the amateur cracksman-第10节

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wide　upon　me；　and　I　hesitated　weakly；　to　be　duly　lost。

〃Then　that's　settled；〃　said　Lord　Amersteth；　with　the　slightest　suspicion　of　grimness。　　〃It's　to　be　a　little　week；　you　know；　when　my　son　comes　of　age。　　We　play　the　Free　Foresters；　the　Dorsetshire　Gentlemen；　and　probably　some　local　lot　as　well。　But　Mr。　Raffles　will　tell　you　all　about　it；　and　Crowley　shall　write。　　Another　wicket！　　By　Jove；　they're　all　out！　　Then　I　rely　on　you　both。〃　　And；　with　a　little　nod；　Lord　Amersteth　rose　and　sidled　to　the　gangway。

Raffles　rose　also；　but　I　caught　the　sleeve　of　his　blazer。

〃What　are　you　thinking　of？〃　I　whispered　savagely。　　〃I　was　nowhere　near　the　eleven。　　I'm　no　sort　of　cricketer。　　I　shall　have　to　get　out　of　this！〃

〃Not　you；〃　he　whispered　back。　　〃You　needn't　play；　but　come　you　must。　　If　you　wait　for　me　after　half…past　six　I'll　tell　you　why。〃

But　I　could　guess　the　reason；　and　I　am　ashamed　to　say　that　it　revolted　me　much　less　than　did　the　notion　of　making　a　public　fool　of　myself　on　a　cricket…field。　　My　gorge　rose　at　this　as　it　no　longer　rose　at　crime；　and　it　was　in　no　tranquil　humor　that　I　strolled　about　the　ground　while　Raffles　disappeared　in　the　pavilion。　　Nor　was　my　annoyance　lessened　by　a　little　meeting　I　witnessed　between　young　Crowley　and　his　father；　who　shrugged　as　he　stopped　and　stooped　to　convey　some　information　which　made　the　young　man　look　a　little　blank。　It　may　have　been　pure　self…　consciousness　on　my　part；　but　I　could　have　sworn　that　the　trouble　was　their　inability　to　secure　the　great　Raffles　without　his　insignificant　friend。

Then　the　bell　rang；　and　I　climbed　to　the　top　of　the　pavilion　to　watch　Raffles　bowl。　　No　subtleties　are　lost　up　there；　and　if　ever　a　bowler　was　full　of　them；　it　was　A。　J。　Raffles　on　this　day；　as；　indeed；　all　the　cricket　world　remembers。　　One　had　not　to　be　a　cricketer　oneself　to　appreciate　his　perfect　command　of　pitch　and　break；　his　beautifully　easy　action；　which　never　varied　with　the　varying　pace；　his　great　ball　on　the　leg…stumphis　dropping　head…ballin　a　word；　the　infinite　ingenuity　of　that　versatile　attack。　　It　was　no　mere　exhibition　of　athletic　prowess；　it　was　an　intellectual　treat；　and　one　with　a　special　significance　in　my　eyes。　　I　saw　the　〃affinity　between　the　two　things；〃　saw　it　in　that　afternoon's　tireless　warfare　against　the　flower　of　professional　cricket。　　It　was　not　that　Raffles　took　many　wickets　for　few　runs；　he　was　too　fine　a　bowler　to　mind　being　hit；　and　time　was　short；　and　the　wicket　good。　　What　I　admired；　and　what　I　remember；　was　the　combination　of　resource　and　cunning；　of　patience　and　precision；　of　head…work　and　handiwork；　which　made　every　over　an　artistic　whole。　　It　was　all　so　characteristic　of　that　other　Raffles　whom　I　alone　knew！

〃I　felt　like　bowling　this　afternoon；〃　he　told　me　later　in　the　hansom。　　〃With　a　pitch　to　help　me；　I'd　have　done　something　big；　as　it　is；　three　for　forty…one；　out　of　the　four　that　fell；　isn't　so　bad　for　a　slow　bowler　on　a　plumb　wicket　against　those　fellows。　　But　I　felt　venomous！　　Nothing　riles　me　more　than　being　asked　about　for　my　cricket　as　though　I　were　a　pro。　myself。〃

