a thief in the night-第36节

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〃From　Scotland　Yard；〃　he　answered；　stretching　himself　before　the　fire　in　his　stocking　soles。

〃Scotland　Yard？〃　I　echoed。　　〃Then　I　was　right；　that's　where　you　were　all。　the　time；　and　yet　you　managed　to　escape！〃　　　　I　had　risen　excitedly　in　my　turn。

〃Of　course　I　did；〃　replied　Raffles。　　〃I　never　thought　there　would　be　much　difficulty　about　that；　but　there　was　even　less　than　I　anticipated。　　I　did　once　find　myself　on　one　side　of　a　sort　of　counter；　and　an　officer　dozing　at　his　desk　at　the　other　side。　　I　thought　it　safest　to　wake　him　up　and　make　inquiries　about　a　mythical　purse　left　in　a　phantom　hansom　outside　the　Carlton。　　And　the　way　the　fellow　fired　me　out　of　that　was　another　credit　to　the　Metropolitan　Police：　it's　only　in　the　savage　countries　that　they　would　have　troubled　to　ask　how　one　had　got　in。〃

〃And　how　did　you？〃　I　asked。　　〃And　in　the　Lord's　name；　Raffles；　when　and　why？〃

Raffles　looked　down　on　me　under　raised　eyebrows；　as　he　stood　with　his　coat　tails　to　the　dying　fire。

〃How　and　when；　Bunny；　you　know　as　well　as　I　do；〃　said　he；　cryptically。　　〃And　at　last　you　shall　hear　the　honest　why　and　wherefore。　　I　had　more　reasons　for　going　to　Scotland　Yard；　my　dear　fellow；　than　I　had　the　face　to　tell　you　at　the　time。〃

〃I　don't　care　why　you　went　there！〃　I　cried。　　〃I　want　to　know　why　you　stayed；　or　went　back；　or　whatever　it　was　you　may　have　done。　　I　thought　they　had　got　you；　and　you　had　given　them　the　slip！〃

Raffles　smiled　as　he　shook　his　head。

〃No；　no；　Bunny；　I　prolonged　the　visit；　as　I　paid　it；　of　my　own　accord。　　As　for　my　reasons；　they　are　far　too　many　for　me　to　tell　you　them　all。；　they　rather　weighed　upon　me　as　I　walked　out；　but　you'll　see　them　for　yourself　if　you　turn　round。〃

I　was　standing　with　my　back　to　the　chair　in　which　I　had　been　asleep；　behind　the　chair　was　the　round　lodging…house　table；　and　there；　reposing　on　the　cloth　with　the　whiskey　and　sandwiches；　was　the　whole　collection　of　Raffles　Relics　which　had　occupied　the　lid　of　the　silver…chest　in　the　Black　Museum　at　Scotland　Yard！　　The　chest　alone　was　missing。　　There　was　the　revolver　that　I　had　only　once　heard　fired；　and　there　the　blood…stained　life…preserver；　brace…and…bit；　bottle　of　rock…oil；　velvet　bag；　rope…ladder；　walking…stick；　gimlets；　wedges；　and　even　the　empty　cartridge…case　which　had　once　concealed　the　gift　of　a　civilized　monarch　to　a　potentate　of　color。

〃I　was　a　real　Father　Christmas；〃　said　Raffles；　〃when　I　arrived。　It's　a　pity　you　weren't　awake　to　appreciate　the　scene。　　It　was　more　edifying　than　the　one　I　found。　　You　never　caught　me　asleep　in　my　chair；　Bunny！〃　　　　He　thought　I　had　merely　fallen　asleep　in　my　chair！　　He　could　not　see　that　I　had　been　sitting　up　for　him　all。　night　long！　　The　hint　of　a　temperance　homily；　on　top　of　all。　I　had　borne；　and　from　Raffles　of　all。　mortal　men；　tried　my　temper　to　its　last　limit　…　but　a　flash　of　late　enlightenment　enabled　me　just　to　keep　it。

