a thief in the night-第15部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


le　evidence　of　having　boned　those　rotten　robes　to…night。　　That；　if　you　come　to　think　of　it；　was　what　you　writing　chaps　would　call　the　quintessential　Q。E。F。　　I　have　not　only　shown　these　dear　Criminologists　that　I　couldn't　possibly　have　done　this　trick；　but　that　there's　some　other　fellow　who　could　and　did；　and　whom　they've　been　perfect　asses　to　confuse　with　me。〃

You　may　figure　me　as　gazing　on　Raffles　all。　this　time　in　mute　and　rapt　amazement。　　But　I　had　long　been　past　that　pitch。　　If　he　had　told　me　now　that　he　had　broken　into　the　Bank　of　England；　or　the　Tower；　I　should　not　have　disbelieved　him　for　a　moment。　　I　was　prepared　to　go　home　with　him　to　the　Albany　and　find　the　regalia　under　his　bed。　　And　I　took　down　my　overcoat　as　he　put　on　his。　　But　Raffles　would　not　hear　of　my　accompanying　him　that　night。

〃No；　my　dear　Bunny；　I　am　short　of　sleep　and　fed　up　with　excitement。　You　mayn't　believe　it　…　you　may　look　upon　me　as　a　plaster　devil　…　　but　those　five　minutes　you　wot　of　were　rather　too　crowded　even　for　my　taste。　　The　dinner　was　nominally　at　a　quarter　to　eight；　and　I　don't　mind　telling　you　now　that　I　counted　on　twice　as　long　as　I　had。　But　no　one　came　until　twelve　minutes　to；　and　so　our　host　took　his　time。　　I　didn't　want　to　be　the　last　to　arrive；　and　I　was　in　the　drawing…room　five　minutes　before　the　hour。　　But　it　was　a　quicker　thing　than　I　care　about；　when　all。　is　said。〃

And　his　last　word　on　the　matter；　as　he　nodded　and　went　his　way；　may　well　be　mine；　for　one　need　be　no　criminologist；　much　less　a　member　of　the　Criminologists'　Club；　to　remember　what　Raffles　did　with　the　robes　and　coronet　of　the　Right　Hon。　the　Earl　of　Thornaby；　K。G。　　He　did　with　them　exactly　what　he　might　have　been　expected　to　do　by　the　gentlemen　with　whom　he　had　foregathered；　and　he　did　it　in　a　manner　so　characteristic　of　himself　as　surely　to　remove　from　their　minds　the　last　aura　of　the　idea　that　he　and　himself　were　the　same　person。　Carter　Paterson　was　out　of　the　question；　and　any　labelling　or　addressing　to　be　avoided　on　obvious　grounds。　　But　Raffles　stabled　the　white　elephants　in　the　cloak…room　at　Charing　Cross　…　　and　sent　Lord　Thornaby　the　ticket。




The　Field　of　Phillipi


Nipper　Nasmyth　had　been　head　of　our　school　when　Raffles　was　captain　of　cricket。　I　believe　he　owed　his　nickname　entirely　to　the　popular　prejudice　against　a　day…boy；　and　in　view　of　the　special　reproach　which　the　term　carried　in　my　time；　as　also　of　the　fact　that　his　father　was　one　of　the　school　trustees；　partner　in　a　banking　firm　of　four　resounding　surnames；　and　manager　of　the　local　branch；　there　can　be　little　doubt　that　the　stigma　was　undeserved。　　But　we　did　not　think　so　then；　for　Nasmyth　was　unpopular　with　high　and　low；　and　appeared　to　glory　in　the　fact。　　A　swollen　conscience　caused　him　to　see　and　hear　even　more　than　was　warranted　by　his　position；　and　his　uncompromising　nature　compelled　him　to　act　on　whatsoever　he　heard　or　saw：　a　savage　custodian　of　public　morals；　he　had　in　addition　a　perverse　enthusiasm　for　lost　causes；　loved　a　minority　for　its　own　sake；　and　untenable　tenets　for　theirs。　　Such；　at　all。　events；　was　my　impression　of　Nipper　Nasmyth；　after　my　first　term；　which　was　also　his　last　I　had　never　spoken　to　him；　but　I　had　heard　him　speak　with　extraordinary　force　and　fervor　in　the　school　debates。　　I　carried　a　clear　picture　of　his　unkempt　hair；　his　unbrushed　coat；　his　dominant　spectacles；　his　dogmatic　jaw。　　And　it　was　I　who　knew　the　combination　at　a　glance；　after　years　and　years；　when　the　fateful　whim　seized　Raffles　to　play　once　more　in　the　Old　Boys'　Match；　and　his　will　took　me　down　with　him　to　participate　in　the　milder　festivities　of　Founder's　Day。

