a thief in the night-第34节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


r　turn。〃

So　we　began　at　the　beginning；　with　the　glass　case　nearest　the　door；　and　in　a　moment　I　discovered　that　I　knew　far　more　about　its　contents　than　our　pallid　guide。　　He　had　some　enthusiasm；　but　the　most　inaccurate　smattering　of　his　subject。　　He　mixed　up　the　first　murderer　with　quite　the　wrong　murder；　and　capped　his　mistake　in　the　next　breath　with　an　intolerable　libel　on　the　very　pearl　of　our　particular　tribe。

〃This　revawlver；〃　he　began；　〃belonged　to　the　celebrited　burgular；　Chawles　Peace。　　These　are　his　spectacles；　that's　his　jimmy；　and　this　here　knife's　the　one　that　Chawley　killed　the　policeman　with。〃

Now　I　like　accuracy　for　its　own　sake；　strive　after　it　myself；　and　am　sometimes　guilty　of　forcing　it　upon　others。　　So　this　was　more　than　I　could　pass。

〃That's　not　quite　right；〃　I　put　in　mildly。　　〃He　never　made　use　of　the　knife。〃

The　young　clerk　twisted　his　head　round　in　its　vase　of　starch。

〃Chawley　Peace　killed　two　policemen；〃　said　he。

〃No；　he　didn't；　only　one　of　them　was　a　policeman；　and　he　never　killed　anybody　with　a　knife。〃

The　clerk　took　the　correction　like　a　lamb。　　I　could　not　have　refrained　from　making　it；　to　save　my　skin。　　But　Raffles　rewarded　me　with　as　vicious　a　little　kick　as　he　could　administer　unobserved。　〃Who　was　Charles　Peace？〃　he　inquired；　with　the　bland　effrontery　of　any　judge　upon　the　bench。

The　clerk's　reply　came　pat　and　unexpected。　　〃The　greatest　burgular　we　ever　had；〃　said　he；　〃till　good　old　Raffles　knocked　him　out！〃　　　　〃The　greatest　of　the　pre…Raffleites；〃　the　master　murmured；　as　we　passed　on　to　the　safer　memorials　of　mere　murder。　　There　were　misshapen　bullets　and　stained　knives　that　had　taken　human　life；　there　were　lithe；　lean　ropes　which　had　retaliated　after　the　live　letter　of　the　Mosaic　law。　　There　was　one　bristling　broadside　of　revolvers　under　the　longest　shelf　of　closed　eyes　and　swollen　throats。　There　were　festoons　of　rope…ladders　…　none　so　ingenious　as　ours　…　　and　then　at　last　there　was　something　that　the　clerk　knew　all。　about。　It　was　a　small　tin　cigarette…box；　and　the　name　upon　the　gaudy　wrapper　was　not　the　name　of　Sullivan。　　Yet　Raffles　and　I　knew　even　more　about　this　exhibit　than　the　clerk。

〃There；　now；〃　said　our　guide；　〃you'll　never　guess　the　history　of　that！　　I'll　give　you　twenty　guesses；　and　the　twentieth　will　be　no　nearer　than　the　first〃

〃I'm　sure　of　it；　my　good　fellow；〃　rejoined　Raffles；　a　discreet　twinkle　in　his　eye。　　〃Tell　us　about　it；　to　save　time。〃

And　he　opened；　as　he　spoke；　his　own　old　twenty…five　tin　of　purely　popular　cigarettes；　there　were　a　few　in　it　still；　but　between　the　cigarettes　were　jammed　lumps　of　sugar　wadded　with　cotton…wool。　　I　saw　Raffles　weighing　the　lot　in　his　hand　with　subtle　satisfaction。　But　the　clerk　saw　merely　the　mystification　which　he　desired　to　create。

