a thief in the night-第12节

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〃Yes？　　Well；　I'm　going　to　swim　into　the　provinces；　have　a　shave　on　the　way；　buy　a　new　kit　piecemeal；　including　a　cricket…bag　（which　I　really　want）；　and　come　limping　back　to　the　Albany　with　the　same　old　strain　in　my　bowling　leg。　　I　needn't　add　that　I　have　been　playing　country…house　cricket　for　the　last　month　under　an　alias；　it's　the　only　decent　way　to　do　it　when　one's　county　has　need　of　one。　　That's　my　itinerary；　Bunny；　but　I　really　can't　see　why　you　should　come　with　me。〃

〃We　may　as　well　swing　together！〃　I　growled。

〃As　you　will；　my　dear　fellow；〃　replied　Raffles。　　〃But　I　begin　to　dread　your　company　on　the　drop！〃

I　shall　hold　my　pen　on　that　provincial　tour。　　Not　that　I　joined　Raffles　in　any　of　the　little　enterprises　with　which　he　beguiled　the　breaks　in　our　journey；　our　last　deed　in　London　was　far　too　great　a　weight　upon　my　soul。　　I　could　see　that　gallant　officer　in　his　chair；　see　him　at　every　hour　of　the　day　and　night；　now　with　his　indomitable　eyes　meeting　mine　ferociously；　now　a　stark　outline　underneath　a　sheet。　　The　vision　darkened　my　day　and　gave　me　sleepless　nights。　　I　was　with　our　victim　in　all。　his　agony；　my　mind　would　only　leave　him　for　that　gallows　of　which　Raffles　had　said　true　things　in　jest。　　No；　I　could　not　face　so　vile　a　death　lightly；　but　I　could　meet　it；　somehow；　better　than　I　could　endure　a　guilty　suspense。　　In　the　watches　of　the　second　night　I　made　up　my　mind　to　meet　it　halfway；　that　very　morning；　while　still　there　might　be　time　to　save　the　life　that　we　had　left　in　jeopardy。　　And　I　got　up　early　to　tell　Raffles　of　my　resolve。

His　room　in　the　hotel　where　we　were　staying　was　littered　with　clothes　and　luggage　new　enough　for　any　bridegroom；　I　lifted　the　locked　cricket…bag；　and　found　it　heavier　than　a　cricket…bag　has　any　right　to　be。　　But　in　the　bed　Raffles　was　sleeping　like　an　infant；　his　shaven　self　once　more。　　And　when　I　shook　him　he　awoke　with　a　smile。

〃Going　to　confess；　eh；　Bunny？　　Well；　wait　a　bit；　the　local　police　won't　thank　you　for　knocking　them　up　at　this　hour。　　And　I　bought　a　late　edition　which　you　ought　to　see；　that　must　be　it　on　the　floor。　You　have　a　look　in　the　stop…press　column；　Bunny。〃

I　found　the　place　with　a　sunken　heart；　and　this　is　what　I　read：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　WEST…END　OUTRAGE

　　Colonel　Crutchley；　R。E。；　V。C。；　has　been　the　victim　of　a　dastardly　　　outrage　at　his　residence；　Peter　Street；　Campden　Hill。　　Returning　　　unexpectedly　to　the　house；　which　had　been　left　untenanted　during　　　the　absence　of　the　family　abroad；　it　was　found　occupied　by　two　　　ruffians；　who　overcame　and　secured　the　distinguished　officer　by　　　the　exercise　of　considerable　violence。　　When　discovered　through　　　the　intelligence　of　the　Kensington　police；　the　gallant　victim　was　　　gagged　and　bound　hand　and　foot；　and　in　an　advanced　stage　of　　　exhaustion。

〃Thanks　to　the　Kensington　police；〃　observed　Raffles；　as　I　read　the　last　words　aloud　in　my　horror。　　〃They　can't　have　gone　when　they　got　my　letter。〃

