the amateur cracksman-第22节

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〃Where　shall　I　find　you　when　I　get　away？〃

〃I　shall　be　down　at　Esher。　　I　hope　to　catch　the　9。55。〃

〃But　surely　I　can　see　you　again　this　afternoon？〃　I　cried　in　a　ferment；　for　his　hand　was　on　the　door。　　〃I'm　not　half　coached　up　yet！　　I　know　I　shall　make　a　mess　of　it！〃

〃Not　you；〃　he　said　again；　〃but　_I_　shall　if　I　waste　any　more　time。　　I've　got　a　deuce　of　a　lot　of　rushing　about　to　do　yet。　　You　won't　find　me　at　my　rooms。　　Why　not　come　down　to　Esher　yourself　by　the　last　train？　　That's　itdown　you　come　with　the　latest　news！　　I'll　tell　old　Debenham　to　expect　you：　he　shall　give　us　both　a　bed。　　By　Jove！　he　won't　be　able　to　do　us　too　well　if　he's　got　his　picture。〃

〃If！〃　I　groaned　as　he　nodded　his　adieu；　and　he　left　me　limp　with　apprehension；　sick　with　fear；　in　a　perfectly　pitiable　condition　of　pure　stage…fright。

For；　after　all；　I　had　only　to　act　my　part；　unless　Raffles　failed　where　he　never　did　fail；　unless　Raffles　the　neat　and　noiseless　was　for　once　clumsy　and　inept；　all　I　had　to　do　was　indeed　to　〃smile　and　smile　and　be　a　villain。〃　　I　practiced　that　smile　half　the　afternoon。　　I　rehearsed　putative　parts　in　hypothetical　conversations。　　I　got　up　stories。　　I　dipped　in　a　book　on　Queensland　at　the　club。　　And　at　last　it　was　7。45；　and　I　was　making　my　bow　to　a　somewhat　elderly　man　with　a　small　bald　head　and　a　retreating　brow。

〃So　you're　Mr。　Raffles's　friend？〃　said　he；　overhauling　me　rather　rudely　with　his　light　small　eyes。　〃Seen　anything　of　him？　　Expected　him　early　to　show　me　something；　but　he's　never　come。〃

No　more；　evidently；　had　his　telegram；　and　my　troubles　were　beginning　early。　　I　said　I　had　not　seen　Raffles　since　one　o'clock；　telling　the　truth　with　unction　while　I　could；　even　as　we　spoke　there　came　a　knock　at　the　door；　it　was　the　telegram　at　last；　and；　after　reading　it　himself；　the　Queenslander　handed　it　to　me。

〃Called　out　of　town！〃　he　grumbled。　　〃Sudden　illness　of　near　relative！　　What　near　relatives　has　he　got？〃

I　knew　of　none；　and　for　an　instant　I　quailed　before　the　perils　of　invention；　then　I　replied　that　I　had　never　met　any　of　his　people；　and　again　felt　fortified　by　my　veracity。

〃Thought　you　were　bosom　pals？〃　said　he；　with　（as　I　imagined）　a　gleam　of　suspicion　in　his　crafty　little　eyes。

〃Only　in　town；〃　said　I。　　〃I've　never　been　to　his　place。〃

〃Well；〃　he　growled；　〃I　suppose　it　can't　be　helped。　　Don't　know　why　he　couldn't　come　and　have　his　dinner　first。　　Like　to　see　the　death…bed　I'D　go　to　without　MY　dinner；　it's　a　full…skin　billet；　if　you　ask　me。　　Well；　must　just　dine　without　him；　and　he'll　have　to　buy　his　pig　in　a　poke　after　all。　　Mind　touching　that　bell？　　Suppose　you　know　what　he　came　to　see　me　about？　　Sorry　I　sha'n't　see　him　again；　for　his　own　sake。　　I　liked　Rafflestook　to　him　amazingly。　　He's　a　cynic。　　Like　cynics。　　One　myself。　　Rank　bad　form　of　his　mother　or　his　aunt；　and　I　hope　she　will　go　and　kick　the　bucket。〃

