raymondchandler.thehighwindow-第7章

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f　a　war　wound。〃
　 〃Is　Morny　dangerous　to　women？〃
　 〃Don't　be　Victorian；　old　top。　Women　don't　call　it　danger。〃
　 〃Do　you　know　a　girl　named　Lois　Magic；　said　to　be　an　entertainer。　A　tall　gaudy　blond；　I　hear。〃
　 〃No。　Sounds　as　though　I　might　like　to。〃
　 〃Don't　be　cute。　Do　you　know　anybody　named　Vannier？　None　of　these　people　are　in　the　phone　book。〃
　 〃Nope。　But　I　could　ask　Gertie　Arbogast；　if　you　want　to　call　back。　He　knows　all　the　night　club　aristocrats。　And　heels。〃
　 〃Thanks；　Kenny。　I'll　do　that。　Half　an　hour？〃
　 He　said　that　would　be　fine；　and　we　hung　up。　I　locked　the　office　and　left。
　 At　the　end　of　the　corridor；　in　the　angle　of　the　wall；　a　youngish　blond　man　in　a　brown　suit　and　a　cocoa…colored　straw　hat　with　a　brown　and　yellow　tropical　print　band　was　reading　the　evening　paper　with　his　back　to　the　wall。　As　I　passed　him　he　yawned　and　tucked　the　paper　under　his　arm　and　straightened　up。
　 He　got　into　the　elevator　with　me。　He　could　hardly　keep　his　eyes　open　he　was　so　tired。　I　went　out　on　the　street　and　walked　a　block　to　the　bank　to　deposit　my　check　and　draw　out　a　little　folding　money　for　expenses。　From　there　I　went　to　the　Tigertail　Lounge　and　sat　in　a　shallow　booth　and　drank　a　martini　and　ate　a　sandwich。　The　man　in　the　brown　suit　posted　himself　at　the　end　of　the　bar　and　drank　coca　colas　and　looked　bored　and　piled　pennies　in　front　of　him；　carefully　smoothing　the　edges。　He　had　his　dark　glasses　on　again。　That　made　him　invisible。
　 I　dragged　my　sandwich　out　as　long　as　I　could　and　then　strolled　back　to　the　telephone　booth　at　the　inner　end　of　the　bar。　The　man　in　the　brown　suit　turned　his　head　quickly　and　then　covered　the　motion　by　lifting　his　glass。　I　dialed　the　Chronicle　office　again。
　 〃Okay；〃　Kenny　Haste　said。　〃Gertie　Arbogast　says　Morny　married　your　gaudy　blond　not　very　long　ago。　Lois　Magic。　He　doesn't　know　Vannier。　He　says　Morny　bought　a　place　out　beyond　Bel…Air；　a　white　house　on　Stillwood　Crescent　Drive；　about　five　blocks　north　of　Sunset。　Gertie　says　Morny　took　it　over　from　a　busted　flush　named　Arthur　Blake　Popham　who　got　caught　in　a　mail　fraud　rap。　Popham's　initials　are　still　on　the　gates。　And　probably　on　the　toilet　paper；　Gertie　says。　He　was　that　kind　of　a　guy。　That's　all　we　seem　to　know。〃
　 〃Nobody　could　ask　more。　Many　thanks；　Kenny。〃
　 I　hung　up；　stepped　out　of　the　booth；　met　the　dark　glasses　above　the　brown　suit　under　the　cocoa　straw　hat　and　watched　them　turn　quickly　away。
　 I　spun　around　and　went　back　through　a　swing　door　into　the　kitchen　and　through　that　to　the　alley　and　along　the　alley　a　quarter　block　to　the　back　of　the　parking　lot　where　I　had　put　my　car。
　 No　sand…colored　coupé　succeeded　in　getting　behind　me　as　I　drove　off；　in　the　general　direction　of　Bel…Air。
　
　
　5
　
　 Stillwood　Crescent　Drive　curved　leisurely　north　from　Sunset　Boulevard；　well　beyond　the　Bel…Air　Country　Club　golf　course。　The　road　was　lined　with　walled　and　fenced　estates。　Some　had　high　walls；　some　had　low　walls；　some　had　ornamental　iron　fences；　some　were　a　bit　oldfashioned　and　got　along　with　tall　hedges。　The　street　had　no　sidewalk。　Nobody　walked　in　that　neighborhood；　not　even　the　mailman。
　 The　afternoon　was　hot；　but　not　hot　like　Pasadena。　There　was　a　drowsy　smell　of　flowers　and　sun；　a　swishing　of　lawn　sprinklers　gentle　behind　hedges　and　walls；　the　clear　ratchety　sound　of　lawn　mowers　moving　delicately　over　serene　and　confident　lawns。
　 I　drove　up　the　hill　slowly；　looking　for　monograms　on　gates。　Arthur　Blake　Popham　was　the　name。　ABP　would　be　the　initials。　I　found　them　almost　at　the　top；　gilt　on　a　black　shield；　the　gates　folded　back　on　a　black　position　driveway。
　 It　was　a　glaring　white　house　that　had　the　air　of　being　brand　new；　but　the　landscaping　was　well　advanced。　It　was　modest　enough　for　the　neighborhood；　not　more　than　fourteen　rooms　and　probably　only　one　swimming　pool。　Its　wall　was　low；　made　of　brick　with　the　concrete　all　oozed　out　between　and　set　that　way　and　painted　over　white。　On　top　of　the　wall　a　low　iron　railing　painted　black。　The　name　A。　P。　Morny　was　stencilled　on　the　large　silver…colored　mailbox　at　the　service　entrance。
