a thief in the night-第14部分

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less　snub　the　moment　that　service　had　been　well　and　truly　performed。

But　if　Parrington　was　exonerated　in　my　mind；　so　also　was　Raffles　reinstated　in　the　regard　of　those　who　had　entertained　a　far　graver　and　more　dangerous　hypothesis。　　It　was　a　miracle　of　good　luck；　a　coincidence　among　coincidences；　which　had　white…washed　him　in　their　sight　at　the　very　moment　when　they　were　straining　the　expert　eye　to　sift　him　through　and　through。　　But　the　miracle　had　been　performed；　and　its　effect　was　visible　in　every　face　and　audible　in　every　voice。　I　except　Ernest；　who　could　never　have　been　in　the　secret；　moreover；　that　gay　Criminologist　had　been　palpably　shaken　by　his　first　little　experience　of　crime。　　But　the　other　three　vied　among　themselves　to　do　honor　where　they　had　done　injustice。　　I　heard　Kingsmill；　Q。C。；　telling　Raffles　the　best　time　to　catch　him　at　chambers；　and　promising　a　seat　in　court　for　any　trial　he　might　ever　like　to　hear。　Parrington　spoke　of　a　presentation　set　of　his　books；　and　in　doing　homage　to　Raffles　made　his　peace　with　our　host。　　As　for　Lord　Thornaby；　I　did　overhear　the　name　of　the　Athenaeum　Club；　a　reference　to　his　friends　on　the　committee；　and　a　whisper　（as　I　thought）　of　Rule　II。

The　police　were　still　in　possession　when　we　went　our　several　ways；　and　it　was　all。　that　I　could　do　to　drag　Raffles　up　to　my　rooms；　though；　as　I　have　said；　they　were　just　round　the　corner。　　He　consented　at　last　as　a　lesser　evil　than　talking　of　the　burglary　in　the　street；　and　in　my　rooms　I　told　him　of　his　late　danger　and　my　own　dilemma；　of　the　few　words　I　had　overheard　in　the　beginning；　of　the　thin　ice　on　which　he　had　cut　fancy　figures　without　a　crack。　　It　was　all。　very　well　for　him。　　He　had　never　realized　his　peril。　　But　let　him　think　of　me　…　listening；　watching；　yet　unable　to　lift　a　finger　…　unable　to　say　one　warning　word。

Raffles　suffered　me　to　finish；　but　a　weary　sigh　followed　the　last　symmetrical　whiff　of　a　Sullivan　which　he　flung　into　my　fire　before　he　spoke。

〃No；　I　won't　have　another；　thank　you。　　I'm　going　to　talk　to　you；　Bunny。　　Do　you　really　suppose　I　didn't　see　through　these　wiseacres　from　the　first？〃

I　flatly　refused　to　believe　he　had　done　so　before　that　evening。　　Why　had　he　never　mentioned　his　idea　to　me？　　It　had　been　quite　the　other　way；　as　I　indignantly　reminded　Raffles。　　Did　he　mean　me　to　believe　he　was　the　man　to　thrust　his　head　into　the　lion's　mouth　for　fun？　And　what　point　would　there　be　in　dragging　me　there　to　see　the　fun？

〃I　might　have　wanted　you；　Bunny。　　I　very　nearly　did。〃

〃For　my　face？〃

〃It　has　been　my　fortune　before　to…night；　Bunny。　　It　has　also　given　me　more　confidence　than　you　are　likely　to　believe　at　this　time　of　day。　　You　stimulate　me　more　than　you　think。〃

〃Your　gallery　and　your　prompter's　box　in　one？〃

〃Capital；　Bunny！　　But　it　was　no　joking　matter　with　me　either；　my　dear　fellow；　it　was　touch…and…go　at　the　time。　　I　might　have　called　on　you　at　any　moment；　and　it　was　something　to　know　I　should　not　have　called　in　vain。〃

〃But　what　to　do；　Raffles？〃

〃Fight　our　way　out　and　bolt！〃　he　answered；　with　a　mouth　that　meant　it；　and　a　fine　gay　glitter　of　the　eyes。

I　shot　out　of　my　chair。

〃You　don't　mean　to　tell　me　you　had　a　hand　in　the　job？〃

〃I　had　the　only　hand　in　it；　my　dear　Bunny。〃

〃Nonsense！　　You　were　sitting　at　table　at　the　time。　　No；　but　you　may　have　taken　some　other　fellow　into　the　show。　　I　always　thought　you　would！〃

