the amateur cracksman-第21章

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〃A　pair　of　spectacles；〃　I　whispered；　picking　them　up。　　I　was　still　fingering　the　broken　lenses　and　the　bent　rims　when　Raffles　tripped　and　almost　fell；　with　a　gasping　cry　that　he　made　no　effort　to　restrain。

〃Hush；　man；　hush！〃　I　entreated　under　my　breath。　　〃He'll　hear　you！〃

For　answer　his　teeth　chatteredeven　hisand　I　heard　him　fumbling　with　his　matches。　　〃No；　Bunny；　he　won't　hear　us；〃　whispered　Raffles；　presently；　and　he　rose　from　his　knees　and　lit　a　gas　as　the　match　burnt　down。

Angus　Baird　was　lying　on　his　own　floor；　dead；　with　his　gray　hairs　glued　together　by　his　blood；　near　him　a　poker　with　the　black　end　glistening；　in　a　corner　his　desk；　ransacked；　littered。　A　clock　ticked　noisily　on　the　chimney…piece；　for　perhaps　a　hundred　seconds　there　was　no　other　sound。

Raffles　stood　very　still；　staring　down　at　the　dead；　as　a　man　might　stare　into　an　abyss　after　striding　blindly　to　its　brink。　　His　breath　came　audibly　through　wide　nostrils；　he　made　no　other　sign；　and　his　lips　seemed　sealed。

〃That　light！〃　said　I；　hoarsely；　〃the　light　we　saw　under　the　door！〃

With　a　start　he　turned　to　me。

〃It's　true！　　I　had　forgotten　it。　　It　was　in　here　I　saw　it　first！〃

〃He　must　be　upstairs　still！〃

〃If　he　is　we'll　soon　rout　him　out。　　Come　on！〃

Instead　I　laid　a　hand　upon　his　arm；　imploring　him　to　reflectthat　his　enemy　was　dead　nowthat　we　should　certainly　be　involvedthat　now　or　never　was　our　own　time　to　escape。　　He　shook　me　off　in　a　sudden　fury　of　impatience；　a　reckless　contempt　in　his　eyes；　and；　bidding　me　save　my　own　skin　if　I　liked；　he　once　more　turned　his　back　upon　me；　and　this　time　left　me　half　resolved　to　take　him　at　his　word。　　Had　he　forgotten　on　what　errand　he　himself　was　here？　　Was　he　determined　that　this　night　should　end　in　black　disaster？　　As　I　asked　myself　these　questions　his　match　flared　in　the　hall；　in　another　moment　the　stairs　were　creaking　under　his　feet；　even　as　they　had　creaked　under　those　of　the　murderer；　and　the　humane　instinct　that　inspired　him　in　defiance　of　his　risk　was　borne　in　also　upon　my　slower　sensibilities。　　Could　we　let　the　murderer　go？　　My　answer　was　to　bound　up　the　creaking　stairs　and　to　overhaul　Raffles　on　the　landing。

But　three　doors　presented　themselves；　the　first　opened　into　a　bedroom　with　the　bed　turned　down　but　undisturbed；　the　second　room　was　empty　in　every　sense；　the　third　door　was　locked。

Raffles　lit　the　landing　gas。

〃He's　in　there；〃　said　he；　cocking　his　revolver。　〃Do　you　remember　how　we　used　to　break　into　the　studies　at　school？　　Here　goes！〃

His　flat　foot　crashed　over　the　keyhole；　the　lock　gave；　the　door　flew　open；　and　in　the　sudden　draught　the　landing　gas　heeled　over　like　a　cobble　in　a　squall；　as　the　flame　righted　itself　I　saw　a　fixed　bath；　two　bath…towels　knotted　togetheran　open　windowa　cowering　figureand　Raffles　struck　aghast　on　the　threshold。

〃JACKRUTTER？〃

The　words　came　thick　and　slow　with　horror；　and　in　horror　I　heard　myself　repeating　them；　while　the　cowering　figure　by　the　bathroom　window　rose　gradually　erect。

〃It's　you！〃　he　whispered；　in　amazement　no　less　than　our　own；　〃it's　you　two！　　What's　it　mean；　Raffles？　　I　saw　you　get　over　the　gate；　a　bell　rang；　the　place　is　full　of　them。　　Then　you　broke　in。　What's　it　all　mean？〃

〃We　may　tell　you　that；　when　you　tell　us　what　in　God's　name　you've　done；　Rutter！〃

〃Done？　　What　have　I　done？〃　　The　unhappy　wretch　came　out　into　the　light　with　bloodshot；　blinking　eyes；　and　a　bloody　shirt…front。　　〃You　knowyou've　seenbut　I'll　tell　you　if　you　like。　　I've　killed　a　robber；　that's　all。　　I've　killed　a　robber；　a　usurer；　a　jackal；　a　blackmailer；　the　cleverest　and　the　cruellest　villain　unhung。　　I'm　ready　to　hang　for　him。　　I'd　kill　him　again！〃

And　he　looked　us　fiercely　in　the　face；　a　fine　defiance　in　his　dissipated　eyes；　his　breast　heaving；　his　jaw　like　a　rock。

