a thief in the night-第2节

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〃Nonsense；　Bunny！〃

〃Why　is　it　nonsense？　　I　know　every　inch　of　the　ground；　and　since　the　house　has　changed　hands　I　have　no　compunction。　　Besides；　'I　have　been　there'　in　the　other　sense　as　well：　once　a　thief；　you　know！　　In　for　a　penny；　in　for　a　pound！〃

It　was　ever　my　mood　when　the　blood　was　up。　　But　my　old　friend　failed　to　appreciate　the　characteristic　as　he　usually　did。　　We　crossed　Regent　Street　in　silence。　　I　had　to　catch　his　sleeve　to　keep　a　hand　in　his　inhospitable　arm。

〃I　really　think　you　had　better　stay　away；〃　said　Raffles　as　we　reached　the　other　curb。　　〃I've　no　use　for　you　this　time。〃

〃Yet　I　thought　I　had　been　so　useful　up　to　now？〃

〃That　may　be；　Bunny；　but　I　tell　you　frankly　I　don't　want　you　to…night。〃

〃Yet　I　know　the　ground　and　you　don't！　　I　tell　you　what；〃　said　I：　〃I'll　come　just　to　show　you　the　ropes；　and　I　won't　take　a　pennyweight　of　the　swag。〃

Such　was　the　teasing　fashion　in　which　he　invariably　prevailed　upon　me；　it　was　delightful　to　note　how　it　caused　him　to　yield　in　his　turn。　But　Raffles　had　the　grace　to　give　in　with　a　laugh；　whereas　I　too　often　lost　my　temper　with　my　point。

〃You　little　rabbit！〃　he　chuckled。　　〃You　shall　have　your　share；　whether　you　come　or　not；　but；　seriously；　don't　you　think　you　might　remember　the　girl？〃

〃What's　the　use？〃　I　groaned。　　〃You　agree　there　is　nothing　for　it　but　to　give　her　up。　　I　am　glad　to　say　that　for　myself　before　I　asked　you；　and　wrote　to　tell　her　so　on　Sunday。　　Now　it's　Wednesday；　and　she　hasn't　answered　by　line　or　sign。　　It's　waiting　for　one　word　from　her　that's　driving　me　mad。〃

〃Perhaps　you　wrote　to　Palace　Gardens？〃

〃No；　I　sent　it　to　the　country。　　There's　been　time　for　an　answer；　wherever　she　may　be。〃

We　had　reached　the　Albany；　and　halted　with　one　accord　at　the　Piccadilly　portico；　red　cigar　to　red　cigar。

〃You　wouldn't　like　to　go　and　see　if　the　answer's　in　your　rooms？〃　he　asked。

〃No。　　What's　the　good？　　Where's　the　point　in　giving　her　up　if　I'm　going　to　straighten　out　when　it's　too　late？　　It　is　too　late；　I　have　given　her　up；　and　I　am　coming　with　you！〃

The　hand　that　bowled　the　most　puzzling　ball　in　England　（once　it　found　its　length）　descended　on　my　shoulder　with　surprising　promptitude。

〃Very　well；　Bunny！　　That's　finished；　but　your　blood　be　on　your　own　pate　if　evil　comes　of　it。　　Meanwhile　we　can't　do　better　than　turn　in　here　till　you　have　finished　your　cigar　as　it　deserves；　and　topped　up　with　such　a　cup　of　tea　as　you　must　learn　to　like　if　you　hope　to　get　on　in　your　new　profession。　　And　when　the　hours　are　small　enough；　Bunny；　my　boy；　I　don't　mind　admitting　I　shall　be　very　glad　to　have　you　with　me。〃

