a thief in the night-第1节

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A　Thief　in　the　Night

by　E。　W。　Hornung





Out　of　Paradise

If　I　must　tell　more　tales　of　Raffles；　I　can　but　back　to　our　earliest　days　together；　and　fill　in　the　blanks　left　by　discretion　in　existing　annals。　　In　so　doing　I　may　indeed　fill　some　small　part　of　an　infinitely　greater　blank；　across　which　you　may　conceive　me　to　have　stretched　my　canvas　for　the　first　frank　portrait　of　my　friend。　　The　whole　truth　cannot　harm　him　now。　　I　shall　paint　in　every　wart。　　Raffles　was　a　villain；　when　all　is　written；　it　is　no　service　to　his　memory　to　glaze　the　fact；　yet　I　have　done　so　myself　before　to…day。　　I　have　omitted　whole　heinous　episodes。　　I　have　dwelt　unduly　on　the　redeeming　side。　　And　this　I　may　do　again；　blinded　even　as　I　write　by　the　gallant　glamour　that　made　my　villain　more　to　me　than　any　hero。　　But　at　least　there　shall　be　no　more　reservations；　and　as　an　earnest　I　shall　make　no　further　secret　of　the　greatest　wrong　that　even　Raffles　ever　did　me。

I　pick　my　words　with　care　and　pain；　loyal　as　I　still　would　be　to　my　friend；　and　yet　remembering　as　I　must　those　Ides　of　March　when　he　led　me　blindfold　into　temptation　and　crime。　　That　was　an　ugly　office；　if　you　will。　　It　was　a　moral　bagatelle　to　the　treacherous　trick　he　was　to　play　me　a　few　weeks　later。　　The　second　offence；　on　the　other　hand；　was　to　prove　the　less　serious　of　the　two　against　society；　and　might　in　itself　have　been　published　to　the　world　years　ago。　　There　have　been　private　reasons　for　my　reticence。　　The　affair　was　not　only　too　intimately　mine；　and　too　discreditable　to　Raffles。　　One　other　was　involved　in　it；　one　dearer　to　me　than　Raffles　himself；　one　whose　name　shall　not　even　now　be　sullied　by　association　with　ours。

Suffice　it　that　I　had　been　engaged　to　her　before　that　mad　March　deed。　　True；　her　people　called　it　〃an　understanding；〃　and　frowned　even　upon　that；　as　well　they　might。　　But　their　authority　was　not　direct；　we　bowed　to　it　as　an　act　of　politic　grace；　between　us；　all　was　well　but　my　unworthiness。　　That　may　be　gauged　when　I　confess　that　this　was　how　the　matter　stood　on　the　night　I　gave　a　worthless　check　for　my　losses　at　baccarat；　and　afterward　turned　to　Raffles　in　my　need。　　Even　after　that　I　saw　her　sometimes。　　But　I　let　her　guess　that　there　was　more　upon　my　soul　than　she　must　ever　share；　and　at　last　I　had　written　to　end　it　all。　　I　remember　that　week　so　well！　　It　was　the　close　of　such　a　May　as　we　had　never　had　since；　and　I　was　too　miserable　even　to　follow　the　heavy　scoring　in　the　papers。　　Raffles　was　the　only　man　who　could　get　a　wicket　up　at　Lord's；　and　I　never　once　went　to　see　him　play。　　Against　Yorkshire；　however；　he　helped　himself　to　a　hundred　runs　as　well；　and　that　brought　Raffles　round　to　me；　on　his　way　home　to　the　Albany。

〃We　must　dine　and　celebrate　the　rare　event；〃　said　he。　　〃A　century　takes　it　out　of　one　at　my　time　of　life；　and　you；　Bunny；　you　look　quite　as　much　in　need　of　your　end　of　a　worthy　bottle。　　Suppose　we　make　it　the　Caf？Royal；　and　eight　sharp？　　　I'll　be　there　first　to　fix　up　the　table　and　the　wine。〃

