ally again I shook my shirt loose from my back and went along to the lighted house which was the only one within yelling distance of the steps。
It was a nice little house with a salt…tarnished spiral of staircase going up to the front door and an imitation coachlamp for a porchlight。 The garage was underneath and to one side。 Its door was lifted up and rolled back and the light of the porchlamp shone obliquely on a huge black battleship of a car with chromium trimmings； a coyote tail tied to the Winged Victory on the radiator cap and engraved initials where the emblem should be。 The car had a right…hand drive and looked as if had cost more than the house。
I went up the spiral steps； looked for a bell； and used a knocker in the shape of a tiger's head。 Its clatter was swallowed in the early evening fog。 I heard no steps in the house。 My damp shirt felt like an icepack on my back。 The door opened silently； and I was looking at a tall blond man in a white flannel suit with a violet satin scarf around his neck。
There was a cornflower in the lapel of his white coat and his pale blue eyes looked faded out by parison。 The violet scarf was loose enough to show that he wore no tie and that he had a thick； soft brown neck； like the neck of a strong woman。 His features were a little on the heavy side； but handsome； he had an inch more of height than I had； which made him six feet one。 His blond hair was arranged； by art or nature； in three precise blond ledges which reminded me of steps； so that I didn't like them。 I wouldn't have liked them anyway。 Apart from all this he had the general appearance of a lad who would wear a white flannel suit with a violet scarf around his neck and a cornflower in his lapel。
He cleared his throat lightly and looked past my shoulder at the darkening sea。 His cool supercilious voice said： 〃Yes？〃
〃Seven o'clock；〃 I said。 〃On the dot。〃
〃Oh yes。 Let me see； your name is…〃 he paused； and frowned in the effort of memory。 The effect was as phony as the pedigree of a used car。 I let him work at it for a minute； then I said：
〃Philip Marlowe。 The same as it was this afternoon。〃
He gave me a quick darting frown； as if perhaps something ought to be done about it。 Then he stepped back and said coldly：
〃Ah yes。 Quite so。 e in； Marlowe。 My house boy is away this evening。〃
He opened the door wide with a fingertip； as though opening the door himself dirtied him a little。
I went in past him and smelled perfume。 He closed the door。 The entrance put us on a low balcony with a metal railing that ran around three sides of a big studio living room。 The fourth side contained a big fireplace and two doors。 A fire was crackling in the fireplace。 The balcony was lined with bookshelves and there were pieces of glazed metallic looking bits of sculpture on pedestals。
We went down three steps to the main part of the living room。 The carpet almost tickled my ankles。 There was a concert grand piano； closed down。 On one corner of it stood a tall silver vase on a strip of peach…colored velvet； and a single yellow rose in the vase。 There was plenty of nice soft furniture； a great many floor cushions； some with golden tassels and some just naked。 It was a nice room； if you didn't get rough。 There was a wide damask covered divan in a shadowy corner； like a casting couch。 It was the kind of room where people sit with their feet in their laps and sip absinthe through lumps of sugar and talk with high affected voices and sometimes just squeak。 It was a room where anything could happen except work。
Mr。 Lindsay Marriott arranged himself in the curve of the grand piano； leaned over to sniff at the yellow rose； then opened a French enamel cigarette case and lit a long brown cigarette with a gold tip。 I sat down on a pink chair and hoped I wouldn't leave a mark on it。 I lit a Camel； blew smoke through my nose and looked at a piece of shiny metal on a stand。 It showed a full； smooth curve with a shallow fold in it and two protuberances on the curve。 I stared at it； Marriott saw me staring at it。
〃An interesting bit；〃 he said negligently。 〃I picked it up just the other day。 Asta Dial's Spirit of Dawn。〃
〃I thought it was Klopstein's Two Warts on a Fanny；〃 I said。
Mr。 Lindsay Marriott's face looked as if he had swallowed a bee。 He smoothed it out with an effort。
〃You have a somewhat peculiar sense of humor；〃 he said。
〃Not peculiar；〃 I said。 〃Just uninhibited。〃
〃Yes；〃 he said very coldly。 〃Yes…of course。 I've no doubt。 。 。Well； what I wished to see you about is； as a matter of fact； a very slight matter indeed。 Hardly worth bringing you down here for。 I am meeting a couple of men tonight and paying them some money。 I thought I might as well have someone with me。 You carry a gun？〃
〃At times。 Yes；〃 I said。 I looked at the dimple in his broad； fleshy chin。 You could have lost a marble in it。
〃I shan't want you to carry that。 Nothing of that sort at all。 This is a purely business transaction。〃
〃I hardly ever shoot anybody；〃 I said。 〃A matter of blackmail？〃
He frowned。 〃Certainly not。 I'm not in the habit of giving people grounds for blackmail。〃
〃It happens to the nicest people。 I might say particularly to the nicest people。〃
He waved his cigarette。 His aquamarine eyes had a faintly thoughtful expression； but his lips smiled。 The kind of smile that goes with a silk noose。
He blew some more smoke and tilted his head back。 This accentuated the soft firm lines of his throat。 His eyes came down slowly and studied me。
〃I'm meeting these men…most probably…in a rather lonely place。 I don't know where yet。 I expect a call giving me the particulars。 I have to be ready to leave at once。 It won't be very far away from here。 That's the understanding。〃
〃You've been making this deal some time？〃
〃Three or four days； as a matter of fact。〃
〃You left your bodyguard problem until pretty late。〃
He thought that over。 He snicked some dark ash from his cigarette。 〃That's true。 I had some difficulty making my mind up。 It would be better for me to go alone； although nothing has been said definitely about my having someone with me。 On the other hand I'm not much of a hero。〃
〃They know you by sight； of course？〃
〃I…I'm not sure。 I shall be carrying a large amount of money and it is not my money。 I'm acting for a friend。 I shouldn't feel justified in letting it out of my possession； of course。〃
I snubbed out my cigarette and leaned back in the pink chair and twiddled my thumbs。 〃How much money…and what for？〃
〃Well； really…〃 it was a fairly nice smile now； but I still didn't like it。 〃I can't go into that。〃
〃You just want me to go along and hold your hat？〃
His hand jerked again and some ash fell off on his white cuff。 He shook it off and stared down at the place where it had been。
〃I'm afraid I don't like your manner；〃 he said； using the edge of his voice。
〃I've had plaints about it；〃 I said。 〃But nothing seems to do any good。 Let's look at this job a little。 You want a bodyguard； but he can't wear a gun。 You want a helper； but he isn't supposed to know what he's supposed to do。 You want me to risk my neck without knowing why or what for or what the risk is。 What are you offering for all this？〃
〃I hadn't really got around to thinking about it。〃 His cheekbones were dusky red。
〃Do you suppose you could get around to thinking about it？〃
He leaned forward gracefully and smiled between his teeth。 〃How would you like a swift punch on the nose？〃
I grinned and stood up and put my hat on。 I started across the carpet towards the front door； but not very fast。
His voice snapped at my back。 〃I'm offering you a hundred dollars for a few hours of your time。 If that isn't enough； say so。 There's no risk。 Some jewels were taken from a friend of mine in a holdup…and I'm buying them back。 Sit down and don't be so touchy。〃
I went back to the pink chair and sat down again。
〃All right；〃 I said。 〃Let's hear about it。〃
We stared at each other for all of ten seconds。 〃Have you ever heard of Fei Tsui jade？〃 he asked slowly； and lit another of his dark cigarettes。
〃No。〃
〃It's the only really valuable kind。 Other kinds are valuable to some extent for the material； but chiefly for the workmanship o