the amateur cracksman-第14节

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ad　time　to　ride　with　you。'

〃'But　where　can　I　get　a　horse？'

〃The　doctor　thought　a　moment。

〃'I've　a　mare　of　my　own　that's　as　fat　as　butter　for　want　of　work；'　said　he。　　'It　would　be　a　charity　to　me　to　sit　on　her　back　for　a　hundred　miles　or　so；　and　then　I　should　know　you'd　have　no　temptation　to　use　that　hand。'

〃'You're　far　too　good！'　I　protested。

〃'You're　A。　J。　Raffles；'　he　said。

〃And　if　ever　there　was　a　prettier　compliment；　or　a　finer　instance　of　even　Colonial　hospitality；　I　can　only　say；　Bunny；　that　I　never　heard　of　either。〃

He　sipped　his　whiskey；　threw　away　the　stump　of　　his　cigarette；　and　lit　another　before　continuing。

〃Well；　I　managed　to　write　a　line　to　W。　F。　with　my　own　hand；　which；　as　you　will　gather；　was　not　very　badly　wounded；　it　was　simply　this　third　finger　that　was　split　and　in　splints；　and　next　morning　the　doctor　packed　me　off　on　a　bovine　beast　that　would　have　done　for　an　ambulance。　　Half　the　team　came　up　to　see　me　start；　the　rest　were　rather　sick　with　me　for　not　stopping　to　see　the　match　out；　as　if　I　could　help　them　to　win　by　watching　them。　　They　little　knew　the　game　I'd　got　on　myself；　but　still　less　did　I　know　the　game　I　was　going　to　play。

〃It　was　an　interesting　ride　enough；　especially　after　passing　the　place　called　Whittlesea；　a　real　wild　township　on　the　lower　slope　of　the　ranges；　where　I　recollect　having　a　deadly　meal　of　hot　mutton　and　tea；　with　the　thermometer　at　three　figures　in　the　shade。　　The　first　thirty　miles　or　so　was　a　good　metal　road；　too　good　to　go　half　round　the　world　to　ride　on；　but　after　Whittlesea　it　was　a　mere　track　over　the　ranges；　a　track　I　often　couldn't　see　and　left　entirely　to　the　mare。　　Now　it　dipped　into　a　gully　and　ran　through　a　creek；　and　all　the　time　the　local　color　was　inches　thick；　gum…trees　galore　and　parrots　all　colors　of　the　rainbow。　　In　one　place　a　whole　forest　of　gums　had　been　ring…barked；　and　were　just　as　though　they　had　been　painted　white；　without　a　leaf　or　a　living　thing　for　miles。　And　the　first　living　thing　I　did　meet　was　the　sort　to　give　you　the　creeps；　it　was　a　riderless　horse　coming　full　tilt　through　the　bush；　with　the　saddle　twisted　round　and　the　stirrup…irons　ringing。　　Without　thinking；　I　had　a　shot　at　heading　him　with　the　doctor's　mare；　and　blocked　him　just　enough　to　allow　a　man　who　came　galloping　after　to　do　the　rest。

〃'Thank　ye；　mister；'　growled　the　man；　a　huge　chap　in　a　red　checked　shirt；　with　a　beard　like　W。　G。　Grace；　but　the　very　devil　of　an　expression。

〃'Been　an　accident？'　said　I；　reining　up。

〃'Yes；'　said　he；　scowling　as　though　he　defied　me　to　ask　any　more。

〃'And　a　nasty　one；'　I　said；　'if　that's　blood　on　the　saddle！'

〃Well；　Bunny；　I　may　be　a　blackguard　myself；　but　I　don't　think　I　ever　looked　at　a　fellow　as　that　chap　looked　at　me。　　But　I　stared　him　out；　and　forced　him　to　admit　that　it　was　blood　on　the　twisted　saddle；　and　after　that　he　became　quite　tame。　　He　told　me　exactly　what　had　happened。　　A　mate　of　his　had　been　dragged　under　a　branch；　and　had　his　nose　smashed；　but　that　was　all；　had　sat　tight　after　it　till　he　dropped　from　loss　of　blood；　another　mate　was　with　him　back　in　the　bush。