〃Your　letter？〃

〃I　printed　them　a　line　while　we　were　waiting　for　our　train　at　Euston。　They　must　have　got　it　that　night；　but　they　can't　have　paid　any　attention　to　it　until　yesterday　morning。　　And　when　they　do；　they　take　all。　the　credit　and　give　me　no　more　than　you　did；　Bunny！〃

I　looked　at　the　curly　head　upon　the　pillow；　at　the　smiling；　handsome　face　under　the　curls。　　And　at　last　I　understood。

〃So　all。　the　time　you　never　meant　it！〃

〃Slow　murder？　　You　should　have　known　me　better。　　A　few　hours'　enforced　Rest　Cure　was　the　worst　I　wished　him。〃

〃'you　might　have　told　me；　Raffles！〃

〃That　may　be；　Bunny；　but　you　ought　certainly　to　have　trusted　me！〃



The　Criminologists'　Club


〃But　who　are　they；　Raffles；　and　where's　their　house？　　There's　no　such　club　on　the　list　in　Whitaker。〃

〃The　Criminologists；　my　dear　Bunny；　are　too　few　for　a　local　habitation；　and　too　select　to　tell　their　name　in　Gath。　　They　are　merely　so　many　solemn　students　of　contemporary　crime；　who　meet　and　dine　periodically　at　each　other's　clubs　or　houses。〃

〃But　why　in　the　world　should　they　ask　us　to　dine　with　them？〃

And　I　brandished　the　invitation　which　had　brought　me　hotfoot　to　the　Albany：　it　was　from　the　Right　Hon。　the　Earl　of　Thornaby；　K。G。；　and　it　requested　the　honor　of　my　company　at　dinner；　at　Thornaby　House；　Park　Lane；　to　meet　the　members　of　the　Criminologists'　Club。　　That　in　itself　was　a　disturbing　compliment：　judge　then　of　my　dismay　on　learning　that　Raffles　had　been　invited　too！

〃They　have　got　it　into　their　heads；〃　said　he；　〃that　the　gladiatorial　element　is　the　curse　of　most　modern　sport。　　They　tremble　especially　for　the　professional　gladiator。　　And　they　want　to　know　whether　my　experience　tallies　with　their　theory。〃

〃So　they　say！〃

〃They　quote　the　case　of　a　league　player；　sus　per　coll。；　and　any　number　of　suicides。　　It　really　is　rather　in　my　public　line。〃

〃In　yours；　if　you　like；　but　not　in　mine；〃　said　I。　　〃No；　Raffles；　they've　got　their　eye　on　us　both；　and　mean　to　put　us　under　the　microscope；　or　they　never　would　have　pitched　on　me。〃

Raffles　smiled　on　my　perturbation。

〃I　almost　wish　you　were　right；　Bunny！　　It　would　be　even　better　fun　than　I　mean　to　make　it　as　it　is。　　But　it　may　console　you　to　hear　that　it　was　I　who　gave　them　your　name。　　I　told　them　you　were　a　far　keener　criminologist　than　myself。　　I　am　delighted　to　hear　they　have　taken　my　hint；　and　that　we　are　to　meet　at　their　gruesome　board。〃

〃If　I　accept；〃　said　I；　with　the　austerity　he　deserved。

〃If　you　don't；〃　rejoined　Raffles；　〃you　will　miss　some　sport　after　both　our　hearts。　　Think　of　it；　Bunny！　　These　fellows　meet　to　wallow　in　all。　the　latest　crimes；　we　wallow　with　them　as　though　we　knew　more　about　it　than　themselves。　　Perhaps　we　don't；　for　few　criminologists　have　a　soul　above　murder；　and　I　quite　expect　to　have　the　privilege　of　lifting　the　discussion　into　our　own　higher　walk。　　They　shall　give　their　morbid　minds　to　the　fine　art　of　burgling；　for　a　change；　and　while　we're　about　it；　Bunny；　we　may　as　well　extract　their　opinion　of　our　noble　selves。　　As　authors；　as　collaborators；　we　will　sit　with　the　flower　of　our　critics；　and　find　our　own　level　in　the　expert　eye。　It　will　be　a　piquant　experience；　if　not　an　invaluable　one；　if　we　are　sailing　too　near　the　wind；　we　are　sure　to　hear　about　it；　and　can　trim　our　yards　accordingly。　　Moreover；　we　shall　get　a　very　good　dinner　into　the　bargain；　or　our　noble　host　will　belie　a　European　reputation。〃

