esg.thecaseofthevelvetclaws-第3部分

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　　〃I　could　raise　nine　or　perhaps　ten；〃　she　said；　〃in　a　pinch。〃
　　〃It'll　be　a　pinch；〃　he　told　her。
　　She　bit　her　lower　lip　between　her　teeth。
　　〃Suppose　something　turns　up　and　I　need　to　municate　with　you　without　waiting　for　the　ad　to　be　published　in　the　paper？〃　he　asked。　〃Where　can　I　get　in　touch　with　you？〃
　　She　shook　her　head　swiftly　and　positively。
　　〃You　can't。　That's　one　thing　that　we've　got　to　have　understood。　Don't　try　to　reach　me　at　my　address。　Don't　try　to　telephone　me。　Don't　try　to　find　out　who　my　husband　is。〃
　　〃You're　living　with　your　husband？〃

　　She　snapped　him　a　swift　look。
　　〃Of　course　I　am；　otherwise　where　would　I　get　the　money？〃
　　There　was　a　knock　at　the　outer　door　of　the　office；　and　Della　Street　thrust　her　head　and　shoulders　into　the　room。
　　〃I　have　that　matter　attended　to　so　you　can　sign　the　letter　any　time　you　want；　Mr。　Mason；〃　she　said。
　　Perry　Mason　got　to　his　feet；　looked　meaningly　at　the　woman。
　　〃All　right；　Mrs。　Griffin。　I'll　do　the　best　I　can。〃
　　She　arose　from　her　chair；　took　a　step　toward　the　door；　paused；　and　looked　at　the　money　on　the　table。
　　〃Do　I　get　a　receipt　for　the　money？〃　she　asked。
　　〃You　do　if　you　want　it。〃
　　〃I　think　I　would　like　to　have　it。〃
　　〃Of　course；〃　he　said；　meaningly；　〃if　you　would　like　to　have　in　your　purse；　a　receipt　made　out　to　Eva　Griffin　for　a　retainer；　and　signed　by　Perry　Mason；　it's　quite　all　right　with　me。〃
　　She　frowned；　and　then　said：　〃Don't　make　it　that　way。　Make　a　receipt　to　the　effect　that　the　holder　of　this　receipt　has　paid　you　the　amount　mentioned；　as　a　retainer。〃
　　He　scowled；　scooped　up　the　money　with　his　swiftly　petent　hands；　and　beckoned　to　Della　Street。
　　〃Here；　Della；〃　he　said；　〃take　this　money。　Give　Mrs。　Griffin　a　ledger　page；　and　make　a　receipt　to　the　effect　that　the　account　listed　in　our　ledger；　under　that　page　number；　is　credited　with　five　hundred　dollars。　Mark　on　the　receipt　that　that　amount　is　by　way　of　retainer。〃
　　〃Can　you　tell　me　what　your　total　fees　will　be？〃　asked　the　woman。
　　〃It'll　depend　on　the　amount　of　the　work；〃　he　said。　〃They'll　be　high；　but　fair。　And　they'll　depend　on　results。〃
　　She　nodded；　hesitated　a　moment；　and　then　said：　〃I　guess　that's　all　I　have　to　do　in　here。〃
　　〃My　secretary　will　give　you　the　receipt；〃　he　told　her。
　　She　smiled　at　him。　〃Good　day。〃
　　〃Good　day；〃　he　said。
　　She　paused　at　the　door　of　the　outer　office；　to　turn　and　look　back　at　him。
　　He　was　standing　with　his　back　to　her；　his　hands　thrust　in　his　pockets；　looking　out　of　the　window。
　　〃This　way；　please；〃　said　Della　Street；　and　closed　the　door。
　　Perry　Mason　continued　to　stare　out　at　the　street　for　some　five　minutes。　Then　the　door　from　the　outer　office　opened　once　more；　and　Della　Street　came　into　the　office。
　　〃She's　gone；〃　she　said。
　　Mason　whirled　to　face　her。
　　〃Why　did　you　think　she　was　phony？〃　he　asked。
　　Della　Street　stared　him　steadily　in　the　eye。
　　〃That　woman；〃　she　said；　〃spells　trouble　to　me。〃
　　He　shrugged　his　broad　shoulders。