〃Shall　I　tell　you　how　it　happened？〃　he　went　passionately　on。　　〃He's　made　my　life　a　hell　these　weeks　and　months　past。　　You　may　know　that。　　A　perfect　hell！　　Well；　to…night　I　met　him　in　Bond　Street。　　Do　you　remember　when　I　met　you　fellows？　　He　wasn't　twenty　yards　behind　you；　he　was　on　your　tracks；　Raffles；　he　saw　me　nod　to　you；　and　stopped　me　and　asked　me　who　you　were。　　He　seemed　as　keen　as　knives　to　know；　I　couldn't　think　why；　and　didn't　care　either；　for　I　saw　my　chance。　　I　said　I'd　tell　him　all　about　you　if　he'd　give　me　a　private　interview。　　He　said　he　wouldn't。　　I　said　he　should；　and　held　him　by　the　coat；　by　the　time　I　let　him　go　you　were　out　of　sight；　and　I　waited　where　I　was　till　he　came　back　in　despair。　　I　had　the　whip…hand　of　him　then。　　I　could　dictate　where　the　interview　should　be；　and　I　made　him　take　me　home　with　him；　still　swearing　to　tell　him　all　about　you　when　we'd　had　our　talk。　　Well；　when　we　got　here　I　made　him　give　me　something　to　eat；　putting　him　off　and　off；　and　about　ten　o'clock　I　heard　the　gate　shut。　　I　waited　a　bit；　and　then　asked　him　if　he　lived　alone。

〃'Not　at　all；'　says　he；　'did　you　not　see　the　servant？'

〃I　said　I'd　seen　her；　but　I　thought　I'd　heard　her　go；　if　I　was　mistaken　no　doubt　she　would　come　when　she　was　called；　and　I　yelled　three　times　at　the　top　of　my　voice。　　Of　course　there　was　no　servant　to　come。　　I　knew　that；　because　I　came　to　see　him　one　night　last　week；　and　he　interviewed　me　himself　through　the　gate；　but　wouldn't　open　it。　Well；　when　I　had　done　yelling；　and　not　a　soul　had　come　near　us；　he　was　as　white　as　that　ceiling。　Then　I　told　him　we　could　have　our　chat　at　last；　and　I　picked　the　poker　out　of　the　fender；　and　told　him　how　he'd　robbed　me；　but；　by　God；　he　shouldn't　rob　me　any　more。　　I　gave　him　three　minutes　to　write　and　sign　a　settlement　of　all　his　iniquitous　claims　against　me；　or　have　his　brains　beaten　out　over　his　own　carpet。　　He　thought　a　minute；　and　then　went　to　his　desk　for　pen　and　paper。　　In　two　seconds　he　was　round　like　lightning　with　a　revolver；　and　I　went　for　him　bald…headed。　　He　fired　two　or　three　times　and　missed；　you　can　find　the　holes　if　you　like；　but　I　hit　him　every　timemy　God！　　I　was　like　a　savage　till　the　thing　was　done。　And　then　I　didn't　care。　　I　went　through　his　desk　looking　for　my　own　bills；　and　was　coming　away　when　you　turned　up。　　I　said　I　didn't　care；　nor　do　I；　but　I　was　going　to　give　myself　up　to…night；　and　shall　still；　so　you　see　I　sha'n't　give　you　fellows　much　trouble！〃

He　was　done；　and　there　we　stood　on　the　landing　of　the　lonely　house；　the　low；　thick；　eager　voice　still　racing　and　ringing　through　our　ears；　the　dead　man　below；　and　in　front　of　us　his　impenitent　slayer。　　I　knew　to　whom　the　impenitence　would　appeal　when　he　had　heard　the　story；　and　I　was　not　mistaken。

〃That's　all　rot；〃　said　Raffles；　speaking　after　a　pause；　〃we　sha'n't　let　you　give　yourself　up。〃

〃You　sha'n't　stop　me！　　What　would　be　the　good？　　The　woman　saw　me；　it　would　only　be　a　question　of　time；　and　I　can't　face　waiting　to　be　taken。　　Think　of　it：　waiting　for　them　to　touch　you　on　the　shoulder！　　No；　no；　no；　I'll　give　myself　up　and　get　it　over。〃

His　speech　was　changed；　he　faltered；　floundered。　It　was　as　though　a　clearer　perception　of　his　position　had　come　with　the　bare　idea　of　escape　from　it。

〃But　listen　to　me；〃　urged　Raffles；　〃We're　here　at　our　peril　ourselves。　　We　broke　in　like　thieves　to　enforce　redress　for　a　grievance　very　like　your　own。　　But　don't　you　see？　　We　took　out　a　panedid　the　thing　like　regular　burglars。　　Regular　burglars　will　get　the　credit　of　all　the　rest！〃

〃You　mean　that　I　sha'n't　be　suspected？〃

〃I　do。〃

〃But　I　don't　want　to　get　off　scotfree；〃　cried　Rutter　hysterically。　　〃I've　killed　him。　　I　know　that。　　But　it　was　in　self…defence；　it　wasn't　murder。　　I　must　own　up　and　take　the　consequences。　I　shall　go　mad　if　I　don't！〃

His　hands　twitched；　his　lips　quivered；　the　tears　were　in　his　eyes。　　Raffles　took　him　roughly　by　the　shoulder。

〃Look　here；　you　fool！　　If　the　three　of　us　were　caught　here　now；　do　you　know　what　those　consequences　would　be？　　We　should　swing　in　a　row　at　Newgate　in　six　weeks'　time！　　You　talk　as　though　we　were　sitting　in　a　club；　don't　you　know　it's　one　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　the　lights　on；　and　a　dead　man　down　below？　　For　God's　sake　pull　yourself　together；　and　do　what　I　tell　you；　or　you're　a　dead　man　yourself。〃

〃I　wish　I　was　one！〃　Rutter　sobbed。　　〃I　wish　I　had　his　revolver　to　blow　my　own　brains　out。　It's　lyin