a thief in the night-第3章

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〃True。　　You　might　be　useful　to　me　there。　　But　I　still　don't　like　leading　you　in　where　it　isn't　absolutely　necessary；　Bunny。〃

〃Then　let　me　lead　you；　I　answered；　and　forthwith　marched　across　the　broad；　secluded　road；　with　the　great　houses　standing　back　on　either　side　in　their　ample　gardens；　as　though　the　one　opposite　belonged　to　me。　　I　thought　Raffles　had　stayed　behind；　for　I　never　heard　him　at　my　heels；　yet　there　he　was　when　I　turned　round　at　the　gate。

〃I　must　teach　you　the　step；〃　he　whispered；　shaking　his　head。　　〃You　shouldn't　use　your　heel　at　all。　　Here's　a　grass　border　for　you：　walk　it　as　you　would　the　plank！　　Gravel　makes　a　noise；　and　flower…beds　tell　a　tale。　　Wait　…　I　must　carry　you　across　this。〃

It　was　the　sweep　of　the　drive；　and　in　the　dim　light　from　above　the　door；　the　soft　gravel；　ploughed　into　ridges　by　the　night's　wheels；　threatened　an　alarm　at　every　step。　　Yet　Raffles；　with　me　in　his　arms；　crossed　the　zone　of　peril　softly　as　the　pard。

〃Shoes　in　your　pocket　…　that's　the　beauty　of　pumps！〃　he　whispered　on　the　step；　his　light　bunch　tinkled　faintly；　a　couple　of　keys　he　stooped　and　tried；　with　the　touch　of　a　humane　dentist；　the　third　let　us　into　the　porch。　　And　as　we　stood　together　on　the　mat；　as　he　was　gradually　closing　the　door；　a　clock　within　chimed　a　half…hour　in　fashion　so　thrillingly　familiar　to　me　that　I　caught　Raffles　by　the　arm。　　My　half…hours　of　happiness　had　flown　to　just　such　chimes！　I　looked　wildly　about　me　in　the　dim　light。　　Hat…stand　and　oak　settee　belonged　equally　to　my　past。　　And　Raffles　was　smiling　in　my　face　as　he　held　the　door　wide　for　my　escape。

〃You　told　me　a　lie！〃　I　gasped　in　whispers。

〃I　did　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　he　replied。　　〃The　furniture's　the　furniture　of　Hector　Carruthers；　but　the　house　is　the　house　of　Lord　Lochmaben。　　Look　here！〃

He　had　stooped；　and　was　smoothing　out　the　discarded　envelope　of　a　telegram。　　〃Lord　Lochmaben；〃　I　read　in　pencil　by　the　dim　light；　and　the　case　was　plain　to　me　on　the　spot。　　My　friends　had　let　their　house；　furnished；　as　anybody　but　Raffles　would　have　explained　to　me　in　the　beginning。

〃All　right；〃　I　said。　　〃Shut　the　door。〃

And　he　not　only　shut　it　without　a　sound；　but　drew　a　bolt　that　might　have　been　sheathed　in　rubber。

In　another　minute　we　were　at　work　upon　the　study…door；　I　with　the　tiny　lantern　and　the　bottle　of　rock…oil；　he　with　the　brace　and　the　largest　bit。　　The　Yale　lock　he　had　given　up　at　a　glance。　　It　was　placed　high　up　in　the　door；　feet　above　the　handle；　and　the　chain　of　holes　with　which　Raffles　had　soon　surrounded　it　were　bored　on　a　level　with　his　eyes。　　Yet　the　clock　in　the　hall　chimed　again；　and　two　ringing　strokes　resounded　through　the　silent　house　before　we　gained　admittance　to　the　room。

Raffle's　next　care　was　to　muffle　the　bell　on　the　shuttered　window　（with　a　silk　handkerchief　from　the　hat…stand）　and　to　prepare　an　emergency　exit　by　opening　first　the　shutters　and　then　the　window　itself。　　Luckily　it　was　a　still　night；　and　very　little　wind　came　in　to　embarrass　us。　　He　then　began　operations　on　the　safe；　revealed　by　me　behind　its　folding　screen　of　books；　while　I　stood　sentry　on　the　threshold。　　I　may　have　stood　there　for　a　dozen　minutes；　listening　to　the　loud　hall　clock　and　to　the　gentle　dentistry　of　Raffles　in　the　mouth　of　the　safe　behind　me；　when　a　third　sound　thrilled　my　every　nerve。　　It　was　the　equally　cautious　opening　of　a　door　in　the　gallery　overhead。

I　moistened　my　lips　to　whisper　a　word　of　warning　to　Raffles。　　But　his　ears　had　been　as　quick　as　mine；　and　something　longer。　　His　lantern　darkened　as　I　turned　my　head；　next　moment　I　felt　his　breath　upon　the　back　of　my　neck。　　It　was　now　too　late　even　for　a　whisper；　and　quite　out　of　the　question　to　close　the　mutilated　door。　　There　we　could　only　stand；　I　on　the　threshold；　Raffles　at　my　elbow；　while　one　carrying　a　candle　crept　down　the　stairs。

