noon； doesn't he？〃 〃Yes； but…〃
〃Tell him not to bother to phone about this。 Mr。 Wolfe is not available； and I'm reserved for clients； as the ad says。 Watch your foot； here es the door。〃
I shut it and put the chain bolt on。 As I went back down the hall Fritz emerged from the kitchen and demanded； 〃Who was that？〃
I eyed him。 〃You know damn well；〃 I said； 〃that when Mr。 Wolfe was here you would never have dreamed of asking who was that； either of him or of me。 Don't dream of it now； anyway not when I'm in the humor I'm in at present。〃
〃I only wanted…〃
〃Skip it。 I advise you to steer clear of me until I've had a chance to think。〃
I went to the office and this dme took my own chair。 At least I had got some instructions from Wolfe； though his method of sending them was certainly roundabout。 The ad meant； of course； that I wasn't to try to cover his absence； on the contrary。 More important； it told me to lay off of the Rackham thing。 I was to handle inquiries from clients on unfinished matters； but only from clients； and since Mrs。 Rackham； being dead； couldn't inquire； that settled that。 Another thing…apparently I still had my job； unlike Fritz and Theodore。 But I couldn't sign checks； I couldn't…suddenly I remembered something。
The fact that I hadn't thought of it before indicates the state I was in。 I have told； in my account of another case of Wolfe's how； in anticipation of the possibility that some day a collision with Arnold Zeck would drive him into a foxhole； he had instructed me to put fifty thousand dollars in cash in a safe deposit box over in Jersey； and how I obeyed instructions。 The idea was to have a source of supply for the foxhole； but anyway； there it was； fifty grand； in the box rented by me under the name I had selected for the purpose。 I was sitting thinking how upset I must have been not to have thought of that before when the phone rang and I reached for it。
〃Nero Wolfe's office； Archie Goodwin speaking。〃
I thought it proper to use that； the familiar routine； since according to Wolfe's ad he wouldn't retire until the next day。
〃Archie？〃 A voice I knew sounded surprised。 〃Is that you； Archie？〃
〃Right。 Hello； Marko。 So early on Sunday？〃
〃But I thought you were away！ I was going to give Fritz a message for you。
From Nero。〃
Marko Vukcic； owner and operator of Rusterman's Restaurant； the only place where Wolfe really liked to eat except at home； was the only man in New York who called Wolfe by his first name。 I told him I would be glad to take a message for myself。
〃Not from Nero actually；〃 he said。 〃From me。 I must see you as soon as possible。 Could you e here？〃
I said I could。 There was no need to ask where； since the only place he could ever be found was the restaurant premises； either on one of the two floors for the public； in the kitchen； or up in his private quarters。
I told Fritz I was going out and would be back when he saw me。
As I drove crosstown and up to 54th Street； I was around eighty per cent sure that within a few minutes I would be talking with Wolfe。 For him it would be hard to beat that for a foxhole…the place that cooked and served the best food in America； with the living quarters of his best and oldest friend above it。 Even after I had entered at the side door； as arranged； ascended the two flights of stairs； seen the look on Marko's face as he weled me； felt the tight clasp of his fingers as he took my hands in his； and heard his murmured 〃My friend； my poor young friend！〃…even then I thought he was only preparing dramatically to lead me to Wolfe in an inner room。
But he wasn't。 All he led me to was a chair by a window。 He took another one； facing me； and sat with his palms on his knees； his head cocked a little to one side as usual。
〃My friend Archie；〃 he said sympathetically。 〃It is my part to tell you exactly certain things。 But before I do that I wish to tell you a thing of my own。 I wish to remind you that I have known Nero a much longer time than you have。 We knew each other as boys in another country…much younger than you were that day many years ago when you first saw him and went to work for him。 He is my old and dear friend； and I am his。 So it was natural that he should e to me last night。〃
〃Sure；〃 I agreed。 〃Why not？〃
〃You must feel no pique。 No courroux。〃
〃Okay。 I'll fight it down。 What time did he e？〃
〃At two o'clock in the night。 He was here an hour； and then left。 That I am to tell you； and these things。 Do you want to write them down？〃
〃I can remember them if you can。 Shoot。〃
