The Doorbell Rang (The Rex Stout Library)

I dialed the number I knew best and told Fritz we would dine at Rusterman's and he would have to leave the venison chops in the marinade until tomorrow. Then I got Mrs David Althaus's number from the book and dialed it, but by the time she got on I had decided not to ask her on the phone. All I wanted to know was if she had ever heard her son mention a girl named Sarah Dacos, but I had three hours to kill, so I might as well take a walk. I asked if she would let me in if I came around four-thirty, and she said yes. On the way out I told Felix that Wolfe and I would be there for dinner.

9

I was back in the soundproofed room, on my fanny with my legs stretched out and my eyes focused on my toes, going over the mess for the tenth time, when Wolfe arrived at twenty minutes to seven, ushered in by Felix. Knowing that was the busiest time of day downstairs for Felix, I shooed him out and took Wolfe's coat and hung it up and said I hoped he had had an interesting trip.

He growled and went and sat in the armchair which Marko Vukcic had bought years ago for his friend Nero's exclusive use.

Between Wolfe's visits it is kept in the room that was Marko's personal den. "I have decided," he said, "that every man alive today is half idiot and half hero. Only heroes could survive in the maelstrom, and only idiots would want to."

"It's tough in spots," I conceded, "but you'll feel better after you eat. Felix has woodcock."

"I know he has." He glared. "You enjoy it."

"I have up to now. Now, I'm not so sure. How about Hewitt?"

"Confound it, he enjoys it too. Everything is arranged. Saul was very helpful, as he always is. Satisfactory."

I went and took a chair. "My report may not be satisfactory, but it has its points. To begin at the end, Mrs Althaus says that she never heard her son mention Sarah Dacos."

"Why should he?"

"That's one of the points. Cause and effect."

I reported, the conversations in full and the actions in detail, including the frolic with the G-men. It had been our first actual contact with the enemy, and I thought he should know how we had handled ourselves. That armchair wasn't as good as his in the office for leaning back and closing his eyes, but it would do, and it was almost like home. When I finished he didn't move a muscle, not even opening an eye. I sat through three minutes of complete silence and then spoke.