〃Where　did　you　hide？〃　I　asked　grimly。

〃At　the　Yard　itself。〃

〃So　I　gather；　but　whereabouts　at　the　Yard？〃

〃Can　you　ask；　Bunny？〃

〃I　am　asking。〃

〃It's　where　I　once　hid　before。〃

〃You　don't　mean　in　the　chest？〃

〃I　do。〃

Our　eyes　met　for　a　minute。

〃You　may　have　ended　up　there；〃　I　conceded。　　〃But　where　did　you　go　first　when　you　slipped　out　behind　my　back；　and　how　the　devil　did　you　know　where　to　go？〃

〃I　never　did　slip　out；〃　said　Raffles；　〃behind　your　back。　　I　slipped　in。〃

〃Into　the　chest？〃

〃Exactly。〃

I　burst　out　laughing　in　his　face。

〃My　dear　fellow；　I　saw　all。　these　things　on　the　lid　just　afterward。　Not　one　of　them　was　moved。　　I　watched　that　detective　show　them　to　his　friends。〃

〃And　I　heard　him。〃

〃But　not　from　the　inside　of　the　chest？〃

〃From　the　inside　of　the　chest；　Bunny。　　Don't　look　like　that　…　it's　foolish。　　Try　to　recall　a　few　words　that　went　before；　between　the　idiot　in　the　collar　and　me。　　Don't　you　remember　my　asking　him　if　there　was　anything　in　the　chest？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃One　had　to　be　sure　it　was　empty；　you　see。　　Then　I　asked　if　there　was　a　backdoor　to　the　chest　as　well　as　a　skylight。〃

〃I　remember。〃

〃I　suppose　you　thought　all。　that　meant　nothing？〃

〃I　didn't　look　for　a　meaning。〃

〃You　wouldn't；　it　would　never　occur　to　you　that　I　might　want　to　find　out　whether　anybody　at　the　Yard　had　found　out　that　there　was　something　precisely　in　the　nature　of　a　sidedoor　…　it　isn't　a　backdoor　…　to　that　chest。　　Well；　there　is　one；　there　was　one　soon　after　I　took　the　chest　back　from　your　rooms　to　mine；　in　the　good　old　days。　　You　push　one　of　the　handles　down　…　which　no　one　ever　does　　…　and　the　whole　of　that　end　opens　like　the　front　of　a　doll's　house。　　I　saw　that　was　what　I　ought　to　have　done　at　first：　it's　so　much　simpler　than　the　trap　at　the　top；　and　one　likes　to　get　a　thing　perfect　for　its　own　sake。　　Besides；　the　trick　had　not　been　spotted　at　the　bank；　and　I　thought　I　might　bring　it　off　again　some　day；　meanwhile；　in　one's　bedroom；　with　lots　of　things　on　top；　what　a　port　in　a　sudden　squall！〃　　　　I　asked　why　I　had　never　heard　of　the　improvement　before；　not　so　much　at　the　time　it　was　made；　but　in　these　later　days；　when　there　were　fewer　secrets　between　us；　and　this　one　could　avail　him　no　more。　But　I　did　not　put　the　question　out　of　pique。　　I　put　it　out　of　sheer　obstinate　incredulity。　　And　Raffles　looked　at　me　without　replying；　until　I　read　the　explanation　in　his　look。

〃I　see；〃　I　said。　　〃You　used　to　get　into　it　to　hide　from　me！〃

〃My　dear　Bunny；　I　am　not　always　a　very　genial　man；〃　he　answered；　〃but　when　you　let　me　have　a　key　of　your　rooms　I　could　not　very　well　refuse　you　one　of　mine；　although　I　picked　your　pocket　of　it　in　the　end。　　I　will　only　say　that　when　I　had　no　wish　to　see　you；　Bunny；　I　must　have　been　quite　unfit　for　human　society；　and　it　was　the　act　of　a　friend　to　deny　you　mine。　　I　don't　think　it　happened　more　than　once　or　twice。　　You　can　afford　to　forgive　a　fellow　after　all。　these　years？　　　　〃That；　yes；〃　I　replied　bitterly；　〃but　not　this；　Raffles。〃

〃Why　not？　　I　really　hadn't　made　up　my　mind　to　do　what　I　did。　　I　had　merely　thought　of　it。　　It　was　that　smart　officer　in　the　same　room　that　made　me　do　it　without　thinking　twice。〃