I　have　a　vivid　memory　of　the　interim　in　his　rooms。　　I　think　it　must　have　been　the　first　and　last　of　its　kind　that　I　was　called　upon　to　sustain　with　so　much　knowledge　of　what　lay　before　me。　　I　passed　the　time　with　one　restless　eye　upon　the　clock；　and　the　other　on　the　Tantalus　which　Raffles　ruthlessly　declined　to　unlock。　　He　admitted　that　it　was　like　waiting　with　one's　pads　on；　and　in　my　slender　experience　of　the　game　of　which　he　was　a　world's　master；　that　was　an　ordeal　not　to　be　endured　without　a　general　quaking　of　the　inner　man。　　I　was；　on　the　other　hand；　all　right　when　I　got　to　the　metaphorical　wicket；　and　half　the　surprises　that　Raffles　sprung　on　me　were　doubtless　due　to　his　early　recognition　of　the　fact。

On　this　occasion　I　fell　swiftly　and　hopelessly　out　of　love　with　the　prospect　I　had　so　gratuitously　embraced。　　It　was　not　only　my　repugnance　to　enter　that　house　in　that　way；　which　grew　upon　my　better　judgment　as　the　artificial　enthusiasm　of　the　evening　evaporated　from　my　veins。　　Strong　as　that　repugnance　became；　I　had　an　even　stronger　feeling　that　we　were　embarking　on　an　important　enterprise　far　too　much　upon　the　spur　of　the　moment。　　The　latter　qualm　I　had　the　temerity　to　confess　to　Raffles；　nor　have　I　often　loved　him　more　than　when　he　freely　admitted　it　to　be　the　most　natural　feeling　in　the　world。　　He　assured　me；　however；　that　he　had　had　my　Lady　Lochmaben　and　her　jewels　in　his　mind　for　several　months；　he　had　sat　behind　them　at　first　nights；　and　long　ago　determined　what　to　take　or　to　reject；　in　fine；　he　had　only　been　waiting　for　those　topographical　details　which　it　had　been　my　chance　privilege　to　supply。　　I　now　learned　that　he　had　numerous　houses　in　a　similar　state　upon　his　list；　something　or　other　was　wanting　in　each　case　in　order　to　complete　his　plans。　　In　that　of　the　Bond　Street　jeweller　it　was　a　trusty　accomplice；　in　the　present　instance；　a　more　intimate　knowledge　of　the　house。　　And　lastly；　this　was　a　Wednesday　night；　when　the　tired　legislator　gets　early　to　his　bed。

How　I　wish　I　could　make　the　whole　world　see　and　hear　him；　and　smell　the　smoke　of　his　beloved　Sullivan；　as　he　took　me　into　these；　the　secrets　of　his　infamous　trade！　　Neither　look　nor　language　would　betray　the　infamy。　　As　a　mere　talker；　I　shall　never　listen　to　the　like　of　Raffles　on　this　side　of　the　sod；　and　his　talk　was　seldom　garnished　by　an　oath；　never　in　my　remembrance　by　the　unclean　word。　Then　he　looked　like　a　man　who　had　dressed　to　dine　out；　not　like　one　who　had　long　since　dined；　for　his　curly　hair；　though　longer　that　another's；　was　never　untidy　in　its　length；　and　these　were　the　days　when　it　was　still　as　black　as　ink。　　Nor　were　there　many　lines　as　yet　upon　the　smooth　and　mobile　face；　and　its　frame　was　still　that　dear　den　of　disorder　and　good　taste；　with　the　carved　book…case；　the　dresser　and　chests　of　still　older　oak；　and　the　Wattses　and　Rossettis　hung　anyhow　on　the　walls。

It　must　have　been　one　o'clock　before　we　drove　in　a　hansom　as　far　as　Kensington　Church；　instead　of　getting　down　at　the　gates　of　our　private　road　to　ruin。　　Constitutionally　shy　of　the　direct　approach；　Raffles　was　further　deterred　by　a　ball　in　full　swing　at　the　Empress　Rooms；　whence　potential　witnesses　were　pouring　between　dances　into　the　cool　deserted　street。　　Instead　he　led　me　a　little　way　up　Church　Street；　and　so　through　the　narrow　passage　into　Palace　Gardens。　　He　knew　the　house　as　well　as　I　did。　　We　made　our　first　survey　from　the　other　side　of　the　road。　　And　the　house　was　not　quite　in　darkness；　there　was　a　dim　light　over　the　door；　a　brighter　one　in　the　stables；　which　stood　still　farther　back　from　the　road。

