the amateur cracksman-第15章

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〃It's　no　use；〃　I　replied。　　〃You　won't　spin　it。　I　must　imagine　it　for　myself。〃

〃How　can　you？〃

〃Oh；　I　begin　to　know　your　methods。〃

〃You　take　it　I　went　in　with　my　eyes　open；　as　I　do　now；　eh？〃

〃I　can't　imagine　your　doing　otherwise。〃

〃My　dear　Bunny；　it　was　the　most　unpremeditated　thing　I　ever　did　in　my　life！〃

His　chair　wheeled　back　into　the　books　as　he　sprang　up　with　sudden　energy。　　There　was　quite　an　indignant　glitter　in　his　eyes。

〃I　can't　believe　that；〃　said　I　craftily。　　〃I　can't　pay　you　such　a　poor　compliment！〃

〃Then　you　must　be　a　fool〃

He　broke　off；　stared　hard　at　me；　and　in　a　trice　stood　smiling　in　his　own　despite。

〃Or　a　better　knave　than　I　thought　you；　Bunny；　and　by　Jove　it's　the　knave！　　WellI　suppose　I'm　fairly　drawn；　I　give　you　best；　as　they　say　out　there。　　As　a　matter　of　fact　I've　been　thinking　of　the　thing　myself；　last　night's　racket　reminds　me　of　it　in　one　or　two　respects。　　I　tell　you　what；　though；　this　is　an　occasion　in　any　case；　and　I'm　going　to　celebrate　it　by　breaking　the　one　good　rule　of　my　life。　　I'm　going　to　have　a　second　drink！〃

The　whiskey　tinkled；　the　syphon　fizzed；　the　ice　plopped　home；　and　seated　there　in　his　pyjamas；　with　the　inevitable　cigarette；　Raffles　told　me　the　story　that　I　had　given　up　hoping　to　hear。　　The　windows　were　wide　open；　the　sounds　of　Piccadilly　floated　in　at　first。　　Long　before　he　finished；　the　last　wheels　had　rattled；　the　last　brawler　was　removed；　we　alone　broke　the　quiet　of　the　summer　night。


〃。　。　。　No；　they　do　you　very　well；　indeed。　You　pay　for　nothing　but　drinks；　so　to　speak；　but　I'm　afraid　mine　were　of　a　comprehensive　character。　　I　had　started　in　a　hole；　I　ought　really　to　have　refused　the　invitation；　then　we　all　went　to　the　Melbourne　Cup；　and　I　had　the　certain　winner　that　didn't　win；　and　that's　not　the　only　way　you　can　play　the　fool　in　Melbourne。　　I　wasn't　the　steady　old　stager　I　am　now；　Bunny；　my　analysis　was　a　confession　in　itself。　　But　the　others　didn't　know　how　hard　up　I　was；　and　I　swore　they　shouldn't。　　I　tried　the　Jews；　but　they're　extra　fly　out　there。　Then　I　thought　of　a　kinsman　of　sorts；　a　second　cousin　of　my　father's　whom　none　of　us　knew　anything　about；　except　that　he　was　supposed　to　be　in　one　or　other　of　the　Colonies。　　If　he　was　a　rich　man；　well　and　good；　I　would　work　him；　if　not　there　would　be　no　harm　done。　　I　tried　to　get　on　his　tracks；　and；　as　luck　would　have　it；　I　succeeded　（or　thought　I　had）　at　the　very　moment　when　I　happened　to　have　a　few　days　to　myself。　　I　was　cut　over　on　the　hand；　just　before　the　big　Christmas　match；　and　couldn't　have　bowled　a　ball　if　they　had　played　me。

〃The　surgeon　who　fixed　me　up　happened　to　ask　me　if　I　was　any　relation　of　Raffles　of　the　National　Bank；　and　the　pure　luck　of　it　almost　took　my　breath　away。　　A　relation　who　was　a　high　official　in　one　of　the　banks；　who　would　finance　me　on　my　mere　namecould　anything　be　better？　　I　made　up　my　mind　that　this　Raffles　was　the　man　I　wanted；　and　was　awfully　sold　to　find　next　moment　that　he　wasn't　a　high　official　at　all。　　Nor　had　the　doctor　so　much　as　met　him；　but　had　merely　read　of　him　in　connection　with　a　small　sensation　at　the　suburban　branch　which　my　namesake　managed；　an　armed　robber　had　been　rather　pluckily　beaten　off；　with　a　bullet　in　him；　by　this　Raffles；　and　the　sort　of　thing　was　so　common　out　there　that　this　was　the　first　I　had　heard　of　it！　　A　suburban　branchmy　financier　had　faded　into　some　excellent　fellow　with　a　billet　to　lose　if　he　called　his　soul　his　own。　Still　a　manager　was　a　manager；　and　I　said　I　would　soon　see　whether　this　was　the　relative　I　was　looking　for；　if　he　would　be　good　enough　to　give　me　the　name　of　that　branch。

〃'I'll　do　more；'　says　the　doctor。　　'I'll　get　you　the　name　of　the　branch　he's　been　promoted　to；　for　I　think　I　heard　they'd　moved　him　up　one　already。'　And　the　next　day　he　brought　me　the　name　of　the　township　of　Yea；　some　fifty　miles　north　of　Melbourne；　but；　with　the　vagueness　which　characterized　all　his　information；　he　was　unable　to　say　whether　I　should　find　my　relative　there　or　not。

