a thief in the night-第6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！


otion　not　unworthy　of　his　own。

In　my　dilemma　I　did　what　I　have　often　done　when　at　a　loss　for　light　and　leading。　　I　took　hardly　any　lunch；　but　went　to　Northumberland　Avenue　and　had　a　Turkish　bath　instead。　　I　know　nothing　so　cleansing　to　mind　as　well　as　body；　nothing　better　calculated　to　put　the　finest　possible　edge　on　such　judgment　as　one　may　happen　to　possess。　　Even　Raffles；　without　an　ounce　to　lose　or　a　nerve　to　soothe；　used　to　own　a　sensuous　appreciation　of　the　peace　of　mind　and　person　to　be　gained　in　this　fashion　when　all　others　failed。　　For　me；　the　fun　began　before　the　boots　were　off　one's　feet；　the　muffled　footfalls；　the　thin　sound　of　the　fountain；　even　the　spent　swathed　forms　upon　the　couches；　and　the　whole　clean；　warm；　idle　atmosphere；　were　so　much　unction　to　my　simpler　soul。　　The　half…hour　in　the　hot…rooms　I　used　to　count　but　a　strenuous　step　to　a　divine　lassitude　of　limb　and　accompanying　exaltation　of　intellect。　　And　yet　…　and　yet　…　it　was　in　the　hottest　room　of　all；　in　a　temperature　of　270？Fahrenheit；　that　the　bolt　fell　from　the　Pall　Mall　Gazette　which　I　had　bought　outside　the　bath。

I　was　turning　over　the　hot；　crisp　pages；　and　positively　revelling　in　my　fiery　furnace；　when　the　following　headlines　and　leaded　paragraphs　leapt　to　my　eye　with　the　force　of　a　veritable　blow：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BANK　ROBBERS　IN　THE　WEST　END　…　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　DARING　AND　MYSTERIOUS　CRIME

　　An　audacious　burglary　and　dastardly　assault　have　been　committed　　　on　the　premises　of　the　City　and　Suburban　Bank　in　Sloane　Street；　W。　　　From　the　details　so　far　to　hand；　the　robbery　appears　to　have　been　　　deliberately　planned　and　adroitly　executed　in　the　early　hours　of　　　this　morning。

　　A　night　watchman　named　Fawcett　states　that　between　one　and　two　　　o'clock　he　heard　a　slight　noise　in　the　neighborhood　of　the　lower　　　strong…room；　used　as　a　repository　for　the　plate　and　other　　　　possessions　of　various　customers　of　the　bank。　　Going　down　to　　　investigate；　he　was　instantly　attacked　by　a　powerful　ruffian；　　　who　succeeded　in　felling　him　to　the　ground　before　an　alarm　could　　　be　raised。

　　Fawcett　is　unable　to　furnish　any　description　of　his　assailant　　　or　assailants；　but　is　of　opinion　that　more　than　one　were　engaged　　　in　the　commission　of　the　crime。　　When　the　unfortunate　man　　　recovered　consciousness；　no　trace　of　the　thieves　remained；　with　　　the　exception　of　a　single　candle　which　had　been　left　burning　on　　　the　flags　of　the　corridor。　　The　strong…room；　however；　had　been　　　opened；　and　it　is　feared　the　raid　on　the　chests　of　plate　and　　　other　valuables　may　prove　to　have　been　only　too　successful；　in　　　view　of　the　Easter　exodus；　which　the　thieves　had　evidently　taken　　　into　account。　　The　ordinary　banking　chambers　were　not　even　　　visited；　entry　and　exit　are　believed　to　have　been　effected　　　through　the　coal　cellar；　which　is　also　situated　in　the　basement。　　　Up　to　the　present　the　police　have　effected　no　arrest。

I　sat　practically　paralyzed　by　this　appalling　news；　and　I　swear　that；　even　in　that　incredible　temperature；　it　was　a　cold　perspiration　in　which　I　sweltered　from　head　to　heel。　　Crawshay；　of　course！　　Crawshay　once　more　upon　the　track　of　Raffles　and　his　ill…gotten　gains！　　And　once　more　I　blamed　Raffles　himself：　his　warning　had　come　too　late：　he　should　have　wired　to　me　at　once　not　to　take　the　box　to　the　bank　at　all。　　He　was　a　madman　ever　to　have　invested　in　so　obvious　and　obtrusive　a　receptacle　for　treasure。　　It　would　serve　Raffles　right　if　that　and　no　other　was　the　box　which　had　been　broken　into　by　the　thieves。