Marko nodded。 〃I know of your great memory。 Nero has often spoken of it。〃 He shut his eyes and in a moment opened them again。 〃There are these five things。 First； the plants。 He telephoned Mr。 Hewitt last night； and tomorrow Mr。 Hewitt will arrange for the plants to be moved to his place； and also for Theodore to go there to work。 Second…〃
〃Am I to list the plants？ Do the records go too？〃
〃I don't know。 I can say only what I was told to say。 That's all about the plants。 Perhaps Mr。 Hewitt can tell you。 Second； that is Fritz。 He will work here； and I will pay him well。 I will see him today and arrange the details。 Of course he is unhappy？〃
〃He thinks Mr。 Wolfe will starve to death。〃
〃But naturally。 If not that； something else。 I have always thought it a folly for him to be a detective。 Third…I am third。 I have a power of attorney。 Do you want to see it？〃
〃No； thanks； I'll take your word for it。〃
〃It is in there locked up。 Nero said it is legal； and he knows。 I can sign checks for you。 I can sign anything。 I can do anything he could do。〃
〃Within certain limits。 You can't…〃 I waved a hand。 〃Forget it。 Fourth？〃
〃Fourth is the house。 I am to offer the house and its contents for sale。 On that I have confidential instructions。〃
I goggled at him。 〃Sell the house and contents？〃
〃Yes。 I have private instructions regarding price and terms。〃
〃I don't believe it。〃
His shoulders went up and down。 〃I told Nero you would think I was lying。〃
〃I don't think you're lying。 I just don't believe it。 Also the bed and other articles in my room are my property。 Must I move them out today or can I wait until tomorrow？〃
Marko made a noise that I think was meant for sympathy。 〃My poor young friend；〃 he said apologetically； 〃there is no hurry at all。 Selling a house is not like selling a lamb chop。 You will； I suppose； continue to live there for the present。〃
〃Did he say I should？〃
〃No； But why shouldn't you？ That is my own thought； and it brings us to the fifth and last thing： the instructions Nero gave me for you。〃
〃Oh； he did。 That was thoughtful。 Such as？〃
〃You are to act in the light of experience as guided by intelligence。〃
He stopped。 I nodded。 〃That's a cinch； I always do。 And specifically？〃
〃That's all。 Those are your instructions。〃 Marko upturned his palMs。〃That's all about everything。〃
〃You call that instructions； do you？〃
〃I don't。 He did。〃 He leaned to me。 〃I told him； Archie； that his conduct was inexcusable。 He was standing ready to leave； after telling me those five things and no more。 Having no reply； he turned and went： Beyond that I know nothing； but nothing；〃
〃Where he went？ Where he is？ No word for me at all？〃
〃Nothing。 Only what I have told you。〃
〃Hell； he's gone batty； like lots of geniuses；〃 I declared； and got up to go。
7
I DROVE around for two solid hours； mostly in the park。 Now and then； for a change of scene； I left the park for a patrol of the avenues。
I hadn't been able to start thinking in the house； and it might work better on the move。 Moreover； I didn't want any more just then of Fritz or Theodore； or in fact of anybody but me。 So； in the light of experience and guided by intelligence； I drove around。 Somewhere along the way I saw clearly what my trouble was： I was pletely out of errands for the first time in years。 How could I decide what to do when I had nothing to do？ I now believe that the reason I never drove farther north than noth Street； nor farther south than i4th Street during those two hours； was that I thought Wolfe was probably somewhere within those limits and I didn't want to leave them。
When I did leave them it wasn't voluntary。 Rolling down Second Avenue in the Seventies； I had stopped for a red light abreast of a police car on my left。 Just as the light was changing； the cop on my side stuck his head out and called； 〃Pull over to the curb。〃
Flattered at the attention as any motorist would be； not； I obeyed。 The police car came alongside； and the cop got out and invented another new phrase。 〃Let me see your license。〃
I got it out and handed it to him； and he took a look。
〃Yeah； I thought I recognized you。〃 He handed the license back； walked around the front of my car to the other side； got in beside me； and suggested； 〃Let's go to the Nineteenth Precinct。 Sixty…seventh east of Lexington。〃
〃That's one idea；〃 I admitted。 〃Or what's wrong with the Brooklyn Botanical Garden； especially on Easter？ I'll toss you for it。〃
He was unmoved。 〃e on； Goodwin； e on。 I know you're a card； I've heard all ab