It　was；　however；　no　ordinary　occasion。　　The　bicentenary　loomed　but　a　year　ahead；　and　a　movement　was　on　foot　to　mark　the　epoch　with　an　adequate　statue　of　our　pious　founder。　　A　special　meeting　was　to　be　held　at　the　school…house；　and　Raffles　had　been　specially　invited　by　the　new　head　master；　a　man　of　his　own　standing；　who　had　been　in　the　eleven　with　him　up　at　Cambridge。　　Raffles　had　not　been　near　the　old　place　for　years；　but　I　had　never　gone　down　since　the　day　I　left；　and　I　will　not　dwell　on　the　emotions　which　the　once　familiar　journey　awakened　in　my　unworthy　bosom。　　Paddington　was　alive　with　Old　Boys　of　all。　ages　…　but　very　few　of　ours　…　if　not　as　lively　as　we　used　to　make　it　when　we　all。　landed　back　for　the　holidays。　　More　of　us　had　moustaches　and　cigarettes　and　〃loud〃　ties。　　That　was　all。　　Yet　of　the　throng；　though　two　or　three　looked　twice　and　thrice　at　Raffles；　neither　he　nor　I　knew　a　soul　until　we　had　to　change　at　the　junction　near　our　journey's　end；　when；　as　I　say；　it　was　I　who　recognized　Nipper　Nasmyth　at　sight。

The　man　was　own　son　of　the　boy　we　both　remembered。　　He　had　grown　a　ragged　beard　and　a　moustache　that　hung　about　his　face　like　a　neglected　creeper。　　He　was　stout　and　bent　and　older　than　his　years。　But　he　spurned　the　platform　with　a　stamping　stride　which　even　I　remembered　in　an　instant；　and　which　was　enough　for　Raffles　before　he　saw　the　man's　face。

〃The　Nipper　it　is！〃　he　cried。　　〃I　could　swear　to　that　walk　in　a　pantomime　procession！　　See　the　independence　in　every　step：　that's　his　heel　on　the　neck　of　the　oppressor：　it's　the　nonconformist　conscience　in　baggy　breeches。　　I　must　speak　to　him；　Bunny。　　There　was　a　lot　of　good　in　the　old　Nipper；　though　he　and　I　did　bar　each　other。〃

And　in　a　moment　he　had　accosted　the　man　by　the　boy's　nickname；　obviously　without　thinking　of　an　affront　which　few　would　have　read　in　that　hearty　open　face　and　hand。

〃My　name's　Nasmyth；〃　snapped　the　other；　standing　upright　to　glare。

〃Forgive　me；〃　said　Raffles　undeterred。　　〃One　remembers　a　nickname　and　forgets　all。　it　never　used　to　mean。　　Shake　hands；　my　dear　fellow！　I'm　Raffles。　　It　must　be　fifteen　years　since　we　met。〃

〃At　least；〃　replied　Nasmyth　coldly；　but　he　could　no　longer　refuse　Raffles　his　hand。　　〃So　you　are　going　down；〃　he　sneered；　〃to　this　great　gathering？〃　　And　I　stood　listening　at　my　distance；　as　though　still　in　the　middle　fourth。

〃Rather！〃　cried　Raffles。　　〃I'm　afraid　I　have　let　myself　lose　touch；　but　I　mean　to　turn　over　a　new　leaf。　　I　suppose　that　isn't　necessary　in　your　case；　Nasmyth？〃

He　spoke　with　an　enthusiasm　rare　indeed　in　him：　it　had　grown　upon　Raffles　in　the　train；　the　spirit　of　his　boyhood　had　come　rushing　back　at　fifty　miles　an　hour。　　He　might　have　been　following　some　honorable　calling　in　town；　he　might　have　snatched　this　brief　respite　from　a　distinguished　but　exacting　career。　　I　am　convinced　that　it　was　I　alone　who　remembered　at　that　moment　the　life　we　were　really　leading　at　that　time。　　With　me　there　walked　this　skeleton　through　every　waking　hour　that　was　to　follow。　　I　shall　endeavor　not　to　refer　to　it　again。　　Yet　it　should　not　be　forgotten　that　my　skeleton　was　always　there。

〃It　certainly　is　not　necessary　in　my　case；〃　replied　Nasmyth；　still　as　stiff　as　any　poker。　　〃I　happen　to　be　a　trustee。〃