I　connect　these　specimens　of　his　conversation；　though　they　were　doubtless　detached　at　the　time；　and　interspersed　with　remarks　of　mine　here　and　there。　　They　filled　the　interval　until　dinner　was　served；　and　they　gave　me　an　impression　of　the　man　which　his　every　subsequent　utterance　confirmed。　　It　was　an　impression　which　did　away　with　all　remorse　for　my　treacherous　presence　at　his　table。　　He　was　that　terrible　type；　the　Silly　Cynic；　his　aim　a　caustic　commentary　on　all　things　and　all　men；　his　achievement　mere　vulgar　irreverence　and　unintelligent　scorn。　　Ill…bred　and　ill…informed；　he　had　（on　his　own　showing）　fluked　into　fortune　on　a　rise　in　land；　yet　cunning　he　possessed；　as　well　as　malice；　and　he　chuckled　till　he　choked　over　the　misfortunes　of　less　astute　speculators　in　the　same　boom。　　Even　now　I　cannot　feel　much　compunction　for　my　behavior　by　the　Hon。　J。　M。　Craggs；　M。L。C。

But　never　shall　I　forget　the　private　agonies　of　the　situation；　the　listening　to　my　host　with　one　ear　and　for　Raffles　with　the　other！　　Once　I　heard　himthough　the　rooms　were　not　divided　by　the　old…fashioned　folding…doors；　and　though　the　door　that　did　divide　them　was　not　only　shut　but　richly　curtained；　I　could　have　sworn　I　heard　him　once。　　I　spilt　my　wine　and　laughed　at　the　top　of　my　voice　at　some　coarse　sally　of　my　host's。　　And　I　heard　nothing　more；　though　my　ears　were　on　the　strain。　But　later；　to　my　horror；　when　the　waiter　had　finally　withdrawn；　Craggs　himself　sprang　up　and　rushed　to　his　bedroom　without　a　word。　　I　sat　like　stone　till　he　returned。

〃Thought　I　heard　a　door　go；〃　he　said。　　〃Must　have　been　mistaken　。　。　。　imagination　。　。　。　gave　me　quite　a　turn。　　Raffles　tell　you　priceless　treasure　I　got　in　there？〃

It　was　the　picture　at　last；　up　to　this　point　I　had　kept　him　to　Queensland　and　the　making　of　his　pile。　I　tried　to　get　him　back　there　now；　but　in　vain。　　He　was　reminded　of　his　great　ill…gotten　possession。　　I　said　that　Raffles　had　just　mentioned　it；　and　that　set　him　off。　　With　the　confidential　garrulity　of　a　man　who　has　dined　too　well；　he　plunged　into　his　darling　topic；　and　I　looked　past　him　at　the　clock。　　It　was　only　a　quarter　to　ten。

In　common　decency　I　could　not　go　yet。　　So　there　I　sat　（we　were　still　at　port）　and　learnt　what　had　originally　fired　my　host's　ambition　to　possess　what　he　was　pleased　to　call　a　〃real；　genuine；　twin…screw；　double…funnelled；　copper…bottomed　Old　Master〃；　it　was　to　〃go　one　better〃　than　some　rival　legislator　of　pictorial　proclivities。　　But　even　an　epitome　of　his　monologue　would　be　so　much　weariness；　suffice　it　that　it　ended　inevitably　in　the　invitation　I　had　dreaded　all　the　evening。

〃But　you　must　see　it。　　Next　room。　　This　way。〃

〃Isn't　it　packed　up？〃　I　inquired　hastily。

〃Lock　and　key。　　That's　all。〃

〃Pray　don't　trouble；〃　I　urged。

〃Trouble　be　hanged！〃　said　he。　　〃Come　along。〃

And　all　at　once　I　saw　that　to　resist　him　further　would　be　to　heap　suspicion　upon　myself　against　the　moment　of　impending　discovery。　　I　therefore　followed　him　into　his　bedroom　without　further　protest；　and　suffered　him　first　to　show　me　the　iron　map…case　which　stood　in　one　corner；　he　took　a　crafty　pride　in　this　receptacle；　and　I　thought　he　would　never　cease　descanting　on　its　innocent　appearance　and　its　Chubb's　lock。　　It　seemed　an　interminable　age　before　the　key　was　in　the　latter。　　Then　the　ward　clicked；　and　my　pulse　stood　still。

