rs.toomanywomen-第35部分

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　　I　had　enough　now；　it　seemed　to　me；　to　justify　blowing　a　nickel；　so　after　watching　Hoff　recross　the　arena　to　Hester's　room　I　went　out　and　down　the　aisle　to　the　corner　where　the　phone　booths　were。
　　I　told　Wolfe；　briefly；　what　had　happened；　and　asked　if　he　wanted　me　to　fill　it　in　on　the　phone。　He　said　no；　that　could　wait　until　I　got　home；　and　then　proceeded　to　ask　questions　that　amounted　to　contradicting　himself。　He　was　counting　on　getting　something　all　right；　a　good　deal　more　than　I　was。　Finally　he　let　me　go。　As　I　returned　down　the　aisle　three　hundred　typewriters　stopped　their　clatter；　and　all　the　eyes　were　mine。　It　was　enough　to　make　Dana　Andrews　feel　self…conscious。
　　When　I　reached　the　door　of　my　room　I　stopped　and　stood；　but　not　to　prolong　the　treat　for　my　audience。　The　door　was　closed；　and　I　was　sure　I　had　left　it　wide。　I　opened　it　and　went　in；　and　then　closed　the　door　behind　me　when　I　saw　that　Hester　Livsey　was　standing　there。
　　I　took　a　step；　and　she　took　two；　and　her　right　hand　took　hold　of　my　left　arm。
　　〃Please！〃　she　said；　her　face　lifted　to　me。
　　I　asked　her　stiffly；　〃Please　what？〃
　　〃Please　don't　do　this　to　me！〃　Her　other　hand　got　my　other　arm。　〃Don't！　Please！〃
　　I　stood　still；　neither　inviting　her　hands　to　stay；　nor；　by　any　motion；　implying　that　I　didn't　want　them　there。　The　nearness；　with　her　face　so　close　that　I　could　see　how　black　her　pupils　were；　was　her　doing；　and　if　it　suited　her　it　suited　me。
　　〃I'm　not　doing　anything　to　you；〃　I　said。　〃I　think　you're　wonderful…〃
　　〃You　are！　You're　lying　about　me！　You're　telling　a　deliberate　malicious　lie！〃
　　I　nodded。　〃Sure　I　am。〃　Her　breath　was　sweet。　〃You've　never　met　Saul　Panzer；　have　you？〃
　　〃What…who…you're　just…〃
　　〃Saul　Panzer。　A　friend　of　mine　and　the　best　leg…and…eye　detective　on　earth。　He　saw　you　that　evening　with　Naylor。　So　you　lied。　I　admire　you　so　much　that　I　want　to　do　everything　you　do；　I　can't　bear　it　not　to。　So　I　lied。〃
　　She　took　her　hands　away　and　backed　up　a　step。
　　〃It　makes　me　feel　better　all　over；〃　I　said。
　　〃You　admit　it's　a　lie；〃　she　said。
　　〃To　you；　sure。　Not　to　anyone　else。　It's　our　first　secret；　just　you　and　me。　If　you　don't　love　me　enough　to　have　secrets　with　me；　we　can　fix　it。　We　can　go　to　Nero　Wolfe　and　confess　we　both　lied；　and　tell　him　the　truth。　Shall　we？〃
　　She　was　breathing　hard；　as　sweet　as　ever　presumably；　but　I　was　no　longer　close　enough　to　get　it。
　　〃You　mean　it；　don't　you；〃　she　said；　not　a　question。
　　〃I　mean　everything　I　say。　Let's　go　see　Mr。　Wolfe　and　get　it　over　with。〃
　　〃I　thought…I　thought　you…〃　She　stopped。　Her　voice　wanted　to　quiver　but　her　chin　didn't。　〃You're　terrible。　I　thought…　you're　terrible！〃
　　She　moved　to　the　door；　not　hurrying；　just　walking；　pulled　it　open；　and　went。
　　
　　Chapter　Thirty…Two
　　At　a　quarter　past　eleven　that　evening；　in　Nero　Wolfe's　office；　the　phone　rang。　I　answered　it；　and　Fred　Durkin's　voice　told　me：
　　〃The　lights　are　all　out　and　so　she's　safe　in　bed。　For　Christ's　sake；　Archie；　you　don't　want　me…〃
　　〃I　do；〃　I　said　firmly；　〃and　so　does　Mr。　Wolfe。　You've　got　your　instructions；　and　what　do　you　do　for　a　living　anyway？　You　stick　and　stick　good。〃
　　I　hung　up　and　told　Wolfe；　〃Fred　says　the　lights　are　out。　I'm　relieved　and　I　admit　it。　I　was　going　to　marry　her　if　she　hadn't　gone　partners　with　Hoff　on　that　damn　lie；　and　I　don't　care　for　my　share　of　this　at　all。　I　suppose　I'll　have　a　nightmare　tonight。〃
