rs.toomanywomen-第31节

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　　〃Let　Goodwin　tell　us。〃
　　I　looked　around　at　them；　giving　an　extra　half　a　second　to　Emmet　Ferguson。　〃Mr。　Wolfe　could　catch　the　murderer；〃　I　stated；　〃if　that's　what　you　want。　He…〃
　　〃Why　not　the　police？〃　Ferguson　asked　offensively。　〃That's　their　job。〃
　　〃I　am　not；〃　I　told　the　table；　〃going　to　argue　with　Babblemouth　Ferguson。　Shall　I　go　on？〃
　　The　wiry　little　guy　threw　back　his　head　and　laughed。　Someone　said；　〃Shut　up。　Emmet；　or　we'll　be　here　all　day。〃
　　〃It　all　depends；〃　I　said。　〃If　you　think　something　about　it　is　hotter　than　you　like　it；　call　Mr。　Wolfe　off　immediately。　If　you　would　just　as　soon　have　the　murderer　caught　but　don't　really　give　a　damn；　let　the　cops　do　it；　you　would　be　wasting　your　money　on　Mr。　Wolfe　and　he　es　high。　If　you　feel　that　you　owe　it　to　yourselves　or　to　anyone　else　to　make　sure　that　the　job　isn't　muffed；　and　if　you　suspect　that　it　may　require　something　more　than　good　standard　detective　work；　you　need　Mr。　Wolfe　no　matter　what　it　costs。　As　to…〃
　　〃You　weren't　asked　for　a　sales　talk；〃　Ferguson　sneered。　〃You　were　asked…〃
　　I　merely　lifted　my　voice。　〃As　to　what　Mr。　Wolfe　could　do；　I　don't　know。　Nobody　ever　knows　what　Mr。　Wolfe　can　do　on　a　case　until　after　he　has　done　it。　I　could　tell　you　what　he　has　done；　but　it　would　take　a　week；　and　anyhow　most　of　you　have　probably　already　heard　some　of　it。〃
　　〃I　move；〃　the　wiry　little　guy　said；　〃that　we
　　authorize　the　president　to　engage　Nero　Wolfe…〃
　　The　gavel　sounded。　〃Wait　a　minute。〃　Pine　addressed　me；　〃Goodwin；　will　you　step　out　to　the　reception　room　and　wait　there？〃
　　I　glanced　at　my　wrist。　〃I'm　late　for　an　appointment。〃
　　〃We　all　are；〃　someone　growled。
　　Pine　said　it　wouldn't　take　long；　and　I　left。
　　Judging　from　the　customers　distributed　around　on　the　chairs　in　the　reception　room；　some　of　them　looking　as　if　they　were　running　short　on　patience；　the　appointments　were　piling　up。　One　of　them　I　recognized；　an　Assistant　District　Attorney；　and　I　wondered　which　one　of　the　gang　in　the　Board　Room　he　was　waiting　for。　I　fully　expected　to　be　kept　there　on　my　fundament　for　half　an　hour　or　more；　and　was　debating　whether　to　drop　down　to　the　lobby　and　tell　Hester　Livsey　I　was　held　up；　when　the　executive　sentinel　arrived　with　word　that　I　was　wanted。　Evidently　they　had　agreed　with　Pine　that　it　was　time　to　can　the　talk　and　make　some　decisions。　Unless　what　they　had　decided　was　to　ask　me　more　questions。
　　But　no；　they　had　executed。　As　I　approached　the　table　Pine　spoke　to　me。
　　〃Goodwin；　we　wish　to　instruct　Nero　Wolfe　to　extend　his　investigation　to　include　the　death　of　Mr。　Kerr　Naylor。　Do　you　need　a　letter？〃
　　〃No；　not　with　all　these　witnesses。　Then　it's　a　straight　murder　job；　and　you　might　as　well　take　me　off　the　pany　payroll；　with　the　understanding　that　I　can　e　and　go　in　the　stock　department。　I　assume　we　get　cooperation？〃
　　〃Certainly。〃
　　〃Okay。　Mr。　Ferguson；　Mr。　Wolfe　will　be　expecting　you　at　his　office　at　six　o'clock　today。〃
　　The　best…dressed　man　goggled　at　me　and　his　mouth　came　open。　He　was　speechless。　The　wiry　little　guy　threw　his　head　back　and　laughed。