　　〃To　me；　she's　five　hundred　dollars　cash　for　a　retainer。　And　another　fifteen　hundred　by　way　of　a　fee　when　I　get　the　thing　squared　up。〃
　　The　girl　said；　with　some　feeling：　〃She's　phony；　and　she's　crooked。　She's　one　of　those　well…kept　little　minxes　that　would　double…cross　anybody　in　order　to　take　care　of　herself。〃
　　Perry　Mason　surveyed　her　appraisingly。
　　〃You　don't　find　loyalty　in　wives；〃　he　said；　〃who　pay　five　hundred　dollar　retainers。　She's　a　client。〃
　　Della　Street　shook　her　head；　and　said：　〃That　isn't　what　I　meant。　I　meant　that　there's　something　false　about　her。　She's　concealing　something　from　you　right　now；　something　that　you　should　know。　She's　sending　you　up　against　something　as　a　blind　proposition　when　she　could　make　it　easy　for　you　if　she'd　only　be　frank。〃
　　Perry　Mason　made　a　gesture　with　his　shoulders。
　　〃Why　should　I　care　if　she　makes　it　easy　for　me？〃　he　asked。　〃She's　the　one　that's　paying　for　my　time。　Time　is　all　I'm　investing。〃
　　Della　Street　said；　slowly：　〃Are　you　sure　that　time　is　all　you're　investing？〃
　　〃Why　not？〃
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said；　〃the　woman's　dangerous。　She　is　just　the　kind　of　a　little　minx　who　would　get　you　into　some　sort　of　a　jam　and　leave　you　to　take　it；　right　on　the　button。〃
　　His　face　didn't　change　expression；　but　his　eyes　glinted。　〃That's　one　of　the　chances　I　have　to　take；〃　he　told　her。　〃I　can't　expect　my　clients　to　be　loyal　to　me。　They　pay　me　money。　That's　all。〃
　　She　stared　at　him　with　a　speculative　look　that　held　something　of　a　wistful　tenderness。　〃But　you　insist　on　being　loyal　to　your　clients；　no　matter　how　rotten　they　are。〃
　　〃Of　course；〃　he　told　her。　〃That's　my　duty。〃
　　〃To　your　profession？〃
　　〃No；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃to　myself。　I'm　a　paid　gladiator。　I　fight　for　my　clients。　Most　clients　aren't　square　shooters。　That's　why　they're　clients。　They've　got　themselves　into　trouble。　It's　up　to　me　to　get　them　out。　I　have　to　shoot　square　with　them。　I　can't　always　expect　them　to　shoot　square　with　me。〃
　　〃It　isn't　fair！〃　she　blazed。
　　〃Of　course　not；〃　he　smiled。　〃It's　business。〃
　　She　shrugged　her　shoulders。　〃I　told　the　detective　that　you　wanted　her　shadowed　as　soon　as　she　left　the　office；〃　she　said；　abruptly　getting　back　to　her　duties。　〃He　said　he'd　be　there　to　pick　her　up。〃
　　〃You　talked　with　Paul　Drake　himself？〃
　　〃Of　course；　otherwise　I　wouldn't　have　told　you　everything　was　all　right。〃
　　〃Okay；〃　he　said；　〃you　can　bank　three　hundred　out　of　that　retainer；　and　give　me　two　hundred　to　put　in　my　pocket。　We'll　find　out　who　she　really　is；　and　then　we'll　have　an　ace　in　the　hole。〃
　　Della　Street　went　back　to　the　outer　office；　returned　with　two　hundred　dollars　in　currency；　which　she　handed　to　Perry　Mason。
　　He　smiled　at　her。
　　〃You're　a　good　girl；　Della；〃　he　said。　〃Even　if　you　do　get　funny　ideas　about　women。〃
　　She　whirled　on　him。　〃I　hate　her！〃　she　said；　〃I　hate　the　very　ground　she　walks　on！　But　it　isn't　that。　It's　something　more　than　the　hate。　It's　sort　of　a　hunch　I've　got。〃
　　He　planted　his　feet　wide　apart；　thrust　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　and　stared　at　her。
