rs.inthebestfamelies-第17章

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！


llow；　consisting　of　my　pants　wrapped　in　my　shirt。
　　It　was　the　pants；　or　rather　the　coat　and　vest　that　went　with　them；　that　made　my　stay　pleasanter　than　it　might　have　been　right　from　the　start。　I　had　had　perhaps　half　as　much　sleep　as　I　could　have　used　when　a　hell　of　a　noise　banged　at　me　and　I　lifted　my　head　and　opened　my　eyes。　Across　the　cell　on　another　cot；　so　far　away　that　I　would　have　had　to　stretch　my　arm　its　full　length　to　touch　him；　was　my　cellmate…a　broad…shouldered　guy　about　my　age；　maybe　a　little　older；　with　a　mop　of　tousled　black　hair。　He　was　sitting　up；　yawning。
　　〃What's　all　the　racket？〃　I　asked。　〃Jail　break？〃
　　〃Breakfast　and　check…up　in　ten　minutes；〃　he　replied；　getting　his　feet；　with　socks　on；　to　the　floor。　〃Stupid　custom。〃
　　〃Boneheads；〃　I　agreed；　twisting　up　to　sit　on　the　edge　of　the　cot。
　　Going　to　the　chair　where　his　wardrobe　was；　his　eye　fell　on　my　chair；　and　he　stepped　to　it　for　a　look　at　the　coat　and　vest。　He　fingered　the　lapel；　looked　inside　at　the　lining；　and　inspected　a　buttonhole。　Then；　without　ment；　he　returned　to　his　side；　two　whole　steps；　and　started　to　dress。　I　followed　suit。
　　〃Where　do　we　wash？〃　I　inquired。
　　〃After　breakfast；〃　he　replied；　〃if　you　insist。〃
　　A　man　in　uniform　appeared　on　the　other　side　of　the　bars　and　used　his　hands；　and　the　cell　door　swung　open。
　　〃Wait　a　minute；　Wilkes；〃　my　mate　told　him；　and　then　asked　me；　〃You　cleaned　out？〃
　　〃Naturally。　This　is　a　modem　jail。〃
　　〃Would　bacon　and　eggs　suit　you？〃　〃Just　right。〃
　　〃Toast　white　or　rye？〃
　　〃White。〃
　　〃Our　tastes　are　similar。　Make　it　two；　Wilkes。　Two　of　everything。〃
　　〃As　you　say；〃　the　turnkey　said　distinctly；　and　went。　My　mate；　getting　his　necktie　under　his　shirt　collar；　told　me；　〃They　won't　allow　exceptions　to　the　turnout　and　check…up；　but　you　can　pass　up　the　garbage。　We'll　eat　here　in　privacy。〃
　　〃This；〃　I　said　earnestly；　〃is　the　brotherhood　of　man。　I　would　like　this　breakfast　to　be　on　me　when　I　get　my　wallet　back。〃
　　He　waved　it　away。　〃Forget　it。〃
　　The　turnout　and　check…up；　I　discovered；　were　not　to　be　taken　as　opportunities　for　conversation。　There　were　around　forty　of　us；　all　shapes　and　sizes；　and　on　the　whole　we　were　frankly　not　a　blue…ribbon　outfit。　The　smell　of　the　breakfast　added　to　the　disinfectant　was　enough　to　account　for　the　expressions　on　the　faces；　not　counting　whatever　it　was　that　had　got　them　there；　and　it　was　a　relief　to　get　back　to　my　cozy　cell　with　my　mate。
　　We　had　our　hands　and　faces　washed；　and　he　had　his　teeth　brushed；　when　the　breakfast　came　on　a　big　clean　aluminum　tray。　The　eats　were　barely　usable　if　you　took　Fritz's　productions　as　a　standard；　but　pared　with　the　munity　meal　which　I　had　seen　and　smelled　they　were　a　handsome　feast。
　　My　mate　having　ordered　two　of　everything；　there　were　two　morning　Gazettes；　and　before　he　even　touched　his　orange　juice　he　took　his　paper　and；　with　no　glance　at　the　front　page；　turned　to　sports。　Finishing　his　survey　of　the　day's　prospects；　he　drank　some　orange　juice　and　inquired；　〃Are　you　interested　in　the　rapidity　of　horses？〃
　　〃In　a　way。〃　I　added　earnestly；　〃I　like　the　way　you　talk。　I　enjoy　being　with　cultured　people。〃
　　He　gave　me　a　suspicious　look；　saw　my　honest　candid　countenance；　and　relaxed。　〃That's　natural。　Look　at　your　clothes。〃
　　We　were　on　the　chairs；　with　the　little　wooden　table　between　us。　It　was　fortable　enough　except　that　there　was　no　room　to　prop　up　our　morning　papers。　He　flattened　his　out；　still　open　at　sports；　on　the　end　of　the　cot；　and　turned　to　it　while　disposing　of　a　bite　of　food。　I　arranged　mine；　front　page；　on　my　knee。　In　the　picture　of　Mrs；　Rackham　the　poor　woman　looked　homelier　than　she　had　actually　been；　which　was　a　darned　shame　even　though　she　wasn't　alive　to　see　it。　Wolfe's　name　and　mine　both　appeared　in　the　subheads　under　the　three…column　spread　about　the　murder。