〃By　Jove！〃　I　cried　next　instant。

The　canvas　was　in　its　place　among　the　maps！

〃Thought　it　would　knock　you；〃　said　Craggs；　drawing　it　out　and　unrolling　it　for　my　benefit。　'Grand　thing；　ain't　it？　　Wouldn't　think　it　had　been　painted　two　hundred　and　thirty　years？　　It　has；　though；　MY　word！　　Old　Johnson's　face　will　be　a　treat　when　he　sees　it；　won't　go　bragging　about　HIS　pictures　much　more。　　Why；　this　one's　worth　all　the　pictures　in　Colony　o'　Queensland　put　together。　　Worth　fifty　thousand　pounds；　my　boyand　I　got　it　for　five！〃

He　dug　me　in　the　ribs；　and　seemed　in　the　mood　for　further　confidences。　　My　appearance　checked　him；　and　he　rubbed　his　hands。

〃If　you　take　it　like　that；〃　he　chuckled；　〃how　will　old　Johnson　take　it？　　Go　out　and　hang　himself　to　his　own　picture…rods；　I　hope！〃

Heaven　knows　what　I　contrived　to　say　at　last。　Struck　speechless　first　by　my　relief；　I　continued　silent　from　a　very　different　cause。　　A　new　tangle　of　emotions　tied　my　tongue。　　Raffles　had　failedRaffles　had　failed！　　Could　I　not　succeed？　　Was　it　too　late？　　Was　there　no　way？

〃So　long；〃　he　said；　taking　a　last　look　at　the　canvas　before　he　rolled　it　up〃so　long　till　we　get　to　Brisbane。〃

The　flutter　I　was　in　as　he　closed　the　case！

〃For　the　last　time；〃　he　went　on；　as　his　keys　jingled　back　into　his　pocket。　　〃It　goes　straight　into　the　strong…room　on　board。〃

For　the　last　time！　　If　I　could　but　send　him　out　to　Australia　with　only　its　legitimate　contents　in　his　precious　map…case！　　If　I　could　but　succeed　where　Raffles　had　failed！

We　returned　to　the　other　room。　　I　have　no　notion　how　long　he　talked；　or　what　about。　　Whiskey　and　soda…water　became　the　order　of　the　hour。　　I　scarcely　touched　it；　but　he　drank　copiously；　and　before　eleven　I　left　him　incoherent。　And　the　last　train　for　Esher　was　the　11。50　out　of　Waterloo。

I　took　a　hansom　to　my　rooms。　　I　was　back　at　the　hotel　in　thirteen　minutes。　　I　walked　upstairs。　The　corridor　was　empty；　I　stood　an　instant　on　the　sitting…room　threshold；　heard　a　snore　within；　and　admitted　myself　softly　with　my　gentleman's　own　key；　which　it　had　been　a　very　simple　matter　to　take　away　with　me。

Craggs　never　moved；　he　was　stretched　on　the　sofa　fast　asleep。　　But　not　fast　enough　for　me。　　I　saturated　my　handkerchief　with　the　chloroform　I　had　brought；　and　laid　it　gently　over　his　mouth。　Two　or　three　stertorous　breaths；　and　the　man　was　a　log。

I　removed　the　handkerchief；　I　extracted　the　keys　from　his　pocket。

In　less　than　five　minutes　I　put　them　back；　after　winding　the　picture　about　my　body　beneath　my　Inverness　cape。　　I　took　some　whiskey　and　soda…water　before　I　went。

The　train　was　easily　caughtso　easily　that　I　trembled　for　ten　minutes　in　my　first…class　smoking　carriagein　terror　of　every　footstep　on　the　platform；　in　unreasonable　terror　till　the　end。　　Then　at　last　I　sat　back　and　lit　a　cigarette；　and　the　lights　of　Waterloo　reeled　out　behind。

Some　men　were　returning　from　the　theatre。　　I　can　recall　their　conversation　even　now。　　They　were　disappointed　with　the　piece　they　had　seen。　It　was　one　of