a thief in the night-第25节

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wake；　in　another　minute　I　should　have　been　past　ringing　up。　　It　was　one　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　I　had　been　dining　with　Swigger　Morrison　at　his　club。

〃Hulloa！〃

〃That　you；　Bunny？〃

〃Yes　…　are　you　Raffles？〃

〃What's　left　of　me！　　Bunny；　I　want　you　…　quick。〃

And　even　over　the　wire　his　voice　was　faint　with　anxiety　and　apprehension。

〃What　on　earth　has　happened？〃

〃Don't　ask！　　You　never　know　…　〃

〃I'll　come　at　once。　　Are　you　there；　Raffles？〃

〃What's　that？〃

〃Are　you　there；　man？〃

〃Ye　…　e　…　es。〃

〃At　the　Albany？〃

〃No；　no；　at　Maguire's。〃

〃You　never　said　so。　　And　where's　Maguire？〃

〃In　Half…moon　Street。〃

〃I　know　that。　　Is　he　there　now？〃

〃No　…　not　come　in　yet　…　and　I'm　caught。〃

〃Caught！〃

〃In　that　trap　he　bragged　about。　　It　serves　me　right。　　I　didn't　believe　in　it。　　But　I'm　caught　at　last　。。。　caught　。。。　at　last！〃

〃When　he　told　us　he　set　it　every　night！　　Oh；　Raffles；　what　sort　of　a　trap　is　it？　　What　shall　I　do？　　What　shall　I　bring？〃

But　his　voice　had　grown　fainter　and　wearier　with　every　answer；　and　now　there　was　no　answer　at　all。　　Again　and　again　I　asked　Raffles　if　he　was　there；　the　only　sound　to　reach　me　in　reply　was　the　low　metallic　hum　of　the　live　wire　between　his　ear　and　mine。　　And　then；　as　I　sat　gazing　distractedly　at　my　four　safe　walls；　with　the　receiver　still　pressed　to　my　head；　there　came　a　single　groan；　followed　by　the　dull　and　dreadful　crash　of　a　human　body　falling　in　a　heap。

In　utter　panic　I　rushed　back　into　my　bedroom；　and　flung　myself　into　the　crumpled　shirt　and　evening　clothes　that　lay　where　I　had　cast　them　off。　　But　I　knew　no　more　what　I　was　doing　than　what　to　do　next　I　afterward　found　that　I　had　taken　out　a　fresh　tie；　and　tied　it　rather　better　than　usual；　but　I　can　remember　thinking　of　nothing　but　Raffles　in　some　diabolical　man…trap；　and　of　a　grinning　monster　stealing　in　to　strike　him　senseless　with　one　murderous　blow。　　I　must　have　looked　in　the　glass　to　array　myself　as　I　did；　but　the　mind's　eye　was　the　seeing　eye；　and　it　was　filled　with　this　frightful　vision　of　the　notorious　pugilist　known　to　fame　and　infamy　as　Barney　Maguire。

It　was　only　the　week　before　that　Raffles　and　I　had　been　introduced　to　him　at　the　Imperial　Boxing　Club。　　Heavy…weight　champion　of　the　United　States；　the　fellow　was　still　drunk　with　his　sanguinary　triumphs　on　that　side；　and　clamoring　for　fresh　conquests　on　ours。　But　his　reputation　had　crossed　the　Atlantic　before　Maguire　himself；　the　grandiose　hotels　had　closed　their　doors　to　him；　and　he　had　already　taken　and　sumptuously　furnished　the　house　in　Half…moon　Street　which　does　not　re…let　to　this　day。　　Raffles　had　made　friends　with　the　magnificent　brute；　while　I　took　timid　stock　of　his　diamond　studs；　his　jewelled　watch…chain；　his　eighteen…carat　bangle；　and　his　six…inch　lower　jaw。　　I　had　shuddered　to　see　Raffles　admiring　the　gewgaws　in　his　turn；　in　his　own　brazen　fashion；　with　that　air　of　the　cool　connoisseur　which　had　its　double　meaning　for　me。　　I　for　my　part　would　as　lief　have　looked　a　tiger　in　the　teeth。　　And　when　we　finally　went　home　with　Maguire　to　see　his　other　trophies；　it　seemed　to　me　like　entering　the　tiger's　lair。　　But　an　astounding　lair　it　proved；　fitted　throughout　by　one　eminent　firm；　and　ringing　to　the　rafters　with　the　last　word　on　fantastic　furniture。

