rs.toomanywomen-第17节

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rse。　Have　you　any　reason　to　suppose　that　Mr。　Naylor　might　single　you　out？〃
　　〃No　good　reason；　no。　It's　like　this；　Mr。　Truett。〃　He　leaned　forward；　and　apparently　he　had　got　his　second　wind；　for　he　was　probing　again。　〃This　impression　that　I　killed　a　man　has　been　the　dominating　element　of　my　whole　mental　process　for　nearly　four　months。　It　is　vital　to　me；　absolutely　vital；　that　I　either　validate　it　or　destroy　it　with　as　little　delay　as　possible。　I　need　to　know；　and　I　have　a　right　to　know；　if　anyone　else　has　the　same　impression；　and　if　so　for　what　reason　and　with　what　justification。　It　can't　be　the　same　reason　as　mine；　for　no　one　on　earth；　except　you　now　that　I've　told　you；　knows　what　happened　to　me　in　my　room　that　evening。　So　I　ask　if　Mr。　Naylor　has　mentioned　my　name。　If　he　has；　and　if　your　telling　me　so　is　not　regarded　as　in　confidence；　I　would　like　to　go　to　him…〃
　　The　door　opened　and　Kerr　Naylor　was　in　the　room。
　　In　spite　of　Ben　Frenkel's　distress　and　SOS　appeal　I　had　sprouted　no　germ　of　brotherly　feeling　for　him；　or　if　I　had；　it　had　wilted　fast　at　the　suspicion　that　what　he　chiefly　wanted　was　to　pump　me。　But　the　sight　of　Naylor's　neat　little　colorless　face　and　glittery　colorless　eyes　aroused　my　protective　instinct；　not　only　in　behalf　of　Frenkel；　but　of　the　whole　stock　department。　As　Frenkel　saw　who　the　newer　was　and　arose；　nearly　knocking　his　chair　over　in　his　haste；　I　told　Naylor　casually：
　　〃Hello；　I　haven't　seen　you　today。　I've　been　discussing　the　personnel　of　his　section　with　Mr。　Frenkel。　I　think…〃
　　〃He　isn't　the　head　of　the　section；〃　Naylor　snapped。
　　〃Yeah；　but　I　often　find　in　my　personnel　work　that　you　get　more　from　an　assistant　than　you　do　from　a　head。　Did　you　want　something？〃
　　〃You　can　finish　with　Frenkel　later。〃
　　〃Sure；〃　I　said　agreeably；　〃but　about　one　point　that　came　up；　I　got　the　impression　that　he　wanted　to　ask　you　about　it。　That　right；　Mr。　Frenkel？〃
　　It　didn't　seem　to　be　since　he　was　edging　toward　the　door。　He　had　not　gone　wholly　inarticulate；　but　his　rumble　had　degenerated　to　a　mumble；　something　about　the　outgoing　mail　waiting　for　him；　and　he　was　gone。　He　left　the　door　standing　open。　Kerr　Naylor　went　and　closed　it；　came　to　the　chair　his　underling　had　just　vacated；　and　sat　down。
　　〃You've　got　them　jumping　through　hoops；〃　I　said　in　admiring　awe。　〃Even　big　ones　like　Frenkel；　who　could　do　a　major　operation　on　you　with　one　hand。〃
　　Naylor　smiled　his　two…cent　smile。　〃He　would　like　to；　Frenkel　would。〃
　　〃Why；　any　particular　reason？〃
　　〃No；　except　that　he　thinks　I　prevented　his　promotion　in　January。〃　Naylor　pulled　a　pamphlet　from　his　side　pocket。　〃I　came　across　this　in　a　drawer　of　my　desk　and　thought　you　might　like　to　read　it。〃
　　I　took　it。　The　title　on　the　cover　was　PROTEINS　AND　ENZYMES。　〃Did　you　say　read　it　or　eat　it？〃　I　inquired。
　　Having　no　sense　of　humor；　he　ignored　that。　It　seemed　that　he　had　paid　me　a　visit　expressly　to　give　me　the　pamphlet　and　discuss　its　thesis…or　rather；　to　give　me　a　lecture　on　it。　It　was　all　at　the　tip　of　his　tongue；　and　he　reeled　it　off　as　if　I　had　paid　to　get　in　and　was　dying　to　hear　about　it。
