rs.toomanywomen-第21章
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as indelicate enough to tell me so。 I was offered a captain and my choice of lieutenants； but turned them down and got Sergeant Purley Stebbins。 Wolfe took it。
〃Mr。 Stebbins？ How are you？ I have some information for Mr。 Cramer。 At half…past eight last evening； Friday； Mr。 Kerr Naylor stopped a taxicab on Fifty…third Street between First and Second Avenues。 He got in the cab and it proceeded westward； through Second Avenue and beyond。 He was alone。 If you please； let me finish。〃 He consulted a slip of paper that Saul had handed him。 〃It was a Sealect cab； somewhat dilapidated； and its number was WX one…nine…seven…four…four…naught。 That's right。 How the devil would I know the driver's name？ Isn't that enough for you？…If you please。 This information can be depended on； I guarantee it； but I have not； and shall not have； anything to add to it。 Nonsense。 If the driver denies it； bring him to me。〃
I was thinking that at least I was no longer the last one to see Naylor alive； though it was no great improvement since the honor had been transferred to Saul。 It would be nice when they hauled in the taxi driver and took it entirely out of the family。
〃What happened；〃 Wolfe asked Saul； 〃before you lost him？ You got him at William Street？〃
Saul nodded。 〃Yes； sir。 He left the building at five…thirty…eight； walked to City Hall Park； bought an evening paper； and sat on a bench in the park and read it until a quarter past six。 Then he went to Brooklyn Bridge； took the Third Avenue El； and got off at Fifty…third Street。 He seemed now to be in a hurry； he walked faster。 At First Avenue and Fifty…second Street he met a girl who was apparently expecting him。 A young woman。 They walked together west on Fifty…second Street； talking。 At Second Avenue they turned right； and turned right again on Fifty…third Street and walked back to First Avenue。 There they turned left； and again left on Fifty…fourth Street； and back to Second Avenue。 They were talking all the time。 They kept that up for a solid hour； walking back and forth on different streets； talking。 I couldn't tell whether they were arguing or what。 If they were； they never raised their voices enough for me to hear any words。〃
〃You heard no words at all？〃
〃No； sir。 If I had got close enough I would have been spotted。〃
〃Were they friends？ Lovers？ Enemies？ Did they embrace or shake hands？〃
〃No； sir。 I don't think they liked each other； from their manner； and that's all I can say。 They met at six…thirty…eight and parted at seven…forty…one； at the corner of Fifty…seventh Street and Second Avenue。 The woman started downtown on Second Avenue。 Naylor walked east on Fifty…seventh Street； stopped at a fruitstand around the corner on First Avenue and bought a bag of bananas； walked east to the Drive and sat on a bench； and ate nine bananas； one right after the other。〃
Wolfe shuddered。 〃Enough to kill a man。〃
〃Yes； sir。 He took his time at it； and then started walking again。 He didn't hurry； not much more than a stroll； and at Fifty…fifth Street he started the crosstown promenade again； over to Second Avenue； back on Fifty…fourth to First Avenue； and west again on Fifty…third。 By that time I was expecting him to keep it up until he hit the Battery； and maybe I got careless。 Anyhow； it was on Fifty…third that he suddenly flagged a taxi and I lost him。〃
Saul shook his head。 〃And he was on his way to get killed。 Goddam the luck。〃
Saul never swore。
Wolfe heaved a sigh。 〃Not your fault。 Satisfactory。 The woman？〃
〃Yes； sir。 She was twenty…three or four； five…feet…five； hundred and eighteen pounds； wearing a light brown woolen coat over a tan woolen skirt or maybe dress； a dark brown hat with a white cloth flower； and brown pumps without open toes。 Brown hair and I think brown eves； but I'm not sure。 Good figure and good posture and walks with a swing but not exaggerated。 Hair soft and fine。 Face more long than round； with oval chin。 Features regular； nothing to fasten on； light plexion； attractive。 Her back was to me nearly all the time； so that's as good as I can do with the face。 What I could see of her legs curved down well to narrow ankles。〃
Wolfe turned to me。 〃Well； Archie？〃
Anywhere else； with anyone else； I would have stalled to get a little time for consideration； and would have had no difficulty。 But this was Nero Wolfe and Saul Panzer。
〃Yeah；〃 I said。 〃Her name is Hester Livsey。〃
〃Good。 Week…ending in Connecticut？ Told the Westport police that she knows nothing of Mr。 Naylor and her association with him was remote？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Get Mr。 Cramer…or Mr。 Stebbins。〃
Chapter Twenty…Three
It is a simple thing to make a swivel…chair swivel a half…turn and to pick up a phone； but sometimes the simple things are the hardest。 I did not perform that maneuver。 Instead； I wet my upper lip with my tongue； then my lower lip； and then got the tip of the tongue between my teeth and experimented to see how hard I had to bite to produce pain。
〃Well？〃 Wolfe demanded。 〃What's the matter？〃
I gave the tongue its freedom。 〃I am reminded；〃 I said； 〃of the famous remark of Ferdinand Bowen up at Sing Sing when they told him to walk to the chair they had got ready for him。 He muttered at them； 'The idea is repugnant to me。' Not that I regard the fix I'm in as identical； but I am strongly disinclined…〃
〃What's repugnant about it？〃
〃I like the way the sun shines through Miss Livsey's hair。〃
〃Pfui。 Phone Mr。 Stebbins。〃
〃Also； while it is true I pronounced her name； all I had was a description and I think it should be verified by having Saul look at her before we toss her into the fire。〃
