had rolled off the desk when I pushed it back in place； he spoke to my back。
〃I see you have my dictionary here。〃
Not through his nose。 I whirled and went rigid； gaping at him。 The eyes again…and now other items too； especially the forehead and ears。 I had every right to stare； but I also had a right to my own opinion of the fitness of things。 So while staring at him I got myself under control； and then circled the end of my desk； sat down and leaned back； and told him； 〃I knew you all…〃
〃Don't talk so loud。〃
〃Very well。 I knew you all the rime； but with that damn driver there I had to…〃
〃Pfui。 You hadn't the slightest inkling。〃
I shrugged。 〃That's one we'll never settle。 As for the dictionary； it's the one from my room which you gave roe for Christmas nineteen thirty…nine。 How much do you weight〃
〃I've lost a hundred and seventeen pounds。〃
〃Do you know what you look like？〃
He made a face。 With the pleats and whiskers； he didn't really have to make one； but of course it was an old habit which had probably been suppressed for months。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃I do。 I look like a sixteenth…century prince of Savoy named Philibert。〃 He flipped a hand impatiently。 〃This can wait； surely； until we're home again？〃
〃I should think so；〃 I conceded。 〃What's the difference； another year or two？ It won't be as much fun； though； because now I'll know what I'm waiting for。 What I really enjoyed was the suspense。 Were you dead or alive or what？ A perfect picnic。〃
He grunted。 〃I expected this； of course。 It is you； and since I decided long ago to put up with you； I even wele it。 But you； also long ago； decided to put up with me。 Are we going to shake hands or not？〃
I got up and went halfway。 He got up and came halfway。 As we shook； our eyes met； and I deliberately focused on his eyes； because otherwise I would have been shaking with a stranger； and one hell of a specimen to boot。 We returned to our chairs。
As I sat down I told him courteously； 〃You'll have to excuse me if I shut my eyes or look away from time to time。 It'll take a while to get adjusted。〃
13
〃NO OTHER course；〃 Wolfe said； 〃was possible。 I had accepted money from Mrs。 Rackham and she had been murdered。 I was mitted in her interest； and therefore against Arnold Zeck； and I was no match for him。 I had to ambush him。 With me gone； how should you act？ You should act as if I had disappeared and you knew nothing。 Under what circumstances would you do that most convincingly？ You are capable of dissimulation； but why try you so severely？ Why not merely…〃
〃Skip it；〃 I told him。 〃Save it for later。 Where do we stand now； and what chance have we got？ Any at all？〃
〃I think so； yes。 If the purpose were merely to expose one or more of Zeck's operations； it could be done like that。〃 He snapped his fingers。 〃But since he must himself be destroyed…all I can say is that I have reached the point where you can help。 I have talked with him three times。〃
〃Exactly who and what are you？〃
〃I e from Los Angeles。 When I left here； on April ninth； I went to southern Texas； on the Gulf； and spent there the most painful month of my life…except one； long ago。 At its end I was not recognizable。〃 He shuddered。
〃I then went to Los Angeles； because a man of importance there considers himself more deeply in my debt even than he is。 He is important but not reputable。 The terms are not interchangeable。〃
〃I never said they were。〃
〃Through him I met people and I engaged in certain activities。 In appearance I was monstrous； but in the circles I frequented my stubble was accepted as a masquerade； which indeed it was； and I displayed myself publicly as little as possible。 With my two invaluable assets； my brains and my important debtor； and with a temporary abandonment of scruple； I made a substantial impression in the shortest possible rime； especially with a device which I conceived for getting considerable sums of money from ten different people simultaneously； with a minimum of risk。 Luck had a hand in it too； but without luck no man can keep himself alive； let alone prevail over an Arnold Zeck。〃
〃So then Los Angeles was too hot for you。〃
〃It was not。 But I was ready to return east； both physically and psychologically； and knowing that inquiries sent to Los Angeles would get a sarisfactory response。 I arrived on July twelfth。 You remember that I once spoke of Arnold Zeck； calling him X； to the Spelling family？〃
〃I do。〃
〃And I described brieQy the echelons of crime。 First； the criminal himself …or gang。 In the problem of disposal of the loot； or of protection against discovery and prosecution； he can seldom avoid dealing with others。 He will need a fence； a lawyer； witnesses for an alibi； a channel to police or political influence…no matter what； he nearly always needs someone or something。 He goes to one he knows； or knows about； one named A。 A； finding a little difficulty； consults B。 B may be able to handle it； if not； he takes it on to C。 C is usually able to oblige； but when he isn't he municates with D。 Here we are getting close。 D has access to Arnold Zeck； not only for the purpose described； but also in connection with one or more of the enterprises which Zeck controls。〃
Wolfe tapped his chest with a forefinger； a gesture I had never before seen him use； acquired evidently along with his pleats and whiskers。 〃I am a D； Archie。〃
〃Congratulations。〃
〃Thank you。 Having earned them； I accept them。 Look at me。〃
〃Yeah； I am。 Wait till Fritz sees you。〃
〃If he ever does；〃 Wolfe said grimly。 〃We have a chance； and that's all。 If all we needed were evidence of Zeck's plicity in felonies； there would be no problem； I know where it is and I could get it。 But his defenses are everywhere； making him next to invulnerable。 It would be fatuous to suppose that he could ever be convicted； and even if he were； he would still be living； so that wouldn't help any。 Now that I am mitted against him； and he knows it； there are only two possible outes…〃
〃How does he know it？〃
〃He knows me。 Knowing me； he knows that I intend to get the murderer of Mrs。 Rackham。 He intends to prevent me。 Neither…〃
〃Wait a minute。 Admitting he knows that about Nero Wolfe； what about you as Roeder？ You say you're a D。 Then you're on Zeck's payroll。〃
〃Not on his payroll。 I have been placed in charge of the operation here of the device which I conceived and used in Los Angeles。 My handling of it has so impressed him that I am being trusted with other responsibilities。〃
〃And Max Christy and that driver downstairs…they're Zeck men？〃
〃Yes…at a distance。〃
〃Then how e salting Barry Rackham？ Wasn't it Zeck money that Rackham was getting？〃
Wolfe sighed。 〃Archie； if we had more dme I would let you go on and on。 I could shut my eyes and pretend I'm back home。〃 He shook his head vigorously。 〃But we must get down to business。 I said that driver is a Zeck man at a distance； but that is mere surmise。 Being new and by no means firmly established in confidence； I am certainly being watched； and that driver might even report to Zeck himself。 That was why I prolonged our talk in the car before suggesting that we e here。 We shouldn't be more than an hour； so you'd better let me…〃
He stopped as I grasped the knob and pulled the door open。 I had tiptoed across to it as he talked。 Seeing an empty hall in both directions； I dosed the door and went back to my chair。
〃I was only asking；〃 I protested； 〃why the play on Rackham？〃
〃How long；〃 Wolfe asked； 〃have you and I spent； there in the office； discussing some simple affair such as the forging of a check？〃
〃Oh； anywhere from four minutes to tour hours。〃
〃Then what should we take for this？ By the way； you will resume drawing your pay check this week。 How much have you taken from the safe deposit box in New Jersey？〃
〃Nothing… Not a cent。〃
〃You should have。 That was put there for the express purpose of financing this eventuality if it arose。 You have been using your personal savings？〃
〃Only to buy these little items。〃 I waved a hand。 〃Put it back long ago。 I've been taking it easy； so my ine from detective wo