rs.toomanywomen-第43节

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r　us　as　when　he　arrived。　He　could　beef；　and　did；　but　that　was　all；　for　he　had　no　peg　on　which　to　hang　anything。　He　would　have　dearly　loved　to　see　a　headline　in　the　Gazetee；　POLICE　SOLVE　TWO　MURDERS；　but　he　never　did。
　　There　had　been；　on　Friday；　the　day　after　Jasper　Pine's　funeral；　a　long　session　with　the　three　vice…presidents；　one　of　whom　was　acting　president。　It　was　strictly　off　the　record；　and　as　far　as　we　were　concerned　that　was　as　far　as　it　ever　got。　Cecily　had　talked　to　them；　with　her　block　of　stock　to　back　it　up；　and　I　suppose　her　father　had　too。　The　Board　of　Directors　never　got　to　see　a　transcript　of　the　notes　in　my　book。　Only　one　copy　of　the　transcript　was　made；　and　it　was　locked　in　our　safe　and　is　still　there。
　　Saturday　at　eleven　in　the　morning；　when　Wolfe　came　down　from　the　plant　rooms　I　was　busy　at　my　desk。　There　were　a　couple　of　little　typing　jobs　connected　with　the　Naylor…Kerr　affair；　one　of　them　being　the　bill　for　services　rendered。　It　included　a　careful　and　exact　itemization　of　expenses　incurred…　Wolfe　was　always　a　stickler　for　that…but　the　expenses　were　peanuts　pared　to　the　main　entry；　the　fee。　I　would　have　been　willing　to　defend　the　position　that　he　had　really　earned　one…tenth　of　it；　which　after　all　meant　only　one　extra　cipher。
　　I　was　typing　the　itemization　of　expenses　when　the　phone　rang　and　I　answered　it。
　　〃Archie？　Guess　who　this　is！〃
　　〃Now；　Gwynne　darling。　That　voice？　Don't　be　silly。〃
　　〃Then　you　haven't　entirely　forgotten　me？　I　was　sure　you　had。　Aren't　we　ever　going　to　see　you　in　the　stock　department　again？〃
　　〃I　guess　not。　I　can't　stand　the　propinquity。　P…R…O…〃
　　〃Don't　be　so　smart。　It's　too　bad　because　I　have　a　lot　of　things　to　tell　you！　I　never　knew　so　much　to　happen　in　one　week！　Mr。　Rosenbaum　is　the　new　head　of　the　department；　and　Mr。　Appleton　has　been　made…oh；　I　just　have　to　see　you！　I　have　nothing　to　do　this　evening。　Have　you？〃
　　The　fact　was　I　hadn't。　I　had　had　a　date　with　Lily　Rowan；　but　she　was　in　bed　with　a　cold。
　　〃I　am　simply　dying；〃　I　declared；　〃to　hear　about　Mr。　Appleton。　Meet　me　at　the　bar　at　Rusterman's　at　seven。〃
　　〃But　they　don't　have　dancing　there！　I　thought　we…〃
　　〃Excuse　me　for　interrupting；　but　I　have　work　to　do。　We　can　move　on　after　we　eat　and　dance　all　night。　See　you　at　seven　o'clock；　dearie。〃
　　I　ignored　the　snort　from　Wolfe's　direction　and　resumed　at　the　typewriter。　When　the　bill　was　finished　I　read　it　over　and　checked　the　additions；　folded　it　neatly　and　put　it　in　an　envelope；　and　filed　the　carbon　in　the　cabinet　over　by　the　couch。　Then　I　returned　to　the　typewriter；　inserted　a　sheet　of　my　personal　stationery；　dated　it；　and　started：　
　　Dear　Mrs。　Pine：　
　　Last　night　I　went　
　　I　had　to　stop　to　answer　the　phone　again。
　　〃Archie？　This　is　Rosa。〃
　　〃Well；　well。　You　don't　need　to　tell　me。　That　voice。　How　are　the　curves？〃
　　〃Now　really。〃　She　tittered。　〃How　can　you　find　out　on　the　telephone？　You　know；　I　went　to　bed　last　night　at　nine　o'clock；　and　I　didn't　get　up　till　ten　this　morning；　and　I　feel　simply　wonderful！　While　I　was　drinking　my　coffee　it　reminded　me　of　you；　and　this　is　Saturday；　and　I　wondered　if　you　were　doing　anything　this　evening。〃
