¶ he [Wolfe] smacked his Lips, tasting the fifth Brand [of Beer], and holding up the Glass looked through the Amber at the Light. “this is a pleasant Surprise, Archie. I would not have believed it. that of course is the Advantage of being a Pessimist; a Pessimist gets nothing but pleasant Surprises, an Optimist nothing but unpleasant. so far, none of this is Sewage. [...].” ¶
Chapter 1 [Page 2]
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¶ Anderson stared. “by God, Wolfe, I think you’re crazy.”
“I’m afraid not.” Wolfe sighed. “there are Times when I would welcome such a Conclusion as an Escape from Life’s meaner Responsibilities – what Mr. Goodwin would call an Out – but the contrary Evidence is overwhelming. – but to our Business. [...]” ¶
Ch. 17 [183f]
¶ Wolfe sighed. the Beer came, and he opened a Bottle and gulped a Glass. he put the Expense List under the Paperweight with the Mail and leaned back in his Chair. “tomorrow I shall cut down to five Quarts.” ¶
Ch. 19 [198]
[Wolfe:] “[...]. well, Archie. I will take the Responsibility for my own Actions; I will not also assume the Burden of your Simplicity. somehow you must bear it.”
I grinned. “maybe. I don’t mean maybe I can bear it, I mean maybe all you’ve just said. also, maybe I’m simple. I’m so simple that a simple Thought occurred to me as I was walking back from the Bank this Morning.”
“indeed.” Wolfe gulped his Glass of Beer.
“yes, Sir. it occurred to me that if [the Murderer] had been arrested and brought to Trial you would have had to put on your Hat and Gloves, leave the House, walk to an Automobile, ride clear to White Plains, and sit around a Courtroom waiting for your Turn to testify. whereas now, natural Processes being what they are, and you having such a good Feeling for Phenomena, you can just sit and hold your Responsibilities on your Lap.”
“indeed,” Wolfe murmured. ¶
Rex Stout, Fer-de-Lance (=The End) [199]
Source: Bantam Books 1983
Original Text First Published: 1934
Read: 21998
These Quotations First Published: 1998
Re-formatted for www: November 2000
Retracted from the Web: April 2002
Truncated Version re-published: January 2004
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