a thief in the night-第5部分

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　ear；　Bunny。　You　must　not　try　to　take　them　too　seriously；　but　the　fact　is；　there　is　just　the　least　bit　of　a　twitter　against　me　in　this　rookery　of　an　Albany。　　It　must　have　been　started　by　that　tame　old　bird；　Policeman　Mackenzie；　it　isn't　very　bad　as　yet；　but　it　needn't　be　that　to　reach　my　ears。　　Well；　it　was　open　to　me　either　to　clear　out　altogether；　and　so　confirm　whatever　happened　to　be　in　the　air；　or　to　go　off　for　a　time；　under　some　arrangement　which　would　give　the　authorities　ample　excuse　for　overhauling　every　inch　of　my　rooms。　　Which　would　you　have　done；　Bunny？〃

〃Cleared　out；　while　I　could！〃　said　I　devoutly。

〃So　I　should　have　thought；〃　rejoined　Raffles。　　〃Yet　you　see　the　merit　of　my　plan。　　I　shall　leave　every　mortal　thing　unlocked。〃

〃Except　that；〃　said　I；　kicking　the　huge　oak　case　with　the　iron　bands　and　clamps；　and　the　baize　lining　fast　disappearing　under　heavy　packages　bearing　the　shapes　of　urns　and　candelabra。

〃That；〃　replied　Raffles；　〃is　neither　to　go　with　me　nor　to　remain　here。〃

〃Then　what　do　you　propose　to　do　with　it？〃

〃You　have　your　banking　account；　and　your　banker；〃　he　went　on。　　This　was　perfectly　true；　though　it　was　Raffles　alone　who　had　kept　the　one　open；　and　enabled　me　to　propitiate　the　other　in　moments　of　emergency。

〃Well？〃

〃Well；　pay　in　this　bundle　of　notes　this　afternoon；　and　say　you　have　had　a　great　week　at　Liverpool　and　Lincoln；　then　ask　them　if　they　can　do　with　your　silver　while　you　run　over　to　Paris　for　a　merry　Easter。　　I　should　tell　them　it's　rather　heavy　…　a　lot　of　old　family　stuff　that　you've　a　good　mind　to　leave　with　them　till　you　marry　and　settle　down。〃

I　winced　at　this；　but　consented　to　the　rest　after　a　moment's　consideration。　　After　all；　and　for　more　reasons　that　I　need　enumerate；　it　was　a　plausible　tale　enough。　　And　Raffles　had　no　banker；　it　was　quite　impossible　for　him　to　explain；　across　any　single　counter；　the　large　sums　of　hard　cash　which　did　sometimes　fall　into　his　hands；　and　it　might　well　be　that　he　had　nursed　my　small　account　in　view　of　the　very　quandary　which　had　now　arisen。　　On　all　grounds；　it　was　impossible　for　me　to　refuse　him；　and　I　am　still　glad　to　remember　that　my　assent　was　given；　on　the　whole；　ungrudgingly。

〃But　when　will　the　chest　be　ready　for　me　I　merely　asked；　as　I　stuffed　the　notes　into　my　cigarette　case。　　〃And　how　are　we　to　get　it　out　of　this；　in　banking　hours；　without　attracting　any　amount　of　attention　at　this　end？〃

Raffles　gave　me　an　approving　nod。

〃I'm　glad　to　see　you　spot　the　crux　so　quickly；　Bunny。　　I　have　thought　of　your　taking　it　round　to　your　place　first；　under　cloud　of　night；　but　we　are　bound　to　be　seen　even　so；　and　on　the　whole　it　would　look　far　less　suspicious　in　broad　daylight。　　It　will　take　you　some　twelve　or　fifteen　minutes　to　drive　to　your　bank　in　a　growler；　so　if　you　are　here　with　one　at　a　quarter　to　ten　to…morrow　morning；　that　will　exactly　meet　the　case。　　But　you　must　have　a　hansom　this　minute　if　you　mean　to　prepare　the　way　with　those　notes　this　afternoon！〃

It　was　only　too　like　the　Raffles　of　those　days　to　dismiss　a　subject　and　myself　in　the　same　breath；　with　a　sudden　nod；　and　a　brief　grasp　of　the　hand　he　was　already　holding　out　for　mine。　　I　had　a　great　mind　to　take　another　of　his　cigarettes　instead；　for　there　were　one　or　two　points　on　which　he　had　carefully　omitted　to　enlighten　me。　　Thus；　I　had　still　to　learn　the　bare　direction　of　his　journey；　and　it　was　all　that　I　could　do　to　drag　it　from　him　as　I　stood　buttoning　my　coat　and　gloves。

