rs.toomanywomen-第18部分

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　　At　the　sound　my　seducer　jerked　away　and　whirled　to　face　the　door。
　　〃It's　past　quitting　time；　Miss　Ferris；〃　Naylor　said。
　　I　batted　for　her。　〃I　sent　for　Miss　Ferris；〃　I　told　the　glint　in　his　eyes；　〃and　we're　having　a　talk　which　has　at　least　an　hour　to　go　and　maybe　more。　She　was　taking　a　mote　out　of　my　eye。　Can　I　help　you　with　something？〃
　　Naylor　smiled；　stepped　to　the　chair　that　was　still　warm　from　Gwynne；　and　sat　down。　〃Perhaps　I　can　help　you　instead；〃　he　piped。　〃I'll　be　glad　to　take　part　in　the　talk　if　you'll　limit　it　to　an　hour。〃
　　I　shook　my　head　at　him　emphatically。　〃Much　obliged；　but　it's　strictly　private。…　No；　Miss　Ferris；　don't　leave。　You　stay　here。…　So　if　all　you　came　for　was　to　say　good　night；　good　night。〃
　　〃This　is　my　department；　Mr。　Truett。〃
　　〃Not　the　part　of　it　I'm　in　at　any　given　moment。　Yours　is　the　stock　department。　Mine　is　the　murder　department。　Good　night…unless　you　came　for　something　else。〃
　　He　was　speechless　with　fury。　Not　that　it　showed　on　his　little　wax　face；　but　he　was　speechless；　and　nothing　short　of　fury　could　have　done　that　to　him。　He　stood　up；　stared　at　Gwynne；　who　did　not　stare　back；　and　finally　transferred　it　to　me。
　　〃Very　well。　The　question　of　your　status　here　can　be　settled　on　Monday…if　you　are　here　Monday。　I　came　to　tell　you　something；　and　while　Miss　Ferris　is　not　ideal　for　the　purpose；　it　is　just　as　well　to　have　a　witness。　I　am　told　you　have　reported　that　I　told　you　I　know　the　name　of　the　person　who　murdered　Waldo　Moore。　Is　that　true？〃
　　〃Yep；　that's　true。〃
　　〃Then　you　reported　a　lie。　I　have　not　made　that　statement　to　you；　nor　any　statement　that　could　possibly　be　so　construed。　I　have　no　idea　why　you　reported　such　a　lie；　and　I　don't　intend　to　waste　time　trying　to　find　out。〃　He　walked　to　the　door；　turned；　and　smiled　at　us。　〃You　can　now　resume　the　conversation　I　interrupted。　Good　night。〃
　　He　was　gone；　closing　the　door　behind　him。　I　sat　still　to　listen；　and　in　the　silence　of　the　depopulated　arena　heard　his　footsteps　receding；　fading　into　the　silence。
　　Gwynne　approached　and　began；　〃You　see？　No　matter　who　said　they　saw　me　sneaking　into　your　room；　you　wouldn't　believe　it；　and　no　matter　who　said　you　had　told　a　lie；　I　wouldn't　believe…〃
　　〃Shut　up；　pet。　Shut　up　and　sit　down　while　I　sharpen　a　wit。〃
　　She　did　so。　I　gazed　at　the　neighborhood　of　her　chin；　found　that　distracting；　and　switched　to　something　neuter。　On　a　quick　and　concentrated　survey；　this　latest　impetuosity　of　Kerr　Naylor　looked　like　the　beginning　of　his　big　retreat。　Once　started　backward　he　would　probably　keep　going；　and　by　the　middle　of　next　week　would　be　taking　the　position　that　Moore　hadn't　been　killed　at　all；　maybe　not　even　hurt。
　　I　spoke　to　Gwynne。　〃What　makes　it　chilly　in　here　is　the　cold　feet　of　Mr。　Kerr　Naylor。　They　are　practically　frozen。　To　go　back　to　you；　or　should　I　say　us；　when　Naylor　came　I　was　about　to　tell　you　that　you　were　wasting　a　lot　of　ammunition；　and　damn　good　ammunition；　because　nobody　told　me　they　saw　you　ing　in　here　or　going　out。　It's　fingerprints。　You　left　about　five　dozen　scattered　all　over；　on　the　folders　and　the　reports。　I'm　going　to　keep　them　to　remember　you　by。　Now　what？　Were　you　walking　in　your　sleep？　Try　that。〃