〃And　we　never　even　heard　you！〃　I　murmured；　in　a　voice　of　involuntary　admiration　which　vexed　me　with　myself。　　〃But　we　might　just　as　well！〃　I　was　as　quick　to　add　in　my　former　tone。

〃Why；　Bunny？〃

〃We　shall　be　traced　in　no　time　through　our　ticket　of　admission。〃

〃Did　they　collect　it？〃

〃No；　but　you　heard　how　very　few　are　issued。〃

〃Exactly。　　They　sometimes　go　weeks　on　end　without　a　regular　visitor。　It　was　I　who　extracted　that　piece　of　information；　Bunny；　and　I　did　nothing　rash　until　I　had。　　Don't　you　see　that　with　any　luck　it　will　be　two　or　three　weeks　before　they　are　likely　to　discover　their　loss？〃

I　was　beginning　to　see。

〃And　then；　pray；　how　are　they　going　to　bring　it　home　to　us？　　Why　should　they　even　suspect　us；　Bunny？　　I　left　early；　that's　all。　I　did。　You　took　my　departure　admirably；　you　couldn't　have　said　more　or　less　if　I　had　coached　you　myself。　　I　relied　on　you；　Bunny；　and　you　never　more　completely　justified　my　confidence。　　The　sad　thing　is　that　you　have　ceased　to　rely　on　me。　　Do　you　really　think　that　I　would　leave　the　place　in　such　a　state　that　the　first　person　who　came　in　with　a　duster　would　see　that　there　had　been　a　robbery？〃

I　denied　the　thought　with　all。　energy；　though　it　perished　only　as　I　spoke。

〃Have　you　forgotten　the　duster　that　was　over　these　things；　Bunny？　Have　you　forgotten　all。　the　other　revolvers　and　life　preservers　that　there　were　to　choose　from？　　I　chose　most　carefully；　and　I　replaced　my　relics　with　a　mixed　assortment　of　other　people's　which　really　look　just　as　well。　　The　rope…ladder　that　now　supplants　mine　is；　of　course；　no　patch　upon　it；　but　coiled　up　on　the　chest　it　really　looks　much　the　same。　　To　be　sure；　there　was　no　second　velvet　bag；　but　I　replaced　my　stick　with　another　quite　like　it；　and　I　even　found　an　empty　cartridge　to　understudy　the　setting　of　the　Polynesian　pearl。　You　see　the　sort　of　fellow　they　have　to　show　people　round：　do　you　think　he's　the　kind　to　see　the　difference　next　time；　or　to　connect　it　with　us　if　he　does？　　One　left　much　the　same　things；　lying　much　as　he　left　them；　under　a　dust…sheet　which　is　only　taken　off　for　the　benefit　of　the　curious；　who　often　don't　turn　up　for　weeks　on　end。〃

I　admitted　that　we　might　be　safe　for　three　or　four　weeks。　　Raffles　held　out　his　hand。

〃Then　let　us　be　friends　about　it；　Bunny；　and　smoke　the　cigarette　of　Sullivan　and　peace！　　A　lot　may　happen　in　three　or　four　weeks；　and　what　should　you　say　if　this　turned　out　to　be　the　last　as　well　as　the　least　of　all。　my　crimes？　　I　must　own　that　it　seems　to　me　their　natural　and　fitting　end；　though　I　might　have　stopped　more　characteristically　than　with　a　mere　crime　of　sentiment。　　No；　I　make　no　promises；　Bunny；　now　I　have　got　these　things；　I　may　be　unable　to　resist　using　them　once　more。　　But　with　this　war　one　gets　all。　the　excitement　one　requires　…　and　rather　more　than　usual　may　happen　in　three　or　four　weeks？〃　　　　Was　he　thinking　even　then　of　volunteering　for　the　front？　　Had　he　already　set　his　heart　on　the　one　chance　of　some　atonement　for　his　life　…　nay；　on　the　very　death　he　was　to　die？　　I　never　knew；　and　shall　never　know。　　Yet　his　words　were　strangely　prophetic；　even　to　the　three　or