And Four to Go Quotes

“To drink champagne with a blonde at one elbow and a brunette at the other gives a man a sense of well-being, and”
― Rex Stout, And Four to Go

“Sit down,” she said. “What is this nonsense about letters from Sarah Yare?”

I took the chair at the end of her desk. “You know,” I said, “my tie must be crooked or I’ve got a grease spot. Mr. Drew resented me, and Mr. Gallant was going to throw an ashtray at me. Now you. Why is it nonsense to ask a simple question politely and respectfully?”

“Maybe ‘nonsense’ isn’t the word. Maybe I should have said ‘gall.’ What right have you to march in here and ask questions at all? Polite or not.”

“None. It’s not a right, it’s a liberty. I have no right to ask you to have dinner with me this evening, which might not be a bad idea, but I’m at liberty to, and you’re at liberty to tell me you’d rather dine at the automat with a baboon, only that wouldn’t be very polite. Also when I ask if you have any letters from Sarah Yare you’re at liberty to tell me to go climb a tree if you find the question ticklish. I might add that I would be at liberty to climb a pole instead of a tree. Have you any letters from Sarah Yare?”
― Rex Stout, And Four to Go

“Margot has more than her share of the kind of pride that is only skin deep and therefore can’t stand a scratch.”
― Rex Stout, And Four to Go

“My desk ashtray, which is mostly for decoration since I seldom smoke—a gift, not to Wolfe but to me, from a former client—is a jade bowl six inches across. It was there in its place, and in it were three stubs from Pharaoh cigarettes.”
― Rex Stout, And Four to Go

“face would have made a very nice kodachrome.”
― Rex Stout, And Four to Go

“He had decided to give up his trip to see Thompson, and instead to arrange with Bottweill to attend the Christmas party disguised as Santa Claus, because the idea of a woman living in his house—or of the only alternative, my leaving—had made him absolutely desperate, and he had to see for himself. He had to see Margot and me together, and to talk with her if possible. If he found out that the marriage license was a hoax he would have me by the tail; he could tell me he would be delighted to welcome my bride and watch me wriggle out. If he found that I really meant it he would know what he was up against and go on from there. The point was this, that he had shown what he really thought of me. He had shown that rather than lose me he would do something that he wouldn’t have done for any fee anybody could name. He would rather have gone without beer for a week than admit it, but now he was a fugitive from justice in a murder case and needed me. So he had to let me know, but he wanted it understood that that aspect of the matter was not to be mentioned. The assumption would be that he had gone to Bottweill’s instead of Long Island because he loved to dress up like Santa Claus and tend bar.”
― Rex Stout, And Four to Go