rs.toomanywomen-第7部分

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　　〃No；　I　only　have　eight　or　nine　more　letters。〃　She　glanced　at　her　wrist。　〃It's　only　three　o'clock。〃
　　〃Good。〃　I　tipped　my　chair　back；　with　my　hands　in　my　pockets；　to　show　how　informal　I　was。　〃I　guess　the　best　way　to　start　is　just　to　follow　the　routine。　How　long　have　you　been　working　here？〃
　　〃Three　years。　Well…two　years　and　eight　months。　I'm　twenty…four　years　old；　nearly　twenty…five；　I　get　fifty　dollars　a　week；　and　I　can　do　over　a　hundred　words　a　minute。〃
　　〃That's　wonderful。　What　are　the　three　things　you　dislike　most；　or　like　least；　about　your　job？〃
　　〃Oh；　now；　really。〃　Still　no　smile；　but　there　was　a　little　curving　twist　to　her　lips。　〃May　I　ask　one？〃
　　〃Go　ahead。〃
　　〃Why　did　you　invite　me　to　lunch？〃
　　〃Well…what　do　you　want；　candor？〃
　　〃I　like　it。〃
　　〃I　do　too。　One　look　at　you；　and　I　seemed　to　be　paralyzed　all　over；　as　in　a　dream。　The　two　sides　of　my　nature　there　fighting　for　control。　One；　the　base　and　evil　side；　wanted　to　be　alone　with　you　on　an　island。　The　other　side　wanted　to　write　a　poem。　The　lunch　thing　was　a　promise。〃
　　〃That's　pretty　good；〃　she　said；　with　some　sign　of　appreciation　but　not　enthusiastically。　〃If　that's　candor；　let's　have　some　double　talk。　Why？　You　wanted　to　ask　me　about　Waldo　Moore；　didn't　you？〃
　　〃What　makes　you　think　so？〃
　　〃Why；　my　lord。　You　practically　broadcast　it！　Asking　that　girl　about　him…it　was　all　over　the　place　in　no　time。〃
　　〃Okay；　say　I　did。　What　did　I　want　to　ask　you　about　him？〃
　　〃I　don't　know；　but　here　I　am；　ask　me。〃
　　〃You　shouldn't　be　a　stenographer；〃　I　said　admiringly。　〃You　should　be　a　personnel　expert　or　a　college　president　or　a　detective's　wife。　You're　perfectly　correct；　it　would　be　difficult　for　me　to　question　you　about　Moore　without　giving　you　a　hint　of　where　I　got　on　and　what　my　ticket　says。　So　I　won't　try。　You　and　Moore　were　engaged　to　marry；　weren't　you？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃A　long　time？〃
　　〃No；　just　about　a　month；　a　little　less。〃
　　〃And　of　course　his　death　was　an　awful　blow。〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Would　you　mind　telling　me　in　a　general　way　what　kind　of　a　guy　he　was？〃
　　〃Why…〃　She　hesitated。　〃That's　a　strange　question。　He　was　the　kind　of　guy　I　wanted　to　marry。〃
　　I　nodded。　〃That　settles　it　for　you；〃　I　agreed；　〃but　I've　only　known　you　about　twenty　minutes　altogether；　so　it　leaves　me　hazy。　You　understand；　of　course；　that　this　is　just　you　and　me　talking。　I　represent　no　authority　of　any　kind　and　your　tongue　is　yours。　Had　he　been　married　before？〃
　　〃No。〃
　　〃How　long　had　you　known　him？〃
　　〃I　met　him　soon　after　he　came　to　work　here。〃
　　〃What　was　he…tall；　short；　handsome；　ugly；　fat；　thin…〃
　　She　opened　a　drawer　of　her　desk　and　got　her　handbag；　took　a　leather　fold　out　of　it；　and　opened　the　fold　and　handed　it　over。
　　So　she　was　still　carrying　his　photograph。　I　gave　it　a　good　look。　To　my　eyes　he　was　nothing　remarkable　one　way　or　another…　about　my　age　and　build；　high　forehead；　lots　of　hair　worn　smooth　over　his　dome。　He　could　have　been　catalogued　as　the　kind　of　specimen　seen　buying　motorboats　in　ads　if　it　hadn't　been　for　the　chin；　which　started　back　for　his　throat　too　soon。
　　〃Thanks；〃　I　said；　handing　it　back　to　her。　〃That　clinches　it　that　he　didn't　make　a　play　for　you　as　a　last　resort。　First；　you　are　not　a　last　resort。　Second；　he　was　apparently　nice　to　look　at。　I　suppose　that　was　the　opinion　of　those　who　knew　him？〃