　　〃Why　do　you　hate　her？〃　he　asked；　with　tolerant　amusement。
　　〃I　hate　everything　she　stands　for！〃　said　Della　Street。　〃I've　had　to　work　for　everything　I　got。　I　never　got　a　thing　in　life　that　I　didn't　work　for。　And　lots　of　times　I've　worked　for　things　and　have　had　nothing　in　return。　That　woman　is　the　type　that　has　never　worked　for　anything　in　her　life！　She　doesn't　give　a　damned　thing　in　return　for　what　she　gets。　Not　even　herself。〃
　　Perry　Mason　pursed　his　lips　thoughtfully。　〃And　all　of　this　outburst　is　occasioned　just　because　you　gave　her　the　once…over　and　didn't　like　the　way　she　was　dressed？〃　he　asked。
　　〃I　liked　the　way　she　was　dressed。　She's　dressed　like　a　million　dollars。　Those　clothes　she　had　on　cost　somebody　a　lot　of　money。　And　you　can　bet　that　she　wasn't　the　one　that　paid　for　them。　She's　too　well…kept；　too　well…groomed；　too　baby　faced。　Did　you　notice　that　trick　she　has　of　making　her　eyes　wide　when　she　wants　to　impress　you？　She's　practiced　that　baby　stare　in　front　of　a　mirror。〃
　　He　watched　her　with　eyes　that　were　suddenly　deep　and　enigmatical。　〃If　all　clients　had　your　loyalty；　Della；　there　wouldn't　be　any　law　business。　Don't　forget　that。　You've　got　to　take　clients　as　they　e。　You're　different。　Your　family　was　rich。　Then　they　lost　their　money。　You　went　to　work。　Lots　of　women　wouldn't　have　done　that。〃
　　Her　eyes　were　wistful　once　more。
　　〃What　would　they　have　done？〃　she　asked。　〃What　could　they　have　done？〃
　　〃They　could；〃　he　remarked　slowly；　〃have　married　a　man；　and　then　gone　out　to　the　Beechwood　Inn　with　some　other　man；　got　caught；　and　had　to　get　a　lawyer　to　get　them　out　of　the　jam。〃
　　She　turned　toward　the　outer　office；　keeping　her　eyes　averted　from　him。　Those　eyes　were　glowing。　〃I　started　to　talk　about　clients；〃　she　observed；　〃and　you　begin　to　talk　about　me。〃　And　she　pushed　her　way　through　the　door　and　into　the　outer　office。
　　Perry　Mason　walked　to　the　doorway　and　stood　there　while　Della　Street　went　over　to　her　desk；　sat　down　at　it；　and　slid　a　sheet　of　paper　into　her　typewriter。　Mason　was　still　standing　there　when　the　door　of　the　outer　office　opened　and　a　tall　man；　with　drooping　shoulders　and　a　head　that　was　thrust　forward　on　a　long　neck；　came　into　the　outer　office。　He　regarded　Della　Street　with　protruding　glassy　eyes　that　held　a　perpetual　expression　of　droll　humor；　smiled　at　her；　turned　to　Mason　and　said：　〃Hello；　Perry。〃
　　Mason　said：　〃e　on　in；　Paul。　Did　you　get　anything？〃
　　Drake　said：　〃I　got　back。〃
　　Mason　held　the　door　open；　and　closed　it　after　the　detective　had　gone　into　the　private　office。
　　〃What　happened？〃　he　asked。
　　Paul　Drake　sat　down　in　the　chair　which　the　woman　had　occupied　a　few　minutes　earlier；　raised　his　foot　to　the　other　chair　and　lit　a　cigarette。
　　〃She's　a　wise　baby；〃　he　said。
　　〃What　makes　you　think　so？〃　asked　Perry　Mason。　〃Did　she　know　you　were　tailing　her？〃
　　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　said　Drake。　〃I　stood　by　the　elevator　shaft；　where　I　could　see　her　when　she　came　out　of　the　office。　When　she　came　out；　I　got　in　the　elevator　first。　She　kept　watching　your　office　to　see　if　anybody　came　out　of　it。　I　think　she　thought　perh