rs.toomanywomen-第5部分

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　　〃Then　it　was　Naylor　who　hired　Moore？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。〃
　　〃But　it　was　Naylor　who　said　you　needed　another　man　and　wished　Moore　on　you？〃
　　〃Certainly。　The　line　of　authority　is　as　I　have　described　it。〃
　　〃What　else　can　you　tell　me　about　Moore　besides　his　inpetence？〃
　　〃Why；　nothing。〃　Dickerson's　look　and　tone　indicated　that　he　regarded　my　question　as　silly。　Obviously；　if　a　man　was　inpetent　that　settled　it；　nothing　else　about　him　mattered　one　way　or　another。　But　it　appeared　that　he　was　willing　to　concede　that　even　a　petent　man　must　eat。　He　pulled　a　watch　from　his　vest　pocket；　looked　at　it；　and　stated；　〃My　lunch　hour　starts　at　twelve；　Mr。　Truett。〃
　　
　　Chapter　Eight
　　Outside　Dickerson's　office　I　turned　left；　toward　the　far　end　of　the　arena；　and　then　was　struck　by　an　idea　and　came　to　a　halt。　Turning　the　idea　over；　and　seeing　that　it　had　no　visible　defects　on　either　side；　I　faced　around　and　headed　in　the　other　direction。　When　I　got　to　Rosenbaum's　door　I　found　it　closed　again；　but　since　he　had　said　no　knocking　I　turned　the　knob　and　entered。　My　intention　was　to　ask　him　where　his　secretary's　room　was；　but　I　didn't　carry　it　out　because　she　was　there　in　a　chair　at　the　end　of　his　desk　with　her　notebook。
　　She　didn't　turn　her　head　at　my　entrance。　Rosenbaum　gave　me　a　glance　and　said　unemotionally；　〃Hello　again。〃
　　〃I　just　had　a　logical　train　of　thought；〃　I　told　them；　〃and　I　wanted　to　find　out　what　Miss　Livsey　thinks　of　it。〃
　　She　looked　at　me。　Nothing　had　changed　in　her　in　the　hour　that　had　passed。　It　was　still　obvious　that　no　one　on　earth　but　me　could　understand　her　or　help　her。
　　〃It　goes　like　this；〃　I　explained　to　her。　〃My　job　here　requires　that　I　have　talks　with　units　of　the　personnel；　as　many　as　possible。　I　should　do　that　with　a　minimum　amount　of　interference　with　the　work　of　the　department。　You　are　a　unit。　If　we　eat　lunch　together　and　do　our　talking　then；；　there　will　be　no　interference　with　your　work。　I'll　pay　for　the　lunch　and　put　it　on　expense。〃
　　Rosenbaum　chuckled。　〃That's　a　good　approach；〃　he　said　appreciatively。　He　spoke　to　his　secretary。　〃Since　he　thought　that　all　up　just　for　you；　Hester；　the　least　you　can　do　is　let　him　buy　you　a　sandwich。〃
　　She　asked　him；　in　a　voice　that　could　have　been　a　pleasure　to　listen　to　if　there　had　been　any　lift　to　it；　〃Do　I　owe　it　to　anybody？〃
　　〃Not　to　me；〃　he　declared；　〃but　maybe　to　yourself。　Mr。　Truett　sounds　as　if　he　might　be　capable　of　making　you　smile。　Even　if　only　a　wan　and　feeble　smile；　why　not　let　him　try？〃
　　She　turned　to　me　and　said　politely；　〃Thank　you；　I　think　not。〃
　　There　was　certainly　something　about　her；　and　I　frankly　admit　I　was　getting　a　good　start　at　being　jealous　of　Waldo　Wilmot　Moore；　even　dead。　He　had　found　some　way　of　propagandizing　this　wren　to　the　point　of　agreeing　to　marry　him。
　　Her　eyes　were　back　on　her　notebook。　Rosenbaum；　his　lips　bunched；　was　gazing　at　her　and　shaking　his　head　philosophically。　I　might　as　well　not　have　been　there；　so　I　removed　myself。　My　hand　was　on　the　knob；　with　my　back　to　them；　when　her　voice　came：
　　〃Why　did　you　ask　one　of　the　girls　if　she　had　heard　any　gossip　about　Mr。　Moore？〃
　　Talk　about　grapevine。　Less　than　two　hours　had　gone　by！　I　turned。
　　〃There；　see？　Didn't　I　say　I　didn't　want　to　interfere　with　your　work？　You　could　have　asked　me　that　over　anything　from　roast　duckling　to　a　maple　sundae。〃
