rs.inthebestfamelies-第36章

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ctor　pushed　a　button　in　the　metal　jamb。　I　heard　no　sound　within；　but　in　a　moment　the　door　opened　and　a　pasty…faced　bird　with　a　pointed　chin　was　looking　at　us。
　　〃Archie　Goodwin；〃　my　conductor　said。
　　〃Step　in。〃
　　I　waited　politely　to　be　preceded；　but　my　conductor　moved　aside；　and　the　other　one　said　impatiently；　〃Step　in；　Goodwin。〃
　　I　crossed　the　sill；　and　the　sentinel　closed　the　door。　I　was　in　a　room　bigger　than　the　vestibule　above：　bare　concrete　walls；　well…lighted；　with　a　table；　three　chairs；　a　water…cooler；　and　a　rack　of　magazines　and　newspapers。　A　second　sentinel；　seated　at　the　table；　writing　in　a　book　like　a　ledger；　sent　me　a　sharp　glance　and　then　forgot　me。　The　first　one　crossed　to　another　big　metal　door　directly　opposite　to　the　one　I　had　entered　by；　and　when　he　pulled　it　open　I　saw　that　it　was　a　good　five　inches　thick。　He　jerked　his　head　and　told　me；　〃On　in。〃
　　I　stepped　across　and　passed　through；　with　him　at　my　heels。
　　This　was　quite　a　chamber。　The　walls　were　paneled　in　a　light　gray　wood　with　pink　in　it；　from　the　tiled　Boor　to　the　ceiling；　and　the　mgs　were　the　same　light　gray　with　pink　borders。　Light　came　from　a　concealed　trough　continuous　around　the　ceiling。　The　six　or　seven　chairs　and　the　couch　were　covered　in　pinkish　gray　leather；　and　the　same　leather　had　been　used　for　the　frames　of　the　pictures；　a　couple　of　big　ones　on　each　wall。　All　that；　collected　in　my　first　swift　survey；　made　a　real　impression。
　　〃Archie　Goodwin；〃　the　sendnel　said。
　　The　man　at　the　desk　said；　〃Sit　down；　Goodwin。　All　right；　Schwartz；〃　and　the　sentinel　left　us　and　closed　the　door。
　　I　would　have　been　surprised　to　find　that　Pete　Roeder　rated　all　this　splash　so　soon　after　hitting　this　territory；　and　he　didn't。　The　man　at　the　desk　was　not　Roeder。　I　had　never　seen　this　bozo；　but　no　introduction　was　needed。
　　Much　as　he　disliked　publicity；　his　picture　had　been　in　the　paper　a　few　times；　as　for　instance　the　occasion　of　his　presenting　his　yacht　to　the　United　States　Coast　Guard　during　the　war。　Also　I　had　heard　him　described。
　　I　had　a　good　view　of　him　at　ten　feet　when　I　sat　in　one　of　the　pinkish　gray　leather　chairs　near　his　desk。　Actually　there　was　nothing　to　him　but　his　forehead　and　eyes。　It　wasn't　a　forehead；　it　was　a　dome；　sloping　up　and　up　to　the　line　of　his　faded　thin　hair。　The　eyes　were　the　result　of　an　error　on　the　assembly　line。　They　had　been　intended　for　a　shark　and　someone　got　careless。
　　They　did　not　now　look　the　same　as　shark　eyes　because　Arnold　Zeck's　brain　had　been　using　them　to　see　with　for　fifty　years；　and　that　had　had　an　effect。
　　〃I've　spoken　with　you　on　the　phone；〃　he　said。
　　I　nodded。　〃When　I　was　with　Nero　Wolfe。　Three　times　altogether…no；　I　guess　it　was　four。〃
　　〃Four。　Where　is　he？　What　has　happened　to　him？〃
　　〃I'm　not　sure；　but　I　suspect　he's　in　Florida；　training　with　an　air　hose；　preparing　to　lay　for　you　in　your　swimming　pool　and　get　you　when　you　dive。〃
　　There　was　no　flicker　of　response；　of　any　kind；　in　the　shark　eyes。　〃I　have　been　told　of　your　habits　of　speech；　Goodwin；〃　he　said。　〃I　make　no　objection。　I　take　men　for　what　they　are　or　not　at　all。　It　pleases　me　that；　impressed　as　you　must　be　by　this　meeting；　you　insist　on　being　yourself。　But　it　does　waste　time　and　words。　Do　you　know　where　Wolfe　is？〃
　　〃No。〃
　　〃Have　you　a　surmise？〃
　　〃Yeah；　I　just　told　you。〃　I　got　irritated。　〃Say　I　tell　you　he's　in　Egypt；　where　he　owns　a　house。　I　don't；　but　say　I　do。　Then　what？　You　send　a　punk　to　Cairo　to　drill　him？　Why？　Why　can't　you　let　him　alone？　I　know　he　had　his　faults　…God　knows　how　I　stood　them　as　long　as　I　did…but　he　taught　me　a　lot；　and　wherever　he　is　he's　my　favorite　fatty。　Just　because　he　happened　to　queer　your　deal　with　Rackham；　you　want　to　track　him　down。　What　will　that　get　you；　now　that　he's　faded　out？〃
　　〃I　don't　wish　or　intend　to　track　him　down。〃
　　〃No？　Then　what　made　me　so　interesting？　Your　Max　Christy　and　your　bearded　wonder　offering　me　schoolboy　jobs　at　triple　pay。　Get　roe　sucked　in；　get　me　branded；　and　when　the　time　es　use　me　to　get　at　Wolfe　so　you　can　pay　him。　No。〃　I　shook　my　head。　〃I　draw　the　line　somewhere；　and　all　of　you　together　won't　get　me　across　that　one。〃
