rs.toomanywomen-第23部分

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as　indelicate　enough　to　tell　me　so。　I　was　offered　a　captain　and　my　choice　of　lieutenants；　but　turned　them　down　and　got　Sergeant　Purley　Stebbins。　Wolfe　took　it。
　　〃Mr。　Stebbins？　How　are　you？　I　have　some　information　for　Mr。　Cramer。　At　half…past　eight　last　evening；　Friday；　Mr。　Kerr　Naylor　stopped　a　taxicab　on　Fifty…third　Street　between　First　and　Second　Avenues。　He　got　in　the　cab　and　it　proceeded　westward；　through　Second　Avenue　and　beyond。　He　was　alone。　　If　you　please；　let　me　finish。〃　He　consulted　a　slip　of　paper　that　Saul　had　handed　him。　〃It　was　a　Sealect　cab；　somewhat　dilapidated；　and　its　number　was　WX　one…nine…seven…four…four…naught。　That's　right。　How　the　devil　would　I　know　the　driver's　name？　Isn't　that　enough　for　you？…If　you　please。　This　information　can　be　depended　on；　I　guarantee　it；　but　I　have　not；　and　shall　not　have；　anything　to　add　to　it。　Nonsense。　If　the　driver　denies　it；　bring　him　to　me。〃
　　I　was　thinking　that　at　least　I　was　no　longer　the　last　one　to　see　Naylor　alive；　though　it　was　no　great　improvement　since　the　honor　had　been　transferred　to　Saul。　It　would　be　nice　when　they　hauled　in　the　taxi　driver　and　took　it　entirely　out　of　the　family。
　　〃What　happened；〃　Wolfe　asked　Saul；　〃before　you　lost　him？　You　got　him　at　William　Street？〃
　　Saul　nodded。　〃Yes；　sir。　He　left　the　building　at　five…thirty…eight；　walked　to　City　Hall　Park；　bought　an　evening　paper；　and　sat　on　a　bench　in　the　park　and　read　it　until　a　quarter　past　six。　Then　he　went　to　Brooklyn　Bridge；　took　the　Third　Avenue　El；　and　got　off　at　Fifty…third　Street。　He　seemed　now　to　be　in　a　hurry；　he　walked　faster。　At　First　Avenue　and　Fifty…second　Street　he　met　a　girl　who　was　apparently　expecting　him。　A　young　woman。　They　walked　together　west　on　Fifty…second　Street；　talking。　At　Second　Avenue　they　turned　right；　and　turned　right　again　on　Fifty…third　Street　and　walked　back　to　First　Avenue。　There　they　turned　left；　and　again　left　on　Fifty…fourth　Street；　and　back　to　Second　Avenue。　They　were　talking　all　the　time。　They　kept　that　up　for　a　solid　hour；　walking　back　and　forth　on　different　streets；　talking。　I　couldn't　tell　whether　they　were　arguing　or　what。　If　they　were；　they　never　raised　their　voices　enough　for　me　to　hear　any　words。〃
　　〃You　heard　no　words　at　all？〃
　　〃No；　sir。　If　I　had　got　close　enough　I　would　have　been　spotted。〃
　　〃Were　they　friends？　Lovers？　Enemies？　Did　they　embrace　or　shake　hands？〃
　　〃No；　sir。　I　don't　think　they　liked　each　other；　from　their　manner；　and　that's　all　I　can　say。　They　met　at　six…thirty…eight　and　parted　at　seven…forty…one；　at　the　corner　of　Fifty…seventh　Street　and　Second　Avenue。　The　woman　started　downtown　on　Second　Avenue。　Naylor　walked　east　on　Fifty…seventh　Street；　stopped　at　a　fruitstand　around　the　corner　on　First　Avenue　and　bought　a　bag　of　bananas；　walked　east　to　the　Drive　and　sat　on　a　bench；　and　ate　nine　bananas；　one　right　after　the　other。〃
　　Wolfe　shuddered。　〃Enough　to　kill　a　man。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。　He　took　his　time　at　it；　and　then　started　walking　again。　He　didn't　hurry；　not　much　more　than　a　stroll；　and　at　Fifty…fifth　Street　he　started　the　crosstown　promenade　again；　over　to　Second　Avenue；　back　on　Fifty…fourth　to　First　Avenue；　and　west　again　on　Fifty…third。　By　that　time　I　was　expecting　him　to　keep　it　up　until　he　hit　the　Battery；　and　maybe　I　got　careless。　Anyhow；　it　was　on　Fifty…third　that　he　suddenly　flagged　a　taxi　and　I　lost　him。〃
