a thief in the night-第10部分

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〃'Well；　well；　it's　lucky　I　looked　in；〃　he　continued。　　〃I　only　came　round　on　the　off…chance　of　letters；　but　if　I　hadn't　you'd　have　had　another　week　in　clover。　　Begad；　though；　I　saw　your　handwriting　the　moment　I'd　got　my　nose　inside！　　Now　just　be　sensible　and　tell　me　where　your　good　man　is。

I　had　no　man。　　I　was　alone；　had　broken　in　alone。　　There　was　not　a　soul　in　the　affair　（much　less　the　house）　except　myself。　　So　much　I　stuttered　out　in　tones　too　hoarse　to　betray　me　on　the　spot。　　But　the　old　man　of　the　world　shook　a　hard　old　head。

〃Quite　right　not　to　give　away　your　pal；〃　said　he。　　〃But　I'm　not　one　of　the　marines；　my　dear；　and　you　mustn't　expect　me　to　swallow　all。　that。　　Well；　if　you　won't　say；　you　won't；　and　we　must　just　send　for　those　who　will。〃

In　a　flash　I　saw　his　fell　design。　　The　telephone　directory　lay　open　on　one　of　the　pedestals。　　He　must　have　been　consulting　it　when　he　heard　me　on　the　stairs；　he　had　another　look　at　it　now；　and　that　gave　me　my　opportunity。　　With　a　presence　of　mind　rare　enough　in　me　to　excuse　the　boast；　I　flung　myself　upon　the　instrument　in　the　corner　and　hurled　it　to　the　ground　with　all。　my　might。　　I　was　myself　sent　spinning　into　the　opposite　corner　at　the　same　instant。　　But　the　instrument　happened　to　be　a　standard　of　the　more　elaborate　pattern；　and　I　flattered　myself　that　I　had　put　the　delicate　engine　out　of　action　for　the　day。

Not　that　my　adversary　took　the　trouble　to　ascertain。　　He　was　looking　at　me　strangely　in　the　electric　light；　standing　intently　on　his　guard；　his　right　hand　in　the　pocket　where　he　had　dropped　his　revolver。　　And　I　…　I　hardly　knew　it　…　but　I　caught　up　the　first　thing　handy　for　self…defence；　and　was　brandishing　the　bottle　which　Raffles　and　I　had　emptied　in　honor　of　my　arrival　on　this　fatal　scene。

〃Be　shot　if　I　don't　believe　you're　the　man　himself！〃　cried　the　colonel；　shaking　an　armed　fist　in　my　face。　　〃You　young　wolf　in　sheep's　clothing。　　Been　at　my　wine；　of　course！　　Put　down　that　bottle；　down　with　it　this　instant；　or　I'll　drill　a　tunnel　through　your　middle。　　I　thought　so！　　Begad；　sir；　you　shall　pay　for　this！　Don't　you　give　me　an　excuse　for　potting　you　now；　or　I'll　jump　at　the　chance！　　My　last　bottle　of　'84　…　you　miserable　blackguard　…　you　unutterable　beast！〃

He　had　browbeaten　me　into　his　own　chair　in　his　own　corner；　he　was　standing　over　me；　empty　bottle　in　one　hand；　revolver　in　the　other；　and　murder　itself　in　the　purple　puckers　of　his　raging　face。　　His　language　I　will　not　even　pretend　to　indicate：　his　skinny　throat　swelled　and　trembled　with　the　monstrous　volleys。　　He　could　smile　at　my　appearance　in　his　wife's　clothes；　he　would　have　had　my　blood　for　the　last　bottle　of　his　best　champagne。　　His　eyes　were　not　hidden　now；　they　needed　no　eyeglass　to　prop　them　open；　large　with　fury；　they　started　from　the　livid　mask。　　I　watched　nothing　else。　　I　could　not　understand　why　they　should　start　out　as　they　did。　　I　did　not　try。　I　say　I　watched　nothing　else　…　until　I　saw　the　face　of　Raffles　over　the　unfortunate　officer's　shoulder。

