raymondchandler.thehighwindow-第2章

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y　strokes　of　the　pencil。　When　she　was　through　she　hung　the　phone　book　back　on　a　hook　and　stood　up　and　smoothed　the　linen　dress　down　over　her　thighs　and　said：
　 〃If　you　will　just　wait　a　few　moments〃　and　went　towards　the　door。
　 Halfway　there　she　turned　back　and　pushed　a　top　drawer　of　her　desk　shut　at　the　side。　She　went　out。　The　door　closed。　There　was　silence。　Outside　the　window　bees　buzzed。　Far　off　I　heard　the　whine　of　a　vacuum　cleaner。　I　picked　the　unlighted　cigarette　off　my　hat；　put　it　in　my　mouth　and　stood　up。　I　went　around　the　desk　and　pulled　open　the　drawer　she　had　e　back　to　shut。
　 It　wasn't　any　of　my　business。　I　was　just　curious。　It　wasn't　any　of　my　business　that　she　had　a　small　Colt　automatic　in　the　drawer。　I　shut　it　and　sat　down　again。
　 She　was　gone　about　four　minutes。　She　opened　the　door　and　stayed　at　it　and　said：　〃Mrs。　Murdock　will　see　you　now。〃
　 We　went　along　some　more　hallway　and　she　opened　half　of　a　double　glass　door　and　stood　aside。　I　went　in　and　the　door　was　closed　behind　me。
　 It　was　so　dark　in　there　that　at　first　I　couldn't　see　anything　but　the　outdoors　light　ing　through　thick　bushes　and　screens。　Then　I　saw　that　the　room　was　a　sort　of　sun　porch　that　had　been　allowed　to　get　pletely　overgrown　outside。　It　was　furnished　with　grass　rugs　and　reed　stuff。　There　was　a　reed　chaise　longue　over　by　the　window。　It　had　a　curved　back　and　enough　cushions　to　stuff　an　elephant　and　there　was　a　woman　leaning　back　on　it　with　a　wine　glass　in　her　hand。　I　could　smell　the　thick　scented　alcoholic　odor　of　the　wine　before　I　could　see　her　properly。　Then　my　eyes　got　used　to　the　light　and　I　could　see　her。
　 She　had　a　lot　of　face　and　chin。　She　had　pewter…colored　hair　set　in　a　ruthless　permanent；　a　hard　beak　and　large　moist　eyes　with　the　sympathetic　expression　of　wet　stones。　There　was　lace　at　her　throat；　but　it　was　the　kind　of　throat　that　would　have　looked　better　in　a　football　sweater。　She　wore　a　grayish　silk　dress。　Her　thick　arms　were　bare　and　mottled。　There　were　jet　buttons　in　her　ears。　There　was　a　low　glass…topped　table　beside　her　and　a　bottle　of　port　on　the　table。　She　sipped　from　the　glass　she　was　holding　and　looked　at　me　over　it　and　said　nothing。
　 I　stood　there。　She　let　me　stand　while　she　finished　the　port　in　her　glass　and　put　the　glass　down　on　the　table　and　filled　it　again。　Then　she　tapped　her　lips　with　a　handkerchief。　Then　she　spoke。　Her　voice　had　a　hard　baritone　quality　and　sounded　as　if　it　didn't　want　any　nonsense。
　 〃Sit　down；　Mr。　Marlowe。　Please　do　not　light　that　cigarette。　I'm　asthmatic。〃
　 I　sat　down　in　a　reed　rocker　and　tucked　the　still　unlighted　cigarette　down　behind　the　handkerchief　in　my　outside　pocket。
　 〃I've　never　had　any　dealing　with　private　detectives；　Mr。　Marlowe。　I　don't　know　anything　about　them。　Your　references　seem　satisfactory。　What　are　your　charges？〃
　 〃To　do　what；　Mrs。　Murdock？〃
　 〃It's　a　very　confidential　matter；　naturally。　Nothing　to　do　with　the　police。　If　it　had　to　do　with　the　police；　I　should　have　called　the　police。〃
　 〃I　charge　twenty…five　dollars　a　day；　Mrs。　Murdock。　And　of　course　expenses。〃
　 〃It　seems　high。　You　must　make　a　great　deal　of　money。〃　She　drank　some　more　of　her　port。　I　don't　like　port　in　hot　weather；　but　it's　nice　when　they　let　you　refuse　it。
　 〃No；〃　I　said。　〃It　isn't。　Of　course　you　can　get　detective　work　done　at　any　pricejust　like　legal　work。　Or　dental　work。　I'm　not　an　organization。　I'm　just　one　man　and　I　work　at　just　one　case　at　a　time。　I　take　risks；　sometimes　quite　big　risks；　and　I　don't　work　all　the　time。　No；　I　don't　think　twenty…five　dollars　a　day　is　too　much。〃
　 〃I　see。　And　what　is　the　nature　of　the　expenses？〃
　 〃Little　things　that　e　up　here　and　there。　You　never　know。〃
　 〃I　should　prefer　to　know；〃　she　said　acidly。
　 〃You'll　know；〃　I　said。　〃You'll　get　it　all　down　in　black　and　white。　You'll　have　a　chance　to　object；　if　you　don't　like　it。〃
　 〃And　how　much　retainer　would　you　expect？〃
　 〃A　hundred　dollars　would　hold　me；〃　I　said。
　 〃I　should　hope　it　would；〃　she　said　and　finished　her　port　and　poured　the　glass　full　again　without　even　waiting　to　wipe　her　lips。