〃Scotland；〃　he　vouchsafed　at　last。

〃At　Easter；〃　I　remarked。

〃To　learn　the　language；〃　he　explained。　　〃I　have　no　tongue　but　my　own；　you　see；　but　I　try　to　make　up　for　it　by　cultivating　every　shade　of　that。　　Some　of　them　have　come　in　useful　even　to　your　knowledge；　Bunny：　what　price　my　Cockney　that　night　in　St。　　John's　Wood？　　I　can　keep　up　my　end　in　stage　Irish；　real　Devonshire；　very　fair　Norfolk；　and　three　distinct　Yorkshire　dialects。　　But　my　good　Galloway　Scots　might　be　better；　and　I　mean　to　make　it　so。〃

〃You　still　haven't　told　me　where　to　write　to　you。〃

〃I'll　write　to　you　first；　Bunny。〃

〃At　least　let　me　see　you　off；〃　I　urged　at　the　door。　　〃I　promise　not　to　look　at　your　ticket　if　you　tell　me　the　train！〃

〃The　eleven…fifty　from　Euston。〃

〃Then　I'll　be　with　you　by　quarter　to　ten。〃

And　I　left　him　without　further　parley；　reading　his　impatience　in　his　face。　　Everything；　to　be　sure；　seemed　clear　enough　without　that　fuller　discussion　which　I　loved　and　Raffles　hated。　　Yet　I　thought　we　might　at　least　have　dined　together；　and　in　my　heart　I　felt　just　the　least　bit　hurt；　until　it　occurred　to　me　as　I　drove　to　count　the　notes　in　my　cigarette　case。　　Resentment　was　impossible　after　that。　The　sum　ran　well　into　three　figures；　and　it　was　plain　that　Raffles　meant　me　to　have　a　good　time　in　his　absence。　　So　I　told　his　lie　with　unction　at　my　bank；　and　made　due　arrangements　for　the　reception　of　his　chest　next　morning。　　Then　I　repaired　to　our　club；　hoping　he　would　drop　in；　and　that　we　might　dine　together　after　all。　　In　that　I　was　disappointed。　　It　was　nothing；　however；　to　the　disappointment　awaiting　me　at　the　Albany；　when　I　arrived　in　my　four…wheeler　at　the　appointed　hour　next　morning。

〃Mr。　Raffles　'as　gawn；　sir；〃　said　the　porter；　with　a　note　of　reproach　in　his　confidential　undertone。　　The　man　was　a　favorite　with　Raffles；　who　used　him　and　tipped　him　with　consummate　tact；　and　he　knew　me　only　less　well。

〃Gone！〃　I　echoed　aghast。　　〃Where　on　earth　to？〃

〃Scotland；　sir。〃

〃Already？〃

〃By　the　eleven…fifty　lawst　night〃

〃Last　night！　　I　thought　he　meant　eleven…fifty　this　morning！〃

〃He　knew　you　did；　sir；　when　you　never　came；　and　he　told　me　to　tell　you　there　was　no　such　train。〃

I　could　have　rent　my　garments　in　mortification　and　annoyance　with　myself　and　Raffles。　　It　was　as　much　his　fault　as　mine。　　But　for　his　indecent　haste　in　getting　rid　of　me；　his　characteristic　abruptness　at　the　end；　there　would　have　been　no　misunderstanding　or　mistake。

〃Any　other　message？〃　I　inquired　morosely。

〃Only　about　the　box；　sir。　　Mr。　Raffles　said　as　you　was　goin'　to　take　chawge　of　it　time　he's　away；　and　I've　a　friend　ready　to　lend　a　'and　in　getting　it　on　the　cab。　　It's　a　rare　'eavy　'un；　but　Mr。　Raffles　an'　me　could　lift　it　all　right　between　us；　so　I　dessay　me　an'　my　friend　can。〃

For　my　own　part；　I　must　confess　that　its　weight　concerned　me　less　than　the　vast　size　of　that　infernal　chest；　as　I　drove　with　it　past　club　and　park　at　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning。　　Sit　as　far　back　as　I　might　in　the　four…wheeler；　I　could　conceal　neither　myself　nor　my　connection　with　the　huge　iron…clamped　case　upon　the　roof：　in　my　heated　imagination　its　wood　was　glass　through　which　all　the　world　could　see　the　guilty　contents。　　Once　an　officious　constable　held　up　the　traffic　at　our　approach；　and　for　a　moment　I　put　a　blood…curdling　construction　upon　the　simple　ceremony。　　Low　boys　shouted　after　us　　…　or　if　it　was　not　after　us；　I　thought　it　was　…　and　that　their　cry　was　〃Stop　thief！〃　　Enough　said　of　one　of　the　most　unpleasant　cab…drives　I　ever　had　in　my　life。　　Horresco　referens。

