nce Wolfe regards Darst as the best sausage maker west of Cherbourg； he asked that it be sent immediately by messenger； and for heaven's sake not with dry ice。
When； at 11： o i； the sound of Wolfe's elevator came； I got the big dictionary in front of me on my desk； opened to H； and was bent over it as he entered the office； crossed to his oversized custom…built chair； and sat。 He didn't bite at once because his mind was elsewhere。 Even before he rang for beer he asked； 〃Has the sausage e？〃
Without looking up I told him no。
He pressed the button twice…the beer signal…leaned back； and frowned at me。 I didn't see the frown； absorbed as I was in the dictionary； but it was in his tone of voice。
〃What are you looking up？〃 he demanded。
〃Oh； just a word；〃 I said casually。 〃Checking up on our client。 I thought she was illiterate； her calling you handsome…remember？ But； by gum； it was merely an understatement。 Here it is； absolutely kosher： 'Handsome： moderately large。' For an example it gives 'a handsome sum of money。' So she was dead right； you're a handsome detective； meaning a moderately large detective。〃 I closed the dictionary and returned it to its place； remarking cheerfully； 〃Live and learn！〃
It was a dud。 Ordinarily that would have started him tossing phrases and adjectives； but he was occupied。 Maybe he didn't even hear me。 When Fritz came from the kitchen with the beer； Wolfe； taking from a drawer the gold bottle opener that a pleased client had given him； spoke。
〃Fritz； good news。 We're getting some of Mr。 Darst's sausage…four pounds。〃
Fritz let his eyes gleam。 〃Ha！ Today？〃
〃Any moment。〃 Wolfe poured beer。 〃That raises the question of cloves again。 What do you think？〃
〃I'm against it；〃 Fritz said firmly。
Wolfe nodded。 〃I think I agree。 I think I do。 You may remember what Marko Vukcic said last year…and by the way； he must be invited for a taste of this。 For Monday luncheon？〃
〃That would be possible；〃 Fritz conceded； 〃but we have arranged for shad with roe…〃
〃Of course。〃 Wolfe lifted his glass and drank； put it down empty； and used his handkerchief on his lips。 That； he thought； was the only way for a man to scent a handkerchief。 〃We'll have Marko for the sausage at Monday dinner； followed by duck Mondor。〃 He leaned forward and wiggled a finger。
〃Now about the shallots and fresh thyme： there's no use depending on Mr。 Colson。 We might get diddled again。 Archie will have to go…〃
At that point Archie had to go answer the doorbell； which I was glad to do。
I fully appreciate； mosdy anyhow； the results of Wolfe's and Fritz's powwows on grub when it arrives at the table； but the gab often strikes me as overdone。 So I didn't mind the call to the hall and the front door。 There I found a young man with a pug nose and a package； wearing a cap that said 〃Fleet Messenger Service。〃 I signed the slip； shut the door； started back down the hall； and was met not only by Fritz but by Wolfe too； who can move well enough when there's something he thinks is worth moving for。
He took the package from me and headed for the kitchen； followed by Fritz and me。
The small carton was sealed with tape。 In the kitchen Wolfe put it on the long table； reached to the rack for a knife； cut the tape； and pulled the Baps up。 My reflexes are quick； and the instant the hissing noise started I grabbed Wolfe's arm to haul him back； yelling at Fritz； 〃Watch out！ Drop！〃
Wolfe can move all right； considering what he has to move。 He and I went through the open door into the hall before the explosion came； and Fritz came bounding after； pulling the door with him。 We all kept going； along the short stretch of hall to the office door； and into the office。 There we stopped dead。 No explosion yet。
〃It's still hissing；〃 I said； and moved。
〃e back here'〃 Wolfe manded。
〃Be quiet；〃 I manded back； and dropped to my hands and knees and made it into the hall。 There I stopped to sniff； crawled to within a yard of the crack under the kitchen door； and sniffed again。
I arose； returned to the office on my feet； and told them。 〃Gas。 Tear gas； I think。 The hissing has stopped。〃
Wolfe snorted。
〃No sausage；〃 Fritz said grimly。
〃If it had been a trigger job on a grenade；〃 I told him； 〃there would have been plenty or sausage。 Not for us； of us。 Now it's merely a damn nuisance。 You'd better sit here and chat a while。〃
