rs.toomanywomen-第8部分

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　　〃Not　a　peep。　Not　a　single　word。　He　made　only　one　remark　that　could　possibly　be　construed　as　a　reference　to　you。　This　morning；　standing　out　there　at　the　end　of　the　arena；　he　said　he　doubted　if　there　was　a　virgin　in　the　room；　but　since　you　have　your　own　office　it　probably　didn't　apply　to　you。〃
　　The　question　of　virginity　apparently　wasn't　troubling　her。　She　insisted；　〃He　really　hasn't　mentioned　me？〃
　　〃Not　yet。〃　I　looked　at　my　wrist；　let　the　front　legs　of　my　chair　e　down　to　the　floor；　and　stood　up。　〃You　have　your　letters　to　do；　and　I　have　some　chores　myself。　I'm　sorry　it　can't　all　be　settled　the　way　you　want　it　right　now；　I　honestly　am　sorry。　You　say　you　really　want　to　forget　all　about　Moore？〃
　　〃Yes！　I　do！〃
　　〃Okay；　we'll　keep　that　on　the　agenda。〃
　　
　　Chapter　Eleven
　　The　first　chore　on　my　list　consisted　of　manual　labor；　with　the　typewriter　in　my　room　as　the　tool　for　it；　so　I　went　there　and　started　to　work。
　　I　had　asked；　among　other　items；　for　some　coated　stock；　letter　size；　and　while　the　stuff　they　had　sent　was　nothing　to　brag　about；　I　inspected　it　again　and　decided　it　would　serve。　It　was　a　quarter　to　four；　only　half　an　hour　till　my　date　with　Jasper　Pine；　and　therefore　I　had　to　step　on　it。　Making　a　club　sandwich　of　three　sheets　of　the　coated　stock　and　two　of　carbon　paper；　I　inserted　them　in　the　machine　and　typed　in　the　upper　right…hand　corner　in　caps：　
　　》REPORT　FROM　THEOFFICE　OF　NERO　WOLFE　March　19　1947
　　Four　spaces　down；　in　the　middle；　I　put：　
　　CONFIDENTIAL　TONAYLOR…KERR；　INC。914　William　Street　New　York　City　
　　There　wasn't　time　to　do　it　up　brown；　giving　all　the　little　details；　the　way　it　should　be　done　for　most　clients　to　make　them　feel　they're　getting　something　for　their　dough；　but　I　made　it　fairly　prehensive　and　in　my　opinion　adequate。　It　conveyed　the　information　that　Kerr　Naylor　had　introduced　Moore's　name　in　the　first　three　minutes；　that　he　had　invited　me　to　lunch　and　flushed　me　by　calling　me　by　my　right　name；　that　he　insisted　Moore　had　been　murdered　but　refused　to　furnish　an　specifications　of　anything；　that　he　had　agreed　to　go　to　see　Wolfe；　that　he　said　he　had　told　Deputy　Police　missioner　O'Hara　that　Moore　had　been　murdered；　and　that　he　also　said　that　Moore　had　been　remended　for　employment　by　his　sister。　In　addition　to　all　that　on　Naylor　my　report　had　a　summary　of　my　talk　with　Dickerson；　the　head　of　the　Correspondence　Checkers　Section；　a　statement　that　word　had　got　around　in　the　department　that　I　was　investigating　Moore's　death；　and　a　one…sentence　paragraph　to　the　effect　that　I　had　talked　with　one　Hester　Livsey；　who　had　been　engaged　to　Moore；　without　any　result　worth　mentioning。　The　only　incident　the　report　passed　up　entirely　was　my　brief　interview　with　the　non…speller；　which　didn't　seem　to　me　to　be　relevant…and　of　course　the　phone　call　to　Lon　Cohen　at　the　Gazetee；　which　seemed　to　be　a　little　too　relevant。
