rs.toomanywomen-第13部分

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　　She　had　got　pletely　relaxed；　but　now　she　darted　a　glance　at　me。
　　〃What　is　it；　just　a　house？〃
　　〃Sure；　with　a　room　in　it　he　uses　for　an　office。〃
　　She　shook　her　head。　〃You've　got　me　wrong；　Mr。　Truett。　I　wouldn't　go　into　a　house　I'd　never　been　in　with　a　man　I　didn't　know　well　enough　to　call　him　by　his　first　name。〃
　　The　girl　interpreted　everything　in　terms　of　panionship。　〃You've　got　me　wrong；〃　I　assured　her。　〃If　and　when　I　ask　you　to　enjoy　life　with　me　it　won't　be　on　the　pretense　that　we've　got　work　to　do。　I　doubt　if　I'll　feel　like　it　until　you　get　this　Wally　Moore　out　of　your　system。　That　might　even　be　why　I　want　to　go　and　discuss　it　with　Mr。　Wolfe。〃
　　She　wasn't　stubborn。　Fifteen　minutes　later　we　were　down　on　the　sidewalk；　climbing　into　a　taxi。　In　that　quarter…hour　I　had　signed　the　check；　drawn　the　curtain　again　for　a　decent　interval；　and　phoned　Wolfe　to　tell　him　what　was　ing。
　　In　the　taxi　she　was　nervous。　Thinking　it　would　be　a　good　idea　to　keep　her　relaxed；　and　anyway　I　had　drunk　my　half　of　the　wine　and　brandy；　I　courteously　got　hold　of　her　hand；　but　she　pulled　it　away。　It　irritated　me　a　little；　because　I　felt　sure　that　what　made　her　balky　was　not　the　idea　of　discussing　murder　with　Nero　Wolfe　but　the　prospect　of　entering　a　strange　house　with　me。　It　seemed　a　little　late　in　the　day　for　a　Puritan　streak　to　show。　As　a　result；　however；　my　faculties　resumed　their　normal　operations；　and　therefore　I　became　aware；　at　Forty…seventh　Street　and　Tenth　Avenue；　that　we　had　an　outrider。　Another　taxi　had　stuck　to　our　rear　all　the　way　across　town；　and　turned　south　on　Tenth　Avenue　behind　us。　The　driver　was　apparently　not　the　subtle　type。　Since　Rosa　had　seen　fit　to　build　a　fence　between　us；　I　said　nothing　about　it　to　her。
　　When　we　turned　right　on　Thirty…fifth　Street　our　suffix　came　along。　By　the　time　we　rolled　to　the　curb　in　front　of　Wolfe's　house　there　wasn't　even　a　hyphen　between　us。　I　paid　the　driver　from　my　seat；　and　my　giving　Rosa　a　hand　out　to　the　sidewalk；　and　the　emergence　from　the　other　cab　of　a　big　husky　male　in　a　topcoat　and　a　conservative　felt　hat；　were　simultaneous。
　　As　he　started　toward　us　I　addressed　him；　〃I　didn't　quite　catch　the　name。〃
　　He　snubbed　me　and　spoke　to　her；　ing　right　up　to　her　and　ignoring　me　entirely。　〃Where　are　you　going　with　this　man？〃
　　Masterful　as　he　was；　it　by　no　means　withered　her。　〃You're　getting　to　be　a　bigger　fool　every　day；　Harry；〃　she　declared；　extremely　annoyed。　〃I've　told　you　a　thousand　times　that　it's　none　of　your　business　where　I　go　or　who　with！〃
　　〃And　I've　told　you　it　is　and　it　still　is。〃　He　was　towering　over　her。　〃You　were　going　in　that　house　with　him。　By　God；　you　e　with　me！〃　He　gripped　her　shoulder。
　　She　squirmed；　but　not　a　panicky　squirm；　he　was　probably　squeezing　her　flesh　into　her　bones。　With　his　build　he　could　have　tucked　her　under　one　arm。　Grimacing　from　it；　she　appealed　to　me。
　　〃Mr。　Truett；　this　is　that　husband　I　was　telling　you　about。　He's　so　big！〃
　　Implying　I　was　helpless。　So　I　spoke　to　〃Listen；　brother；　here's　a　suggestion。　We'll　only　be　in　there　three　or　four　hours　that　ought　to　do　it。　You　wait　here　on　the　stoop　and　when　she　es　out　you　can　take　her　home。〃
　　I　suppose　it　was　badly　phrased；　but　husbands　who　try　to　go　on　steering　when　the　car　is　upside　down　in　a　ditch　always　aggravate　me。　He　reacted　immediately　by　letting　go　of　her　shoulder；　which　was　a　necessary　preliminary　to　his　next　move；　an　accurate　and　powerful　punch　aimed　for　the　middle　of　my　face。
　　Ducking　out　of　its　path；　my　thought　was　that　this　would　be　simple；　since　he　didn't　know　enough　about　it　to　go　for　something　more　vulnerable　and　easier　to　get　at　than　a　face；　but　I　was　wrong。　He　knew　plenty　about　it；　and　evidently；　also　thinking　it　would　be　simple；　hadn't　bothered　about　tactics。　When　I　merely　jerked　my　head　sideways　to　let　the　punch　go　by　and　planted　a　left　hook　with　my　weight　behind　it　just　below　the　crotch　of　his　ribs；　thereby　informing　him　that　I　knew　the　alphabet；　he　became　a　different　man。