I marched to the hall and shut the door behind me； went and opened the front door wide； came back and stood at the kitchen door and took a full breath； opened the door； raced through and opened the back door into the courtyard； and ran back again to the front。 Even there the air current was too gassy for fort； so I moved out to the stoop。 I had been there only a moment when I heard my name called。
〃Archie！〃
I turned。 Wolfe's head with its big oblong face was protruding from a window of the front room。
〃Yes； sir；〃 I said brightly。
〃Who brought that package？〃
I told him Fleet Messenger Service。
When the breeze through the hall had cleared the air I returned to the kitchen and Fritz joined me… We gave the package a look and found it was quite simple： a metal cylinder with a valve； with a brass rod that had been adjusted so that when the package was opened so was the valve。 There was still a strong smell； close up； and Fritz took it to the basement。 I went to the office and found Wolfe behind his desk； busy at the phone。
I dropped into my chair and dabbed at my runny eyes with my handkerchief。 When he hung up I asked； 〃Any luck？〃
〃I didn't expect any；〃 he growled。
〃Right。 Shall I call a cop？〃
〃No。〃
I nodded。 〃The question was rhetorical。〃 I dabbed at my eyes some more； and blew my nose。 〃Nero Wolfe does not call cops。 Nero Wolfe opens his own packages of sausage and makes his own enemies bite the dust〃 I blew my nose again。 〃Nero Wolfe is a man who will go far if he opens one package too many。 Nero Wolfe has never…〃
〃The question was not rhetorical；〃 Wolfe said rudely。 〃That is not what rhetorical means。〃
〃No？ I asked it。 I meant it to be rhetorical。 Can you prove that I don't know what rhetorical means？〃 I blew my nose。 〃When you ask me a question； which God knows is often； do I assume…〃
The phone rang。 One of the million things I do to earn my salary is to answer it； so I did。 And then a funny thing happened。 There is absolutely no question that it was a shock to me to hear that voice； I know that； because I felt it in my stomach。 But partly what makes a shock a shock is that it is unexpected； and I do not think the sound of that voice in my ear was unexpected。 I think that Wolfe and I had been sitting there talking just to hear ourselves because we both expected； after what had happened； to hear that voice sooner or later…and probably sooner。
What it said was only； 〃May I speak to Mr。 Wolfe； please？〃
I felt it in my stomach； sharp and strong； but damned if I was going to let him know it。 I said； but not cordially； 〃Oh； hello there。 If I get you。 Was your name Duncan once？〃
〃Yes。 Mr。 Wolfe； please。〃
〃Hold the wire。〃 I covered the transmitter and told Wolfe； 〃Whosis。〃
〃Who？〃 he demanded。
〃You know who from my face。 Mr。 X。 Mr。 Z。 Him。〃
With his lips pressed tight； Wolfe reached for his phone。 〃This is Nero Wolfe。〃
〃How do you do； Mr。 Wolfe。〃 I was staying on； and the hard； cold； precise voice sounded exactly as it had the four previous times I had heard it； over a period of three years。 It pronounced all its syllables clearly and smoothly。
〃Do you know who I am？〃
〃Yes。〃 Wolfe was curt。 〃What do you want？〃
〃I want to call your attention to my forbearance。 That little package could have been something really destructive； but I preferred only to give you notice。 As I told you about a year ago； it's a more interesting world with you in it。〃
〃I find it so；〃 Wolfe said dryly。
〃No doubt。 Besides； I haven't forgotten your brilliant exposure of the murderer of Louis Rony。 It happened then that your interest ran with mine。 But it doesn't now； with Mrs。 Barry Rackham； and that won't do。 Because of my regard for you； I don't want you to lose a fee。 Return her money and withdraw； and two months from today I shall send you ten thousand dollars in cash。 Twice previously you have disregarded similar requests from me； and circumstances saved you。 I advise strongly against a repetition。 You will have to understand…〃
Wolfe took the phone from his ear and placed it on the cradle。 Since the effect of that would be lost it my line stayed open； I did likewise； practically simultaneously。
〃By God； we're off again；〃 I began。 〃Of all the rotten…〃
〃Shut up；〃 Wolfe growled。
I obeyed。 He rested his elbows on his chair arms； interlaced his fingers in front of where he was roundest； and gazed at a er of his desk blotter。
I did not； as a matter of fact； have anything to say except that it was a lousy break； and that didn't need saying。 Wolfe had once ordered me to forget that I had ever heard the name Arnold Zeck； but whether I called him Zeck or Whosis or X； he was still the man who； some ten months ago； had arranged for two guys with