a thief in the night-第23部分

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the　braggart's　boast　as　a　challenge。　　Nor　did　he　deny　it　later　when　I　taxed　him　with　his　mad　resolve；　he　merely　refused　to　allow　me　to　implicate　myself　in　its　execution。　　Well；　there　was　a　spice　of　savage　satisfaction　in　the　thought　that　Raffles　had　been　obliged　to　turn　to　me　in　the　end。　　And；　but　for　the　dreadful　thud　which　I　had　heard　over　the　telephone；　I　might　have　extracted　some　genuine　comfort　from　the　unerring　sagacity　with　which　he　had　chosen　his　night。

Within　the　last　twenty…four　hours　Barney　Maguire　had　fought　his　first　great　battle　on　British　soil。　　Obviously；　he　would　no　longer　be　the　man　that　he　had　been　in　the　strict　training　before　the　fight；　never；　as　I　gathered；　was　such　a　ruffian　more　off　his　guard；　or　less　capable　of　protecting　himself　and　his　possessions；　than　in　these　first　hours　of　relaxation　and　inevitable　debauchery　for　which　Raffles　had　waited　with　characteristic　foresight。　　Nor　was　the　terrible　Barney　likely　to　be　more　abstemious　for　signal　punishment　sustained　in　a　far　from　bloodless　victory。　　Then　what　could　be　the　meaning　of　that　sickening　and　most　suggestive　thud？　　Could　it　be　the　champion　himself　who　had　received　the　coup　de　grace　in　his　cups？　Raffles　was　the　very　man　to　administer　it　…　but　he　had　not　talked　like　that　man　through　the　telephone。

And　yet　…　and　yet　…　what　else　could　have　happened？　　I　must　have　asked　myself　the　question　between　each　and　all。　of　the　above　reflections；　made　partly　as　I　dressed　and　partly　in　the　hansom　on　the　way　to　Half…moon　Street。　　It　was　as　yet　the　only　question　in　my　mind。　　You　must　know　what　your　emergency　is　before　you　can　decide　how　to　cope　with　it；　and　to　this　day　I　sometimes　tremble　to　think　of　the　rashly　direct　method　by　which　I　set　about　obtaining　the　requisite　information。　　I　drove　every　yard　of　the　way　to　the　pugilist's　very　door。　　You　will　remember　that　I　had　been　dining　with　Swigger　Morrison　at　his　club。

Yet　at　the　last　I　had　a　rough　idea　of　what　I　meant　to　say　when　the　door　was　opened。　　It　seemed　almost　probable　that　the　tragic　end　of　our　talk　over　the　telephone　had　been　caused　by　the　sudden　arrival　and　as　sudden　violence　of　Barney　Maguire。　　In　that　case　I　was　resolved　to　tell　him　that　Raffles　and　I　had　made　a　bet　about　his　burglar　trap；　and　that　I　had　come　to　see　who　had　won。　　I　might　or　might　not　confess　that　Raffles　had　rung　me　out　of　bed　to　this　end。　If；　however；　I　was　wrong　about　Maguire；　and　he　had　not　come　home　at　all。；　then　my　action　would　depend　upon　the　menial　who　answered　my　reckless　ring。　　But　it　should　result　in　the　rescue　of　Raffles　by　hook　or　crook。

I　had　the　more　time　to　come　to　some　decision；　since　I　rang　and　rang　in　vain。　　The　hall；　indeed；　was　in　darkness；　but　when　I　peeped　through　the　letter…box　I　could　see　a　faint　beam　of　light　from　the　back　room。　　That　was　the　room　in　which　Maguire　kept　his　trophies　and　set　his　trap。　　All。　was　quiet　in　the　house：　could　they　have　haled　the　intruder　to　Vine　Street　in　the　short　twenty　minutes　which　it　had　taken　me　to　dress　and　to　drive　to　the　spot？　　That　was　an　awful　thought；　but　even　as　I　hoped　against　hope；　and　rang　once　more；　speculation　and　suspense　were　cut　short　in　the　last　fashion　to　be　foreseen。

