a thief in the night-第33节

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nd　I　had　not　your　sentimental　scruples。　　Why　should　I　go　empty　away？　　If　you　want　to　know　the　inner　history　of　my　second　visit　to　that　good　fellow's　dressing…room；　drive　home　for　a　fresh　kit　and　meet　me　at　the　Turkish　bath　in　twenty　minutes。　I　feel　more　than　a　little　grubby；　and　we　can　have　our　breakfast　in　the　cooling　gallery。　　Besides；　after　a　whole　night　in　your　old　haunts；　Bunny；　it's　only　in　order　to　wind　up　in　Northumberland　Avenue。〃




The　Raffles　Relics


It　was　in　one　of　the　magazines　for　December；　1899；　that　an　article　appeared　which　afforded　our　minds　a　brief　respite　from　the　then　consuming　excitement　of　the　war　in　South　Africa。　　These　were　the　days　when　Raffles　really　had　white　hair；　and　when　he　and　I　were　nearing　the　end　of　our　surreptitious　second　innings；　as　professional　cracksmen　of　the　deadliest　dye。　　Piccadilly　and　the　Albany　knew　us　no　more。　　But　we　still　operated；　as　the　spirit　tempted　us；　from　our　latest　and　most　idyllic　base；　on　the　borders　of　Ham　Common。　　Recreation　was　our　greatest　want；　and　though　we　had　both　descended　to　the　humble　bicycle；　a　lot　of　reading　was　forced　upon　us　in　the　winter　evenings。　　Thus　the　war　came　as　a　boon　to　us　both。　　It　not　only　provided　us　with　an　honest　interest　in　life；　but　gave　point　and　zest　to　innumerable　spins　across　Richmond　Park；　to　the　nearest　paper　shop；　and　it　was　from　such　an　expedition　that　I　returned　with　inflammatory　matter　unconnected　with　the　war。　　The　magazine　was　one　of　those　that　are　read　（and　sold）　by　the　million；　the　article　was　rudely　illustrated　on　every　other　page。　　Its　subject　was　the　so…called　Black　Museum　at　Scotland　Yard；　and　from　the　catchpenny　text　we　first　learned　that　the　gruesome　show　was　now　enriched　by　a　special　and　elaborate　exhibit　known　as　the　Raffles　Relics。

〃Bunny；〃　said　Raffles；　〃this　is　fame　at　last！　　It　is　no　longer　notoriety；　it　lifts　one　out　of　the　ruck　of　robbers　into　the　society　of　the　big　brass　gods；　whose　little　delinquencies　are　written　in　water　by　the　finger　of　time。　　The　Napoleon　Relics　we　know；　the　Nelson　Relics　we've　heard　about；　and　here　are　mine！〃　　　　〃Which　I　wish　to　goodness　we　could　see；〃　I　added；　longingly。　　Next　moment　I　was　sorry　I　had　spoken。　　Raffles　was　looking　at　me　across　the　magazine。　　There　was　a　smile　on　his　lips　that　I　knew　too　well；　a　light　in　his　eyes　that　I　had　kindled。

〃What　an　excellent　idea？　　he　exclaimed；　quite　softly；　as　though　working　it　out　already　in　his　brain。

〃I　didn't　mean　it　for　one；〃　I　answered；　〃and　no　more　do　you。〃

〃Certainly　I　do；〃　said　Raffles。　　〃I　was　never　more　serious　in　my　life。〃

〃You　would　march　into　Scotland　Yard　in　broad　daylight？〃

〃In　broad　lime…light；〃　he　answered；　studying　the　magazine　again；　〃to　set　eyes　on　my　own　once　more。　　Why　here　they　all。　are；　Bunny　　…　you　never　told　me　there　was　an　illustration。　　That's　the　chest　you　took　to　your　bank　with　me　inside；　and　those　must　be　my　own　rope…ladder　and　things　on　top。　　They　produce　so　badly　in　the　baser　magazines　that　it's　impossible　to　swear　to　them；　there's　nothing　for　it　but　a　visit　of　inspection。〃

