rs.toomanywomen-第2部分

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rge　Naylor；　is　still　living　and　is　Chairman　of　the　Board；　though　he　turned　over　his　stock　to　his　children　long　ago。　This　is　the　oldest　and　largest　pany　in　its　field；　the　largest　in　the　world；　and　it　has　built　up　a　reputation　and　a　tradition。　It　has　also　built　up…oh；　plexities。　The　directors　and　executives　now　managing　its　affairs…of　whom　I　am　one…　want　this　thing　looked　into；　and　I　want　to　hire　Nero　Wolfe　to　do　the　looking。〃
　　〃You　mean　the　corporation？　Wants　to　hire　him？〃
　　〃Certainly！〃
　　〃To　do　what？　Wait　a　minute；　can　I　put　it　this　way？　We're　either　to　make　that　word　on　that　report　good；　or　we're　to　make　this　Mr。　Kerr　Naylor　eat　it。　Is　that　the　job？〃
　　〃Roughly；　yes。〃
　　〃Do　we　get　credentials　for　around　here？〃
　　〃You　get　all　reasonable　co…operation。　The　details　will　have　to　be　arranged　with　me。　More　time　gone。　It　will　have　to　be　handled　with　discretion…and　delicately。　I　had　an　idea　that　a　way　to　do　it　would　be　for　Nero　Wolfe　to　get　a　job　in　the　stock　department；　under　another　name　of　course；　and　he　could　…　what's　the　matter？〃
　　〃Nothing。　Excuse　me。〃　I　stood　up。　The　notion　of　Wolfe　fighting　his　way　down　to　William　Street　every　morning；　or　even　with　me　driving　him；　and　punching　a　time　clock；　and　working　all　day　in　the　stock　department；　had　been　too　much　for　my　facial　control。
　　〃Okay；〃　I　said；　〃I　guess　I　know　enough　to　put　it　up　to　Mr。　Wolfe。　Except　about　money。　I　ought　to　warn　you　that　his　charges　have　not　joined　in　the　postwar　inflation　because　they　were　already　so　high　that　a　boost　would　have　been　vulgar。〃
　　〃This　pany　never　expects　good　work　for　low　pay。〃
　　I　told　him　that　was　fine　and　got　my　hat　and　coat。
　　
　　Chapter　Four
　　A　coolness　had　sprung　up　between　Wolfe　and　me。　These　coolnesses　averaged　about　four　a　week；　say；　a　couple　of　hundred　a　year。　This　particular　one　had　two　separate　aspects：　first；　my　natural　desire　for　him　to　buy　a　new　car　opposed　to　his　pigheaded　determination　to　wait　another　year；　and　second；　his　notion　of　buying　a　noiseless　typewriter　opposed　to　my　liking　for　the　one　we　had。
　　It　happened　that　at　that　moment　there　were　other　coolnesses　swirling　around　in　the　old　brownstone　house；　on　West　Thirty…fifth　Street　not　far　from　the　Hudson　River；　which　he　owned　and　used　both　for　a　residence　and　an　office。　Four　of　us　lived　there；　counting　him；　and　we　were　all　temporarily　cool。　Wolfe　had　somewhere　picked　up　the　idea　of　putting　leaves　of　sweet　basil　in　clam　chowder；　and　Fritz　Brenner；　the　cook　and　house　manager；　strongly　disapproved。　A　guy　in　New　Hampshire　who　was　grateful　to　Wolfe　for　something　had　sent　him　an　extra　offering；　three　plants　of　a　new　begonia　named　Thimbleberry；　and　Wolfe　had　given　them　good　bench　space　up　in　the　cool　room；　and　Theodore　Horstmann；　the　plant　nurse；　who　thought　that　everything　that　grew　except　orchids　was　a　weed；　was　fit　to　be　tied。
