the amateur cracksman-第35章

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〃Not　there；　not　there；〃　said　Raffles；　〃but　you're　getting　hot。　　Try　the　cartridges。〃

Mackenzie　emptied　them　into　his　palm；　and　shook　each　one　at　his　ear　without　result。

〃Oh；　give　them　to　me！〃

And；　in　an　instant；　Raffles　had　found　the　right　one；　had　bitten　out　the　bullet；　and　placed　the　emperor's　pearl　with　a　flourish　in　the　centre　of　the　table。

〃After　that　you　will　perhaps　show　me　such　little　consideration　as　is　in　your　power。　　Captain；　I　have　been　a　bit　of　a　villain；　as　you　see；　and　as　such　I　am　ready　and　willing　to　lie　in　irons　all　night　if　you　deem　it　requisite　for　the　safety　of　the　ship。　　All　I　ask　is　that　you　do　me　one　favor　first。〃

〃That　shall　debend　on　wad　der　vafour　has　been。〃

〃Captain；　I've　done　a　worse　thing　aboard　your　ship　than　any　of　you　know。　　I　have　become　engaged　to　be　married；　and　I　want　to　say　good…by！〃

I　suppose　we　were　all　equally　amazed；　but　the　only　one　to　express　his　amazement　was　von　Heumann；　whose　deep…chested　German　oath　was　almost　his　first　contribution　to　the　proceedings。　　He　was　not　slow　to　follow　it；　however；　with　a　vigorous　protest　against　the　proposed　farewell；　but　he　was　overruled；　and　the　masterful　prisoner　had　his　way。　He　was　to　have　five　minutes　with　the　girl；　while　the　captain　and　Mackenzie　stood　within　range　（but　not　earshot）；　with　their　revolvers　behind　their　backs。　　As　we　were　moving　from　the　cabin；　in　a　body；　he　stopped　and　gripped　my　hand。

〃So　I　've　let　you　in　at　last；　Bunnyat　last　and　after　all！　　If　you　knew　how　sorry　I　am。　。　。　。　But　you　won't　get　muchI　don't　see　why　you　should　get　anything　at　all。　　Can　you　forgive　me？　This　may　be　for　years；　and　it　may　be　for　ever；　you　know！　　You　were　a　good　pal　always　when　it　came　to　the　scratch；　some　day　or　other　you　mayn't　be　so　sorry　to　remember　you　were　a　good　pal　at　the　last！〃

There　was　a　meaning　in　his　eye　that　I　understood；　and　my　teeth　were　set；　and　my　nerve　strung　ready；　as　I　wrung　that　strong　and　cunning　hand　for　the　last　time　in　my　life。

How　that　last　scene　stays　with　me；　and　will　stay　to　my　death！　　How　I　see　every　detail；　every　shadow　on　the　sunlit　deck！　　We　were　among　the　islands　that　dot　the　course　from　Genoa　to　Naples；　that　was　Elba　falling　back　on　our　starboard　quarter；　that　purple　patch　with　the　hot　sun　setting　over　it。　　The　captain's　cabin　opened　to　starboard；　and　the　starboard　promenade　deck；　sheeted　with　sunshine　and　scored　with　shadow；　was　deserted；　but　for　the　group　of　which　I　was　one；　and　for　the　pale；　slim；　brown　figure　further　aft　with　Raffles。　　Engaged？　　I　could　not　believe　it；　cannot　to　this　day。　Yet　there　they　stood　together；　and　we　did　not　hear　a　word；　there　they　stood　out　against　the　sunset；　and　the　long；　dazzling　highway　of　sunlit　sea　that　sparkled　from　Elba　to　the　Uhlan's　plates；　and　their　shadows　reached　almost　to　our　feet。

Suddenlyan　instantand　the　thing　was　donea　thing　I　have　never　known　whether　to　admire　or　to　detest。　　He　caught　herhe　kissed　her　before　us　allthen　flung　her　from　him　so　that　she　almost　fell。　　It　was　that　action　which　foretold　the　next。　The　mate　sprang　after　him；　and　I　sprang　after　the　mate。

Raffles　was　on　the　rail；　but　only　just。

〃Hold　him；　Bunny！〃　he　cried。　　〃Hold　him　tight！〃

And；　as　I　obeyed　that　last　behest　with　all　my　might；　without　a　thought　of　what　I　was　doing；　save　that　he　bade　me　do　it；　I　saw　his　hands　shoot　up　and　his　head　bob　down；　and　his　lithe；　spare　body　cut　the　sunset　as　cleanly　and　precisely　as　though　he　had　plunged　at　his　leisure　from　a　diver's　board！

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Of　what　followed　on　deck　I　can　tell　you　nothing；　for　I　was　not　there。　　Nor　can　my　final　punishment；　my　long　imprisonment；　my　everlasting　disgrace；　concern　or　profit　you；　beyond　the　interest　and　advantage　to　be　gleaned　from　the　knowledge　that　I　at　least　had　my　deserts。　　But　one　thing　I　must　set　down；　believe　it　who　willone　more　thing　only　and　I　am　done。

It　was　into　a　second…class　cabin；　on　the　starboard　side；　that　I　was　promptly　thrust　in　irons；　and　the　door　locked　upon　me　as　though　I　were　another　Raffles。　　Meanwhile　a　boat　was　lowered；　and　the　sea　scoured　to　no　purpose；　as　is　doubtless　on　record　elsewhere。　　But　either　the　setting　sun；　flashing　over　the　waves；　must　have　blinded　all　eyes；　or　else　mine　were　victims　of　a　strange　illusion。

For　the　boat　was　back；　the　screw　throbbing；　and　the　prisoner　peering　through　his　porthole　across　the　sunlit　waters　that　he　believed　had　closed　for　ever　over　his　comrade's　head。　　Suddenly　the　sun　sank　behind　the　Island　of　Elba；　the　lane　of　dancing　sunlight　was　instantaneously　quenched　and　swallowed　in　the　trackless　waste；　and　in　the　middle　distance；　already　miles　astern；　either　my　sight　deceived　me　or　a　black　speck　bobbed　amid　the　gray。　The　bugle　had　blown　for　dinner：　it　may　well　be　that　all　save　myself　had　ceased　to　strain　an　eye。　And　now　I　lost　what　I　had　found；　now　it　rose；　now　sank；　and　now　I　gave　it　up　utterly。　　Yet　anon　it　would　rise　again；　a　mere　mote　dancing　in　the　dim　gray　distance；　drifting　towards　a　purple　island；　beneath　a　fading　western　sky；　streaked　with　dead　gold　and　cerise。　　And　night　fell　before　I　knew　whether　it　was　a　human　head　or　not。


　　　　　　The　End