a thief in the night-第15节

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the　lid　to　guess　that　it　was　bent　over　a　somewhat　empty　tin　trunk。

〃What　a　rum　lot　to　steal！〃　said　he；　with　a　twitch　of　humor　at　the　corners　of　his　canine　mouth。　　〃My　peer's　robes；　with　coronet　complete！〃

We　rallied　round　him　in　a　seemly　silence。　　I　thought　our　scribe　would　put　in　his　word。　　But　even　he　either　feigned　or　felt　a　proper　awe。

〃You　may　say　it　was　a　rum　place　to　keep　'em；〃　continued　Lord　Thornaby。　　〃But　where　would　you　gentlemen　stable　your　white　elephants？　　And　these　were　elephants　as　white　as　snow；　by　Jove；　I'll　job　them　for　the　future！〃

And　he　made　merrier　over　his　loss　than　any　of　us　could　have　imagined　the　minute　before；　but　the　reason　dawned　on　me　a　little　later；　when　we　all。　trooped　down…stairs；　leaving　the　police　in　possession　of　the　theatre　of　crime。　　Lord　Thornaby　linked　arms　with　Raffles　as　he　led　the　way。　　His　step　was　lighter；　his　gayety　no　longer　sardonic；　his　very　looks　had　improved。　　And　I　divined　the　load　that　had　been　lifted　from　the　hospitable　heart　of　our　host。

〃I　only　wish；〃　said　he；　〃that　this　brought　us　any　nearer　to　the　identity　of　the　gentleman　we　were　discussing　at　dinner；　for；　of　course；　we　owe　it　to　all。　our　instincts　to　assume　that　it　was　he。〃

〃I　wonder！〃　said　old　Raffles；　with　a　foolhardy　glance　at　me。

〃But　I'm　sure　of　it；　my　dear　sir；〃　cried　my　lord。　　〃The　audacity　is　his　and　his　alone。　　I　look　no　further　than　the　fact　of　his　honoring　me　on　the　one　night　of　the　year　when　I　endeavor　to　entertain　my　brother　Criminologists。　　That's　no　coincidence；　sir；　but　a　deliberate　irony；　which　would　have　occurred　to　no　other　criminal　mind　in　England。〃

〃You　may　be　right；〃　Raffles　had　the　sense　to　say　this　time；　though　I　flattered　myself　it　was　my　face　that　made　him。

〃What　is　still　more　certain；〃　resumed　our　host；　〃is　that　no　other　criminal　in　the　world　would　have　crowned　so　delicious　a　conception　with　so　perfect　an　achievement。　　I　feel　sure　the　inspector　will　agree　with　us。〃

The　policeman　in　command　had　knocked　and　been　admitted　to　the　library　as　Lord　Thornaby　spoke。

〃I　didn't　hear　what　you　said；　my　lord。〃

〃Merely　that　the　perpetrator　of　this　amusing　outrage　can　be　no　other　than　the　swell　mobsman　who　relieved　Lady　Melrose　of　her　necklace　and　poor　Danby　of　half　his　stock　a　year　or　two　ago。〃

〃I　believe　your　lordship　has　hit　the　nail　on　the　head。〃

〃The　man　who　took　the　Thimblely　diamonds　and　returned　them　to　Lord　Thimblely；　you　know。〃

〃Perhaps　he'll　treat　your　lordship　the　same。〃

〃Not　he！　　I　don't　mean　to　cry　over　my　spilt　milk。　　I　only　wish　the　fellow　joy　of　all。　he　had　time　to　take。　　Anything　fresh　up…stain　by　the　way？〃

〃Yes；　my　lord：　the　robbery　took　place　between　a　quarter　past　eight　and　the　half…hour。〃

〃How　on　earth　do　you　know？〃

〃The　clock　that　was　tied　up　in　the　towel　had　stopped　at　twenty　past。〃

〃Have　you　interviewed　my　man？〃

〃I　have；　my　lord。　　He　was　in　your　lordship's　room　until　close　on　the　quarter；　and　all。　was　as　it　should　be　when　he　left　it。〃

