a thief in the night-第13节

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hours。〃

Our　behavior；　in　fine；　had　so　long　been　irreproachable　that　I　rose　without　misgiving　on　the　morning　of　Lord　Thornaby's　dinner　to　the　other　Criminologists　and　guests。　　My　chief　anxiety　was　to　arrive　under　the　aegis　of　my　brilliant　friend；　and　I　had　begged　him　to　pick　me　up　on　his　way；　but　at　five　minutes　to　the　appointed　hour　there　was　no　sign　of　Raffles　or　his　cab。　　We　were　bidden　at　a　quarter　to　eight　for　eight　o'clock；　so　after　all。　I　had　to　hurry　off　alone。

Fortunately；　Thornaby　House　is　almost　at　the　end　of　my　street　that　was；　and　it　seemed　to　me　another　fortunate　circumstance　that　the　house　stood　back；　as　it　did　and　does；　in　its　own　August　courtyard；　for；　as　I　was　about　to　knock；　a　hansom　came　twinkling　in　behind　me；　and　I　drew　back；　hoping　it　was　Raffles　at　the　last　moment。　　It　was　not；　and　I　knew　it　in　time　to　melt　from　the　porch；　and　wait　yet　another　minute　in　the　shadows；　since　others　were　as　late　as　I。　　And　out　jumped　these　others；　chattering　in　stage　whispers　as　they　paid　their　cab。

〃Thornaby　has　a　bet　about　it　with　Freddy　Vereker；　who　can't　come；　I　hear。　　Of　course；　it　won　t　be　lost　or　won　to…night。　　But　the　dear　man　thinks　he's　been　invited　as　a　cricketer！〃

〃I　don't　believe　he's　the　other　thing；〃　said　a　voice　as　brusque　as　the　first　was　bland。　　〃I　believe　it's　all。　bunkum。　　I　wish　I　didn't；　but　I　do！〃

〃I　think　you'll　find　it's　more　than　that；〃　rejoined　the　other；　as　the　doors　opened　and　swallowed　the　pair。

I　flung　out　limp　hands　and　smote　the　air。　　Raffles　bidden　to　what　he　had　well　called　this　〃gruesome　board；〃　not　as　a　cricketer　but；　clearly；　as　a　suspected　criminal！　　Raffles　wrong　all。　the　time；　and　I　right　for　once　in　my　original　apprehension！　　And　still　no　Raffles　in　sight　…　no　Raffles　to　warn　…　no　Raffles；　and　the　clocks　striking　eight！

Well　may　I　shirk　the　psychology　of　such　a　moment；　for　my　belief　is　that　the　striking　clocks　struck　out　all。　power　of　thought　and　feeling；　and　that　I　played　my　poor　part　the　better　for　that　blessed　surcease　of　intellectual　sensation。　　On　the　other　hand；　I　was　never　more　alive　to　the　purely　objective　impressions　of　any　hour　of　my　existence；　and　of　them　the　memory　is　startling　to　this　day。　　I　hear　my　mad　knock　at　the　double　doors；　they　fly　open　in　the　middle；　and　it　is　like　some　sumptuous　and　solemn　rite。　　A　long　slice　of　silken…legged　lackey　is　seen　on　either　hand；　a　very　prelate　of　a　butler　bows　a　benediction　from　the　sanctuary　steps。　　I　breathe　more　freely　when　I　reach　a　book…lined　library　where　a　mere　handful　of　men　do　not　overflow　the　Persian　rug　before　the　fire。　　One　of　them　is　Raffles；　who　is　talking　to　a　large　man　with　the　brow　of　a　demi…god　and　the　eyes　and　jowl　of　a　degenerate　bulldog。　　And　this　is　our　noble　host。

