a thief in the night-第14节

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〃Let　us　say　many　a　poor　fellow　who　has　been　charged　with　burglary；〃　replied　the　cheery　Q。C。　　〃It's　not　quite　the　same　thing；　you　know；　nor　is　'many'　the　most　accurate　word。　　I　never　touch　criminal　work　in　town。〃

〃It's　the　only　kind　I　should　care　about；〃　said　the　novelist；　eating　jelly　with　a　spoon。

〃I　quite　agree　with　you；〃　our　host　chimed　in。　　〃And　of　all。　the　criminals　one　might　be　called　upon　to　defend；　give　me　the　enterprising　burglar。〃

〃It　must　be　the　breeziest　branch　of　the　business；〃　remarked　Raffles；　while　I　held　my　breath。

But　his　touch　was　as　light　as　gossamer；　and　his　artless　manner　a　triumph　of　even　his　incomparable　art。　　Raffles　was　alive　to　the　danger　at　last。　　I　saw　him　refuse　more　champagne；　even　as　I　drained　my　glass　again。　　But　it　was　not　the　same　danger　to　us　both。　　Raffles　had　no　reason　to　feel　surprise　or　alarm　at　such　a　turn　in　a　conversation　frankly　devoted　to　criminology；　it　must　have　been　as　inevitable　to　him　as　it　was　sinister　to　me；　with　my　fortuitous　knowledge　of　the　suspicions　that　were　entertained。　　And　there　was　little　to　put　him　on　his　guard　in　the　touch　of　his　adversaries；　which　was　only　less　light　than　his　own。

〃I　am　not　very　fond　of　Mr。　Sikes；〃　announced　the　barrister；　like　a　man　who　had　got　his　cue。

〃But　he　was　prehistoric；〃　rejoined　my　lord。　　〃A　lot　of　blood　has　flowed　under　the　razor　since　the　days　of　Sweet　William。〃

〃True；　we　have　had　Peace；〃　said　Parrington；　and　launched　out　into　such　glowing　details　of　that　criminal's　last　moments　that　I　began　to　hope　the　diversion　might　prove　permanent。　　But　Lord　Thornaby　was　not　to　be　denied。

〃William　and　Charles　are　both　dead　monarchs；〃　said　he。　　〃The　reigning　king　in　their　department　is　the　fellow　who　gutted　poor　Danby's　place　in　Bond　Street。〃

There　was　a　guilty　silence　on　the　part　of　the　three　conspirators　…　for　I　had　long　since　persuaded　myself　that　Ernest　was　not　in　their　secret　…　and　then　my　blood　froze。

〃I　know　him　well；〃　said　Raffles；　looking　up。

Lord　Thornaby　stared　at　him　in　consternation。　　The　smile　on　the　Napoleonic　countenance　of　the　barrister　looked　forced　and　frozen　for　the　first　time　during　the　evening。　　Our　author；　who　was　nibbling　cheese　from　a　knife；　left　a　bead　of　blood　upon　his　beard。　　The　futile　Ernest　alone　met　the　occasion　with　a　hearty　titter。

〃What！〃　cried　my　lord。　　〃You　know　the　thief？〃

〃I　wish　I　did；〃　rejoined　Raffles；　chuckling。　　〃No；　Lord　Thornaby；　I　only　meant　the　jeweller；　Danby。　　I　go　to　him　when　I　want　a　wedding　present。〃

I　heard　three　deep　breaths　drawn　as　one　before　I　drew　my　own。

〃Rather　a　coincidence；〃　observed　our　host　dryly；　〃for　I　believe　you　also　know　the　Milchester　people；　where　Lady　Melrose　had　her　necklace　stolen　a　few　months　afterward。〃

〃I　was　staying　there　at　the　time；〃　said　Raffles　eagerly。　　No　snob　was　ever　quicker　to　boast　of　basking　in　the　smile　of　the　great。

〃We　believe　it　to　be　the　same　man；〃　said　Lord　Thornaby；　speaking　apparently　for　the　Criminologists'　Club；　and　with　much　less　severity　of　voice。