〃Then　why　on　earth　go？〃

〃To　punish　them；　andbecause　we　shall　be　jolly　hard　up；　Bunny；　before　the　season's　over！〃

〃Ah！〃　said　I。　　〃I　thought　it　was　that。〃

〃Of　course；　it　was！　　It　seems　they're　going　to　have　the　very　devil　of　a　week　of　itballsdinner　partiesswagger　house　partygeneral　junketingsand　obviously　a　houseful　of　diamonds　as　well。　　Diamonds　galore！　　As　a　general　rule　nothing　would　induce　me　to　abuse　my　position　as　a　guest。　　I've　never　done　it；　Bunny。　　But　in　this　case　we're　engaged　like　the　waiters　and　the　band；　and　by　heaven　we'll　take　our　toll！　　Let's　have　a　quiet　dinner　somewhere　and　talk　it　over。〃

〃It　seems　rather　a　vulgar　sort　of　theft；〃　I　could　not　help　saying；　and　to　this；　my　single　protest；　Raffles　instantly　assented。

〃It　is　a　vulgar　sort；〃　said　he；　〃but　I　can't　help　that。　　We're　getting　vulgarly　hard　up　again；　and　there's　an　end　on　't。　　Besides；　these　people　deserve　it；　and　can　afford　it。　　And　don't　you　run　away　with　the　idea　that　all　will　be　plain　sailing；　nothing　will　be　easier　than　getting　some　stuff；　and　nothing　harder　than　avoiding　all　suspicion；　as；　of　course；　we　must。　　We　may　come　away　with　no　more　than　a　good　working　plan　of　the　premises。　　Who　knows？　　In　any　case　there's　weeks　of　thinking　in　it　for　you　and　me。〃

But　with　those　weeks　I　will　not　weary　you　further　than　by　remarking　that　the　〃thinking；〃　was　done　entirely　by　Raffles；　who　did　not　always　trouble　to　communicate　his　thoughts　to　me。　　His　reticence；　however；　was　no　longer　an　irritant。　　I　began　to　accept　it　as　a　necessary　convention　of　these　little　enterprises。　　And；　after　our　last　adventure　of　the　kind；　more　especially　after　its　denouement；　my　trust　in　Raffles　was　much　too　solid　to　be　shaken　by　a　want　of　trust　in　me；　which　I　still　believe　to　have　been　more　the　instinct　of　the　criminal　than　the　judgment　of　the　man。

It　was　on　Monday；　the　tenth　of　August；　that　we　were　due　at　Milchester　Abbey；　Dorset；　and　the　beginning　of　the　month　found　us　cruising　about　that　very　county；　with　fly…rods　actually　in　our　hands。　　The　idea　was　that　we　should　acquire　at　once　a　local　reputation　as　decent　fishermen；　and　some　knowledge　of　the　countryside；　with　a　view　to　further　and　more　deliberate　operations　in　the　event　of　an　unprofitable　week。　　There　was　another　idea　which　Raffles　kept　to　himself　until　he　had　got　me　down　there。　　Then　one　day　he　produced　a　cricket…ball　in　a　meadow　we　were　crossing；　and　threw　me　catches　for　an　hour　together。　　More　hours　he　spent　in　bowling　to　me　on　the　nearest　green；　and；　if　I　was　never　a　cricketer；　at　least　I　came　nearer　to　being　one；　by　the　end　of　that　week；　than　ever　before　or　since。

Incident　began　early　on　the　Monday。　　We　had　sallied　forth　from　a　desolate　little　junction　within　quite　a　few　miles　of　Milchester；　had　been　caught　in　a　shower；　had　run　for　shelter　to　a　wayside　inn。　A　florid；　overdressed　man　was　drinking　in　the　parlor；　and　I　could　have　sworn　it　was　at　the　sight　of　him　that　Raffles　recoiled　on　the　threshold；　and　afterwards　insisted　on　returning　to　the　station　through　the　rain。　　He　assured　me；　however；　that　the　odor　of　stale　ale　had　almost　knocked　him　down。　　And　I　had　to　make　what　I　could　of　his　speculative；　downcast　eyes　and　knitted　brows。

