rs.inthebestfamelies-第2章

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e　married　a　very　beautiful　girl。　It　is　not　true　that　I　wished　he　had　taken　one　who　resembled　me；　even　a　little　bit；　but　naturally　I　couldn't　help　but　see　that　he　had　gone　to　the　other　extreme。　Annabel　is　very　beautiful。　It　made　me　proud　for　my　son　to　have　her…it　seemed　to　even　my　score　with　all　the　beautiful　women　I　had　known　and　seen。　She　thinks　I　hate　her；　but　that　is　not　true。　People　as　neurotic　as　I　am　should　not　be　judged　by　normal　standards。　Not　that　I　blame　Annabel；　for　I　know　perfectly　well　that　when　the　news　came　that　he　had　been　killed　in　Germany　her　loss　was　greater　than　mine。　He　wasn't　mine　any　longer　then；　he　was　hers。〃
　　〃Excuse　me；〃　Wolfe　put　in　politely　but　firmly。　〃You　wanted　to　consult　me　about　your　husband。　You　say　you're　divorced？〃
　　〃Certainly　not！　I…〃　She　caught　herself　up。　〃Oh。　This　is　my　second　husband。　I　only　wanted　you　to　understand。〃
　　〃I'll　try。　Let's　have　him　now。〃
　　〃Barry　Rackham；〃　she　said；　pronouncing　the　name　as　if　she　held　the　copyright　on　it；　or　at　least　a　lease　on　subsidiary　rights。　〃He　played　football　at　Yale　and　then　had　a　job　in　Wall　Street　until　the　war　came。　At　the　end　of　the　war　he　was　a　major；　which　wasn't　very　far　to　get　in　nearly　four　years。　We　we're　married　in　1946…three　years　and　seven　months　ago。　He　is　ten　years　younger　than　I　am。〃
　　Mrs。　Barry　Rackham　paused；　her　eyes　fixed　on　Wolfe's　face　as　if　challenging　it　for　ment；　but　the　challenge　was　declined。　Wolfe　merely　prodded　her　with　a　murmur。
　　〃And？〃
　　〃I　suppose；〃　she　said　as　if　conceding　a　point；　〃there　is　no　one　in　New　York　who　does　not　take　it　for　granted　that　he　married　me　simply　for　my　money。　They　all　know　more　about　it　than　I　do；　because　I　have　never　asked　him；　and　he　is　the　only　one　that　knows　for　sure。　I　know　one　thing：　it　does　not　make　him　unfortable　to　look　at　me。　I　know　that　for　sure　because　I'm　very　sensitive　about　it；　I'm　neurotic　about　it；　and　I　would　know　it　the　first　second　he　felt　that　way。
　　Of　course　he　knows　what　I　look　like；　he　knows　how　ugly　I　am；　he　can't　help　that；　but　it　doesn't　annoy　him　a　particle；　not　evenShe　stopped　and　was　blushing。　Calvin　Leeds　coughed　and　shifted　in　his　chair。　Wolfe　closed　his　eyes　and　after　a　moment　opened　them　again。　I　didn't　look　away　from　her　because　when　she　blushed　I　began　to　feel　a　little　unfortable　myself；　and　I　wanted　to　see　if　I　could　keep　her　from　knowing　it。
　　But　she　wasn't　interested　in　me。　〃Anyway；〃　she　went　on　as　the　color　began　to　leave；　〃I　have　kept　things　in　my　own　hands。　We　live　in　my　house；　of　course；　town　and　country；　and　I　pay　everything；　and　there　are　the　cars　and　so　on；　but　I　made　no　settlement　and　arranged　no　allowance　for　him。　That　didn't　seem　to　me　to　be　the　way　to　handle　it。　When　he　needed　cash　for　anything　he　asked　for　it　and　I　gave　it　to　him　freely；　without　asking　questions。〃　She　made　a　little　gesture；　a　flip　of　a　hand。　〃Not　always；　but　nearly　always。　The　second　year　it　was　more　than　the　first；　and　the　third　year　more　again；　and　I　felt　he　was　getting　unreasonable。　Three　times　I　gave　him　less　than　he　asked　for；　quite　a　lot　less；　and　once　I　refused　altogether…I　still　asked　no　questions；　but　he　told　me　why　he　needed　it　and　tried　to　persuade　me；　he　was　very　nice　about　it；　and　I　refused。　I　felt　that　I　must　draw　the　line　somewhere。　Do　you　want　to　know　the　amounts？〃
　　〃Not　urgently；〃　Wolfe　muttered。
　　〃The　last　time；　the　time　I　refused；　it　was　fifteen　thousand　dollars。〃　She　leaned　forward。　〃And　that　was　the　last　time。　It　was　seven　months　ago；　October　second；　and　he　has　not　asked　for　money　since；　not　once！　But　he　spends　a　great　deal；　more　than　formerly。　For　all　sorts　of　things…just　last　week　he　gave　a　dinner；　quite　expensive；　for　thirty…eight　men　at　the　University　Club。　I　have　to　know　where　he　gets　it。　I　decided　that　some　time　ago…two　months　ago…and　I　didn't　know　what　to　do。　I　didn't　want　to　speak　to　my　lawyer　or　banker　about　a　thing　like　this；　or　in　fact　anybody；　and　I　couldn't　do　it　myself；　so　I　asked　my　cousin；　Calvin　Leeds。〃　She　sent　him　a　glance。
　　〃He　said　he　would　try　to　find　out　something；　but　he　hasn't。〃
　　We　looked　at　Leeds。　He　upturned　a　palm。