　　I　glanced　at　the　bottom；　followed　the　instruction　to　turn　to　page　four；　and　there　saw　more　pictures。　The　one　of　Wolfe　was　only　fair；　making　him　look　almost　bloated；　but　the　one　of　me　was　excellent。　There　was　one　of　a　Doberman　pinscher　standing　at　attention。　It　was　captioned　Hebe；　which　I　doubted。　The　play　in　the　text　on　Wolfe　and　me　was　on　his　sudden　retirement　from　business　and　absence　from　the　city；　and　on　my　presence　at　the　scene　of　the　murder　and　arrest　as　a　material　witness。　There　was　also　a　report　of　an　interview　with　Marko　Vukcic；　a　Gazette　exclusive；　with　Lon　Cohen's　by…line。　I　would　have　given　at　least　ten　to　one　that　Lon　had　used　my　name　in　getting　to　Marko。
　　With　the　breakfast　all　down；　including　the　coffee；　which　was　pretty　good；　I　was　so　interested　in　my　reading　that　1　didn't　notice　that　my　mate　had　finished　with　sports　and　proceeded　to　other　current　events。　What　got　my　attention　was　the　feeling　that　I　was　being　scrutinized；　and　sure　enough　I　was。　He　was　looking　at　me；　and　then　at　his　page　four；　and　back　at　me　again。
　　I　grinned　at　him。　〃Pretty　good　likeness；　huh？　But　I　don't　think　that's　the　right　dog。　I'm…no　expert；　but　Hebe　isn't　quite　as　slim　as　that。〃
　　He　was　regarding　me　with　a　new　expression；　not　particularly　matey。　〃So　you're　Nero　Wolfe's　little　Archie。〃
　　〃I　was。〃　I　gestured。　〃Read　the　paper。　Apparently　I　am　now　my　own　little　Archie。〃
　　〃So　I　bought　a　meal　for　a　shamus。〃
　　〃Not　at　all。　Didn't　I　say　it　was　on　me　when　I　get　my　wallet　back？〃
　　He　shook　his　head。　〃I　wouldn't　have　believed　it。　With　them　clothes？　I　supposed　you　had　got　snagged　in　the　raid　on　the　Covered　Porch。　It　gets　worse　all　the　time；　the　dicks。　Look　at　this；　even　here　in　the　can　I　meet　a　guy　with　a　suit　of　clothes　like　that；　and　he's　a　dick！〃
　　〃I　am　not　a　dick；　strictly　speaking。〃　I　was　hurt。　〃I　am　a　private　eye。　I　said　I　liked　the　way　you　talk；　but　you're　getting　careless。　I　also　noticed　you　were　cultured；　and　that　should　have　put　me　on　my　guard。　Cultured　people　are　not　often　found　in　the　coop。　But　nowadays　dicks　are　frequently　cultured。　They　tossed　me　in　here　because　they　think　I'm　holding　out　on　a　murder；　which　I'm　not；　and　the　fact　that　it　has　been　tried　before　doesn't　mean　they　wouldn't　try　it　again。　Putting　you　in　here　with　me　wasn't　so　dumb；　but　you　overplayed　it；　buying　me　a　breakfast　first　pop。　That　started　me　wondering。〃
　　He　was　on　his　feet；　glaring　down　at　me。　〃Watch　it；　looselip。　I'm　going　to　dip　you。〃
　　〃What　for？〃
　　〃You　need　a　lesson。　I'm　a　plant；　am　I？〃
　　〃Nuts。　Who's　insulted　now？〃　I　gestured。　〃You　call　me　a　name；　I　call　you　a　name。　I　take　it；　you　take　it。　Let's　start　over。〃
　　But　he　was　too　sensitive　to　make　up　as　quick　as　all　that。　He　undid　his　fist；　glared　at　me　some　more；　sidled　between　his　chair　and　his　cot；　and　got　fortable　on　the　cot　with　his　Gazette。　With　his　head　toward　the　corridor　he　was　getting　as　good　light　as　there　was；　and　I　followed　his　example；　folding　one　of　the　blankets　for　a　pillow　and　spreading　my　handkerchief　on　it。
　　Two　hours　and　ten　minutes　passed　without　a　word　from　either　cot。　I　happen　to　know　because　as　I　stretched　out　I　glanced　at　my　watch；　wondering　how　soon　I　could　reasonably　expect　Parker　to　show　up　with　a　crowbar　to　pry　me　loose；　and　it　was　twenty　past　nine；　and；　after　giving　that　Gazette　as　good　a　play　as　a　newspaper　ever　got；　I　had　just　looked　at　my　watch　for　the　twentieth　time　and　seen　11：30　when　he　suddenly　spoke。
　　〃Look；　Goodwin；　what　are　you　going　to　do　now？〃
　　I　let　the　paper　slide　to　the　floor。　〃I　don't　know；　take　a　nap；　I　guess。〃
　　〃I　don't　mean　now；　this　minute。　Is　anyone　looking　after　you？〃
　　〃If　he　isn't　he'd　better　be。　A　high…priced　lawyer　named　Parker。〃
　　〃Then　what？〃
　　〃I'll　go　home　and　take　a　bath。〃
　　〃Then　what？〃
　　〃I'll　brush　my　teeth　and　shave。〃
　　〃Then　what？〃
　　I　swiveled　my　head　to　glance　at　him。　〃You're　pretty　damn　persistent。　Where　do　you　want　us　to　get　to？〃
　　〃Nowhere　in　particular。〃　He　stayed　supine；　and　I　noticed　that　in　profile　he　looked　a　little　like　John　L。　Lewis；　only　a　lot　younger。　He　went　on；　〃I　was　just　thinking；　with　Nero　Wolfe　gone　I　suppose　your　job's　gone。　Can't　I　think？〃
　　〃Sure。　If　it　doesn't　hurt。〃
　　A　brief　silence。　He　spoke　again。　〃I've　heard　about　you　a　little。　What　kind　of　a　guy　are　you？〃
　　〃Oh…I'm　a　thinker　too；　and　I'm　cultured。　I　got　good　marks　in　algebra。　I