chapter 1

~***Marlowe meets the Sternwoods***~

It was about eleven o'clock in the morning, one day in October. There was no sun, and there were

rain−clouds over the distant hills. I was wearing my light blue suit with a dark blue shirt and tie, black

socks and shoes. I was a nice, clean, well−dressed private detective. I was about to meet four million

dollars.

From the entrance hall where I was waiting I could see a lot of smooth green grass and a white

garage. A young chauffeur was cleaning a dark red sports−car. Beyond the garage I could see a large

greenhouse. Beyond that there were trees and then the hills.

There was a large picture in the hall, with some old flags above it. The picture was of a man in

army uniform. He had hot hard black eyes. Was he General Sternwood's grand− father? The uniform

told me that he could not be the General himself, although I knew he was old. I also knew he had two

daughters, who were still in their twenties.

While I was studying the picture, a door opened. It was a girl. She was about twenty, small but

tough−looking. Her golden hair was cut short, and she looked at me with cold grey eyes. When she

smiled, I saw little sharp white teeth. Her face was white, too, and she didn't look healthy.

`Tall, aren't you?' she said.

`I apologize for growing.'

She looked surprised. She was thinking. I could see that thinking was difficult for her.

`Handsome, too,' she said. She bit her lip and half−closed her eyes. She waited to see what effect

that had on me. When I did nothing, she asked, `Who are you?'

`I'm a detective.'

`What?'

`You heard me.'

`I don't believe you.' She giggled suddenly, and put her thumb in her mouth like a baby. `You're so

tall,' she said.

Then she turned away from me and fell backwards into my arms. I had to catch her to stop her

from crashing to the floor. She held on to me and giggled again.

`You're cute,' she giggled. `I'm cute, too.'

I said nothing. At that moment the butler came in. He didn't look surprised.

He was a tall thin silvery man of about sixty, with expressionless blue eyes. He moved towards us

like a much younger man. In a moment the girl had gone.

The butler said, `The General will see you now, Mr Marlowe.'

`Who was that?' I asked him.

`Miss Carmen Sternwood, sir.'

`I think she should see a doctor. Does she often fall over like that?'

He looked at me coolly, but said nothing.

We went out and walked across the grass. The young chauffeur was cleaning a big black car now.

The butler opened a door, and we went into the greenhouse.It was hot in there, the air thick and wet and the light green.

continued ~

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