a thief in the night-第7章

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　　〃'Ware　Prince　of　Professors！　　He　was　in　the　offing　when　I　left。　　　If　slightest　cause　for　uneasiness　about　bank；　withdraw　at　once　　　and　keep　in　own　rooms　Like　good　chap；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃A。　　J。　　R。　　　〃P。　　8。　…　Other　reasons；　as　you　shall　hear。〃

There　was　a　nice　nightcap　for　a　puzzled　head！　　I　had　made　rather　an　evening　of　it；　what　with　increase　of　funds　and　decrease　of　anxiety；　but　this　cryptic　admonition　spoiled　the　remainder　of　my　night。　　It　had　arrived　by　a　late　post；　and　I　only　wished　that　I　had　left　it　all　night　in　my　letter…box。　　What　exactly　did　it　mean？　　And　what　exactly　must　I　do？　　These　were　questions　that　confronted　me　with　fresh　force　in　the　morning。

The　news　of　Crawshay　did　not　surprise　me。　　I　was　quite　sure　that　Raffles　had　been　given　good　reason　to　bear　him　in　mind　before　his　journey；　even　if　he　had　not　again　beheld　the　ruffian　in　the　flesh。　That　ruffian　and　that　journey　might　be　more　intimately　connected　than　I　had　yet　supposed。　　Raffles　never　told　me　all。　　Yet　the　solid　fact　held　good　…　held　better　than　ever　…　that　I　had　seen　his　plunder　safely　planted　in　my　bank。　　Crawshay　himself　could　not　follow　it　there。　　I　was　certain　he　had　not　followed　my　cab：　in　the　acute　self…consciousness　induced　by　that　abominable　drive；　I　should　have　known　it　in　my　bones　if　he　had。　　I　thought　of　the　porter's　friend　who　had　helped　me　with　the　chest。　　No；　I　remember　him　as　well　as　I　remembered　Crawshay；　they　were　quite　different　types。

To　remove　that　vile　box　from　the　bank；　on　top　of　another　cab；　with　no　stronger　pretext　and　no　further　instructions；　was　not　to　be　thought　of　for　a　moment。　　Yet　I　did　think　of　it；　for　hours。　　I　was　always　anxious　to　do　my　part　by　Raffles；　he　had　done　more　than　his　by　me；　not　once　or　twice；　to…day　or　yesterday；　but　again　and　again　from　the　very　first。　　I　need　not　state　the　obvious　reasons　I　had　for　fighting　shy　of　the　personal　custody　of　his　accursed　chest。　Yet　he　had　run　worse　risks　for　me；　and　I　wanted　him　to　learn　that　he；　too；　could　depend　on　a　devotion　not　unworthy　of　his　own。

In　my　dilemma　I　did　what　I　have　often　done　when　at　a　loss　for　light　and　leading。　　I　took　hardly　any　lunch；　but　went　to　Northumberland　Avenue　and　had　a　Turkish　bath　instead。　　I　know　nothing　so　cleansing　to　mind　as　well　as　body；　nothing　better　calculated　to　put　the　finest　possible　edge　on　such　judgment　as　one　may　happen　to　possess。　　Even　Raffles；　without　an　ounce　to　lose　or　a　nerve　to　soothe；　used　to　own　a　sensuous　appreciation　of　the　peace　of　mind　and　person　to　be　gained　in　this　fashion　when　all　others　failed。　　For　me；　the　fun　began　before　the　boots　were　off　one's　feet；　the　muffled　footfalls；　the　thin　sound　of　the　fountain；　even　the　spent　swathed　forms　upon　the　couches；　and　the　whole　clean；　warm；　idle　atmosphere；　were　so　much　unction　to　my　simpler　soul。　　The　half…hour　in　the　hot…rooms　I　used　to　count　but　a　strenuous　step　to　a　divine　lassitude　of　limb　and　accompanying　exaltation　of　intellect。　　And　yet　…　and　yet　…　it　was　in　the　hottest　room　of　all；　in　a　temperature　of　270？Fahrenheit；　that　the　bolt　fell　from　the　Pall　Mall　Gazette　which　I　had　bought　outside　the　bath。

I　was　turning　over　the　hot；　crisp　pages；　and　positively　revelling　in　my　fiery　furnace；　when　the　following　headlines　and　leaded　paragraphs　leapt　to　my　eye　with　the　force　of　a　veritable　blow：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BANK　ROBBERS　IN　THE　WEST　END　…　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　DARING　AND　MYSTERIOUS　CRIME

　　An　audacious　burglary　and　dastardly　assault　have　been　committed　　　on　the　premises　of　the　City　and　Suburban　Bank　in　Sloane　Street；　W。　　　From　the　details　so　far　to　hand；　the　robbery　appears　to　have　been　　　deliberately　planned　and　adroitly　executed　in　the　early　hours　of　　　this　morning。

　　A　night　watchman　named　Fawcett　states　that　between　one　and　two　　　o'clock　he　heard　a　slight　noise　in　the　neighborhood　of　the　lower　　　strong…room；　used　as　a　repository　for　the　plate　and　other　　　　possessions　of　various　customers　of　the　bank。　　Going　down　to　　　investigate；　he　was　instantly　attacked　by　a　powerful　ruffian；　　　who　succeeded　in　felling　him　to　the　ground　before　an　alarm　could　　　be　raised。