Lord　Thornaby　stared　at　me　with　inscrutable　stolidity　as　we　shook　hands；　and　at　once　handed　me　over　to　a　tall；　ungainly　man　whom　he　addressed　as　Ernest；　but　whose　surname　I　never　learned。　　Ernest　in　turn　introduced　me；　with　a　shy　and　clumsy　courtesy；　to　the　two　remaining　guests。　　They　were　the　pair　who　had　driven　up　in　the　hansom；　one　turned　out　to　be　Kingsmill；　Q。C。；　the　other　I　knew　at　a　glance　from　his　photographs　as　Parrington；　the　backwoods　novelist。　They　were　admirable　foils　to　each　other；　the　barrister　being　plump　and　dapper；　with　a　Napoleonic　cast　of　countenance；　and　the　author　one　of　the　shaggiest　dogs　I　have　ever　seen　in　evening…clothes。　Neither　took　much　stock　of　me；　but　both　had　an　eye　on　Raffles　as　I　exchanged　a　few　words　with　each　in　turn。　　Dinner；　however；　was　immediately　announced；　and　the　six　of　us　had　soon　taken　our　places　round　a　brilliant　little　table　stranded　in　a　great　dark　room。

I　had　not　been　prepared　for　so　small　a　party；　and　at　first　I　felt　relieved。　　If　the　worst　came　to　the　worst；　I　was　fool　enough　to　say　in　my　heart；　they　were　but　two　to　one。　　But　I　was　soon　sighing　for　that　safety　which　the　adage　associates　with　numbers。　　We　were　far　too　few　for　the　confidential　duologue　with　one's　neighbor　in　which　I；　at　least；　would　have　taken　refuge　from　the　perils　of　a　general　conversation。　　And　the　general　conversation　soon　resolved　itself　into　an　attack；　so　subtly　concerted　and　so　artistically　delivered　that　I　could　not　conceive　how　Raffles　should　ever　know　it　for　an　attack；　and　that　against　himself；　or　how　to　warn　him　of　his　peril。　But　to　this　day　I　am　not　convinced　that　I　also　was　honored　by　the　suspicions　of　the　club；　it　may　have　been　so；　and　they　may　have　ignored　me　for　the　bigger　game。

It　was　Lord　Thornaby　himself　who　fired　the　first　shot；　over　the　very　sherry。　　He　had　Raffles　on　his　right　hand；　and　the　backwoodsman　of　letters　on　his　left。　　Raffles　was　hemmed　in　by　the　law　on　his　right；　while　I　sat　between　Parrington　and　Ernest；　who　took　the　foot　of　the　table；　and　seemed　a　sort　of　feudatory　cadet　of　the　noble　house。　　But　it　was　the　motley　lot　of　us　that　my　lord　addressed；　as　he　sat　back　blinking　his　baggy　eyes。

〃Mr。　Raffles；〃　said　he；　〃has　been　telling　me　about　that　poor　fellow　who　suffered　the　extreme　penalty　last　March。　　A　great　end；　gentlemen；　a　great　end！　　It　is　true　that　he　had　been　unfortunate　enough　to　strike　a　jugular　vein；　but　his　own　end　should　take　its　place　among　the　most　glorious　traditions　of　the　gallows。　　You　tell　them　Mr。　Raffles：　it　will　be　as　new　to　my　friends　as　it　is　to　me。〃

〃I　tell　the　tale　as　I　heard　it　last　time　I　played　at　Trent　Bridge；　it　was　never　in　the　papers；　I　believe；〃　said　Raffles　gravely。　　〃You　may　remember　the　tremendous　excitement　over　the　Test　Matches　out　in　Australia　at　the　time：　it　seems　that　the　result　of　the　crucial　game　was　expected　on　the　condemned　man's　last　day　on　earth；　and　he　couldn't　rest　until　he　knew　it。　　We　pulled　it　off；　if　you　recollect；　and　he　said　it　would　make　him　swing　happy。〃

〃Tell　'em　what　else　he　said！〃　cried　Lord　Thornaby；　rubbing　his　podgy　hands。

〃The　chaplain　remonstrated　with　him　on　his　excitement　over　a　game　at　such　a　time；　and　the　convict　is　said　to　have　replied：　'Why；　it's　the　first　thing　they'll　ask　me　at　the　other　end　of　the　drop！'〃