〃We're not engaged to catch the murderer of Mr。 Naylor。 I'm not going to pay transportation to Westport for Saul and you。〃
〃You don't have to。 He can see her Monday down at the office。〃
〃It would be improper to withhold information…〃
〃Listen to you！ Will you please listen to you？〃 My voice was up without needing any instructions。 〃One of the main reasons you love to get information is so you can keep it from the cops； and you know it！ You're just being pigheaded； and if you phone Stebbins yourself； which you won't because exercise is bad for you； I'll withdraw my identification。 From Saul's description I would guess that it was the Duchess of Brimstone； who is in this country…〃
〃Archie。〃 Wolfe was glaring。 〃Has that girl enravished you？ Has she cajoled you into frenzy？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
That took the edge off him instantly。 He leaned back； nodded to himself； made a circle with his lips； and exhaled with a sort of hiss that was the closest he ever got to a whistle。
〃Monday will do；〃 he declared； as if no one but a fool could think otherwise。 〃I was impetuous。〃 He looked at the clock on the wall； which said two minutes to four； time for his afternoon session with the orchids。 He engineered himself out of his chair and was erect。 〃You can e here Monday morning； Saul； and go downtown with Archie。 For the present…e up to the plant rooms with me。 I have one or two suggestions for you。〃
They left； Saul for the stairs and Wolfe for his elevator。 Their destination reminded me that I had got behind on the germination and blooming records； and I opened a desk drawer to get the accumulation of memos from Theodore。
Chapter Twenty…Four
I had got behind on sleep too； and I caught up that night； Saturday。 But not quite to the extent that Wolfe thought I did。 Soon after he had gone up to the roof with Saul my mind had informed me that it was too restless to concentrate on germination records； at least of plants； and I had gone and got the car and driven to Twentieth Street to see what was stirring。 Sergeant Purley Stebbins had not thought it necessary； just because for some hours I had enjoyed the important role of last man to see the victim alive； to open all the books for me； but I was allowed to hang around long enough to get an impression that nothing startling had developed。 Of course a couple of them took a stab at trying to filter out of me the dope on how Wolfe had learned about Naylor taking a taxi on Fifty…third Street； but I had insisted that I had had nothing whatever to do with it； which was perfectly true。 The taxi driver had not yet been collected； though the number of his cab had of course led them straight to where he should have been。 He had gone to Connecticut to fish for shad； and a courier had been sent to get him； and I only hoped to God he wouldn't find him walking back and forth on a river bank with Hester Livsey。
It was because of her that Wolfe thought I got more sleep Saturday night than I really did。 Saturday nights I usually take some person of an interesting sex to a hockey or basketball game； or maybe a fight at the Garden； but that one I worked in the office a while after dinner and then announced that I was sleepy。 Taking some doughnuts； blackberry jam； and a pitcher of milk upstairs with me； I sat in the chair I had selected and paid for myself and went over matters。 On account of Saul's description of her clothes； particularly the dark brown hat with a white cloth flower； I knew darned well it had been Hester Livsey he had seen with Naylor。 I deny I was in a frenzy； but when a girl has patted a man's head he should be willing to go to a little trouble to see that she gets a break。 Besides； it isn't often that at first sight； in the very first minute； a girl gives you the feeling that no one on earth but you knows how beautiful she is； and that too seemed to me to be worthy of consideration。
I thought she should have a chance to wipe off the smudge； in case it hadn't made a stain that wouldn't e out； and I well knew what the wiping process would be like if we turned her over to Cramer and his bozos。 It could be that her walkie…talkie with Naylor had concerned a private matter not connected with what was about to happen to him； and if it had； and if she chose to keep it to herself； she was as likely a prospect as I had ever seen for an all…day and all…night conference with men； ing at her in shifts； who think nothing of taking their coats off in front of ladies。 What I had e to my room to consider was whether to go get the car and drive to Westport and have some conversation with her。 I decided against it finally； and undressed and went to bed； because if it turned out wrong in the end it would be Wolfe who would have to save the pieces； not me。
Next morning； Sunday； I was in the kitchen finishing breakfast； enjoying the last two swallows of my second cup of coffee and reading the paper； when the doorbell rang。 Fritz went to answer it； and when； a moment later； I heard a female voice in the hall I tossed the paper down and went to see。
〃A lady； Archie；〃 Fritz told me。
〃Yeah； that's what you always think。 Hello there。〃
It was Rosa Bendini； Mrs。 Harold Anthony； and she was good and scared if I know what emotions look like。
She came down the hall to me and practically demanded； 〃For God's sake put your arms around me！〃
I didn't regard the request as offensive per se； but Fritz was there； on his way back to the kitchen； and in his Swiss…French way he can be a very tenacious kidder。 So I tried to hold her off and spoke sh
