a thief in the night-第31部分

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mittance；　but　they　soon　made　that　all。　right；　for　they　were　far　too　clever　to　suggest　taking　away　what　they'd　chosen　but　couldn't　pay　for。　　No；　all。　they　wanted　was　that　what　they'd　chosen　might　be　locked　up　in　the　safe　and　considered　theirs　until　their　money　came　for　them　to　pay　for　it。　　All。　they　asked　was　to　seal　the　stuff　up　in　something；　the　jeweller　was　to　take　it　away　and　not　meddle　with　it；　nor　yet　break　the　seals；　for　a　week　or　two。　　It　seemed　a　fair　enough　thing；　now；　didn't　it；　sir？〃

〃Eminently　fair；〃　said　Raffles　sententiously。

〃So　the　jeweller　thought；〃　crowed　the　clerk。　　〃You　see；　it　wasn't　as　if　the　Yanks　had　chosen　out　the　half　of　what　he'd　brought　on　appro。；　they'd　gone　slow　on　purpose；　and　they'd　paid　for　all。　they　could　on　the　nail；　just　for　a　blind。　　Well；　I　suppose　you　can　guess　what　happened　in　the　end？　　The　jeweller　never　heard　of　those　Americans　again；　and　these　few　cigarettes　and　lumps　of　sugar　were　all。　he　found。〃

〃Duplicate　boxes？　　I　cried；　perhaps　a　thought　too　promptly。

〃Duplicate　boxes！〃　murmured　Raffles；　as　profoundly　impressed　as　a　second　Mr。　Pickwick。

〃Duplicate　boxes！〃　echoed　the　triumphant　clerk。　　〃Artful　beggars；　these　Americans；　sir！　　You've　got　to　crawss　the　'Erring　Pond　to　learn　a　trick　worth　one　o'　that？〃

〃I　suppose　so；〃　assented　the　grave　gentleman　wit　the　silver　hair。　〃Unless；〃　he　added；　as　if　suddenly　inspired；　〃unless　it　was　that　man　Raffles。〃

〃It　couldn't　've　bin；〃　jerked　the　clerk　from　his　conning…tower　of　a　collar。　　〃He'd　gone　to　Davy　Jones　long　before。〃

〃Are　you　sure？〃　asked　Raffles。　　〃Was　his　body　ever　found？〃

〃Found　and　buried；〃　replied　our　imaginative　friend。　　〃Malter；　I　think　it　was；　or　it　may　have　been　Giberaltar。　　I　forget　which。〃

〃Besides；〃　I　put　in；　rather　annoyed　at　all。　this　wilful　work；　yet　not　indisposed　to　make　a　late　contribution　…　〃besides；　Raffles　would　never　have　smoked　those　cigarettes。　　There　was　only　one　brand　for　him。　　It　was　…　let　me　see　…　〃

〃Sullivans？　　cried　the　clerk；　right　for　once。　　〃It's　all。　a　matter　of　'abit；〃　he　went　on；　as　he　replaced　the　twenty…five　tin　box　with　the　vulgar　wrapper。　　〃I　tried　them　once；　and　I　didn't　like　'em　myself。　　It's　all。　a　question　of　taste。　　Now；　if　you　want　a　good　smoke；　and　cheaper；　give　me　a　Golden　Gem　at　quarter　of　the　price。〃

〃What　we　really　do　want；〃　remarked　Raffles　mildly；　〃is　to　see　something　else　as　clever　as　that　last。〃

〃Then　come　this　way；〃　said　the　clerk；　and　led　us　into　a　recess　almost　monopolized　by　the　iron…clamped　chest　of　thrilling　memory；　now　a　mere　platform　for　the　collection　of　mysterious　objects　under　a　dust…sheet　on　the　lid。　　〃These；〃　he　continued；　unveiling　them　with　an　air；　are　the　Raffles　Relics；　taken　from　his　rooms　in　the　Albany　after　his　death　and　burial；　and　the　most　complete　set　we've　got。　　That's　his　centre…bit；　and　this　is　the　bottle　of　rock…oil　he's　supposed　to　have　kept　dipping　it　in　to　prevent　making　a　noise。　　Here's　the　revawlver　he　used　when　he　shot　at　a　gentleman　on　the　roof　down　Horsham　way；　it　was　afterward　taken　from　him　on　the　P。　&　0。　boat　before　he　jumped　overboard。〃

I　could　not　help　saying　I　understood　that　Raffles　had　never　shot　at　anybody。　　I　was　standing　with　my　back　to　the　nearest　window；　my　hat　jammed　over　my　brows　and　my　overcoat　collar　up　to　my　ears。