〃Of　the　school？〃

〃Like　my　father　before　me。〃

〃I　congratulate　you；　my　dear　fellow！〃　cried　the　hearty　Raffles　…　a　younger　Raffles　than　I　had　ever　known　in　town。

〃I　don't　know　that　you　need；〃　said　Nasmyth　sourly。

〃But　it　must　be　a　tremendous　interest。　　And　the　proof　is　that　you're　going　down　to　this　show；　like　all。　the　rest　of　us。〃

〃No；　I'm　not。　　I　live　there；　you　see。〃

And　I　think　the　Nipper　recalled　that　name　as　he　ground　his　heel　upon　an　unresponsive　flagstone。

〃But　you're　going　to　this　meeting　at　the　school…house；　surely？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　If　I　do　there　may　be　squalls。　　I　don't　know　what　you　think　about　this　precious　scheme　Raffles；　but　I　。　。　。〃

The　ragged　beard　stuck　out；　set　teeth　showed　through　the　wild　moustache；　and　in　a　sudden　outpouring　we　had　his　views。　　They　were　narrow　and　intemperate　and　perverse　as　any　I　had　heard　him　advocate　as　the　firebrand　of　the　Debating　Society　in　my　first　term。　　But　they　were　stated　with　all。　the　old　vim　and　venom。　　The　mind　of　Nasmyth　had　not　broadened　with　the　years；　but　neither　had　its　natural　force　abated；　nor　that　of　his　character　either。　　He　spoke　with　great　vigor　at　the　top　of　his　voice；　soon　we　had　a　little　crowd　about　us；　but　the　tall　collars　and　the　broad　smiles　of　the　younger　Old　Boys　did　not　deter　our　dowdy　demagogue。　　Why　spend　money　on　a　man　who　had　been　dead　two　hundred　years？　　What　good　could　it　do　him　or　the　school？　　Besides；　he　was　only　technically　our　founder。　　He　had　not　founded　a　great　public　school。　　He　had　founded　a　little　country　grammar　school　which　had　pottered　along　for　a　century　and　a　half。　　The　great　public　school　was　the　growth　of　the　last　fifty　years；　and　no　credit　to　the　pillar　of　piety。　Besides；　he　was　only　nominally　pious。　　Nasmyth　had　made　researches；　and　he　knew。　　And　why　throw　good　money　after　a　bad　man？

〃Are　there　many　of　your　opinion？〃　inquired　Raffles；　when　the　agitator　paused　for　breath。　　And　Nasmyth　beamed　on　us　with　flashing　eyes。

〃Not　one　to　my　knowledge　as　yet；〃　said　he。　　〃But　we　shall　see　after　to…morrow　night。　　I　hear　it's　to　be　quite　an　exceptional　gathering　this　year；　let　us　hope　it　may　contain　a　few　sane　men。　　There　are　none　on　the　present　staff；　and　I　only　know　of　one　among　the　trustees！〃

Raffles　refrained　from　smiling　as　his　dancing　eye　met　mine。

〃I　can　understand　your　view；〃　he　said。　　〃I　am　not　sure　that　I　don't　share　it　to　some　extent。　　But　it　seems　to　me　a　duty　to　support　a　general　movement　like　this　even　if　it　doesn't　take　the　direction　or　the　shape　of　our　own　dreams。　　I　suppose　you　yourself　will　give　something；　Nasmyth？〃

〃Give　something？　　I？　　Not　a　brass　farthing！〃　cried　the　implacable　banker。　　〃To　do　so　would　be　to　stultify　my　whole　position。　　I　cordially　and　conscientiously　disapprove　of　the　whole　thing；　and　shall　use　all。　my　influence　against　it。　　No；　my　good　sir；　I　not　only　don't　subscribe　myself；　but　I　hope　to　be　the　means　of　nipping　a　good　many　subscriptions　in　the　bud。〃

I　was　probably　the　only　one　who　saw　the　sudden　and　yet　subtle　change　in　Raffles　…　the　hard　mouth；　the　harder　eye。　　I；　at　least；　might　have　foreseen　the　sequel　then　and　there。　　But　his　quiet　voice　betrayed　nothing；　as　he　inquired　whether　Nasmyth　was　going　to　speak　at　next　night's　meeting。　　Nasmyth　said　he　might；　and　certainly　warned　us　what　to　expect。　　He　was　still　fulminating　when　our　train　came　in。

〃Then　we　meet　agai