the amateur cracksman-第3章

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〃Absolutely。〃

〃Then　I　must；　but　I'm　bound　to　say　I　don't　like　the　idea；　Raffles。〃

〃Do　you　prefer　the　alternative？〃　asked　my　companion；　with　a　sneer。　　〃No；　hang　it；　that's　unfair！〃　he　cried　apologetically　in　the　same　breath。　　〃I　quite　understand。　　It's　a　beastly　ordeal。　　But　it　would　never　do　for　you　to　stay　outside。　　I　tell　you　what；　you　shall　have　a　peg　before　we　startjust　one。　　There's　the　whiskey；　here's　a　syphon；　and　I'll　be　putting　on　an　overcoat　while　you　help　yourself。〃

Well；　I　daresay　I　did　so　with　some　freedom；　for　this　plan　of　his　was　not　the　less　distasteful　to　me　from　its　apparent　inevitability。　　I　must　own；　however；　that　it　possessed　fewer　terrors　before　my　glass　was　empty。　　Meanwhile　Raffles　rejoined　me；　with　a　covert　coat　over　his　blazer；　and　a　soft　felt　hat　set　carelessly　on　the　curly　head　he　shook　with　a　smile　as　I　passed　him　the　decanter。

〃When　we　come　back；〃　said　he。　　〃Work　first；　play　afterward。　　Do　you　see　what　day　it　is？〃　he　added；　tearing　a　leaflet　from　a　Shakespearian　calendar；　as　I　drained　my　glass。　　〃March　15th。　　'The　Ides　of　March；　the　Ides　of　March；　remember。'　Eh；　Bunny；　my　boy？　　You　won't　forget　them；　will　you？〃

And；　with　a　laugh；　he　threw　some　coals　on　the　fire　before　turning　down　the　gas　like　a　careful　householder。　　So　we　went　out　together　as　the　clock　on　the　chimney…piece　was　striking　two。

　　II

Piccadilly　was　a　trench　of　raw　white　fog；　rimmed　with　blurred　street…lamps；　and　lined　with　a　thin　coating　of　adhesive　mud。　　We　met　no　other　wayfarers　on　the　deserted　flagstones；　and　were　ourselves　favored　with　a　very　hard　stare　from　the　constable　of　the　beat；　who；　however；　touched　his　helmet　on　recognizing　my　companion。

〃You　see；　I'm　known　to　the　police；〃　laughed　Raffles　as　we　passed　on。　　〃Poor　devils；　they've　got　to　keep　their　weather　eye　open　on　a　night　like　this！　　A　fog　may　be　a　bore　to　you　and　me；　Bunny；　but　it's　a　perfect　godsend　to　the　criminal　classes；　especially　so　late　in　their　season。　　Here　we　are；　thoughand　I'm　hanged　if　the　beggar　isn't　in　bed　and　asleep　after　all！〃

We　had　turned　into　Bond　Street；　and　had　halted　on　the　curb　a　few　yards　down　on　the　right。　　Raffles　was　gazing　up　at　some　windows　across　the　road；　windows　barely　discernible　through　the　mist；　and　without　the　glimmer　of　a　light　to　throw　them　out。　They　were　over　a　jeweller's　shop；　as　I　could　see　by　the　peep…hole　in　the　shop　door；　and　the　bright　light　burning　within。　　But　the　entire　〃upper　part；〃　with　the　private　street…door　next　the　shop；　was　black　and　blank　as　the　sky　itself。

〃Better　give　it　up　for　to…night；〃　I　urged。　〃Surely　the　morning　will　be　time　enough！〃

〃Not　a　bit　of　it；〃　said　Raffles。　　〃I　have　his　key。　We'll　surprise　him。　　Come　along。〃

And　seizing　my　right　arm；　he　hurried　me　across　the　road；　opened　the　door　with　his　latch…key；　and　in　another　moment　had　shut　it　swiftly　but　softly　behind　us。　　We　stood　together　in　the　dark。　　Outside；　a　measured　step　was　approaching；　we　had　heard　it　through　the　fog　as　we　crossed　the　street；　now；　as　it　drew　nearer；　my　companion's　fingers　tightened　on　my　arm。

〃It　may　be　the　chap　himself；〃　he　whispered。　〃He's　the　devil　of　a　night…bird。　　Not　a　sound；　Bunny！　　We'll　startle　the　life　out　of　him。　　Ah！〃

The　measured　step　had　passed　without　a　pause。　Raffles　drew　a　deep　breath；　and　his　singular　grip　of　me　slowly　relaxed。

〃But　still；　not　a　sound；〃　he　continued　in　the　same　whisper；　〃we'll　take　a　rise　out　of　him；　wherever　he　is！　　Slip　off　your　shoes　and　follow　me。〃

Well；　you　may　wonder　at　my　doing　so；　but　you　can　never　have　met　A。　J。　Raffles。　　Half　his　power　lay　in　a　conciliating　trick　of　sinking　the　commander　in　the　leader。　　And　it　was　impossible　not　to　follow　one　who　led　with　such　a　zest。　　You　might　question；　but　you　followed　first。　　So　now；　when　I　heard　him　kick　off　his　own　shoes；　I　did　the　same；　and　was　on　the　stairs　at　his　heels　before　I　realized　what　an　extraordinary　way　was　this　of　approaching　a　stranger　for　money　in　the　dead　of　night。　　But　obviously　Raffles　and　he　were　on　exceptional　terms　of　intimacy；　and　I　could　not　but　infer　that　they　were　in　the　habit　of　playing　practical　jokes　upon　each　other。