　　Through　at　the　typewriter；　I　signed　the　original；　folded　it　and　stuck　it　in　my　pocket；　and　did　likewise　with　one　of　the　carbons。　The　other　carbon　I　didn't　fold。　I　went　and　unlocked　the　filing　cabinet；　opened　the　drawer　I　was　using；　removed　all　the　folders；　and　with　my　handkerchief　gave　a　good　wipe　to　the　inside　of　the　metal　drawer；　sides　and　ends　and　bottoms。　As　I　replaced　the　folders；　which　were　made　of　green　slick…surfaced　cardboard；　I　wiped　each　one；　all　four　surfaces。　Inside　the　third　folder　from　the　top；　on　top　of　the　papers　that　were　already　in　it；　I　placed　the　second　carbon　of　the　report　I　had　just　typed；　and　on　top　of　the　report　I　carefully　deposited　four　grains　of　tobacco　which　I　had　removed　from　the　end　of　a　cigarette。　I　put　them　in　four　selected　spots　and　gently　lowered　the　cardboard　of　the　folder　onto　them。　Closing　the　drawer；　I　wiped　the　whole　front　of　the　cabinet；　and　then　I　was　confronted　with　a　question　which　I　would　have　liked　to　consider　a　little　if　it　hadn't　been　twelve　minutes　past　four　and　me　due　upstairs　in　three　minutes。　Should　I　just　leave　it　unlocked；　or　leave　the　key　there　in　the　lock？　I　voted　for　the　former　and　stuck　the　key　in　my　pocket。
　　I　hotfooted　it　to　the　outside　hall　and　the　elevators；　and；　as　I　got　off　at　the　thirty…sixth　floor；　found　myself　faced　by　another　question　which　I　should　have　had　an　answer　all　ready　for　but　had　overlooked　in　the　rush。　For　the　veteran　receptionist　in　the　lobby　of　the　executive　offices；　who　was　I？　The　day　before；　calling　on　Pine；　I　had　been　Goodwin。　Was　I　now　to　be　Truett　and　expect　her　to　look　straight　at　my　intelligent　face　and　think　it　credible　that　I　didn't　know　my　own　name？　Impossible。　I　walked　up　to　her　desk　and　told　her　that　Mr。　Goodwin　had　an　appointment　with　Mr。　Pine　for　four…fifteen。
　　Then　I　had　to　sit　and　wait　over　ten　minutes。　Usually　I　am　a　good　waiter；　unruffled　and　relaxed；　but　that　time　it　irritated　me　because　I　could　have　done　a　much　better　job　of　wiping　if　I　hadn't　hurried。　However；　it　couldn't　be　helped；　and　I　sat　till　I　was　summoned。
　　Pine　looked　tired；　busy；　and　harassed。　He　stayed　behind　his　desk　and　started　talking　before　I　got　across　to　him。
　　〃I　can　only　give　you　a　few　minutes；〃　he　said　brusquely。　〃I　already　had　a　full　schedule　and　things　are　piled　up。　What　is　it？〃
　　I　handed　him　the　original　of　the　report　and　stayed　on　my　feet。　〃Of　course　you　could　take　it　and　read　it　later；　but　I　thought　maybe…〃
　　I　chopped　it　off　because　he　had　started　reading。　He　raced　through　it；　three　times　as　fast　as　Wolfe　ever　reads；　and　then　went　back　and　gave　some　of　the　paragraphs　a　second　look。　A　sharp　glance　came　at　me。　〃I　knew　Mr。　Naylor　had　called　on　the　Deputy　missioner　of　Police。〃
　　〃Sure；〃　I　conceded　heartily。　〃You　didn't　mention　it；　but　a　man　can't　mention　everything。　Which　reminds　me；　I've　got　a　little　problem。　When　Mr。　Wolfe　reads　a　copy　of　this；　you　see　I　know　him　pretty　well；　the　first　thing　he'll　ask　will　be　whether　you　knew　Mr。　Naylor's　sister　had　asked　him　to　give　Moore　a　job；　and　if　so　why　you　didn't　tell　me。〃　I　thought　it　was　more　diplomatic　to　say　〃Mr。　Naylor's　sister〃　than　to　say　〃your　wife。〃　I　was　going　on；　〃Of　course　if　you　don't…〃
　　〃Certainly　I　knew；〃　he　snapped。　〃What　has　that　got　to　do　with　it？〃
　　〃Nothing；　so　far　as　I　know。〃　I　was　conceding　everything。　〃But　I　need　your　advice。　AS　I　say；　I　know　Mr。　Wolfe。　He'll　tell　me　to　get　Mr。　Naylor's　sister　on　the　phone；　and　ask　her　to　e　to　his　office　to　see　him；　and　when　she　won't　e　he'll　tell　me　to　go　to　see　her；　and　I'll　have　to　go。　What　would　you　advise　me　to　do？〃
　　〃You　work　for　Wolfe；　don't　you？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Then　do　what　he　tells　you　to。〃
　　〃Okay；　thanks。　You　have　no　suggestions　or　instructions？〃
　　〃No。〃　Pine　made　his　little　gesture　of　impatience。　〃If　you　mean　I　might　want　to　protect　my　wife　from　annoyance；　you　will　learn　why　it　is　unnecessary　when　you　meet　her。　What　I　want　to　know　is　how　did　Mr。　Naylor　learn　your　identity？　Can　you　tell　me？〃