　　Within　a　minute　he　had　landed　on　my　body　three　times　and　underneath　my　jaw　once；　and　I　had　bee　aware　that；　with　his　extra　fifteen　or　twenty　pounds；　he　had　the　advantage　in　every　way　but　one：　he　was　mad　and　I　wasn't。　Believing　as　I　do　in　advantages；　so　long　as　you　don't　do　anything　you　aren't　willing　to　have　done　back　at　you；　I　carefully　chose　moments　to　use　a　little　precious　breath　on　remarks。
　　When　he　missed　with　a　right　swing　and　had　to　dance　back　a　step　to　recover　I　told　him；　〃Three　hours　with　her。。。seems　like　three　minutes。。。huh？〃
　　When　I　sneaked　in　a　swift　short　punch　and　had　the　other　one　ing　up　and　he　had　to　clinch；　I　muttered；　〃In　a　month　or　so　I'll　be　through　with　her　anyway。〃
　　At　one　point；　just　after　he　had　jolted　me　good　with　a　solid　one　over　the　heart；　I　thought　he　was　doing　some　conversing　himself。　I　distinctly　heard　a　voice　say；　〃You　might　as　well　pay　me　now。　He　shouldn't　try　to　talk。　You　can't　talk　and　fight　both。〃
　　Then　I　realized　at　the　edge　of　my　mind　that　it　wasn't　him。　The　taxi　drivers　were　leaning　against　the　fender　of　the　cab　I　had　paid　for；　enjoying　a　free　show。　I　resented　that；　and；　knowing　I　was　in　no　position　to　resent　anything；　shoved　it　out　of　the　way。　The　husband　apparently　had　oversize　lungs。　With　no　gong　to　announce　intermissions　I　was　beginning　to　wish　I　had　learned　to　breathe　through　my　ears；　but　he　didn't　even　his　mouth　open。　He　just　kept　ing。　I　told　him；　〃Even　if　you　put　me　to　sleep。。。I'll　wake　up　again。。。and　so　will　she。。。not　three　hours。。。three　days　and　nights。。。and　it'll　be　worth　it。。。〃
　　With　his　right　he　started　a　haymaker　for　my　head；　practically　putting　his　left　in　his　pocket。　He　had　done　that　once　before；　and　I　had　been　a　tenth　of　a　second　too　slow。　My　best　punch　is　a　right　to　the　body；　the　kidney　spot；　turning　my　whole　weight　behind　it　exactly　as　if　I　meant　to　spin　clear　on　around。　When　the　timing　and　distance　are　just　right　it's　as　good　as　I've　got。　That　one　clicked。　He　didn't　go　down；　but　it　softened　the　springs　in　his　legs；　and　for　an　instant　his　arms　were　paralyzed。　I　was　on　him；　in　close；　sawing　with　both　elbows；　my　face　not　six　inches　from　his；　and　when　I　saw　he　was　really　on　the　way　and　perfectly　safe　for　two　full　seconds；　I　backed　out　a　little　and　let　him　have　two　more　kidney　punches。　The　second　one　was　a　little　high　because　he　had　started　down。
　　I　stood　over　him　with　my　fists　still　tight　and　became　aware　that　I　was　trembling　from　head　to　foot　and　there　was　nothing　I　could　do　about　it。　I　heard　the　voice　of　one　of　the　taxi　drivers：
　　〃Boy；　Oh　boy。　Pretty　as　a　picture！　I　felt　them　last　two　myself。〃
　　I　looked　around。　That　block　was　never　much　populated；　and　at　that　time　of　day　was　deserted。　We　hadn't　done　any　yelping　or　bellowing。　Not　a　soul　was　in　sight　except　the　two　drivers。
　　〃Where's　the　lady？〃　I　asked。
　　〃She　beat　it　like　a　streak　when　he　slammed　you　up　against　my　car。〃　He　aimed　a　thumb　west。　〃That　way。　And　I　don't　want　no　argument　with　you。　What　the　hell；　Mac；　you're　good　enough　for　the　Garden！〃
　　I　was　still　trying　to　catch　up　on　my　breathing。　The　husband　rose　to　an　elbow　and　was　evidently　on　his　way　up。　I　spoke　to　him。
　　〃You　goddam　married　wife…chaser；　the　second　you're　on　your　feet　you　get　more　of　the　same；　or　even　on　one　foot。　Do　you　know　who　lives　in　this　house？　Nero　Wolfe。　I　was　taking　her　to　see　him　on　business。　Now　she's　gone；　and　damned　if　I'm　going　in　with　nothing；　so　I'll　take　you。　Besides；　you　ought　to　get　brushed　off　and　drink　a　cup　of　tea。〃
　　He　was　sitting　up；　looking　the　way　I　felt。　〃Is　that　straight？〃　he　demanded。　〃You　were　bringing　her　here　to　see　Nero　Wolfe？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　Then　I'm　sorry。　I　apologize。〃　He　scrambled　to　his　feet。　〃When　it　es　to　her　I　don't　stop　to　think。　I　could　use　a　drink　and　I　don't　mean　tea；　and　I'd　like　to　take　a　look　in　a　mirror。〃
　　〃Then　up　that　stoop。　I　know　where　there's　a　mirror。　Your　hat's　there　in　the　gutter。〃
　　One　of　the　drivers　handed　it　to　him。　I　followed　him　up　the　seven　steps　and　let　us　in　with　my　key。　We　hung　our　things　in　the　hall；　and　I　steered　him　on　to　the　office。　Wolfe　was　there　behind　his　desk。　He　took　the　husband　in　with　a　swift　glance；　then　transferred　it　to　me　and　demanded：
　　〃What　the　devil　are　you　u