rs.inthebestfamelies-第7部分

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　　〃Thanks。　But　I　mean　it。　Of　course　you　know　I'm　just　a　working　girl。〃
　　〃Sure。　That's　why　I　was　tougher　with　you。　That；　and　because　I　wondered　why　you　were　playing　dumb。〃
　　The　statesman　Pierce　broke　us　up　then；　as　we　entered　the　living　room；　and　I　didn't　fight　for　her。　We　collected　in　the　neighborhood　of　the　fireplace　for　coffee；　and　there　was　a　good　deal　of　talk　about　nothing；　and　after　a　while　somebody　suggested　television；　and　Barry　Rackham　went　and　turned　it　on。
　　He　and　Annabel　turned　out　lights。　As　the　rest　of　us　got　settled　in　favorably　placed　seats；　Mrs。　Rackham　left　us。　A　little　later；　as　I　sat　in　the　semi…darkness　scowling　at　a　cosmetic　mercial；　some　obscure　sense　told　me　that　danger　was　approaching　and　I　jerked　my　head　around。　It　was　right　there　at　my　elbow：　a　Doberman　pinscher；　looking　larger　than　normal　in　that　light；　staring　intently　past　me　at　the　screen。
　　Mrs。　Rackham；　just　behind　it；　apparently　misinterpreting　my　quick　movement；　spoke　hastily　and　loudly　above　the　noise　of　the　broadcast。　〃Don't　try　to　pat　him！〃
　　〃I　won't；〃　I　said　emphatically。
　　〃He'll　behave；〃　she　assured　me。　〃He　loves　television。〃　She　went　on　with　him；　farther　forward。　As　they　passed　Calvin　Leeds　the　affectionate　pet　halted　for　a　brief　sniff；　and　got　a　stroke　on　the　head　in　response。　No　one　else　was　honored。
　　Ninety　minutes　of　video　got　us　to　half…past　ten；　and　got　us　nothing　else；　especially　me。　I　was　still　on　the　fence　about　Barry　Rackham。　Television　is　raising　hell　with　the　detective　business。　It　used　to　be　that　a　social　evening　at　someone's　house　or　apartment　was　a　fine　opportunity　for　picking　up　lines　and　angles；　moving　around；　watching　and　talking　and　listening；　but　with　a　television　session　you　might　as　well　be　home　in　bed。　You　can't　see　faces；　and　if　someone　does　make　a　remark　you　can't　hear　it　unless　it's　a　scream；　and　you　can't　even　start　a　private　inquiry；　such　as　finding　out　where　a　young　widow　stands　now　on　skepticism。　In　a　movie　theater　at　least　you　can　hold　hands。
　　However；　I　did　finally　get　what　might　have　been　a　nibble。　The　screen　had　been　turned　off；　and　we　had　all　got　up　to　stretch；　and　Annabel　had　offered　to　drive　Leeds　and　me　home；　and　Leeds　had　told　her　that　we　would　rather　walk；　when　Barry　Rackham　moseyed　over　to　me　and　said　be　hoped　the　television　hadn't　bored　me　too　much。　I　said　no；　just　enough。
　　〃Think　you'll　get　anywhere　on　your　job　for　Leeds？〃　he　asked；　jiggling　his　highball　glass　to　make　the　ice　tinkle。
　　I　lifted　my　shoulders　and　let　them　drop。　〃I　don't　know。　A　month's　gone　by。〃
　　He　nodded。　〃That's　what　makes　it　hard　to　believe。〃
　　〃Yeah；　why？〃
　　〃That　he　would　wait　a　month　and　then　decide　to　blow　himself　to　a　fee　for　Nero　Wolfe。　Everybody　knows　that　Wolfe　es　high。　I　wouldn't　have　thought　Leeds　could　afford　it。〃　Rackham　smiled　at　me。　〃Driving　back　tonight？〃
　　〃No；　I'm　staying　over。〃
　　〃That's　sensible。　Night　driving　is　dangerous；　I　think。　The　Sunday　traffic　won't　be　bad　this　time　of　year　if　you　leave　early。〃　He　touched　my　chest　with　a　forefinger。　〃That's　it；　leave　early。〃　He　moved　off。
　　Annabel　was　yawning；　and　Dana　Hammond　was　looking　at　her　as　if　that　was　exactly　what　he　had　e　to　Birchvale　for；　to　see　her　yawn。　Lina　Darrow　was　looking　from　Barry　Rackham　to　me　and　back　again；　and　pretending　she　wasn't　looking　anywhere　with　those　eyes。　The　Doberman　pinscher　was　standing　tense；　and　Pierce；　from　a　safe　ten　feet…one　more　than　springing　distance…was　regarding　it　with　an　expression　that　gave　me　a　more　sympathetic　feeling　for　him　than　I　ever　expected　to　have　for　a　statesman。
　　Calvin　Leeds　and　Mrs。　Rackham　were　also　looking　at　the　dog；　with　a　quite　different　expression。
　　〃At　least　two　pounds　overweight；〃　Leeds　was　saying。　〃You　feed　him　too　much。〃
　　Mrs。　Rackham　protested　that　she　didn't。
　　〃Then　you　don't　run　him　enough。〃
　　〃I　know　it；〃　she　admitted。　〃I　will　from　now　on；　I'll　be　here　more。　I　was　busy　today。　I'll　take　him　out　now。　It's　a　perfect　night　for　a　good　walk…Barry；　do　you　feel　like　walking？〃