〃I　thought　that'd　beat　you；　sir；〃　said　he。　　〃It　was　an　American　dodge。　　Two　smart　Yankees　got　a　jeweller　to　take　a　lot　of　stuff　to　a　private　room　at　Keliner's；　where　they　were　dining；　for　them　to　choose　from。　　When　it　came　to　paying；　there　was　some　bother　about　a　remittance；　but　they　soon　made　that　all。　right；　for　they　were　far　too　clever　to　suggest　taking　away　what　they'd　chosen　but　couldn't　pay　for。　　No；　all。　they　wanted　was　that　what　they'd　chosen　might　be　locked　up　in　the　safe　and　considered　theirs　until　their　money　came　for　them　to　pay　for　it。　　All。　they　asked　was　to　seal　the　stuff　up　in　something；　the　jeweller　was　to　take　it　away　and　not　meddle　with　it；　nor　yet　break　the　seals；　for　a　week　or　two。　　It　seemed　a　fair　enough　thing；　now；　didn't　it；　sir？〃

〃Eminently　fair；〃　said　Raffles　sententiously。

〃So　the　jeweller　thought；〃　crowed　the　clerk。　　〃You　see；　it　wasn't　as　if　the　Yanks　had　chosen　out　the　half　of　what　he'd　brought　on　appro。；　they'd　gone　slow　on　purpose；　and　they'd　paid　for　all。　they　could　on　the　nail；　just　for　a　blind。　　Well；　I　suppose　you　can　guess　what　happened　in　the　end？　　The　jeweller　never　heard　of　those　Americans　again；　and　these　few　cigarettes　and　lumps　of　sugar　were　all。　he　found。〃

〃Duplicate　boxes？　　I　cried；　perhaps　a　thought　too　promptly。

〃Duplicate　boxes！〃　murmured　Raffles；　as　profoundly　impressed　as　a　second　Mr。　Pickwick。

〃Duplicate　boxes！〃　echoed　the　triumphant　clerk。　　〃Artful　beggars；　these　Americans；　sir！　　You've　got　to　crawss　the　'Erring　Pond　to　learn　a　trick　worth　one　o'　that？〃

〃I　suppose　so；〃　assented　the　grave　gentleman　wit　the　silver　hair。　〃Unless；〃　he　added；　as　if　suddenly　inspired；　〃unless　it　was　that　man　Raffles。〃

〃It　couldn't　've　bin；〃　jerked　the　clerk　from　his　conning…tower　of　a　collar。　　〃He'd　gone　to　Davy　Jones　long　before。〃

〃Are　you　sure？〃　asked　Raffles。　　〃Was　his　body　ever　found？〃

〃Found　and　buried；〃　replied　our　imaginative　friend。　　〃Malter；　I　think　it　was；　or　it　may　have　been　Giberaltar。　　I　forget　which。〃

〃Besides；〃　I　put　in；　rather　annoyed　at　all。　this　wilful　work；　yet　not　indisposed　to　make　a　late　contribution　…　〃besides；　Raffles　would　never　have　smoked　those　cigarettes。　　There　was　only　one　brand　for　him。　　It　was　…　let　me　see　…　〃

〃Sullivans？　　cried　the　clerk；　right　for　once。　　〃It's　all。　a　matter　of　'abit；〃　he　went　on；　as　he　replaced　the　twenty…five　tin　box　with　the　vulgar　wrapper。　　〃I　tried　them　once；　and　I　didn't　like　'em　myself。　　It's　all。　a　question　of　taste。　　Now；　if　you　want　a　good　smoke；　and　cheaper；　give　me　a　Golden　Gem　at　quarter　of　the　price。〃

〃What　we　really　do　want；〃　remarked　Raffles　mildly；　〃is　to　see　something　else　as　clever　as　that　last。〃

〃Then　come　this　way；〃　said　the　clerk；　and　led　us　into　a　recess　almost　monopolized　by　the　iron…clamped　chest　of　thrilling　memory；　now　a　mere　platform　for　the　collection　of　mysterious　objects　under　a　dust…sheet　on　the　lid。　　〃These；〃　he　continued；　unveiling　them　with　an　air；　are　the　Raffles　Relics；　taken　from　his　rooms　in　the　Albany　after　his　death　and　burial；　and　the　most　complete　set　we've　got。　　That's　his　centre…bit；　and　this　is　the　bottle　of　rock…oil　he's　supposed　to　have　kept　dipping　it　in　to　prevent　making　a　noise。　　Here's　the　revawlver　he　used　when　he　shot　at　a　gentleman　on　the　roof　down　Horsham　way；　it　was　afterward　taken　from　him　on　the　P。　&　0。　boat　before　he　jumped　overboard。〃

