the amateur cracksman-第4节

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Raffles　had　produced　a　pretty　embroidered　case；　intended　obviously　for　his　razors；　but　filled　instead　with　the　tools　of　his　secret　trade；　including　the　rock…oil。　　From　this　case　he　selected　a　〃bit；〃　capable　of　drilling　a　hole　an　inch　in　diameter；　and　fitted　it　to　a　small　but　very　strong　steel　〃brace。〃　Then　he　took　off　his　covert…coat　and　his　blazer；　spread　them　neatly　on　the　top　stepknelt　on　themturned　up　his　shirt　cuffsand　went　to　work　with　brace…and…bit　near　the　key…hole。　　But　first　he　oiled　the　bit　to　minimize　the　noise；　and　this　he　did　invariably　before　beginning　a　fresh　hole；　and　often　in　the　middle　of　one。　　It　took　thirty…two　separate　borings　to　cut　around　that　lock。

I　noticed　that　through　the　first　circular　orifice　Raffles　thrust　a　forefinger；　then；　as　the　circle　became　an　ever…lengthening　oval；　he　got　his　hand　through　up　to　the　thumb；　and　I　heard　him　swear　softly　to　himself。

〃I　was　afraid　so！〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃An　iron　gate　on　the　other　side！〃

〃How　on　earth　are　we　to　get　through　that？〃　I　asked　in　dismay。

〃Pick　the　lock。　　But　there　may　be　two。　　In　that　case　they'll　be　top　and　bottom；　and　we　shall　have　two　fresh　holes　to　make；　as　the　door　opens　inwards。　It　won't　open　two　inches　as　it　is。〃

I　confess　I　did　not　feel　sanguine　about　the　lock…picking；　seeing　that　one　lock　had　baffled　us　already；　and　my　disappointment　and　impatience　must　have　been　a　revelation　to　me　had　I　stopped　to　think。　The　truth　is　that　I　was　entering　into　our　nefarious　undertaking　with　an　involuntary　zeal　of　which　I　was　myself　quite　unconscious　at　the　time。　　The　romance　and　the　peril　of　the　whole　proceeding　held　me　spellbound　and　entranced。　　My　moral　sense　and　my　sense　of　fear　were　stricken　by　a　common　paralysis。　　And　there　I　stood；　shining　my　light　and　holding　my　phial　with　a　keener　interest　than　I　had　ever　brought　to　any　honest　avocation。　And　there　knelt　A。　J。　Raffles；　with　his　black　hair　tumbled；　and　the　same　watchful；　quiet；　determined　half…smile　with　which　I　have　seen　him　send　down　over　after　over　in　a　county　match！

At　last　the　chain　of　holes　was　complete；　the　lock　wrenched　out　bodily；　and　a　splendid　bare　arm　plunged　up　to　the　shoulder　through　the　aperture；　and　through　the　bars　of　the　iron　gate　beyond。

〃Now；〃　whispered　Raffles；　〃if　there's　only　one　lock　it'll　be　in　the　middle。　　Joy！　　Here　it　is！　　Only　let　me　pick　it；　and　we're　through　at　last。〃

He　withdrew　his　arm；　a　skeleton　key　was　selected　from　the　bunch；　and　then　back　went　his　arm　to　the　shoulder。　　It　was　a　breathless　moment。　　I　heard　the　heart　throbbing　in　my　body；　the　very　watch　ticking　in　my　pocket；　and　ever　and　anon　the　tinkle…tinkle　of　the　skeleton　key。　　Thenat　lastthere　came　a　single　unmistakable　click。　　In　another　minute　the　mahogany　door　and　the　iron　gate　yawned　behind　us；　and　Raffles　was　sitting　on　an　office　table；　wiping　his　face；　with　the　lantern　throwing　a　steady　beam　by　his　side。

We　were　now　in　a　bare　and　roomy　lobby　behind　the　shop；　but　separated　therefrom　by　an　iron　curtain；　the　very　sight　of　which　filled　me　with　despair。　Raffles；　however；　did　not　appear　in　the　least　depressed；　but　hung　up　his　coat　and　hat　on　some　pegs　in　the　lobby　before　examining　this　curtain　with　his　lantern。

