a thief in the night-第20节

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well　lay　a　scent　while　we're　about　it。　　Ready？　　Then　follow　me；　and　never　mind　the　window。〃

With　that　he　dropped　softly　into　the　street；　and　I　after　him；　turning　to　the　right　instead　of　the　left；　and　that　at　a　brisk　trot　instead　of　the　innocent　walk　which　had　brought　us　to　the　bank。　Like　mice　we　scampered　past　the　great　schoolroom；　with　its　gable　snipping　a　paler　sky　than　ever；　and　the　shadows　melting　even　in　the　colonnade　underneath。　　Masters'　houses　flitted　by　on　the　left；　lesser　landmarks　on　either　side；　and　presently　we　were　running　our　heads　into　the　dawn；　one　under　either　hedge　of　the　Stockley　road。

〃Did　you　see　that　light　in　Nab's　just　now？〃　cried　Raffles　as　he　led。

〃No；　why？〃　I　panted；　nearly　spent。

〃It　was　in　Nab's　dressing　…　room。

〃Yes？〃

〃I've　seen　it　there　before；〃　continued　Raffles。　　〃He　never　was　a　good　sleeper；　and　his　ears　reach　to　the　street。　　I　wouldn't　like　to　say　how　often　I　was　chased　by　him　in　the　small　hours！　　I　believe　he　knew　who　it　was　toward　the　end；　but　Nab　was　not　the　man　to　accuse　you　of　what　he　couldn't　prove。〃

I　had　no　breath　for　comment。　　And　on　sped　Raffles　like　a　yacht　before　the　wind；　and　on　I　blundered　like　a　wherry　at　sea；　making　heavy　weather　all。　the　way；　and　nearer　foundering　at　every　stride。　Suddenly；　to　my　deep　relief；　Raffles　halted；　but　only　to　tell　me　to　stop　my　pipes　while　he　listened。

〃It's　all。　right；　Bunny；〃　he　resumed；　showing　me　a　glowing　face　in　the　dawn。　　〃History's　on　its　own　tracks　once　more；　and　I'll　bet　you　it's　dear　old　Nab　on　ours！　　Come　on；　Bunny；　run　to　the　last　gasp；　and　leave　the　rest　to　me。〃

I　was　past　arguing；　and　away　he　went。　　There　was　no　help　for　it　but　to　follow　as　best　I　could。　　Yet　I　had　vastly　preferred　to　collapse　on　the　spot；　and　trust　to　Raffles's　resource；　as　before　very　long　I　must。　　I　had　never　enjoyed　long　wind　and　the　hours　that　we　kept　in　town　may　well　have　aggravated　the　deficiency。　　Raffles；　however；　was　in　first…class　training　from　first…class　cricket；　and　he　had　no　mercy　on　Nab　or　me。　　But　the　master　himself　was　an　old　Oxford　miler；　who　could　still　bear　it　better　than　I；　nay；　as　I　flagged　and　stumbled；　I　heard　him　pounding　steadily　behind。

〃Come　on；　come　on；　or　he'll　do　us！〃　cried　Raffles　shrilly　over　his　shoulder；　and　a　gruff　sardonic　laugh　came　back　over　mine。　　It　was　pearly　morning　now；　but　we　had　run　into　a　shallow　mist　that　took　me　by　the　throat　and　stabbed　me　to　the　lungs。　　I　coughed　and　coughed；　and　stumbled　in　my　stride；　until　down　I　went；　less　by　accident　than　to　get　it　over；　and　so　lay　headlong　in　my　tracks。　　And　old　Nab　dealt　me　a　verbal　kick　as　he　passed。

〃You　beast！〃　he　growled；　as　I　have　known　him　growl　it　in　form。

But　Raffles　himself　had　abandoned　the　flight　on　hearing　my　downfall；　and　I　was　on　hands　and　knees　just　in　time　to　see　the　meeting　between　him　and　old　Nab。　　And　there　stood　Raffles　in　the　silvery　mist；　laughing　with　his　whole　light　heart；　leaning　back　to　get　the　full　flavor　of　his　mirth；　and；　nearer　me；　sturdy　old　Nab；　dour　and　grim；　with　beads　of　dew　on　the　hoary　beard　that　had　been　lamp…black　in　our　time。

