the amateur cracksman-第28章

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　like；　without　your　interference；　you　stay　here　and　lie　just　as　low　as　you　know　how；　be　as　wise　as　your　word；　and　leave　the　whole　thing　to　me。　　If　you　won'tif　you're　fool　enough　not　to　trust　methere's　the　door。　　Go　out　and　say　what　you　like；　and　be　damned　to　you！〃

Crawshay　slapped　his　thigh。

〃That's　talking！〃　said　he。　　〃Lord　love　yer；　I　know　where　I　am　when　you　talk　like　that。　　I'll　trust　yer。　　I　know　a　man　when　he　gets　his　tongue　between　his　teeth；　you're　all　right。　　I　don't　say　so　much　about　this　other　gent；　though　I　saw　him　along　with　you　on　the　job　that　time　in　the　provinces；　but　if　he's　a　pal　of　yours；　Mr。　Raffles；　he'll　be　all　right　too。　　I　only　hope　you　gents　ain't　too　stony〃

And　he　touched　his　pockets　with　a　rueful　face。

〃I　only　went　for　their　togs；〃　said　he。　　〃You　never　struck　two　such　stony…broke　cusses　in　yer　life！〃

〃That's　all　right；〃　said　Raffles。　　〃We'll　see　you　through　properly。　　Leave　it　to　us；　and　you　sit　tight。〃

〃Rightum！〃　said　Crawshay。　　〃And　I'll　have　a　sleep　time　you're　gone。　　But　no　sperritsno；　thank'eenot　yet！　　Once　let　me　loose　on　the　lush；　and；　Lord　love　yer；　I'm　a　gone　coon！〃

Raffles　got　his　overcoat；　a　long；　light　driving…coat；　I　remember；　and　even　as　he　put　it　on　our　fugitive　was　dozing　in　the　chair；　we　left　him　murmuring　incoherently；　with　the　gas　out；　and　his　bare　feet　toasting。

〃Not　such　a　bad　chap；　that　professor；〃　said　Raffles　on　the　stairs；　〃a　real　genius　in　his　way；　too；　though　his　methods　are　a　little　elementary　for　my　taste。　　But　technique　isn't　everything；　to　get　out　of　Dartmoor　and　into　the　Albany　in　the　same　twenty…four　hours　is　a　whole　that　justifies　its　parts。　　Good　Lord！〃

We　had　passed　a　man　in　the　foggy　courtyard；　and　Raffles　had　nipped　my　arm。

〃Who　was　it？〃

〃The　last　man　we　want　to　see！　　I　hope　to　heaven　he　didn't　hear　me！〃

〃But　who　is　he；　Raffles？〃

〃Our　old　friend　Mackenzie；　from　the　Yard！〃

I　stood　still　with　horror。

〃Do　you　think　he's　on　Crawshay's　track？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　I'll　find　out。〃

And　before　I　could　remonstrate　he　had　wheeled　me　round；　when　I　found　my　voice　he　merely　laughed；　and　whispered　that　the　bold　course　was　the　safe　one　every　time。

〃But　it's　madness〃

〃Not　it。　　Shut　up！　　Is　that　YOU；　Mr。　Mackenzie？〃

The　detective　turned　about　and　scrutinized　us　keenly；　and　through　the　gaslit　mist　I　noticed　that　his　hair　was　grizzled　at　the　temples；　and　his　face　still　cadaverous；　from　the　wound　that　had　nearly　been　his　death。

〃Ye　have　the　advantage　o'　me；　sirs；〃　said　he。

〃I　hope　you're　fit　again；〃　said　my　companion。　〃My　name　is　Raffles；　and　we　met　at　Milchester　last　year。〃

〃Is　that　a　fact？〃　cried　the　Scotchman；　with　quite　a　start。　　〃Yes；　now　I　remember　your　face；　and　yours　too；　sir。　　Ay；　yon　was　a　bad　business；　but　it　ended　vera　well；　an'　that's　the　main　thing。〃

His　native　caution　had　returned　to　him。　　Raffles　pinched　my　arm。

〃Yes；　it　ended　splendidly；　but　for　you；〃　said　he。　〃But　what　about　this　escape　of　the　leader　of　the　gang；　that　fellow　Crawshay？　　What　do　you　think　of　that；　eh？〃

〃I　havena　the　parteeculars；〃　replied　the　Scot。

〃Good！〃　cried　Raffles。　　〃I　was　only　afraid　you　might　be　on　his　tracks　once　more！〃

Mackenzie　shook　his　head　with　a　dry　smile；　and　wished　us　good　evening　as　an　invisible　window　was　thrown　up；　and　a　whistle　blown　softly　through　the　fog。

〃We　must　see　this　out；〃　whispered　Raffles。　〃Nothing　more　natural　than　a　little　curiosity　on　our　part。　　After　him；　quick！〃

And　we　followed　the　detective　into　another　entrance　on　the　same　side　as　that　from　which　we　had　emerged；　the　left…hand　side　on　one's　way　to　Piccadilly；　quite　openly　we　followed　him；　and　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs　met　one　of　the　porters　of　the　place。　　Raffles　asked　him　what　was　wrong。

〃Nothing；　sir；〃　said　the　fellow　glibly。

〃Rot！〃　said　Raffles。　　〃That　was　Mackenzie；　the　detective。　　I've　just　been　speaking　to　him。　What's　he　here　for？　　Come　on；　my　good　fellow；　we　won't　give　you　away；　if　you've　instructions　not　to　tell。〃

The　man　looked　quaintly　wistful；　the　temptation　of　an　audience　hot　upon　him；　a　door　shut　upstairs；　and　he　fell。