Milchester　Abbey　is　a　gray；　quadrangular　pile；　deep…set　in　rich　woody　country；　and　twinkling　with　triple　rows　of　quaint　windows；　every　one　of　which　seemed　alight　as　we　drove　up　just　in　time　to　dress　for　dinner。　　The　carriage　had　whirled　us　under　I　know　not　how　many　triumphal　arches　in　process　of　construction；　and　past　the　tents　and　flag…poles　of　a　juicy…looking　cricket…field；　on　which　Raffles　undertook　to　bowl　up　to　his　reputation。　　But　the　chief　signs　of　festival　were　within；　where　we　found　an　enormous　house…party　assembled；　including　more　persons　of　pomp；　majesty；　and　dominion　than　I　had　ever　encountered　in　one　room　before。　　I　confess　I　felt　overpowered。　　Our　errand　and　my　own　presences　combined　to　rob　me　of　an　address　upon　which　I　have　sometimes　plumed　myself；　and　I　have　a　grim　recollection　of　my　nervous　relief　when　dinner　was　at　last　announced。　　I　little　knew　what　an　ordeal　it　was　to　prove。

I　had　taken　in　a　much　less　formidable　young　lady　than　might　have　fallen　to　my　lot。　　Indeed　I　began　by　blessing　my　good　fortune　in　this　respect。　Miss　Melhuish　was　merely　the　rector's　daughter；　and　she　had　only　been　asked　to　make　an　even　number。　　She　informed　me　of　both　facts　before　the　soup　reached　us；　and　her　subsequent　conversation　was　characterized　by　the　same　engaging　candor。　It　exposed　what　was　little　short　of　a　mania　for　imparting　information。　　I　had　simply　to　listen；　to　nod；　and　to　be　thankful。

When　I　confessed　to　knowing　very　few　of　those　present；　even　by　sight；　my　entertaining　companion　proceeded　to　tell　me　who　everybody　was；　beginning　on　my　left　and　working　conscientiously　round　to　her　right。　　This　lasted　quite　a　long　time；　and　really　interested　me；　but　a　great　deal　that　followed　did　not；　and；　obviously　to　recapture　my　unworthy　attention；　Miss　Melhuish　suddenly　asked　me；　in　a　sensational　whisper；　whether　I　could　keep　a　secret。

I　said　I　thought　I　might；　whereupon　another　question　followed；　in　still　lower　and　more　thrilling　accents：

〃Are　you　afraid　of　burglars？〃

Burglars！　　I　was　roused　at　last。　　The　word　stabbed　me。　　I　repeated　it　in　horrified　query。

〃So　I've　found　something　to　interest　you　at　last！〃　said　Miss　Melhuish；　in　naive　triumph。　〃Yesburglars！　　But　don't　speak　so　loud。　　It's　supposed　to　be　kept　a　great　secret。　　I　really　oughtn't　to　tell　you　at　all！〃

〃But　what　is　there　to　tell？〃　I　whispered　with　satisfactory　impatience。

〃You　promise　not　to　speak　of　it？〃

〃Of　course！〃

〃Well；　then；　there　are　burglars　in　the　neighborhood。〃

〃Have　they　committed　any　robberies？〃

〃Not　yet。〃

〃Then　how　do　you　know？〃

〃They've　been　seen。　　In　the　district。　　Two　well…known　London　thieves！〃

Two！　　I　looked　at　Raffles。　　I　had　done　so　often　during　the　evening；　envying　him　his　high　spirits；　his　iron　nerve；　his　buoyant　wit；　his　perfect　ease　and　self…possession。　　But　now　I　pitied　him；　through　all　my　own　terror　and　consternation；　I　pitied　him　as　he　sat　eating　and　drinking；　and　laughing　and　talking；　without　a　cloud　of　fear