And　at　the　Caf？Royal　I　incontinently　told　him　of　the　trouble　I　was　in。　　It　was　the　first　he　had　ever　heard　of　my　affair；　and　I　told　him　all；　though　not　before　our　bottle　had　been　succeeded　by　a　pint　of　the　same　exemplary　brand。　　Raffles　heard　me　out　with　grave　attention。　　His　sympathy　was　the　more　grateful　for　the　tactful　brevity　with　which　it　was　indicated　rather　than　expressed。　　He　only　wished　that　I　had　told　him　of　this　complication　in　the　beginning；　as　I　had　not；　he　agreed　with　me　that　the　only　course　was　a　candid　and　complete　renunciation。　　It　was　not　as　though　my　divinity　had　a　penny　of　her　own；　or　I　could　earn　an　honest　one。　　I　had　explained　to　Raffles　that　she　was　an　orphan；　who　spent　most　of　her　time　with　an　aristocratic　aunt　in　the　country；　and　the　remainder　under　the　repressive　roof　of　a　pompous　politician　in　Palace　Gardens。　　The　aunt　had；　I　believed；　still　a　sneaking　softness　for　me；　but　her　illustrious　brother　had　set　his　face　against　me　from　the　first。

〃Hector　Carruthers！〃　murmured　Raffles；　repeating　the　detested　name　with　his　clear；　cold　eye　on　mine。　　〃I　suppose　you　haven't　seen　much　of　him？〃

〃Not　a　thing　for　ages；〃　I　replied。　　〃I　was　at　the　house　two　or　three　days　last　year；　but　they've　neither　asked　me　since　nor　been　at　home　to　me　when　I've　called。　　The　old　beast　seems　a　judge　of　men。〃

And　I　laughed　bitterly　in　my　glass。

〃Nice　house？〃　said　Raffles；　glancing　at　himself　in　his　silver　cigarette…case。

〃Top　shelf；〃　said　I。　　〃You　know　the　houses　in　Palace　Gardens；　don't　you？〃

〃Not　so　well　as　I　should　like　to　know　them；　Bunny。〃

〃Well；　it's　about　the　most　palatial　of　the　lot。　　The　old　ruffian　is　as　rich　as　Croesus。　　It's　a　country…place　in　town。〃

〃What　about　the　window…fastenings？〃　asked　Raffles　casually。

I　recoiled　from　the　open　cigarette…case　that　he　proffered　as　he　spoke。　　Our　eyes　met；　and　in　his　there　was　that　starry　twinkle　of　mirth　and　mischief；　that　sunny　beam　of　audacious　devilment；　which　had　been　my　undoing　two　months　before；　which　was　to　undo　me　as　often　as　he　chose　until　the　chapter's　end。　　Yet　for　once　I　withstood　its　glamour；　for　once　I　turned　aside　that　luminous　glance　with　front　of　steel。　　There　was　no　need　for　Raffles　to　voice　his　plans。　　I　read　them　all　between　the　strong　lines　of　his　smiling；　eager　face。　　And　I　pushed　back　my　chair　in　the　equal　eagerness　of　my　own　resolve。

〃Not　if　I　know　it！〃　said　I。　　〃A　house　I've　dined　in　…　a　house　I've　　seen　her　in　…　a　house　where　she　stays　by　the　month　together！　　Don't　put　it　into　words；　Raffles；　or　I'll　get　up　and　go。〃

〃You　mustn't　do　that　before　the　coffee　and　liqueur；〃　said　Raffles　laughing。　　〃Have　a　small　Sullivan　first：　it's　the　royal　road　to　a　cigar。　　And　now　let　me　observe　that　your　scruples　would　do　you　honor　if　old　Carruthers　still　lived　in　the　house　in　question。〃

〃Do　you　mean　to　say　he　doesn't？〃

Raffles　struck　a　match；　and　handed　it　first　to　me。　　〃I　mean　to　say；　my　dear　Bunny；　that　Palace　Gardens　knows　the　very　name　no　more。　　You　began　by　telling　me　you　had　heard　nothing　of　these　people　all　this　year。　　That's　quite　enough　to　account　for　our　little　misunderstanding。　I　was　thinking　of　the　house；　and　you　were　thinking　of　the　people　in　the　house。〃