　　She　was　wrinkling　her　forehead　in　profound　concentration；　as　if　I　had　been　giving　instructions　for　an　intricate　typing　job　and　she　was　deeply　anxious　to　get　it　straight。　My　free…for…nothing　suggestion　about　walking　in　her　sleep　didn't　appeal　to　her；　or　more　probably　she　didn't　even　hear　it。　At　length　she　spoke。
　　〃Fingerprints？〃
　　Her　tone　implied　that　it　must　be　a　Russian　word　and　unfortunately　she　didn't　know　that　language。
　　〃That's　right。　Little　lines　on　the　tips　of　your　fingers　that　make　pretty　patterns　when　you　touch　something。　F…I…N…G…〃
　　〃Don't　be　offensive；〃　she　said　in　a　hurt　tone。　〃Anyway；　you　said　it　would　be　impossible　for　you　to　believe　I　could　do　such　a　thing！〃
　　〃No　you　don't；〃　I　said　firmly。　〃In　the　first　place；　I　didn't　say　that。　In　the　second　place；　one　of　my　favorite　rules　is　never　to　let　a　woman　start　an　argument　about　what　she　said　or　what　I　said。　You've　had　time　now　to　think　up　something。　What　will　it　be？〃
　　She　was　still　hurt。　〃I　don't　have　to　think　up　something；〃　she　declared　indignantly。　〃All　I　have　to　do　is　tell　you　the　truth　even　if　I　think　you　don't　deserve　it。　Yesterday　you　said　you　wanted　to　see　me；　and　I　couldn't　e　because　I　had　a　pile　of　work　for　Mr。　Henderson；　because　his　secretary　is　home　sick；　and　I　had　to　stay　overtime；　and　when　I　got　through　I　came　here　because　I　thought　you　might　still　be　waiting　for　me；　and　you　were　gone；　and　I　thought　perhaps　you　had　left　some　work　for　me　in　your　cabinet；　so　I　looked　in　it　to　see；　and　of　course　I　had　to　look　in　the　folders　because　that　was　where　you　would　leave　it。　And　now　you　accuse　me　of　something　underhanded　just　because　I　tried　to　do　my　duty　even　if　it　was　nearly　seven　o'clock！〃
　　My　head　was　moving　slowly　up　and　down；　with　my　eyes　maintaining　focus　on　hers。　〃Not　bad；〃　I　conceded。　〃It　would　really　be　good；　although　loony；　if　you　hadn't　denied　it　at　first　and　e　clear　here　to　my　chair　with　your　perfume　and　other　attributes。　Why　did　you　deny　it；　precious？〃
　　〃Well…I　guess　I　just　can't　help　kidding　people。　I　guess　it's　part　of　my　character。〃
　　〃And　that's　your　story　and　you　like　it；　huh？〃
　　〃Of　course　it　is；　it's　the　truth！〃
　　I　would　have　liked　to　use　assorted　tortures　on　her　in　a　well…equipped　underground　chamber。　〃This　room　is　not　suitable；〃　I　admitted　reluctantly；　〃for　giving　you　the　kind　of　attention　merited　by　your　character　and　abilities。　But　there　are　other　rooms；　policemen　act　sore　at　acplished　and　fantastic　liars　much　quicker　than　I　do。　Tomorrow　will　be　Saturday　and　this　office　will　be　closed；　but　policemen　work　seven　days　a　week。　It　will　be　nice　meeting　you　in　other　surroundings。　Go　on　home。〃
　　〃You're　not　a　policeman；〃　she　stated；　as　if　she　were　contradicting　me。　She　got　out　of　her　chair。　〃You're　too　handsome　and　cultured。〃
　　When　I　had　just　got　through　saying；　or　at　least　plainly　implying；　that　I　was　not　a　policeman！
　　I　took　the　carton　home　with　me；　not　caring　to　leave　its　contents　there　even　with　the　cabinet　locked。
　　
　　Chapter　Nineteen
　　That　evening　after　dinner　Wolfe　was　going　on　with　his　three　books。　Since　there　was　wide　variation　in　the　number　of　pages　it　looked　to　me　as　if　he　was　going　to　run　into　trouble　when　the　shortest　one　suddenly　petered　out　on　him；　unless　he　had　foreseen　the　difficulty　and　was　adjusting　his　installments　accordingly。
　　After　I　had　given　him　the　day's　report；　to　which　he　reacted　the　same　as　he　had　the　day　before；　namely　not　at　all；　and　after　getting　nothing　but　a　grunt　of　indifference　when　I　volunteered　the　opinion　that　Kerr　Naylor　had　been　read　the　riot　act　by　his　sister　and　as　a　result　was　crawling　from　under；　I　decided　to　take　in　a　flat…face　opera。
