a thief in the night-第16部分

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ly　warned　us　what　to　expect。　　He　was　still　fulminating　when　our　train　came　in。

〃Then　we　meet　again　at　Philippi；〃　cried　Raffles　in　gay　adieu。　　〃For　you　have　been　very　frank　with　us　all。；　Nasmyth；　and　I'll　be　frank　enough　in　my　turn　to　tell　you　that　I've　every　intention　of　speaking　on　the　other　side！〃

It　happened　that　Raffles　had　been　asked　to　speak　by　his　old　college　friend；　the　new　head　master。　　Yet　it　was　not　at　the　school…house　that　he　and　I　were　to　stay；　but　at　the　house　that　we　had　both　been　in　as　boys。　　It　also　had　changed　hands：　a　wing　had　been　added；　and　the　double　tier　of　tiny　studies　made　brilliant　with　electric　light。　But　the　quad　and　the　fives…courts　did　not　look　a　day　older；　the　ivy　was　no　thicker　round　the　study　windows；　and　in　one　boy's　castle　we　found　the　traditional　print　of　Charing　Cross　Bridge　which　had　knocked　about　our　studies　ever　since　a　son　of　the　contractor　first　sold　it　when　he　left。　　Nay；　more；　there　was　the　bald　remnant　of　a　stuffed　bird　which　had　been　my　own　daily　care　when　it　and　I　belonged　to　Raffles。　　And　when　we　all。　filed　in　to　prayers；　through　the　green　baize　door　which　still　separated　the　master's　part　of　the　house　from　that　of　the　boys；　there　was　a　small　boy　posted　in　the　passage　to　give　the　sign　of　silence　to　the　rest　assembled　in　the　hall；　quite　identically　as　in　the　dim　old　days；　the　picture　was　absolutely　unchanged；　it　was　only　we　who　were　out　of　it　in　body　and　soul。

On　our　side　of　the　baize　door　a　fine　hospitality　and　a　finer　flow　of　spirits　were　the　order　of　the　night。　　There　was　a　sound　representative　assortment　of　quite　young　Old　Boys；　to　whom　ours　was　a　prehistoric　time；　and　in　the　trough　of　their　modem　chaff　and　chat　we　old　stagers　might　well　have　been　left　far　astern　of　the　fun。　　Yet　it　was　Raffles　who　was　the　life　and　soul　of　the　party；　and　that　not　by　meretricious　virtue　of　his　cricket。　　There　happened　not　to　be　another　cricketer　among　us；　and　it　was　on　their　own　subjects　that　Raffles　laughed　with　the　lot　in　turn　and　in　the　lump。　　I　never　knew　him　in　quite　such　form。　　I　will　not　say　he　was　a　boy　among　them；　but　he　was　that　rarer　being；　the　man　of　the　world　who　can　enter　absolutely　into　the　fun　and　fervor　of　the　salad　age。　　My　cares　and　my　regrets　had　never　been　more　acute；　but　Raffles　seemed　a　man　without　either　in　his　life。

He　was　not；　however；　the　hero　of　the　Old　Boys'　Match；　and　that　was　expected　of　him　by　all。　the　school。　　There　was　a　hush　when　he　went　in；　a　groan　when　he　came　out。　　I　had　no　reason　to　suppose　he　was　not　trying；　these　things　happen　to　the　cricketer　who　plays　out　of　his　class；　but　when　the　great　Raffles　went　on　to　bowl；　and　was　hit　all。　over　the　field；　I　was　not　so　sure。　　It　certainly　failed　to　affect　his　spirits；　he　was　more　brilliant　than　ever　at　our　hospitable　board；　and　after　dinner　came　the　meeting　at　which　he　and　Nasmyth　were　to　speak。

It　was　a　somewhat　frigid　gathering　until　Nasmyth　rose。　　We　had　all。　dined　with　our　respective　hosts；　and　then　repaired　to　this　business　in　cold　blood。　　Many　were　lukewarm　about　it　in　their　hearts；　there　was　a　certain　amount　of　mild　prejudice；　and　a　greater　amount　of　animal　indifference；　to　be　overcome　in　the　opening　speech。　　It　is　not　for　me　to　say　whether　this　was　successfully　accomplished。　　I　only　know　how　the　temperature　of　that　meeting　rose　with　Nipper　Nasmyth。

