the amateur cracksman-第25章

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　impression　of　the　man　which　his　every　subsequent　utterance　confirmed。　　It　was　an　impression　which　did　away　with　all　remorse　for　my　treacherous　presence　at　his　table。　　He　was　that　terrible　type；　the　Silly　Cynic；　his　aim　a　caustic　commentary　on　all　things　and　all　men；　his　achievement　mere　vulgar　irreverence　and　unintelligent　scorn。　　Ill…bred　and　ill…informed；　he　had　（on　his　own　showing）　fluked　into　fortune　on　a　rise　in　land；　yet　cunning　he　possessed；　as　well　as　malice；　and　he　chuckled　till　he　choked　over　the　misfortunes　of　less　astute　speculators　in　the　same　boom。　　Even　now　I　cannot　feel　much　compunction　for　my　behavior　by　the　Hon。　J。　M。　Craggs；　M。L。C。

But　never　shall　I　forget　the　private　agonies　of　the　situation；　the　listening　to　my　host　with　one　ear　and　for　Raffles　with　the　other！　　Once　I　heard　himthough　the　rooms　were　not　divided　by　the　old…fashioned　folding…doors；　and　though　the　door　that　did　divide　them　was　not　only　shut　but　richly　curtained；　I　could　have　sworn　I　heard　him　once。　　I　spilt　my　wine　and　laughed　at　the　top　of　my　voice　at　some　coarse　sally　of　my　host's。　　And　I　heard　nothing　more；　though　my　ears　were　on　the　strain。　But　later；　to　my　horror；　when　the　waiter　had　finally　withdrawn；　Craggs　himself　sprang　up　and　rushed　to　his　bedroom　without　a　word。　　I　sat　like　stone　till　he　returned。

〃Thought　I　heard　a　door　go；〃　he　said。　　〃Must　have　been　mistaken　。　。　。　imagination　。　。　。　gave　me　quite　a　turn。　　Raffles　tell　you　priceless　treasure　I　got　in　there？〃

It　was　the　picture　at　last；　up　to　this　point　I　had　kept　him　to　Queensland　and　the　making　of　his　pile。　I　tried　to　get　him　back　there　now；　but　in　vain。　　He　was　reminded　of　his　great　ill…gotten　possession。　　I　said　that　Raffles　had　just　mentioned　it；　and　that　set　him　off。　　With　the　confidential　garrulity　of　a　man　who　has　dined　too　well；　he　plunged　into　his　darling　topic；　and　I　looked　past　him　at　the　clock。　　It　was　only　a　quarter　to　ten。

In　common　decency　I　could　not　go　yet。　　So　there　I　sat　（we　were　still　at　port）　and　learnt　what　had　originally　fired　my　host's　ambition　to　possess　what　he　was　pleased　to　call　a　〃real；　genuine；　twin…screw；　double…funnelled；　copper…bottomed　Old　Master〃；　it　was　to　〃go　one　better〃　than　some　rival　legislator　of　pictorial　proclivities。　　But　even　an　epitome　of　his　monologue　would　be　so　much　weariness；　suffice　it　that　it　ended　inevitably　in　the　invitation　I　had　dreaded　all　the　evening。

〃But　you　must　see　it。　　Next　room。　　This　way。〃

〃Isn't　it　packed　up？〃　I　inquired　hastily。

〃Lock　and　key。　　That's　all。〃

〃Pray　don't　trouble；〃　I　urged。

〃Trouble　be　hanged！〃　said　he。　　〃Come　along。〃

And　all　at　once　I　saw　that　to　resist　him　further　would　be　to　heap　suspicion　upon　myself　against　the　moment　of　impending　discovery。　　I　therefore　followed　him　into　his　bedroom　without　further　protest；　and　suffered　him　first　to　show　me　the　iron　map…case　which　stood　in　one　corner；　he　took　a　crafty　pride　in　this　receptacle；　and　I　thought　he　would　never　cease　descanting　on　its　innocent　appearance　and　its　Chubb's　lock。　　It　seemed　an　interminable　age　before　the　key　was　in　the　latter。　　Then　the　ward　clicked；　and　my　pulse　stood　still。

〃By　Jove！〃　I　cried　next　instant。

The　canvas　was　in　its　place　among　the　maps！

〃Thought　it　would　knock　you；〃　said　Craggs；　drawing　it　out　and　unrolling　it　for　my　benefit。　'Grand　thing；　ain't　it？　　Wouldn't　think　it　had　been　painted　two　hundred　and　thirty　years？　　It　has；　though；　MY　word！　　Old　Johnson's　face　will　be　a　treat　when　he　sees　it；　won't　go　bragging　about　HIS　pictures　much　more。　　Why；　this　one's　worth　all　the　pictures　in　Colony　o'　Queensland　put　together。　　Worth　fifty　thousand　pounds；　my　boyand　I　got　it　for　five！〃

He　dug　me　in　the　ribs；　and　seemed　in　the　mood　for　further　confidences。　　My　appearance　checked　him；　and　he　rubbed　his　hands。

〃If　you　take　it　like　that；〃　he　chuckled；　〃how　will　old　Johnson　take　it？　　Go　out　and　hang　himself　to　his　own　picture…rods；　I　hope！〃

Heaven　knows　what　I　contrived　to　say　at　last。　Struck　speechless　first　by　my　relief；　I　continued　silent　from　a　very　different　cause。　　A　new　tangle　of　emotions　tied　my　tongue。　　Raffles　had　failedRaffles　had　failed！　　Could　I　not　succeed？　　Was　it　too　late？　　Was　there　no　way？

