the amateur cracksman-第21节
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〃As a last resort。 I did。〃
〃And you wish us to STEAL this picture?〃
It was magnificently said; the lawyer flushed from his hair to his collar。
〃I knew you were not the men!〃 he groaned。 〃I never thought of men of your stamp! But it's not stealing;〃 he exclaimed heatedly; 〃it's recovering stolen property。 Besides; Sir Bernard will pay him his five thousand as soon as he has the picture; and; you'll see; old Craggs will be just as loath to let it come out as Sir Bernard himself。 No; noit's an enterprise; an adventure; if you likebut not stealing。〃
〃You yourself mentioned the law;〃 murmured Raffles。
〃And the risk;〃 I added。
〃We pay for that;〃 he said once more。
〃But not enough;〃 said Raffles; shaking his head。 〃My good sir; consider what it means to us。 You spoke of those clubs; we should not only get kicked out of them; but put in prison like common burglars! It's true we're hard up; but it simply isn't worth it at the price。 Double your stakes; and I for one am your man。〃
Addenbrooke wavered。
〃Do you think you could bring it off?〃
〃We could try。〃
〃But you have no〃
〃Experience? Well; hardly!〃
〃And you would really run the risk for four thousand pounds?〃
Raffles looked at me。 I nodded。
〃We would;〃 said he; 〃and blow the odds!〃
〃It's more than I can ask my client to pay;〃 said Addenbrooke; growing firm。
〃Then it's more than you can expect us to risk。〃
〃You are in earnest?〃
〃God wot!〃
〃Say three thousand if you succeed!〃
〃Four is our figure; Mr。 Addenbrooke。〃
〃Then I think it should be nothing if you fail。〃
〃Doubles or quits?〃 cried Raffles。 〃Well; that's sporting。 Done!〃
Addenbrooke opened his lips; half rose; then sat back in his chair; and looked long and shrewdly at Rafflesnever once at me。
〃I know your bowling;〃 said he reflectively。 〃I go up to Lord's whenever I want an hour's real rest; and I've seen you bowl again and againyes; and take the best wickets in England on a plumb pitch。 I don't forget the last Gentleman and Players; I was there。 You're up to every trickevery one 。 。 。 I'm inclined to think that if anybody could bowl out this old Australian 。 。 。 Damme; I believe you're my very man!〃
The bargain was clinched at the Cafe Royal; where Bennett Addenbrooke insisted on playing host at an extravagant luncheon。 I remember that he took his whack of champagne with the nervous freedom of a man at high pressure; and have no doubt I kept him in countenance by an equal indulgence; but Raffles; ever an exemplar in such matters; was more abstemious even than his wont; and very poor company to boot。 I can see him now; his eyes in his platethinkingthinking。 I can see the solicitor glancing from him to me in an apprehension of which I did my best to disabuse him by reassuring looks。 At the close Raffles apologized for his preoccupation; called for an A。B。C。 time…table; and announced his intention of catching the 3。2 to Esher。
〃You must excuse me; Mr。 Addenbrooke;〃 said he; 〃but I have my own idea; and for the moment I should much prefer to keep it to myself。 It may end in fizzle; so I would rather not speak about it to either of you just yet。 But speak to Sir Bernard I must; so will you write me one line to him on your card? Of course; if you wish; you must come down with me and hear what I say; but I really don't see much point in it。〃
And as usual Raffles had his way; though Bennett Addenbrooke showed some temper when he was gone; and I myself shared his annoyance to no small extent。 I could only tell him that it was in the nature of Raffles to be self…willed and secretive; but that no man of my acquaintance had half his audacity and determination; that I for my part would trust him through and through; and let him gang his own gait every time。 More I dared not say; even to remove those chill misgivings with which I knew that the lawyer went his way。
That day I saw no more of Raffles; but a telegram reached me when I was dressing for dinner:
〃Be in your rooms to…morrow from noon and keep rest of day clear; Raffles。〃
It had been sent off from Waterloo at 6。42。
So Raffles was back in town; at an earlier stage of our relations I should have hunted him up then and there; but now I knew better。 His telegram meant that he had no desire for my society that night or the following forenoon; that when he wanted me I should see him soon enough。
And see him I did; towards one o'clock next day。 I was watching for him from my window in Mount Street; when he drove up furiously in a hansom; and jumped out without a word to the man。 I met him next minute at the lift gates; and he fairly pushed me back into my rooms。