〃So　I've　caught　you　at　last！〃　said　he。　　〃After　more　years　than　I　mean　to　count！〃

〃Then　you're　luckier　than　we　are；　sir；〃　answered　Raffles；　〃for　I　fear　our　man　has　given　us　the　slip。〃

〃Your　man！〃　echoed　Nab。　　His　bushy　eyebrows　had　shot　up：　it　was　as　much　as　I　could　do　to　keep　my　own　in　their　place。

〃We　were　indulging　in　the　chase　ourselves；〃　explained　Raffles；　〃and　one　of　us　has　suffered　for　his　zeal；　as　you　can　see。　　It　is　even　possible　that　we；　too；　have　been　chasing　a　perfectly　innocent　man。〃

〃Not　to　say　a　reformed　character；〃　said　our　pursuer　dryly。　　〃　　suppose　you　don't　mean　a　member　of　the　school？〃　he　added；　pinking　his　man　suddenly　as　of　yore；　with　all。　the　old　barbed　acumen。　　But　Raffles　was　now　his　match。

〃That　would　be　carrying　reformation　rather　far；　sir。　　No；　as　I　say；　I　may　have　been　mistaken　in　the　first　instance；　but　I　had　put　out　my　light　and　was　looking　out　of　the　window　when　I　saw　a　fellow　behaving　quite　suspiciously。　　He　was　carrying　his　boots　and　creeping　along　in　his　socks　…　which　must　be　why　you　never　heard　him；　sir。　They　make　less　noise　than　rubber　soles　even　…　that　is；　they　must；　you　know！　　Well；　Bunny　had　just　left　me；　so　I　hauled　him　out　and　we　both　crept　down　to　play　detective。　　No　sign　of　the　fellow！　　We　had　a　look　in　the　colonnade　…　I　thought　I　heard　him　…　and　that　gave　us　no　end　of　a　hunt　for　nothing。　　But　just　as　we　were　leaving　he　came　padding　past　under　our　noses；　and　that's　where　we　took　up　the　chase。　　Where　he'd　been　in　the　meantime　I　have　no　idea；　very　likely　he'd　done　no　harm；　but　it　seemed　worth　while　finding　out。　　He　had　too　good　a　start；　though；　and　poor　Bunny　had　too　bad　a　wind。〃

〃You　should　have　gone　on　and　let　me　rip；〃　said　I；　climbing　to　my　feet　at　last。

〃As　it　is；　however；　we　will　all。　let　the　other　fellow　do　so；〃　said　old　Nab　in　a　genial　growl。　　〃And　you　two　had　better　turn　into　my　house　and　have　something　to　keep　the　morning　cold　out。〃

You　may　imagine　with　what　alacrity　we　complied；　and　yet　I　am　bound　to　confess　that　I　had　never　liked　Nab　at　school。　　I　still　remember　my　term　in　his　form。　　He　had　a　caustic　tongue　and　　fine　assortment　of　damaging　epithets；　most　of　which　were　levelled　at　my　devoted　skull　during　those　three　months。　　I　now　discovered　that　he　also　kept　a　particularly　mellow　Scotch　whiskey；　an　excellent　cigar；　and　a　fund　of　anecdote　of　which　a　mordant　wit　was　the　worthy　bursar。　Enough　to　add　that　he　kept　us　laughing　in　his　study　until　the　chapel　bells　rang　him　out。

