rs.toomanywomen-第24部分

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n　front　of　ladies。　What　I　had　e　to　my　room　to　consider　was　whether　to　go　get　the　car　and　drive　to　Westport　and　have　some　conversation　with　her。　I　decided　against　it　finally；　and　undressed　and　went　to　bed；　because　if　it　turned　out　wrong　in　the　end　it　would　be　Wolfe　who　would　have　to　save　the　pieces；　not　me。
　　Next　morning；　Sunday；　I　was　in　the　kitchen　finishing　breakfast；　enjoying　the　last　two　swallows　of　my　second　cup　of　coffee　and　reading　the　paper；　when　the　doorbell　rang。　Fritz　went　to　answer　it；　and　when；　a　moment　later；　I　heard　a　female　voice　in　the　hall　I　tossed　the　paper　down　and　went　to　see。
　　〃A　lady；　Archie；〃　Fritz　told　me。
　　〃Yeah；　that's　what　you　always　think。　Hello　there。〃
　　It　was　Rosa　Bendini；　Mrs。　Harold　Anthony；　and　she　was　good　and　scared　if　I　know　what　emotions　look　like。
　　She　came　down　the　hall　to　me　and　practically　demanded；　〃For　God's　sake　put　your　arms　around　me！〃
　　I　didn't　regard　the　request　as　offensive　per　se；　but　Fritz　was　there；　on　his　way　back　to　the　kitchen；　and　in　his　Swiss…French　way　he　can　be　a　very　tenacious　kidder。　So　I　tried　to　hold　her　off　and　spoke　sharply；　but　she　kept　uttering　sounds；　possibly　even　words；　and　was　determined　to　crawl　inside　of　me。　Fritz　was　staying　as　an　impartial　observer。　She　wasn't　keeping　her　voice　down；　we　were　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs；　and　Wolfe　was　in　his　room　one　flight　up；　eating　his　breakfast。　I　picked　her　up；　carried　her　into　the　office；　deposited　her　in　the　red　leather　chair；　and　told　her　roughly：
　　〃You　look　like　you　just　escaped　from　night　court　and　the　chase　is　hot。　Is　your　husband　out　front？〃
　　〃My　husband？〃　She　slid　forward　to　the　edge　of　the　chair。　〃Is　he　here？〃
　　〃I　don't　know；　I　was　asking　you；　and　stay　in　that　chair。　After　you　ran　out　on　me　the　other　night　I　knocked　him　flat　and　made　him　tame。〃　I　thought　it　might　give　her　some　perspective　and　steady　her　to　refer　to　the　past。　〃Have　you　seen　him　since？〃
　　She　didn't　answer　that。　Apparently　her　husband　was　the　least　of　her　troubles。　But　she　slid　back　again　until　enough　of　her　fanny　was　on　the　chair　so　she　could　sit　instead　of　squat；　and　said　so　the　words　could　be　heard：
　　〃The　police　are　after　me！〃
　　〃I'll　shoot　the　first　six　and　then　start　throwing　rocks。　How　far　back　are　they？〃
　　She　bounced　out　of　the　chair　and　was　on　my　lap　before　I　could　even　brace　myself；　requesting　me　for　the　second　time　to　put　my　arms　around　her；　and　it　seemed　less　trouble　to　ply　than　to　argue　with　her。　I　gathered　her　in　and　held　her；　and　she　encircled　my　neck；　twisting　her　body　around　so　as　to　make　the　contact　more　prehensive。　There　have　been　occasions　on　which　I　have　held　a　creature　like　that　and　as　time　passed　she　has　begun　to　tremble；　but　this　time　it　was　the　other　way　around。　She　was　trembling　at　first；　but　gradually　it　tapered　off；　and　after　a　while　she　was　warm　and　quiet　against　me；　with　her　face　burrowing　into　the　side　of　my　neck；　which　I　kept　relaxed　for　her。
　　Finally　she　lifted　the　face　an　inch　to　murmur　at　my　ear；　〃I　was　so　scared　I　was　going　to　go　jump　off　a　pier。　I　always　have　been　scared　of　the　cops；　ever　since　I　can　remember；　I　guess　because　they　came　and　arrested　my　brother　when　I　was　a　little　kid。〃　She　kept　close　against　me。　〃When　I　got　home　and　the　janitor　and　Isabel…she's　the　girl　that　lives　across　the　hall…when　they　told　me　the　police　had　been　there　three　times　and　they　might　e　back　any　minute…no；　hold　me　tight；　I　don't　mind　if　it's　hard　to　breathe…I　didn't　even　go　in　my　room；　I　just　scooted。　I　ran　towards　the　subway；　I　don't　know　where　I　thought　I　was　going；　and　after　I　got　on　an　uptown　express　I　remembered　about　Nero　Wolfe；　so　I　got　off　at　Thirty…third　Street　and　came　here　to　see　him。　And　you　were　here！　How　did　that　happen？　Now　you　ought　to　kiss　me。〃
