a thief in the night-第27章

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　thought　of　his　sufferings　during　that　half…hour。

But　at　the　time　I　had　other　thoughts；　and　they　lay　too　deep　for　idle　words；　for　to　me　also　it　was　a　bitter　hour。　　I　had　not　only　failed　in　my　self…sought　task；　I　had　nearly　killed　my　comrade　into　the　bargain。　　I　had　meant　well　by　friend　and　foe　in　turn；　and　I　had　ended　in　doing　execrably　by　both。　　It　was　not　all。　my　fault；　but　I　knew　how　much　my　weakness　had　contributed　to　the　sum。　　And　I　must　walk　with　the　man　whose　fault　it　was；　who　had　travelled　two　hundred　miles　to　obtain　this　last　proof　of　my　weakness；　to　bring　it　home　to　me；　and　to　make　our　intimacy　intolerable　from　that　hour。　　I　must　walk　with　him　to　Surbiton；　but　I　need　not　talk；　all。　through　Thames　Ditton　I　had　ignored　his　sallies；　nor　yet　when　he　ran　his　arm　through　mine；　on　the　river　front；　when　we　were　nearly　there；　would　I　break　the　seal　my　pride　had　set　upon　my　lips。

〃Come；　Bunny；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃I　have　been　the　one　to　suffer　most；　when　all。's　said　and　done；　and　I'll　be　the　first　to　say　that　I　deserved　it。　　You've　broken　my　head；　my　hair's　all。　glued　up　in　my　gore；　and　what　yarn　I'm　to　put　up　at　Manchester；　or　how　I　shall　take　the　field　at　all。；　I　really　don't　know。　　Yet　I　don't　blame　you；　Bunny；　and　I　do　blame　myself。　　Isn't　it　rather　hard　luck　if　I　am　to　go　unforgiven　into　the　bargain？　　I　admit　that　I　made　a　mistake；　but；　my　dear　fellow；　I　made　it　entirely　for　your　sake。〃

〃For　my　sake！〃　I　echoed　bitterly。

Raffles　was　more　generous；　he　ignored　my　tone。

〃I　was　miserable　about　you　…　frankly　…　miserable！〃　he　went　on。　　〃I　couldn't　get　it　out　of　my　head　that　somehow　you　would　be　laid　by　the　heels。　　It　was　not　your　pluck　that　I　distrusted；　my　dear　fellow；　but　it　was　your　very　pluck　that　made　me　tremble　for　you。　　I　couldn't　get　you　out　of　my　head。　　I　went　in　when　runs　were　wanted；　but　I　give　you　my　word　that　I　was　more　anxious　about　you；　and　no　doubt　that's　why　I　helped　to　put　on　some　runs。　　Didn't　you　see　it　in　the　paper；　Bunny？　　It's　the　innings　of　my　life；　so　far。〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said；　〃I　saw　that　you　were　in　at　close　of　play。　　But　I　don't　believe　it　was　you　…　I　believe　you　have　a　double　who　plays　your　cricket　for　you！〃

And　at　the　moment　that　seemed　less　incredible　than　the　fact。

〃I'm　afraid　you　didn't　read　your　paper　very　carefully；〃　said　Raffles；　with　the　first　trace　of　pique　in　his　tone。　　〃It　was　rain　that　closed　play　before　five　o'clock。　　I　hear　it　was　a　sultry　day　in　town；　but　at　Manchester　we　got　the　storm；　and　the　ground　was　under　water　in　ten　minutes。　　I　never　saw　such　a　thing　in　my　life。　　There　was　absolutely　not　the　ghost　of　a　chance　of　another　ball　being　bowled。　But　I　had　changed　before　I　thought　of　doing　what　I　did。　　It　was　only　when　I　was　on　my　way　back　to　the　hotel；　by　myself；　because　I　couldn't　talk　to　a　soul　for　thinking　of　you；　that　on　the　spur　of　the　moment　I　made　the　man　take　me　to　the　station　instead；　and　was　under　way　in　the　restaurant　car　before　I　had　time　to　think　twice　about　it。　　I　am　not　sure　that　of　all。　the　mad　deeds　I　have　ever　done；　this　was　not　the　maddest　of　the　lot！〃

〃It　was　the　finest；〃　I　said　in　a　low　voice；　for　now　I　marvelled　more　at　the　impulse　which　had　prompted　his　feat；　and　at　the　circumstances　surrounding　it；　than　even　at　the　feat　itself。

〃Heaven　knows；〃　he　went　on；　〃what　they　are　saying　and　doing　in　Manchester！　　But　what　can　they　say？　　'What　business　is　it　of　theirs？　　I　was　there　when　play　stopped；　and　I　shall　be　there　when　it　starts　again。　　We　shall　be　at　Waterloo　just　after　half…past　three；　and　that's　going　to　give　me　an　hour　at　the　Albany　on　my　way　to　Euston；　and　another　hour　at　Old　Trafford　before　play　begins。　What's　the　matter　with　that？　　I　don't　suppose　I　shall　notch　any　more；　but　all。　the　better　if　I　don't；　if　we　have　a　hot　sun　after　the　storm；　the　sooner　they　get　in　the　better；　and　may　I　have　a　bowl　at　them　while　the　ground　bites！〃