The　study…door　was　at　right　angles　to　the　lowest　flight；　and　just　to　the　right　of　one　alighting　in　the　hall。　　It　was　thus　impossible　for　us　to　see　who　it　was　until　the　person　was　close　abreast　of　us；　but　by　the　rustle　of　the　gown　we　knew　that　it　was　one　of　the　ladies；　and　dressed　just　as　she　had　come　from　theatre　or　ball。　　Insensibly　I　drew　back　as　the　candle　swam　into　our　field　of　vision：　it　had　not　traversed　many　inches　when　a　hand　was　clapped　firmly　but　silently　across　my　mouth。

I　could　forgive　Raffles　for　that；　at　any　rate！　　In　another　breath　I　should　have　cried　aloud：　for　the　girl　with　the　candle；　the　girl　in　her　ball…dress；　at　dead　of　night；　the　girl　with　the　letter　for　the　post；　was　the　last　girl　on　God's　wide　earth　whom　I　should　have　chosen　thus　to　encounter　…　a　midnight　intruder　in　the　very　house　where　I　had　been　reluctantly　received　on　her　account！

I　forgot　Raffles。　　I　forgot　the　new　and　unforgivable　grudge　I　had　against　him　now。　　I　forgot　his　very　hand　across　my　mouth；　even　before　he　paid　me　the　compliment　of　removing　it。　　There　was　the　only　girl　in　all　the　world：　I　had　eyes　and　brains　for　no　one　and　for　nothing　else。　　She　had　neither　seen　nor　heard　us；　had　looked　neither　to　the　right　hand　nor　the　left。　　But　a　small　oak　table　stood　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　hall；　it　was　to　this　table　that　she　went。　　On　it　was　one　of　those　boxes　in　which　one　puts　one's　letters　for　the　post；　and　she　stooped　to　read　by　her　candle　the　times　at　which　this　box　was　cleared。

The　loud　clock　ticked　and　ticked。　　She　was　standing　at　her　full　height　now；　her　candle　on　the　table；　her　letter　in　both　hands；　and　in　her　downcast　face　a　sweet　and　pitiful　perplexity　that　drew　the　tears　to　my　eyes。　　Through　a　film　I　saw　her　open　the　envelope　so　lately　sealed　and　read　her　letter　once　more；　as　though　she　would　have　altered　it　a　little　at　the　last。　　It　was　too　late　for　that；　but　of　a　sudden　she　plucked　a　rose　from　her　bosom；　and　was　pressing　it　in　with　her　letter　when　I　groaned　aloud。

How　could　I　help　it？　　The　letter　was　for　me：　of　that　I　was　as　sure　as　though　I　had　been　looking　over　her　shoulder。　　She　was　as　true　as　tempered　steel；　there　were　not　two　of　us　to　whom　she　wrote　and　sent　roses　at　dead　of　night。　　It　was　her　one　chance　of　writing　to　me。　None　would　know　that　she　had　written。　　And　she　cared　enough　to　soften　the　reproaches　I　had　richly　earned；　with　a　red　rose　warm　from　her　own　warm　heart。　　And　there；　and　there　was　I；　a　common　thief　who　had　broken　in　to　steal！　　Yet　I　was　unaware　that　I　had　uttered　a　sound　until　she　looked　up；　startled；　and　the　hands　behind　me　pinned　me　where　I　stood。

I　think　she　must　have　seen　us；　even　in　the　dim　light　of　the　solitary　candle。　　Yet　not　a　sound　escaped　her　as　she　peered　courageously　in　our　direction；　neither　did　one　of　us　move；　but　the　hall　clock　went　on　and　on；　every　tick　like　the　beat　of　a　drum　to　bring　the　house　about　our　ears；　until　a　minute　must　have　passed　as　in　some　breathless　dream。　　And　then　came　the　awakening　…　with　such　a　knocking　and　a　ringing　at　the　front　door　as　brought　all　three　of　us　to　our　senses　on　the　spot。

〃The　son　of　the　house！〃　whispered　Raffles　in　my　ear；　as　he　dragged　me　back　to　the　window　he　had　left　open　for　our　escape。　　But　as　he　leaped　out　first　a　sharp　cry　stopped　me　at　the　sill。　　〃Get　back！　Get　back！　　We're　trapped！〃　he　cried；　and　in　the　single　second　that　I　stood　there；　I　saw　him　fell　one　officer　to　the　ground；　and　dart　across　the　lawn　with　another　at　his　heels。　　A　third　came　running　up　to　the　window。　　What　could　I　do　but　double　back　into　the　house？　　And　there　in　the　hall　I　met　my　lost　love　face　to　face。

Till　that　moment　she　had　not　recognized　me。　　I　ran　to　catch　her　as　she　all　but　fell。　　And　my　touch　repelled　her　into　life；　so　that　she　shook　me　off；　and　stood　gasping：　〃You；　of　all　men！　　You；　of　all　men！〃　until　I　could　bear　it　no　more；　but　broke　again　for　the　study…window。　〃Not　that　way　…　not　that　way！〃　she　cried　in　an　agony　at　that。　　Her　hands　were　upon　me　now。　　〃In　there；　in　there；〃　she　whispered；　pointing　and　pulling　me　to　a　mere　cupboard　under　the　stairs；　where　hats　and　coats　were　hung；　and　it　was　she　who　shut　the　door　on　me　with　a　sob。

Doors　were　already　opening　overhead；　voices　calling；　voices　answering；　the　alarm　running　like　wildfire　from　room　to　room。　　Soft　feet　pattered　in　the　gallery　and　down　the　stairs　about　my　very　ears。　I　do　not　know　what　made　me　put　on　my　own　s