　　〃All　right；　I　will。　I　go　at　one　o'clock。　We　can　meet　in　the　lobby；　William　Street　side；　near　the　mailbox。〃
　　〃That's　the　girl。　Save　a　smile　for　it。〃　I　went。
　　So　I　had　it　all　glued　on；　a　lunch　date　with　Hester　Livsey；　but　it　peeled　off…though　it　wasn't　her　fault　or　mine　either。　I　returned　to　my　own　little　room；　put　the　folders　back　in　the　cabinet　and　locked　it；　and　stood　at　the　window　to　look　at　the　river　and　sort　things　out。　All　I　got　out　of　that　was　the　realization　that　so　far　there　was　nothing　to　sort。　Of　course；　I　thought　sarcastically；　if　I　was　Nero　Wolfe　I　would　have　finished　up　here　by　noon　and　gone　home　to　drink　beer；　but　as　it　is；　about　all　I've　acplished　is　to　start　the　grapevine　rustling。　That　really　got　me。　In　short　hours；　and　with　no　meal　period　for　opportunity！　Where　it　branches　out　from；　I　thought；　is　the　restroom。　If　I　could　borrow　a　skirt　and　blouse　and　spend　thirty　minutes　in　the　restroom　I　would　have　all　I　needed　for　a　final　report。　Out　on　the　river　two　tugboats　nearly　hit　and　one　of　them　scooted　off　like　a　ripple　skipper。
　　When　the　buzz　sounded　I　jerked　around；　startled；　it　was　so　loud　in　the　little　room。　I　wasn't　sure　what　it　was；　but　the　best　guess　was　the　phone；　so　I　went　to　the　desk　and　took　it　up　and　said　hello；　and　came　within　an　ace　of　adding；　〃Archie　Goodwin　speaking。〃　I　bit　it　off；　and　a　tenor　voice　asked　my　ear：
　　〃Hello；　Mr。　Truett？〃
　　〃Right。　Speaking。〃
　　〃This　is　Kerr　Naylor。　I'd　like　you　to　lunch　with　me　if　that's　convenient。　Could　you　step　down　to　my　office？〃
　　I　told　him　I'd　be　glad　to；　and　hung　up。　A　glance　at　my　wrist　showed　me　ten　to　one。　I　lifted　the　phone　again；　and　when　I　got　a　voice　I　asked　to　be　connected　with　Miss　Hester　Livsey；　Stock　Department；　Structural　Metals　Section。　In　a　second　the　voice　said；　〃Extension　six…eight…eight　please　ask　by　extension　number　whenever　possible；〃　and　after　a　short　wait　another　voice　said；　〃Miss　Livsey　speaking。〃
　　〃Peter　Truett；〃　I　told　her。　〃This　is　the　unluckiest　day　I've　had　since　my　rich　uncle　changed　doctors。　Mr。　Kerr　Naylor　just　phoned　me　to　have　lunch　with　him。　I　can　meet　you　as　arranged　and　e　back　after　lunch　and　quit　my　job。〃
　　〃I　don't　want　you　to　quit　your　job；〃　she　declared。　〃I've　been　thinking　about　you。　Go　with　Mr。　Naylor；　of　course。　My　room　is　next　to　Mr。　Rosenbaum's；　the　one　on　the　left。〃
　　But　it　didn't　set　me　up　any；　on　account　of　the　motive；　which　I　was　fully　aware　of。　I　got　my　hat　and　coat　and　went　along　to　the　corner　office；　where　Naylor　met　me　at　the　door。　I　took　my　hat　and　coat　because；　although　the　assistant　vice…president　had　told　me　I　would　rate　eating　lunch　in　the　executives'　section　of　the　Naylor…Kerr　cafeteria　on　the　thirty…sixth　floor；　my　hunch　was　that　the　son　of　the　founder　didn't　patronize　it。　The　hunch　was　right。　He　had　his　hat　on　and　his　topcoat　over　his　arm。　We　went　to　an　elevator；　and　from　the　lobby　on　the　ground　floor　he　steered　us　out　the　back　way；　down　a　block　and　around　a　corner；　and　to　a　door　which　had　painted　on　it　in　green　lettering；　FOUNTAIN　OF　HEALTH。　That　could　mean　only　one　thing；　and　I　grimly　told　my　stomach　it　was　in　the　line　of　duty　as　we　entered；　made　our　way　to　a　table　against　the　wall；　got　seated；　and　accepted　menus　from　a　waitress。　There　it　was；　roots　and　leaves　and　coarse　fodder；　with　such　names　as　EPICURE'S　BOWL　and　BRAN　AND　CARROT　PUDDING。　My　reaction　was　so　strong　that　I　was　barely　aware　that　Naylor　was　talking。　With　the　waitress　there　waiting　for　us　to　name　it；　he　was　saying　something　like：