And　I　dare　say；　in　all。　the　circumstances　of　the　case；　his　really　was　a　rather　vulgar　speech。　　But　it　was　certainly　impassioned；　and　probably　as　purely　instinctive　as　his　denunciation　of　all。　the　causes　which　appeal　to　the　gullible　many　without　imposing　upon　the　cantankerous　few。　　His　arguments；　it　is　true；　were　merely　an　elaboration　of　those　with　which　he　had　favored　some　of　us　already；　but　they　were　pointed　by　a　concise　exposition　of　the　several　definite　principles　they　represented；　and　barbed　with　a　caustic　rhetoric　quite　admirable　in　itself。　　In　a　word；　the　manner　was　worthy　of　the　very　foundation　it　sought　to　shake；　or　we　had　never　swallowed　such　matter　without　a　murmur。　　As　it　was；　there　was　a　demonstration　in　the　wilderness　when　the　voice　ceased　crying。　　But　we　sat　in　the　deeper　silence　when　Raffles　rose　to　reply。

I　leaned　forward　not　to　lose　a　word。　　I　knew　my　Raffles　so　well　that　I　felt　almost　capable　of　reporting　his　speech　before　I　heard　it。　　Never　was　I　more　mistaken；　even　in　him！　　So　far　from　a　gibe　for　a　gibe　and　a　taunt　for　a　taunt；　there　never　was　softer　answer　than　that　which　A。　J。　Raffles　returned　to　Nipper　Nasmyth　before　the　staring　eyes　and　startled　ears　of　all。　assembled。　　He　courteously　but　firmly　refused　to　believe　a　word　his　old　friend　Nasmyth　had　said　　…　about　himself。　　He　had　known　Nasmyth　for　twenty　years；　and　never　had　he　met　a　dog　who　barked　so　loud　and　bit　so　little。　　The　fact　was　that　he　had　far　too　kind　a　heart　to　bite　at　all。　　Nasmyth　might　get　up　and　protest　as　loud　as　he　liked：　the　speaker　declared　he　knew　him　better　than　Nasmyth　knew　himself。　　He　had　the　necessary　defects　of　his　great　qualities。　　He　was　only　too　good　a　sportsman。　　He　had　a　perfect　passion　for　the　weaker　side。　　That　alone　led　Nasmyth　into　such　excesses　of　language　as　we　had　all。　heard　from　his　lips　that　night。　　As　for　Raffles；　he　concluded　his　far　too　genial　remarks　by　predicting　that；　whatever　Nasmyth　might　say　or　think　of　the　new　fund；　he　would　subscribe　to　it　as　handsomely　as　any　of　us；　like　〃the　generous　good　chap〃　that　we　all。　knew　him　to　be。

Even　so　did　Raffles　disappoint　the　Old　Boys　in　the　evening　as　he　had　disappointed　the　school　by　day。　　We　had　looked　to　him　for　a　noble　raillery；　a　lofty　and　loyal　disdain；　and　he　had　fobbed　us　off　with　friendly　personalities　not　even　in　impeccable　taste。　Nevertheless；　this　light　treatment　of　a　grave　offence　went　far　to　restore　the　natural　amenities　of　the　occasion。　　It　was　impossible　even　for　Nasmyth　to　reply　to　it　as　he　might　to　a　more　earnest　onslaught。　　He　could　but　smile　sardonically；　and　audibly　undertake　to　prove　Raffles　a　false　prophet；　and　though　subsequent　speakers　were　less　merciful　the　note　was　struck；　and　there　was　no　more　bad　blood　in　the　debate。　　There　was　plenty；　however；　in　the　veins　of　Nasmyth；　as　I　was　to　discover　for　myself　before　the　night　was　out。

You　might　think　that　in　the　circumstances　he　would　not　have　attended　the　head　master's　ball　with　which　the　evening　ended；　but　that　would　be　sadly　to　misjudge　so　perverse　a　creature　as　the　notorious　Nipper。　He　was　probably　one　of　those　who　protest　that　there　is　〃nothing　personal〃　in　their　most　personal　attacks。　　Not　that　Nasmyth　took　this　tone　about　Raffles　when　he　and　I　found　ourselves　cheek　by　jowl　against　the　ballroom　wall；　he　could　forgive　his　franker　critics；　but　not　the　friendly　enemy　who　had　treated　him　so　much　more　gently　than　he　deserved。

〃I　seem　to　have　seen　you　with　this　great　man　Raffles；〃　began　Nasmyth；　as　he　overhauled　me　with　his　fighting　eye。　　〃Do　you　know　him　well？〃