〃Then　do　you　suppose　the　burglar　was　in　hiding　in　the　house？〃

〃It's　impossible　to　say；　my　lord。　　He's　not　in　the　house　now；　for　he　could　only　be　in　your　lordship's　bedroom　or　dressing…room；　and　we　have　searched　every　inch　of　both。〃

Lord　Thornaby　turned　to　us　when　the　inspector　had　retreated；　caressing　his　peaked　cap。

〃I　told　him　to　clear　up　these　points　first；〃　he　explained；　jerking　his　head　toward　the　door。　　〃I　had　reason　to　think　my　man　had　been　neglecting　his　duties　up　there。　　I　am　glad　to　find　myself　mistaken。〃

I　ought　to　have　been　no　less　glad　to　see　my　own　mistake。　　My　suspicions　of　our　officious　author　were　thus　proved　to　have　been　as　wild　as　himself。　　I　owed　the　man　no　grudge；　and　yet　in　my　human　heart　I　felt　vaguely　disappointed。　　My　theory　had　gained　color　from　his　behavior　ever　since　he　had　admitted　us　to　the　dressing…room；　it　had　changed　all。　at　once　from　the　familiar　to　the　morose；　and　only　now　was　I　just　enough　to　remember　that　Lord　Thornaby；　having　tolerated　those　familiarities　as　long　as　they　were　connected　with　useful　service；　had　administered　a　relentless　snub　the　moment　that　service　had　been　well　and　truly　performed。

But　if　Parrington　was　exonerated　in　my　mind；　so　also　was　Raffles　reinstated　in　the　regard　of　those　who　had　entertained　a　far　graver　and　more　dangerous　hypothesis。　　It　was　a　miracle　of　good　luck；　a　coincidence　among　coincidences；　which　had　white…washed　him　in　their　sight　at　the　very　moment　when　they　were　straining　the　expert　eye　to　sift　him　through　and　through。　　But　the　miracle　had　been　performed；　and　its　effect　was　visible　in　every　face　and　audible　in　every　voice。　I　except　Ernest；　who　could　never　have　been　in　the　secret；　moreover；　that　gay　Criminologist　had　been　palpably　shaken　by　his　first　little　experience　of　crime。　　But　the　other　three　vied　among　themselves　to　do　honor　where　they　had　done　injustice。　　I　heard　Kingsmill；　Q。C。；　telling　Raffles　the　best　time　to　catch　him　at　chambers；　and　promising　a　seat　in　court　for　any　trial　he　might　ever　like　to　hear。　Parrington　spoke　of　a　presentation　set　of　his　books；　and　in　doing　homage　to　Raffles　made　his　peace　with　our　host。　　As　for　Lord　Thornaby；　I　did　overhear　the　name　of　the　Athenaeum　Club；　a　reference　to　his　friends　on　the　committee；　and　a　whisper　（as　I　thought）　of　Rule　II。

The　police　were　still　in　possession　when　we　went　our　several　ways；　and　it　was　all。　that　I　could　do　to　drag　Raffles　up　to　my　rooms；　though；　as　I　have　said；　they　were　just　round　the　corner。　　He　consented　at　last　as　a　lesser　evil　than　talking　of　the　burglary　in　the　street；　and　in　my　rooms　I　told　him　of　his　late　danger　and　my　own　dilemma；　of　the　few　words　I　had　overheard　in　the　beginning；　of　the　thin　ice　on　which　he　had　cut　fancy　figures　without　a　crack。　　It　was　all。　very　well　for　him。　　He　had　never　realized　his　peril。　　But　let　him　think　of　me　…　listening；　watching；　yet　unable　to　lift　a　finger　…　unable　to　say　one　warning　word。

Raffles　suffered　me　to　finish；　but　a　weary　sigh　followed　the　last　symmetrical　whiff　of　a　Sullivan　which　he　flung　into　my　fire　before　he　spoke。

〃No；　I　won't　have　another；　thank　you。　　I'm　going　to　talk　to　you；　Bunny。　　Do　you　really　suppose　I　didn't　see　through　these　wiseacres　from　the　first？〃