〃Then　you　can　pay　it　alone；〃　said　I　grimly。　　〃You　may　have　altered；　but　they'd　know　me　at　a　glance。〃

〃By　all。　means；　Bunny；　if　you'll　get　me　the　pass。〃

〃A　pass？　　I　cried　triumphantly。　　〃Of　course　we　should　have　to　get　one；　and　of　course　that　puts　an　end　to　the　whole　idea。　　Who　on　earth　would　give　a　pass　for　this　show；　of　all。　others；　to　an　old　prisoner　like　me？〃

Raffles　addressed　himself　to　the　reading　of　the　magazine　with　a　shrug　that　showed　some　temper。

〃The　fellow　who　wrote　this　article　got　one；〃　said　he　shortly。　　〃He　got　it　from　his　editor；　and　you　can　get　one　from　yours　if　you　tried。　But　pray　don't　try；　Bunny：　it　would　be　too　terrible　for　you　to　risk　a　moment's　embarrassment　to　gratify　a　mere　whim　of　mine。　　And　if　I　went　instead　of　you　and　got　spotted；　which　is　so　likely　with　this　head　of　hair；　and　the　general　belief　in　my　demise；　the　consequences　to　you　would　be　too　awful　to　contemplate！　　Don't　contemplate　them；　my　dear　fellow。　　And　do　let　me　read　my　magazine。〃

Need　I　add　that　I　set　about　the　rash　endeavor　without　further　expostulation？　　I　was　used　to　such　ebullitions　from　the　altered　Raffles　of　these　later　days；　and　I　could　well　understand　them。　　All。　the　inconvenience　of　the　new　conditions　fell　on　him。　　I　had　purged　my　known　offences　by　imprisonment；　whereas　Raffles　was　merely　supposed　to　have　escaped　punishment　in　death。　　The　result　was　that　I　could　rush　in　where　Raffles　feared　to　tread；　and　was　his　plenipotentiary　in　all。　honest　dealings　with　the　outer　world。　　It　could　not　but　gall　him　to　be　so　dependent　upon　me；　and　it　was　for　me　to　minimize　the　humiliation　by　scrupulously　avoiding　the　least　semblance　of　an　abuse　of　that　power　which　I　now　had　over　him。　Accordingly；　though　with　much　misgiving；　I　did　his　ticklish　behest　in　Fleet　Street；　where；　despite　my　past；　I　was　already　making　a　certain　lowly　footing　for　myself。　　Success　followed　as　it　will　when　one　longs　to　fail；　and　one　fine　evening　I　returned　to　Ham　Common　with　a　card　from　the　Convict　Supervision　Office；　New　Scotland　Yard；　which　I　treasure　to　this　day。　　I　am　surprised　to　see　that　it　was　undated；　and　might　still　almost　〃Admit　Bearer　to　see　the　Museum；〃　to　say　nothing　of　the　bearer's　friends；　since　my　editor's　name　〃and　party〃　is　scrawled　beneath　the　legend。

〃But　he　doesn't　want　to　come；〃　as　I　explained　to　Raffles。　　〃And　it　means　that　we　can　both　go；　if　we　both　like。〃

Raffles　looked　at　me　with　a　wry　smile；　he　was　in　good　enough　humor　now。

〃It　would　be　rather　dangerous；　Bunny。　　If　they　spotted　you；　they　might　think　of　me。〃

〃But　you　say　they'll　never　know　you　now。〃

〃I　don't　believe　they　will。　　I　don't　believe　there's　the　slightest　risk；　but　we　shall　soon　see。　　I've　set　my　heart　on　seeing；　Bunny；　but　there's　no　earthly　reason　why　I　should　drag　you　into　it。〃

〃You　do　that　when　you　present　this　card；〃　I　pointed　out。　　〃I　shall　hear　of　it　fast　enough　if　anything　happens。〃

