a thief in the night-第8节

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runk　at　the　time。　　I　had　barely　time　to　knock　out　my　light　and　slip　down　behind　it。　　Luckily　it　was　only　another　box　of　sorts；　a　jewel…case；　to　be　more　precise；　you　shall　see　the　contents　in　a　moment。　　The　Easter　exodus　has　done　me　even　better　than　I　dared　to　hope。〃

His　words　reminded　me　of　the　Pall　Mall　Gazette；　which　I　had　brought　in　my　pocket　from　the　Turkish　bath。　　I　fished　it　out；　all。　wrinkled　and　bloated　by　the　heat　of　the　hottest　room；　and　handed　it　to　Raffles　with　my　thumb　upon　the　leaded　paragraphs。

〃Delightful！〃　said　he　when　he　had　read　them。　　〃More　thieves　than　one；　and　the　coal…cellar　of　all。　places　as　a　way　in！　　I　certainly　tried　to　give　it　that　appearance。　　I　left　enough　candle…grease　there　to　make　those　coals　burn　bravely。　　But　it　looked　up　into　a　blind　backyard；　Bunny；　and　a　boy　of　eight　couldn't　have　squeezed　through　the　trap。　Long　may　that　theory　keep　them　happy　at　Scotland　Yard！〃

〃But　what　about　the　fellow　you　knocked　out？〃　I　asked。　　〃That　was　not　like　you；　Raffles。〃

Raffles　blew　pensive　rings　as　he　lay　back　on　my　sofa；　his　black　hair　tumbled　on　the　cushion；　his　pale　profile　as　clear　and　sharp　against　the　light　as　though　slashed　out　with　the　scissors。

〃I　know　it　wasn't；　Bunny；〃　he　said　regretfully。　　〃But　things　like　that；　as　the　poet　will　tell　you；　are　really　inseparable　from　victories　like　mine。　　It　had　taken　me　a　couple　of　hours　to　break　out　of　that　strong…room；　I　was　devoting　a　third　to　the　harmless　task　of　simulating　the　appearance　of　having　broken　in；　and　it　was　then　I　heard　the　fellow's　stealthy　step。　　Some　might　have　stood　their　ground　and　killed　him；　more　would　have　bolted　into　a　worse　corner　than　they　were　in　already。　　I　left　my　candle　where　it　was；　crept　to　meet　the　poor　devil；　flattened　myself　against　the　wall；　and　let　him　have　it　as　he　passed。　　I　acknowledge　the　foul　blow；　but　here's　evidence　that　it　was　mercifully　struck。　　The　victim　has　already　told　his　tale。〃

As　he　drained　his　glass；　but　shook　his　head　when　I　wished　to　replenish　it；　Raffles　showed　me　the　flask　which　he　had　carried　in　his　pocket：　it　was　still　nearly　full；　and　I　found　that　he　had　otherwise　provisioned　himself　over　the　holidays。　　On　either　Easter　Day　or　Bank　Holiday；　had　I　failed　him；　it　had　been　his　intention　to　make　the　best　escape　he　could。　　But　the　risk　must　have　been　enormous；　and　it　filled　my　glowing　skin　to　think　that　he　had　not　relied　on　me　in　vain。

As　for　his　gleanings　from　such　jewel…cases　as　were　spending　the　Easter　recess　in　the　strong…room　of　my　bank；　without　going　into　rhapsodies　or　even　particulars　on　the　point；）　I　may　mention　that　they　realized　enough　for　me　to　join　Raffles　on　his　deferred　holiday　in　Scotland；　besides　enabling　him　to　play　more　regularly　for　Middlesex　in　the　ensuing　summer　than　had　been　the　case　for　several　seasons。　　In　fine；　this　particular　exploit　entirely　justified　itself　in　my　eyes；　in　spite　of　the　superfluous　（but　invariable）　secretiveness　which　I　could　seldom　help　resenting　in　my　heart　I　never　thought　less　of　it　than　in　the　present　instance；　and　my　one　mild　reproach　was　on　the　subject　of　the　phantom　Crawshay。