　　Saul　shook　his　head。　〃And　he　was　on　his　way　to　get　killed。　Goddam　the　luck。〃
　　Saul　never　swore。
　　Wolfe　heaved　a　sigh。　〃Not　your　fault。　Satisfactory。　The　woman？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。　She　was　twenty…three　or　four；　five…feet…five；　hundred　and　eighteen　pounds；　wearing　a　light　brown　woolen　coat　over　a　tan　woolen　skirt　or　maybe　dress；　a　dark　brown　hat　with　a　white　cloth　flower；　and　brown　pumps　without　open　toes。　Brown　hair　and　I　think　brown　eves；　but　I'm　not　sure。　Good　figure　and　good　posture　and　walks　with　a　swing　but　not　exaggerated。　Hair　soft　and　fine。　Face　more　long　than　round；　with　oval　chin。　Features　regular；　nothing　to　fasten　on；　light　plexion；　attractive。　Her　back　was　to　me　nearly　all　the　time；　so　that's　as　good　as　I　can　do　with　the　face。　What　I　could　see　of　her　legs　curved　down　well　to　narrow　ankles。〃
　　Wolfe　turned　to　me。　〃Well；　Archie？〃
　　Anywhere　else；　with　anyone　else；　I　would　have　stalled　to　get　a　little　time　for　consideration；　and　would　have　had　no　difficulty。　But　this　was　Nero　Wolfe　and　Saul　Panzer。
　　〃Yeah；〃　I　said。　〃Her　name　is　Hester　Livsey。〃
　　〃Good。　Week…ending　in　Connecticut？　Told　the　Westport　police　that　she　knows　nothing　of　Mr。　Naylor　and　her　association　with　him　was　remote？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　〃Get　Mr。　Cramer…or　Mr。　Stebbins。〃
　　
　　Chapter　Twenty…Three
　　It　is　a　simple　thing　to　make　a　swivel…chair　swivel　a　half…turn　and　to　pick　up　a　phone；　but　sometimes　the　simple　things　are　the　hardest。　I　did　not　perform　that　maneuver。　Instead；　I　wet　my　upper　lip　with　my　tongue；　then　my　lower　lip；　and　then　got　the　tip　of　the　tongue　between　my　teeth　and　experimented　to　see　how　hard　I　had　to　bite　to　produce　pain。
　　〃Well？〃　Wolfe　demanded。　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　　I　gave　the　tongue　its　freedom。　〃I　am　reminded；〃　I　said；　〃of　the　famous　remark　of　Ferdinand　Bowen　up　at　Sing　Sing　when　they　told　him　to　walk　to　the　chair　they　had　got　ready　for　him。　He　muttered　at　them；　'The　idea　is　repugnant　to　me。'　Not　that　I　regard　the　fix　I'm　in　as　identical；　but　I　am　strongly　disinclined…〃
　　〃What's　repugnant　about　it？〃
　　〃I　like　the　way　the　sun　shines　through　Miss　Livsey's　hair。〃
　　〃Pfui。　Phone　Mr。　Stebbins。〃
　　〃Also；　while　it　is　true　I　pronounced　her　name；　all　I　had　was　a　description　and　I　think　it　should　be　verified　by　having　Saul　look　at　her　before　we　toss　her　into　the　fire。〃
　　〃We're　not　engaged　to　catch　the　murderer　of　Mr。　Naylor。　I'm　not　going　to　pay　transportation　to　Westport　for　Saul　and　you。〃
　　〃You　don't　have　to。　He　can　see　her　Monday　down　at　the　office。〃
　　〃It　would　be　improper　to　withhold　information…〃
　　〃Listen　to　you！　Will　you　please　listen　to　you？〃　My　voice　was　up　without　needing　any　instructions。　〃One　of　the　main　reasons　you　love　to　get　information　is　so　you　can　keep　it　from　the　cops；　and　you　know　it！　You're　just　being　pigheaded；　and　if　you　phone　Stebbins　yourself；　which　you　won't　because　exercise　is　bad　for　you；　I'll　withdraw　my　identification。　From　Saul's　description　I　would　guess　that　it　was　the　Duchess　of　Brimstone；　who　is　in　this　country…〃
　　〃Archie。〃　Wolfe　was　glaring。　〃Has　that　girl　enravished　you？　Has　she　cajoled　you　into　frenzy？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　That　took　the　edge　off　him　instantly。　He　leaned　back；　nodded　to　himself；　made　a　circle　with　his　lips；　and　exhaled　with　a　sort　of　hiss　that　was　the　closest　he　ever　got　to　a　whistle。