〃As　I've　said　already；　Bunny；　I　wasn't　the　old　stager　that　I　am　nowin　any　respectand　we　parted　good　enough　friends。　　He　asked　me　which　way　I　was　going；　and；　when　I　told　him；　he　said　I　should　save　seven　miles；　and　get　a　good　hour　earlier　to　Yea；　by　striking　off　the　track　and　making　for　a　peak　that　we　could　see　through　the　trees；　and　following　a　creek　that　I　should　see　from　the　peak。　Don't　smile；　Bunny！　　I　began　by　saying　I　was　a　child　in　those　days。　　Of　course；　the　short　cut　was　the　long　way　round；　and　it　was　nearly　dark　when　that　unlucky　mare　and　I　saw　the　single　street　of　Yea。

〃I　was　looking　for　the　bank　when　a　fellow　in　a　white　suit　ran　down　from　the　veranda。

〃'Mr。　Raffles？'　said　he。

〃'Mr。　Raffles；'　said　I；　laughing　as　I　shook　his　hand。

〃'You're　late。'

〃'I　was　misdirected。'

〃'That　all？　　I'm　relieved；'　he　said。　　'Do　you　know　what　they　are　saying？　　There　are　some　brand…new　bushrangers　on　the　road　between　Whittlesea　and　thisa　second　Kelly　gang！　　They'd　have　caught　a　Tartar　in　you；　eh？'

〃'They　would　in　you；'　I　retorted；　and　my　tu　quoque　shut　him　up　and　seemed　to　puzzle　him。　Yet　there　was　much　more　sense　in　it　than　in　his　compliment　to　me；　which　was　absolutely　pointless。

〃'I'm　afraid　you'll　find　things　pretty　rough；'　he　resumed；　when　he　had　unstrapped　my　valise；　and　handed　my　reins　to　his　man。　　'It's　lucky　you're　a　bachelor　like　myself。'

〃I　could　not　quite　see　the　point　of　this　remark　either；　since；　had　I　been　married；　I　should　hardly　have　sprung　my　wife　upon　him　in　this　free…and…easy　fashion。　　I　muttered　the　conventional　sort　of　thing；　and　then　he　said　I　should　find　it　all　right　when　I　settled；　as　though　I　had　come　to　graze　upon　him　for　weeks！　　'Well；'　thought　I；　'these　Colonials　do　take　the　cake　for　hospitality！'　　And；　still　marvelling；　I　let　him　lead　me　into　the　private　part　of　the　bank。

〃'Dinner　will　be　ready　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour；'　said　he　as　we　entered。　　'I　thought　you　might　like　a　tub　first；　and　you'll　find　all　ready　in　the　room　at　the　end　of　the　passage。　　Sing　out　if　there's　anything　you　want。　　Your　luggage　hasn't　turned　up　yet；　by　the　way；　but　here's　a　letter　that　came　this　morning。'

〃'Not　for　me？'

〃'Yes；　didn't　you　expect　one？'

〃'I　certainly　did　not！'

〃'Well；　here　it　is。'

〃And；　as　he　lit　me　to　my　room；　I　read　my　own　superscription　of　the　previous　dayto　W。　F。　Raffles！


〃Bunny；　you've　had　your　wind　bagged　at　footer；　I　daresay；　you　know　what　that's　like？　　All　I　can　say　is　that　my　moral　wind　was　bagged　by　that　letter　as　I　hope；　old　chap；　I　have　never　yet　bagged　yours。　I　couldn't　speak。　　I　could　only　stand　with　my　own　letter　in　my　hands　until　he　had　the　good　taste　to　leave　me　by　myself。