Raffles　had　crept　in　unheard　while　our　altercation　was　at　its　height；　had　watched　his　opportunity；　and　stolen　on　his　man　unobserved　by　either　of　us。　　While　my　own　attention　was　completely　engrossed；　he　had　seized　the　colonel's　pistol…hand　and　twisted　it　behind　the　colonel's　back　until　his　eyes　bulged　out　as　I　have　endeavored　to　describe。　　But　the　fighting　man　had　some　fight　in　him　still；　and　scarcely　had　I　grasped　the　situation　when　he　hit　out　venomously　behind　with　the　bottle；　which　was　smashed　to　bits　on　Raffles's　shin。　Then　I　threw　my　strength　into　the　scale；　and　before　many　minutes　we　had　our　officer　gagged　and　bound　in　his　chair。　　But　it　was　not　one　of　our　bloodless　victories。　　Raffles　had　been　cut　to　the　bone　by　the　broken　glass；　his　leg　bled　wherever　he　limped；　and　the　fierce　eyes　of　the　bound　man　followed　the　wet　trail　with　gleams　of　sinister　satisfaction。

I　thought　I　had　never　seen　a　man　better　bound　or　better　gagged。　　But　the　humanity　seemed　to　have　run　out　of　Raffles　with　his　blood。　　He　tore　up　tablecloths；　he　cut　down　blind…cords；　he　brought　the　dust…sheets　from　the　drawing…room；　and　multiplied　every　bond。　　The　unfortunate　man's　legs　were　lashed　to　the　legs　of　his　chair；　his　arms　to　its　arms；　his　thighs　and　back　fairly　welded　to　the　leather。　Either　end　of　his　own　ruler　protruded　from　his　bulging　cheeks　…　the　middle　was　hidden　by　his　moustache　…　and　the　gag　kept　in　place　by　remorseless　lashings　at　the　back　of　his　head。　　It　was　a　spectacle　I　could　not　bear　to　contemplate　at　length；　while　from　the　first　I　found　myself　physically　unable　to　face　the　ferocious　gaze　of　those　implacable　eyes。　　But　Raffles　only　laughed　at　my　squeamishness；　and　flung　a　dust…sheet　over　man　and　chair；　and　the　stark　outline　drove　me　from　the　room。

It　was　Raffles　at　his　worst；　Raffles　as　I　never　knew　him　before　or　after　…　a　Raffles　mad　with　pain　and　rage；　and　desperate　as　any　other　criminal　in　the　land。　　Yet　he　had　struck　no　brutal　blow；　he　had　uttered　no　disgraceful　taunt；　and　probably　not　inflicted　a　tithe　of　the　pain　he　had　himself　to　bear。　　It　is　true　that　he　was　flagrantly　in　the　wrong；　his　victim　as　laudably　in　the　right。　　Nevertheless；　granting　the　original　sin　of　the　situation；　and　given　this　unforeseen　development；　even　I　failed　to　see　how　Raffles　could　have　combined　greater　humanity　with　any　regard　for　our　joint　safety；　and　had　his　barbarities　ended　here；　I　for　one　should　not　have　considered　them　an　extraordinary　aggravation　of　an　otherwise　minor　offence。　　But　in　the　broad　daylight　of　the　bathroom；　which　had　a　ground…glass　window　but　no　blind；　I　saw　at　once　the　serious　nature　of　his　wound　and　of　its　effect　upon　the　man。

〃It　will　maim　me　for　a　month；〃　said　he；　〃and　if　the　V。C。　comes　out　alive；　the　wound　he　gave　may　be　identified　with　the　wound　I've　got〃

The　V。C。！　　There；　indeed；　was　an　aggravation　to　one　illogical　mind。　But　to　cast　a　moment's　doubt　upon　the　certainty　of　his　coming　out　alive！

〃Of　course　he'll　come　out；〃　said　I。　　〃We　must　make　up　our　minds　to　that。〃

〃Did　he　tell　you　he　was　expecting　the　servants　or　his　wife？　　If　so；　of　course　we　must　hurry　up。〃

〃No；　Raffles；　I'm　afraid　he's　not　expecting　anybody。　　He　told　me；　if　he　hadn't　looked　in　for　letters；　we　should　have　had　the　place　to　ourselves　another　week。　　That's　the　worst　of　it。〃

Raffles　smiled　as　he　secured　a　regular　puttee　of　dust…sheeting。　No　blood　was　coming　through。

〃I　don't　agree；　Bunny；〃　said　he。　　〃It's　quite　the　best　of　it；　if　you　ask　me。〃

〃What；　that　he　should　die　the　death？〃

〃Why　not？〃

And　Raffles　stared　me　out　with　a　hard　and　merciless　light　in　his　clear　blue　eyes　…　a　light　that　chilled　the　blood。