　　I　held　her　firm　enough　to　keep　her　from　changing　position。　〃I　never　kiss　people　before　noon　except　the　one　I　had　breakfast　with。　Then　you　just　got　home？〃
　　〃Yes。　Then　let's　eat　breakfast。　Oh；　I　know　how　you　happened　to　be　here！　That　piece　in　the　paper！　Your　name's　Archie　Goodwin　and　you're　Nero　Wolfe's　brilliant　lieutenant！〃
　　〃Right。　Here　you　are　in　the　house　you　didn't　want　to　e　to　with　me；　and　look　at　you。　Where　were　you　Friday　night　and　Saturday　and　Saturday　night？〃
　　She　bit　me　on　the　neck。
　　〃Ouch；〃　I　said。　〃That's　where　your　husband　hit　me　before　I　got　him。　Where　were　you？〃
　　She　kissed　where　she　had　bit。
　　〃e　on；　girlie；〃　I　said　realistically。
　　〃You're　going　to　tell　the　cops　or　else；　so　you　might　as　well　practice　on　me。〃
　　That　was　a　mistake。　She　actually　started　to　tremble。　I　squeezed　all　the　breath　out　of　her　to　make　her　stop　and　told　her　with　authority；　〃I　go　through　cops　like　the　wind　through　Wall　Street　and　it's　quite　possible　I　can　arrange　to　be　with　you　when　they　are。　If　so；　I　ought　to　know　what　the　score　is。　Where　were　you？〃
　　She　was　scared　again；　and　I　had　to　quiet　her　down　and　then　drag　it　out　of　her。　The　way　she　told　it；　she　had　gone　home　early　Friday　evening　to　her　room…and…bath　in　Greenwich　Village；　around　nine　o'clock；　because　the　man　who　had　taken　her　out　to　dinner　had　got　a　pletely　false　idea　of　their　program　for　the　evening。　She　had　been　asleep　for　hours　when　the　bell…ringing　and　door…knocking　started；　hadn't　answered　at　first　because　she　was　too　startled　and　had　suspected　it　was　her　dinner　host；　and　later；　having　crept　to　the　door　and　heard　the　caller　questioning　the　girl　across　the　hall；　had　crawled　back　into　bed　and　shivered；　awake；　until　morning；　afraid　of　cops。　Between　six　and　seven　she　had　got　up；　dressed；　packed　a　bag；　sneaked　out；　taken　the　subway　to　Washington　Heights；　and　gone　to　the　apartment　where　her　husband　lived　with　his　parents。　The　parents　had　advised　her　to　let　the　police　know　where　she　was　so　they　could　e　and　ask　their　questions　and　have　it　over　with；　but　they　hadn't　insisted　on　it；　and　it　looked　as　if　she　had　picked　a　good　hole　until　late　Saturday　night；　or　Sunday　morning　rather；　when　the　husband　had　got　the　notion　of　doing　some　insisting　on　a　purely　personal　matter　and　had　gone　to　her　bedroom　with　that　in　mind。　That　situation　had　developed　to　a　point　where　the　whole　household　was　up　and　around；　and　she　would　have　been　ordered　out　into　a　snowstorm　if　it　had　been　snowing。　She　had　dressed　and　packed　her　bag　and　got　out；　and　after　a　spell　of　random　subway　riding　had　collected　enough　spunk　to　go　to　her　own　address　for　a　reconnaissance。　The　news　that　it　had　indeed　been　the　cops；　and　they　had　been　there　three　times；　had　finished　the　spunk；　and　here　she　was。
　　It　took　a　while　to　tell　it。　When　she　got　to　the　end　we　were　no　longer　glued　together；　but　she　was　still　perched　on　my　lap。
　　I　was　irritated。　〃Damn　it；〃　I　said；　〃you　haven't　got　a　thing　for　the　very　hours　they're　after；　from　ten　to　twelve　Friday　night。　In　bed　alone；　when　you　could　easily　have　had　a　witness。　Virtue　never　pays。　Did　your　husband　tell　you　he　had　been　down　to　headquarters？〃