〃You　let　me　think　he　was　in　the　air　again；〃　I　said。　　〃But　it　wouldn't　surprise　me　to　find　that　you　had　never　heard　of　him　since　the　day　of　his　escape　through　your　window。〃

〃I　never　even　thought　of　him；　Bunny；　until　you　came　to　see　me　the　day　before　yesterday；　and　put　him　into　my　head　with　your　first　words。　The　whole　point　was　to　make　you　as　genuinely　anxious　about　the　plate　as　you　must　have　seemed　all。　along　the　line。〃

〃Of　course　I　see　your　point；〃　I　rejoined；　〃but　mine　is　that　you　labored　it。　　You　needn't　have　written　me　a　downright　lie　about　the　fellow。〃

〃Nor　did　I；　Bunny。〃

〃Not　about　the　'prince　of　professors'　being　'in　the　offing'　when　you　left？〃

〃My　dear　Bunny；　but　so　he　was！〃　cried　Raffles。　　〃Time　was　when　I　was　none　too　pure　an　amateur。　　But　after　this　I　take　leave　to　consider　myself　a　professor　of　the　professors。　　And　I　should　like　to　see　one　more　capable　of　skippering　their　side！〃




The　Rest　Cure


I　had　not　seen　Raffles　for　a　month　or　more；　and　I　was　sadly　in　need　of　his　advice。　　My　life　was　being　made　a　burden　to　me　by　a　wretch　who　had　obtained　a　bill　of　sale　over　the　furniture　in　Mount　Street；　and　it　was　only　by　living　elsewhere　that　I　could　keep　the　vulpine　villain　from　my　door。　　This　cost　ready　money；　and　my　balance　at　the　bank　was　sorely　in　need　of　another　lift　from　Raffles。　　Yet；　had　he　been　in　my　shoes；　he　could　not　have　vanished　more　effectually　than　he　had　done；　both　from　the　face　of　the　town　and　from　the　ken　of　all。　who　knew　him。

It　was　late　in　August；　he　never　played　first…class　cricket　after　July；　when；　a　scholastic　understudy　took　his　place　in　the　Middlesex　eleven。　　And　in　vain　did　I　scour　my　Field　and　my　Sportsman　for　the　country…house　matches　with　which　he　wilfully　preferred　to　wind　up　the　season；　the　matches　were　there；　but　never　the　magic　name　of　A。　J。　Raffles。　　Nothing　was　known　of　him　at　the　Albany；　he　had　left　no　instructions　about　his　letters；　either　there　or　at　the　club。　　I　began　to　fear　that　some　evil　had　overtaken　him。　　I　scanned　the　features　of　captured　criminals　in　the　illustrated　Sunday　papers；　on　each　occasion　I　breathed　again；　nor　was　anything　worthy　of　Raffles　going　on。　　I　will　not　deny　that　I　was　less　anxious　on　his　account　than　on　my　own。　　But　it　was　a　double　relief　to　me　when　he　gave　a　first　characteristic　sign　of　life。

I　had　called　at　the　Albany　for　the　fiftieth　time；　and　returned　to　Piccadilly　in　my　usual　despair；　when　a　street　sloucher　sidled　up　to　me　in　furtive　fashion　and　inquired　if　my　name　was　what　it　is。

〃'Cause　this　'ere's　for　you；〃　he　rejoined　to　my　affirmative；　and　with　that　I　felt　a　crumpled　note　in　my　palm。

It　was　from　Raffles。　　I　smoothed　out　the　twisted　scrap　of　paper；　and　on　it　were　just　a　couple　of　lines　in　pencil：

〃Meet　me　in　Holland　Walk　at　dark　to…night。　　Walk　up　and　down　till　I　come。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A。　　J。　　R。〃

That　was　all。！　　Not　another　syllable　after　all。　these　weeks；　and　the　few　words　scribbled　in　a　wild　caricature　of　his　scholarly　and　dainty　hand！　　I　was　no　longer　to　be　alarmed　by　this　sort　of　thing；　it　was　all。　so　like　the　Raffles　I　loved　least；　and　to　add　to　my　indignation；　when　at　length　I　looked　up　from　the　mysterious　missive；　the　equally　mysterious　messenger　had　disappeared　in　a　manner　worthy　of　the　whole　affair。　　He　was；　however；　the　first　creature　I　espied　under　the　tattered　trees　of　Holland　Walk　that　evening。