A　brougham　was　coming　sedately　down　the　street　from　Piccadilly；　to　my　horror；　it　stopped　behind　me　as　I　peered　once　more　through　the　letter…box；　and　out　tumbled　the　dishevelled　prizefighter　and　two　companions。　　I　was　nicely　caught　in　my　turn。　　There　was　a　lamp…post　right　opposite　the　door；　and　I　can　still　see　the　three　of　them　regarding　me　in　its　light。　　The　pugilist　had　been　at　least　a　fine　figure　of　a　bully　and　a　braggart　when　I　saw　him　before　his　fight；　now　he　had　a　black　eye　and　a　bloated　lip；　hat　on　the　back　of　his　head；　and　made…up　tie　under　one　ear。　　His　companions　were　his　sallow　little　Yankee　secretary；　whose　name　I　really　forget；　but　whom　I　met　with　Maguire　at　the　Boxing　Club；　and　a　very　grand　person　in　a　second　skin　of　shimmering　sequins。

I　can　neither　forget　nor　report　the　terms　in　which　Barney　Maguire　asked　me　who　I　was　and　what　I　was　doing　there。　　Thanks；　however；　to　Swigger　Morrison's　hospitality；　I　readily　reminded　him　of　our　former　meeting；　and　of　more　that　I　only　recalled　as　the　words　were　in　my　mouth。

〃You'll　remember　Raffles；〃　said　I；　〃if　you　don't　remember　me。　　You　showed　us　your　trophies　the　other　night；　and　asked　us　both　to　look　you　up　at　any　hour　of　the　day　or　night　after　the　fight。〃

I　was　going　on　to　add　that　I　had　expected　to　find　Raffles　there　before　me；　to　settle　a　wager　that　we　had　made　about　the　man…trap。　But　the　indiscretion　was　interrupted　by　Maguire　himself；　whose　dreadful　fist　became　a　hand　that　gripped　mine　with　brute　fervor；　while　with　the　other　he　clouted　me　on　the　back。

〃You　don't　say！〃　he　cried。　　〃I　took　you　for　some　darned　crook；　but　now　I　remember　you　perfectly。　　If　you　hadn't've　spoke　up　slick　I'd　have　bu'st　your　face　in；　sonny。　　I　would；　sure！　　Come　right　in；　and　have　a　drink　to　show　there's　…　Jeehoshaphat！〃

The　secretary　had　turned　the　latch…key　in　the　door；　only　to　be　hauled　back　by　the　collar　as　the　door　stood　open；　and　the　light　from　the　inner　room　was　seen　streaming　upon　the　banisters　at　the　foot　of　the　narrow　stairs。

〃A　light　in　my　den；〃　said　Maguire　in　a　mighty　whisper；　〃and　the　blamed　door　open；　though　the　key's　in　my　pocket　and　we　left　it　locked！　　Talk　about　crooks；　eh？　　Holy　smoke；　how　I　hope　we've　landed　one　alive！　　You　ladies　and　gentlemen；　lay　round　where　you　are；　while　I　see。〃

And　the　hulking　figure　advanced　on　tiptoe；　like　a　performing　elephant；　until　just　at　the　open　door；　when　for　a　second　we　saw　his　left　revolving　like　a　piston　and　his　head　thrown　back　at　its　fighting　angle。　　But　in　another　second　his　fists　were　hands　again；　and　Maguire　was　rubbing　them　together　as　he　stood　shaking　with　laughter　in　the　light　of　the　open　door。

〃Walk　up！〃　he　cried；　as　he　beckoned　to　us　three。　　〃Walk　up　and　see　one　o'　their　blamed　British　crooks　laid　as　low　as　the　blamed　carpet；　and　nailed　as　tight！〃

Imagine　my　feelings　on　the　mat！　　The　sallow　secretary　went　first；　the　sequins　glittered　at　his　heels；　and　I　must　own　that　for　one　base　moment　I　was　on　the　brink　of　bolting　through　the　street　door。　　It　had　never　been　shut　behind　us。　　I　shut　it　myself　in　the　end。　　Yet　it　was　small　credit　to　me　that　I　actually　remained　on　the　same　side　of　the　door　as　Raffles。

〃Reel　home…grown；　low…down；　unwashed　Whitechapel！〃　　I　had　heard　Maguire　remark　within。　　〃Blamed　if　our　Bowery　boys　ain't　cock…angels　to　scum　like　this。　　Ah；　you　biter；　I　wouldn't　soil　my　knuckles　on　your　ugly　face；　but　if　I　had　my　thick　boots　on　I'd　dance　the　soul　out　of　your　carcass　for　two　cents！〃