〃Five minutes; Bunny!〃 he cried。 〃Not a moment more。〃
And he tore off his coat before flinging himself into the nearest chair。
〃I'm fairly on the rush;〃 he panted; 〃having the very devil of a time! Not a word till I tell you all I've done。 I settled my plan of campaign yesterday at lunch。 The first thing was to get in with this man Craggs; you can't break into a place like the Metropole; it's got to be done from the inside。 Problem one; how to get at the fellow。 Only one sort of pretext would doit must be something to do with this blessed picture; so that I might see where he'd got it and all that。 Well; I couldn't go and ask to see it out of curiosity; and I couldn't go as a second representative of the other old chap; and it was thinking how I could go that made me such a bear at lunch。 But I saw my way before we got up。 If I could only lay hold of a copy of the picture I might ask leave to go and compare it with the original。 So down I went to Esher to find out if there was a copy in existence; and was at Broom Hall for one hour and a half yesterday afternoon。 There was no copy there; but they must exist; for Sir Bernard himself (there's 'copy' THERE!) has allowed a couple to be made since the picture has been in his possession。 He hunted up the painters' addresses; and the rest of the evening I spent in hunting up the painters themselves; but their work had been done on commission; one copy had gone out of the country; and I'm still on the track of the other。〃
〃Then you haven't seen Craggs yet?〃
〃Seen him and made friends with him; and if possible he's the funnier old cuss of the two; but you should study 'em both。 I took the bull by the horns this morning; went in and lied like Ananias; and it was just as well I didthe old ruffian sails for Australia by to…morrow's boat。 I told him a man wanted to sell me a copy of the celebrated Infanta Maria Teresa of Velasquez; that I'd been down to the supposed owner of the picture; only to find that he had just sold it to him。 You should have seen his face when I told him that! He grinned all round his wicked old head。 'Did OLD Debenham admit the sale?' says he; and when I said he had he chuckled to himself for about five minutes。 He was so pleased that he did just what I hoped he would do; he showed me the great pictureluckily it isn't by any means a large onealso the case he's got it in。 It's an iron map…case in which he brought over the plans of his land in Brisbane; he wants to know who would suspect it of containing an Old Master; too? But he's had it fitted with a new Chubb's lock; and I managed to take an interest in the key while he was gloating over the canvas。 I had the wax in the palm of my hand; and I shall make my duplicate this afternoon。〃
Raffles looked at his watch and jumped up saying he had given me a minute too much。
〃By the way;〃 he added; 〃you've got to dine with him at the Metropole to…night!〃
〃I?〃
〃Yes; don't look so scared。 Both of us are invitedI swore you were dining with me。 I accepted for us both; but I sha'n't be there。〃
His clear eye was upon me; bright with meaning and with mischief。
I implored him to tell me what his meaning was。
〃You will dine in his private sitting…room;〃 said Raffles; 〃it adjoins his bedroom。 You must keep him sitting as long as possible; Bunny; and talking all the time!〃
In a flash I saw his plan。
〃You're going for the picture while we're at dinner?〃
〃I am。〃
〃If he hears you?〃
〃He sha'n't。〃
〃But if he does!〃
And I fairly trembled at the thought。
〃If he does;〃 said Raffles; 〃there will be a collision; that's all。 Revolver would be out of place in the Metropole; but I shall certainly take a life…preserver。〃
〃But it's ghastly!〃 I cried。 〃To sit and talk to an utter stranger and to know that you're at work in the next room!〃
〃Two thousand apiece;〃 said Raffles; quietly。
〃Upon my soul I believe I shall give it away!〃
〃Not you; Bunny。 I know you better than you know yourself。〃
He put on his coat and his hat。
〃What time have I to be there?〃 I asked him; with a groan。
〃Quarter to eight。 There will be a telegram from me saying I can't turn up。 He's a terror to talk; you'll have no difficulty in keeping the ball rolling; but head him off his picture for all you're worth。 If he offers to show it to you; say you must go。 He locked up the case elaborately this afternoon; and there's no earthly reason why he should unlock it again in this hemisphere。〃
〃Where shall I find you when I get away?〃
〃I shall be down at Esher。 I h