　　〃Yes。　Every　woman　who　saw　him　was　attracted　to　him。　There　wasn't　a　girl　in　the　place　who　wouldn't　have　been　glad　to　get　him。〃
　　I　frowned　at　her。　That　didn't　sound　like　my　Miss　Livsey；　that　vulgar　boasting；　but　I　had　never　assumed　that　she　was　without　any　defect　at　all。　I　followed　it　up。
　　〃Then　a　lot　of　them　must　have　been　after　him。　Unless　you　reject　the　theory　that　girls　have　been　known　to　chase…〃
　　〃Of　course　they　do。　They　did。〃
　　〃Did　it　make　him　very　mad？〃
　　〃No；　he　loved　it。〃
　　〃Did　it　make　you　mad？〃
　　She　smiled。　However；　it　was　not　precisely　the　sort　of　smile　Rosenbaum　had　had　in　mind。　I　smiled　back　at　her。
　　She　asked；　〃Now　we're　getting　down　to　it；　aren't　we？〃
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　I　said。　〃Are　we？〃　As　soon　as　her　words　were　out　she　had　caught　her　lower　lip　with　her　teeth。　After　holding　on　for　a　moment；　not　long；　the　teeth　let　go。　〃That　was　silly；〃　she　declared。　〃No；　I　don't　think　it　made　me　mad。　In　a　way　I　enjoyed　it　and　in　a　way　I　didn't。　Go　ahead。〃
　　I　took　my　hands　from　my　pockets　and　clasped　them　back　of　my　head　and　regarded　her。　〃I　would　like　very　much　to　go　ahead；　Miss　Livsey；　if　I　only　knew　which　way。　Say　we　try　another　door。　Have　you　ever　had　any　reason　to　suppose　or　suspect　that　Moore's　death　was　anything　but　a　hit…and…run　accident？〃
　　〃No；〃　she　said　bluntly。
　　〃But　there's　been　gossip　about　it；　hasn't　there？〃
　　〃There　certainly　has。〃
　　〃What　started　the　gossip？〃
　　〃I　don't　know　what　started　it　back　in　December；　when　it　happened…I　guess　it　just　started　itself；　the　way　gossip　does。　Then　it　died　down；　it　stopped　entirely　as　far　as　I　know；　that　was　quite　a　while　ago；　and　just　last　week　it　started　up　again。〃
　　〃Do　you　know　what　started　it　again？〃
　　She　looked　at　me；　made　sure　she　had　her　eyes　into　mine；　and　asked；　〃Do　you？〃
　　〃I'll　say　yes　if　you　will。〃
　　〃It's　a　go。　Yes。〃
　　〃Same　here。　Have　you　any　idea　why　he　put　that　word　on　that　report？〃
　　〃No。　I　don't　know　and　I　can't　imagine。　I　know　I'd　like　to…〃　She　bit　it　off。
　　〃What？〃
　　She　didn't　say　what。　She　didn't　say　anything。　She　was　visibly；　for　the　first　time　in　niy　three　encounters　with　her；　having　feelings　about　something。　I　wouldn't　have　called　her　cold；　that　word　simply　didn't　fit　her　and　never　would；　but　even　the　name　of　Moore　and　talking　of　him　had　put　nothing　you　could　call　emotion　into　her　face　or　voice。　Now　she　was　letting　something　show。　She　didn't　exhibit　anything　as　trite　as　quivering　lips　or　eyes　blinking　to　keep　tears　back；　but　a　sort　of　loosening　of　her　face　muscles　indicated　that　some　strict　discipline　had　met　more　than　it　could　handle。
　　Suddenly　and　abruptly　she　got　up；　crossed　to　me；　and　put　her　hand；　her　open　palm；　on　top　of　my　head　and　patted　it　several　times。　I　got　more　the　impression　of　a　melon　being　tested　to　see　if　it　was　firm　than　of　a　woman　caressing　a　man；　but　that　might　have　been　only　my　modesty。　I　didn't　budge。
　　She　backed　up　a　step　and　stood　looking　down　at　me；　and　my　clasped　hands　let　my　head　go　back　so　as　to　meet　her　look。
　　〃It's　a　funny　thing；〃　she　said；　half　puzzled　and　half　irritated。　〃I　used　to　be　able　to　handle　men　any　way　I　wanted　to。　I'm　not　bragging；　but　I　really　could；　I　knew　how　to　get　anything　I　wanted　from　men；　you　know；　little　things；　you　know　how　girls　are…and　now　I　want　something　from　you；　and　look　at　me！　It　isn't　you　either…I　mean　there's　nothing　wrong　with　you；　you're　quite　good…looking　and　there's　nothing　wrong　with　you　at　all。　I　don't　know　whether　you're　a　policeman　or　what　you　are；　but　whatever　you　are　you're　a　man。〃