　　Ordinarily　I　let　the　movies　wait　when　we're　busy　on　a　case；　but　I　broke　precedent　that　Friday　evening　because　（a）　we　weren't　busy…at　least　God　knows　Wolfe　wasn't…　and　（b）　I　strongly　doubted　if　it　was　a　case。　I　would　have　been　willing　to　settle　for　nothing　more　homicidal　than　a　mess　of　dirty　internal　politics　on　the　higher　levels　at　Naylor…Kerr；　Inc。；　and　while　that　may　have　seemed　important　and　even　exciting　to　the　Board　of　Directors　and　hostile　camps　of　executives；　I　had　to　confess　that　I　couldn't　blame　Wolfe　for　going　aloof　on　it；　since　I　was　inclined　to　feel　the　same　way。　So　I　let　my　mind　go　blank　and　enjoyed　the　movie　up　to　a　certain　point；　staying　nearly　to　the　end。　When　it　came　to　where　they　were　preparing　to　wind　it　up　right　and　let　it　out　that　the　hero　really　had　not　put　over　the　fake　contract　and　cleaned　up；　I　left　in　a　hurry；　because　I　had　formed　my　own　opinion　of　the　hero　from　where　I　sat　and　chose　to　think　otherwise。
　　Then；　when　I　got　home　at　half…past　eleven；　I　found　Inspector　Cramer　there　in　the　office；　seated　in　the　red　leather　chair；　talking　to　Wolfe。　Evidently　it　wasn't　a　very　amiable　conversation；　for　Cramer's　look　at　me　as　I　entered　was　an　unfriendly　glare；　and；　since　I　had　done　nothing　to　earn　it；　it　must　have　been　the　state　of　his　feelings　toward　Wolfe。
　　〃Where　the　hell　have　you　been？〃　he　demanded；　as　if　he　had　me　under　contract　or　I　was　on　the　parole　list。
　　〃It　was　a　wonderful　movie；〃　I　informed　them；　sitting　down　at　my　desk。　〃Only　two　people　in　it　have　amnesia；　this　incredibly　beautiful　girl　with…〃
　　〃Archie；〃　Wolfe　snapped。　He　was　out　of　humor　too。　〃Mr。　Cramer　wants　to　ask　you　something。　I　suppose　you　have　seen　the　piece　about　us　in　this　evening's　Gazetee？〃
　　〃Sure。　It's　a　bum　picture　of　you；　but…〃
　　〃You　didn't　mention　it　to　me。〃
　　〃Yeah；　you　were　busy　reading　and　anyway　it　wasn't　worth　wasting　breath　on。〃
　　〃It's　an　outrage！〃　Cramer　rasped。　〃It's　a　flagrant　betrayal　of　a　client's　confidence！〃
　　〃Nuts。〃　I　had　to　keep　my　eyes　on　the　go　to　meet　the　two　glares　alternately。　〃It　doesn't　quote　me　and　it　doesn't　even　say　I　was　interviewed。　It　merely　says　that　Archie　Goodwin；　Nero　Wolfe's　brilliant　lieutenant；　is　investigating　the　death　of　Waldo　Wilmot　Moore；　and　therefore　it　may　be　conjectured　that　somebody　smells　murder。　Except　for　those　it　mentions　no　names。　Since　about　a　thousand　people　down　at　Naylor…Kerr　know　about　it　and　at　least　one　of　them　knows　who　I　am　and　probably　a　lot　more；　you　can　have　that　word　betrayal　back　and　use　it　somewhere　else。　Even　so；　Lon　Cohen　wouldn't　have　done　it　without　getting　my　okay。　It　was　that　damn　Whosis；　the　city　editor。　Whose　belly　aches；　the　client's？　Have　you　been　promoted　from　homicide　to　patting　the　kittens？〃
　　Wolfe　and　Cramer　started　to　speak　both　at　once；　and　Wolfe　won。　〃The　piece；〃　he　said；　〃does　indeed　apply　that　word；　brilliant；　to　you；　and　that's　all　I　find　in　it　to　object　to。　But　jVlr。　Cramer　is　seriously　annoyed。　It　seems　that　Mr。　O'Hara；　the　Deputy　missioner；　is　also　annoyed。　They　want　us　to　quit　the　job。〃
　　〃They've　got　a　hell　of　a　nerve；〃　I　asserted。　〃Will　they　feed　us？〃
　　Cramer　started　again　to　speak；　but　Wolfe　pushed　a　palm　at　him。
　　〃Nothing　edible；〃　Wolfe　said　with　a　grimace。　There　was　no　joking　about　food　with　him。　〃They　say　the　piece　in　the　Gazetee　is　the　opening　of　another　campaign　of　criticism　of　the　police　for　an　uns