　　〃。。。so　I　tried　it　once　about　five　years　ago；　and　I've　been　lunching　here　ever　since。　I　find　it　makes　an　enormous　difference；　physically；　mentally…and　even　spiritually。　There's　a　purity　about　it。　It　keeps　a　man　light　and　clean。　What　will　you　select；　Mr；　Goodwin？〃
　　I　heard　that　all　right。
　　
　　Chapter　Nine
　　It　was　like　the　tricky　little　squirt　to　choose　that　moment　for　it；　with　the　waitress；　who　knew　him；　there　by　us；　making　it　as　awkward　as　possible　for　me。　So　he　thought。　But　I　merely　elevated　the　menu　so　it　came　between　his　eyes　and　my　face；　to　get　a　little　privacy；　and　turned　my　brain　loose　on　the　problem。　Manifestly　there　was　no　point　in　trying　to　make　a　grab　for　the　cat。　After　an　interval；　not　a　long　one；　I　handed　the　menu　to　the　waitress　and　told　her　to　bring　me　three　apples　and　a　glass　of　milk。　Then　I　asked　him　politely：
　　〃Were　you　saying　something？　I'm　afraid　I　wasn't　listening。〃
　　He　gave　the　waitress　his　order　and　let　her　go。
　　〃I　was　speaking　of　diet；〃　he　snapped；　〃and　you　heard　me。　It　isn't　to　be　expected；　Mr。　Truett；　that　you'll　like　this　food　at　first。　No　one　does。　But　after　a　while　you　will　wonder　how　you　ever　liked　anything　else。〃
　　〃Yeah。　When　I　like　it　I'll　whinny。　You　ought　to　make　up　your　mind　who　you're　Seating　to　lunch；　though。　Goodwin　or　Truett？〃
　　〃I　much　prefer　Goodwin。〃　He　smiled　at　me。　〃That　was　my　chief　reason　for　inviting　you　to　lunch；　to　tell　you　that　the　only　way　to　deal　with　me　is　directly　and　forthrightly。　Also　to　give　you　a　message　for　Mr。　Nero　Wolfe。　Tell　him；　please；　that　you　have　badly　bungled　this　job。　This　morning；　when　I　mentioned　the　murder　of　a　former　employee　of　my　department；　you　should　have　displayed　no　interest　in　the　matter。〃
　　〃I　see。　Much　obliged。　So　that　aroused　your　suspicion　and　you　investigated。〃　I　looked　at　him　admiringly。　〃You　certainly　stepped　on　it。　Where　did　you　start　from？〃
　　〃Now；　now；〃　he　scolded　me　and　shook　his　head。　〃You're　extraordinarily　transparent；　Mr。　Goodwin；　and　I　must　say　it's　a　surprise　to　me…and　a　disappointment。　It　would　have　been　gratifying　to　find　a　good　man；　a　good　mind；　starting　to　work　on　that　murder。　I　would　have　watched　you　with　the　keenest　interest　and　expectation…Those　aren't　the　best　apples。〃　He　frowned　at　the　waitress。　〃Haven't　you　any　Stayman　Winesaps？〃
　　It　seemed　they　hadn't。　When　she　had　served　us　and　was　gone　I　started　peeling　an　apple。　It　is　not　my　custom　to　peel　apples；　but　I　figured　it　would　outrage　him。　That　was　wasted　effort；　since　he　ignored　it　and　waded　in　with　a　fork　on　a　big　bowl　of　a　raw　unholy　mess　which　he　had　ordered　by　name：
　　TODAY'S　VITANUTRITA　SPECIAL。　With　his　small　mouth　he　had　to　feed　it　in　dribs；　chewing　with　a　straight　one…two　beat　and　skipping　two　chews　for　each　drib　going　in。
　　〃Here's　an　idea；〃　I　said　amiably。　〃You　can't　count　on　me　to　give　that　message　to　Mr。　Wolfe。　Why　don't　you　drop　in　on　him　this　evening　after　dinner　and　give　it　to　him　yourself？〃
　　〃I　would　be　glad　to。〃　He　chewed。　〃But　not　this　evening。〃　He　chewed。　〃Three　evenings　a　week；　Wednesday；　Thursday；　and　Friday；　I　play　chess　at　the　Midtown　Chess　Club。〃　He　chewed。　〃Saturday　I'm　going　to　the　country；　to　spend　the　week…end　looking　at　birds。〃　He　chewed。　〃I　should　be　delighted　to　do　that　on　Monday。〃
　　〃Okay；　I'll　fix　it　up。〃　I　started　on　another　apple；　not　bothering　to　peel　it。　〃But　by　that　time　I　may　be　all　through　here。　In　my