a thief in the night-第25部分

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〃You　didn't　hear　that　through　the　telephone？〃

〃As　though　we　had　been　in　the　same　room：　only　I　thought　it　was　Maguire　who　had　stolen　a　march　on　you　and　knocked　you　out。〃

I　had　never　seen　Raffles　more　interested　and　impressed；　but　at　this　point　his　smile　altered；　his　eyes　softened；　and　I　found　my　hand　in　his。

〃You　thought　that；　and　yet　you　came　like　a　shot　to　do　battle　for　my　body　with　Barney　Maguire！　　Jack…the…Giant…killer　wasn't　in　it　with　you；　Bunny！〃

〃It　was　no　credit　to　me　…　it　was　rather　the　other　thing；〃　said　I；　remembering　my　rashness　and　my　luck；　and　confessing　both　in　a　breath。　〃You　know　old　Swigger　Morrison？〃　I　added　in　final　explanation。　　〃I　had　been　dining　with　him　at　his　club！〃

Raffles　shook　his　long　old　head。　　And　the　kindly　light　in　his　eyes　was　still　my　infinite　reward。

〃I　don't　care；〃　said　he；　〃how　deeply　you　had　been　dining：　in　vino　veritas；　Bunny；　and　your　pluck　would　always　out！　　I　have　never　doubted　it；　and　I　never　shall。　　In　fact；　I　rely　on　nothing　else　to　get　us　out　of　this　mess。〃

My　face　must　have　fallen；　as　my　heart　sank　at　these　words。　　I　had　said　to　myself　that　we　were　out　of　the　mess　already　…　that　we　had　merely　to　make　a　clean　escape　from　the　house　…　now　the　easiest　thing　in　the　world。　　But　as　I　looked　at　Raffles；　and　as　Raffles　looked　at　me；　on　the　threshold　of　the　room　where　the　three　sleepers　slept　on　without　sound　or　movement；　I　grasped　the　real　problem　that　lay　before　us。　　It　was　twofold；　and　the　funny　thing　was　that　I　had　seen　both　horns　of　the　dilemma　for　myself；　before　Raffles　came　to　his　senses。　　But　with　Raffles　in　his　right　mind；　I　had　ceased　to　apply　my　own；　or　to　carry　my　share　of　our　common　burden　another　inch。　　It　had　been　an　unconscious　withdrawal　on　my　part；　an　instinctive　tribute　to　my　leader；　but；　I　was　sufficiently　ashamed　of　it　as　we　stood　and　faced　the　problem　in　each　other's　eyes。

〃If　we　simply　cleared　out；〃　continued　Raffles；　〃you　would　be　incriminated　in　the　first　place　as　my　accomplice；　and　once　they　had　you　they　would　have　a　compass　with　the　needle　pointing　straight　to　me。　　They　mustn't　have　either　of　us；　Bunny；　or　they　will　get　us　both。　　And　for　my　part　they　may　as　well！〃

I　echoed　a　sentiment　that　was　generosity　itself　in　Raffles；　but　in　my　case　a　mere　truism。

〃It's　easy　enough　for　me；〃　he　went　on。　　〃I　am　a　common　house…breaker；　and　I　escape。　　They　don't　know　me　from　Noah。　　But　they　do　know　you；　and　how　do　you　come　to　let　me　escape？　　What　has　happened　to　you；　Bunny？　　That's　the　crux。　　What　could　have　happened　after　they　all。　dropped　off？〃　　And　for　a　minute　Raffles　frowned　and　smiled　like　a　sensation　novelist　working　out　a　plot；　then　the　light　broke；　and　transfigured　him　through　his　burnt　cork。　　〃I've　got　it；　Bunny！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃You　took　some　of　the　stuff　yourself；　though　of　course　not　nearly　so　much　as　they　did。

〃Splendid！〃　I　cried。　　〃They　really　were　pressing　it　upon　me　at　the　end；　and　I　did　say　it　must　be　very　little。〃

〃You　dozed　off　in　your　turn；　but　you　were　naturally　the　first　to　come　to　yourself。　　I　had　flown；　so　had　the　gold　brick；　the　jewelled　belt；　and　the　silver　statuette。　　You　tried　to　rouse　the　others。　　You　couldn't　succeed；　nor　would　you　if　you　did　try。　　So　what　did　you　do？　What's　the　only　really　innocent　thing　you　could　do　in　the　circumstances？〃

