Murder in E Minor

Начало книги

I realize that a lot was written and broadcast about the case that follows, not just in New York, but across the country. However, nobody, not even Lon Cohen’s Gazette, had the space or the knowledge to come anywhere close to giving the whole account. I didn’t think it would ever get printed anywhere, for that matter. Let me explain. Because this episode was such a personal one for Nero Wolfe, he didn’t feel I ought to write about it. And because he signs my weekly checks, I went along with him, at least for a while. Even Wolfe can be worn down by badgering, though. It took me a long time (I didn’t bring the subject up all that often), but he finally gave in, years after the fact. He didn’t give me any reasons, he just nodded, probably to shut me up. Now you know.

ARCHIE GOODWIN

November, 1977

Nero Wolfe and I have argued for years about whether the client who makes his first visit to us before or after noon is more likely to provide an interesting — and lucrative — case. Wolfe contends that the average person is incapable of making a rational decision, such as hiring him, until he or she has had a minimum of two substantial meals that day. My own feeling is that the caller with the greater potential is the one who has spent the night agonizing, finally realizes at dawn that Wolfe is the answer, and does something about it fast. I’ll leave it to you to decide, based on our past experience, which of us has it better pegged.

Читать дальше →