　　I'm　not　up　enough　on　fish　to　know　whether　sharks　blink；　but　Zeck　was　showing　me。　He　blinked　perhaps　one…tenth　his　share。　He　asked；　〃Why　did　you　take　the　job？〃
　　〃Because　it　was　Rackham。　I'm　interested　in　him。　I　was　glad　to　know　someone　else　was。　I　would　like　to　have　a　hand　in　his　future。〃
　　No　blink。　〃You　think　you　know；　I　suppose；　the　nature　of　my　own　interests　and　activities。〃
　　〃I　know　what　is　said　around。　I　know　that　a　New　York　police　inspector　told　me　that　you're　out　of　reach。〃
　　〃Name　him。〃
　　〃Cramer。　Manhattan　Homicide。〃
　　〃Oh；　him。〃　Zeck　made　his　first　gesture：　a　forefinger　straightened　and　curved　again。　〃What　was　the　occasion？〃
　　〃He　wouldn't　believe　me　when　I　said　I　didn't　know　where　Wolfe　was。　He　thought　Wolfe　and　I　were　fixing　to　try　to　bring　you　down；　and　he　was　just　telling　me。　I　told　him　that　maybe　he　would　like　to　pull　us　off　because　he　was　personally　interested；　but　that　since　Wolfe　had　scooted　he　was　wasting　it。〃
　　〃That　was　injudicious；　wasn't　it？〃
　　〃All　of　that。　I　was　in　a　bad　humor。〃
　　Zeck　blinked；　I　saw　him。　〃I　wanted　to　meet　you；　Goodwin。　I've　allowed　some　time　for　this　because　I　want　to　look　at　you　and　hear　you　talk。　Your　idea　of　my　interests　and　activities　probably　has　some　relation　to　the　facts；　and　if　so　you　may　know　that　my　chief　problem　is　men。　I　could　use　ten　times　as　many　good　men　as　I　can　find。　I　judge　men　partly　by　their　record　and　partly　by　report；　but　mainly　by　my　first…hand　appraisal。　You　have　disappointed　me　in　one　respect。　Your　conclusion　that　I　want　to　use　you　to　find　Nero　Wolfe　is　not　intelligent。　I　do　not　pursue　an　opponent　who　has　fied　the　field；　it　would　not　be　profitable。　If　be　reappears　and　gets　in　my　path　again；　I'll　crush　him。　I　do　want　to　suck　you　in；　as　you　put　it。　I　need　good　men　now　more　than　ever。　Many　people　get　money　from　me；　indirectly；　whom　I　never　see　and　have　no　wish　to　see；　but　there　must　be　some　whom　I　do　see　and　work　through。　You　might　be　one。　I　would　like　to　try。　You　must　know　one　thing：　if　you　once　say　yes　it　bees　impractical　to　change　your　mind。　It　can't　be　done。〃
　　〃You　said；〃　I　objected；　〃you　would　like　to　try。　How　about　my　liking　to　try？〃
　　〃I've　answered　that。　It　can't　be　done。〃　〃It's　already　being　done。　I'm　tailing　Rackham　for　you。　When　he　approached　me　I　took　it　on　myself　to　chat　with　him　and　report　it。　Did　you　like　that　or　not？　If　not；　I'm　not　your　type。　If　so；　let's　go　on　with　that　until　you　know　me　better。　Hell；　we　never　saw　each　other　before。　You　can　let　me　know　a　day　in　advance　when　I'm　to　lose　the　right　to　change　my　mind；　and　we'll　see。　Regarding　my　notion　that　you　want　to　use　me　to　find　Nero　Wolfe；　skip　it。　You　couldn't　anyway；　since　I　don't　know　whether　he　went　north；　east；　south；　or　west。〃
　　I　had　once　remarked　to　Wolfe；　when　X　（our　name　then　for　Zeck）　had　brought　a　phone　call　to　a　sudden　end；　that　he　was　an　abrupt　bastard。　He　now　abruptly　turned　the　shark　eyes　from　me；　which　was　a　relief；　to　reach　for　the　switch　on　an　inter　box　on　his　desk；　flip　it；　and　speak　to　it。　〃Send　Roeder　in。〃
　　〃Tell　him　to　shave　first；〃　I　suggested；　thinking　that　if　I　had　a　reputation　for　a　habit　of　speech　I　might　as　well　live　up　to　it。　Zeck　did　not　react。　I　was　beginning　to　believe　that　he　never　had　reacted　to　anything　and　never　would。
　　I　turned　my　head　enough　for　the　newer　to　have　my　profile　when　he　entered；　not　to　postpone　his　pleasure　at　seeing　me。
　　It　was　a　short　wait　till　the　door　opened　and　Roeder　appeared。　The　sentinel　did　not　e　in。　Roeder　crossed　to　us；　stepping　fiat　on　the　rugs　so　as　not　to　slide。　His　glance　at　me　was　fleeting　and　casual。
　　〃Sit　down；〃　Zeck　said。　〃You　know　Goodwin。〃
　　Roeder　nodded　and　favored　me　with　a　look。　Sitting；　he　told　me；　'Your
　　reports　haven't　been　worth　what　they　cost。〃
　　It　gave　me　a　slight　shock；　but　I　don't　think　I　let　it　show。　I　had　forgotten　that　Roeder　talked　through　his　nose。
　　〃Sorry；〃　I　said　condescendingly。　〃I've　been　sticking　to　facts。　If　you　want　them　dressed　up；　let　me　know　what　color　you　like。〃
　　〃You've　been　losing　him。〃
　　I　flare