〃Do　you　know　him？〃　I　asked。

〃We　have　a　pavilion　acquaintance；　when　it　suits　my　lord；〃　replied　Raffles；　chuckling。　　〃But　I　know　all。　about　him。　　He　was　president　one　year　of　the　M。C。C。；　and　we　never　had　a　better。　　He　knows　the　game；　though　I　believe　he　never　played　cricket　in　his　life。　　But　then　he　knows　most　things；　and　has　never　done　any　of　them。　　He　has　never　even　married；　and　never　opened　his　lips　in　the　House　of　Lords。　Yet　they　say　there　is　no　better　brain　in　the　August　assembly；　and　he　certainly　made　us　a　wonderful　speech　last　time　the　Australians　were　over。　　He　has　read　everything　and　（to　his　credit　in　these　days）　never　written　a　line。　　All。　round　he　is　a　whale　for　theory　and　a　sprat　for　practice　…　but　he　looks　quite　capable　of　both　at　crime！〃

I　now　longed　to　behold　this　remarkable　peer；　in　the　flesh；　and　with　the　greater　curiosity　since　another　of　the　things　which　he　evidently　never　did　was　to　have　his　photograph　published　for　the　benefit　of　the　vulgar。　　I　told　Raffles　that　I　would　dine　with　him　at　Lord　Thornaby's；　and　he　nodded　as　though　I　had　not　hesitated　for　a　moment。　I　see　now　how　deftly　he　had　disposed　of　my　reluctance。　　No　doubt　he　had　thought　it　all。　out　before：　his　little　speeches　look　sufficiently　premeditated　as　I　set　them　down　at　the　dictates　of　an　excellent　memory。　　Let　it；　however；　be　borne　in　mind　that　Raffles　did　not　talk　exactly　like　a　Raffles　book：　he　said　the　things；　but　he　did　not　say　them　in　so　many　consecutive　breaths。　　They　were　punctuated　by　puffs　from　his　eternal　cigarette；　and　the　punctuation　was　often　in　the　nature　of　a　line　of　asterisks；　while　he　took　a　silent　turn　up　and　down　his　room。　　Nor　was　he　ever　more　deliberate　than　when　he　seemed　most　nonchalant　and　spontaneous。　　I　came　to　see　it　in　the　end。　　But　these　were　early　days；　in　which　he　was　more　plausible　to　me　than　I　can　hope　to　render　him　to　another　human　being。

And　I　saw　a　good　deal　of　Raffles　just　then；　it　was；　in　fact；　the　one　period　at　which　I　can　remember　his　coming　round　to　see　me　more　frequently　than　I　went　round　to　him。　　Of　course　he　would　come　at　his　own　odd　hours；　often　just　as　one　was　dressing　to　go　out　and　dine；　and　I　can　even　remember　finding　him　there　when　I　returned；　for　I　had　long　since　given　him　a　key　of　the　flat。　　It　was　the　inhospitable　month　of　February；　and　I　can　recall　more　than　one　cosy　evening　when　we　discussed　anything　and　everything　but　our　own　malpractices；　indeed；　there　were　none　to　discuss　just　then。　　Raffles；　on　the　contrary；　was　showing　himself　with　some　industry　in　the　most　respectable　society；　and　by　his　advice　I　used　the　club　more　than　ever。

〃There　is　nothing　like　it　at　this　time　of　year；〃　said　he。　　〃In　the　summer　I　have　my　cricket　to　provide　me　with　decent　employment　in　the　sight　of　men。　　Keep　yourself　before　the　public　from　morning　to　night；　and　they'll　never　think　of　you　in　the　still　small　hours。〃