rs.inthebestfamelies-第13部分

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e？　Certainly　the　two　others　he　had　had　in　mind　were　Saul　Panzer　and　Marko　Vukcic；　and　I　didn't　even　dare　to　phone　Saul　and　ask　a　couple　of　discreet　questions；　and　besides；　if　he　had　let　Saul　in　and　left　me　out；　to　hell　with　him。　And　what　was　I　supposed　to　say　to　people…for　instance；　people　like　the　District　Attorney　of　Westchester　County？
　　That　particular　question　got　answered；　partly　at　least；　from　an　unexpected　quarter。　When　I　had　finished　with　the　griddle　cakes；　ham；　eggs；　thyme　honey；　and　coffee；　I　went　back　to　the　office　to　see　if　I　was　ready　to　quit　feeling　and　settle　down　to　thinking；　and　was　working　at　it　when　I　became　aware　that　I　was　sitting　in　Wolfe's　chair　behind　his　desk。　That　brought　me　up　with　a　jerk。　No　one　else；　including　me；　ever　sat　in　that　chair；　but　there　I　was。　I　didn't　approve　of　it。　It　seemed　to　imply　that　Wolfe　was　through　with　that　chair　for　good；　and　that　was　a　hell　of　an　attitude　to　take；　no　matter　how　sore　I　was。　I　opened　a　drawer　of　his　desk　to　check　its　contents；　pretending　that　was　what　1　had　sat　there　for；　and　was　starting　a　careful　survey　when　the　doorbell　rang。
　　Going　to　answer　it；　I　took　my　time　because　I　had　done　no　thinking　yet　and　therefore　didn't　know　my　lines。　Seeing　through　the　one…way　glass　panel　in　the　front　door　that　the　man　on　the　stoop　was　a　civilian　stranger；　my　first　impulse　was　to　let　him　ring　until　he　got　tired；　but　curiosity　chased　it　away　and　I　opened　the　door。　He　was　just　a　citizen　with　big　ears　and　an　old　topcoat；　and　he　asked　to　see　Mr。　Nero　Wolfe。　I　told　him　Mr。　Wolfe　wasn't　available　on　Sundays；　and　I　was　his　confidential　assistant；　and　could　I　help。
　　He　thought　maybe　I　could；　took　an　envelope　from　a　pocket；　extracted　a　sheet　of　paper；　and　unfolded　it。
　　〃I'm　from　the　Gazette；〃　he　stated。　〃This　copy　for　an　ad　we　got　in　the　mail　this　morning…we　want　to　be　sure　it's　authentic。〃
　　I　took　the　paper　and　gave　it　a　look。　It　was　one　of　our　large…sized　letterheads；　and　the　writing　and　printing　on　it　were　Wolfe's。　At　the　top　was　written：
　　Display　advertisement　for　Monday's　Gazette；　first　section；　two　columns　wide；　depth　as　required。　In　thin　type；　not　blatant。　Send　bill　to　above　address。
　　
　　Below　the　copy　was　printed　by　hand：
　　MR。　NERO　WOLFB　ANNOUNCES　HIS　RETIREMENT　FROM　THE　DETECTIVE　BUSINESS　TODAY；　APRIL　10；　1950
　　Mr。　Wolfe　will　not　hereafter　be　available。　Inquiries　from　clients　on　unfinished　matters　may　be　made　of　Mr。　Archie　Goodwin。　Inquiries　from　others　than　clients　will　not　receive　attention。
　　
　　Beneath　that　was　Wolfe's　signature。　It　was　authentic　all　right。
　　Having　learned　it　by　heart；　I　handed　it　back。　〃Yeah；　thats　okay。　Sure。
　　Give　it　a　good　spot。〃
　　〃It's　authentic？〃
　　〃Absolutely。〃
　　〃Listen；　I　want　to　see　him。　Give　me　a　break！　Good　spot　hell；　it's　page　one　if　I　can　get　a　story　on　it！〃
　　〃Don't　you　believe　your　own　ads？　It　says　that　Mr。　Wolfe　will　not　hereafter　be　available。〃　I　had　the　door　swung　to　a　narrow　gap。　〃I　never　saw　you　before；　but　Lon　Cohen　is　an　old　friend　of　mine。　He　gets　to　work　at　noon；　doesn't　he？〃　〃Yes；　but…〃
　　〃Tell　him　not　to　bother　to　phone　about　this。　Mr。　Wolfe　is　not　available；　and　I'm　reserved　for　clients；　as　the　ad　says。　Watch　your　foot；　here　es　the　door。〃
　　I　shut　it　and　put　the　chain　bolt　on。　As　I　went　back　down　the　hall　Fritz　emerged　from　the　kitchen　and　demanded；　〃Who　was　that？〃
　　I　eyed　him。　〃You　know　damn　well；〃　I　said；　〃that　when　Mr。　Wolfe　was　here　you　would　never　have　dreamed　of　asking　who　was　that；　either　of　him　or　of　me。　Don't　dream　of　it　now；　anyway　not　when　I'm　in　the　humor　I'm　in　at　present。〃
　　〃I　only　wanted…〃
　　〃Skip　it。　I　advise　you　to　steer　clear　of　me　until　I've　had　a　chance　to　think。〃
　　I　went　to　the　office　and　this　dme　took　my　own　chair。　At　least　I　had　got　some　instructions　from　Wolfe；　though　his　method　of　sending　them　was　certainly　roundabout。　The　ad　meant；　of　course；　that　I　wasn't　to　try　to　cover　his　absence；　on　the　contrary。　More　important；　it　told　me　to　lay　off　of　the　Rackham　thing。　I　was　to　handle　inquiries　from　clients　on　unfinished　matters；　but　only　from　clients；　and　since　Mrs。　Rackham；　being　dead；　couldn't　inquire；　that　settled　that。　Another　thing…apparently　I　still　had　my　job；　unlike　Fritz　and　Theodore。　But　I　couldn't　sign　checks；　I　couldn't…suddenly　I　remembered　something。
