cellno.3inthefelonytankhastwobunks,pullmanstyle,butthetankwasnotveryfullandihadthecelltomyself.inthefelonytanktheytreatyouprettywell.yougettwoblankets,neitherdirtynorclean,andalumpymattresstwoinchesthickwhichgoesovercrisscrossedmetalslats.thereisaflushtoilet,awashbasin,papertowelsandgrittygraysoap.thecellblockiscleananddoesn’tsmellofdisinfectant.thetrustiesdothework.thesupplyoftrustiesisalwaysample.

thejaildeputieslookyouoverandtheyhavewiseeyes.unlessyouareadrunkorapsychooractlikeoneyougettokeepyourmatchesandcigarettes.untilpreliminaryyouwearyourownclothes.afterthatyouwearthejaildenim,notie,nobelt,noshoelaces.yousitonthebunkandwait.thereisnothingelsetodo,

inthedrunktankitisnotsogood.nobunk,nochair,noblankets,nonothing.youlieontheconcretefloor.yousitonthetoiletandvomitinyourownlap.thatisthedepthofmisery.i’veseenit.

althoughitwasstilldaylightthelightswereonintheceiling.insidethesteeldoorofthecellblockwasabasketofsteelbarsaroundthejudaswindow.thelightswerecontrolledfromoutsidethesteeldoor.theywentoutatninenobodycamethroughthedoororsaidanything.youmightbeinthemiddleofasentenceinanewspaperormagazine.withoutanysoundofaclickoranywarning—darkness.andthereyouwereuntilthesummerdawnwithnothingtodobutsleepifyoucould,smokeifyouhadanythingtosmoke,andthinkifyouhadanythingtothinkaboutthatdidn’tmakeyoufeelworsethannotthinkingatall.

injailamanhasnopersonality.heisaminordisposalproblemandafewentriesonreports.nobodycareswholovesorhateshim,whathelookslike,whathedidwithhislife.nobodyreactstohimunlesshegivestrouble.nobodyabuseshim.allthatisaskedofhimisthathegoquietlytotherightcellandremainquietwhenhegetsthere.thereisnothingtofightagainst,nothingtobemadat.thejailersarequietmenwithoutanimosityorsadism.allthisstuffyoureadaboutmenyellingandscreaming,beatingagainstthebars,runningspoonsalongthem,guardsrushinginwithclubs—allthatisforthebighouse.agoodjailisoneofthequietestplacesintheworld.youcouldwalkthroughtheaveragecellblockatnightandlookinthroughthebarsandseeahuddleofbrownblanket,oraheadofhair,orapairofeyeslookingatnothing.youmighthearasnore.onceinalongwhileyoumighthearanightmare.thelifeinajailisinsuspension,withoutpurposeormeaning.inanothercellyoumightseeamanwhocannotsleeporeventrytosleep.heissittingontheedgeofhisbunkdoingnothing.helooksatyouordoesn’t.youlookathim.hesaysnothingandyousaynothing.thereisnothingtocommunicate.

inthecornerofthecellblocktheremaybeasecondsteeldoorthatleadstotheshow-upbox.oneofitswallsiswiremeshpaintedblack.onthebackwallareruledlinesforheight.overheadarefloodlights.yougointhereinthemorningasarule,justbeforethenightcaptaingoesoffduty.youstandagainstthemeasuringlinesandthelightsglareatyouandthereisnolightbehindthewiremesh.butplentyofpeopleareoutthere:cops,detectives,citizenswhohavebeenrobbedorassaultedorswindledorkickedoutoftheircarsatgunpointorconnedoutoftheirlifesavings.youdon’tseeorhearthem.youhearthevoiceofthenightcaptain.youreceivehimloudandclear.heputsyouthroughyourpacesasifyouwereaperformingdog.heistiredandcynicalandcompetent.heisthestagemanagerofaplaythathashadthelongestruninhistory,butitnolongerinterestshim.

“allright,you.standstraight.pullyourbellyin.pullyourchinin.keepyourshouldersback.holdyourheadlevel.lookstraightfront.turnleft.turnright.facefrontagainandholdyourhandsout.palmsup.palmsdown.pullyoursleevesback.novisiblescars.hairdarkbrown,somegray.eyesbrown.heightsixfeet,onehalfinch.weightaboutoneninety.namephilipmarlowe.occupationprivatedetective.well,well,nicetoseeyou,marlowe.that’sall.nextman.”

muchobliged,captain.thanksforthetime.youforgottohavemeopenmymouth.ihavesomeniceinlaysandoneveryhigh-classporcelainjacketcrown.eighty-sevendollarsworthofporcelainjacketcrown.youforgottolookinsidemynosetoo,captain.alotofscartissueinthereforyou.septumoperationandwasthatguyabutcher!twohoursofitinthosedays.iheartheydoitintwentyminutesnow.igotitplayingfootball,captain,aslightmiscalculationinanattempttoblockapunt.iblockedtheguy’sfootinstead—afterhekickedtheball.fifteenyardspenalty,andthat’sabouthowmuchstiffbloodytapetheypulledoutofmynoseaninchatatimethedayaftertheoperation.i’mnotbragging,captain.i’mjusttellingyou.it’sthelittlethingsthatcount.

onthethirddayadeputyunlockedmycellinthemiddleofthemorning.

“yourlawyer’shere.killthebutt—andnotonthefloor.”

iflusheditdownthetoilet.hetookmetotheconferenceroom.atallpaledark-hairedmanwasstandingtherelookingoutofthewindow.therewasafatbrownbriefcaseonthetable.heturned.hewaitedforthedoortoclose.thenhesatdownnearhisbriefcaseonthefarsideofascarredoaktablethatcameoutoftheark.noahboughtitsecondhand.thelawyeropenedahammeredsilvercigarettecaseandputitinfrontofhimandlookedmeover.

“sitdown,marlowe.careforacigarette?mynameisendicott.sewellendicott.i’vebeeninstructedtorepresentyouwithoutcostorexpensetoyou.iguessyou’dliketogetoutofhere,wouldn’tyou?”

isatdownandtookoneofthecigarettes.heheldalighterforme.

“nicetoseeyouagain,mr.endicott.we’vemetbefore—whileyouwere”

henodded.“idon’tremember,butit’squitepossible.”hesmiledfaintly.“thatpositionwasnotquiteinmyline.iguessidon’thaveenoughtigerinme.”

“whosentyou?”

“i’mnotatlibertytosay.ifyouacceptmeasyourattorney,thefeewillbetakencareof.”

“iguessthatmeansthey’vegothim.”

hejuststaredatme.ipuffedatthecigarette.itwasoneofthosethingswithfiltersinthem.ittastedlikeahighfogstrainedthroughcottonwool.

“ifyoumeanlennox,”hesaid,“andofcourseyoudo,no—theyhaven’tgothim.”

“whythemystery,mr.endicott?aboutwhosentyou.”

“myprincipalwishestoremainanonymous.thatistheprivilegeofmyprincipal.doyouacceptme?”

“idon’tknow,”isaid.“iftheyhaven’tgotterry,whyaretheyholdingme?nobodyhasaskedmeanything,nobodyhasbeennearme.”

hefrownedandlookeddownathislongwhitedelicatefingers.“districtattorneyspringerhastakenpersonalchargeofthismatter.hemayhavebeentoobusytoquestionyouyet.butyouareentitledtoarraignmentandapreliminaryhearing.icangetyououtonbailonahabeascorpusproceeding.youprobablyknowwhatthelawis.”

“i’mbookedonsuspicionofmurder.”