The　trophies　were　a　still　greater　surprise。　　They　opened　my　eyes　to　the　rosier　aspect　of　the　noble　art；　as　presently　practised　on　the　right　side　of　the　Atlantic。　　Among　other　offerings；　we　were　permitted　to　handle　the　jewelled　belt　presented　to　the　pugilist　by　the　State　of　Nevada；　a　gold　brick　from　the　citizens　of　Sacramento；　and　a　model　of　himself　in　solid　silver　from　the　Fisticuff　Club　in　New　York。　　I　still　remember　waiting　with　bated　breath　for　Raffles　to　ask　Maguire　if　he　were　not　afraid　of　burglars；　and　Maguire　replying　that　he　had　a　trap　to　catch　the　cleverest　cracksman　alive；　but　flatly　refusing　to　tell　us　what　it　was。　　I　could　not　at　the　moment　conceive　a　more　terrible　trap　than　the　heavy…weight　himself　behind　a　curtain。　　Yet　it　was　easy　to　see　that　Raffles　had　accepted　the　braggart's　boast　as　a　challenge。　　Nor　did　he　deny　it　later　when　I　taxed　him　with　his　mad　resolve；　he　merely　refused　to　allow　me　to　implicate　myself　in　its　execution。　　Well；　there　was　a　spice　of　savage　satisfaction　in　the　thought　that　Raffles　had　been　obliged　to　turn　to　me　in　the　end。　　And；　but　for　the　dreadful　thud　which　I　had　heard　over　the　telephone；　I　might　have　extracted　some　genuine　comfort　from　the　unerring　sagacity　with　which　he　had　chosen　his　night。

Within　the　last　twenty…four　hours　Barney　Maguire　had　fought　his　first　great　battle　on　British　soil。　　Obviously；　he　would　no　longer　be　the　man　that　he　had　been　in　the　strict　training　before　the　fight；　never；　as　I　gathered；　was　such　a　ruffian　more　off　his　guard；　or　less　capable　of　protecting　himself　and　his　possessions；　than　in　these　first　hours　of　relaxation　and　inevitable　debauchery　for　which　Raffles　had　waited　with　characteristic　foresight。　　Nor　was　the　terrible　Barney　likely　to　be　more　abstemious　for　signal　punishment　sustained　in　a　far　from　bloodless　victory。　　Then　what　could　be　the　meaning　of　that　sickening　and　most　suggestive　thud？　　Could　it　be　the　champion　himself　who　had　received　the　coup　de　grace　in　his　cups？　Raffles　was　the　very　man　to　administer　it　…　but　he　had　not　talked　like　that　man　through　the　telephone。

And　yet　…　and　yet　…　what　else　could　have　happened？　　I　must　have　asked　myself　the　question　between　each　and　all。　of　the　above　reflections；　made　partly　as　I　dressed　and　partly　in　the　hansom　on　the　way　to　Half…moon　Street。　　It　was　as　yet　the　only　question　in　my　mind。　　You　must　know　what　your　emergency　is　before　you　can　decide　how　to　cope　with　it；　and　to　this　day　I　sometimes　tremble　to　think　of　the　rashly　direct　method　by　which　I　set　about　obtaining　the　requisite　information。　　I　drove　every　yard　of　the　way　to　the　pugilist's　very　door。　　You　will　remember　that　I　had　been　dining　with　Swigger　Morrison　at　his　club。