〃I　only　wish　I　could　come　across　him；〃　continued　Raffles　heartily。　〃He's　a　criminal　much　more　to　my　mind　than　your　murderers　who　swear　on　the　drop　or　talk　cricket　in　the　condemned　cell！〃

〃He　might　be　in　the　house　now；〃　said　Lord　Thornaby；　looking　Raffles　in　the　face。　　But　his　manner　was　that　of　an　actor　in　an　unconvincing　part　and　a　mood　to　play　it　gamely　to　the　bitter　end；　and　he　seemed　embittered；　as　even　a　rich　man　may　be　in　the　moment　of　losing　a　bet。

〃What　a　joke　if　he　were！〃　cried　the　Wild　West　writer。

〃Absit　omen！〃　murmured　Raffles；　in　better　taste。

〃Still；　I　think　you'll　find　it's　a　favorite　time；〃　argued　Kingsmill；　Q。C。　　〃And　it　would　be　quite　in　keeping　with　the　character　of　this　man；　so　far　as　it　is　known；　to　pay　a　little　visit　to　the　president　of　the　Criminologists'　Club；　and　to　choose　the　evening　on　which　he　happens　to　be　entertaining　the　other　members。〃

There　was　more　conviction　in　this　sally　than　in　that　of　our　noble　host；　but　this　I　attributed　to　the　trained　and　skilled　dissimulation　of　the　bar。　　Lord　Thornaby；　however；　was　not　to　be　amused　by　the　elaboration　of　his　own　idea；　and　it　was　with　some　asperity　that　he　called　upon　the　butler；　now　solemnly　superintending　the　removal　of　the　cloth。

〃Leggett！　　Just　send　up…stairs　to　see　if　all。　the　doors　are　open　and　the　rooms　in　proper　order。　　That's　an　awful　idea　of　yours；　Kingsmill；　or　of　mine！〃　added　my　lord；　recovering　the　courtesy　of　his　order　by　an　effort　that　I　could　follow。　　〃We　should　look　fools。　　I　don't　know　which　of　us　it　was；　by　the　way；　who　seduced　the　rest　from　the　main　stream　of　blood　into　this　burglarious　backwater。　　Are　you　familiar　with　De　Quincey's　masterpiece　on　'Murder　as　a　Fine　Art；'　Mr。　Raffles？〃

〃I　believe　I　once　read　it；〃　replied　Raffles　doubtfully。

〃You　must　read　it　again；〃　pursued　the　earl。　　〃It　is　the　last　word　on　a　great　subject；　all。　we　can　hope　to　add　is　some　baleful　illustration　or　bloodstained　footnote；　not　unworthy　of　De　Quincey's　text。　　〃Well；　Leggett？〃

The　venerable　butler　stood　wheezing　at　his　elbow。　　I　had　not　hitherto　observed　that　the　man　was　an　asthmatic。

〃I　beg　your　lordship's　pardon；　but　I　think　your　lordship　must　have　forgotten。〃

The　voice　came　in　rude　gasps；　but　words　of　reproach　could　scarcely　have　achieved　a　finer　delicacy。

〃Forgotten；　Leggett！　　Forgotten　what；　may　I　ask？〃

〃Locking　your　lordship's　dressing…room　door　behind　your　lordship；　my　lord；〃　stuttered　the　unfortunate　Leggett；　in　the　short　spurts　of　a　winded　man；　a　few　stertorous　syllables　at　a　time。　　〃Been　up　myself；　my　lord。　　Bedroom　door　…　dressing…room　door　…　both　locked　inside！〃

But　by　this　time　the　noble　master　was　in　worse　case　than　the　man。　His　fine　forehead　was　a　tangle　of　livid　cords；　his　baggy　jowl　filled　out　like　a　balloon。　　In　another　second　he　had　abandoned　his　place　as　our　host　and　fled　the　room；　and　in　yet　another　we　had　forgotten　ours　as　his　guests　and　rushed　headlong　at　his　heels。

Raffles　was　as　excited　as　any　of　us　now：　he　outstripped　us　all。　　The　cherubic　little　lawyer　and　I　had　a　fine　race　for　the　last　place　but　one；　which　I　secured；　while　the　panting　butler　and　his　satellites　brought　up　a　respectful　rear。　　It　was　our　unconventional　author；　however；　who　was　the　first　to　volunteer　his　assistance　and　advice。

