rs.toomanywomen-第27部分

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that　way　first；　just　ask　you；　will　you　do　it？〃
　　〃Certainly　not。　Why　should　I？〃
　　〃In　that　case　that　es　next；　why　you　should。　I　would　have　liked　it　much　better　without　that；　but　I　can't　have　everything。　Mr。　Wolfe　has　learned　a　certain　fact　which　has　to　do　with　you　and　Kerr　Naylor；　and　he　wants　to　ask　you　about　it。　The　nature　of　the　fact　is　such…〃
　　〃What　is　it？〃
　　I　shook　my　head。　〃Its　nature　is　such　that　if　you　don't　go　and　let　him　ask　you　about　it　he　will　be　obliged　to　give　the　fact　to　the　police　and　then　there　will　be　no　question　of　letting。　You　won't　go；　you'll　be　taken；　and　the　asking　atmosphere　will　be　different。〃
　　〃My　God；〃　she　said　in　a　tone　with　no　expression　at　all；　as　if　she　were　too　stunned　to　feel　anything。
　　It　irritated　me。　〃It's　a　good　thing　for　you　I'm　not　a　policeman；〃　I　declared。　〃You'd　better　think　up　a　better　entrance　than　that　for　them　if　it　goes　that　far。　Your　chin's　sagging。〃
　　She　came　to　me；　abruptly　and　swiftly；　put　her　hands　on　me；　her　open　palms　flat　against　my　chest　so　I　had　to　brace　myself；　raised　her　face　to　me；　and　half　manded；　half　implored；　〃What…is…the…fact？〃
　　She　nearly　got　the　desired　result　at　that。　But　I　stopped　it　before　it　reached　my　tongue　and　shook　my　head　firmly。　〃Nope。　You'll　get　it　from　Mr。　Wolfe。〃
　　〃You　won't　tell　me？〃
　　〃No。〃
　　〃There　isn't　any。　I　don't　believe　it。　There　isn't　any　fact。〃
　　〃The　hell　there　isn't。〃　I　was　disgusted　with　her　for　not　doing　better。　〃You're　just　like　glass　to　look　through。　You　have　just　told　me　that　there's　not　one　fact；　but　two　and　maybe　more；　and　you've　got　to　know　which　one　Wolfe　has。〃
　　She　had　certainly　uncovered　herself；　but　she　was　not　floored；　and　she　now　showed　that　she　could　grab　a　nettle。　She　went　to　the　rack　in　the　corner　and　got　her　coat　and　stuck　an　arm　in　it。
　　〃I'll　go　now；〃　she　said。
　　〃You　can't。〃　I　went　to　relieve　her　of　the　coat。　〃The　one　appointment　Mr。　Wolfe　wouldn't　break　is　the　one　with　the　orchids　from　nine　to　eleven　in　the　morning。〃　I　glanced　at　my　wrist。　〃We　can　leave　in　an　hour　and　a　quarter。　I'll　meet　you　in　the　lobby　at　a　quarter　to　eleven。〃
　　But　she　knew　what　she　wanted。　〃I'm　not　going　to　just　sit　here；〃　she　said；　〃and　if　I　tried　to　take　dictation…I　couldn't。　We　can　go　now　and　wait　for　him。　Wait　here　a　minute　while　I　tell　Mr。　Rosenbaum。〃
　　Having　her　coat；　I　hung　it　up；　and　explained　that　anyway　I　had　an　errand　in　the　building　that　had　to　be　attended　to　before　I　could　leave。　She　gave　in；　but　only　because　she　couldn't　help　it。　I　got　out　of　there；　not　being　absolutely　sure　how　I　would　react　if　she　snapped　out　of　it　and　started　to　work　on　me　in　earnest。　She　agreed　to　meet　me　in　the　lobby　at　10：45；　and　I　returned　to　my　room；　picked　up　the　phone；　and　called　Wolfe　and　told　him　to　expect　us　at　eleven。　I　also　told　him　of　Saul's　recognition　of　Sumner　Hoff。　Then　I　got　the　Naylor…Kerr　switchboard　and　gave　the　extension　number　of　the　office　of　the　president。
　　I　had　to　fight　for　him　that　time。　He　was　in　an　important　meeting　and　couldn't　be　disturbed；　but　I　finally　persuaded　his　secretary　that　no　meeting　was　more　important　than　me　that　morning　and　was　told　to　hold　the　wire。　It　was　a　long　hold。　After　five　minutes　I　wondered　who　was　kissing　her　now；　and　after　three　more　I　suspected　I　had　been　left　to　starve。　I　had　my　finger　poised　ready　to　start　jiggling　when　the　secretary's　voice　came。
