rs.toomanywomen-第8部分

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　　〃Thanks；〃　I　said；　handing　it　back　to　her。　〃That　clinches　it　that　he　didn't　make　a　play　for　you　as　a　last　resort。　First；　you　are　not　a　last　resort。　Second；　he　was　apparently　nice　to　look　at。　I　suppose　that　was　the　opinion　of　those　who　knew　him？〃
　　〃Yes。　Every　woman　who　saw　him　was　attracted　to　him。　There　wasn't　a　girl　in　the　place　who　wouldn't　have　been　glad　to　get　him。〃
　　I　frowned　at　her。　That　didn't　sound　like　my　Miss　Livsey；　that　vulgar　boasting；　but　I　had　never　assumed　that　she　was　without　any　defect　at　all。　I　followed　it　up。
　　〃Then　a　lot　of　them　must　have　been　after　him。　Unless　you　reject　the　theory　that　girls　have　been　known　to　chase…〃
　　〃Of　course　they　do。　They　did。〃
　　〃Did　it　make　him　very　mad？〃
　　〃No；　he　loved　it。〃
　　〃Did　it　make　you　mad？〃
　　She　smiled。　However；　it　was　not　precisely　the　sort　of　smile　Rosenbaum　had　had　in　mind。　I　smiled　back　at　her。
　　She　asked；　〃Now　we're　getting　down　to　it；　aren't　we？〃
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　I　said。　〃Are　we？〃　As　soon　as　her　words　were　out　she　had　caught　her　lower　lip　with　her　teeth。　After　holding　on　for　a　moment；　not　long；　the　teeth　let　go。　〃That　was　silly；〃　she　declared。　〃No；　I　don't　think　it　made　me　mad。　In　a　way　I　enjoyed　it　and　in　a　way　I　didn't。　Go　ahead。〃
　　I　took　my　hands　from　my　pockets　and　clasped　them　back　of　my　head　and　regarded　her。　〃I　would　like　very　much　to　go　ahead；　Miss　Livsey；　if　I　only　knew　which　way。　Say　we　try　another　door。　Have　you　ever　had　any　reason　to　suppose　or　suspect　that　Moore's　death　was　anything　but　a　hit…and…run　accident？〃
　　〃No；〃　she　said　bluntly。
　　〃But　there's　been　gossip　about　it；　hasn't　there？〃
　　〃There　certainly　has。〃
　　〃What　started　the　gossip？〃
　　〃I　don't　know　what　started　it　back　in　December；　when　it　happened…I　guess　it　just　started　itself；　the　way　gossip　does。　Then　it　died　down；　it　stopped　entirely　as　far　as　I　know；　that　was　quite　a　while　ago；　and　just　last　week　it　started　up　again。〃
　　〃Do　you　know　what　started　it　again？〃
　　She　looked　at　me；　made　sure　she　had　her　eyes　into　mine；　and　asked；　〃Do　you？〃
　　〃I'll　say　yes　if　you　will。〃
　　〃It's　a　go。　Yes。〃
　　〃Same　here。　Have　you　any　idea　why　he　put　that　word　on　that　report？〃
　　〃No。　I　don't　know　and　I　can't　imagine。　I　know　I'd　like　to…〃　She　bit　it　off。
　　〃What？〃
　　She　didn't　say　what。　She　didn't　say　anything。　She　was　visibly；　for　the　first　time　in　niy　three　encounters　with　her；　having　feelings　about　something。　I　wouldn't　have　called　her　cold；　that　word　simply　didn't　fit　her　and　never　would；　but　even　the　name　of　Moore　and　talking　of　him　had　put　nothing　you　could　call　emotion　into　her　face　or　voice。　Now　she　was　letting　something　show。　She　didn't　exhibit　anything　as　trite　as　quivering　lips　or　eyes　blinking　to　keep　tears　back；　but　a　sort　of　loosening　of　her　face　muscles　indicated　that　some　strict　discipline　had　met　more　than　it　could　handle。
　　Suddenly　and　abruptly　she　got　up；　crossed　to　me；　and　put　her　hand；　her　open　palm；　on　top　of　my　head　and　patted　it　several　times。　I　got　more　the　impression　of　a　melon　being　tested　to　see　if　it　was　firm　than　of　a　woman　caressing　a　man；　but　that　might　have　been　only　my　modesty。　I　didn't　budge。