〃That's　a　bit　of　a　bore；〃　said　Raffles。　　〃The　ladies　have　been　out　somewhere　　…　　trust　them　to　spoil　the　show！　　They　would　get　to　bed　before　the　stable　folk；　but　insomnia　is　the　curse　of　their　sex　and　our　profession。　　Somebody's　not　home　yet；　that　will　be　the　son　of　the　house；　but　he's　a　beauty；　who　may　not　come　home　at　all。〃

〃Another　Alick　Carruthers；〃　I　murmured；　recalling　the　one　I　liked　least　of　all　the　household；　as　I　remembered　it。

〃They　might　be　brothers；〃　rejoined　Raffles；　who　knew　all　the　loose　fish　about　town。　　〃Well；　I'm　not　sure　that　I　shall　want　you　after　all；　Bunny。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃If　the　front　door's　only　on　the　latch；　and　you're　right　about　the　lock；　I　shall　walk　in　as　though　I　were　the　son　of　the　house　myself。〃

And　he　jingled　the　skeleton　bunch　that　he　carried　on　a　chain　as　honest　men　carry　their　latchkeys。

〃You　forget　the　inner　doors　and　the　safe。〃

〃True。　　You　might　be　useful　to　me　there。　　But　I　still　don't　like　leading　you　in　where　it　isn't　absolutely　necessary；　Bunny。〃

〃Then　let　me　lead　you；　I　answered；　and　forthwith　marched　across　the　broad；　secluded　road；　with　the　great　houses　standing　back　on　either　side　in　their　ample　gardens；　as　though　the　one　opposite　belonged　to　me。　　I　thought　Raffles　had　stayed　behind；　for　I　never　heard　him　at　my　heels；　yet　there　he　was　when　I　turned　round　at　the　gate。

〃I　must　teach　you　the　step；〃　he　whispered；　shaking　his　head。　　〃You　shouldn't　use　your　heel　at　all。　　Here's　a　grass　border　for　you：　walk　it　as　you　would　the　plank！　　Gravel　makes　a　noise；　and　flower…beds　tell　a　tale。　　Wait　…　I　must　carry　you　across　this。〃

It　was　the　sweep　of　the　drive；　and　in　the　dim　light　from　above　the　door；　the　soft　gravel；　ploughed　into　ridges　by　the　night's　wheels；　threatened　an　alarm　at　every　step。　　Yet　Raffles；　with　me　in　his　arms；　crossed　the　zone　of　peril　softly　as　the　pard。

〃Shoes　in　your　pocket　…　that's　the　beauty　of　pumps！〃　he　whispered　on　the　step；　his　light　bunch　tinkled　faintly；　a　couple　of　keys　he　stooped　and　tried；　with　the　touch　of　a　humane　dentist；　the　third　let　us　into　the　porch。　　And　as　we　stood　together　on　the　mat；　as　he　was　gradually　closing　the　door；　a　clock　within　chimed　a　half…hour　in　fashion　so　thrillingly　familiar　to　me　that　I　caught　Raffles　by　the　arm。　　My　half…hours　of　happiness　had　flown　to　just　such　chimes！　I　looked　wildly　about　me　in　the　dim　light。　　Hat…stand　and　oak　settee　belonged　equally　to　my　past。　　And　Raffles　was　smiling　in　my　face　as　he　held　the　door　wide　for　my　escape。

〃You　told　me　a　lie！〃　I　gasped　in　whispers。

〃I　did　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　he　replied。　　〃The　furniture's　the　furniture　of　Hector　Carruthers；　but　the　house　is　the　house　of　Lord　Lochmaben。　　Look　here！〃

He　had　stooped；　and　was　smoothing　out　the　discarded　envelope　of　a　telegram。　　〃Lord　Lochmaben；〃　I　read　in　pencil　by　the　dim　light；　and　the　case　was　plain　to　me　on　the　spot。　　My　friends　had　let　their　house；　furnished；　as　anybody　but　Raffles　would　have　explained　to　me　in　the　beginning。

〃All　right；〃　I　said。　　〃Shut　the　door。〃

And　he　no