〃So　long；〃　he　said；　taking　a　last　look　at　the　canvas　before　he　rolled　it　up〃so　long　till　we　get　to　Brisbane。〃

The　flutter　I　was　in　as　he　closed　the　case！

〃For　the　last　time；〃　he　went　on；　as　his　keys　jingled　back　into　his　pocket。　　〃It　goes　straight　into　the　strong…room　on　board。〃

For　the　last　time！　　If　I　could　but　send　him　out　to　Australia　with　only　its　legitimate　contents　in　his　precious　map…case！　　If　I　could　but　succeed　where　Raffles　had　failed！

We　returned　to　the　other　room。　　I　have　no　notion　how　long　he　talked；　or　what　about。　　Whiskey　and　soda…water　became　the　order　of　the　hour。　　I　scarcely　touched　it；　but　he　drank　copiously；　and　before　eleven　I　left　him　incoherent。　And　the　last　train　for　Esher　was　the　11。50　out　of　Waterloo。

I　took　a　hansom　to　my　rooms。　　I　was　back　at　the　hotel　in　thirteen　minutes。　　I　walked　upstairs。　The　corridor　was　empty；　I　stood　an　instant　on　the　sitting…room　threshold；　heard　a　snore　within；　and　admitted　myself　softly　with　my　gentleman's　own　key；　which　it　had　been　a　very　simple　matter　to　take　away　with　me。

Craggs　never　moved；　he　was　stretched　on　the　sofa　fast　asleep。　　But　not　fast　enough　for　me。　　I　saturated　my　handkerchief　with　the　chloroform　I　had　brought；　and　laid　it　gently　over　his　mouth。　Two　or　three　stertorous　breaths；　and　the　man　was　a　log。

I　removed　the　handkerchief；　I　extracted　the　keys　from　his　pocket。

In　less　than　five　minutes　I　put　them　back；　after　winding　the　picture　about　my　body　beneath　my　Inverness　cape。　　I　took　some　whiskey　and　soda…water　before　I　went。

The　train　was　easily　caughtso　easily　that　I　trembled　for　ten　minutes　in　my　first…class　smoking　carriagein　terror　of　every　footstep　on　the　platform；　in　unreasonable　terror　till　the　end。　　Then　at　last　I　sat　back　and　lit　a　cigarette；　and　the　lights　of　Waterloo　reeled　out　behind。

Some　men　were　returning　from　the　theatre。　　I　can　recall　their　conversation　even　now。　　They　were　disappointed　with　the　piece　they　had　seen。　It　was　one　of　the　later　Savoy　operas；　and　they　spoke　wistfully　of　the　days　of　〃Pinafore〃　and　〃Patience。〃　　One　of　them　hummed　a　stave；　and　there　was　an　argument　as　to　whether　the　air　was　out　of　〃Patience〃　or　the　〃Mikado。〃　　They　all　got　out　at　Surbiton；　and　I　was　alone　with　my　triumph　for　a　few　intoxicating　minutes。　　To　think　that　I　had　succeeded　where　Raffles　had　failed！

Of　all　our　adventures　this　was　the　first　in　which　I　had　played　a　commanding　part；　and；　of　them　all；　this　was　infinitely　the　least　discreditable。　　It　left　me　without　a　conscientious　qualm；　I　had　but　robbed　a　robber；　when　all　was　said。　　And　I　had　done　it　myself；　single…handedipse　egomet！

I　pictured　Raffles；　his　surprise；　his　delight。　　He　would　think　a　little　more　of　me　in　future。　　And　that　future；　it　should　be　different。　　We　had　two　thousand　pounds　apiecesurely　enough　to　start　afresh　as　honest　menand　all　through　me！

In　a　glow　I　sprang　out　at　Esher；　and　took　the　one　belated　cab　that　was　waiting　under　the　bridge。　In　a　perfect　fever　I　beheld　Broom　Hall；　with　the　lower　story　still　lit　up；　and　saw　the　front　door　open　as　I　climbed　the　steps。

〃Thought　it　was　you；〃　said　Raffles　cheerily。　〃It's　all　right。　　There's　a　bed　for　you。　　Sir　Bernard's　sitting　up　to　shake　your　hand。〃

His　good　spirits　disappointed　me。　　But　I　knew　the　man：　he　was　one　of　those　who　wear　their　brightest　smile　in　the　blackest　hour。　　I　knew　him　too　well　by　this　time　to　be　deceived。

〃I've　got　it！〃　I　cried　in　his　ear。　　〃I've　got　it！〃

〃Got　what？〃　he　asked　me；　stepping　back。

〃The　picture！〃

〃WHAT？〃

〃The　picture。　　He　showed　it　me。　　You　had　to　go　without　it；　I　saw　that。　　So　I　determined　to　have　it。　　And　here　it　is。〃

〃Let's　see；〃　said　Raffles　grimly。

I　threw　off　my　cape　and　unwound　the　canvas　from　about　my　body。　　While　I　was　doing　so　an　untidy　old　gentleman　made　his　appearance　in　the　hall；　and　stood　looking　on　with　raised　eyebrows。

〃Looks　pretty　fresh　for　an　Old　Master；　doesn't　she？〃　said　Raffles。

His　tone　was　strange。　　I　could　only　suppose　that　he　was　jealous　of　my　success。

〃So　Craggs　said。　　I　hardly　looked　at