〃That's　the　only　time　we　know　about；〃　the　clerk　admitted；　〃and　it　couldn't　be　brought　'ome；　or　his　precious　pal　would　have　got　more　than　he　did。　　This　empty　cawtridge　is　the　one　he　'id　the　Emperor's　pearl　in；　on　the　Peninsular　and　Orient。　　These　gimlets　and　wedges　were　what　he　used　for　fixin'　doors。　　This　is　his　rope…ladder；　with　the　telescope　walking…stick　he　used　to　hook　it　up　with；　he's　said　to　have　'ad　it　with　him　the　night　he　dined　with　the　Earl　of　Thornaby；　and　robbed　the　house　before　dinner。　　That's　his　life…preserver；　but　no　one　can　make　out　what　this　little　thick　velvet　bag's　for；　with　the　two　holes　and　the　elawstic　round　each。　　Perhaps　you　can　give　a　guess；　sir？〃

Raffles　had　taken　up　the　bag　that　he　had　invented　for　the　noiseless　filing　of　keys。　　Now　he　handled　it　as　though　it　were　a　tobacco…pouch；　putting　in　finger　and　thumb；　and　shrugging　over　the　puzzle　with　a　delicious　face；　nevertheless；　he　showed　me　a　few　grains　of　steel　filing　as　the　result　of　his　investigations；　and　murmured　in　my　ear；　〃These　sweet　police！　　I；　for　my　part；　could　not　but　examine　the　life…preserver　with　which　I　had　once　smitten　Raffles　himself　to　the　ground：　actually；　there　was　his　blood　upon　it　still；　and　seeing　my　horror；　the　clerk　plunged　into　a　characteristically　garbled　version　of　that　incident　also。　　It　happened　to　have　come　to　light　among　others　at　the　Old　Bailey；　and　perhaps　had　its　share　in　promoting　the　quality　of　mercy　which　had　undoubtedly　been　exercised　on　my　behalf。　　But　the　present　recital　was　unduly　trying；　and　Raffles　created　a　noble　diversion　by　calling　attention　to　an　early　photograph　of　himself；　which　may　still　hang　on　the　wall　over　the　historic　chest；　but　which　I　had　carefully　ignored。　　It　shows　him　in　flannels；　after　some　great　feat　upon　the　tented　field。　　I　am　afraid　there　is　a　Sullivan　between　his　lips；　a　look　of　lazy　insolence　in　the　half…shut　eyes。　　I　have　since　possessed　myself　of　a　copy；　and　it　is　not　Raffles　at　his　best；　but　the　features　are　clean…cut　and　regular；　and　I　often　wish　that　I　had　lent　it　to　the　artistic　gentlemen　who　have　battered　the　statue　out　of　all。　likeness　to　the　man。

〃You　wouldn't　think　it　of　him；　would　you？〃　quoth　the　clerk。　　〃It　makes　you　understand　how　no　one　ever　did　think　it　of　him　at　the　time。〃

The　youth　was　looking　full　at　Raffles；　with　the　watery　eyes　of　unsuspecting　innocence。　　I　itched　to　emulate　the　fine　bravado　of　my　friend。

〃You　said　he　had　a　pal；〃　I　observed；　sinking　deeper　into　the　collar　of　my　coat。　　〃Haven't　you　got　a　photograph　of　him？〃

The　pale　clerk　gave　such　a　sickly　smile；　I　could　have　smacked　some　blood　into　his　pasty　face。

〃You　mean　Bunny？〃　said　the　familiar　fellow。　　〃No；　sir；　he'd　be　out　of　place；　we've　only　room　for　real　criminals　here。　　Bunny　was　neither　one　thing　nor　the　other。　　He　could　follow　Raffles；　but　that's　all。　he　could　do。　　He　was　no　good　on　his　own。　　Even　when　he　put　up　the　low…down　job　of　robbing　his　old　'ome；　it's　believed　he　hadn't　the　'eart　to　take　the　stuff　away；　and　Raffles　had　to　break　in　a　second　time　for　it。　　No；　sir；　we　don't　bother　our　heads　about　Bunny；　we　shall　never　hear　no　more　of　'im。　　He　was　a　harmless　sort　of　rotter；　if　you　awsk　me。〃

I　had　not　asked　him；　and　I　was　almost　foaming　under　the　respirator　that　I　was　making　of　my　overcoat　collar。　　I　only　hoped　that　Raffles　would　say　something；　and　he　did。

〃The　only　case　I　remember　anything　about；〃　he　remarked；　tapping　the　clamped　chest　with　his　umbrella；　〃was　this；　and　that　time；　at　all。　events；　the　man　outside　must　have　had　quite　as　much　to　do　as　the　one　inside。　　May　I　ask　what　you　keep　in　it？〃