　　She　stopped。
　　〃Every　inch；〃　I　agreed　warmly。　〃I　could　suggest　better　how　you　ought　to　go　about　it　if　I　knew　what　you　want。　First　tell　me　that。〃
　　〃Well；　for　one　thing；　I　want　to　keep　my　job　here。〃
　　〃Done。　I'll　attend　to　that　in　my　report。　Next？〃
　　Her　voice　muscles　were　loose　too　now。　〃That's　ridiculous；〃　she　stated；　not　offensively。　〃I　don't　know　who　you　are　or　what　you　are；　but　I　do　know　you're　trying　to　find　out　something　about　the　death　of　the　man　I　was　going　to　marry；　and　it's　getting　to　be　more　than　I　can　stand。　I　want　to　forget　all　about　it；　I　want　to　forget　about　him…I　do；　I　really　do！　You　don't　know　what　hundreds　of　girls　together　in　a　place　like　this…you　don't　know　what　they　can　be　like　when　they　get　started　talking…it's　horrible；　just　horrible！　Why　Mr。　Naylor　started　it　going　again…I　don't　know。　I　can't　stand　it　much　longer　and　I'm　not　going　to；　but　I　like　it　here　and　I　have　to　have　a　job…I　like　my　work　and　I　like　my　boss；　Mr。　Rosenbaum…〃
　　She　went　to　her　chair　and　sat　down；　with　her　two　fists　resting　on　the　desk　in　front　of　her；　and　addressed　not　me　but　the　world：
　　〃Oh；　damn　it！〃
　　〃I　still　don't　know；〃　I　protested；　〃what　you　want　from　me。〃
　　〃Certainly　you　know。〃　She　almost　glared　at　me。　〃You　can　stop　the　talk。　You　can　show　that　Mr。　Naylor　is　nothing　but　a　silly　old　fool。　You　can　settle　it；　once　and　for　all；　that　Waldo　was　killed　by　a　hit…and…run　driver　and　that's　all　there　is　to　it！〃
　　〃I　see。　That's　what　you　want。〃
　　Her　eyes　had　e　back　to　me；　and　mine　were　at　a　slant　to　meet　them。　We　went　on　looking　at　each　other；　and　I　had　a　distinct　feeling；　whether　shared　by　her　or　not　I　didn't　know；　that　we　were　beginning　to　get　acquainted。　When　a　girl　has　patted　a　man's　head；　and　sat　and　let　him　look　for　ten　seconds　or　more；　and　looked　back　at　him；　with　no　words　exchanged；　she　can　no　longer　maintain　the　attitude　that　he　is　a　plete　stranger。
　　〃I'm　not　a　policeman；〃　I　said。　〃Whatever　I　am；　I　can't　settle　it　how　and　why　he　got　killed；　because　that　was　settled　nearly　four　months　ago；　the　night　of　December　fourth。　It's　all　down　somewhere；　all　settled；　and　all　I　can　do　is　try　to　dig　up　enough　of　it　to　satisfy　everybody　concerned。　It　helps　to　know　that　you're　already　satisfied。〃
　　〃You're　working　for　Mr。　Naylor；〃　she　declared；　her　tone　and　look　indicating　that　in　all　her　long　association　with　me　she　would　never　have　supposed　me　capable　of　sinking　so　low。
　　〃No。〃　I　was　emphatic。　〃I'm　not。〃
　　〃You're　really　not？〃
　　〃Really　and　positively。〃
　　〃But　then…〃　She　stopped；　frowning　at　me　but　not　for　me。　〃But　he　has　talked　to　you　about　Waldo；　hasn't　he？〃
　　〃He　has　indeed。　He's　a　great　talker。〃
　　〃What　did　he　say？〃
　　〃That　Moore　was　murdered。〃
　　〃Oh；　I　know　that。〃　The　frown　was　still　there。　〃He　put　that　on　the　report。　The　whole　floor　knows　about　it；　which　was　what　he　wanted；　that　was　why　he　had　a　floor　girl　type　the　reports　instead　of　his　secretary。　What　else　did　he　say？〃
　　〃About　Moore；　nothing　of　any　importance。　He　just　says　murdered。　It's　an　eeday　feex。〃
　　〃What　else　did　he　say　about　anything？〃
　　〃Oh；　my　God。　That　eating　cooked　vegetables　brought　on　the　war。　That　a　man　who　eats　meat…〃
　　〃You　know　perfectly　well　what　I　mean！〃　she　was　actually　scolding　me。　〃What　did　he　say　about　me？〃
　　〃Not　a　peep。　Not　a　single　word。　He　made　only　one　rema