raymondchandler.thehighwindow-第5章

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　 I　hung　my　hat　and　coat　on　the　hatrack；　washed　my　face　and　hands　in　cold　water；　lit　a　cigarette　and　hoisted　the　phone　book　onto　the　desk。　Elisha　Morningstar　was　listed　at　824　Belfont　Building；　422　West　Ninth　Street。　I　wrote　that　down　and　the　phone　number　that　went　with　it　and　had　my　hand　on　the　instrument　when　I　remembered　that　I　hadn't　switched　on　the　buzzer　for　the　reception　room。　I　reached　over　the　side　of　the　desk　and　clicked　it　on　and　caught　it　right　in　stride。　Somebody　had　just　opened　the　door　of　the　outer　office。
　 I　turned　my　pad　face　down　on　the　desk　and　went　over　to　see　who　it　was。　It　was　a　slim　tall　self…satisfied　looking　number　in　a　tropical　worsted　suit　of　slate　blue；　black　and　white　shoes；　a　dull　ivory…colored　shirt　and　a　tie　and　display　handkerchief　the　color　of　jacaranda　bloom。　He　was　holding　a　long　black　cigarette…holder　in　a　peeled　back　white　pigskin　glove　and　he　was　wrinkling　his　nose　at　the　dead　magazines　on　the　library　table　and　the　chairs　and　the　rusty　floor　covering　and　the　general　air　of　not　much　money　being　made。
　 As　I　opened　the　municating　door　he　made　a　quarter　turn　and　stared　at　me　out　of　a　pair　of　rather　dreamy　pale　eyes　set　close　to　a　narrow　nose。　His　skin　was　sun…flushed；　his　reddish　hair　was　brushed　back　hard　over　a　narrow　skull；　and　the　thin　line　of　his　mustache　was　much　redder　than　his　hair。
　 He　looked　me　over　without　haste　and　without　much　pleasure。　He　blew　some　smoke　delicately　and　spoke　through　it　with　a　faint　sneer。
　 〃You're　Marlowe？〃
　 I　nodded。
　 〃I'm　a　little　disappointed；〃　he　said。　〃I　rather　expected　something　with　dirty　fingernails。〃
　 〃e　inside；〃　I　said；　〃and　you　can　be　witty　sitting　down。〃
　 I　held　the　door　for　him　and　he　strolled　past　me　flicking　cigarette　ash　on　the　floor　with　the　middle　nail　of　his　free　hand。　He　sat　down　on　the　customer's　side　of　the　desk；　took　off　the　glove　from　his　right　hand　and　folded　this　with　the　other　already　off　and　laid　them　on　the　desk。　He　tapped　the　cigarette　end　out　of　the　long　black　holder；　prodded　the　coal　with　a　match　until　it　stopped　smoking；　fitted　another　cigarette　and　lit　it　with　a　broad　mahogany…colored　match。　He　leaned　back　in　his　chair　with　the　smile　of　a　bored　aristocrat。
　 〃All　set？〃　I　enquired。　〃Pulse　and　respiration　normal？　You　wouldn't　like　a　cold　towel　on　your　head　or　anything？〃
　 He　didn't　curl　his　lip　because　it　had　been　curled　when　he　came　in。　〃A　private　detective；〃　he　said。　〃I　never　met　one。　A　shifty　business；　one　gathers。　Keyhole　peeping；　raking　up　scandal；　that　sort　of　thing。〃
　 〃You　here　on　business；〃　I　asked　him；　〃or　just　slumming？〃
　 His　smile　was　as　faint　as　a　fat　lady　at　a　fireman's　ball。
　 〃The　name　is　Murdock。　That　probably　means　a　little　something　to　you。〃
　 〃You　certainly　made　nice　time　over　here；〃　I　said；　and　started　to　fill　a　pipe。
　 He　watched　me　fill　the　pipe。　He　said　slowly：　〃I　understand　my　mother　has　employed　you　on　a　job　of　some　sort。　She　has　given　you　a　check。〃
　 I　finished　filling　the　pipe；　put　a　match　to　it；　got　it　drawing　and　leaned　back　to　blow　smoke　over　my　right　shoulder　towards　the　open　window。　I　didn't　say　anything。
　 He　leaned　forward　a　little　more　and　said　earnestly：　〃I　know　being　cagey　is　all　part　of　your　trade；　but　I　am　not　guessing。　A　little　worm　told　me；　a　simple　garaen　worm；　often　trodden　on；　but　still　somehow　survivinglike　myself。　I　happened　to　be　not　far　behind　you。　Does　that　help　to　clear　things　up？〃
　 〃Yeah；〃　I　said。　〃Supposing　it　made　any　difference　to　me。〃
　 〃You　are　hired　to　find　my　wife；　I　gather。〃
　 I　made　a　snorting　sound　and　grinned　at　him　over　the　pipe　bowl。
　 〃Marlowe；〃　he　said；　even　more　earnestly；　〃I'll　try　hard；　but　I　don't　think　I　am　going　to　like　you。〃
　 〃I'm　screaming；〃　I　said。　〃With　rage　and　pain。〃
　 〃And　if　you　will　pardon　a　homely　phrase；　your　tough　guy　act　stinks。〃
　 〃ing　from　you；　that's　bitter。〃
　 He　leaned　back　again　and　brooded　at　me　with　pale　eyes。　He　fussed　around　in　the　chair；　trying　to　get　fortable。　A　lot　of　people　had　tried　to　get　fortable　in　that　chair。　I　ought　to　try　it　myself　sometime。　Maybe　it　was　losing　business　for　me。
