Rogue Male Page #3

Oh, why not? There's no place

like it in my experience.

Bobbity:
I'm only sorry I'm not

young enough to go with you.

You won't tell anyone you'd seen me?

Don't be insulting, Bobbity!

- Robert!

- Saul!

Good Heavens!

You look like an advertisement!

I'd say I look rather democratic. I bought the

rig in what they call a Department Store.

Fact is:
I rather think I'm being followed.

Curious that you turn out, matter of fact.

Rather a case of "speak of the devil.

Oh, why should you be doing that?

Because we had some

very odd enquires about you.

Does the name Quive-Smith

mean anything to you?

Quive-Smith? Quive-Smith? Nothing.

- Anything to eat?

- Only my lunch.

A few gull's eggs and half a bottle of

Moet-Chandon '28. You are welcome to.

Or there's potato biscuit

with a side of petit beurre.

He's a Major. And he says he's by way of

being an old companion in arms of yours.

A Lancer? English is he?

Couldn't be more so. The fact my name was

Abrahams got him congestion of the larynx.

He said he knew you and that he is the

bearer of information to your advantage.

An inheritance. Some fellow soldier.

The Colonel, no doubt, left me the

regimental silver? I don't think.

Bring in my champagne and gull's eggs

for Sir Robert, please, Mr. Peale.

Quive-Smith? Never heard of him.

Anything else funny going on?

Anything else, Mr Peale?

Not directly, sir. Only we do have a queer

customer outside, feeding the ducks.

- Been the whole week off during office hours.

- And another one just turned out in Dearball St.

He's been seen on in a chat with

the duck-feeding gentleman for

the last couple minutes or so.

Since sir Robert's taxi drew up.

They've broken cover.

My gaudy plumage. Works an appetite.

I'll get the refreshments, sir.

See what else anyone knows.

Where does Peale get his information?

From leaning out of the window all day?

- No, no, the Union.

- Union?

Private detective's union.

They spot outsiders in no time.

As far as the divorce business is, we have

to brief as many of them as we do barristers.

They like to keep in the right side of Mr. Peale.

What've you been up to?

I took a pot at your chum Adolph.

Adolph?

Adolph?

Adolph.

You must be loopy!

You know why, Saul.

No one else does, but you do.

- Rebecca.

- You shouldn't blame yourself, Robert.

I blame myself. And I blame them.

- She knew what she was doing.

- So did I.

And I should have stopped her.

You couldn't to.

Anyway...

Here we are, sir Robert.

Seems he's still there, sir.

If I may suggest, sir, I'll

accompany you when you go out.

I doubt they'll try anything in the street...

not if there are two of us.

You still pack your right

hook, do you, Mr. Peale?

I never go anywhere without it, sir.

Robert, you can be absent

minded in your own, do you?

Trying to eat gull's eggs with your gloves on?

I have my reasons. My hands

still aren't too pretty to look at.

Then I won't look at them.

Better still, alow me.

What are we gonna do about you?

Well, don't suggest anything

legal because there isn't anything.

My uncle's made that very clear. Neville

and his chums will ship me back to our

friends as soon as look at me. Sooner.

I want to settle my affairs

and I'll need all the cash

you can muster. I may be,

as they say, underground for some time.

No trouble there.

Do you keep cash in the office, do you?

When your name is Abrahams, my dear

Robert, you may eat with the best people

and even sleep with one or two of

them --when they're in the mood--

but you don't trust them;

- not ever... not entirely.

It may be peace in your time, but I don't

think it's likely to remain peace in mine.

Oh, Saul, for God's sake,

you're as English as I am.

And you're half-Irish.

Here's a body belt with 2.000 quid in it.

and a 100 in sovereigns.

Any fellow Hebrew might give you a

decent break for gold wherever you are.

Saul, you are an ass!

Now:
what about the land?

The documents are ready. You want the present

tenants to inherit in the event of your death,

subject to the creation of the

joint trust for their heirs. Wasn't that it?

- Good man.

- Here you are.

Splendid, splendid... Now: one more thing.

If a coroner check on my body concludes that I

committed suicide, don't believe one word of it.

- I'll get on it personally.

- You do no such thing!

A corpse isn't worth the fuzz.

- Just remember.

- I should do that.

I promise.

- Guess I owe you another one, don't you?

- On your account. Don't you worry.

Her's one of them. And there, if I'm

not mistaken, comes the gallant Major

Gallant.

He has a good tailor, I say that.

Hailing a taxi cab once takes two...

My pleasure, sir Robert.

Take a shilling compartment, sir.

A shilling compartment, please.

- Good luck!

- Good luck to you, sir.

Now!

How can I go to... Wimbledon Park?

Well, sir, you go to Leicester Square,

and Charing Cross.

How much time have you got?

It's a little complicated...

All the time in the world.

- Ticket, sir.

- I'm in a hurry, damn you!

Take the northern line. That

would take you to Charing Cross.

Charing Cross, district line, and

then all the way to the Park.

Counter's there, sir.

Going aboard!

Funny the way they always do that!

One must have patience!

Sir Robert! What a pleasure to see you!

- Quite wrong, Jessel! You haven't seen me.

- Sir Robert?

I'm not here, Jessel. You

haven't seen me since my last trip.

- Of course not, sir Robert.

- Here is the list of things I need.

- Bivouac?

- Ah, ha.

- What about a firearm?

- No. Just I don't think I'll play that way.

Quite right, sir Robert.

- I'm not a criminal, Jessel.

- Off on another of your trips,

I presume, sir Robert?

When you get the stuff, I'll be at

the entrance of Wimbledon station.

"The Evening Standard"!

Horrible murder! Read all about it!

The Metropolitan Police wish to interview a

tall, well dressed gentleman in his early forties.

The booking clerk described him as

having no fingernails on his right hand.

I came as quick as I knew how, sir Robert.

But the West End? They got police,

and I-Don't-Know-What everywhere.

- I suppose they are both at this game.

- Thank you, Jessel.

- Will you be all right, sir Robert?

- Oh, yes. Meanwhile...

Of course.

Even I don't know who I am.

I never hunted at the Cattistock. Why not?

Why not?

I remained in Dorset once before in my life.

Stop! You alight!

Five minutes. I don't wanna get behind.

Pub's shut. Give me some water.

Oh, how really weary I am!

- Do I look funny?

- Funny?

You? No. Why?

What a frankly superb conveyance!

- Sorry?

- The bike.

I've never seen anything quite like it.

- There isn't anything quite like it.

- Gerald built it.

- Gerald?

- I am Gerald.

How'd you do. You'll never believe this, but

I've been hunting high and

low for a thing like this.

OH, Gerald was thinking of

manufacturing them. Won't it, Gerald?

- As a business.

- I've given the matter some consideration.

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