　　So　the　atmosphere　around　the　place　was　somewhat　arctic；　and　on　my　way　down　in　the　elevator　the　thought　struck　me　that　this　Naylor…Kerr　or　Kerr　Naylor　or　Pine…Kerr　Naylor　business　might　be　used　as　an　excuse　to　go　somewhere　out　of　the　cold　for　a　few　days。　Why　couldn't　it　be　me　who　got　a　job　in　the　stock　department？　Grabbing　a　taxi　from　under　the　chins　of　two　other　prospective　customers；　I　considered　it。　Just　any　job；　one　that　happened　to　be　loose；　didn't　seem　practical。　A　little　friendly　conversation　with　the　elevator　starter　had　informed　me　that　the　line　of　Naylor…Kerr；　Inc。；　was　Engineers'　Equipment　and　Supplies；　and　I　knew　all　of　nothing　about　them　except　maybe　overalls。　Anyway；　the　job　would　have　to　be　one　that　would　let　me　roam　around　and　rub　elbows；　or　it　might　take　months；　and　I　didn't　want　months。　It　would　be　hard　enough　to　maneuver　Wolfe　into　letting　me　try　it　for　a　week；　since　he　needed　me　every　hour　and　might　need　me　any　minute；　for　anything　and　everything　from　opening　the　mail　to　bouncing　unwanted　customers　or　even　shooting　one；　which　had　been　known　to　happen。
　　Liking　the　idea；　and　being　afraid　of　the　dark　when　it　es　to　anything　resembling　murder；　I　told　the　taxi　driver　I　had　had　a　vision　and　asked　him　to　go　to　the　address　of　the　Homicide　Squad　on　West　Twentieth　Street。　There　by　good　luck　I　found　that　Purley　Stebbins；　my　favorite　sergeant；　was　on　hand；　and　he　obligingly　got　what　I　wanted　with　only　three　or　four　growls。　A　phone　call　to　a　brother　sergeant　downtown　brought　the　information　that　the　death　of　Waldo　Wilmot　Moore　had　occurred　around　midnight　on　December　4。　The　body　had　been　discovered　by　a　man　and　wife　on　Thirty…ninth　Street　a　hundred　and　twenty　feet　east　of　Eleventh　Avenue。　The　wife　had　phoned　in　while　the　man　stood　by；　and　a　radio　car　had　arrived　on　the　scene　at　one…nineteen　A。M。　on　December　5。　It　was　a　DOA；　dead　on　arrival；　with　Moore's　head　crushed　and　his　legs　broken。　The　car　that　hit　him　had　been　found　the　next　morning；　parked　on　West　Ninety…fifth　Street　near　Broadway。　It　was　hot；　having　been　stolen　the　evening　of　the　fourth　from　where　it　was　parked　on　West　Fifty…fourth　Street。　Its　owner　had　been　checked　up　and　down　and　backwards　and　forwards；　and　was　out　of　it。　No　witnesses　to　the　accident　had　been　found；　but　the　post…mortem　report；　plus　laboratory　examination　of　various　particles　clinging　to　the　tires　and　fender　of　the　stolen　car；　had　satisfied　everybody　as　to　what　had　happened。　It　was　filed　as　a　routine　hit…and…run　and　was　still　open。　After　the　phone　call　Purley　went　through　a　door；　and　came　back　in　a　couple　of　minutes　and　told　me　that　Homicide　still　had　it　and　was　working　on　it。
　　〃Yeah；〃　I　grinned　at　him；　〃I　can　imagine　it…conferences；　minute　clues　subjected　to　severe　scrutiny；　ten　of　your　best　men　turning　over　stones　all　the　way…〃
　　Purley　pronounced　a　word。　Having　granted　my　slightest　wish；　he　sneered；　〃e　and　take　my　desk　and　do　it。　Now　give。　Who's　your　client？〃
　　I　shook　my　head。　〃About　that　noise　you　use　for　a　voice；　I　know　how　you　got　it。　Your　mother　had　a　longing　for　nutmeg　graters　when　she　was　carrying　you。　It　might　be；　say；　an　insurance　pany。〃
　　〃Nuts。　No　insurance　pany　pays　Nero　Wolfe　prices。　Who　invited　you　in？〃