〃Go　for　the　police；〃　I　suggested　dubiously；　little　relishing　the　prospect。

〃There's　a　telephone　installed　for　the　purpose；〃　said　Raffles。　　〃I　should　ring　them　up；　if　I　were　you。　　Try　not　to　look　blue　about　it；　Bunny。　　They're　quite　the　nicest　fellows　in　the　world；　and　what　you　have　to　tell　them　is　a　mere　microbe　to　the　camels　I've　made　them　swallow　without　a　grain　of　salt。　　It's　really　the　most　convincing　story　one　could　conceive；　but　unfortunately　there's　another　point　which　will　take　more　explaining　away。〃

And　even　Raffles　looked　grave　enough　as　I　nodded。

〃You　mean　that　they'll　find　out　you　rang　me　up？〃

〃They　may；〃　said　Raffles。　　〃I　see　that　I　managed　to　replace　the　receiver　all。　right。　　But　still　…　they　may。〃

〃I'm　afraid　they　will；〃　said　I；　uncomfortably。　　〃I'm　very　much　afraid　I　gave　something　of　the　kind　away。　　You　see；　you　had　not　replaced　the　receiver；　it　was　dangling　over　you　where　you　lay。　This　very　question　came　up；　and　the　brutes　themselves　seemed　so　quick　to　see　its　possibilities　that　I　thought　best　to　take　the　bull　by　the　horns　and　own　that　I　had　been　rung　up　by　somebody。　To　be　absolutely　honest；　I　even　went　so　far　as　to　say　I　thought　it　was　Raffles！〃

〃You　didn't；　Bunny！〃

〃What　could　I　say？　　I　was　obliged　to　think　of　somebody；　and　I　saw　they　were　not　going　to　recognize　you。　　So　I　put　up　a　yarn　about　a　wager　we　had　made　about　this　very　trap　of　Maguire's。　　You　see；　Raffles；　I've　never　properly　told　you　how　I　got　in；　and　there's　no　time　now；　but　the　first　thing　I　had　said　was　that　I　half　expected　to　find　you　here　before　me。　　That　was　in　case　they　spotted　you　at　once。　　But　it　made　all。　that　part　about　the　telephone　fit　in　rather　well。〃

〃I　should　think　it　did；　Bunny；〃　murmured　Raffles；　in　a　tone　that　added　sensibly　to　my　reward。　　〃I　couldn't　have　done　better　myself；　and　you　will　forgive　my　saying　that　you　have　never　in　your　life　done　half　so　well。　　Talk　about　that　crack　you　gave　me　on　the　head！　You　have　made　it　up　to　me　a　hundredfold　by　all。　you　have　done　to…night。　　But　the　bother　of　it　is　that　there's　still　so　much　to　do；　and　to　hit　upon；　and　so　precious　little　time　for　thought　as　well　as　action。〃

I　took　out　my　watch　and　showed　it　to　Raffles　without　a　word。　　It　was　three　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　the　latter　end　of　March。　　In　little　more　than　an　hour　there　would　be　dim　daylight　in　the　streets。　Raffles　roused　himself　from　a　reverie　with　sudden　decision。

〃There's　only　one　thing　for　it；　Bunny；〃　said　he。　　〃We　must　trust　each　other　and　divide　the　labor。　　You　ring　up　the　police；（and　leave　the　rest　to　me。〃

〃You　haven't　hit　upon　any　reason　for　the　sort　of　burglar　they　think　you　were；　ringing　up　the　kind　of　man　they　know　I　am？〃

〃Not　yet；　Bunny；　but　I　shall。　　It　may　not　be　wanted　for　a　day　or　so；　and　after　all。　it　isn't　for　you　to　give　the　explanation。　　It　would　be　highly　suspicious　if　you　did。〃

〃So　it　would；〃　I　agreed。

〃Then　will　you　trust　me　to　hit　on　something　…　if　possible　before　morning　…　in　any　case　by　the　time　it　s　wanted？　　I　won't　fail　you；　Bunny。　　You　must　see　how　I　can　never；　never　fail　you　after　to…night！〃