〃'He's　a　single　man；　and　his　initials　are　W。　F。；'　said　the　doctor；　who　was　certain　enough　of　the　immaterial　points。　　'He　left　his　old　post　several　days　ago；　but　it　appears　he's　not　due　at　the　new　one　till　the　New　Year。　　No　doubt　he'll　go　before　then　to　take　things　over　and　settle　in。　　You　might　find　him　up　there　and　you　might　not。　　If　I　were　you　I　should　write。'

〃'That'll　lose　two　days；'　said　I；　'and　more　if　he　isn't　there；'　for　I'd　grown　quite　keen　on　this　up…country　manager；　and　I　felt　that　if　I　could　get　at　him　while　the　holidays　were　still　on；　a　little　conviviality　might　help　matters　considerably。

〃'Then；'　said　the　doctor；　'I　should　get　a　quiet　horse　and　ride。　　You　needn't　use　that　hand。'

〃'Can't　I　go　by　train？'

〃'You　can　and　you　can't。　　You　would　still　have　to　ride。　　I　suppose　you're　a　horseman？'

〃'Yes。'

〃'Then　I　should　certainly　ride　all　the　way。　　It's　a　delightful　road；　through　Whittlesea　and　over　the　Plenty　Ranges。　　It'll　give　you　some　idea　of　the　bush；　Mr。　Raffles；　and　you'll　see　the　sources　of　the　water　supply　of　this　city；　sir。　　You'll　see　where　every　drop　of　it　comes　from；　the　pure　Yan　Yean！　I　wish　I　had　time　to　ride　with　you。'

〃'But　where　can　I　get　a　horse？'

〃The　doctor　thought　a　moment。

〃'I've　a　mare　of　my　own　that's　as　fat　as　butter　for　want　of　work；'　said　he。　　'It　would　be　a　charity　to　me　to　sit　on　her　back　for　a　hundred　miles　or　so；　and　then　I　should　know　you'd　have　no　temptation　to　use　that　hand。'

〃'You're　far　too　good！'　I　protested。

〃'You're　A。　J。　Raffles；'　he　said。

〃And　if　ever　there　was　a　prettier　compliment；　or　a　finer　instance　of　even　Colonial　hospitality；　I　can　only　say；　Bunny；　that　I　never　heard　of　either。〃

He　sipped　his　whiskey；　threw　away　the　stump　of　　his　cigarette；　and　lit　another　before　continuing。

〃Well；　I　managed　to　write　a　line　to　W。　F。　with　my　own　hand；　which；　as　you　will　gather；　was　not　very　badly　wounded；　it　was　simply　this　third　finger　that　was　split　and　in　splints；　and　next　morning　the　doctor　packed　me　off　on　a　bovine　beast　that　would　have　done　for　an　ambulance。　　Half　the　team　came　up　to　see　me　start；　the　rest　were　rather　sick　with　me　for　not　stopping　to　see　the　match　out；　as　if　I　could　help　them　to　win　by　watching　them。　　They　little　knew　the　game　I'd　got　on　myself；　but　still　less　did　I　know　the　game　I　was　going　to　play。

〃It　was　an　interesting　ride　enough；　especially　after　passing　the　place　called　Whittlesea；　a　real　wild　township　on　the　lower　slope　of　the　ranges；　where　I　recollect　having　a　deadly　meal　of　hot　mutton　and　tea；　with　the　thermometer　at　three　figures　in　the　shade。　　The　first　thirty　miles　or　so　was　a　good　metal　road；　too　good　to　go　half　round　the　world　to　ride　on；　but　after　Whittlesea　it　was　a　mere　track　over　the　ranges；　a　track　I　often　couldn't　see　and　left　entirely　to　the　mare。　　Now　it　dipped　into　a　gully　and　ran　through　a　creek；　and　all　the　time　the　local　color　was　inches　thick；　gum…trees　galore　and　parrots　all　colors　of　the　rainbow。　　In　one　place　a　whole　forest　of　gums　had　been　ring…barked；　and　were　just　as　though　they　had　been　painted　white；　without　a　leaf　or　a　living　thing　for　miles。　And　the　first　living　thing　I　did　meet　was　the　sort　to　give　you　the　creeps；　it　was　a　riderless　horse　coming　full　tilt　through　the　bush；　with　the　saddle　twisted　round　and　the　stirrup…irons　ringing。　　Without　thinking；　I　had　a　shot　at　heading　him　with　the　doctor's　mare；　and　blocked　him　just　enough　to　allow　a　man　who　came　galloping　after　to　do　the　rest。

〃'Thank　ye；　mister；'　growled　the　man；　a　huge　chap　in　a　red　checked　shirt；　with　a　beard　like　W。　G。　Grace；　but　the　very　devil　of　an　expression。

〃'Been　an　accident？'　said　I；　reining　up。

〃'Yes；'　said　he；　scowling　as　though　he　defied　me　to　ask　any　more。

〃'And　a　nasty　one；'　I　said；　'if　that's　blood　on　the　saddle！'

〃Well；　Bunny；　I　may　be　a　blackguard　myself；　but　I　don't　think　I　ever　looked　at　a　fellow　as　that　chap　looked　at　me。　　But　I　stared　him　out；　and　forced　him　to　admit　that　it　was　blood　on　the　twisted　saddle；　and　after　that　he　became　quite　tame。　　He　told　me　exactly　what　had　happened。　　A　mate　of　his　had　been　dragged　under　a　branch；　and　had　his　nose　smashed；　but　that　was　all；　had　sat　tight　after　it　till　he　dropped　from　loss　of　blood；　a