　　〃Nothing　special。　Are　you？〃
　　〃No；　that's　why　I　called。　I　thought…〃
　　〃Good　for　you。　Meet　me　at　the　bar　at　Rusterman's　at　seven　o'clock。〃
　　〃Oh；　that　wonderful　wine！　And　steak？〃
　　〃Sure；　two　steaks。　Or　maybe　three。　Seven　sharp？〃
　　〃Yes！〃
　　Wolfe　snorted　again；　and　again。　I　ignored　it。　Anyway；　I　had　to　put　ray　rnimd　on　my　work。　This　was　not　a　case　of　transcribing　from　notes；　I　had　to　concentrate　on　a　job　of　original　position。　I　proceeded　with　it：　
　　Dear　Mrs。　Pine：
　　Last　night　I　went　to　a　fortune…teller；　which　is　something　I　seldom　do。　What　was　bothering　me　was　your　remark　the　other　day　that　everybody　gets　tiresome　sooner　or　later；　and　I　wanted　to　find　out　where　I　stood。　She　told　me　that　the　most　I　could　count　on　was　two　months。　It　seems　that　I　am　wonderful　as　long　as　I　last　and　then　I　go　tiresome　all　at　once　without　any　warning。
　　I　regret　to　say　that　under　the　circumstances　it　wouldn't　be　worth　it　to　you；　and　I　am　therefore　returning　herewith　the　baseball　tickets。　It　is　still　two　weeks　before　the　season　starts；　so　you　have　plenty　of　time　to　dig　up　another　prospect。　
　　Sincerely；　
　　I　was　debating　whether　to　sign　it　just　Archie　or　with　my　full　name；　and　had　decided　in　favor　of　the　latter　when　the　phone　interrupted　me　again。　I　picked　it　up。
　　〃Nero　Wolfe's　office；　Archie　Goodwin　speaking。〃
　　〃This　is　Hester　Livsey；　Mr。　Goodwin。〃
　　〃Good　morning。〃　I　cleared　my　throat。　〃What　do　you　want？〃
　　〃I　know　I　deserve　that；〃　she　said。　〃I　want　to　say　I'm　sorry　I　was　rude　to　you　when　you　phoned　Thursday　evening。　I…I　hope　you'll　understand。　I　didn't　feel　like　anything；　and　I　was　terribly　rude。　I　wanted　to　explain…〃
　　〃Don't　mention　it。　Feeling　better？〃
　　〃Oh；　yes；　much　better。　I　really　would　like　to　explain　some　things　to　you。　Would　you　care　to　e　over　here　this　evening…you　know　my　address；　don't　you？　It's　just　a　little　apartment　where　I　live　with　my　mother。〃
　　〃In　Brooklyn。〃
　　〃Yes。　Twenty…three　ninety…four…〃
　　〃Yeah；　I　know。　I　guess　I　can　find　it。　How　about　taking　a　ride　with　me　tomorrow；　in　Mr。　Wolfe's　rackety　old　sedan；　to　the　country　somewhere　and　see　if　spring　has　e？〃
　　〃I'm　sorry；　I　couldn't　make　it　tomorrow　because　my　mother　and　I　are　going　to　visit　some　friends。　Don't　bother；　really…〃
　　〃No　bother　at　all。〃　An　idea　struck　me。　〃The　trouble　is　I'm　so　uncouth　I'm　afraid　I'd　make　a　bad　impression　on　your　mother。　I　think　you　ought　to　know　me　better　before　you　invite　me　to　your　home。　Do　you　know　where　Rusterman's　restaurant　is？〃
　　〃Rusterman's？　Certainly。〃
　　〃That's　a　nice　quiet　place　with　good　food。　How　about　meeting　me　in　Rusterman's　bar　at　seven　this　evening？〃
　　〃Well…that　wasn't…I　wasn't　fishing　for　a　dinner…〃
　　〃No；　I　know；　you　don't　fish。　But　I　think　it　might　be　very　enjoyable；　at　least　for　me。　Will　you？〃
　　〃Well…〃
　　〃You　will。〃
　　〃All　right；　I　will。〃
　　I　hung　up；　reached　for　my　pen；　and　signed　the　letter　to　Cecily。
　　Wolfe　growled　at　me；　〃What　the　devil　are　you　going　to　do　with　all　of　them？〃
　　I　grinned　at　him。　〃God　knows；　I　don't。　I'm　so　damn　sociable。　I　can't　bear　to　disappoint　people。〃　
　　



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