　　〃What　for？〃　Pine　asked。
　　〃Skip　it；〃　I　said　graciously。　〃Mr。　Wolfe　can　get　in　touch　with　him。　How　did　the　vote　go？〃
　　〃The　vote？〃
　　〃On　hiring　Mr。　Wolfe。〃
　　〃That's　an　improper　question；　Goodwin；　and　you　know　it。　I've　told…〃
　　〃Excuse　me；　Mr。　Pine；　it's　far　from　improper。〃　I　sent　my　eyes　around　the　table。　〃In　a　murder　investigation；　gentlemen；　nothing　is　improper；　and　that's　the　hell　of　it　for　everybody　concerned。　I　told　you　that　I　don't　know　what　Mr。　Wolfe　will　do；　but　I　know　what　he'll　ask　me；　and　one　of　his　first　questions　will　be　who　voted　not　to　hire　him。　If　you　had　let　me　stay　in　the　room…〃
　　〃The　vote；〃　the　wiry　little　guy　said；　〃was　eleven　to　four。　Those　voting　no　were　Fergus　on；　Wyatt；　Volk；　and　Thomas。　The　chair　of　course　did　not　vote；　but　his　remarks　indicated　that　he　was　for　it。　My　name　is　Armstrong。〃
　　〃Much　obliged。　Now　I'll　keep　that　appointment。〃
　　
　　Chapter　Twenty…Six
　　At　the　far　side　of　the　executive　reception　room　were　a　couple　of　phone　booths；　and　I　dived　into　one　of　them　on　my　way　through　and　dialed　a　number。　Ordinarily　when　I'm　not　there　Fritz　answers；　but　that　time　it　was　Wolfe　himself。
　　〃Where　the　devil　are　you？〃　he　demanded。　〃It's　eight　minutes　past　eleven！〃
　　I　didn't　resent　it　because　I　knew　he　wasn't　being　critical。　He　regards　going　from　one　place　to　another　place　in　New　York　City　as　being　one　of　the　most　hazardous　feats　a　man　can　undertake；　and　he　was　worried　about　me。
　　〃I　have；〃　I　declared　importantly；　〃just　left　a　directors'　meeting。　You　were　hired　to　investigate　Naylor's　death　by　a　vote　of　eleven　to　four；　and　I　would　greatly　appreciate　it　as　a　personal　favor　if　you　will　manage　to　frame　a　heel　named　Emmet　Ferguson　for　it。　When　you　see　him　you'll　agree　with　me。　I'll　be　there　with　Miss　Livsey　in　fifteen　minutes。〃
　　Late　as　I　was；　I　had　no　fear　that　Hester　would　have　got　tired　waiting　for　me。　She　wanted　that　fact。　And　I　was　right。　She　was　standing；　looking　uneasy；　patient；　and　beautiful；　by　the　mailbox　on　the　William　Street　side　of　the　lobby。　But　as　I　approached　she　turned　her　head　to　say　something　to　a　man　there　at　her　elbow；　and　I　was　thrown　off　my　stride　for　an　instant　as　I　recognized　the　man。　It　was　Sumner　Hoff；　with　his　hat　and　coat　on。
　　I　stopped　in　front　of　them　and　spoke　to　her。　〃I'm　sorry　to　be　so　late；　but　I　was　detained　upstairs。　This　way's　best　for　a　taxi…〃
　　〃You　know　Mr。　Hoff；〃　she　said。　〃He's　going　with　us。〃
　　I　had　expected　that　on　account　of　his　hat　and　coat。　I　looked　down　my　nose　at　him。　〃e　ahead。　If　Mr。　Wolfe　decides　you're　not　wele　I'll　know　how　to　handle　it　since　you　showed　me　last　week。〃
　　〃I'll　do　the　handling；〃　he　snapped。
　　〃Well；　don't　be　rough　with　me；〃　I　said　plaintively。
　　When　we　found　a　taxi；　which　was　easy　at　that　time　of　day；　he　helped　Hester　in　and　then　followed　her；　planting　himself　in　the　middle　and　leaving　me　the　near　corner；　so　he　would　be　between　us。　That's　the　right　idea；　brother；　I　thought；　don't　forget　the　good　old　stock　department　motto；　protect　your　woman。　It　was　gratifying　to　see　that　although　he　was　a　civil　engineer　and　therefore　an　aristocrat　he　didn't　set　himself　up　above　the　others　but　stuck　to　the　code。　Frankly；　considering　his　imminent　double　chin；　it　seemed　to　me　that　Hester　was　running　low　on　knights；　but　it　was　quite　possible　he　had　some　good　points　I　hadn't　noticed。