　 〃From　people　in　your　position；　Mrs。　Murdock；　I　don't　necessarily　have　to　have　a　retainer。〃
　 〃Mr。　Marlowe；〃　she　said；　〃I'm　a　strong…minded　woman。　But　don't　let　me　scare　you。　Because　if　you　can　be　scared　by　me；　you　won't　be　much　use　to　me。〃
　 I　nodded　and　let　that　one　drift　with　the　tide。
　 She　laughed　suddenly　and　then　she　belched。　It　was　a　nice　light　belch；　nothing　showy；　and　performed　with　easy　unconcern。　〃My　asthma；〃　she　said　carelessly。　〃I　drink　this　wine　as　medicine。　That's　why　I'm　not　offering　you　any。〃
　 I　swung　a　leg　over　my　knee。　I　hoped　that　wouldn't　hurt　her　asthma。
　 〃Money；〃　she　said；　〃is　not　really　important。　A　woman　in　my　position　is　always　overcharged　and　gets　to　expect　it。　I　hope　you　will　be　worth　your　fee。　Here　is　the　situation。　Something　of　considerable　value　has　been　stolen　from　me。　I　want　it　back；　but　I　want　more　than　that。　I　don't　want　anybody　arrested。　The　thief　happens　to　be　a　member　of　my　family　by　marriage。〃
　 She　turned　the　wine　glass　with　her　thick　fingers　and　smiled　faintly　in　the　dim　light　of　the　shadowed　room。　〃My　daughter…in…law；〃　she　said。　〃A　charming　girland　tough　as　an　oak　board。〃
　 She　looked　at　me　with　a　sudden　gleam　in　her　eyes。
　 〃I　have　a　damn　fool　of　a　son；〃　she　said。　〃But　I'm　very　fond　of　him。　About　a　year　ago　he　made　an　idiotic　marriage；　without　my　consent。　This　was　foolish　of　him　because　he　is　quite　incapable　of　earning　a　living　and　he　has　no　money　except　what　I　give　him；　and　I　am　not　generous　with　money。　The　lady　he　chose；　or　who　chose　him；　was　a　night　club　singer。　Her　name；　appropriately　enough；　was　Linda　Conquest。　They　have　lived　here　in　this　house。　We　didn't　quarrel　because　I　don't　allow　people　to　quarrel　with　me　in　my　own　house；　but　there　has　not　been　good　feeling　between　us。　I　have　paid　their　expenses；　given　each　of　them　a　car；　made　the　lady　a　sufficient　but　not　gaudy　allowance　for　clothes　and　so　on。　No　doubt　she　found　the　life　rather　dull。　No　doubt　she　found　my　son　dull。　I　find　him　dull　myself。　At　any　rate　she　moved　out；　very　abruptly；　a　week　or　so　ago；　without　leaving　a　forwarding　address　or　saying　good…by。〃
　 She　coughed；　fumbled　for　a　handkerchief；　and　blew　her　nose。
　 〃What　was　taken；〃　she　went　on；　〃was　a　coin。　A　rare　gold　coin　called　a　Brasher　Doubloon。　It　was　the　pride　of　my　husband's　collection。　I　care　nothing　for　such　things；　but　he　did。　I　have　kept　the　collection　intact　since　he　died　four　years　ago。　It　is　upstairs；　in　a　locked　fireproof　room；　in　a　set　of　fireproof　cases。　It　is　insured；　but　I　have　not　reported　the　loss　yet。　I　don't　want　to；　if　I　can　help　it。　I'm　quite　sure　Linda　took　it。　The　coin　is　said　to　be　worth　over　ten　thousand　dollars。　It's　a　mint　specimen。〃
　 〃But　pretty　hard　to　sell；〃　I　said。
　 〃Perhaps。　I　don't　know。　I　didn't　miss　the　coin　until　yesterday。　I　should　not　have　missed　it　then；　as　I　never　go　near　the　collection；　except　that　a　man　in　Los　Angeles　named　Morningstar　called　up；　said　he　was　a　dealer；　and　was　the　Murdock　Brasher；　as　he　called　it；　for　sale？　My　son　happened　to　take　the　call。　He　said　he　didn't　believe　it　was　for　sale；　it　never　had　been；　but　that　if　Mr。　Morningstar　would　call　some　other　time；　he　could　probably　talk　to　me。　It　was　not　convenient　then；　as　I　was　resting。　The　man　said　he　would　do　that。　My　son　reported　the　conversation　to　Miss　Davis；　who　reported　it　to　me。　I　had　her　call　the　man　back。　I　was　faintly　curious。〃
　 She　sipped　some　more　port；　flopped　her　handkerchief　about　and　grunted。
　 〃Why　were　you　curious；　Mrs。　Murdock？〃　I　asked；　just　to　be　saying　something。
　 〃If　the　man　was　a　dealer　of　any　repute；　he　would　know　that　the　coin　was　not　for　sale。　My　husband；　Jasper　Murdock；　provided　in　his　will　that　no　part　of　his　collection　might　be　sold；　loaned　or　hypothecated　during　my　lifetime。　Nor　removed　from　this　house；　except　in　case　of　damage　to　the　house　necessitating　removal；　and　then　only　by　action　of　the　trustees。　My　husband〃　she　smiled　grimly　〃seemed　to　feel　that　I　ought　to　have　taken　more　interest　in　his　little　pieces　of　metal　while　he　was　alive。〃
　 It　was　a　nice　day　outside；　the　sun　shining；　the　flowers　blooming；　the　birds　singing。　Cars　went　by　on　the　street　with　a　distant　forta