rs.toomanywomen-第42部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
a chair so as to have a view of the door of Hester's room across the arena； and sat。
Her door was closed。
Within a minute the several dozen females inhabiting the segment of the arena overlooked from my post were aware of my open door and of me sitting there。 Eyes were ing at me； all the way from hasty quickly averted glances to marathon stares。 It was an interesting experience； or would have been if I had been in a frame of mind to explore all the possibilities。 Under the circumstances nothing came of it。 I did not actually expect someone to e rolling down the aisle in a stolen sedan； swerve and head for Hester's room and run the sedan over her。 I would have been surprised if anything at all had happened； but even so； during all the time that I sat there I did not yawn once； and there was no interval of more than three seconds when Hester's door could have opened without me seeing it。
It did in fact open； seven times。 At 2：35 she emerged； went to Rosenbaum's room； and returned to her own at 2：48。 At 3：02 she emerged again； went to the end of the arena where the women's room was； and returned at 3：19。 At 3：41 Sumner Hoff came marching down the far aisle and opened her door and went in； closing it behind him。 At 3：55 he came out again and headed straight for me…more about that later。 At 4：12 Hester came out…more about that later too。 That made the seven。
The first proof that I had used good judgment in picking Gwynne as a repository of confidential information came around three o'clock； when my view of the arena was suddenly obstructed by an object appearing in my door。 The object was Rosa Bendini。 Her black eyes were shining with excitement； but as she entered and approached all she said was：
〃This is Monday； Archie。〃
I nodded。 〃March thirty…first。 Six days till Easter。〃
〃Do you remember last Monday？〃
〃I'll never forget it。 I remember Thursday even better。〃
〃So do I。 What are you doing； sitting here？〃
〃Remembering Monday and Thursday。 Excuse me。 Down in front。〃 I stretched my neck to see。 Hester had emerged from her room。 When I was satisfied that she was bound for the restroom I came back to my caller。 〃What are the eyes all lit up for？ Not just for me。〃
〃Shall I shut the door？〃
〃No； ma'am。 Not during office hours。〃
She came a step closer。 〃Hester's lying to you；〃 she said with sudden startling intensity。 Her head jerked around for a look at the door and then back to me。 〃Didn't I tell you about her？ She may know who killed Wally； that part's all right； but she's trying to play a trick on you。 I told you about her； didn't I？〃
〃You did。 Keep your voice down。 What makes you think she knows who killed Wally？〃
〃She told you so。〃 Rosa put a hand on my arm； saw my glance at the open door； and took the hand away。 〃Don't let her fool you。 Archie。 Next she'll be telling you who it was。
〃If she does that will be more than you did。 You said you knew who killed him but you wouldn't get down to a name。 Then you said you didn't know。 Is that what you call a trick？〃
〃I…I…〃 She looked around again。 〃I'm going to shut the door。〃
〃Why； are you ready to name a name？〃
〃I don't know any names； Archie。 I want you to put your arms around me。 I'll shut…〃
I got her elbow； stopping her。 〃No； Rosa； not now； we'll save it for next time。 Who told you…〃
She jerked free； her eyes flashing。 〃There may not be any next time；〃 she said； and went。
It was satisfactory to know that Gwynne had not failed me； but beyond that it was doubtful what I had got； if anything。 Wolfe was expecting some word or gesture or countermove； and my instructions were to keep him posted； but I couldn't for the life of me see anything helpful in Rosa's wanting me to embrace her。 Why shouldn't she？ It had been four days since Thursday。 I was making up my mind whether to go to a phone booth and tell him about it； and had decided to wait at least until Hester had returned from the restroom； when my door was darkened again。
It was Ben Frenkel。 He advanced two long strides from the door； stopped； gazed down at me with his probe working； and rumbled his thunder：
〃Am I intruding？〃
〃Sure。〃 I grinned up at him。 〃What for？〃
〃You had lunch with Miss Ferris today。〃
I nodded。 〃Nothing personal。 There was something I wanted to discuss with her。〃
〃I don't believe it。〃 He was keeping his thunder low。
〃Then I'm a liar again。 Ask her。〃
〃I don't have to ask her。 She has told me。 You said you wanted to ask her advice； which is preposterous。 You have talked with her several times now at great length； both you and Mr。 Wolfe； and it is impossible to believe that you would want to ask her advice。 You must be aware that she is pletely devoid of intellect； and therefore that her opinion on any subject whatever is without value。 She is not a moron； but the quality of her brain is distinctly inferior。〃
〃What's this？〃 I was gaping at him。 〃I thought you liked her！〃
He waved that aside with a wide sweep of his long bony arm。 〃I don't like her。 I am passionately in love with her and you know it。 Another thing； you told her something in confidence； which is even more preposterous。 She is utterly incapable of keeping her mouth shut。 You know that。 That is your best assurance that I did not kill Waldo Moore…nor Naylor either。 If I had I couldn't have kept it from her…I can keep nothing from her。 And if she knew it she would have blabbed it long ago； not just to you； to everybody。 That's how you know I'm innocent。〃
〃It's a point；〃 I conceded。
〃Certainly it is。 Then how do you account for the fact that you told her something which you said was highly confidential； pledging her to tell no one？〃
〃I don't see why…excuse me。〃 I stretched my neck again to gawk。 Hester was returning from the restroom。 As she entered her office I glanced at my wrist and registered the 3：19。1 returned to Frenkel。
〃You may be wrong about Miss Ferris。 You can't take it for granted that everybody's opinion of her brain power agrees with yours。 You may be blinded by love。〃
His arm swept that away too； describing an arc with its full radius。 〃You're just talking；〃 he rumbled。 〃You are trying to obscure an extremely serious matter by degrading it to a triviality。 Also you are making use of Miss Ferris； using her as a tool； in a manner that may be dangerous to her。 That is a vicious thing to do。 Vicious is not too strong a word。〃 His eyes were boring into me。 〃She is incapable of seeing the danger or of guarding against it； and I have a right to ask； I have a right to demand； that you tell me exactly what Miss Livsey said to you。 The exact words。 Since you chose Miss Ferris as your puppet； I assume that Miss Livsey mentioned my name。 Did she？〃
〃Not yet。〃 I tilted my head to see him better。 〃That's sort of funny； how you're repeating yourself。 It was the same about Naylor； remember？ You came to ask me if he had mentioned your name。 Funny； huh？〃
〃Not at all。〃 Frenkel whirled； took a step； grabbed the chair at the desk； planted it facing me； and sat。 I had the impression that his eyes hadn't left me at all。 〃I'm an introvert；〃 he declared as if that explained everything。 〃You could even say that I am egocentric。 That's why my infatuation for Miss Ferris has so deeply disturbed my personality。 It has created an inner conflict。。。〃
He was off。 There were； of course； various ways of stopping him； but I saw no point in hurting his feelings since I could stick to my observation post just as well with him there； though he could have only my ears since my eyes were engaged in another direction。 So I listened to him attentively； on the slim chance that the word or gesture or counter…move might e from him； and I even tossed in an occasional question or ment。 I was listening to him at 3：41； when I saw； across the arena； Sumner Hoff marching down the aisle and entering Hester's room； and I was still listening at 3：55； when Hoff emerged and started in my direction。
Hoff came straight to my door and on in。 I was on my feet by the time he arrived because there wasn't room in that cubby…hole for any fancy acrobatics。 Ben Frenkel stopped in the middle of a sentence and stood up
