the amateur cracksman-第20章

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〃Good　old　Raffles！〃　I　chuckled。　　〃I　begin　to　forgive　you　for　being　in　bad　form　at　dinner。〃

〃But　I　was　never　more　earnest　in　my　life。〃

〃Go　on！〃

〃I　mean　it。〃

〃You　know　very　well　that　you　wouldn't　commit　a　murder；　whatever　else　you　might　do。〃

〃I　know　very　well　I'm　going　to　commit　one　to…night！〃

He　had　been　leaning　back　in　the　saddle…bag　chair；　watching　me　with　keen　eyes　sheathed　by　languid　lids；　now　he　started　forward；　and　his　eyes　leapt　to　mine　like　cold　steel　from　the　scabbard。　They　struck　home　to　my　slow　wits；　their　meaning　was　no　longer　in　doubt。　　I；　who　knew　the　man；　read　murder　in　his　clenched　hands；　and　murder　in　his　locked　lips；　but　a　hundred　murders　in　those　hard　blue　eyes。

〃Baird？〃　I　faltered；　moistening　my　lips　with　my　tongue。

〃Of　course。〃

〃But　you　said　it　didn't　matter　about　the　room　in　Chelsea？〃

〃I　told　a　lie。〃

〃Anyway　you　gave　him　the　slip　afterwards！〃

〃That　was　another。　　I　didn't。　　I　thought　I　had　when　I　came　up　to　you　this　evening；　but　when　I　looked　out　of　your　windowyou　remember？　　to　make　assurance　doubly　surethere　he　was　on　the　opposite　pavement　down　below。〃

〃And　you　never　said　a　word　about　it！〃

〃I　wasn't　going　to　spoil　your　dinner；　Bunny；　and　I　wasn't　going　to　let　you　spoil　mine。　　But　there　he　was　as　large　as　life；　and；　of　course；　he　followed　us　to　the　Albany。　　A　fine　game　for　him　to　play；　a　game　after　his　mean　old　heart：　blackmail　from　me；　bribes　from　the　police；　the　one　bidding　against　the　other；　but　he　sha'n't　play　it　with　me；　he　sha'n't　live　to；　and　the　world　will　have　an　extortioner　the　less。　　Waiter！　　Two　Scotch　whiskeys　and　sodas。　　I'm　off　at　eleven；　Bunny；　it's　the　only　thing　to　be　done。〃

〃You　know　where　he　lives；　then？〃

〃Yes；　out　Willesden　way；　and　alone；　the　fellow's　a　miser　among　other　things。　　I　long　ago　found　out　all　about　him。〃

Again　I　looked　round　the　room；　it　was　a　young　man's　club；　and　young　men　were　laughing；　chatting；　smoking；　drinking；　on　every　hand。　　One　nodded　to　me　through　the　smoke。　　Like　a　machine　I　nodded　to　him；　and　turned　back　to　Raffles　with　a　groan。

〃Surely　you　will　give　him　a　chance！〃　I　urged。　〃The　very　sight　of　your　pistol　should　bring　him　to　terms。〃

〃It　wouldn't　make　him　keep　them。〃

〃But　you　might　try　the　effect？〃

〃I　probably　shall。　　Here's　a　drink　for　you；　Bunny。　　Wish　me　luck。〃

〃I'm　coming　too。〃

〃I　don't　want　you。〃

〃But　I　must　come！〃

An　ugly　gleam　shot　from　the　steel　blue　eyes。

〃To　interfere？〃　said　Raffles。

〃Not　I。〃

〃You　give　me　your　word？〃

〃I　do。〃

〃Bunny；　if　you　break　it〃

〃You　may　shoot　me；　too！〃

〃I　most　certainly　should；〃　said　Raffles；　solemnly。　〃So　you　come　at　your　own　peril；　my　dear　man；　but；　if　you　are　comingwell；　the　sooner　the　better；　for　I　must　stop　at　my　rooms　on　the　way。〃

Five　minutes　later　I　was　waiting　for　him　at　the　Piccadilly　entrance　to　the　Albany。　　I　had　a　reason　for　remaining　outside。　　It　was　the　feelinghalf　hope；　half　fearthat　Angus　Baird　might　still　be　on　our　trailthat　some　more　immediate　and　less　cold…blooded　way　of　dealing　with　him　might　result　from　a　sudden　encounter　between　the　money…lender　and　myself。　　I　would　not　warn　him　of　his　danger；　but　I　would　avert　tragedy　at　all　costs。　　And　when　no　such　encounter　had　taken　place；　and　Raffles　and　I　were　fairly　on　our　way　to　Willesden；　that；　I　think；　was　still　my　honest　resolve。　　I　would　not　break　my　word　if　I　could　help　it；　but　it　was　a　comfort　to　feel　that　I　could　break　it　if　I　liked；　on　an　understood　penalty。　　Alas！　　I　fear　my　good　intentions　were　tainted　with　a　devouring　curiosity；　and　overlaid　by　the　fascination　which　goes　hand　in　hand　with　horror。

I　have　a　poignant　recollection　of　the　hour　it　took　us　to　reach　the　house。　　We　walked　across　St。　James's　Park　（I　can　see　the　lights　now；　bright　on　the　bridge　and　blurred　in　the　water）；　and　we　had　some　minutes　to　wait　for　the　last　train　to　Willesden。　　It　left　at　11。21；　I　remember；　and　Raffles　was　put　out　to　find　it　did　not　go　on　to　Kensal　Rise。　We　had　to　get　out　at　Willesden　Junction　and　walk　on　through　the　streets　into　fairly　open　country　that　happened　to　be　quite　new　to　me。　　I　could　never　find　the　house　again。　　I　remember；　however；　that　we　were　on　a　dark　footpath　between　woods　and　fields　when　the　clocks　began　striking　twelve。

