He was using his aloof tone, and it was good.
Rowcliff said,
“One of my men.
We’re here on business.”
“So I understand.
If you don’t mind, introduce him.
I like to know the names of people who enter my house.”
“Yeah?
His name’s Loedenkrantz.”
“Indeed.” Wolfe looked at him and inclined his head an inch again. “How do you do, sir.”
The dick said without moving, “Pleased to meetcha.”
Wolfe returned to Rowcliff.
“And you are a lieutenant.
Reward of merit?
Incredible.” His voice deepened and accelerated. “Will you take a message for me to Mr. Cramer?
Tell him that Nero Wolfe pronounces him to be a prince of witlings and an unspeakable ass! Pfui!”
He turned on the spray, directed it on the orchids, and addressed Francis Horrocks.
“But my dear sir, since all life is trouble, the only thing is to achieve a position where we may select varieties …”
I said to Rowcliff,
“There’s a room there at the side, the gardener’s.
You don’t want to miss that.”
He went with me and looked in, and I hand it to him that he had enough face left to enter and look under the bed and open the closet door.
He came out again, and he was done.
But as he moved for the door he asked me,
“How do you get out to the roof?”
“You don’t.
This covers all of it.
Anyhow you’ve got it spotted.
Haven’t you?
Don’t tell me you overlooked that.”
We were returning the way we had come, and I was behind them again.
He didn’t answer.
Mr. Loedenkrantz didn’t stop to smell an orchid.
There was a grin inside of me trying to burst into flower, but I was warning it. Not yet, sweetheart, they’re not out yet.
We left the plant rooms and descended to the third floor, and Rowcliff said to the pair he had left there,
“Fall in.”
One began,
“I thought I heard a noise—”
“Shut up.”
I followed them down, on down.
After all the diversion I had been furnishing I didn’t think it advisable to go suddenly dumb, so I manufactured a couple of nifties during the descent.
In the lower hall, before I unlocked the door, I squared off to Rowcliff and told him,
“Listen.
I’ve been free with the lip, but it was my day.
We all have to take it sometimes, and hey-nonnynonny.
I’m aware it wasn’t you that pulled this boner.”
But, being a lieutenant, he was stem and unbending.
“Much obliged for nothing.
Open the door.”
I did that, and they went.