　　He　didn't。　He　was　nice　about　it；　but　he　didn't。　She　broadened　the　invitation　to　take　in　the　group；　but　there　were　no　takers。　She　offered　to　walk　Leeds　and　me　home；　but　Leeds　said　she　would　go　too　slow；　and　he　should　have　been　in　bed　long　ago　since　his　rising　time　was　six　o'clock。　He　moved；　and　told　me　to　e　on　if　I　was　ing。
　　We　said　good　night　and　left。
　　The　outdoor　air　was　sharper　now。　There　were　a　few　stars　but　no　moon；　and　alone　with　no　flashlight　I　would　never　have　been　able　to　keep　that　trail　through　the　woods　and　might　have　made　the　Hillside　Kennels　clearing　by　dawn。　For　Leeds　a　flashlight　would　have　been　only　a　nuisance。　He　strode　along　at　the　same　gait　as　in　the　daytime；　and　I　stumbled　at　his　heels；　catching　my　toes　on　things；　teetering　on　roots　and　pebbles；　and　once　going　clear　down。　I　am　not　a　deerstalker　and　don't　want　to　be。　As　we　approached　the　kennels　Leeds　called　out；　and　the　sound　came　of　many　movements；　but　not　a　bark。　Who　wants　a　dog；　let　alone　thirty　or　forty；　not　even　human　enough　to　bark　when　you　e　home？
　　Leeds　said　that　since　the　poisoning　he　always　took　a　look　around　before　going　to　bed；　and　I　went　on　in　the　house　and　up　to　the　little　room　where　I　had　put　my　bag。　I　was　sitting　on　the　bed　in　pajamas；　scratching　the　side　of　my　neck　and　considering　Barry　Rackham's　last…minute　remarks；　when　Leeds　entered　downstairs　and　came　up　to　ask　if　I　was　fortable。　I　told　him　I　soon　would　be；　and　he　said　good　night　and　went　down　the　short　hall　to　his　room。
　　I　opened　a　window；　turned　out　the　light；　and　got　into　bed；　but　in　three　minutes　I　saw　it　wasn't　working。　My　practice　is　to　empty　my　head　simultaneously　with　dropping　it　on　the　pillow。　If　something　sticks　and　doesn't　want　to　e　out　I'll　give　it　up　to　three　minutes　but　no　more。　Then　I　act。
　　This　time；　of　course；　it　was　Barry　Rackham　that　stuck。　I　had　to　decide　that　he　knew　what　I　was　there　for　or　that　he　didn't；　or；　as　an　alternative；　decide　definitely　that　I　wouldn't　try　to　decide　until　tomorrow。　I　got　out　of　bed　and　went　and　sat　on　a　chair。
　　It　may　have　taken　five　minutes；　or　it　could　have　been　fifteen；　I　don't　know。　Anyhow　it　didn't　acplish　anything　except　getting　Rackham　unstuck　from　my　head　for　the　night；　for　the　best　I　could　do　was　decide　for　postponement。　If　he　had　his　guard　up；　so　far　I　had　not　got　past　it。　With　that　settled；　I　got　under　the　covers　again；　took　ten　seconds　to　get　into　position　on　a　strange　mattress；　and　was　off　this　time。　。　。
　　Nearly；　but　not　quite。　A　shutter　or　something　began　to　squeak。　Calling　it　a　shutter　jerked　me　back　part　way；　because　there　were　no　shutters　on　the　windows；　so　it　couldn't　be　that。　I　was　now　enough　awake　to　argue。　The　sound　continued；　at　brief　intervals。　It　not　only　wasn't　a　shutter；　it　wasn't　a　squeak。　Then　it　was　a　baby　whining；　but　it　wasn't；　because　it　came　from　the　open　window；　and　there　were　no　babies　out　there。　To　hell　with　it。　I　turned　over；　putting　my　back　to　the　window；　but　the　sound　still　came；　and　I　had　been　wrong。　It　was　more　of　a　whimper　than　a　whine。　Oh；　nuts。
　　I　rolled　out　of　bed；　switched　on　a　light；　went　down　the　hall　to　Leed's　door；　knocked　on　it；　and　opened　it。
　　〃Well？〃　he　asked；　full　voice。
　　〃Have　you　got　a　dog　that　whimpers　at　night？〃
　　〃Whimpers？　No。〃
　　〃Then　shall　I　go　see　what　it　is？　I　hear　it　through　my　window。〃
　　〃It's　probably…turn　on　the　light；　will　you？〃
　　I　found　the　wall　switch　and　flipped　it。　His　pajamas　were　green　with　thin　white　stripes。　Giving　me　a　look　which　implied　that　here　was　one　more　reason　for　disapproving　of　my　being　there；　he　padded　past　me　into　the　hall　and　on　into　my　room；　me　following。　He　stood　a　moment　to　listen；　crossed　and　stuck　his　head　out　the　window；　pulled　it　in　again；　and　this　time　went　by　me　with　no　look　at　all　and　moving　fast。　I　followed　him　downstairs　and　to　the　side　door；　where　he　pushed　a　light　switch　with　one　hand　while　he　opened　the　door　with　the　other；　and　stepped　across　the　sill。
　　〃By　God；〃　he　said。　〃All　right。　Nobby；　all　right。〃
　　He　squatted。
　　I　take　back　none　of　my　remarks　about　Doberman　pinschers；　but　I　admit　that　that　was　no　time　to　expand　on　them；　nor　did　I　feel　like　it。　The　dog　lay　on　its　side　on　the　slab　of　stone　with　i