〃That's　nothing；〃　said　he；　after　a　minute's　inspection；　〃we'll　be　through　that　in　no　time；　but　there's　a　door　on　the　other　side　which　may　give　us　trouble。〃

〃Another　door！〃　I　groaned。　　〃And　how　do　you　mean　to　tackle　this　thing？〃

〃Prise　it　up　with　the　jointed　jimmy。　　The　weak　point　of　these　iron　curtains　is　the　leverage　you　can　get　from　below。　　But　it　makes　a　noise；　and　this　is　where　you're　coming　in；　Bunny；　this　is　where　I　couldn't　do　without　you。　　I　must　have　you　overhead　to　knock　through　when　the　street's　clear。　I'll　come　with　you　and　show　a　light。〃

Well；　you　may　imagine　how　little　I　liked　the　prospect　of　this　lonely　vigil；　and　yet　there　was　something　very　stimulating　in　the　vital　responsibility　which　it　involved。　　Hitherto　I　had　been　a　mere　spectator。　　Now　I　was　to　take　part　in　the　game。　And　the　fresh　excitement　made　me　more　than　ever　insensible　to　those　considerations　of　conscience　and　of　safety　which　were　already　as　dead　nerves　in　my　breast。

So　I　took　my　post　without　a　murmur　in　the　front　room　above　the　shop。　　The　fixtures　had　been　left　for　the　refusal　of　the　incoming　tenant；　and　fortunately　for　us　they　included　Venetian　blinds　which　were　already　down。　　It　was　the　simplest　matter　in　the　world　to　stand　peeping　through　the　laths　into　the　street；　to　beat　twice　with　my　foot　when　anybody　was　approaching；　and　once　when　all　was　clear　again。　　The　noises　that　even　I　could　hear　below；　with　the　exception　of　one　metallic　crash　at　the　beginning；　were　indeed　incredibly　slight；　but　they　ceased　altogether　at　each　double　rap　from　my　toe；　and　a　policeman　passed　quite　half　a　dozen　times　beneath　my　eyes；　and　the　man　whom　I　took　to　be　the　jeweller's　watchman　oftener　still；　during　the　better　part　of　an　hour　that　I　spent　at　the　window。　　Once；　indeed；　my　heart　was　in　my　mouth；　but　only　once。　　It　was　when　the　watchman　stopped　and　peered　through　the　peep…hole　into　the　lighted　shop。　　I　waited　for　his　whistleI　waited　for　the　gallows　or　the　gaol！　　But　my　signals　had　been　studiously　obeyed；　and　the　man　passed　on　in　undisturbed　serenity。

In　the　end　I　had　a　signal　in　my　turn；　and　retraced　my　steps　with　lighted　matches；　down　the　broad　stairs；　down　the　narrow　ones；　across　the　area；　and　up　into　the　lobby　where　Raffles　awaited　me　with　an　outstretched　hand。

〃Well　done；　my　boy！〃　said　he。　　〃You're　the　same　good　man　in　a　pinch；　and　you　shall　have　your　reward。　　I've　got　a　thousand　pounds'　worth　if　I've　got　a　penn'oth。　　It's　all　in　my　pockets。　　And　here's　something　else　I　found　in　this　locker；　very　decent　port　and　some　cigars；　meant　for　poor　dear　Danby's　business　friends。　　Take　a　pull；　and　you　shall　light　up　presently。　　I've　found　a　lavatory；　too；　and　we　must　have　a　wash…and…brush…up　before　we　go；　for　I'm　as　black　as　your　boot。〃