〃I'll　come　up　with　you；〃　I　said；　〃and　see　you　at　it。〃

〃My　dear　fellow；〃　replied　Raffles；　〃that　was　my　whole　feeling　about　you。　　I　wanted　to　'see　you　at　it'　…　that　was　absolutely　all。　　I　wanted　to　be　near　enough　to　lend　a　hand　if　you　got　tied　up；　as　the　best　of　us　will　at　times。　　I　knew　the　ground　better　than　you；　and　I　simply　couldn't　keep　away　from　it。　　But　I　didn't　mean　you　to　know　that　I　was　there；　if　everything　had　gone　as　I　hoped　it　might；　I　should　have　sneaked　back　to　town　without　ever　letting　you　know　I　had　been　up。　　You　should　never　have　dreamt　that　I　had　been　at　your　elbow；　you　would　have　believed　in　yourself；　and　in　my　belief　in　you；　and　the　rest　would　have　been　silence　till　the　grave。　　So　I　dodged　you　at　Waterloo；　and　I　tried　not　to　let　you　know　that　I　was　following　you　from　Esher　station。　　But　you　suspected　somebody　was；　you　stopped　to　listen　more　than　once；　after　the　second　time　I　dropped　behind；　but　gained　on　you　by　taking　the　short　cut　by　Imber　Court　and　over　the　foot…bridge　where　I　left　my　coat　and　hat。　　I　was　actually　in　the　garden　before　you　were。　　I　saw　you　smoke　your　Sullivan；　and　I　was　rather　proud　of　you　for　it；　though　you　must　never　do　that　sort　of　thing　again。　　I　heard　almost　every　word　between　you　and　the　poor　devil　upstairs。　　And　up　to　a　certain　point；　Bunny；　I　really　thought　you　played　the　scene　to　perfection。〃

The　station　lights　were　twinkling　ahead　of　us　in　the　fading　velvet　of　the　summer's　night。　　I　let　them　increase　and　multiply　before　I　spoke。

〃And　where；〃　I　asked；　〃did　you　think　I　first　went　wrong？〃

〃In　going　in…doors　at　all。；〃　said　Raffles。　　〃If　I　had　done　that；　I　should　have　done　exactly　what　you　did　from　that　point　on。　　You　couldn't　help　yourself；　with　that　poor　brute　in　that　state。　　And　I　admired　you　immensely；　Bunny；　if　that's　any　comfort　to　you　now。〃

Comfort！　　It　was　wine　in　every　vein；　for　I　knew　that　Raffles　meant　what　he　said；　and　with　his　eyes　I　soon　saw　myself　in　braver　colors。　I　ceased　to　blush　for　the　vacillations　of　the　night；　since　he　condoned　them。　　I　could　even　see　that　I　had　behaved　with　a　measure　of　decency；　in　a　truly　trying　situation；　now　that　Raffles　seemed　to　think　so。　　He　had　changed　my　whole　view　of　his　proceedings　and　my　own；　in　every　incident　of　the　night　but　one。　　There　was　one　thing；　however；　which　he　might　forgive　me；　but　which　I　felt　that　I　could　forgive　neither　Raffles　nor　myself。　　And　that　was　the　contused　scalp　wound　over　which　I　shuddered　in　the　train。

〃And　to　think　that　I　did　that；〃　I　groaned；　〃and　that　you　laid　yourself　open　to　it；　and　that　we　have　neither　of　us　got　another　thing　to　show　for　our　night's　work！　　That　poor　chap　said　it　was　as　bad　a　night　as　he　had　ever　had　in　his　life；　but　I　call　it　the　very　worst　that　you　and　I　ever　had　in　ours。〃

Raffles　was　smiling　under　the　double　lamps　of　the　first…class　compartment　that　we　had　to　ourselves。

〃I　wouldn't　say　that；　Bunny。　　We　have　done　worse。〃

〃Do　you　mean　to　tell　me　that　you　did　anything　at　all。？〃

〃My　dear　Bunny；〃　replied　Raffles；　〃you　should　remember　how　long　I　had　been　maturing　felonious　little　plan；　what　a　blow　it　was　to　me　to　have　to　turn　it　over　to　you；　and　how　far　I　had　travelled　to　see　that　you　did　it　and　yourself　as　well　as　might　be。　　You　know　what　I　did　see；　and　how　well　I　understood。　　I　tell　you　again　that　I　should　have　done　the　same　thing　myself；　in　your　place。　　But　I　was　not　in　your　place；　Bunny。　　My　hands　were　not　tied　like　yours。　Unfortunately；　most　of　the　jewels　have　gone　on　the　honeymoon　with　the　happy　pair；　but　these　emerald　links　are　all。　right；　and　I　don't　know　what　the　bride　was　doing　to　leave　this　diamond　comb　behind。　Here；　too；　is　the　old　silver　skewer　I've　been　wanting　for　years　　…　they　make　the　most　charming　paper…knives　in　the　world　…　and　this　gold　cigarette…case　will　just　do　for　your　smaller　Sullivans。〃

Nor　were　these　the　only　pretty　things　that　Raffles　set　out　in　twinkling　array　upon　the　opposite　cushions。　　But　I　do　not　pretend　that　this　was　one　of　our　heavy　hauls；　or　deny　that　its　chief　interest　still　resides　in　the　score　of　the　Second　Test　Match　of　that　Australian　tour。




A　Trap　to　Catch　a　Cracksman


I　was　just　putting　out　my　light　when　the　telephone　rang　a　furious　tocsin　in　the　next　room。　　I　flounced　out　of　bed　more　asleep　than　awake；　in　another　minute　I　should　have　been　past　ringing　up。　　It　was　one　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and