〃Intimately。〃

〃I　remember　now。　　You　were　with　him　when　he　forced　himself　upon　me　on　the　way　down　yesterday。　　He　had　to　tell　me　who　he　was。　　Yet　he　talks　as　though　we　were　old　friends。〃

〃You　were　in　the　upper　sixth　together；〃　I　rejoined；　nettled　by　his　tone。

〃What　does　that　matter？　　I　am　glad　to　say　I　had　too　much　self…respect；　and　too　little　respect　for　Raffles；　ever　to　be　a　friend　of　his　then。　I　knew　too　many　of　the　things　he　did；〃　said　Nipper　Nasmyth。

His　fluent　insults　had　taken　my　breath。　　But　in　a　lucky　flash　I　saw　my　retort。

〃You　must　have　had　special　opportunities　of　observation；　living　in　the　town；〃　said　I；　and　drew　first　blood　between　the　long　hair　and　the　ragged　beard；　but　that　was　all。

〃So　he　really　did　get　out　at　nights？〃　remarked　my　adversary。　　〃You　certainly　give　your　friend　away。　　What's　he　doing　now？〃

I　let　my　eyes　follow　Raffles　round　the　room　before　replying。　　He　was　waltzing　with　a　master's　wife　…　waltzing　as　he　did　everything　else。　　Other　couples　seemed　to　melt　before　them。　　And　the　woman　on　his　arm　looked　a　radiant　girl。


〃I　meant　in　town；　or　wherever　he　lives　his　mysterious　life；〃　explained　Nasmyth；　when　I　told　him　that　he　could　see　for　himself。　But　his　clever　tone　did　not　trouble　me；　it　was　his　epithet　that　caused　me　to　prick　my　ears。　　And　I　found　some　difficulty　in　following　Raffles　right　round　the　room。

〃I　thought　everybody　knew　what　he　was　doing；　he's　playing　cricket　most　of　his　time；〃　was　my　measured　reply；　and　if　it　bore　an　extra　touch　of　insolence；　I　can　honestly　ascribe　that　to　my　nerves。

〃And　is　that　all。　he　does　for　a　living？〃　pursued　my　inquisitor　keenly。

〃You　had　better　ask　Raffles　himself；〃　said　I　to　that。　　〃It's　a　pity　you　didn't　ask　him　in　public；　at　the　meeting！〃

But　I　was　beginning　to　show　temper　in　my　embarrassment；　and　of　course　that　made　Nasmyth　the　more　imperturbable。

〃Really；　he　might　be　following　some　disgraceful　calling；　by　the　mystery　you　make　of　it！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃And　for　that　matter　I　call　first…class　cricket　a　disgraceful　calling；　when　it's　followed　by　men　who　ought　to　be　gentlemen；　but　are　really　professionals　in　gentlemanly　clothing。　　The　present　craze　for　gladiatorial　athleticism　I　regard　as　one　of　the　great　evils　of　the　age；　but　the　thinly　veiled　professionalism　of　the　so…called　amateur　is　the　greatest　evil　of　that　craze。　　Men　play　for　the　gentlemen　and　are　paid　more　than　the　players　who　walk　out　of　another　gate。　　In　my　time　there　was　none　of　that。　　Amateurs　were　amateurs　and　sport　was　sport；　there　were　no　Raffleses　in　first…class　cricket　then。　　I　had　forgotten　Raffles　was　a　modern　first…class　cricketer：　that　explains　him。　　Rather　than　see　my　son　such　another；　do　you　know　what　I'd　prefer　to　see　him？〃

I　neither　knew　nor　cared：　yet　a　wretched　premonitory　fascination　held　me　breathless　till　I　was　told！。

〃I'd　prefer　to　see　him　a　thief！〃　said　Nasmyth　savagely；　and　when　his　eyes　were　done　with　me；　he　turned　upon　his　heel。　　So　that　ended　that　stage　of　my　discomfiture。

It　was　only　to　give　place　to　a　worse。　　Was　all。　this　accident　or　fell　design？　　Conscience　had　made　a　coward　of　me；　and　yet　what　reason　had　I　to　disbelieve　the　worst？　　We　were　pirouetting　on　the　edge　of　an　abyss；　sooner　or　later　the　false　step　must　come　and　the　pit　swallow　us。　　I　began　to　wish　myself　back　in　London；　and　I　did　get　back　to　my　room　in　our　old　house。　　My　dancing　days　were　already　over；　th