I sold thirty calves to get the money to come on, and for me nowadays that’s a lot of calves.
I didn’t know till this morning I was going to see any kind of a man called Nero Wolfe.
All that is to me is just a name and address on a piece of paper I’ve got in my pocket.
All I knew was I was going to see Mike Walsh and Vic’s daughter and Gil’s daughter, and I was supposed to be going to see George Rowley, and by God if I see him and what they say is true I’ll be able to fix up some fences this winter and get something besides lizards and coyotes inside of ‘em.
One thing you can tell me anyhow, did you ever hear of any kind of a man called a Marquis of Clivers?”
I nodded.
“I’ve read in the paper about that kind of a man.”
“Good for you.
I don’t read much.
One reason, I’m so damn suspicious I don’t believe it even if I do read it, so it don’t seem worth the trouble.
I’m here now because I’m suspicious.
I was supposed to come here at six o’clock with the rest of those others, but I had my time on my hands anyhow, so I thought I might as well ride out and take a look. I want to see this Nero Wolfe man.
You don’t look to me like a man that goes out at night after lambs, but I want to see him.
What really made me suspicious was the two daughters.
God knows a man is bad enough when you don’t know him, but I doubt if you ever could get to know a woman well enough to leave her loose around you.
I never really tried, because it didn’t ever seem to be worth the trouble.”
He stopped, and drew the back of his hand across his nostrils again, back and forth, slowly. His eyes twinkled at me.
“Naturally, your opinion is that I talk a good deal.
That’s the truth.
It won’t hurt you any, and it may even do you good.
Out in Wyoming I’ve been talking to myself like this for thirty years, and by God if I can stand it you can.”
It appeared to me that I was going to stand it whether I wanted to or not, but something interfered.
The phone rang.
I turned to my desk and plucked the receiver, a female voice asked me to hold the wire, and then another voice came at me.
“Goodwin?
Anthony D.
Perry.
I just got back to my office, and you must come here at once.
Any appointments you have, cancel them, if there’s any damage I’ll pay it.
The situation here has developed.
A taxi will get you here in five minutes.”
I love these guys that think the clock stops every time they sneeze.
But by the tone of his voice it was a case either of aye, aye, sir, or a plain go to hell, and by nature I’m a courteous man.
So I told him okay.
“You’ll come at once?”
“I said okay.”
I shoved the phone back and turned to the caller.
“I’ve got to leave you, Mr. Scovil.
Urgent business.
But if I heard you right, you’ve been invited here to the six o’clock party, so I’ll see you again.
Correct?”
He nodded.
“But look here, sonny, I wanted to ask you—”
“Sorry, I’ve got to run.”
I was on my way.
I looked back from the door.
“Don’t nurse any suspicions about any kind of a man named Nero Wolfe.
He’s as straight as he is fat.
So long.”
I went to the kitchen, where Fritz had about nine kinds of herbs spread out on the shredding board all at once, and told him,