　 〃Why　should　my　mother　want　Linda　found？〃　he　asked　slowly。　〃She　hated　her　guts。　I　mean　my　mother　hated　Linda's　guts。　Linda　was　quite　decent　to　my　mother。　What　do　you　think　of　her？〃
　 〃Your　mother？〃
　 〃Of　course。　You　haven't　met　Linda；　have　you？〃
　 〃That　secretary　of　your　mother's　has　her　job　hanging　by　a　frayed　thread。　She　talks　out　of　turn。〃
　 He　shook　his　head　sharply。　〃Mother　won't　know。　Anyhow；　Mother　couldn't　do　without　Merle。　She　has　to　have　somebody　to　bully。　She　might　yell　at　her　or　even　slap　her　face；　but　she　couldn't　do　without　her。　What　did　you　think　of　her？〃
　 〃Kind　of　cutein　an　old　world　sort　of　way。〃
　 He　frowned。　〃I　mean　Mother。　Merle's　just　a　simple　little　girl；　I　know。〃
　 〃Your　powers　of　observation　startle　me；〃　I　said。
　 He　looked　surprised。　He　almost　forgot　to　fingernail　the　ash　of　his　cigarette。　But　not　quite。　He　was　careful　not　to　get　any　of　it　in　the　ashtray；　however。
　 〃About　my　mother；〃　he　said　patiently。
　 〃A　grand　old　warhorse；〃　I　said。　〃A　heart　of　gold；　and　the　gold　buried　good　and　deep。〃
　 〃But　why　does　she　want　Linda　found？　I　can't　understand　it。　Spending　money　on　it　too。　My　mother　hates　to　spend　money。　She　thinks　money　is　part　of　her　skin。　Why　does　she　want　Linda　found？〃
　 〃Search　me；〃　I　said。　〃Who　said　she　did？〃
　 〃Why；　you　implied　so。　And　Merle〃
　 〃Merle's　just　romantic。　She　made　it　up。　Hell；　she　blows　her　nose　in　a　man's　handkerchief。　Probably　one　of　yours。〃
　 He　blushed。　〃That's　silly。　Look；　Marlowe。　Please；　be　reasonable　and　give　me　an　idea　what　it's　all　about。　I　haven't　much　money；　I'm　afraid；　but　would　a　couple　of　hundred〃
　 〃I　ought　to　bop　you；〃　I　said。　〃Besides　I'm　not　supposed　to　talk　to　you。　Orders。〃
　 〃Why；　for　heaven's　sake？〃
　 〃Don't　ask　me　things　I　don't　know。　I　can't　tell　you　the　answers。　And　don't　ask　me　things　I　do　know；　because　I　won't　tell　you　the　answers。　Where　have　you　been　all　your　life？　If　a　man　in　my　line　of　work　is　handed　a　job；　does　he　go　around　answering　questions　about　it　to　anyone　that　gets　curious？〃
　 〃There　must　be　a　lot　of　electricity　in　the　air；〃　he　said　nastily；　〃for　a　man　in　your　line　of　work　to　turn　down　two　hundred　dollars。〃
　 There　was　nothing　in　that　for　me　either。　I　picked　his　broad　mahogany　match　out　of　the　tray　and　looked　at　it。　It　had　thin　yellow　edges　and　there　was　white　printing　on　it。　ROSEMONT。　H。　RICHARDS　'3the　rest　was　burnt　off。　I　doubled　the　match　and　squeezed　the　halves　together　and　tossed　it　in　the　waste　basket。
　 〃I　love　my　wife；〃　he　said　suddenly　and　showed　me　the　hard　white　edges　of　his　teeth。　〃A　corny　touch；　but　it's　true。〃
　 〃The　Lombardos　are　still　doing　all　right。〃
　 He　kept　his　lips　pulled　back　from　his　teeth　and　talked　through　them　at　me。　〃She　doesn't　love　me。　I　know　of　no　particular　reason　why　she　should。　Things　have　been　strained　between　us。　She　was　used　to　a　fast　moving　sort　of　life。　With　us；　well；　it　has　been　pretty　dull。　We　haven't　quarreled。　Linda's　the　cool　type。　But　she　hasn't　really　had　a　lot　of　fun　being　married　to　me。〃
　 〃You're　just　too　modest；〃　I　said。
　 His　eyes　glinted；　but　he　kept　his　smooth　manner　pretty　well　in　place。
　 〃Not　good；　Marlowe。　Not　even　fresh。　Look；　you　have　the　air　of　a　decent　sort　of　guy。　I　know　my　mother　is　not　putting　out　two　hundred　and　fifty　bucks　just　to　be　breezy。　Maybe　it's　not　Linda。　Maybe　it's　something　else。　Maybe〃　he　stopped　and　then　said　this　very　slowly；　watching　my　eyes；　〃maybe　it's　Morny。〃
　 〃Maybe　it　is；〃　I　said　cheerfully。
　 He　picked　his　gloves　up　and　slapped　the　desk　with　them　and　put　them　down　again。　〃I'm　in　a　spot　there　all　right；〃　he　said。　〃But　I　didn't　think　she　knew　about　it。　Morny　must　have　called　her　up。　He　promised　not　to。〃
　 This　was　easy。　I　said：　〃How　much　are　you　into　him　for？〃　It　wasn't　so　easy。　He　got　suspicious　again。　〃If　he　called　her　up；　he　would　have　told　her。　And　she　would　have　told　you；〃　he　said　thinly。
　 〃Maybe　it　isn't　Morny；〃　I　said；　beginning　to　want　a　drink　very　badly。　〃Maybe　the　cook　is　with　child　by　the　iceman。　But　if　it　was　Morny；　how　much？〃
　 〃Twelve　thousand；〃　he　said；　looking　down　and　flushing。
　 〃Threats？〃
　 He　nodded。
　 〃Tell　him　to　go　fly　a　kite；〃　I　said。　〃