　　She　backed　up　a　step　and　stood　looking　down　at　me；　and　my　clasped　hands　let　my　head　go　back　so　as　to　meet　her　look。
　　〃It's　a　funny　thing；〃　she　said；　half　puzzled　and　half　irritated。　〃I　used　to　be　able　to　handle　men　any　way　I　wanted　to。　I'm　not　bragging；　but　I　really　could；　I　knew　how　to　get　anything　I　wanted　from　men；　you　know；　little　things；　you　know　how　girls　are…and　now　I　want　something　from　you；　and　look　at　me！　It　isn't　you　either…I　mean　there's　nothing　wrong　with　you；　you're　quite　good…looking　and　there's　nothing　wrong　with　you　at　all。　I　don't　know　whether　you're　a　policeman　or　what　you　are；　but　whatever　you　are　you're　a　man。〃
　　She　stopped。
　　〃Every　inch；〃　I　agreed　warmly。　〃I　could　suggest　better　how　you　ought　to　go　about　it　if　I　knew　what　you　want。　First　tell　me　that。〃
　　〃Well；　for　one　thing；　I　want　to　keep　my　job　here。〃
　　〃Done。　I'll　attend　to　that　in　my　report。　Next？〃
　　Her　voice　muscles　were　loose　too　now。　〃That's　ridiculous；〃　she　stated；　not　offensively。　〃I　don't　know　who　you　are　or　what　you　are；　but　I　do　know　you're　trying　to　find　out　something　about　the　death　of　the　man　I　was　going　to　marry；　and　it's　getting　to　be　more　than　I　can　stand。　I　want　to　forget　all　about　it；　I　want　to　forget　about　him…I　do；　I　really　do！　You　don't　know　what　hundreds　of　girls　together　in　a　place　like　this…you　don't　know　what　they　can　be　like　when　they　get　started　talking…it's　horrible；　just　horrible！　Why　Mr。　Naylor　started　it　going　again…I　don't　know。　I　can't　stand　it　much　longer　and　I'm　not　going　to；　but　I　like　it　here　and　I　have　to　have　a　job…I　like　my　work　and　I　like　my　boss；　Mr。　Rosenbaum…〃
　　She　went　to　her　chair　and　sat　down；　with　her　two　fists　resting　on　the　desk　in　front　of　her；　and　addressed　not　me　but　the　world：
　　〃Oh；　damn　it！〃
　　〃I　still　don't　know；〃　I　protested；　〃what　you　want　from　me。〃
　　〃Certainly　you　know。〃　She　almost　glared　at　me。　〃You　can　stop　the　talk。　You　can　show　that　Mr。　Naylor　is　nothing　but　a　silly　old　fool。　You　can　settle　it；　once　and　for　all；　that　Waldo　was　killed　by　a　hit…and…run　driver　and　that's　all　there　is　to　it！〃
　　〃I　see。　That's　what　you　want。〃
　　Her　eyes　had　e　back　to　me；　and　mine　were　at　a　slant　to　meet　them。　We　went　on　looking　at　each　other；　and　I　had　a　distinct　feeling；　whether　shared　by　her　or　not　I　didn't　know；　that　we　were　beginning　to　get　acquainted。　When　a　girl　has　patted　a　man's　head；　and　sat　and　let　him　look　for　ten　seconds　or　more；　and　looked　back　at　him；　with　no　words　exchanged；　she　can　no　longer　maintain　the　attitude　that　he　is　a　plete　stranger。
　　〃I'm　not　a　policeman；〃　I　said。　〃Whatever　I　am；　I　can't　settle　it　how　and　why　he　got　killed；　because　that　was　settled　nearly　four　months　ago；　the　night　of　December　fourth。　It's　all　down　somewhere；　all　settled；　and　all　I　can　do　is　try　to　dig　up　enough　of　it　to　satisfy　everybody　concerned。　It　helps　to　know　that　you're　already　satisfied。〃