We　groped　our　way　so　slowly　upstairs　that　I　had　time　to　make　more　than　one　note　before　we　reached　the　top。　　The　stair　was　uncarpeted。　　The　spread　fingers　of　my　right　hand　encountered　nothing　on　the　damp　wall；　those　of　my　left　trailed　through　a　dust　that　could　be　felt　on　the　banisters。　An　eerie　sensation　had　been　upon　me　since　we　entered　the　house。　　It　increased　with　every　step　we　climbed。　　What　hermit　were　we　going　to　startle　in　his　cell？

We　came　to　a　landing。　　The　banisters　led　us　to　the　left；　and　to　the　left　again。　　Four　steps　more；　and　we　were　on　another　and　a　longer　landing；　and　suddenly　a　match　blazed　from　the　black。　　I　never　heard　it　struck。　　Its　flash　was　blinding。　　When　my　eyes　became　accustomed　to　the　light；　there　was　Raffles　holding　up　the　match　with　one　hand；　and　shading　it　with　the　other；　between　bare　boards；　stripped　walls；　and　the　open　doors　of　empty　rooms。

〃Where　have　you　brought　me？〃　I　cried。　　〃The　house　is　unoccupied！〃

〃Hush！　　Wait！〃　he　whispered；　and　he　led　the　way　into　one　of　the　empty　rooms。　　His　match　went　out　as　we　crossed　the　threshold；　and　he　struck　another　without　the　slightest　noise。　　Then　he　stood　with　his　back　to　me；　fumbling　with　something　that　I　could　not　see。　　But；　when　he　threw　the　second　match　away；　there　was　some　other　light　in　its　stead；　and　a　slight　smell　of　oil。　　I　stepped　forward　to　look　over　his　shoulder；　but　before　I　could　do　so　he　had　turned　and　flashed　a　tiny　lantern　in　my　face。

〃What's　this？〃　I　gasped。　　〃What　rotten　trick　are　you　going　to　play？〃

〃It's　played；〃　he　answered；　with　his　quiet　laugh。

〃On　me？〃

〃I　am　afraid　so；　Bunny。〃

〃Is　there　no　one　in　the　house；　then？〃

〃No　one　but　ourselves。〃

〃So　it　was　mere　chaff　about　your　friend　in　Bond　Street；　who　could　let　us　have　that　money？〃

〃Not　altogether。　　It's　quite　true　that　Danby　is　a　friend　of　mine。〃

〃Danby？〃

〃The　jeweller　underneath。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　I　whispered；　trembling　like　a　leaf　as　his　meaning　dawned　upon　me。　　〃Are　we　to　get　the　money　from　the　jeweller？〃

〃Well；　not　exactly。〃

〃What；　then？〃

〃The　equivalentfrom　his　shop。〃

There　was　no　need　for　another　question。　　I　understood　everything　but　my　own　density。　　He　had　given　me　a　dozen　hints；　and　I　had　taken　none。　And　there　I　stood　staring　at　him；　in　that　empty　room；　and　there　he　stood　with　his　dark　lantern；　laughing　at　me。

〃A　burglar！〃　I　gasped。　　〃Youyou！〃

〃I　told　you　I　lived　by　my　wits。〃

〃Why　couldn't　you　tell　me　what　you　were　going　to　do？　　Why　couldn't　you　trust　me？　　Why　must　you　lie？〃　I　demanded；　piqued　to　the　quick　for　all　my　horror。

〃I　wanted　to　tell　you；〃　said　he。　　〃I　was　on　the　point　of　telling　you　more　than　once。　　You　may　remember　how　I　sounded　you　about　crime；　though　you　have　probably　forgotten　what　you　said　yourself。　　I　didn't　think　you　meant　it　at　the　time；　but　I　thought　I'd　put　you　to　the　test。　　Now　I　see　you　didn't；　and　I　don't　blame　you。　　I　only　am　to　blame。　Get　out　of　it；　my　dear　boy；　as　quick　as　you　can；　leave　it　to　me。　　You　won't　give　me　away；　whatever　else　you　do！〃

Oh；　his　cleverness！　　His　fiendish　cleverness！　Had　he　fallen　back　on　threats；　coercion；　sneers；　all　might　have　been　different　even　yet。　　But　he　set　me　free　to　leave　him　in　the　lurch。　　He　would　not　blame　me。　　He　did　not　even　bind　me　to　secrecy；　he　trusted　me。　　He　knew　my　weakness　and　my　strength；　and　was　playing　on　both　with　his　master's　touch。

〃Not　so　fast；〃　said　I。　　〃Did　I　put　this　into　your　head；　or　were　you　going　to　do　it　in　any　case？〃

〃Not　in　any　case；〃　said　Raffles。　　〃It's　true　I've　had　the　key　for　days；　but　when　I　won　to…night　I　thought　of　chucking　it；　for；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　it's　not　a　one…man　job。〃

〃That　settles　it。　　I'm　your　man。〃

〃You　mean　it？〃

〃Yesfor　to…night。〃

〃Good　old　Bunny；〃　he　murmured；　holding　the　lantern　for　one　moment　to　my　face；　the　next　he　was　explaining　his　plans；　and　I　was　nodding；　as　though　we　had　been　fellow…cracksmen　all　our　days。

〃I　know　the　shop；〃　he　whispered；　〃because　I've　got　a　few　things　there。　　I　know　this　upper　part　too；　it's　been　to　let　for　a　month；　and　I　got　an　order　to　view；　and　took　a　cast　of　the　key　before　using　it。　The