　　〃Nothing　for　now。〃　I　got　erect。　〃Somebody　had　a　dream；　that's　all。　If　and　when　anything　for　the　teeth　is　brought　on；　we'll　see　that　you　get　a　bite。　Much　obliged；　and　give　my　love　to　your　boss。〃
　　But　I　had　a　chance　to　do　my　own　love…giving。　On　my　way　out　there　he　was；　striding　in　from　the　entrance；　Inspector　Cramer　himself；　concentrated　and　in　a　hurry。
　　He　saw　me；　stopped　short；　and　demanded；　〃What　do　you　want？〃
　　〃Well；　sir；〃　I　said　pleadingly；　〃I　thought　with　my　experience　if　you　had　a　vacancy　anywhere；　I'd　be　willing　to　start　as　a　patrolman　and　work　my　way…〃
　　〃Natural…born　clown；〃　he　said　personally。　〃Is　it　the　Meredith　case？　Has　Wolfe　crashed　the　gate…〃
　　〃No；　sir；　Mr。　Wolfe　would　regard　that　as　impertinent。　As　he　was　saying　only　yesterday；　if　ever　Mr。　Cramer…〃
　　He　was　on　his　way。　I　looked　reproachfully　at　his　broad　manly　back　and　then　headed　for　the　street。
　　
　　Chapter　Five
　　Seated　at　my　desk　in　the　office；　I　put　the　phone　back　in　the　cradle　and　told　Nero　Wolfe；　〃The　bank　says　that　Naylor…Kerr　is　good　for　anything　up　to　twenty　million。〃
　　Wolfe；　seated　behind　his　own　desk；　heaved　a　sigh　and　then　was　silent。　I　had　given　him　the　story　plete；　in　a　dry　factual　manner　with　no　flavor　or　coloring　on　account　of　the　coolness　previously　mentioned。　His　inclination；　naturally；　was　to　turn　it　down；　since　he　was　always　annoyed　at　any　hint　of　a　prospect　that　he　might　have　to　use　his　brain；　but　I　doubted　if　I　would　have　to　ride　him　hard　on　this　because　it　looked　like　easy　money　and　we　could　always　use　it。
　　He　sighed　again。
　　I　spoke；　still　dry。　〃I　suppose　the　best　bet　is　that　Pine　killed　Waldo　Wilmot　Moore　himself　and　is　keeping　up　appearances。　What　for　being　unknown　to　us；　but　surely　not　to　everybody。　Anyway；　we　would　be　paid　by　the　corporation；　not　him。　His　suggestion　that　you　get　a　job　in　the　stock　department　under　another　name　shows　that　he　has　given　the　problem　a　great　deal　of　thought。　You　could　call　yourself　Clarence　Camembert；　for　instance；　or　Percy　Pickerel。　If　they　gave　you　too　much　to　do　you　could　bring　things　home　and　I'd　be　glad　to　help。　They　could　pay　you　by　weight…say；　a　dollar　a　pound　a　week。　As　you　stand　now；　or　at　least　sit；　close　to　three　hundred　and　forty　pounds；　it　would　e　to　an　annual　salary…〃
　　〃Archie。　Your　notebook。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃　I　got　it　and　flipped　to　a　new　page。
　　〃A　letter　to　Mr。　Pine；　president　and　so　on。　Mr。　Goodwin　has　reported　his　conversation　this　morning　with　you。　I　accept　the　job　of　investigating；　on　behalf　of　your　pany；　the　death　of　your　former　employee；　Waldo　Wilmot　Moore。　It　is　understood　that　the　purpose　of　the　investigation　is　to　establish；　with　satisfactory　evidence；　the　manner　of　his　death…whether　by　accident　or　by　the　deliberate　action；　with　intent；　of　some　person　or　persons。　The　job　does　not；　as　I　understand　it；　extend　to　the　disclosure　of　the　identity　of　the　murderer…if　there　was　a　murder…nor　to　procurement　of　proof　of　guilt。　Should　such　extension　be　desired；　you　may　notify　me。　Paragraph。
　　〃The　procedure　promising　quickest　results；　I　think；　will　be　for　you　to　put　Mr。　Goodwin　on　the　pany　payroll　as　a　personnel　expert。　You　can　plausibly　explain　his　presence　as　a　par