　　〃You're　working　for　Mr。　Naylor；〃　she　declared；　her　tone　and　look　indicating　that　in　all　her　long　association　with　me　she　would　never　have　supposed　me　capable　of　sinking　so　low。
　　〃No。〃　I　was　emphatic。　〃I'm　not。〃
　　〃You're　really　not？〃
　　〃Really　and　positively。〃
　　〃But　then…〃　She　stopped；　frowning　at　me　but　not　for　me。　〃But　he　has　talked　to　you　about　Waldo；　hasn't　he？〃
　　〃He　has　indeed。　He's　a　great　talker。〃
　　〃What　did　he　say？〃
　　〃That　Moore　was　murdered。〃
　　〃Oh；　I　know　that。〃　The　frown　was　still　there。　〃He　put　that　on　the　report。　The　whole　floor　knows　about　it；　which　was　what　he　wanted；　that　was　why　he　had　a　floor　girl　type　the　reports　instead　of　his　secretary。　What　else　did　he　say？〃
　　〃About　Moore；　nothing　of　any　importance。　He　just　says　murdered。　It's　an　eeday　feex。〃
　　〃What　else　did　he　say　about　anything？〃
　　〃Oh；　my　God。　That　eating　cooked　vegetables　brought　on　the　war。　That　a　man　who　eats　meat…〃
　　〃You　know　perfectly　well　what　I　mean！〃　she　was　actually　scolding　me。　〃What　did　he　say　about　me？〃
　　〃Not　a　peep。　Not　a　single　word。　He　made　only　one　remark　that　could　possibly　be　construed　as　a　reference　to　you。　This　morning；　standing　out　there　at　the　end　of　the　arena；　he　said　he　doubted　if　there　was　a　virgin　in　the　room；　but　since　you　have　your　own　office　it　probably　didn't　apply　to　you。〃
　　The　question　of　virginity　apparently　wasn't　troubling　her。　She　insisted；　〃He　really　hasn't　mentioned　me？〃
　　〃Not　yet。〃　I　looked　at　my　wrist；　let　the　front　legs　of　my　chair　e　down　to　the　floor；　and　stood　up。　〃You　have　your　letters　to　do；　and　I　have　some　chores　myself。　I'm　sorry　it　can't　all　be　settled　the　way　you　want　it　right　now；　I　honestly　am　sorry。　You　say　you　really　want　to　forget　all　about　Moore？〃
　　〃Yes！　I　do！〃
　　〃Okay；　we'll　keep　that　on　the　agenda。〃
　　
　　Chapter　Eleven
　　The　first　chore　on　my　list　consisted　of　manual　labor；　with　the　typewriter　in　my　room　as　the　tool　for　it；　so　I　went　there　and　started　to　work。
　　I　had　asked；　among　other　items；　for　some　coated　stock；　letter　size；　and　while　the　stuff　they　had　sent　was　nothing　to　brag　about；　I　inspected　it　again　and　decided　it　would　serve。　It　was　a　quarter　to　four；　only　half　an　hour　till　my　date　with　Jasper　Pine；　and　therefore　I　had　to　step　on　it。　Making　a　club　sandwich　of　three　sheets　of　the　coated　stock　and　two　of　carbon　paper；　I　inserted　them　in　the　machine　and　typed　in　the　upper　right…hand　corner　in　caps：　
　　》REPORT　FROM　THEOFFICE　OF　NERO　WOLFE　March　19　1947
　　Four　spaces　down；　in　the　middle；　I　put：　
　　CONFIDENTIAL　TONAYLOR…KERR；　INC。914　William　Street　New　York　City　
　　There　wasn't　time　to　do　it　up　brown；　giving　all　the　little　details；　the　way　it　should　be　done　for　most　clients　to　make　them　feel　they're　getting　something　for　their　dough；　but　I　made　it　fairly　prehensive　and　in　my　opinion　adequate。　It　conveyed　the　information　that　Kerr　Naylor　had　introduced　Moore's　name　in　the　first　three　minutes；　that　he　had　invited　me　to　lunch　and　flushed　me　by　calling　me　by　my　right　name；　that　he　insisted　Moore　had　been　murdered　but　refused　to　furnish　an　specifications　of　anything；　that　he　had　agreed　to　go　to　see　Wolfe；　that　he　said　he　had　told　Deputy　Police　miss