　　〃Well；〃　he　said；　half　apology　and　half　protest；　〃I'm　no　trained　detective。　I　asked　him　straight；　and　he　just　laughed　at　me。　You　didn't　want　anyone　else　to　get　a　hint　of　it；　that　you　were　curious　about　money　he　wasn't　getting　from　you；　so　I　was　pretty　limited　in　my　asking　around。　I　did　my　best；　Sarah；　you　know　I　did。〃
　　〃It　seems　to　me；〃　Wolfe　told　her；　〃that　Mr。　Leeds　had　one　good　ideaasking　him。　Have　you　tried　that　yourself？〃
　　〃Certainly。　Long　ago。　He　told　me　that　an　investment　he　had　made　was　doing　well。〃
　　〃Maybe　it　was。　Why　not？〃
　　〃Not　with　my　husband。〃　She　was　positive。　〃I　know　how　he　is　with　money。　It　isn't　in　him　to　make　an　investment。　Another　thing：　he　is　away　more　now。　I　don't　know　where　he　is　as　much　as　I　used　to。　I　don't　mean　weeks　or　even　days；　just　an　afternoon　or　evening…and　several　times　he　has　had　an　appointment　that　he　couldn't　break　when　I　wanted　him　to…〃
　　Wolfe　grunted；　and　she　was　at　him。　〃I　know！　You　think　I　feel　that　I've　bought　him　and　I　own　him！　That's　not　it　at　all！　All　I　really　want　is　to　be　like　a　wife；　just　any　wife…not　beautiful　and　not　ugly；　not　rich　and　not　poorjust　a　wife！　And　hasn't　a　wife　a　right　to　know　the　source　of　her　husband's　ine…isn't　it　her　duty　to　know？　If　you　had　a　wife　wouldn't　you　want　her　to　know？〃
　　Wolfe　made　a　face。　〃I　can　tell　you；　madam；　what　I　don't　want。　I　don't　want　this　job。　I　think　you're　gulling　me。　You　suspect　that　your　husband　is　swindling　you；　either　emotionally　or　financially；　and　you　want　me　to　catch　him　at　it〃
　　He　turned　to　me；　〃Archie。　You'll　have　to　change　that　formula。　Hereafter；　when　a　request　es　for　an　appointment；　do　not　say　merely　that　we　will　not　undertake　to　get　divorce　or　separation　evidence。　Make　it　clear　that　we　will　not　engage　to　expose　a　husband　for　a　wife；　or　a　wife　for　a　husband；　under　any　camouflage。　May　I　ask　what　you　are　doing；　Mrs。　Rackham？〃
　　She　had　opened　her　brown　leather　handbag　and　taken　out　a　checktold　and　a　little　gold　fountain　pen。　Resting　the　checkfold　on　the　bag；　she　was　writing　in　it　with　the　pen。　Wolfe's　question　got　no　reply　until　she　had　Brushed　writing；　torn　out　the　check；　returned　the　fold　and　pen　to　the　bag；　and　snapped　the　bag　shut。　Then　she　looked　at　him。
　　〃I　don't　want　you　to　expose　my　husband；　Mr。　Wolfe。〃　She　was　holding　the　check　with　her　thumb　and　fingertip。　〃God　knows　I　don't！　I　just　want　to　know。　You're　not　ugly　and　afraid　and　neurotic　like　me；　you're　big　and　handsome　and　successful　and　not　afraid　of　anything。　When　I　knew　I　had　to　have　help　and　my　cousin　couldn't　do　it；　and　I　wouldn't　go　to　anyone　I　knew；　I　went　about　it　very　carefully。　I　found　out　all　about　you；　and　no　one　knows　I　did；　or　at　least　why　I　did。　If　my　husband　is　doing　something　that　will　hurt　me　that　will　be　the　end；　but　I　don't　want　to　expose　him；　I　just　have　to　know。　You　are　the　greatest　detective　on　earth；　and　you're　an　honest　man。　I　just　want　to　pay　you　for　finding　out　where　and　how　my　husband　is　getting　money；　that's　all。　You　can't　possibly　say　you　won't　do　it。　Not　possibly！〃
　　She　left　her　chair　and　went　to　put　the　check　on　his　desk　in　front　of　him。
　　〃It's　for　ten　thousand　dollars；　but　that　doesn't　mean　I　think　that's　enough。　Whatever　you　say。　But　don't　you　dare　say　I　want　to　expose　him！　My　God　expose　him？〃
　　She　had　my　sympathy　up　to　a　point；　but　what　stuck　out　was　her　basic　assumption　that　rich　people　can　always　get　anything　they　want　just　by　putting　up　the　dough。　That's　enough　to　give　an　honest　workingman；　like　a　private　detective　for　instance；　a　pain　in　three　places。　The　assumption　is　of　course　sound　in　some　cases；　but　what　rich　people　are　apt　not　to　understand　is　that　there　are　important　exceptions。
　　This；　however；　was　not　one　of　them；　and　I　hoped　Wolfe　would　see　that　it　wasn't。　He　did。　He　didn't　want　to；　but　the　bank　account　had　by　no　means　fully　recovered　from　the　awful　blow　of　March　fifteenth；　only　three　weeks　back；　and　he　knew　it。　He　came　forward　in　his　chair　for　a　glance　at　the　check；　caught　my　eye　and　saw　how　I　felt　about　it；　heaved　a　sigh；　and　spoke。
　　〃Your　notebook；　Archie。　Confound　it。〃
　　
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　　THE　following　morning；　Satu