Too Many Cooks by Rex Stout Read Free Book Online

he said to, and it curdled, you have won a hundred francs. Where, is the objection to that?'
    'But everything wasted! Look: mud!' Rossi puffed. 'These damn modern ideas! Vinegar is vinegar!'
    Laszio said quietly, 'I'll pay. To-morrow I'll show you how.' He turned abruptly and went to the door to the large parlor and opened it, and the sound of the radio came through. Rossi trotted around the table with the dish of mud to show it to Servan and Berin. Vukcic stuffed his telegram in his pocket and went over to look at it. Lisette became aware of my presence and poked the plate at me and said something. I grinned at her and replied, 'Jack Spratt could eat no fat, his wife could-'
    'Archie!' Wolfe opened his eyes. 'Miss Putti says that those wafers were made by the two hands of Mr. Keith, who brought the ingredients from India.'
    'Did you try them?'
    'Yes.'
    'Are they any good?'
    'No.'
    'Then will you kindly tell her that I never eat between meals?'
    I wandered over to the parlor door and stood beside Phillip Laszio, looking at the three couples dancing-only it was apparent that he was only seeing one. Mamma and papa Mondor were panting but game, Ramsey Keith and the geisha were funny to look at but obviously not concerned with that aspect of the matter, and Dina Laszio and Vallenko apparently hadn't changed holds since my previous view. However, they soon did. Something was happening beside me. Laszio said nothing, and made no gesture that I saw, but he must have achieved some sort of communication, for the two stopped abruptly, and Dina murmured something to her partner and then alone crossed the floor to her husband. I sidestepped a couple of paces to give them room, but they weren't paying any attention to me.
    She asked him, 'Would you like to dance, dear?'
    'You know I wouldn't. You weren't dancing.'
    'But what-' She laughed. 'They call it dancing, don't they?'
    'They may. But you weren't dancing.' He smiled-that is, technically; it looked more like a smile to end smiles.
    Vallenko came up. He stopped close to them, looked from his face to hers and back again, and all at once burst out laughing. 'Ah, Laszio!' He slapped him on the back, not gently. 'Ah, my friend!' He bowed to Dina. 'Thank you, madame.' He strode off.
    She said to her husband, 'Phillip dear, if you don't want me to dance with your colleagues you might have said so. I don't find it so great a pleasure-'
    It didn't seem likely that they would need me to help out, so I went back out to the dining room and sat down. For half an hour I sat there and watched the zoo. Lawrence Coyne came in from the small parlor, rubbing his eyes and trying to comb his white whiskers with his fingers. He looked around and called 'Lio!' in a roar that shook the windows, and his Chinese wife came trotting from the other room, got him in a chair and perched on his knee. Leon Blanc entered, immediately got into an argument with Berin and Rossi, and suddenly disappeared with them into the kitchen. It was nearly six o'clock when Constanza blew in. She had changed from her riding things. She looked around and offered a few greetings which nobody paid much attention to, then saw Vukcic and me and came over to us and asked where her father was. I told her, in the kitchen fighting about lemon juice. In the daylight the dark purple eyes were all and more than I had feared.
    I observed, 'I saw you and the horses a couple of hours ago. Will you have a glass of ginger ale?'
    'No, thanks.' She smiled as to an indulgent uncle. 'It was very nice of you to tell father that Mr. Tolman is your friend.'
    'Don't mention it. I could see you were young and helpless, and thought I might as well lend a hand. Are things beginning to shape up?'
    'Shape up?'
    'It doesn't matter.' I waved a hand. 'As long as you're happy.'
    'Certainly I'm happy. I love America. I believe I'll have some ginger ale after all. No, don't move, I'll get it.' She moved around the table toward a button.
    I don't believe Vukcic, right