　　〃Mr。　Goodwin？〃
　　〃Still　here　and　still　hoping。〃
　　〃Please　e　up　to　the　Board　Room　on　the　thirty…sixth　floor。　You　will　be　admitted。〃
　　Her　tone　implied　that　that　was　a　break　in　a　thousand；　so　I　thanked　her　warmly。
　　On　the　thirty…sixth　floor　the　executive　receptionist　told　me　where　the　Board　Room　was；　and　when　I　reached　it　an　executive　sentinel；　outside　the　door；　made　sure　my　name　was　mine　and　then　opened　for　me。　I　walked　in　looking　dignified。
　　It　was　up　to　snuff。　The　room　was　big；　high…ceilinged；　well　lighted；　and　impressive　to　a　rank…and…filer　like　me；　who　had　only　been　on　the　payroll　three…fifths　of　a　week。　An　enormous　rug　nearly　covered　the　floor。　The　table；　of　bleached　walnut；　was　about　the　size　of　my　bedroom　though　not　the　same　shape。　All　around　it　were　roomy　armchairs；　upholstered　in　brown　leather；　twenty　or　more；　with　all　but　four　or　five　of　them　occupied。　There　were　two　chairs　at　each　end　of　the　table　and　the　others　were　along　the　sides。
　　In　one　of　the　chairs　at　the　far　end　sat　Jasper　Pine。　In　the　other　one　was　a　man　of　whose　bulk　there　was　so　little　left　that　most　of　the　chair　was　being　wasted。　Age　had　certainly　withered　him。　At　the　first　glance　I　recognized　him；　from　a　portrait　of　him　on　the　wall　of　the　president's　office；　as　old　George　Naylor；　one　of　the　founders　of　the　firm　and　the　father　of　Mrs。　Jasper　Pine；　Cecily　to　me；　and　of　Kerr　Naylor；　deceased。
　　Pine　said；　not　getting　up；　〃Gentlemen；　this　is　Mr。　Archie　Goodwin。　Goodwin；　this　is　a　joint　meeting　of　the　Board　of　Directors　and　some　of　the　executive　staff。　It　is　a　special　meeting；　called　to　consider　the　matter　of　the　death　of　Mr。　Kerr　Naylor。　We　have　discussed　it　at　some　length　in　all　its　aspects。　The　suggestion　has　been　made　that　we　instruct　Nero　Wolfe；　your　employer；　to　continue　his　investigation　and　extend　it　to　include　Mr。　Naylor's　death。　Some　of　those　present　think　that　before　deciding　that　point　we　should…〃
　　He　stopped　because　old　George　Naylor　uttered　an　emphatic　word。　It　was　a　word　often　heard　among　engineers　doing　field　work；　truck　drivers；　and　detectives　when　working　under　strain；　but　I　wouldn't　have　expected　it　to　be　used　at　a　directors'　meeting。
　　The　founder　added　to　it；　〃It's　already　decided！　Certainly　Wolfe　continues！〃　It　wasn't　from　him；　I　noted；　that　his　son　had　got　a　tenor　voice。　His　was　baritone　and　still　had　volume　and　force；　though　his　age　was　in　it　too。
　　There　were　murmurs。　Pine　told　him　with　courteous　deference　but　with　not　quite　all　the　impatience　filtered　out；　〃It　was　agreed；　I　thought；　Mr。　Naylor；　that　we　should　hear　from　Goodwin　first。　Goodwin；　tell　us　what　you　have　done　since　you　came　here　last　Wednesday。〃
　　Nothing　was　said　about　sitting　down；　in　spite　of　five　empty　chairs；　so；　seeing　that　one　there　at　my　end　was　vacant；　I　got　into　it　and　adjusted　myself　fortably。
　　〃Do　you　want　the　high　spots；〃　I　asked；　〃or　all　the　trimmings？〃
　　Pine　said　to　go　ahead　and　they　would　stop　me　if　it　was　too　detailed。　I　did　so。　I　gave　them　what　I　thought　should　be　enough　to　satisfy；　but　nothing　to　pare　with　one　of　my　all…out　performances　with　Wolfe；　and　skipping　a　few　items　entirely；　as　for　instance　my　first　encounter　with　Gwynne　Ferris　when　she　put　on　her　non…spelling　act。　They　interrupted　me　whenever　they　felt　like　it；　to　ask　questions　or　make　critical　ments；　and　when　I　got　to　the　scene　at　the　door　of　Sumner　Hoff's　office；　where　Kerr　Naylor　told　me　he　knew　who　killed　Waldo　Moore；　they　came　at　me　in　pairs　and　threes。　Evidently　there　were　two　schools　of　thought　and　maybe　more。