　　I　did　hear　a　word　here　and　there；　enough　to　enable　me　to　contribute　an　occasional　grunt　or　a　question；　but　mostly　I　was　trying　to　decide　what　kept　him　wound　up。　That　he　really　had　it　in　his　heart　to　sell　me　on　the　enzyme　potential　of　foliage　I　did　not　believe　for　a　moment。　I　felt　helpless；　and　so　of　course　I　was　irritated。　Right　there　in　his　little　head；　as　he　sat　doing　his　spiel；　were　facts　and　intentions　that　were　what　I　needed　and　all　I　needed；　and　I　hadn't　the　faintest　idea　how　to　start　prying　them　loose。　I　have　often　felt；　talking　with　a　man　in　the　line　of　duty；　okay；　brother；　wait　till　Wolfe　gets　a　crack　at　you；　but　with　Kerr　Naylor　I　wasn't　at　all　sure　that　even　Wolfe　could　get　a　wedge　in　him。
　　He　went　on　and　on。　I　glanced　twice　at　my　writstwatch；　without　effect。　Finally　I　told　him　I　was　sorry；　I　had　an　appointment　and　was　already　late。　He　wanted　to　know　who　with。　I　gave　him　the　first　name　that　popped　into　my　head；　Sumner　Hoff。
　　〃Ah。〃　He　nodded；　leaving　his　chair。　〃One　of　our　best　men…a　fine　engineer　and　a　good　organizer。　It's　regrettable…really　unfortunate…that　he　is　endangering　his　whole　career　on　account　of　that　Livsey　girl。　He　could　have　gone　to　Brazil；　taken　charge　there；　and　he　wouldn't　leave　because　of　her。　You　know　who　she　is…you　were　in　her　room　yesterday　and　again　today。　Do　you　know　where　Hoff's　office　is？〃
　　〃I'll　find…〃
　　〃e　along。　It's　near　mine。　I'll　show　you。〃
　　I　followed　him；　thinking　that　his　intelligence　service　was　not　only　thorough　but　on　its　toes；　since　he　already　knew　of　my　brief　call　on　Miss　Livesy。　We　went　down　the　broad　aisle　that　separated　the　main　arena　from　the　row　of　offices；　and　when　we　were　nearing　its　end　he　halted　in　front　of　a　closed　door。
　　〃This　is　Hoff's　room；〃　he　announced　in　the　thin　tenor　that　I　had　had　enough　offer　a　while。　〃By　the　way；　something　I　nearly　forgot　to　mention。　Regarding　the　murder　of　Waldo　Moore；　I　told　you　yesterday　that　all　I　could　furnish　was　the　bare　fact。　That　was　not　strictly　true；　and　was　therefore　in　the　nature　of　a　misrepresentation。　I　am　in　possession　of　another　fact：　the　name　of　the　person　who　killed　him。　I　know　who　it　was。　But　I　can　go　no　further。　It　is　neither　proper　nor　safe　to　accuse　a　person　of　murder　without　municable　evidence　to　support　the　charge。　So　that's　all　I　can　say。〃　He　smiled　at　me。　〃Tell　Mr。　Wolfe　I'm　sorry。〃　He　turned　and　went；　headed　for　his　own　office　at　the　end　of　the　aisle。
　　My　impulse　was　to　go　after　him。　I　stood　and　considered　it。　He　had　done　it　in　style；　his　style；　waiting　to　toss　it　at　me　until　we　were　outside；　with　the　nearest　row　of　desks　and　personnel　so　close　that　I　would　have　had　to　take　only　two　short　steps　to　touch　the　rayon　shoulder　of　a　dark…haired　beauty　with　magenta　lipstick。　She　was　looking　at　me；　now　that　the　big　boss　had　departed；　and　so　were　others　in　that　sector；　enjoying　a　good　view　of　the　bloodhound。　I　made　a　face　at　them　collectively；　and；　deciding　not　to　go　after　Naylor　because　I　wasn't　sure　I　could　keep　from　strangling　him；　I　opened　the　door　of　Hoff　s　room　and　went　in。