〃Seen　'im　yet？〃　he　inquired　confidentially；　blowing　a　vile　cloud　from　his　horrid　pipe。

〃No；　I　haven't；　and　I　want　to　know　where　you've　seen　him；〃　I　replied　sternly。　　〃Why　did　you　run　away　like　that　the　moment　you　had　given　me　his　note？〃

〃Orders；　orders；〃　was　the　reply。　　〃I　ain't　such　a　juggins　as　to　go　agen　a　toff　as　makes　it　worf　while　to　do　as　I'm　bid　an'　'old　me　tongue。〃

〃And　who　may　you　be？〃　I　asked　jealously。　　〃And　what　are　you　to　Mr。　Raffles？〃

〃You　silly　ass；　Bunny；　don't　tell　all。　Kensington　that　I'm　in　town！〃　replied　my　tatterdemalion；　shooting　up　and　smoothing　out　into　a　merely　shabby　Raffles。　　〃Here；　take　my　arm　…　I'm　not　so　beastly　as　I　look。　　But　neither　am　I　in　town；　nor　in　England；　nor　yet　on　the　face　of　the　earth；　for　all。　that's　known　of　me　to　a　single　soul　but　you。〃

〃Then　where　are　you；〃　I　asked；　〃between　ourselves？〃

〃I've　taken　a　house　near　here　for　the　holidays；　where　I'm　going　in　for　a　Rest　Cure　of　my　own　description。　　Why？　　Oh；　for　lots　of　reasons；　my　dear　Bunny；　among　others；　I　have　long　had　a　wish　to　grow　my　own　beard；　under　the　next　lamppost　you　will　agree　that　it's　training　on　very　nicely。　　Then；　you　mayn't　know　it；　but　there's　a　canny　man　at　Scotland　Yard　who　has　had　a　quiet　eye　on　me　longer　than　I　like。　　I　thought　it　about　time　to　have　an　eye　on　him；　and　I　stared　him　in　the　face　outside　the　Albany　this　very　morning。　　That　was　when　I　saw　you　go　in；　and　scribbled　a　line　to　give　you　when　you　came　out。　　If　he　had　caught　us　talking　he　would　have　spotted　me　at　once。〃

〃So　you　are　lying　low　out　here！〃

〃I　prefer　to　call　it　my　Rest　Cure；〃　returned　Raffles；　〃and　it's　really　nothing　else。　　I've　got　a　furnished　house　at　a　time　when　no　one　else　would　have　dreamed　of　taking　one　in　town；　and　my　very　neighbors　don't　know　I'm　there；　though　I'm　bound　to　say　there　are　hardly　any　of　them　at　home。　　I　don't　keep　a　servant；　and　do　everything　for　myself。　　It's　the　next　best　fun　to　a　desert　island。　Not　that　I　make　much　work；　for　I'm　really　resting；　but　I　haven't　done　so　much　solid　reading　for　years。　　Rather　a　joke；　Bunny：　the　man　whose　house　I've　taken　is　one　of　her　Majesty's　inspectors　of　prisons；　and　his　study's　a　storehouse　of　criminology。　　It　has　been　quite　amusing　to　lie　on　one's　back　and　have　a　good　look　at　one's　self　as　others　fondly　imagine　they　see　one。〃

〃But　surely　you　get　some　exercise？〃　I　asked；　for　he　was　leading　me　at　a　good　rate　through　the　leafy　byways　of　Camp　den　Hill；　and　his　step　was　as　springy　and　as　light　as　ever。

〃The　best　exercise　I　ever　had　in　my　life；〃　said　Raffles；　〃and　you　would　never　live　to　guess　what　it　is。　　It's　one　of　the　reasons　why　I　went　in　for　this　seedy　kit。　　I　follow　cabs。　　Yes；　Bunny；　I　turn　out　about　dusk　and　meet　the　expresses　at　Euston　or　King's　Cross；