〃No　use　pushing；　Thornaby！〃　cried　he。　　〃If　it's　been　done　with　a　wedge　and　gimlet；　you　may　smash　the　door；　but　you'll　never　force　it。　Is　there　a　ladder　in　the　place？〃

〃There's　a　rope…ladder　somewhere；　in　case　of　fire；　I　believe；〃　said　my　lord　vaguely；　as　he　rolled　a　critical　eye　over　our　faces。　　〃Where　is　it　kept；　Leggett？〃

〃'William　will　fetch　it；　my　lord。〃

And　a　pair　of　noble　calves　went　flashing　to　the　upper　regions。

〃What's　the　good　of　bringing　it　down；〃　cried　Parrington；　who　had　thrown　back　to　the　wilds　in　his　excitement。　　〃Let　him　hang　it　out　of　the　window　above　your　own；　and　let　me　climb　down　and　do　the　rest！　　I'll　undertake　to　have　one　or　other　of　these　doors　open　in　two　twos！〃

The　fastened　doors　were　at　right　angles　on　the　landing　which　we　filled　between　us。　　Lord　Thornaby　smiled　grimly　on　the　rest　of　us；　when　he　had　nodded　and　dismissed　the　author　like　a　hound　from　the　leash。

〃It's　a　good　thing　we　know　something　about　our　friend　Parrington；〃　said　my　lord。　　〃He　takes　more　kindly　to　all。　this　than　I　do；　I　can　tell　you。〃

〃It's　grist　to　his　mill；〃　said　Raffles　charitably。

〃Exactly！　　We　shall　have　the　whole　thing　in　his　next　book。〃

〃I　hope　to　have　it　at　the　Old　Bailey　first；〃　remarked　Kingsmill；　Q。C。

〃Refreshing　to　find　a　man　of　letters　such　a　man　of　action　too！〃

It　was　Raffles　who　said　this；　and　the　remark　seemed　rather　trite　for　him；　but　in　the　tone　there　was　a　something　that　just　caught　my　private　ear。　　And　for　once　I　understood：　the　officious　attitude　of　Parrington；　without　being　seriously　suspicious　in　itself；　was　admirably　calculated　to　put　a　previously　suspected　person　in　a　grateful　shade。　　This　literary　adventurer　had　elbowed　Raffles　out　of　the　limelight；　and　gratitude　for　the　service　was　what　I　had　detected　in　Raffles's　voice。　　No　need　to　say　how　grateful　I　felt　myself。　　But　my　gratitude　was　shot　with　flashes　of　unwonted　insight。　Parrington　was　one　of　those　who　suspected　Raffles；　or；　at　all。　　events；　one　who　was　in　the　secret　of　those　suspicions。　　What　if　he　had　traded　on　the　suspect's　presence　in　the　house？　　What　if　he　were　a　deep　villain　himself；　and　the　villain　of　this　particular　piece？　I　had　made　up　my　mind　about　him；　and　that　in　a　tithe　of　the　time　I　take　to　make　it　up　as　a　rule；　when　we　heard　my　man　in　the　dressing…room。　　He　greeted　us　with　an　impudent　shout；　in　a　few　moments　the　door　was　open；　and　there　stood　Parrington；　flushed　and　dishevelled；　with　a　gimlet　in　one　hand　and　a　wedge　in　the　other。

Within　was　a　scene　of　eloquent　disorder。　　Drawers　had　been　pulled　out；　and　now　stood　on　end；　their　contents　heaped　upon　the　carpet。　Wardrobe　doors　stood　open；　empty　stud…cases　strewed　the　floor；　a　clock；　tied　up　in　a　towel；　had　been　tossed　into　a　chair　at　the　last　moment。　　But　a　long　tin　lid　protruded　from　an　open　cupboard　in　one　corner。　　And　one　had　only　to　see　Lord　Thornaby's　wry　face　behind　the　lid　to　guess　that　it　was　bent　over　a　somewhat　empty　tin　trunk。

〃What　a　rum　lot　to　stea