Yet；　when　I　considered　the　character　of　his　treasure；　I　fairly　shuddered　in　my　sweat。　　It　was　a　hoard　of　criminal　relics。　　Suppose　his　chest　had　indeed　been　rifled；　and　emptied　of　every　silver　thing　but　one；　that　one　remaining　piece　of　silver；　seen　of　men；　was　quite　enough　to　cast　Raffles　into　the　outer　darkness　of　penal　servitude！　And　Crawshay　was　capable　of　it　…　of　perceiving　the　insidious　revenge　　…　of　taking　it　without　compunction　or　remorse。

There　was　only　one　course　for　me。　　I　must　follow　my　instructions　to　the　letter　and　recover　the　chest　at　all　hazards；　or　be　taken　myself　in　the　attempt。　　If　only　Raffles　had　left　me　some　address；　to　which　I　could　have　wired　some　word　of　warning！　　But　it　was　no　use　thinking　of　that；　for　the　rest　there　was　time　enough　up　to　four　o'clock；　and　as　yet　it　was　not　three。　　I　determined　to　go　through　with　my　bath　and　make　the　most　of　it。　　Might　it　not　be　my　last　for　years？

But　I　was　past　enjoying　even　a　Turkish　bath。　　I　had　not　the　patience　for　a　proper　shampoo；　or　sufficient　spirit　for　the　plunge。　　I　weighed　myself　automatically；　for　that　was　a　matter　near　my　heart；　but　I　forgot　to　give　my　man　his　sixpence　until　the　reproachful　intonation　of　his　adieu　recalled　me　to　myself。　　And　my　couch　in　the　cooling　gallery　…　my　favorite　couch；　in　my　favorite　corner；　which　I　had　secured　with　gusto　on　coming　in　…　it　was　a　bed　of　thorns；　with　hideous　visions　of　a　plank…bed　to　follow！

I　ought　to　be　able　to　add　that　I　heard　the　burglary　discussed　on　adjacent　couches　before　I　left　I　certainly　listened　for　it；　and　was　rather　disappointed　more　than　once　when　I　had　held　my　breath　in　vain。　But　this　is　the　unvarnished　record　of　an　odious　hour；　and　it　passed　without　further　aggravation　from　without；　only；　as　I　drove　to　Sloane　Street；　the　news　was　on　all　the　posters；　and　on　one　I　read　of　〃a　clew〃　which　spelt　for　me　a　doom　I　was　grimly　resolved　to　share。

Already　there　was　something　in　the　nature　of　a　〃run〃　up　on　the　Sloane　Street　branch　of　the　City　and　Suburban。　　A　cab　drove　away　with　a　chest　of　reasonable　dimensions　as　mine　drove　up；　while　in　the　bank　itself　a　lady　was　making　a　painful　scene。　　As　for　the　genial　clerk　who　had　roared　at　my　jokes　the　day　before；　he　was　mercifully　in　no　mood　for　any　more；　but；　on　the　contrary；　quite　rude　to　me　at　sight。

〃I've　been　expecting　you　all　the　afternoon；〃　said　he。　　〃You　needn't　look　so　pale。〃

〃Is　it　safe？〃

〃That　Noah's　Ark　of　yours？　　Yes；　so　I　hear；　they'd　just　got　to　it　when　they　were　interrupted；　and　they　never　went　back　again。〃

〃Then　it　wasn't　even　opened？〃

〃Only　just　begun　on；　I　believe。〃

〃Thank　God！〃

〃You　may；　we　don't；〃　growled　the　clerk。　　〃The　manager　says　he　believes　your　chest　was　at　the　bottom　of　it　all。〃

〃How　could　it　be？〃　I　asked　uneasily。

〃By　being　seen　on　the　cab　a　mile　off；　and　followed；〃　said　the　clerk。

〃Does　the　manager　want　to　see　me？〃　I　asked　boldly。

〃Not　unless　you　want　to　see　him；〃　was　the　blunt　reply。　　〃He's　been　at　it　with　others　all。　the　afternoon；　and　they　haven't　all。　got　off　as　cheap　as　you。〃

〃Then　my　silver　shall　not　embarrass　you　any　longer；〃　said　I　grandly。　〃I　meant　to　leave　it　if　it　was　all。　right；　but　after　all。　you　have　said　I　certainly　shall　not。　　Let　your　man　or　men　bring　up　the　chest　at　once。　　I　dare　say　they　also　have　been　'at　it　with　others　all。　the　afternoon；'　but　I　shall　make　this　worth　their　while。〃