　　Fawcett　is　unable　to　furnish　any　description　of　his　assailant　　　or　assailants；　but　is　of　opinion　that　more　than　one　were　engaged　　　in　the　commission　of　the　crime。　　When　the　unfortunate　man　　　recovered　consciousness；　no　trace　of　the　thieves　remained；　with　　　the　exception　of　a　single　candle　which　had　been　left　burning　on　　　the　flags　of　the　corridor。　　The　strong…room；　however；　had　been　　　opened；　and　it　is　feared　the　raid　on　the　chests　of　plate　and　　　other　valuables　may　prove　to　have　been　only　too　successful；　in　　　view　of　the　Easter　exodus；　which　the　thieves　had　evidently　taken　　　into　account。　　The　ordinary　banking　chambers　were　not　even　　　visited；　entry　and　exit　are　believed　to　have　been　effected　　　through　the　coal　cellar；　which　is　also　situated　in　the　basement。　　　Up　to　the　present　the　police　have　effected　no　arrest。

I　sat　practically　paralyzed　by　this　appalling　news；　and　I　swear　that；　even　in　that　incredible　temperature；　it　was　a　cold　perspiration　in　which　I　sweltered　from　head　to　heel。　　Crawshay；　of　course！　　Crawshay　once　more　upon　the　track　of　Raffles　and　his　ill…gotten　gains！　　And　once　more　I　blamed　Raffles　himself：　his　warning　had　come　too　late：　he　should　have　wired　to　me　at　once　not　to　take　the　box　to　the　bank　at　all。　　He　was　a　madman　ever　to　have　invested　in　so　obvious　and　obtrusive　a　receptacle　for　treasure。　　It　would　serve　Raffles　right　if　that　and　no　other　was　the　box　which　had　been　broken　into　by　the　thieves。

Yet；　when　I　considered　the　character　of　his　treasure；　I　fairly　shuddered　in　my　sweat。　　It　was　a　hoard　of　criminal　relics。　　Suppose　his　chest　had　indeed　been　rifled；　and　emptied　of　every　silver　thing　but　one；　that　one　remaining　piece　of　silver；　seen　of　men；　was　quite　enough　to　cast　Raffles　into　the　outer　darkness　of　penal　servitude！　And　Crawshay　was　capable　of　it　…　of　perceiving　the　insidious　revenge　　…　of　taking　it　without　compunction　or　remorse。

There　was　only　one　course　for　me。　　I　must　follow　my　instructions　to　the　letter　and　recover　the　chest　at　all　hazards；　or　be　taken　myself　in　the　attempt。　　If　only　Raffles　had　left　me　some　address；　to　which　I　could　have　wired　some　word　of　warning！　　But　it　was　no　use　thinking　of　that；　for　the　rest　there　was　time　enough　up　to　four　o'clock；　and　as　yet　it　was　not　three。　　I　determined　to　go　through　with　my　bath　and　make　the　most　of　it。　　Might　it　not　be　my　last　for　years？

But　I　was　past　enjoying　even　a　Turkish　bath。　　I　had　not　the　patience　for　a　proper　shampoo；　or　sufficient　spirit　for　the　plunge。　　I　weighed　myself　automatically；　for　that　was　a　matter　near　my　heart；　but　I　forgot　to　give　my　man　his　sixpence　until　the　reproachful　intonation　of　his　adieu　recalled　me　to　myself。　　And　my　couch　in　the　cooling　gallery　…　my　favorite　couch；　in　my　favorite　corner；　which　I　had　secured　with　gusto　on　coming　in　…　it　was　a　bed　of　thorns；　with　hideous　visions　of　a　plank…bed　to　follow！

I　ought　to　be　able　to　add　that　I　heard　the　burglary　discussed　on　adjacent　couches　before　I　left　I　certainly　listened　for　it；　and　was　rather　disappointed　more　than　once　when　I　had　held　my　breath　in　vain。　But　this　is　the　unvarnished　record　of　an　odious　hour；　and　it　passed　without　further　aggravation　from　without；　only；　as　I　drove　to　Sloane　Street；　the　news　was　on　all　the　posters；　and　on　one　I　read　of　〃a　clew〃　which　spelt　for　me　a　doom　I　was　grimly　resolved　to　share。

Already　there　was　something　in　the　nature　of　a　〃run〃　up　on　the　Sloane　Street　branch　of　the　City　and　Suburban。　　A　cab　drove　away　with　a　chest　of　reasonable　dimensions　as　mine　drove　up；　while　in　the　bank　itself　a　lady　was　making　a　painful　scene。　　As　for　the　genial　clerk　who　had　roared　at　my　jokes　the　day　before；　he　was　mercifully　in　no　mood　for　any　more；　but；　on　the　contrary；　quite　rude　to　me　at　sight。

〃I've　been　expecting　you　all　the　afternoon；〃　said　he。　　〃You　needn't　look　so　pale。〃

〃Is　it　safe？〃

〃That　Noah's　Ark　of　yours？　　Yes；　so　I　hear；　they'd　just　got　to　it　when　they　were　interrupted；　and　they　never　went　back　again。〃

〃Then　it　wasn't　even　opened？〃

〃Only　just　begun　on；　I　believe。〃

〃Thank　God！〃

〃You　may；　we　don't；〃　growled　the　clerk。　　〃The　manag