〃But　who　are　they；　Raffles？　　Who　has　taken　the　house；　if　old　Carruthers　has　moved；　and　how　do　you　know　that　it　is　still　worth　a　visit？〃

〃In　answer　to　your　first　question　…　Lord　Lochmaben；〃　replied　Raffles；　blowing　bracelets　of　smoke　toward　the　ceiling。　　〃You　look　as　though　you　had　never　heard　of　him；　but　as　the　cricket　and　racing　are　the　only　part　of　your　paper　that　you　condescend　to　read；　you　can't　be　expected　to　keep　track　of　all　the　peers　created　in　your　time。　　Your　other　question　is　not　worth　answering。　　How　do　you　suppose　that　I　know　these　things？　　It's　my　business　to　get　to　know　them；　and　that's　all　there　is　to　it。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　Lady　Lochmaben　has　just　as　good　diamonds　as　Mrs。　Carruthers　ever　had；　and　the　chances　are　that　she　keeps　them　where　Mrs。　Carruthers　kept　hers；　if　you　could　enlighten　me　on　that　point。〃

As　it　happened；　I　could；　since　I　knew　from　his　niece　that　it　was　one　on　which　Mr。　Carruthers　had　been　a　faddist　in　his　time。　　He　had　made　quite　a　study　of　the　cracksman's　craft；　in　a　resolve　to　circumvent　it　with　his　own。　　I　remembered　myself　how　the　ground…floor　windows　were　elaborately　bolted　and　shuttered；　and　how　the　doors　of　all　the　rooms　opening　upon　the　square　inner　hall　were　fitted　with　extra　Yale　locks；　at　an　unlikely　height；　not　to　be　discovered　by　one　within　the　room。　　It　had　been　the　butler's　business　to　turn　and　to　collect　all　these　keys　before　retiring　for　the　night。　　But　the　key　of　the　safe　in　the　study　was　supposed　to　be　in　the　jealous　keeping　of　the　master　of　the　house　himself。　　That　safe　was　in　its　turn　so　ingeniously　hidden　that　I　never　should　have　found　it　for　myself。　　I　well　remember　how　one　who　showed　it　to　me　（in　the　innocence　of　her　heart）　laughed　as　she　assured　me　that　even　her　little　trinkets　were　solemnly　locked　up　in　it　every　night。　　It　had　been　let　into　the　wall　behind　one　end　of　the　book…case；　expressly　to　preserve　the　barbaric　splendor　of　Mrs。　Carruthers；　without　a　doubt　these　Lochmabens　would　use　it　for　the　same　purpose；　and　in　the　altered　circumstances　I　had　no　hesitation　in　giving　Raffles　all　the　information　he　desired。　　I　even　drew　him　a　rough　plan　of　the　ground…floor　on　the　back　of　my　menu…card。

〃It　was　rather　clever　of　you　to　notice　the　kind　of　locks　on　the　inner　doors；〃　he　remarked　as　he　put　it　in　his　pocket。　　〃I　suppose　you　don't　remember　if　it　was　a　Yale　on　the　front　door　as　well？〃

〃It　was　not；〃　I　was　able　to　answer　quite　promptly。　　〃I　happen　to　know　because　I　once　had　the　key　when　…　when　we　went　to　a　theatre　together。〃

〃Thank　you；　old　chap；〃　said　Raffles　sympathetically。　　〃That's　all　I　shall　want　from　you；　Bunny；　my　boy。　　There's　no　night　like　to…night！〃

It　was　one　of　his　sayings　when　bent　upon　his　worst。　　I　looked　at　him　aghast。　　Our　cigars　were　just　in　blast；　yet　already　he　was　signalling　for　his　bill。　　It　was　impossible　to　remonstrate　with　him　until　we　were　both　outside　in　the　street。

〃I'm　coming　with　you；〃　said　I；　running　my　arm　through　his。

〃Nonsense；　Bunny！〃

〃Why　is　it　nonsense？　　I　know　every　inch　of　the