　　Wolfe　didn't　bother　to　grunt。
　　Although　I　know　Wolfe　as　well　as　anybody　does　and　a　good　deal　better；　I　hadn't　been　able　to　tell　whether　my　report　for　the　day　had　given　him　anything　that　would　pass　for　the　word　or　gesture　or　countermove　he　wanted。　He　had　received　it　all；　plete；　with　the　attention　it　deserved；　leaning　back　motionless；　with　his　eyes　closed；　and　had　had　plenty　of　questions。　He　even　wanted　to　know　exactly　what　Miss　Abrams；　the　receptionist　on　the　thirty…sixth　floor；　had　said　when　I　gave　her　the　report　to　be　taker；　in　to　Jasper　Pine。　I　had　performed　that　errand　at　four…thirty；　as　usual；　and　she　had　told　me　that　Pine　was　engaged　at　the　moment　but　she　would　be　sure　he　got　it　before　he　left　for　the　day。
　　That　night　I　had　no　nightmare；　but　if　there　had　been　a　wife　in　bed　with　me　she　would　probably　have　asked　me　in　the　morning　why　all　the　tossing　and　turning。　It　was　by　no　means　the　first　time　I　had　been　responsible　for　putting　someone's　pursuit　of　happiness　in　jeopardy；　but　this　was　something　special。　Things　had　somehow　got　reversed。　At　first　sight　of　Hester　Livsey　I　had　instantly　got　the　feeling　that　she　was　in　some　trouble　that　no　one　but　me　could　get　her　out　of；　and　here　I　was　poking　her　head　thiough　the　bull's…eye　of　a　target　for　a　killer　who　had　made　two　perfect　hits；　which　was　certainly　a　peculiar　way　to　go　about　it。
　　When　I　left　the　house　Tuesday　morning；　April　Fool's　Day；　I　was　fidgety　because　there　had　been　no　phone　call；　though　there　was　no　good　reason　to　expect　one。　Fred　certainly　wouldn't　call　until　Hester　showed　herself；　and　after　that　happened　there　would　te　no　opportunity。　I　got　to　the　William　Street　building　a　quarter　of　an　hour　ahead　of　time　at　nine…fifteen；　and　lurked　in　the　lobby　at　the　spot　Saul　and　I　had　chosen　eight　days　earlier。　The　ining　throng　had　already　started。　Five　minutes　before　the　deadline　here　she　came。　As　she　entered　the　elevator　I　caught　sight　of　Fred　Durkin；　who　had　followed　her　into　the　lobby　and　stopped　ten　paces　away。　As　I　glimpsed　him　Bill　Gore　appeared　from　the　other　direction；　exchanged　signals　with　Fred；　and　strolled　on。　Fred　went　to　the　newsstand　and　bought　a　paper　and　then　beat　it。
　　I　took　an　elevator　to　the　thirty…fourth　floor；　went　to　my　room；　left　the　door　open；　and　sat　at　my　observation　post。　I　was　having　a　letdown。　Our　fire　hadn't　smoked　Hester　out　and　didn't　seem　likely　to；　and　it　was　hard　on　my　temperament　just　to　sit　there　and　wait　for　someone　to　make　a　peep。　However；　I　hadn't　been　sitting　long　when　the　phone　rang。　I　dived　for　it　as　if　I　was　expecting　word　that　it　was　an　eight…pound　baby　boy；　but　all　I　got　was　a　summons　from　Jasper　Pine　to　e　to　see　him。　I　obeyed　it。
　　On　the　thirty…sixth　floor　I　was　shooed　into　Pine's　office　without　any　wait。　He　was　there　alone；　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　big　room；　looking　as　if　he　had　a　grievance；　with　a　sheet　of　paper　in　his　hand。　As　I　approached　he　shook　the　paper　at　me。
　　〃This　report；〃　he　said　in　his　strong　deep　voice；　as　deep　as　Ben　Frenkel's；　but　not　a　rumble。　〃What　is　this？〃
　　〃Have　you　read　it？〃　I　asked　him。
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Well；　that's　what　it　is；　Mr。　Pine。〃
　　〃This…〃　He　glanced　at　the　paper。　〃This　Hester　Livsey；　what　did　she　say？〃