I　flatly　refused　to　believe　he　had　done　so　before　that　evening。　　Why　had　he　never　mentioned　his　idea　to　me？　　It　had　been　quite　the　other　way；　as　I　indignantly　reminded　Raffles。　　Did　he　mean　me　to　believe　he　was　the　man　to　thrust　his　head　into　the　lion's　mouth　for　fun？　And　what　point　would　there　be　in　dragging　me　there　to　see　the　fun？

〃I　might　have　wanted　you；　Bunny。　　I　very　nearly　did。〃

〃For　my　face？〃

〃It　has　been　my　fortune　before　to…night；　Bunny。　　It　has　also　given　me　more　confidence　than　you　are　likely　to　believe　at　this　time　of　day。　　You　stimulate　me　more　than　you　think。〃

〃Your　gallery　and　your　prompter's　box　in　one？〃

〃Capital；　Bunny！　　But　it　was　no　joking　matter　with　me　either；　my　dear　fellow；　it　was　touch…and…go　at　the　time。　　I　might　have　called　on　you　at　any　moment；　and　it　was　something　to　know　I　should　not　have　called　in　vain。〃

〃But　what　to　do；　Raffles？〃

〃Fight　our　way　out　and　bolt！〃　he　answered；　with　a　mouth　that　meant　it；　and　a　fine　gay　glitter　of　the　eyes。

I　shot　out　of　my　chair。

〃You　don't　mean　to　tell　me　you　had　a　hand　in　the　job？〃

〃I　had　the　only　hand　in　it；　my　dear　Bunny。〃

〃Nonsense！　　You　were　sitting　at　table　at　the　time。　　No；　but　you　may　have　taken　some　other　fellow　into　the　show。　　I　always　thought　you　would！〃

〃One's　quite　enough；　Bunny；〃　said　Raffles　dryly；　he　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　took　out　another　cigarette。　　And　I　accepted　of　yet　another　from　his　case；　for　it　was　no　use　losing　one's　temper　with　Raffles；　and　his　incredible　statement　was　not；　after　all。；　to　be　ignored。

〃Of　course；〃　I　went　on；　〃if　you　really　had　brought　off　this　thing　on　your　own；　I　should　be　the　last　to　criticise　your　means　of　reaching　such　an　end。　　You　have　not　only　scored　off　a　far　superior　force；　which　had　laid　itself　out　to　score　off　you；　but　you　have　put　them　in　the　wrong　about　you；　and　they'll　eat　out　of　your　hand　for　the　rest　of　their　days。　　But　don't　ask　me　to　believe　that　you've　done　all。　this　alone！　　By　George；〃　I　cried；　in　a　sudden　wave　of　enthusiasm；　〃I　don't　care　how　you've　done　it　or　who　has　helped　you。　It's　the　biggest　thing　you　ever　did　in　your　life！〃

And　certainly　I　had　never　seen　Raffles　look　more　radiant；　or　better　pleased　with　the　world　and　himself；　or　nearer　that　elation　which　he　usually　left　to　me。

〃Then　you　shall　hear　all。　about　it；　Bunny；　if　you'll　do　what　I　ask　you。〃

〃Ask　away；　old　chap；　and　the　thing's　done。〃

〃Switch　off　the　electric　lights。〃

〃All。　of　them？〃

〃I　think　so。〃

〃There；　then。〃

〃Now　go　to　the　back　window　and　up　with　the　blind。〃

〃Well？〃？〃

〃I'm　coming　to　you。　　Splendid！　　I　never　had　a　look　so　late　as　this。　It's　the　only　window　left　alight　in　the　house！〃

His　cheek　against　the　pane；　he　was　pointing　slightly　downward　and　very　much　aslant　through　a　long　lane　of　mews　to　a　little　square　light　like　a　yellow　tile　at　the　end。　　But　I　had　opened　the　window　and　leaned　out　before　I　saw　it　for　myself。

〃You　don't　mean　to　say　that's　Thornaby　House？〃

I　was　not　familiar　with　the　view　from　my　back　windows。

〃Of　course　I　do；　you　rabbit！　　H