〃W。　F。　Raffles！　　We　had　mistaken　EACH　OTHER　for　W。　F。　Rafflesfor　the　new　manager　who　had　not　yet　arrived！　　Small　wonder　we　had　conversed　at　cross…purposes；　the　only　wonder　was　that　we　had　not　discovered　our　mutual　mistake。　　How　the　other　man　would　have　laughed！　　But　II　could　not　laugh。　　By　Jove；　no；　it　was　no　laughing　matter　for　me！　　I　saw　the　whole　thing　in　a　flash；　without　a　tremor；　but　with　the　direst　depression　from　my　own　single　point　of　view。　　Call　it　callous　if　you　like；　Bunny；　but　remember　that　I　was　in　much　the　same　hole　as　you've　since　been　in　yourself；　and　that　I　had　counted　on　this　W。　F。　Raffles　even　as　you　counted　on　A。　J。　　I　thought　of　the　man　with　the　W。　G。　beardthe　riderless　horse　and　the　bloody　saddlethe　deliberate　misdirection　that　had　put　me　off　the　track　and　out　of　the　wayand　now　the　missing　manager　and　the　report　of　bushrangers　at　this　end。　　But　I　simply　don't　pretend　to　have　felt　any　personal　pity　for　a　man　whom　I　had　never　seen；　that　kind　of　pity's　usually　cant；　and　besides；　all　mine　was　needed　for　myself。

〃I　was　in　as　big　a　hole　as　ever。　　What　the　devil　was　I　to　do？　　I　doubt　if　I　have　sufficiently　impressed　upon　you　the　absolute　necessity　of　my　returning　to　Melbourne　in　funds。　　As　a　matter　of　fact　it　was　less　the　necessity　than　my　own　determination　which　I　can　truthfully　ascribe　as　absolute。

〃Money　I　would　havebut　howbut　how？　　Would　this　stranger　be　open　to　persuasionif　I　told　him　the　truth？　　No；　that　would　set　us　all　scouring　the　country　for　the　rest　of　the　night。　　Why　should　I　tell　him？　　Suppose　I　left　him　to　find　out　his　mistake　。　。　。　would　anything　be　gained？　　Bunny；　I　give　you　my　word　that　I　went　in　to　dinner　without　a　definite　intention　in　my　head；　or　one　premeditated　lie　upon　my　lips。　　I　might　do　the　decent；　natural　thing；　and　explain　matters　without　loss　of　time；　on　the　other　hand；　there　was　no　hurry。　　I　had　not　opened　the　letter；　and　could　always　pretend　I　had　not　noticed　the　initials；　meanwhile　something　might　turn　up。　　I　could　wait　a　little　and　see。　　Tempted　I　already　was；　but　as　yet　the　temptation　was　vague；　and　its　very　vagueness　made　me　tremble。

〃'Bad　news；　I'm　afraid？'　said　the　manager；　when　at　last　I　sat　down　at　his　table。

〃'A　mere　annoyance；'　I　answeredI　do　assure　youon　the　spur　of　the　moment　and　nothing　else。　But　my　lie　was　told；　my　position　was　taken；　from　that　moment　onward　there　was　no　retreat。　　By　implication；　without　realizing　what　I　was　doing；　I　had　already　declared　myself　W。　F。　Raffles。　　Therefore；　W。　F。　Raffles　I　would　be；　in　that　bank；　for　that　night。　　And　the　devil　teach　me　how　to　use　my　lie！

Again　he　raised　his　glass　to　his　lipsI　had　forgotten　mine。　　His　cigarette…case　caught　the　gas…light　as　he　handed　it　to　me。　　I　shook　my　head　without　taking　my　eyes　from　his。

〃The　devil　played　up；〃　continued　Raffles；　with　a　laugh。　　〃Before　I　tasted　my　soup　I　had　decided　what　to　do。　　I　had　determined　to　rob　that　bank　instead　of　going　to　bed；　and　to　be　back　in　Melbourne　for　breakfast　if　the　doctor's　mare　could　do　it。　　I　would　tell　the　old　fellow　that　I　had　missed　my　way　and　been　bushed　for　hours；　as　I　easily　might　have　been；　and　had　never　got　to　Yea　at　all。　At　Yea；　on　the　other　hand；　the　personation　and　robbery　would　ever　after　be　attributed　to　a　member　of　the　gang　that　had　waylaid　and　murdered　the　new　manager　with　that　very　object。　　You　are　acquiring　some　experience　in　such　matters；　Bunny。　I　ask　you；　was　there　ever　a　better　get…out？　　Last　night's　was　something　like　i