　　〃What　it　says　there。　That　she　didn't　dare　to　go　to　Mr。　Wolfe　and　let　him　have　another　session　with　her　because　she　knows　who　murdered　Moore。　You　may　remember；　she's　the　one　who　was　engaged　to　marry　Moore。　That's　all；　unless　you　want　me　to　try　to　give　you　her　exact　words。　I　understand　that　she　is　now　denying　that　she　said　that　to　me。　So　did　Naylor；　but　you　know　what　happened。　I'm　going　to　work　on　her；　and　I'm　going　to　take　her　to　see　Wolfe　if　I　can　manage　it。〃
　　〃No　name？　She　didn't　say　who　it　was？〃
　　〃No。　Not　yet。〃
　　〃Have　you　reported　this　to　the　police？〃
　　〃Again　not　yet。　We　don't　think　the　tactics　they　would　use　are　likely　to　work；　not　with　her。〃
　　There　was　a　buzz　from　Pine's　desk。　He　walked　to　it　and　picked　up　a　phone；　talked　for　a　few　minutes　about　something　not　connected　with　death；　and　then　circled　the　desk　and　dropped　into　his　chair。
　　〃Damn　it；〃　he　said；　〃always　too　many　things　to　do　at　once。〃　He　was　scowling　at　me。　〃Mr。　Naylor　said　he　never　told　you　that。　He　insisted　that　you　lied。　Now　this　woman　does　the　same。〃
　　I　nodded。　〃Yeah。　I'm　building　up　a　hell　of　a　reputation。　You　didn't　believe　Naylor。　This　time　you　can　believe　her　if　you　want　to　even　up。〃
　　〃I　hope　you　realize　what　you're　doing…　what　might　happen　to　her。〃
　　I　nodded　again。　〃We're　keeping　an　eye　on　her。〃
　　〃All　right。〃　He　picked　up　one　of　his　phones。　〃Keep　me　informed。　Let　me　know　if　she　agrees　to　go　to　see　Wolfe。〃
　　I　said　I　would　and　left。　On　the　way　out　of　the　reception　room　I　used　a　phone　booth　to　tell　Wolfe　that　we　were　now　getting　words　and　gestures　from　the　executive　level。
　　The　remainder　of　the　morning　I　played　solitaire；　without　any　deck。　I　stayed　glued　to　my　chair；　facing　my　open　door；　and　not　a　soul　entered　to　pass　the　time　of　day。　It　was　monotonous　and　extremely　unsatisfactory。　Hester　kept　her　door　closed。　She　emerged　once；　at　ten…fifteen；　for　a　trip　to　Rosenbaum's　room；　where　she　remained　over　an　hour；　presumably　for　the　morning　dictation。　The　only　other　time　I　saw　her　was　at　one　o'clock；　her　lunch　hour；　when　she　showed　with　her　hat　and　coat　on。　I　descended　in　the　same　elevator；　with　no　exchange　of　greetings；　saw　Bill　Gore　pick　her　up　in　the　lobby；　and　went　myself　to　a　joint　down　the　street　and　consumed　sandwiches　and　milk。
　　Back　again　in　my　room；　deciding　that　I　had　been　lonely　long　enough；　I　called　the　reserve　pool　and　said　I　wanted　a　stenographer　and　only　Miss　Ferris　would　do。　By　that　time　I　had　them　trained；　and　in　no　time　at　all　Gwynne　entered　with　her　notebook　in　her　hand。　I　moved　a　chair　so　she　would　be　facing　me；　with　her　back　to　the　open　door；　without　obstructing　my　view　of　the　arena。
　　〃This　is　the　first　time　I've　taken　from　you；〃　she　said；　sitting。　〃You'd　better　go　a　little　slow。〃
　　〃Sure；〃　I　agreed；　〃we've　got　all　afternoon。　Take　a　letter　to　the　Police　missioner。　P…O…L…I…C…E…C…O…M…〃
　　〃You　think　you're　smart；　don't　you？〃
　　〃You　bet　I'm　smart。　Dear　Mr。　missioner。　I　wish　to　make　a　plaint。　The　most　beautiful　girl　on　earth　has　betrayed　my　confidence。　She　said　she　wouldn't　tell　and　she　did。　She　told　a　hundred　people　in　a　hundred　minutes。　Her　name　is　Gwynne　Ferris　and　she…〃
　　〃I　won't　write　that！　That　isn't　so！〃
　　〃Don't　talk　so　loud；　the　door's　open。〃　I　grinned　at　her　charmingly。　〃I　know；　Gwynne　darling；　you　only　told　five　or　six　and　they　promised　not　to　breathe　a　word。　Remember　the　first　day　I　was　here；　how　helpful　you　were？〃　I　reached　and　got　her　notebook；　tore　out　the　page　she　had　used　for　me；　and　handed　her　the　book　closed。　〃Forget　it。　All　I　wanted　was　to　look　at　you。　But　we'd　better　talk　to　keep　up　appearances；　people　ar