〃If　it's　a　choice　between　his　life　and　our　liberty；　you're　entitled　to　your　decision　and　I'm　entitled　to　mine；　and　I　took　it　before　I　bound　him　as　I　did；〃　said　Raffles。　　〃I'm　only　sorry　I　took　so　much　trouble　if　you're　going　to　stay　behind　and　put　him　in　the　way　of　releasing　himself　before　he　gives　up　the　ghost。　　Perhaps　you　will　go　and　think　it　over　while　I　wash　my　bags　and　dry　'em　at　the　gas　stove。　　It　will　take　me　at　least　an　hour；　which　will　just　give　me　time　to　finish　the　last　volume　of　Kinglake。〃

Long　before　he　was　ready　to　go；　however；　I　was　waiting　in　the　hall；　clothed　indeed；　but　not　in　a　mind　which　I　care　to　recall。　　Once　or　twice　I　peered　into　the　dining…room　where　Raffles　sat　before　the　stove；　without　letting　him　hear　me。　　He；　too；　was　ready　for　the　street　at　a　moment's　notice；　but　a　steam　ascended　from　his　left　leg；　as　he　sat　immersed　in　his　red　volume。　　Into　the　study　I　never　went　again；　but　Raffles　did；　to　restore　to　its　proper　shelf　this　and　every　other　book　he　had　taken　out　and　so　destroy　that　clew　to　the　manner　of　man　who　had　made　himself　at　home　in　the　house。　　On　his　last　visit　I　heard　him　whisk　off　the　dust…sheet；　then　he　waited　a　minute；　and　when　he　came　out　it　was　to　lead　the　way　into　the　open　air　as　though　the　accursed　house　belonged　to　him。

〃We　shall　be　seen；〃　I　whispered　at　his　heels。　　〃Raffles；　Raffles；　there's　a　policeman　at　the　corner！〃

〃I　know　him　intimately；〃　replied　Raffles；　turning；　however；　the　other　way。　　〃He　accosted　me　on　Monday；　when　I　explained　that　I　was　an　old　soldier　of　the　colonel's　regiment；　who　came　in　every　few　days　to　air　the　place　and　send　on　any　odd　letters。　　You　see；　I　have　always　carried　one　or　two　about　me；　redirected　to　that　address　in　Switzerland；　and　when　I　showed　them　to　him　it　was　all。　right。　　But　after　that　it　was　no　use　listening　at　the　letter…box　for　a　clear　coast；　was　it？〃

I　did　not　answer；　there　was　too　much　to　exasperate　in　these　prodigies　of　cunning　which　he　could　never　trouble　to　tell　me　at　the　time。　　And　I　knew　why　he　had　kept　his　latest　feats　to　himself：　unwilling　to　trust　me　outside　the　house；　he　had　systematically　exaggerated　the　dangers　of　his　own　walks　abroad；　and　when　to　these　injuries　he　added　the　insult　of　a　patronizing　compliment　on　my　late　disguise；　I　again　made　no　reply。

〃What's　the　good　of　your　coming　with　me　he　asked；　when　I　had　followed　him　across　the　main　stream　of　Notting　Hill。

〃We　may　as　well　sink　or　swim　together；〃　I　answered　sullenly。

〃Yes？　　Well；　I'm　going　to　swim　into　the　provinces；　have　a　shave　on　the　way；　buy　a　new　kit　piecemeal；　including　a　cricket…bag　（which　I　really　want）；　and　come　limping　back　to　the　Albany　with　the　same　old　strain　in　my　bowling　leg。　　I　needn't　add　that　I　have　been　playing　country…house　cricket　for　the　last　month　under　an　alias；　it's　the　only　decent　way　to　do　it　when　one's　county　has　need　of　one。　　That's　my　itinerary；　Bunny；　but　I　really　can't　see　why　you　should　come　with　me。〃

〃We　may　as　well　swing　together！〃　I　growled。

〃As　you　will；　my　dear　fellow；〃　replied　Raffles。　　〃But　I　begin　to　dread　your　company　on　the　drop！〃

I　shall　hold　my　pen　on　that　provincial　tour。　　Not　that　I　joined　Raffles　in　any　of　the　little　enterprises　with　which　he　beguiled　the　breaks　in　our　journey；　our　last　deed　in　London　was　far　too　great　a　weight　upon　my　soul。　　I　could　see　that　gallant　officer　in　his　chair；　see　him　at　every　hour　of　the　day　and　night；　now　with　his　indomitable　eyes　meeting　mine　ferociously；　now　a　stark　outline　underneath　a　sheet。　　The　vision　darkened　my　day　and　gave　me　sleepless　nights。　　I　was　with　our　victim　in　all。　his　agony；　my　mind　would　only　leave