The　iron　curtain　was　down；　but　he　insisted　on　raising　it　until　I　could　peep　through　the　glass　door　on　the　other　side　and　see　his　handiwork　in　the　shop　beyond。　　Here　two　electric　lights　were　left　burning　all　night　long；　and　in　their　cold　white　rays　I　could　at　first　see　nothing　amiss。　　I　looked　along　an　orderly　lane；　an　empty　glass　counter　on　my　left；　glass　cupboards　of　untouched　silver　on　my　right；　and　facing　me　the　filmy　black　eye　of　the　peep…hole　that　shone　like　a　stage　moon　on　the　street。　　The　counter　had　not　been　emptied　by　Raffles；　its　contents　were　in　the　Chubb's　safe；　which　he　had　given　up　at　a　glance；　nor　had　he　looked　at　the　silver；　except　to　choose　a　cigarette　case　for　me。　　He　had　confined　himself　entirely　to　the　shop　window。　　This　was　in　three　compartments；　each　secured　for　the　night　by　removable　panels　with　separate　locks。　Raffles　had　removed　them　a　few　hours　before　their　time；　and　the　electric　light　shone　on　a　corrugated　shutter　bare　as　the　ribs　of　an　empty　carcase。　　Every　article　of　value　was　gone　from　the　one　place　which　was　invisible　from　the　little　window　in　the　door；　elsewhere　all　was　as　it　had　been　left　overnight。　And　but　for　a　train　of　mangled　doors　behind　the　iron　curtain；　a　bottle　of　wine　and　a　cigar…box　with　which　liberties　had　been　taken；　a　rather　black　towel　in　the　lavatory；　a　burnt　match　here　and　there；　and　our　finger…marks　on　the　dusty　banisters；　not　a　trace　of　our　visit　did　we　leave。

〃Had　it　in　my　head　for　long？〃　said　Raffles；　as　we　strolled　through　the　streets　towards　dawn；　for　all　the　world　as　though　we　were　returning　from　a　dance。　　〃No；　Bunny；　I　never　thought　of　it　till　I　saw　that　upper　part　empty　about　a　month　ago；　and　bought　a　few　things　in　the　shop　to　get　the　lie　of　the　land。　　That　reminds　me　that　I　never　paid　for　them；　but；　by　Jove；　I　will　to…morrow；　and　if　that　isn't　poetic　justice；　what　is？　　One　visit　showed　me　the　possibilities　of　the　place；　but　a　second　convinced　me　of　its　impossibilities　without　a　pal。　　So　I　had　practically　given　up　the　idea；　when　you　came　along　on　the　very　night　and　in　the　very　plight　for　it！　　But　here　we　are　at　the　Albany；　and　I　hope　there's　some　fire　left；　for　I　don't　know　how　you　feel；　Bunny；　but　for　my　part　I'm　as　cold　as　Keats's　owl。〃

He　could　think　of　Keats　on　his　way　from　a　felony！　　He　could　hanker　for　his　fireside　like　another！　　Floodgates　were　loosed　within　me；　and　the　plain　English　of　our　adventure　rushed　over　me　as　cold　as　ice。　　Raffles　was　a　burglar。　　I　had　helped　him　to　commit　one　burglary；　therefore　I　was　a　burglar；　too。　　Yet　I　could　stand　and　warm　myself　by　his　fire；　and　watch　him　empty　his　pockets；　as　though　we　had　done　nothing　wonderful　or　wicked！

My　blood　froze。　　My　heart　sickened。　　My　brain　whirled。　　How　I　had　liked　this　villain！　　How　I　had　admired　him！　　Now　my　liking　and　admiration　must　turn　to　loathing　and　disgust。　　I　waited　for　the　change。　　I　longed　to　feel　it　in　my　heart。　　ButI　longed　and　I　waited　in　vain！

I　saw　that　he　was　emptying　his　pockets；　the　table　sparkled　with　their　hoard。　　Rings　by　the　dozen；　diamonds　by　the　score；　bracelets；　pendants；　aigrettes；　necklaces；　pearls；　rubies；　amethysts；　sapphires；　and　diamonds　always；　diamonds　in　everything；　flashing　bayonets　of　light；　dazzling　meblinding　memaking　me　disbelieve　because　I　could　no　longer　forget。　　Last　of　all　came　no　gem；　indeed；　bu