　　One　bird　told　me　to　my　teeth；　〃I　knew　Kerr　Naylor　twenty　years；　Goodwin；　and　I　never　knew　him　to　tell　a　lie。　I　don't　know　you　at　all！〃
　　That　specimen　had　been　riding　me　from　the　start　and　I　was　developing　an　attitude　toward　him。　His　age　was　about　halfway　between　mine　and　the　founders；　he　was　by　far　the　best…dressed　man　in　the　room；　he　had　a　wide　mouth　with　full　lips；　and　he　loved　to　interrupt　people。　I　had　a　retort　on　its　way　to　the　tongue；　but　old　George　Naylor　got　in　ahead。
　　〃Nonsense！　Kerr　was　an　inveterate　liar　from　the　time　he　was　a　baby！〃
　　That　didn't　set　the　best…dressed　man　back　any。　〃Of　course；〃　he　told　me；　〃Kerr　Naylor　is　dead。　But　you're　not！〃
　　His　tone　implied　that　that　was　regrettable。
　　〃I　keep　a　list；〃　I　said；　〃of　the　people　who　call　me　a　liar。　What's　your　name？〃
　　He　smiled　at　me　condescendingly　with　his　wide　mouth。
　　〃You're　too　old　to　hit；〃　I　conceded；　standing　up。　〃But　I　know　a　trick　that's　supposed　to　make　dumb　animals　talk；　and　it　would　be　fun　to　try…〃
　　〃His　name's　Ferguson；〃　a　wiry　little　guy　with　a　mustache　tossed　in。　He　had　a　dry　look　and　a　dry　voice　and　was　as　crisp　as　Melba　toast。　〃Sit　down；　Goodwin。　Emmet　Ferguson。　He's　a　lawyer　and　owns　most　of　a　bank　and　has　been　trying　for　ten　years　to　have　Kerr　Naylor　made　president　of　this　pany。　The　last　time　the　vote　went　against　him　nine　to　five；　and…〃
　　〃Is　this　proper？〃　an　indignant　voice　demanded。　〃With　an　outsider…〃
　　〃If　you　had　made　Kerr　president；〃　old　George　Naylor　declared；　〃I　would　have　e　down　here　and　kicked　him　out　myself！　He　was　my　son；　but　he　couldn't　have　run　this　business！〃
　　〃He　wanted　to　bad　enough；〃　the　wiry　little　guy　muttered。
　　I　had　sunk　back　into　my　chair　and　was　trying　to　convey　the　impression　that　I　wasn't　present；　hoping　they　would　go　on　with　the　family　quarrel；　which　seemed　interesting。　They　did；　long　enough　for　me　to　infer　that　the　reason　Kerr　Naylor　had　refused　to　be　an　officer　of　the　pany　was　because　he　was　holding　out　for　top　billing；　namely　president。　Apparently　the　Board；　which　of　course　had　the　say　formally；　had　been　a　solid　two　to　one　for　Pine；　but　at　that　Kerr　Naylor　had　had　five　votes。　I　wondered　which　side　Cecily　had　been　on　and　how　much　weight　old　George　Naylor　had　been　able　to　pull。　About　all　I　got　was　the　general　idea；　for　Pine；　presiding；　stopped　it　before　long　and　told　me　to　proceed。
　　With　the　question　of　who　was　a　liar；　Kerr　Naylor　or　me；　out　of　the　way；　or　anyhow　tabled；　I　was　permitted　to　continue　without　many　interruptions。　I　covered　the　ground　adequately；　right　up　to　the　end；　but　still　omitting　details　which　I　thought　they　could　get　along　without；　such　as　the　recent　developments　concerning　Hester　Livsey。　When　I　was　through　they　asked　questions；　with　the　best…dressed　man　furnishing　more　than　his　share；　until　Pine　put　in：
　　〃We've　been　at　this　over　two　hours；　gentlemen；　and　it's　time　we　reached　some　decisions。　The　first　question　is　what　to　do　about　Nero　Wolfe。　Goodwin；　if　we　instruct　Wolfe　to　continue　the　investigation；　and　extend　it　to　include　the　death　of　Mr。　Naylor；　what　could　he　do？〃
　　Half　of　them　started　to　talk。　Pine　tapped　with　his　gavel　and　asserted　the　authority　of　the　chair：
　　〃Let　Goodwin　tell　us。〃
　　I　looked　around　at　them；　giving　an　extra　half　a　second　to　Emmet　Ferguson。　〃Mr。　Wolfe　could　catch　the　murderer；〃　I　stated；　〃if　that's　what