　 I　parked　my　crate　on　the　street　and　walked　up　the　black　driveway　to　a　side　door　of　glittering　white　paint　shot　with　patches　of　color　from　the　stained　glass　canopy　over　it。　I　hammered　on　a　large　brass　knocker。　Back　along　the　side　of　the　house　a　chauffeur　was　washing　off　a　Cadillac。
　 The　door　opened　and　a　hard…eyed　Filipino　in　a　white　coat　curled　his　lip　at　me。　I　gave　him　a　card。
　 〃Mrs。　Morny；〃　I　said。
　 He　shut　the　door。　Time　passed；　as　it　always　does　when　I　go　calling。　The　swish　of　water　on　the　Cadillac　had　a　cool　sound。　The　chauffeur　was　a　little　runt　in　breeches　and　leggings　and　a　sweat…stained　shirt。　He　looked　like　an　overgrown　jockey　and　he　made　the　same　kind　of　hissing　noise　as　he　worked　on　the　car　that　a　groom　makes　rubbing　down　a　horse。
　 A　red…throated　hummingbird　went　into　a　scarlet　bush　beside　the　door；　shook　the　long　tubular　blooms　around　a　little；　and　zoomed　off　so　fast　he　simply　disappeared　in　the　air。
　 The　door　opened；　the　Filipino　poked　my　card　at　me。　I　didn't　take　it。
　 〃What　you　want？〃
　 It　was　a　tight　crackling　voice；　like　someone　tiptoeing　across　a　lot　of　eggshells。
　 〃Want　to　see　Mrs。　Morny。〃
　 〃She　not　at　home。〃
　 〃Didn't　you　know　that　when　I　gave　you　the　card？〃
　 He　opened　his　fingers　and　let　the　card　flutter　to　the　ground。　He　grinned；　showing　me　a　lot　of　cut…rate　dental　work。
　 〃I　know　when　she　tell　me。〃
　 He　shut　the　door　in　my　face；　not　gently。
　 I　picked　the　card　up　and　walked　along　the　side　of　the　house　to　where　the　chauffeur　was　squirting　water　on　the　Cadillac　sedan　and　rubbing　the　dirt　off　with　a　big　sponge。　He　had　red　rimmed　eyes　and　a　bang　of　corn…colored　hair。　A　cigarette　hung　exhausted　at　the　corner　of　his　lower　lip。
　 He　gave　me　the　quick　side　glance　of　a　man　who　is　minding　his　own　business　with　difficulty。　I　said：
　 〃Where's　the　boss？〃
　 The　cigarette　jiggled　in　his　mouth。　The　water　went　on　swishing　gently　on　the　paint。
　 〃Ask　at　the　house；　Jack。〃
　 〃I　done　asked。　They　done　shut　the　door　in　mah　face。〃
　 〃You're　breaking　my　heart；　Jack。〃
　 〃How　about　Mrs。　Morny？〃
　 〃Same　answer；　Jack。　I　just　work　here。　Selling　something？〃　I　held　my　card　so　that　he　could　read　it。　It　was　a　business　card　this　time。　He　put　the　sponge　down　on　the　running　board；　and　the　hose　on　the　cement。　He　stepped　around　the　water　to　wipe　his　hands　on　a　towel　that　hung　at　the　side　of　the　garage　doors。　He　fished　a　match　out　of　his　pants；　struck　it　and　tilted　his　head　back　to　light　the　dead　butt　that　was　stuck　in　his　face。
　 His　foxy　little　eyes　flicked　around　this　way　and　that　and　he　moved　behind　the　car；　with　a　jerk　of　the　head。　I　went　over　near　him。
　 〃How's　the　little　old　expense　account？〃　he　asked　in　a　small　careful　voice。
　 〃Fat　with　inactivity。〃
　 〃For　five　I　could　start　thinking。〃
　 〃I　wouldn't　want　to　make　it　that　tough　for　you。〃　
　 〃For　ten　I　could　sing　like　four　canaries　and　a　steel　guitar。〃　
　 〃I　don't　like　these　plushy　orchestrations；〃　I　said。　
　 He　cocked　his　head　sideways。　〃Talk　English；　Jack。〃　
　 〃I　don't　want　you　to　lose　your　job；　son。　All　I　want　to　know　is　whether　Mrs。　Momy　is　home。　Does　that　rate　more　than　a　buck？〃
　 〃Don't　worry　about　my　job；　Jack。　I'm　solid。〃
　 〃With　Mornyor　somebody　else？〃　
　 〃You　want　that　for　the　same　buck？〃　
　 〃Two　bucks。〃
　 He　eyed　me　over。　〃You　ain't　working　for　him；　are　you？〃
　 〃Sure。〃
　 〃You're　a　liar。〃
　 〃Sure。〃
　 〃Gimme　the　two　bucks；〃　he　snapped。
　 I　gave　him　two　dollars。
　 〃She's　in　the　backyard　with　a　friend；〃　he　said。　〃A　nice　friend。　You　got　a　friend　that　don't　work　and　a　husband　that　works；　you're　all　set；　see？〃　He　leered。
　 〃You'll　be　all　set　in　an　irrigation　ditch　one　of　these　days。'
　 〃Not　me；　Jack。　I'm　wise。　I　know　how　to　play　'em。　I　monkeyed　around　these　kind　of　people　all　my　life。〃
　 He　rubbed　the　two　dollar　bills　between　his　palms；　blew　on　them；　folded　them　longways　and　wideways　and　tucked　them　in　the　watch　pocket　of　his　breeches。
　 〃That　was　just　the　soup；〃　he　said。　〃Now　for　five　more〃　
　 A　rather　large　blond　cocker　spaniel　tore　around　the　Cadillac；　skidded　a　little　on　the　wet　concrete；　took　off　neatly；　hit　me　in　the　stomach　and　thighs