwynne　Ferris　of　his　section；　and　asked　if　he　would　send　her　to　see　me。　He　said　he　was　sorry；　Miss　Ferris　was　busy　at　the　moment　taking　dictation　from　a　section　head　whose　secretary　was　absent　for　the　day；　and　would　a　little　later　do？　I　told　him　sure；　any　time　at　his　and　her　convenience；　and　as　I　pushed　the　phone　back　I　became　aware　that　my　doorway　was　being　darkened。
　　The　darkener　was　a　tall　bony　young　man　with　a　lot　of　undisciplined　hair　that　could　have　used　a　b　or　even　a　barber's　scissors。　He　looked　like　a　poet　getting　very　deep　into　something；　and　since　his　eyes　were　unmistakably　fastened　on　me；　evidently　I　was　what　was　being　probed。
　　〃May　I　e　in；　Mr。　Truett？〃　he　inquired　in　a　rumble　like　low　thunder　from　the　horizon。
　　When　I　told　him　yes　he　entered；　closed　the　door；　crossed　to　a　chair　in　three　huge　strides；　sat；　and　informed　me；　〃I'm　Ben　Frenkel。　Benjamin　Frenkel。　I　understand　you're　here　looking　for　the　murderer　of　Waldo　Moore。〃
　　So　if　I　didn't　have　Gwynne　Ferris　I　had　the　next　best　thing；　the　intense　young　man　who；　according　to　Rosa；　had　been　beckoned　and　promised　by　her　until　he　didn't　know　which　way　was　south。
　　Meeting　his　gaze；　I　had　to　concentrate　to　keep　from　being　stared　right　out　through　the　window　behind　me。　〃I　wouldn't　put　it　like　that；　Mr。　Frenkel；〃　I　told　him；　〃but　I　don't　mind　if　you　do。〃
　　He　smiled　sweetly　and　sadly。　〃That　will　do　for　my　purpose；〃　he　stated。　〃I　wouldn't　expect　you　to　mit　yourself。　I've　been　here　before；　several　times；　since　I　heard　this　morning　what　you　are　here　for；　but　I　didn't　find　you　in。　I　wanted　to　tell　you　that　I　am　under　the　strong　impression　that　I　killed　Moore。　I　have　had　that　impression　ever　since　the　night　it　happened…or　I　should　say　the　next　day。〃
　　He　stopped。　I　nodded　at　him　encouragingly。　〃It's　still　your　turn；　Mr。　Frenkel。　That's　too　vague。　Is　it　just　an　impression；　or　can　you　back　it　up？〃
　　〃Not　very　satisfactorily；　I'm　afraid。〃　He　was　frowning；　a　cloud　on　his　wide　brow　for　his　thunder　rumble。　〃I　was　hoping　you　would　straighten　it　out　and　I　would　be　rid　of
　　it。　Can　I　tell　you　about　it　confidentially？〃
　　〃That　depends。　I　couldn't　sign　up　to　keep　a　confession　of　murder　confidential…〃
　　〃My　God；　I'm　not　confessing！〃
　　〃Then　what　are　you　doing？〃
　　He　took　a　deep　breath；　held　it　a　couple　of　seconds；　and　let　it　out。　〃My　hatred　for　Waldo　Moore；〃　he　said；　〃was　one　of　the　strongest　feelings　I　have　ever　had　in　my　life。　Possibly　the　strongest。　I　won't　tell　you　why；　because　I　have　no　right　to　drag　in　another　person's　name。　I　doubt　if　any　man　ever　hated　another　one　as　I　hated　him。　It　went　on　for　months；　and　Iwas　frightened　at　it；　literally　frightened。　I　have　always　had　a　profound　interest　in　the　phenomenon　of　death。　The　two　merged　inside　of　me。　There　was　a　fusion；　a　synthesis　of　those　two　reactions　to　stimuli。　The　one；　the　hatred　was　emotional；　and　the　other；　the　interest　in　death；　was　intellectual；　and　the　two　came　together。　As　a　result　I　became　preoccupied　with　the　conception　of　the　death　of　Moore　and　I　thought　of　it；　over　and　over　again；　in　concrete　and　specific　terms。　The　conception　of　a　car　running　over　him　and　crushing　the　life　out　of　him　came　to　me　many　times；　I　don't　know　how　many；　but　dozens。〃
　　〃It　wasn't　a　conception　that　hit　him；　it　was　a　sedan。〃
　　〃Certainly。　I'm　not　suggesting　anything　esoteric。　I　live　in　a　furnished　room　on　Ninety…fourth　Street　not　far　from　Broadway。　One　evening　I　was　sitting　there　in　my　room；　and　those　conceptions；　those　I　have　spoken　of；　were　filling　my　mind。　It　was　an　extremely　exhausting　experience；　it　always　was。　Psychologically　it　might　be　pared　to　a　trance　resulting　from　a　congestion　of　the　cerebral　cells　brought　about　by　prolonged　and　unendurable　tension。　My　head　ached　and　I　lay　on　the　bed。〃
　　I　was　getting　bored。　〃And　went　to　sleep　and　dreamed。〃
　　〃No；　I　didn't。　I　went　to　sleep；　but　I　didn't　dream。　That　is；　the　overwhelming　impression　was　that　I　had　been　asleep。　That　was　a　little　after　one　in　the　morning；　ten　minutes　after　one。　At　the　moment　of　consciousness　I　was　opening　the　door　of　the　bathroom。　I　thought　to　myself　that　I　must　have　been　very　deep　in　sleep　to　have　left　the　bed　and　got　to　the　bathroom　door　at