〃Surely；〃　said　I；　〃we　shall　find　him　in　bed　and　asleep？〃

〃I　hope　we　do；〃　said　Raffles　grimly。

〃Then　you　mean　to　break　in？〃

〃What　else　did　you　think？〃

I　had　not　thought　about　it　at　all；　the　ultimate　crime　had　monopolized　my　mind。　　Beside　it　burglary　was　a　bagatelle；　but　one　to　deprecate　none　the　less。　　I　saw　obvious　objections：　the　man　was　au　fait　with　cracksmen　and　their　ways：　he　would　certainly　have　firearms；　and　might　be　the　first　to　use　them。

〃I　could　wish　nothing　better；〃　said　Raffles。　〃Then　it　will　be　man　to　man；　and　devil　take　the　worst　shot。　　You　don't　suppose　I　prefer　foul　play　to　fair；　do　you？　　But　die　he　must；　by　one　or　the　other；　or　it's　a　long　stretch　for　you　and　me。〃

〃Better　that　than　this！〃

〃Then　stay　where　you　are；　my　good　fellow。　　I　told　you　I　didn't　want　you；　and　this　is　the　house。　So　good…night。〃

I　could　see　no　house　at　all；　only　the　angle　of　a　high　wall　rising　solitary　in　the　night；　with　the　starlight　glittering　on　battlements　of　broken　glass；　and　in　the　wall　a　tall　green　gate；　bristling　with　spikes；　and　showing　a　front　for　battering…rams　in　the　feeble　rays　an　outlying　lamp…post　cast　across　the　new…made　road。　　It　seemed　to　me　a　road　of　building…sites；　with　but　this　one　house　built；　all　by　itself；　at　one　end；　but　the　night　was　too　dark　for　more　than　a　mere　impression。

Raffles；　however；　had　seen　the　place　by　daylight；　and　had　come　prepared　for　the　special　obstacles；　already　he　was　reaching　up　and　putting　champagne　corks　on　the　spikes；　and　in　another　moment　he　had　his　folded　covert…coat　across　the　corks。　　I　stepped　back　as　he　raised　himself；　and　saw　a　little　pyramid　of　slates　snip　the　sky　above　the　gate；　as　he　squirmed　over　I　ran　forward；　and　had　my　own　weight　on　the　spikes　and　corks　and　covert…coat　when　he　gave　the　latter　a　tug。

〃Coming　after　all？〃

〃Rather！〃

〃Take　care；　then；　the　place　is　all　bell…wires　and　springs。　　It's　no　soft　thing；　this！　　Therestand　still　while　I　take　off　the　corks。〃

The　garden　was　very　small　and　new；　with　a　grass…plot　still　in　separate　sods；　but　a　quantity　of　full…grown　laurels　stuck　into　the　raw　clay　beds。　〃Bells　in　themselves；〃　as　Raffles　whispered；　〃there's　nothing　else　rustles　socunning　old　beast！〃　　And　we　gave　them　a　wide　berth　as　we　crept　across　the　grass。

〃He's　gone　to　bed！〃

〃I　don't　think　so；　Bunny。　　I　believe　he's　seen　us。〃

〃Why？〃

〃I　saw　a　light。〃

〃Where？〃

〃Downstairs；　for　an　instant；　when　I〃

His　whisper　died　away；　he　had　seen　the　light　again；　and　so　had　I。

It　lay　like　a　golden　rod　under　the　front…doorand　vanished。　　It　reappeared　like　a　gold　thread　under　the　linteland　vanished　for　good。　　We　heard　the　stairs　creak；　creak；　and　cease；　also　for　good。　　We　neither　saw　nor　heard　any　more；　though　we　stood　waiting　on　the　grass　till　our　feet　were　soaked　with　the　dew。

〃I'm　going　in；〃　said　Raffles　at　last。　　〃I　don't　believe　he　saw　us　at　all。　　I　wish　he　had。　　This　way。〃

We　trod　gingerly　on　the　path；　but　the　gravel　stuck　to　our　wet　soles；　and　grated　horribly　in　a　little　tiled　veranda　with　a　glass　door　leading　within。　It　was　through　this　glass　that　Raffles　had　first　seen　the　light；　and　he　now　proceeded　to　take　out　a　pane；　with　the　diamond；　the　pot　of　treacle；　and　the　sheet　of　brown　paper　which　were　seldom　omitted　from　his　impedimenta。　　Nor　did　he　dispense　with　my　own　assistance；　though　he　may　have　accepted　it　as　instinctively　as　it　was　proffered。　　In　any　case　it　was　these　fingers　that　helped　to　spread　the　treacle　on　the　brown　paper；　and　pressed　the　latter　to　the　glass　until　the　diamond　had　completed　its　circuit　and　the　pane　fell　gently　back　into　our　hands。

Raffles　now　inserted　his　hand；　turned　the　key　in　the　lock；　and；　by　making　a　long　arm；　succeeded　in　drawing　the　bolt　at　the　bottom　of　the　door；　it　proved　to　be　the　only　one；　and　the　door　opened；　though　not　very　wide。

〃What's　that？〃　said　Raffles；　as　something　crunched　beneath　his　feet　on　the　very　threshold。

〃A　pair　of　spectacles；〃　I　whispered；　picking　them　up。　　I　was　still　fingering　the