　　〃Yes；　he　told　me　all　about　it。〃
　　〃Did　he　admit　I　lammed　him？〃
　　〃Yes；1　wish　I　had　stayed。〃
　　〃At　present　you　have　more　important　wishes　to　wish。　You're　in　for　it；　girlie；　but　I'll　see　what　I　can　do。　What　do　you　like　for　breakfast？　Juice；　oatmeal；　eggs；　ham…〃
　　〃I　like　everything　except　fish。　But　could　I　have　a　bath　first？　My　bag's　in　the　hall。〃
　　That　meant　that　by　the　time　she　was　through　eating　it　would　probably　be　eleven　o'clock　and　Wolfe　would　be　finished　with　the　plants　and　downstairs；　so　when　I　took　her　up　to　the　spare　room；　the　south　one　on　the　same　floor　as　mine；　I　first　saw　that　towels　and　other　luxuries　were　in　place　and　then　gave　her　the　kiss　to　which　I　had　morally　mitted　myself；　just　to　have　that　out　of　the　way。　This　time　the　trembling　came　where　it　belonged。　I　returned　to　the　office；　got　Wolfe　on　the　house　phone　and　told　him　about　our　guest；　and　then　went　to　the　kitchen　and　arranged　with　Fritz　for　her　breakfast。
　　In　spite　of　the　panionship　record　Rosa　and　I　were　building　up；　and　in　spite　of　her　dimples　and　her　wholehearted　way　of　making　me　feel　at　home；　I　had　not　adopted　the　idea　that　there　was　nothing　much　to　her　character　but　truth　and　innocence。　It　was　not　vet　settled　that　our　professional　connection　with　the　death　of　Moore　was　ended；　and　the　death　of　Naylor　certainly　went　with　it；　therefore　I　saw　no　reason　why　Wolfe　shouldn't　do　a　little　work　for　a　change　and　spend　his　two　hours　between　plant　time　and　lunch　time　on　one　of　his　thorough　exploring　jobs　with　Rosa　as　the　jungle。　I　sold　the　idea；　stated　somewhat　differently；　to　her　as　she　ate　breakfast。
　　It　started　off　nicely；　shortly　after　eleven；　with　Wolfe　behind　his　desk　in　the　office　and　Rosa　in　the　red　leather　chair。　She　was　wearing　a　very　informal　cherry…colored　rayon　something。
　　〃That's　a　frightful　bination；〃　Wolfe　growled。　〃That　garment　and　that　chair。〃
　　〃Oh；　I'm　sorry！〃　She　moved　to　a　yellow　one；　the　one　Saul　Panzer　liked。
　　That　put　them　on　a　basis　of　mutual　understanding；　and　the　prospect　for　an　interesting　conversation　looked　bright；　but　it　didn't　get　very　far。　Wolfe　had　covered　nothing　but　some　preliminary　details；　such　as　precisely　the　kind　of　work　an　assistant　chief　filer　does；　when　the　doorbell　rang。　Formerly　on　occasions　calling　for　discretion；　as　for　instance　a　fugitive　from　justice　sitting　in　the　office；　I　had　had　to　finger　the　curtain　back　enough　to　make　a　slit　to　see　through；　but　recently　we　had　had　a　one…way　glass　panel　installed。　I　still　had　to　persuade　myself　each　time；　looking　through；　that　I　could　see　him　but　he　couldn't　see　me。　Having　done　so；　I　returned　to　the　office　and　told　Wolfe：
　　〃It's　Mr。　Cross。　Do　you　want　to　see　him？〃
　　〃No。　Tell　him　I'm　busy。〃
　　〃He　might　have　an　orchid　for　you。〃　I　was　displeased　and　allowed　my　voice　to　show　it。
　　〃Confound　it。〃　Wolfe　pressed　his　lips。　〃Very　well。　If　you　don't　mind。　Miss　Bendini？　Please　go　up　to　your…to　that　room？　This　shouldn't　take　long。〃
　　She　was　up　and　out　like　a　flash。　Going　to　the　hall；　I　waited　until　she　had　mounted　the　two　flights　and　the　door　to　the　south　room　had　been　opened　and　closed。　Meanwhile　the　bell　had　rung　again。
　　I　went　and　pulled　the　front　door　open　and　protested；　〃My　God；　you　might　give　a　man　time　to　untwist　his　ankles。〃
　　Inspector　Cramer；　with　Sergeant　Purley　Stebbins　at　his　heels；　wasn't　even　polite　eno