〃Then　you　may　as　well　be　there　to　see　the　fun？〃

〃It　will　make　no　difference　if　the　worst　comes　to　the　worst。〃

〃And　the　ticket　is　for　a　party；　isn't　it？〃

〃It　is。〃

〃It　might　even　look　peculiar　if　only　one　person　made　use　of　it？〃

〃It　might。〃

〃Then　we're　both　going；　Bunny！　　And　I　give　you　my　word；〃　cried　Raffles；　〃that　no　real　harm　shall　come　of　it。　　But　you　mustn't　ask　to　see　the　Relics；　and　you　mustn't　take　too　much　interest　in　them　when　you　do　see　them。　　Leave　the　questioning　to　me：　it　really　will　be　a　chance　of　finding　out　whether　they've　any　suspicion　of　one's　resurrection　at　Scotland　Yard。　　Still　I　think　I　can　promise　you　a　certain　amount　of　fun；　old　fellow；　as　some　little　compensation　for　your　pangs　and　fears？　　　　The　early　afternoon　was　mild　and　hazy；　and　unlike　winter　but　for　the　prematurely　low　sun　struggling　through　the　haze；　as　Raffles　and　I　emerged　from　the　nether　regions　at　Westminster　Bridge；　and　stood　for　one　moment　to　admire　the　infirm　silhouettes　of　Abbey　and　Houses　in　flat　gray　against　a　golden　mist。　　Raffles　murmured　of　Whistler　and　of　Arthur　Severn；　and　threw　away　a　good　Sullivan　because　the　smoke　would　curl　between　him　and　the　picture。　　It　is　perhaps　the　picture　that　I　can　now　see　clearest　of　all。　the　set　scenes　of　our　lawless　life。　　But　at　the　time　I　was　filled　with　gloomy　speculation　as　to　whether　Raffles　would　keep　his　promise　of　providing　an　entirely　harmless　entertainment　for　my　benefit　at　the　Black　Museum。

We　entered　the　forbidding　precincts；　we　looked　relentless　officers　in　the　face；　and　they　almost　yawned　in　ours　as　they　directed　us　through　swing　doors　and　up　stone　stairs。　　There　was　something　even　sinister　in　the　casual　character　of　our　reception。　　We　had　an　arctic　landing　to　ourselves　for　several　minutes；　which　Raffles　spent　in　an　instinctive　survey　of　the　premises；　while　I　cooled　my　heels　before　the　portrait　of　a　late　commissioner。

〃Dear　old　gentleman？　　exclaimed　Raffles；　joining　me。　　〃I　have　met　him　at　dinner；　and　discussed　my　own　case　with　him；　in　the　old　days。　But　we　can't　know　too　little　about　ourselves　in　the　Black　Museum；　Bunny。　　I　remember　going　to　the　old　place　in　Whitehall；　years　ago；　and　being　shown　round　by　one　of　the　tip…top　'tecs。　　And　this　may　be　another。〃

But　even　I　could　see　at　a　glance　that　there　was　nothing　of　the　detective　and　everything　of　the　clerk　about　the　very　young　man　who　had　joined　us　at　last　upon　the　landing。　　His　collar　was　the　tallest　I　have　ever　seen；　and　his　face　was　as　pallid　as　his　collar。　　He　carried　a　loose　key；　with　which　he　unlocked　a　door　a　little　way　along　the　passage；　and　so　ushered　us　into　that　dreadful　repository　which　perhaps　has　fewer　visitors　than　any　other　of　equal　interest　in　the　world。　　The　place　was　cold　as　the　inviolate　vault；　blinds　had　to　be　drawn　up；　and　glass　cases　uncovered；　before　we　could　see　a　thing　except　the　row　of　murderers'　death…masks　…　　the　placid　faces　with　the　swollen　necks　…　that　stood　out　on　their　shelves　to　give　us　ghostly　greeting。

〃This　fellow　isn't　formidable；〃　whispered　Raffles；　as　the　blinds　went　up；　〃still；　we　can't　be　too　careful。　　My　little　lot　are　round　the　corner；　in　the　sort　of　recess；　don't　look　till　we　come　to　them　in　their　turn。〃

So　we　began　at　the　beginning；　with　the　glass　case　nearest　the　door；　and　in　a　moment　I　di