　　The　fact　that　I　hadn't　thought　of　it　before　indicates　the　state　I　was　in。　I　have　told；　in　my　account　of　another　case　of　Wolfe's　how；　in　anticipation　of　the　possibility　that　some　day　a　collision　with　Arnold　Zeck　would　drive　him　into　a　foxhole；　he　had　instructed　me　to　put　fifty　thousand　dollars　in　cash　in　a　safe　deposit　box　over　in　Jersey；　and　how　I　obeyed　instructions。　The　idea　was　to　have　a　source　of　supply　for　the　foxhole；　but　anyway；　there　it　was；　fifty　grand；　in　the　box　rented　by　me　under　the　name　I　had　selected　for　the　purpose。　I　was　sitting　thinking　how　upset　I　must　have　been　not　to　have　thought　of　that　before　when　the　phone　rang　and　I　reached　for　it。
　　〃Nero　Wolfe's　office；　Archie　Goodwin　speaking。〃
　　I　thought　it　proper　to　use　that；　the　familiar　routine；　since　according　to　Wolfe's　ad　he　wouldn't　retire　until　the　next　day。
　　〃Archie？〃　A　voice　I　knew　sounded　surprised。　〃Is　that　you；　Archie？〃
　　〃Right。　Hello；　Marko。　So　early　on　Sunday？〃
　　〃But　I　thought　you　were　away！　I　was　going　to　give　Fritz　a　message　for　you。
　　From　Nero。〃
　　Marko　Vukcic；　owner　and　operator　of　Rusterman's　Restaurant；　the　only　place　where　Wolfe　really　liked　to　eat　except　at　home；　was　the　only　man　in　New　York　who　called　Wolfe　by　his　first　name。　I　told　him　I　would　be　glad　to　take　a　message　for　myself。
　　〃Not　from　Nero　actually；〃　he　said。　〃From　me。　I　must　see　you　as　soon　as　possible。　Could　you　e　here？〃
　　I　said　I　could。　There　was　no　need　to　ask　where；　since　the　only　place　he　could　ever　be　found　was　the　restaurant　premises；　either　on　one　of　the　two　floors　for　the　public；　in　the　kitchen；　or　up　in　his　private　quarters。
　　I　told　Fritz　I　was　going　out　and　would　be　back　when　he　saw　me。
　　As　I　drove　crosstown　and　up　to　54th　Street；　I　was　around　eighty　per　cent　sure　that　within　a　few　minutes　I　would　be　talking　with　Wolfe。　For　him　it　would　be　hard　to　beat　that　for　a　foxhole…the　place　that　cooked　and　served　the　best　food　in　America；　with　the　living　quarters　of　his　best　and　oldest　friend　above　it。　Even　after　I　had　entered　at　the　side　door；　as　arranged；　ascended　the　two　flights　of　stairs；　seen　the　look　on　Marko's　face　as　he　weled　me；　felt　the　tight　clasp　of　his　fingers　as　he　took　my　hands　in　his；　and　heard　his　murmured　〃My　friend；　my　poor　young　friend！〃…even　then　I　thought　he　was　only　preparing　dramatically　to　lead　me　to　Wolfe　in　an　inner　room。
　　But　he　wasn't。　All　he　led　me　to　was　a　chair　by　a　window。　He　took　another　one；　facing　me；　and　sat　with　his　palms　on　his　knees；　his　head　cocked　a　little　to　one　side　as　usual。
　　〃My　friend　Archie；〃　he　said　sympathetically。　〃It　is　my　part　to　tell　you　exactly　certain　things。　But　before　I　do　that　I　wish　to　tell　you　a　thing　of　my　own。　I　wish　to　remind　you　that　I　have　known　Nero　a　much　longer　time　than　you　have。　We　knew　each　other　as　boys　in　another　country…much　younger　than　you　were　that　day　many　years　ago　when　you　first　saw　him　and　went　to　work　for　him。　He　is　my　old　and　dear　friend；　and　I　am　his。　So　it　was　natural　that　he　should　e　to　me　last　night。〃
　　〃Sure；〃　I　agreed。　〃Why　not？〃
　　〃You　must　feel　no　pique。　No　courroux。〃
　　〃Okay。　I'll　fight　it　down。　What　time　did　he　e？〃
　　〃At　two　o'clock　in　the　night。　He　was　here　an　hour；　and　then　left。　That　I　am　to　tell　you；　and　these　things。　Do　you　want　to　write　them　down？〃
　　〃I　can　remember　them　if　you　can。　Shoot。〃
　　Marko　nodded。　〃I　know　of　your　great　memory。　Nero　has　often　spoken　of　it。〃　He　shut　his　eyes　and　in　a　moment　opened　them　again。　〃There　are　these　five　things。　First；　the　plants。　He　telephoned　Mr。　Hewitt　last　night；　and　tomorrow　Mr。　Hewitt　will　arrange　for　the　plants　to　be　moved　to　his　place；　and　also　for　Theodore　to　go　there　to　work。　Second…〃
　　〃Am　I　to　list　the　plants？　Do　the　records　go　too？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　I　can　say　only　what　I　was　told　to　say。　That's　all　about　the　plants。　Perhaps　Mr。　Hewitt　can　tell　you。　Second；　that　is　Fritz。　He　will　work　here；　and　I　will　pay　hi