　　〃If　I　could；〃　I　said；　〃it　would　be　in　that　report。　I'd　like　to　know　too。　There　are　two　possible　ways。　My　picture　has　been　in　the　paper　a　couple　of　times。　It　could　be　that　he…or　someone　else　and　told　him…remembered　it　well　enough　to　recognize　me；　but　the　odds　against　it　would　go　up　into　six　figures。　I　like　the　other　way　better。　How　many　people　around　here　know　about　me？　The　receptionist　outside；　and　who　else？　I　believe　you　mentioned　discussing　it　with　two　of　your　brother　executives　and　a　member　of　the　Board　of　Directors。〃
　　I　could　tell　by　the　look　on　his　face　that　he　was　not　lost　at　sea。　He　liked　the　other　way　better　too；　and　he　was　checking　off　names。　The　〃…uh；　plexities〃　were　turning　up　again；　and　he　wasn't　getting　any　pleasure　out　of　them。
　　〃Not　the　receptionist；〃　he　said　grimly。　〃I　spoke　to　her　myself　about　it。　Miss　Abrams　has　been　with　us　twenty　years；　and　there's　no　question　about　her。〃　He　was　getting　some　satisfaction　from　the　assurance　that　there　was　one　around　he　could　trust。
　　〃Then。。。？〃　I　asked　meaningly。
　　He　nodded；　more　to　himself　than　to　me。　〃I　suppose　so；〃　he　muttered。　He　put　the　report　on　his　desk；　just　so；　nice　and　square；　and　gazed　down　at　it；　with　his　palms　pressed　together；　the　fingers　out　straight；　rubbing　slowly　back　and　forth。　〃I　suppose　so；〃　he　repeated　gloomily　but　not　despairingly。　His　face　jerked　to　me。　〃I'll　give　that　some　consideration。　Disregard　it。　What　about　this　young　woman　Moore　was　hoping　to　marry…what's　her　name？〃　He　fingered　to　the　last　page　of　my　report。　〃Hester　Livsey。　Did　she　furnish　any…uh；　information？〃
　　〃Nothing　to　speak　of；　no。　I'll　try　her　again…that　is；　if　I'm　to　go　on。　Do　you　want　me　to　e　back　tomorrow？〃
　　〃Certainly。　Why　not？〃
　　〃I　just　thought；　since　Naylor's　on　to　me；　and　probably　by　tomorrow　noon　everybody　else　will　be　too…〃
　　〃That　doesn't　matter。　e　by　all　means。　I　have　no　more　time　now；　but　ring　me　in　the　horning　around　ten。　We've　started　this　and　we're　going　through　with　it。〃　He　reached　for　a　fancy　phone　thing；　a　kind　I　hadn't　seen　before；　and　told　it　he　was　ready　for　a　Mr。　Whosis；　a　name　I　didn't　catch。
　　I　bowed　out。
　　Quitting　time　at　Naylor…Kerr　was　five　o'clock。　It　was　four…fifty…six　as　I　went　back　down　the　corridor　of　the　executive　offices。　On　the　elevator　I　said；　〃Thirty…four；〃　not　on　account　of　any　scruple　about　chiseling　the　pany　to　the　tune　of　four　minutes'　time；　but　because　my　hat　and　coat　were　in　my　room。
　　There　was　no　sign　that　any　visitors　had　called　during　my　brief　absence。　Closing　the　door；　I　opened　the　drawer　of　the　cabinet　to　give　things　a　look；　and　found　that　the　particles　of　tobacco　were　all　present　and　accounted　for。　I　stood　by　the　window　a　while；　going　over　the　developments　in　my　mind；　including　the　talk　with　Pine；　and　considered　the　desirability　of　phoning　Wolfe　to　suggest　that　it　might　be　a　good　plan　for　me　to　intrude　on　Mrs。　Jasper　Pine　before　her　husband　got　home　from　work。　I　probably　would　have　done　that　if　it　hadn't　been　for　the　coolness　previously　mentioned。　Under　the　circumstances　I　voted　no。
　　Outside　my　door　I　stopped　short　and　surveyed　the　scene。　It　was　a　real　shock。　The　place　looked　absolutely　empty；　in　spite　of　all　the　hundreds　of　desks　and　chairs　and　miscellaneous　objects。　The　girls　were　gone；　and　what　a　difference　it　made！　I　stood　and　gazed　around；　making　one　or　two　quick　changes　in　my　philosophy。　I　decided　that　until　you　single　one　out　an