　　At　our　destination　he　kept　it　plain　that　he　was　doing　the　handling…out　of　the　taxi；　up　the　stoop；　through　the　door；　and　down　the　hall　to　the　office。　I　hoped　he　wouldn't　mind　that　I　took　the　initiative　to　do　the　introducing。
　　〃You　may　remember；〃　I　told　Wolfe；　〃that　last　Thursday　a　person　named　Sumner　Hoff；　when　I　entered　his　office　in　a　friendly　manner；　told　me　to　get　out　and　called　me　a　goddam　snoop。　This　is　him。　It　might　be　thought　he　came　to　apologize；　but　no。　He　came　along；　he　says；　to　do　the　handling。〃
　　〃Indeed。〃　Wolfe　reached　to　pour　beer。　〃Sit　down；　Miss　Livsey。　Sit　down；　Mr。　Hoff。　Will　you　have　some　beer？〃
　　They　accepted　the　chairs　but　not　the　beer。　Wolfe；　who　thinks　foam　is　fine　for　the　upper　lip；　was　drinking；　so　I　filled　in；　as　I　lowered　myself　into　my　chair。
　　〃I　might　add　that　if　you　prefer　to　speak　with　Miss　Livsey　privately　I　would　have　no　objection　to　performing　an　engineering　operation　on　Hoff　and　removing　him。〃
　　〃No；　thank　you。〃　Wolfe　put　his　glass　down；　wiped　his　mouth　with　his　handkerchief；　and　leaned　back。　〃Perhaps　later。〃　He　looked　at　Hoff　and　told　him；　〃Handle　it。〃
　　〃I　will；〃　Hoff　said　aggressively；　〃when　I　know　what　it　is。〃
　　〃Ah。　You　must　have　extraordinary　resources；　to　be　prepared　for　all　conceivable　phenomena。　I　have　been　engaged　by　the　firm　you　work　for　to　investigate　the　death　of　Mr。　Naylor。　I　tell　you　that　so　you'll　know　what　I'm　doing。〃　Wolfe's　eyes　went　to　Hester。　〃Miss　Livsey；　I　believe　you　told　a　policeman　at　Westport　that　you　knew　nothing　about　Mr。　Naylor　and　that　your　association　with　him　was　restricted　to　your　role　as　an　obscure　employee　in　his　department。　Is　that　correct？〃
　　〃Don't　answer　him；〃　Hoff　snapped；　starting　to　handle　it。
　　〃Certainly　I'll　answer；〃　Hester　said。　She　was　in　the　red　leather　chair；　facing　the　window。　〃I'll　answer　that。　Those　weren't　my　words；　but　it　amounted　to　that；　yes。　Mr。　Goodwin　told　me　that　you　had　learned　a　certain　fact　about　Mr。　Naylor　and　me；　and　that　if　I　came　here　you　would　tell　me　what　it　was。　What…〃
　　〃There　is　no　such　fact；〃　Hoff　snapped；　〃and　we　want　to　know　what　you're　talking　about！〃
　　Wolfe　pointed　a　finger。　〃That　door；〃　he　said；　〃leads　to　what　we　call　the　front　room。　The　wall　and　door　are　soundproofed。　I　suppose；　Mr。　Hoff；　you'd　better　go　in　there。〃
　　〃Oh；　no。　I'm　staying　here。〃
　　Protect　your　woman。
　　〃Nonsense。　Even　if　you　weren't　flabby　Mr。　Goodwin　could　put　you　anywhere　I　told　him　to。　Archie。　If　Mr。　Hoff　interrupts　again　remove　him；　I　don't　care　where。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　〃Without　ceremony。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　〃You　keep　still；　Sumner；〃　Hester　admonished　him。　〃All　I　want　is　what　Mr。　Goodwin　asked　me　to　e　for；〃　she　told　Wolfe。　〃There　can't　be　any　fact　about　Mr。　Naylor　and　me。　What　is　it？〃
　　〃When　was　the　last　time　you　saw　Mr。　Nayl