Free The Black Mountain by Rex Stout

working for most of a year, and returning each July to spend a month at home with their women and children. The practice became universal with the men of Galichnik, and they have followed it for five centuries. Masons and stonecutters from Galichnik worked on the Escorial in Spain and the palaces at Versailles. They have worked on the Mormon Temple in Utah, the Chateau Frontenac in Quebec, the Empire State Building in New York,
    the Dnieperstroi in Russia. He joined his fingertips. So I am Tone Stara of Galichnik. I am one of the few who one July did not return - many years ago. I have been many places, including the United States. Finally I became homesick and curious. What was happening to my birthplace, Galichnik, perched on the border between Tito’s Yugoslavia and Russia’s puppet Albania'I was eaten by a desire to see and to know, and I returned. The answer was not in Galichnik.
    There were no men there, and the women suspected me and feared me and wouldn’t even tell me where the men were. I wanted to learn and to judge, as between Tito and the Russians, and between them both and certain persons of whom I had vaguely heard, persons who were calling themselves champions of freedom. So I made my way north through the mountains, a hard rocky way, and here I am in Montenegro, determined to find out where the truth is and who deserves my hand.
    I assert my right to ask questions so I may choose my side. He turned his palms up. And I ask questions.
    Uh-huh. I wasn’t enthusiastic. I don’t. I can’t.
    I know you can’t. Your name is Alex.
    Oh. It is.
    It is if you go with me. There are good reasons why it would be better for you to stay here, but confound it, you’ve been too close to me too long. I’m too dependent on you. However, the decision is yours. I don’t claim the right to drag you into a predicament of mortal hazard and doubtful outcome.
    Yeah. I’m not very crazy about the name Alex. Why Alex'
    We can choose another. It might not increase the risk of exposure for you to keep Archie, and that would make one less demand on our vigilance. You are my son, born in the United States. I must ask you to suffer that presumption because no lesser tie would justify my hauling you back to Galichnik with me.
    You are an only child and your mother died in your infancy. That will reduce the temptation for you to indulge your invention if we meet someone who speaks English. Until recently I repressed all sentiment about my homeland, so I have taught you no Serbo-Croat and no Serbian lore. At one point, while I was cooking, I decided you should be deaf-mute, but changed my mind. It would create more difficulties than it would solve.
    It’s an idea, I declared. Why not'I practically am anyway.
    No. You would be overheard talking with me.
    I suppose so, I conceded reluctantly. I’d like to take a crack at it, but I guess you’re right. Are we going to Galichnik'
    Good Heavens, no. There was a time when sixty kilometers through those hills was only a frolic for me, but not now. We’ll go across to a spot I used to know,
    or, if time has changed that too, to one that Paolo - The phone rang. I was up automatically, realized I was disqualified, and stood while Wolfe crossed to it and lifted it to his ear. In a moment he spoke, so it was Telesio. After a brief exchange he hung up and turned to me.
    Paolo. He has been waiting for Guido to return from an excursion on his boat.
    He said he might have to wait until midnight or later. I told him we have decided on a plan and would like to have him come and discuss it. He’s coming.
    I sat down. Now about my name …

Nero Wolfe 24 - The Black Mountain
    Chapter 6
    There are boats and boats. The Queen Elizabeth is a boat. So was the thing I rowed one August afternoon on the lake in Central Park, with Lily Rowan lolling in the stern, to win a bet. Guido Battista’s craft, which took us across the Adriatic, was in between those two but was a much closer relative of the latter