As　for　Raffles；　he　appeared　to　me　to　feel　far　more　compunction　for　the　fable　which　he　had　been　compelled　to　foist　upon　one　of　the　old　masters　than　for　the　immeasurably　graver　offence　against　society　and　another　Old　Boy。　　This；　indeed；　did　not　worry　him　at　all。；　and　the　story　was　received　next　day　with　absolute　credulity　on　all。　sides。　　Nasmyth　himself　was　the　first　to　thank　us　both　for　our　spirited　effort　on　his　behalf；　and　the　incident　had　the　ironic　effect　of　establishing　an　immediate　entente　cordiale　between　Raffles　and　his　very　latest　victim。　　I　must　confess；　however；　that　for　my　own　part　I　was　thoroughly　uneasy　during　the　Old　Boys'　second　innings；　when　Raffles　made　a　selfish　score；　instead　of　standing　by　me　to　tell　his　own　story　in　his　own　way。　　There　was　never　any　knowing　with　what　new　detail　he　was　about　to　embellish　it：　and　I　have　still　to　receive　full　credit　for　the　tact　that　it　required　to　follow　his　erratic　lead　convincingly。　　Seldom　have　I　been　more　thankful　than　when　our　train　started　next　morning；　and　the　poor；　unsuspecting　Nasmyth　himself　waved　us　a　last　farewell　from　the　platform。

〃Lucky　we　weren't　staying　at　Nab's；〃　said　Raffles；　as　he　lit　a　Sullivan　and　opened　his　Daily　Mail　at　its　report　of　the　robbery。　〃There　was　one　thing　Nab　would　have　spotted　like　the　downy　old　bird　he　always　was　and　will　be。〃

〃What　was　that？〃

〃The　front　door　must　have　been　found　duly　barred　and　bolted　in　the　morning；　and　yet　we　let　them　assume　that　we　came　out　that　way。　　Nab　would　have　pounced　on　the　point；　and　by　this　time　we　might　have　been　nabbed　ourselves。〃

It　was　but　a　little　over　a　hundred　sovereigns　that　Raffles　had　taken；　and；　of　course；　he　had　resolutely　eschewed　any　and　every　form　of　paper　money。　　He　posted　his　own　first　contribution　of　twenty…five　pounds　to　the　Founder's　Fund　immediately　on　our　return　to　town；　before　rushing　off　to　more　first…class　cricket；　and　I　gathered　that　the　rest　would　follow　piecemeal　as　he　deemed　it　safe。　By　an　odd　coincidence；　however；　a　mysterious　but　magnificent　donation　of　a　hundred　guineas　was　almost　simultaneously　received　in　notes　by　the　treasurer　of　the　Founder's　Fund；　from　one　who　simply　signed　himself　〃Old　Boy。〃　　The　treasurer　happened　to　be　our　late　host；　the　new　man　at　our　old　house；　and　he　wrote　to　congratulate　Raffles　on　what　he　was　pleased　to　consider　a　direct　result　of　the　latter's　speech。　　I　did　not　see　the　letter　that　Raffles　wrote　in　reply；　but　in　due　course　I　heard　the　name　of　the　mysterious　contributor。　　He　was　said　to　be　no　other　than　Nipper　Nasmyth　himself。　I　asked　Raffles　if　it　was　true。　　He　replied　that　he　would　ask　old　Nipper　point…blank　if　he　came　up　as　usual　to　the　Varsity　match；　and　if　they　had　the　luck　to　meet。　　And　not　only　did　this　happen；　but　I　had　the　greater　luck　to　be　walking　round　the　ground　with　Raffles　when　we　encountered　our　shabby　friend　in　front　of　the　pavilion。

〃My　dear　fellow；〃　cried　Raffles；　〃I　hear　it　was　you　who　gave　that　hundred　guineas　by　stealth　to　the　very　movement　you　denounced。　Don't　deny　it；　and　don't　blush　to　find　it　fame。　　Listen　to　me。　There　was　a　great　lot　in　what　you　said；　but　it's　the　kind　of　thing　we　ought　all。　to　back；　whether　we　strictly　approve　of　it　in　our　hearts　or　not。〃

〃Exactly；　Raffles；　but　the　fact　is　…　〃

〃I　know　what　you're　going　to　say。　　Don't　say　it。　　There's　not　one　in　a　thousand　who　would　do　as　you've　done；　and　not　one　in　a　million　who　would　do　it　anonymously。〃

〃But　what　makes　you　think　I　did　it；　Raffles？〃

〃Everybody　is　saying　so。　　You　will　find　it　all。　over　the　place　when　you　get　back。　　You　will　find　yourself　the　most　popular　man　down　there；　Nasmyth！〃

I　never　saw　a　nobler　embarrassment　than　that　of　this　awkward；　unga