I　could　not　help　saying　I　understood　that　Raffles　had　never　shot　at　anybody。　　I　was　standing　with　my　back　to　the　nearest　window；　my　hat　jammed　over　my　brows　and　my　overcoat　collar　up　to　my　ears。

〃That's　the　only　time　we　know　about；〃　the　clerk　admitted；　〃and　it　couldn't　be　brought　'ome；　or　his　precious　pal　would　have　got　more　than　he　did。　　This　empty　cawtridge　is　the　one　he　'id　the　Emperor's　pearl　in；　on　the　Peninsular　and　Orient。　　These　gimlets　and　wedges　were　what　he　used　for　fixin'　doors。　　This　is　his　rope…ladder；　with　the　telescope　walking…stick　he　used　to　hook　it　up　with；　he's　said　to　have　'ad　it　with　him　the　night　he　dined　with　the　Earl　of　Thornaby；　and　robbed　the　house　before　dinner。　　That's　his　life…preserver；　but　no　one　can　make　out　what　this　little　thick　velvet　bag's　for；　with　the　two　holes　and　the　elawstic　round　each。　　Perhaps　you　can　give　a　guess；　sir？〃

Raffles　had　taken　up　the　bag　that　he　had　invented　for　the　noiseless　filing　of　keys。　　Now　he　handled　it　as　though　it　were　a　tobacco…pouch；　putting　in　finger　and　thumb；　and　shrugging　over　the　puzzle　with　a　delicious　face；　nevertheless；　he　showed　me　a　few　grains　of　steel　filing　as　the　result　of　his　investigations；　and　murmured　in　my　ear；　〃These　sweet　police！　　I；　for　my　part；　could　not　but　examine　the　life…preserver　with　which　I　had　once　smitten　Raffles　himself　to　the　ground：　actually；　there　was　his　blood　upon　it　still；　and　seeing　my　horror；　the　clerk　plunged　into　a　characteristically　garbled　version　of　that　incident　also。　　It　happened　to　have　come　to　light　among　others　at　the　Old　Bailey；　and　perhaps　had　its　share　in　promoting　the　quality　of　mercy　which　had　undoubtedly　been　exercised　on　my　behalf。　　But　the　present　recital　was　unduly　trying；　and　Raffles　created　a　noble　diversion　by　calling　attention　to　an　early　photograph　of　himself；　which　may　still　hang　on　the　wall　over　the　historic　chest；　but　which　I　had　carefully　ignored。　　It　shows　him　in　flannels；　after　some　great　feat　upon　the　tented　field。　　I　am　afraid　there　is　a　Sullivan　between　his　lips；　a　look　of　lazy　insolence　in　the　half…shut　eyes。　　I　have　since　possessed　myself　of　a　copy；　and　it　is　not　Raffles　at　his　best；　but　the　features　are　clean…cut　and　regular；　and　I　often　wish　that　I　had　lent　it　to　the　artistic　gentlemen　who　have　battered　the　statue　out　of　all。　likeness　to　the　man。

〃You　wouldn't　think　it　of　him；　would　you？〃　quoth　the　clerk。　　〃It　makes　you　understand　how　no　one　ever　did　think　it　of　him　at　the　time。〃

The　youth　was　looking　full　at　Raffles；　with　the　watery　eyes　of　unsuspecting　innocence。　　I　itched　to　emulate　the　fine　bravado　of　my　friend。

〃You　said　he　had　a　pal；〃　I　observed；　sinking　deeper　into　the　collar　of　my　coat。　　〃Haven't　you　got　a　photograph　of　him？〃

The　pale　clerk　gave　such　a　sickly　smile；　I　could　have　smacked　some　blood　into　his　pasty　face。

〃You　mean　Bunny？〃　said　the　familiar　fellow。　　〃No；　sir；　he'd　be　out　of　place；　we've　only　room　for　real　criminals　here。　　Bunny　was　neither　one　thing　nor　the　other。　　He　could　follow　Raffles；　but　that's　all。　he　could　do。　　He　was　no　good　on　his　own。　　Even　when　he　put　up　the　low…down　job　of　robbing　h