〃It's　like　this；〃　he　whispered。　　〃This　afternoon　a　gen'leman　comes　arfter　rooms；　and　I　sent　him　to　the　orfice；　one　of　the　clurks；　'e　goes　round　with　'im　an'　shows　'im　the　empties；　an'　the　gen'leman's　partic'ly　struck　on　the　set　the　coppers　is　up　in　now。　So　he　sends　the　clurk　to　fetch　the　manager；　as　there　was　one　or　two　things　he　wished　to　speak　about；　an'　when　they　come　back；　blowed　if　the　gent　isn't　gone！　　Beg　yer　pardon；　sir；　but　he's　clean　disappeared　off　the　face　o'　the　premises！〃　　And　the　porter　looked　at　us　with　shining　eyes。

〃Well？〃　said　Raffles。

〃Well；　sir；　they　looked　about；　an'　looked　about；　an'　at　larst　they　give　him　up　for　a　bad　job；　thought　he'd　changed　his　mind　an'　didn't　want　to　tip　the　clurk；　so　they　shut　up　the　place　an'　come　away。　An'　that's　all　till　about　'alf　an　hour　ago；　when　I　takes　the　manager　his　extry…speshul　Star；　in　about　ten　minutes　he　comes　running　out　with　a　note；　an'　sends　me　with　it　to　Scotland　Yard　in　a　hansom。　An'　that's　all　I　know；　sirstraight。　　The　coppers　is　up　there　now；　and　the　tec；　and　the　manager；　and　they　think　their　gent　is　about　the　place　somewhere　still。　　Least；　I　reckon　that's　their　idea；　but　who　he　is；　or　what　they　want　him　for；　I　dunno。〃

〃Jolly　interesting！〃　said　Raffles。　　〃I'm　going　up　to　inquire。　　Come　on；　Bunny；　there　should　be　some　fun。〃

〃Beg　yer　pardon；　Mr。　Raffles；　but　you　won't　say　nothing　about　me？〃

〃Not　I；　you're　a　good　fellow。　　I　won't　forget　it　if　this　leads　to　sport。　　Sport！〃　he　whispered　as　we　reached　the　landing。　　〃It　looks　like　precious　poor　sport　for　you　and　me；　Bunny！〃

〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　There's　no　time　to　think。　　This；　to　start　with。〃

And　he　thundered　on　the　shut　door；　a　policeman　opened　it。　　Raffles　strode　past　him　with　the　air　of　a　chief　commissioner；　and　I　followed　before　the　man　had　recovered　from　his　astonishment。　The　bare　boards　rang　under　us；　in　the　bedroom　we　found　a　knot　of　officers　stooping　over　the　window…ledge　with　a　constable's　lantern。　　Mackenzie　was　the　first　to　stand　upright；　and　he　greeted　us　with　a　glare。

〃May　I　ask　what　you　gentlemen　want？〃　said　he。

〃We　want　to　lend　a　hand；〃　said　Raffles　briskly。　〃We　lent　one　once　before；　and　it　was　my　friend　here　who　took　over　from　you　the　fellow　who　split　on　all　the　rest；　and　held　him　tightly。　　Surely　that　entitles　him；　at　all　events；　to　see　any　fun　that's　going？　　As　for　myself；　well；　it's　true　I　only　helped　to　carry　you　to　the　house；　but　for　old　acquaintance　I　do　hope；　my　dear　Mr。　Mackenzie；　that　you　will　permit　us　to　share　such　sport　as　there　may　be。　　I　myself　can　only　stop　a　few　minutes；　in　any　case。〃

〃Then　ye'll　not　see　much；〃　growled　the　detective；　〃for　he's　not　up　here。　　Constable；　go　you　and　stand　at　the　foot　o'　the　stairs；　and　let　no　other　body　come　up　on　any　conseederation；　these　gentlemen　may　be　able　to　help　us　after　all。〃

〃That's　kind　of　you；　Mackenzie！〃　cried　Raffles　warmly。　　〃But　what　is　it　all？　　I　questioned　a　porter　I　met　coming　down；　but　could　get　nothing　out　of　him；　except　that　somebody　had　been　to　see　these　rooms　and　not　since　been　seen　himself。〃

〃He's　a　man　we　want；〃　said　Mackenzie。　　〃He's　concealed　himself　somewhere　about　these　premises；　or　I'm　vera　much　mistaken。　　D'ye　reside　in　the　Albany；　Mr。　Raffles？〃

〃I　do。〃

〃Will　your　rooms　be　near　these？〃

〃On　the　next　staircase　but　one。〃

〃Ye'll　just　have　left　them？〃

〃Just。〃

〃Been　in　all　the　afternoon；　likely？〃

〃Not　all。〃

〃Then　I　may　have　to　search　your　rooms；　sir。　　I　am　prepared　to　search　every　room　in　the　Albany！　　Our　man　seems　to　have　gone　for　the　leads；　but　unless　he's　left　more　marks　outside　than　in；　or　we　find　him　up　there；　I　shall　have　the　entire　building　to　ransack。〃

〃I　will　leave　you　my　key；〃　said　Raffles　at　once。　〃I　am　dining　out；　but　I'll　leave　it　with　the　officer　down　below。〃

I　caught　my　breath　in　mute　amazement。　　What　was　the　meaning　of　this　insane　promise？　　It　was　wilful；　gratuitous；　suicidal；　it　made　me　catch　at　his　sleeve　in　open　horror　and　disgust；　but；　with　a　word　of　thanks；　Mackenzie　had　returned　to　his　window…sill；　and　we　sauntered　unwatched　through　the　folding…doors　into　the　adjoining　room。　　Here　the　window