〃One's　quite　enough；　Bunny；〃　said　Raffles　dryly；　he　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　took　out　another　cigarette。　　And　I　accepted　of　yet　another　from　his　case；　for　it　was　no　use　losing　one's　temper　with　Raffles；　and　his　incredible　statement　was　not；　after　all。；　to　be　ignored。

〃Of　course；〃　I　went　on；　〃if　you　really　had　brought　off　this　thing　on　your　own；　I　should　be　the　last　to　criticise　your　means　of　reaching　such　an　end。　　You　have　not　only　scored　off　a　far　superior　force；　which　had　laid　itself　out　to　score　off　you；　but　you　have　put　them　in　the　wrong　about　you；　and　they'll　eat　out　of　your　hand　for　the　rest　of　their　days。　　But　don't　ask　me　to　believe　that　you've　done　all。　this　alone！　　By　George；〃　I　cried；　in　a　sudden　wave　of　enthusiasm；　〃I　don't　care　how　you've　done　it　or　who　has　helped　you。　It's　the　biggest　thing　you　ever　did　in　your　life！〃

And　certainly　I　had　never　seen　Raffles　look　more　radiant；　or　better　pleased　with　the　world　and　himself；　or　nearer　that　elation　which　he　usually　left　to　me。

〃Then　you　shall　hear　all。　about　it；　Bunny；　if　you'll　do　what　I　ask　you。〃

〃Ask　away；　old　chap；　and　the　thing's　done。〃

〃Switch　off　the　electric　lights。〃

〃All。　of　them？〃

〃I　think　so。〃

〃There；　then。〃

〃Now　go　to　the　back　window　and　up　with　the　blind。〃

〃Well？〃？〃

〃I'm　coming　to　you。　　Splendid！　　I　never　had　a　look　so　late　as　this。　It's　the　only　window　left　alight　in　the　house！〃

His　cheek　against　the　pane；　he　was　pointing　slightly　downward　and　very　much　aslant　through　a　long　lane　of　mews　to　a　little　square　light　like　a　yellow　tile　at　the　end。　　But　I　had　opened　the　window　and　leaned　out　before　I　saw　it　for　myself。

〃You　don't　mean　to　say　that's　Thornaby　House？〃

I　was　not　familiar　with　the　view　from　my　back　windows。

〃Of　course　I　do；　you　rabbit！　　Have　a　look　through　your　own　race…glass。　　It　has　been　the　most　useful　thing　of　all。〃

But　before　I　had　the　glass　in　focus　more　scales　had　fallen　from　my　eyes；　and　now　I　knew　why　I　had　seen　so　much　of　Raffles　these　last　few　weeks；　and　why　he　had　always　come　between　seven　and　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening；　and　waited　at　this　very　window；　with　these　very　glasses　at　his　eyes。　　I　saw　through　them　sharply　now。　　The　one　lighted　window　pointed　out　by　Raffles　came　tumbling　into　the　dark　circle　of　my　vision。　　I　could　not　see　into　the　actual　room；　but　the　shadows　of　those　within　were　quite　distinct　on　the　lowered　blind。　　I　even　thought　a　black　thread　still　dangled　against　the　square　of　light。　　It　was；　it　must　be；　the　window　to　which　the　intrepid　Parrington　had　descended　from　the　one　above。

〃Exactly！〃　said　Raffles　in　answer　to　my　exclamation。　　〃And　that's　the　window　I　have　been　watching　these　last　few　weeks。　　By　daylight　you　can　see　the　whole　lot　above　the　ground　floor　on　this　side　of　the　house；　and　by　good　luck　one　of　them　is　the　room　in　which　the　master　of　the　house　arrays　himself　in　all。　his　nightly　glory。　　It　was　easily　spotted　by　watching　at　the　right　time。　　I　saw　him　shaved　one　morning　before　you　were　up！　　In　the　evening　his　valet　stays　behind　to　put　things　straight；　and　that　has　been　the　very　mischief。　In　the　end　I　had　to　find　out　something　about　the　man；　and　wire　to　him　from　his　girl　to　meet　her　outside　at　eight　o'clock。　　Of　course　he　pretends　he　was　at　his　post　at　the　time：　that　I　foresaw；　and　did　the　poor　fellow's　work　before　my　own。　　I　folded　and　put　away　every　garment　before　I　permitted　myself　to　rag　the　room。〃