　　He　looked　up；　got　me　at　a　glance；　and　barked　at　me。　〃Get　out！〃
　　I　shut　the　door　and　surveyed。　He　had　a　nice　big　room。　As　for　him；　it　might　have　been　expected　that　the　man　who　had　plugged　Waldo　Moore　in　the　jaw　for　romantic　reasons；　and　was　a　civil　engineer　into　the　bargain；　would　be　well　designed　and　constructed；　but　no。　There　was　heft　to　him；　but　he　would　be　pudgy　before　many　years　passed　and　also　he　would　have　two　chins。　He　didn't　get　up　and　start　for　me　or　pick　up　anything　to　throw；　he　simply　told　me　to　get　out。　I　approached　his　desk；　offering　reasonably；　〃I　will　if　you'll　tell　me　why。〃
　　〃Get　out　of　here！〃　He　meant　every　word　he　said。　〃You　goddam　snoop！　And　stay　out！〃
　　For　one　thing；　with　a　man　in　that　frame　of　mind　the　chances　of　having　a　friendly　and　fruitful　conversation　are　not　very　good；　and　for　another；　I　was　there　at　that　time　only　because　I　had　told　Naylor　on　the　spur　of　the　moment　that　I　had　an　appointment　with　him。　I　hated　to　pass　up　an　opportunity　for　a　cutting　remark；　two　or　three　of　which　were　ready　for　my　tongue　simultaneously；　but　the　look　on　his　face　indicated　that　he　would　like　nothing　better　than　for　me　to　try　to　stay；　so　he　could　add　some　remarks　of　his　own。　Therefore　I　outwitted　him　by　pivoting　on　my　heel　and　getting　out；　just　as　he　said。
　　Back　in　my　own　room；　I　stood　at　the　window　and　examined　Kerr　Naylor's　latest　card；　top　and　bottom。　I　had　a　notion　to　go　down　to　a　booth　and　phone　Wolfe；　but　it　was　past　four　o'clock　and　he　would　be　up　in　the　plant　rooms　until　six；　and　he　never　liked　to　be　asked　to　use　his　brain　when　he　was　up　there；　so　I　rejected　it。　Instead；　I　put　some　paper　in　the　typewriter　and　put　the　same　head　on　it　as　on　my　report　to　Naylor…Kerr；　Inc。；　the　day　before。　I　sat　a　few　minutes　making　up　my　mind　how　to　word　it　and　then　hit　the　keys：　
　　Mr。　Kerr　Naylor　came　to　my　office　at　3：25　p。m。　He　talked　of　irrelevant　matters　for　some　time；　and　then　he　told　me　that　he　knows　who　killed　Waldo　Moore。　He　said　that　was　all　he　could　say；　because　〃it　is　neither　proper　nor　safe　to　accuse　a　person　of　murder　without　municable　evidence　to　support　the　charge。〃　He　told　me　to　tell　Mr。　Wolfe　he　was　sorry。　I　would　have　tried　to　get　him　not　to　wait　until　Monday　to　go　to　see　Mr。　Wolfe；　but　he　left　and　went　to　his　room；　and　in　view　of　his　attitude　and　manner　I　thought　it　would　be　useless　to　go　after　him。　
　　I　had　a　couple　of　other　items　to　add；　regarding　Ben　Frenkel　and　Sumner　Hoff；　filling　a　page；　but　it　seemed　pretty　skimpy　for　a　full　day's　work。　Still　liking　the　idea　that　someone　might　be　curious　enough；　or　scared　enough；　to　take　a　look　at　my　folders；　I　had　made　a　second　carbon；　and　I　disposed　of　it　as　I　had　the　day　before；　putting　it　on　top　of　the　other　one　inside　the　third　folder　from　the　top；　and　deploying　tobacco　crumbs　in　the　same　spots。　By　the　time　that　was　all　arranged　it　was　four…thirty。　I　went　out　and　took　an　elevator　to　the　thirty…sixth；　and　told　the　receptionist；　Miss　Abrams；　that　I　had　no　appointment　with　Pine　but　would　like　to　have　one　minute　with　him　to　hand　him　something。　She　said　he　was　in　a　meetin