　　〃Monday　will　do；〃　he　declared；　as　if　no　one　but　a　fool　could　think　otherwise。　〃I　was　impetuous。〃　He　looked　at　the　clock　on　the　wall；　which　said　two　minutes　to　four；　time　for　his　afternoon　session　with　the　orchids。　He　engineered　himself　out　of　his　chair　and　was　erect。　〃You　can　e　here　Monday　morning；　Saul；　and　go　downtown　with　Archie。　For　the　present…e　up　to　the　plant　rooms　with　me。　I　have　one　or　two　suggestions　for　you。〃
　　They　left；　Saul　for　the　stairs　and　Wolfe　for　his　elevator。　Their　destination　reminded　me　that　I　had　got　behind　on　the　germination　and　blooming　records；　and　I　opened　a　desk　drawer　to　get　the　accumulation　of　memos　from　Theodore。
　　
　　Chapter　Twenty…Four
　　I　had　got　behind　on　sleep　too；　and　I　caught　up　that　night；　Saturday。　But　not　quite　to　the　extent　that　Wolfe　thought　I　did。　Soon　after　he　had　gone　up　to　the　roof　with　Saul　my　mind　had　informed　me　that　it　was　too　restless　to　concentrate　on　germination　records；　at　least　of　plants；　and　I　had　gone　and　got　the　car　and　driven　to　Twentieth　Street　to　see　what　was　stirring。　Sergeant　Purley　Stebbins　had　not　thought　it　necessary；　just　because　for　some　hours　I　had　enjoyed　the　important　role　of　last　man　to　see　the　victim　alive；　to　open　all　the　books　for　me；　but　I　was　allowed　to　hang　around　long　enough　to　get　an　impression　that　nothing　startling　had　developed。　Of　course　a　couple　of　them　took　a　stab　at　trying　to　filter　out　of　me　the　dope　on　how　Wolfe　had　learned　about　Naylor　taking　a　taxi　on　Fifty…third　Street；　but　I　had　insisted　that　I　had　had　nothing　whatever　to　do　with　it；　which　was　perfectly　true。　The　taxi　driver　had　not　yet　been　collected；　though　the　number　of　his　cab　had　of　course　led　them　straight　to　where　he　should　have　been。　He　had　gone　to　Connecticut　to　fish　for　shad；　and　a　courier　had　been　sent　to　get　him；　and　I　only　hoped　to　God　he　wouldn't　find　him　walking　back　and　forth　on　a　river　bank　with　Hester　Livsey。
　　It　was　because　of　her　that　Wolfe　thought　I　got　more　sleep　Saturday　night　than　I　really　did。　Saturday　nights　I　usually　take　some　person　of　an　interesting　sex　to　a　hockey　or　basketball　game；　or　maybe　a　fight　at　the　Garden；　but　that　one　I　worked　in　the　office　a　while　after　dinner　and　then　announced　that　I　was　sleepy。　Taking　some　doughnuts；　blackberry　jam；　and　a　pitcher　of　milk　upstairs　with　me；　I　sat　in　the　chair　I　had　selected　and　paid　for　myself　and　went　over　matters。　On　account　of　Saul's　description　of　her　clothes；　particularly　the　dark　brown　hat　with　a　white　cloth　flower；　I　knew　darned　well　it　had　been　Hester　Livsey　he　had　seen　with　Naylor。　I　deny　I　was　in　a　frenzy；　but　when　a　girl　has　patted　a　man's　head　he　should　be　willing　to　go　to　a　little　trouble　to　see　that　she　gets　a　break。　Besides；　it　isn't　often　that　at　first　sight；　in　the　very　first　minute；　a　girl　gives　you　the　feeling　that　no　one　on　earth　but　you　knows　how　beautiful　she　is；　and　that　too　seemed　to　me　to　be　worthy　of　consideration。
　　I　thought　she　should　have　a　chance　to　wipe　off　the　smudge；　in　case　it　hadn't　made　a　stain　that　wouldn't　e　out；　and　I　well　knew　what　the　wiping　process　would　be　like　if　we　turned　her　over　to　Cramer　and　his　bozos。　It　could　be　that　her　walkie…talkie　with　Naylor　had　concerned　a　private　matter　not　connected　with　what　was　about　to　happen　to　him；　and　if　it　had；　and　if　she　chose　to　keep　it　to　herself；　she　was　as　likely　a　prospect　as　I　had　ever　seen　for　an　all…day　and　all…night　conference　with　men；　ing　at　her　in　shifts；　who　think　nothing　of　taking　their　coats　off　in　front　of　ladies。　What　I　had　e　to　my　room　to　consider　was　whether　to　go　get　the　car　and　drive　to　We