The　story　was　new　even　to　me；　but　I　had　no　time　to　appreciate　its　points。　　My　concern　was　to　watch　its　effect　upon　the　other　members　of　the　party。　　Ernest；　on　my　left；　doubled　up　with　laughter；　and　tittered　and　shook　for　several　minutes。　　My　other　neighbor；　more　impressionable　by　temperament；　winced　first；　and　then　worked　himself　into　a　state　of　enthusiasm　which　culminated　in　an　assault　upon　his　shirt…cuff　with　a　joiner's　pencil。　　Kingsmill；　Q。C。；　beaming　tranquilly　on　Raffles；　seemed　the　one　least　impressed；　until　he　spoke。

〃I　am　glad　to　hear　that；〃　he　remarked　in　a　high　bland　voice。　　〃I　thought　that　man　would　die　game。〃

〃Did　you　know　anything　about　him；　then？〃　inquired　Lord　Thornaby。

〃I　led　for　the　Crown；〃　replied　the　barrister；　with　a　twinkle。　　〃You　might　almost　say　that　I　measured　the　poor　man's　neck。〃

The　point　must　have　been　quite　unpremeditated；　it　was　not　the　less　effective　for　that。　　Lord　Thornaby　looked　askance　at　the　callous　silk。　It　was　some　moments　before　Ernest　tittered　and　Parrington　felt　for　his　pencil；　and　in　the　interim　I　had　made　short　work　of　my　hock；　though　it　was　Johannisberger。　　As　for　Raffles；　one　had　but　to　see　his　horror　to　feel　how　completely　he　was　off　his　guard。

〃In　itself；　I　have　heard；　it　was　not　a　sympathetic　case？〃　was　the　remark　with　which　he　broke　the　general　silence。

〃Not　a　bit。〃

〃That　must　have　been　a　comfort　to　you；〃　said　Raffles　dryly。

〃It　would　have　been　to　me；〃　vowed　our　author；　while　the　barrister　merely　smiled。　　〃I　should　have　been　very　sorry　to　have　had　a　hand　in　hanging　Peckham　and　Solomons　the　other　day。〃

〃Why　Peckham　and　Solomons？〃　inquired　my　lord。

〃They　never　meant　to　kill　that　old　lady。〃

〃But　they　strangled　her　in　her　bed　with　her　own　pillow…case！〃

〃I　don't　care；〃　said　the　uncouth　scribe。　　〃They　didn't　break　in　for　that。　　They　never　thought　of　scragging　her。　　The　foolish　old　person　would　make　a　noise；　and　one　of　them　tied　too　tight。　　I　call　it　jolly　bad　luck　on　them。〃

〃On　quiet；　harmless；　well…behaved　thieves；〃　added　Lord　Thornaby；　〃in　the　unobtrusive　exercise　of　their　humble　avocation。〃

And；　as　he　turned　to　Raffles　with　his　puffy　smile；　I　knew　that　we　had　reached　that　part　of　the　programme　which　had　undergone　rehearsal：　it　had　been　perfectly　timed　to　arrive　with　the　champagne；　and　I　was　not　afraid　to　signify　my　appreciation　of　that　small　mercy。　　But　Raffles　laughed　so　quickly　at　his　lordship's　humor；　and　yet　with　such　a　natural　restraint；　as　to　leave　no　doubt　that　he　had　taken　kindly　to　my　own　old　part；　and　was　playing　the　innocent　inimitably　in　his　turn；　by　reason　of　his　very　innocence。　　It　was　a　poetic　judgment　on　old　Raffles；　and　in　my　momentary　enjoyment　of　the　novel　situation　I　was　able　to　enjoy　some　of　the　good　things　of　this　rich　man's　table。　The　saddle　of　mutton　more　than　justified　its　place　in　the　menu；　but　it　had　not　spoiled　me　for　my　wing　of　pheasant；　and　I　was　even　looking　forward　to　a　sweet；　when　a　further　remark　from　the　literary　light　recalled　me　from　the　table　to　its　talk。

〃But；　I　suppose；〃　said　he　to　Kingsmill；　〃it's　many　a　burglar　you've　restored　to　his　friends　and　his　relations'？〃

〃Let　us　say　many　a　poor　fellow　who　has　been　charged　with　burglary；〃　replied　the　cheery　Q。C。　　〃It's　not　qu