〃I　wonder　you　had　time！〃

〃It　took　me　one　more　minute；　and　it　put　the　clock　on　exactly　fifteen。　　By　the　way；　I　did　that　literally；　of　course；　in　the　case　of　the　clock　they　found。　　It's　an　old　dodge；　to　stop　a　clock　and　alter　the　time；　but　you　must　admit　that　it　looked　as　though　one　had　wrapped　it　up　all。　ready　to　cart　away。　　There　was　thus　any　amount　of　prima…fade　evidence　of　the　robbery　having　taken　place　when　we　were　all。　at　table。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　Lord　Thornaby　left　his　dressing…room　one　minute；　his　valet　followed　him　the　minute　after；　and　I　entered　the　minute　after　that。〃

〃Through　the　window？〃

〃To　be　sure。　　I　was　waiting　below　in　the　garden。　　You　have　to　pay　for　your　garden　in　town；　in　more　ways　than　one。　　You　know　the　wall；　of　course；　and　that　jolly　old　postern？　　The　lock　was　beneath　contempt。〃

〃But　what　about　the　window？　　It's　on　the　first　floor；　isn't　it？〃

Raffles　took　up　the　cane　which　he　had　laid　down　with　his　overcoat。　It　was　a　stout　bamboo　with　a　polished　ferule。　　He　unscrewed　the　ferule；　and　shook　out　of　the　cane　a　diminishing　series　of　smaller　canes；　exactly　like　a　child's　fishing…rod；　which　I　afterward　found　to　have　been　their　former　state。　　A　double　hook　of　steel　was　now　produced　and　quickly　attached　to　the　tip　of　the　top　joint；　then　Raffles　undid　three　buttons　of　his　waistcoat；　and　lapped　round　and　round　his　waist　was　the　finest　of　Manila　ropes；　with　the　neatest　of　foot…loops　at　regular　intervals。

〃Is　it　necessary　to　go　any　further？〃　asked　Raffles　when　he　had　unwound　the　rope。　　〃This　end　is　made　fast　to　that　end　of　the　hook；　the　other　half　of　the　hook　fits　over　anything　that　comes　its　way；　and　you　leave　your　rod　dangling　while　you　swarm　up　your　line。　　Of　course；　you　must　know　what　you've　got　to　hook　on　to；　but　a　man　who　has　had　a　porcelain　bath　fixed　in　his　dressing…room　is　the　man　for　me。　　The　pipes　were　all。　outside；　and　fixed　to　the　wall　in　just　the　right　place。　　You　see　I　had　made　a　reconnaissance　by　day　in　addition　to　many　by　night；　it　would　hardly　have　been　worth　while　constructing　my　ladder　on　chance。〃

〃So　you　made　it　on　purpose！〃

〃My　dear　Bunny；〃　said　Raffles；　as　he　wound　the　hemp　girdle　round　his　waist　once　more；　〃I　never　did　care　for　ladder　work；　but　I　always　said　that　if　I　ever　used　a　ladder　it　should　be　the　best　of　its　kind　yet　invented。　　This　one　may　come　in　useful　again。〃

〃But　how　long　did　the　whole　thing　take　you？〃

〃From　mother　earth；　to　mother　earth？　　About　five　minutes；　to…night；　and　one　of　those　was　spent　in　doing　another　man's　work。〃

〃What！〃　I　cried。　　〃You　mean　to　tell　me　you　climbed　up　and　down；　in　and　out；　and　broke　into　that　cupboard　and　that　big　tin　box；　and　wedged　up　the　doors　and　cleared　out　with　a　peer's　robes　and　all。　the　rest　of　it　in　five　minutes？〃

〃Of　course　I　don't；　and　of　course　I　didn't。〃

〃Then　what　do　you　mean；　and　what　did　you　do？〃

〃Made　two　bites　at　the　cherry；　Bunny！　　I　had　a　dress　rehearsal　in　the　dead　of　last　night；　and　it　was　then　I　took　the　swag。　　Our　noble　friend　was　snoring　next　door　all。　the　time；　but　the　effort　may　still　stand　high　among　my　small　exploits；　for　I　not　only　took　all。　I　wanted；　but　left　the　whole　place　exactly　as　I　found　it；　and　shut　things　after　me　like　a　good　little　boy。　　All。　that　took　a　good　deal　longer；　to…night　I　had　simply　to　rag　the　room　a　bit；　sweep　up　some　studs　and　links；　and　leave　ample　evidence　of　having　boned　those　rotten　robes　to…night。　　That；　if　you　come　to　think　of　it；　was　what