That　settled　it。　　I　gripped　his　hand　without　another　word；　and　remained　on　guard　over　the　three　sleepers　while　Raffles　stole　upstairs。　　I　have　since　learned　that　there　were　servants　at　the　top　of　the　house；　and　in　the　basement　a　man；　who　actually　heard　some　of　our　proceedings！　　But　he　was　mercifully　too　accustomed　to　nocturnal　orgies；　and　those　of　a　far　more　uproarious　character；　to　appear　unless　summoned　to　the　scene。　　I　believe　he　heard　Raffles　leave。　　But　no　secret　was　made　of　his　exit：　he　let　himself　out　and　told　me　afterward　that　the　first　person　he　encountered　in　the　street　was　the　constable　on　the　beat。　　Raffles　wished　him　good…morning；　as　well　he　might；　for　he　had　been　upstairs　to　wash　his　face　and　hands；　and　in　the　prize…fighter's　great　hat　and　fur　coat　he　might　have　marched　round　Scotland　Yard　itself；　in　spite　of　his　having　the　gold　brick　from　Sacramento　in　one　pocket；　the　silver　statuette　of　Maguire　in　the　other；　and　round　his　waist　the　jewelled　belt　presented　to　that　worthy　by　the　State　of　Nevada。

My　immediate　part　was　a　little　hard　after　the　excitement　of　those　small　hours。　　I　will　only　say　that　we　had　agreed　that　it　would　be　wisest　for　me　to　lie　like　a　log　among　the　rest　for　half　an　hour；　before　staggering　to　my　feet　and　rousing　house　and　police；　and　that　in　that　half…hour　Barney　Maguire　crashed　to　the　floor；　without　waking　either　himself　or　his　companions；　though　not　without　bringing　my　beating　heart　into　the　very　roof　of　my　mouth。

It　was　daybreak　when　I　gave　the　alarm　with　bell　and　telephone。　　In　a　few　minutes　we　had　the　house　congested　with　dishevelled　domestics；　irascible　doctors；　and　arbitrary　minions　of　the　law。　　If　I　told　my　story　once；　I　told　it　a　dozen　times；　and　all。　on　an　empty　stomach。　But　it　was　certainly　a　most　plausible　and　consistent　tale；　even　without　that　confirmation　which　none　of　the　other　victims　was　as　yet　sufficiently　recovered　to　supply。　And　in　the　end　I　was　permitted　to　retire　from　the　scene　until　required　to　give　further　information；　or　to　identify　the　prisoner　whom　the　good　police　confidently　expected　to　make　before　the　day　was　out。

I　drove　straight　to　the　flat。　　The　porter　flew　to　help　me　out　of　my　hansom。　　His　face　alarmed　me　more　than　any　I　had　left　in　Half…moon　Street。　　It　alone　might　have　spelled　my　ruin。

〃Your　flat's　been　entered　in　the　night；　sir；〃　he　cried。　　〃The　thieves　have　taken　everything　they　could　lay　hands　on。〃

〃Thieves　in　my　flat！〃　I　ejaculated　aghast。　　There　were　one　or　two　incriminating　possessions　up　there；　as　well　as　at　the　Albany。

〃The　door's　been　forced　with　a　jimmy；〃　said　the　porter。　　〃It　was　the　milkman　who　found　it　out。　　There's　a　constable　up　there　now。〃

A　constable　poking　about　in　my　flat　of　all。　others！　　I　rushed　upstairs　without　waiting　for　the　lift。　　The　invader　was　moistening　his　pencil　between　laborious　notes　in　a　fat　pocketbook；　he　had　penetrated　no　further　than　the　forced　door。　　I　dashed　past　him　in　a　fever。　　I　kept　my　trophies　in　a　wardrobe　drawer　specially　fitted　with　a　Bramah　lock。　　The　lock　was　broken　…　the　drawer　void。

〃Something　valuable；　sir？〃　inquired　the　intrusive　constable　at　my　heels。

〃Yes；　indeed　…　some　old　family　silver；〃　I　answered。　　It　was　quite　true。　　But　the　family　was　not　mine。

And　not　till　then　did　the　truth　flash　across　my　mind。　　Nothing　else　of　value　had　been　taken。　　But　there　was　a　meaningless　litter　in　all。　the　rooms。　　I　turned　to　the　porter；　who　had　followed　me　up　from　the　street；　it　was　his　wife　who　looked　after　the　flat。

〃Get　rid　of　this　idiot　as　quick　as　you　can；〃　I　whispered。　　〃I'm　going　straight　to　Scotland　Yard　myself。　　Let　your　wife　tidy　the　place　while　I'm　gone；　and　have　the　lock　mended　before　she　leaves。　I'm　going　as　I　am；　this　minute！〃

And　go　I　did；　in　the　first　hansom　I　could　find　…　but　not　straight　to　Scotland　Yard。　　I　stopped　the　cab　in　Picadilly　on　the　way。

Old　Raffles　opened　his　ow