〃Nothing；　sir。

〃I　imagined　more　relics　inside。　　Hadn't　he　some　dodge　of　getting　in　and　out　without　opening　the　lid？〃

〃Of　putting　his　head　out；　you　mean；〃　returned　the　clerk；　whose　knowledge　of　Raffles　and　his　Relics　was　really　most　comprehensive　on　the　whole。　　He　moved　some　of　the　minor　memorials　and　with　his　penknife　raised　the　trap…door　in　the　lid。

〃Only　a　skylight；〃　remarked　Raffles；　deliciously　unimpressed。

〃Why；　what　else　did　you　expect？〃　asked　the　clerk；　letting　the　trap…door　down　again；　and　looking　sorry　that　he　had　taken　so　much　trouble。

〃A　backdoor；　at　least！〃　replied　Raffles；　with　such　a　sly　look　at　me　that　I　had　to　turn　aside　to　smile。　　It　was　the　last　time　I　smiled　that　day。

The　door　had　opened　as　I　turned；　and　an　unmistakable　detective　had　entered　with　two　more　sight…seers　like　ourselves。　　He　wore　the　hard；　round　hat　and　the　dark；　thick　overcoat　which　one　knows　at　a　glance　as　the　uniform　of　his　grade；　and　for　one　awful　moment　his　steely　eye　was　upon　us　in　a　flash　of　cold　inquiry。　　Then　the　clerk　emerged　from　the　recess　devoted　to　the　Raffles　Relics；　and　the　alarming　interloper　conducted　his　party　to　the　window　opposite　the　door。

〃Inspector　Druce；〃　the　clerk　informed　us　in　impressive　whispers；　〃who　had　the　Chalk　Farm　case　in　hand。　　He'd　be　the　man　for　Raffles；　if　Raffles　was　alive　to…day！〃　　　　〃I'm　sure　he　would；〃　was　the　grave　reply。　　〃I　should　be　very　sorry　to　have　a　man　like　that　after　me。　　But　what　a　run　there　seems　to　be　upon　your　Black　Museum！〃

〃There　isn't　reelly；　sir；〃　whispered　the　clerk。　　〃We　sometimes　go　weeks　on　end　without　having　regular　visitors　like　you　two　gentlemen。　I　think　those　are　friends　of　the　Inspector's；　come　to　see　the　Chalk　Farm　photographs；　that　helped　to　hang　his　man。　　We've　a　lot　of　interesting　photographs；　sir；　if　you　like　to　have　a　look　at　them。〃

〃If　it　won't　take　long；〃　said　Raffles；　taking　out　his　watch；　and　as　the　clerk　left　our　side　for　an　instant　he　gripped　my　arm。　　〃This　is　a　bit　too　hot；〃　he　whispered；　〃but　we　mustn't　cut　and　run　like　rabbits。　　That　might　be　fatal。　　Hide　your　face　in　the　photographs；　and　leave　everything　to　me。　　I'll　have　a　train　to　catch　as　soon　as　ever　I　dare。〃

I　obeyed　without　a　word；　and　with　the　less　uneasiness　as　I　had　time　to　consider　the　situation。　　It　even　struck　me　that　Raffles　was　for　once　inclined　to　exaggerate　the　undeniable　risk　that　we　ran　by　remaining　in　the　same　room　with　an　officer　whom　both　he　and　I　knew　only　too　well　by　name　and　repute。　　Raffles；　after　all。；　had　aged　and　altered　out　of　knowledge；　but　he　had　not　lost　the　nerve　that　was　equal　to　a　far　more　direct　encounter　than　was　at　all。　likely　to　be　forced　upon　us。　　On　the　other　hand；　it　was　most　improbable　that　a　distinguished　detective　would　know　by　sight　an　obscure　delinquent　like　myself；　besides；　this　one　had　come　to　the　front　since　my　day。　Yet　a　risk　it　was；　and　I　certainly　did　not　smile　as　I　bent　over　the　album　of　horrors　produced　by　our　guide。　　I　could　still　take　an　interest　in　the　dreadful　photographs　of　murderous　and　murdered　men；　they　appealed　to　the　morbid　element　in　my　nature；　and　it　was　doubtless　with　degenerate　unction　that　I　called　Raffles's　attention　to　a　certain　scene　of　notorious　slaughter。　　There　was　no　response。　I　looked　round。　　There　was　no　Raffles　to　respond。　　We　had　all。　three　been　examining　the　photographs　at　one　of　the　windows；　at　another　three　newcomers　were　simil