Yet　at　the　last　I　had　a　rough　idea　of　what　I　meant　to　say　when　the　door　was　opened。　　It　seemed　almost　probable　that　the　tragic　end　of　our　talk　over　the　telephone　had　been　caused　by　the　sudden　arrival　and　as　sudden　violence　of　Barney　Maguire。　　In　that　case　I　was　resolved　to　tell　him　that　Raffles　and　I　had　made　a　bet　about　his　burglar　trap；　and　that　I　had　come　to　see　who　had　won。　　I　might　or　might　not　confess　that　Raffles　had　rung　me　out　of　bed　to　this　end。　If；　however；　I　was　wrong　about　Maguire；　and　he　had　not　come　home　at　all。；　then　my　action　would　depend　upon　the　menial　who　answered　my　reckless　ring。　　But　it　should　result　in　the　rescue　of　Raffles　by　hook　or　crook。

I　had　the　more　time　to　come　to　some　decision；　since　I　rang　and　rang　in　vain。　　The　hall；　indeed；　was　in　darkness；　but　when　I　peeped　through　the　letter…box　I　could　see　a　faint　beam　of　light　from　the　back　room。　　That　was　the　room　in　which　Maguire　kept　his　trophies　and　set　his　trap。　　All。　was　quiet　in　the　house：　could　they　have　haled　the　intruder　to　Vine　Street　in　the　short　twenty　minutes　which　it　had　taken　me　to　dress　and　to　drive　to　the　spot？　　That　was　an　awful　thought；　but　even　as　I　hoped　against　hope；　and　rang　once　more；　speculation　and　suspense　were　cut　short　in　the　last　fashion　to　be　foreseen。

A　brougham　was　coming　sedately　down　the　street　from　Piccadilly；　to　my　horror；　it　stopped　behind　me　as　I　peered　once　more　through　the　letter…box；　and　out　tumbled　the　dishevelled　prizefighter　and　two　companions。　　I　was　nicely　caught　in　my　turn。　　There　was　a　lamp…post　right　opposite　the　door；　and　I　can　still　see　the　three　of　them　regarding　me　in　its　light。　　The　pugilist　had　been　at　least　a　fine　figure　of　a　bully　and　a　braggart　when　I　saw　him　before　his　fight；　now　he　had　a　black　eye　and　a　bloated　lip；　hat　on　the　back　of　his　head；　and　made…up　tie　under　one　ear。　　His　companions　were　his　sallow　little　Yankee　secretary；　whose　name　I　really　forget；　but　whom　I　met　with　Maguire　at　the　Boxing　Club；　and　a　very　grand　person　in　a　second　skin　of　shimmering　sequins。

I　can　neither　forget　nor　report　the　terms　in　which　Barney　Maguire　asked　me　who　I　was　and　what　I　was　doing　there。　　Thanks；　however；　to　Swigger　Morrison's　hospitality；　I　readily　reminded　him　of　our　former　meeting；　and　of　more　that　I　only　recalled　as　the　words　were　in　my　mouth。

〃You'll　remember　Raffles；〃　said　I；　〃if　you　don't　remember　me。　　You　showed　us　your　trophies　the　other　night；　and　asked　us　both　to　look　you　up　at　any　hour　of　the　day　or　night　after　the　fight。〃

I　was　going　on　to　add　that　I　had　expected　to　find　Raffles　there　before　me；　to　settle　a　wager　that　we　had　made　about　the　man…trap。　But　the　indiscretion　was　interrupted　by　Maguire　himself；　whose　dreadful　fist　became　a　hand　that　gripped　mine　with　brute　fervor；　while　with　the　other　he　clouted　me　on　the　back。

〃You　don't　say！〃　he　cried。　　〃I　took　you　for　some　darned　crook；　but　now　I　remember　you　perfectly。　　If　you　hadn't've　spoke　up　slick　I'd　have　bu'st　your　face　in；　sonny。　　I　would；　sure！　　Come　right　in；　and　have　a　drink　to　show　there's　…　Jeehoshaphat！〃

The　secretary　had　turned　the　latch…key　in　the　door；　only　to　be　hauled　back　by　the　collar　as　the　door　stood　open；　and　the　light　from　the　inner　room　was　seen　streaming　upon　the　banisters　at　the　foot　of　the　narrow　stairs。