Before Midnight

"I think you're both lying," he growled. That was an instance. He was talking too fast.

Wolfe lifted his shoulders and dropped them. "After that," he said, "conversation becomes pointless."

"Yeah, I know it does." Purley swallowed. "I take it back. I take it back because I want to ask a favor. The Inspector told me not to. He said if Goodwin typed those copies he wouldn't have used his machine here, and he may be right, but I hereby request you to let me type something on that typewriter" --he aimed a thumb--" and take it with me. Well?"

"Certainly," Wolfe agreed. "It's rather impudent, but I prefer that to prolonging the conversation. I'm busy and it's nearly lunch time. Archie?"

I pulled the machine to me, rolled some paper in, and vacated the chair, and Purley came and took it and started banging. He used forefingers only but made fair time. I stood back of his shoulder and watched him run it off:

Many minimum men came running and the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy moon and now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of the party 234567890-ASDFGHJKL:QWERTY UIOPZXCVBNM?

When he had rolled it out and was folding it I said helpfully, "By the way, I've got an old machine up in my room that I use sometimes. You should have a sample of that too. Come on."

That was a mistake, because if I hadn't said it I probably would have had the pleasure of hearing him thank Wolfe for something, which would have been a first. Instead, "Hang 'em on your nose and snap at 'em," he told me, retrieved bis hat from the floor beside his chair, and tramped out. By the time I got to the hall he had the front door open. He didn't pull it shut after him, which I thought was rather petty for a sergeant. I went and closed and bolted it, and returned to the office.

Wolfe was at the bookshelves, returning Casanova and Dorothy Osbome and the others to their places. Since it was only ten minutes to lunch time, he couldn't have been expected to get back to work. I stood and watched him.