After　this　it　required　less　courage　to　join　the　others　in　the　inner　room；　and　for　some　moments　even　I　failed　to　identify　the　truly　repulsive　object　about　which　I　found　them　grouped。　　There　was　no　false　hair　upon　the　face；　but　it　was　as　black　as　any　sweep's。　　The　clothes；　on　the　other　hand；　were　new　to　me；　though　older　and　more　pestiferous　in　themselves　than　most　worn　by　Raffles　for　professional　purposes。　　And　at　first；　as　I　say；　I　was　far　from　sure　whether　it　was　Raffles　at　all。；　but　I　remembered　the　crash　that　cut　short　our　talk　over　the　telephone；　and　this　inanimate　heap　of　rags　was　lying　directly　underneath　a　wall　instrument；　with　the　receiver　dangling　over　him。

〃Think　you　know　him？〃　asked　the　sallow　secretary；　as　I　stooped　and　peered　with　my　heart　in　my　boots。

〃Good　Lord；　no！　　I　only　wanted　to　see　if　he　was　dead；〃　I　explained；　having　satisfied　myself　that　it　was　really　Raffles；　and　that　Raffles　was　really　insensible。　　〃But　what　on　earth　has　happened？〃　　I　asked　in　my　turn。

〃That's　what　I　want　to　know；〃　whined　the　person　in　sequins；　who　had　contributed　various　ejaculations　unworthy　of　report；　and　finally　subsided　behind　an　ostentatious　fan。

〃I　should　judge；〃　observed　the　secretary；　〃that　it's　for　Mr。　Maguire　to　say；　or　not　to　say；　just　as　he　darn　pleases。〃

But　the　celebrated　Barney　stood　upon　a　Persian　hearth…rug；　beaming　upon　us　all。　in　a　triumph　too　delicious　for　immediate　translation　into　words。　　The　room　was　furnished　as　a　study；　and　most　artistically　furnished；　if　you　consider　outlandish　shapes　in　fumed　oak　artistic。　There　was　nothing　of　the　traditional　prize…fighter　about　Barney　Maguire；　except　his　vocabulary　and　his　lower　jaw。　　I　had　seen　over　his　house　already；　and　it　was　fitted　and　decorated　throughout　by　a　high…art　firm　which　exhibits　just　such　a　room　as　that　which　was　the　scene　of　our　tragedietta。　　The　person　in　the　sequins　lay　glistening　like　a　landed　salmon　in　a　quaint　chair　of　enormous　nails　and　tapestry　compact。　　The　secretary　leaned　against　an　escritoire　with　huge　hinges　of　beaten　metal。　　The　pugilist's　own　background　presented　an　elaborate　scheme　of　oak　and　tiles；　with　inglenooks　green　from　the　joiner；　and　a　china　cupboard　with　leaded　panes　behind　his　bullet　head。　　And　his　bloodshot　eyes　rolled　with　rich　delight　from　the　decanter　and　glasses　on　the　octagonal　table　to　another　decanter　in　the　quaintest　and　craftiest　of　revolving　spirit　tables。

〃Isn't　it　bully？〃　asked　the　prize…fighter；　smiling　on　us　each　in　turn；　with　his　black　and　bloodshot　eyes　and　his　bloated　lip。　　〃To　think　that　I've　only　to　invent　a　trap　to　catch　a　crook；　for　a　blamed　crook　to　walk　right　into！　　You；　Mr。　Man；〃　and　he　nodded　his　great　head　at　me；　〃you'll　recollect　me　telling　you　that　I'd　gotten　one　when　you　come　in　that　night　with　the　other　sport？　　Say；　pity　he's　not　with　you　now；　he　was　a　good　boy；　and　I　liked　him　a　lot；　but　he　wanted　to　know　too　much；　and　I　guess　he'd　got　to　want。　　But　I'm　liable　to　tell　you　now；　or　else　bu'st。　　See　that　decanter　on　the　table？〃

〃I　was　just　looking　at　it；〃　said　the　person　in　sequins。　　〃You　don't　know　what　a　turn　I've　had；　or　you'd　offer　me　a　little　something。〃

〃You　shall　have　a　little　something　in　a　minute；〃　rejoined　Maguire。　〃But　if　you　take　a　little　anything　out　of　that　decanter；　you'll　collapse　like　our　friend　upon　the　floor。〃

〃Good　heavens！〃　I　cried　out；　with　involuntary　indignation；　and　his　fell　scheme　broke　upon　me　in　a　clap。

〃Yes；　sir！〃　said　Maguire；　fixing　me　with　his　bloodshot　orbs。　　〃My　trap　for　crooks　and　cracksmen　is　a　bottle　of　hocussed　whiskey；　and　I　guess　that's　it　on　the　table；　with　the　silver　label　around　its　neck。　Now　l