I　did　not　mind　driving　through　the　streets　with　the　thing　this　time。　My　present　relief　was　too　overwhelming　as　yet　to　admit　of　pangs　and　fears　for　the　immediate　future。　　No　summer　sun　had　ever　shone　more　brightly　than　that　rather　watery　one　of　early　April。　　There　was　a　green…and…gold　dust　of　buds　and　shoots　on　the　trees　as　we　passed　the　park。　　I　felt　greater　things　sprouting　in　my　heart。　　Hansoms　passed　with　schoolboys　just　home　for　the　Easter　holidays；　four…wheelers　outward　bound；　with　bicycles　and　perambulators　atop；　none　that　rode　in　them　were　half　so　happy　as　I；　with　the　great　load　on　my　cab；　but　the　greater　one　off　my　heart。

At　Mount　Street　it　just　went　into　the　lift；　that　was　a　stroke　of　luck；　and　the　lift…man　and　I　between　us　carried　it　into　my　flat。　It　seemed　a　featherweight　to　me　now。　　I　felt　a　Samson　in　the　exaltation　of　that　hour。　　And　I　will　not　say　what　my　first　act　was　when　I　found　myself　alone　with　my　white　elephant　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　enough　that　the　siphon　was　still　doing　its　work　when　the　glass　slipped　through　my　fingers　to　the　floor。

〃Bunny！〃

It　was　Raffles。　　Yet　for　a　moment　I　looked　about　me　quite　in　vain。　He　was　not　at　the　window；　he　was　not　at　the　open　door。　　And　yet　Raffles　it　had　been；　or　at　all。　events　his　voice；　and　that　bubbling　over　with　fun　and　satisfaction；　be　his　body　where　it　might。　　In　the　end　I　dropped　my　eyes；　and　there　was　his　living　face　in　the　middle　of　the　lid　of　the　chest；　like　that　of　the　saint　upon　its　charger。

But　Raffles　was　alive；　Raffles　was　laughing　as　though　his　vocal　cords　would　snap　…　there　was　neither　tragedy　nor　illusion　in　the　apparition　of　Raffles。　　A　life…size　Jack…in…the…box；　he　had　thrust　his　head　through　a　lid　within　the　lid；　cut　by　himself　between　the　two　iron　bands　that　ran　round　the　chest　like　the　straps　of　a　portmanteau。　　He　must　have　been　busy　at　it　when　I　found　him　pretending　to　pack；　if　not　far　into　that　night；　for　it　was　a　very　perfect　piece　of　work；　and　even　as　I　stared　without　a　word；　and　he　crouched　laughing　in　my　face；　an　arm　came　squeezing　out；　keys　in　hand；　one　was　turned　in　either　of　the　two　great　padlocks；　the　whole　lid　lifted；　and　out　stepped　Raffles　like　the　conjurer　he　was。

〃So　you　were　the　burglar！〃　I　exclaimed　at　last。　　〃Well；　I　am　just　as　glad　I　didn't　know。〃

He　had　wrung　my　hand　already；　but　at　this　he　fairly　mangled　it　in　his。

〃You　dear　little　brick；〃　he　cried；　〃that's　the　one　thing　of　all。　things　I　longed　to　hear　you　say！　　How　could　you　have　behaved　as　you've　done　if　you　had　known？　　How　could　any　living　man？　　How　could　you　have　acted；　as　the　polar　star　of　all。　the　stages　could　not　have　acted　in　your　place？　　Remember　that　I　have　heard　a　lot；　and　as　good　as　seen　as　much　as　I've　heard。　　Bunny；　I　don't　know　where　you　were　greatest：　at　the　Albany；　here；　or　at　your　bank！〃

〃I　don't　know　where　I　was　most　miserable；〃　I　rejoined；　beginning　to　see　the　matter　in　a　less　perfervid　light。　　〃I　know　you　don't　credit　me　with　much　finesse；　but　I　would　undertake　to　be　in　the　secret　and　to　do　quite　as　well；　the　only　difference　would　be　in　my　own　peace　of　mind；　which；　of　course；　doesn't　count。〃

But　Raffles　wagged　away　with　his　most　charming　and　disarming　smile；　he　was　in　old　clothes；　rather　tattered　and　torn；　and　more　than　a　little　grimy　as　to　the　face　and　hands；　but；　on　the　surface；　wonderfully　little　the　worse　for　his　experience。