At　the　bank；　however；　thanks　to　the　foresight　and　liberality　of　Raffles；　all　was　smooth　water。　　I　paid　my　cabman　handsomely；　gave　a　florin　to　the　stout　fellow　in　livery　whom　he　helped　with　the　chest；　and　could　have　pressed　gold　upon　the　genial　clerk　who　laughed　like　a　gentleman　at　my　jokes　about　the　Liverpool　winners　and　the　latest　betting　on　the　Family　Plate。　　I　was　only　disconcerted　when　he　informed　me　that　the　bank　gave　no　receipts　for　deposits　of　this　nature。　　I　am　now　aware　that　few　London　banks　do。　　But　it　is　pleasing　to　believe　that　at　the　time　I　looked　…　what　I　felt　…　as　though　all　I　valued　upon　earth　were　in　jeopardy。

I　should　have　got　through　the　rest　of　that　day　happily　enough；　such　was　the　load　off　my　mind　and　hands；　but　for　an　extraordinary　and　most　disconcerting　note　received　late　at　night　from　Raffles　himself。　He　was　a　man　who　telegraphed　freely；　but　seldom　wrote　a　letter。　Sometimes；　however；　he　sent　a　scribbled　line　by　special　messenger；　and　overnight；　evidently　in　the　train；　he　had　scribbled　this　one　to　post　in　the　small　hours　at　Crewe：

　　〃'Ware　Prince　of　Professors！　　He　was　in　the　offing　when　I　left。　　　If　slightest　cause　for　uneasiness　about　bank；　withdraw　at　once　　　and　keep　in　own　rooms　Like　good　chap；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃A。　　J。　　R。　　　〃P。　　8。　…　Other　reasons；　as　you　shall　hear。〃

There　was　a　nice　nightcap　for　a　puzzled　head！　　I　had　made　rather　an　evening　of　it；　what　with　increase　of　funds　and　decrease　of　anxiety；　but　this　cryptic　admonition　spoiled　the　remainder　of　my　night。　　It　had　arrived　by　a　late　post；　and　I　only　wished　that　I　had　left　it　all　night　in　my　letter…box。　　What　exactly　did　it　mean？　　And　what　exactly　must　I　do？　　These　were　questions　that　confronted　me　with　fresh　force　in　the　morning。

The　news　of　Crawshay　did　not　surprise　me。　　I　was　quite　sure　that　Raffles　had　been　given　good　reason　to　bear　him　in　mind　before　his　journey；　even　if　he　had　not　again　beheld　the　ruffian　in　the　flesh。　That　ruffian　and　that　journey　might　be　more　intimately　connected　than　I　had　yet　supposed。　　Raffles　never　told　me　all。　　Yet　the　solid　fact　held　good　…　held　better　than　ever　…　that　I　had　seen　his　plunder　safely　planted　in　my　bank。　　Crawshay　himself　could　not　follow　it　there。　　I　was　certain　he　had　not　followed　my　cab：　in　the　acute　self…consciousness　induced　by　that　abominable　drive；　I　should　have　known　it　in　my　bones　if　he　had。　　I　thought　of　the　porter's　friend　who　had　helped　me　with　the　chest。　　No；　I　remember　him　as　well　as　I　remembered　Crawshay；　they　were　quite　different　types。

To　remove　that　vile　box　from　the　bank；　on　top　of　another　cab；　with　no　stronger　pretext　and　no　further　instructions；　was　not　to　be　thought　of　for　a　moment。　　Yet　I　did　think　of　it；　for　hours。　　I　was　always　anxious　to　do　my　part　by　Raffles；　he　had　done　more　than　his　by　me；　not　once　or　twice；　to…day　or　yesterday；　but　again　and　again　from　the　very　first。　　I　need　not　state　the　obvious　reasons　I　had　for　fighting　shy　of　the　personal　custody　of　his　accursed　chest。　Yet　he　had　run　worse　risks　for　me；　and　I　wanted　him　to　learn　that　he；　too；　could　depend　on　a　devotion　not　unworthy　of　his　own。

In　my　dilemma　I　did　what　I　have　often　done　when　at　a　loss　for　ligh