the amateur cracksman-第6部分

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rize…fighter；　and　his　diamonds；　without　feeling　it　a　kind　of　duty　to　have　a　go　for　them；　but　when　it　comes　to　brandishing　a　revolver　and　practically　challenging　the　world；　the　thing　becomes　inevitable。　　It　is　simply　thrust　upon　one。　　I　was　fated　to　hear　that　challenge；　Bunny；　and　I；　for　one；　must　take　it　up。　　I　was　only　sorry　I　couldn't　get　on　my　hind　legs　and　say　so　then　and　there。〃

〃Well；〃　I　said；　〃I　don't　see　the　necessity　as　things　are　with　us；　but；　of　course；　I'm　your　man。〃

My　tone　may　have　been　half…hearted。　　I　did　my　best　to　make　it　otherwise。　　But　it　was　barely　a　month　since　our　Bond　Street　exploit；　and　we　certainly　could　have　afforded　to　behave　ourselves　for　some　time　to　come。　　We　had　been　getting　along　so　nicely：　by　his　advice　I　had　scribbled　a　thing　or　two；　inspired　by　Raffles；　I　had　even　done　an　article　on　our　own　jewel　robbery；　and　for　the　moment　I　was　quite　satisfied　with　this　sort　of　adventure。　　I　thought　we　ought　to　know　when　we　were　well　off；　and　could　see　no　point　in　our　running　fresh　risks　before　we　were　obliged。　　On　the　other　hand；　I　was　anxious　not　to　show　the　least　disposition　to　break　the　pledge　that　I　had　given　a　month　ago。　　But　it　was　not　on　my　manifest　disinclination　that　Raffles　fastened。

〃Necessity；　my　dear　Bunny？　　Does　the　writer　only　write　when　the　wolf　is　at　the　door？　　Does　the　painter　paint　for　bread　alone？　　Must　you　and　I　be　DRIVEN　to　crime　like　Tom　of　Bow　and　Dick　of　Whitechapel？　　You　pain　me；　my　dear　chap；　you　needn't　laugh；　because　you　do。　　Art　for　art's　sake　is　a　vile　catchword；　but　I　confess　it　appeals　to　me。　In　this　case　my　motives　are　absolutely　pure；　for　I　doubt　if　we　shall　ever　be　able　to　dispose　of　such　peculiar　stones。　　But　if　I　don't　have　a　try　for　themafter　to…nightI　shall　never　be　able　to　hold　up　my　head　again。〃

His　eye　twinkled；　but　it　glittered；　too。

〃We　shall　have　our　work　cut　out；〃　was　all　I　said。

〃And　do　you　suppose　I　should　be　keen　on　it　if　we　hadn't？〃　cried　Raffles。　　〃My　dear　fellow；　I　would　rob　St。　Paul's　Cathedral　if　I　could；　but　I　could　no　more　scoop　a　till　when　the　shopwalker　wasn't　looking　than　I　could　bag　the　apples　out　of　an　old　woman's　basket。　　Even　that　little　business　last　month　was　a　sordid　affair；　but　it　was　necessary；　and　I　think　its　strategy　redeemed　it　to　some　extent。　Now　there's　some　credit；　and　more　sport；　in　going　where　they　boast　they're　on　their　guard　against　you。　　The　Bank　of　England；　for　example；　is　the　ideal　crib；　but　that　would　need　half　a　dozen　of　us　with　years　to　give　to　the　job；　and　meanwhile　Reuben　Rosenthall　is　high　enough　game　for　you　and　me。　　We　know　he's　armed。　　We　know　how　Billy　Purvis　can　fight。　　It'll　be　no　soft　thing；　I　grant　you。　But　what　of　that；　my　good　Bunnywhat　of　that？　　A　man's　reach　must　exceed　his　grasp；　dear　boy；　or　what　the　dickens　is　a　heaven　for？〃

〃I　would　rather　we　didn't　exceed　ours　just　yet；〃　I　answered　laughing；　for　his　spirit　was　irresistible；　and　the　plan　was　growing　upon　me；　despite　my　qualms。

〃Trust　me　for　that；〃　was　his　reply；　〃I'll　see　you　through。　　After　all　I　expect　to　find　that　the　difficulties　are　nearly　all　on　the　surface。　　These　fellows　both　drink　like　the　devil；　and　that　should　simplify　matters　considerably。　　But　we　shall　see；　and　we　must　take　our　time。　　There　will　probably　turn　out　to　be　a　dozen　different　ways　in　which　the　thing　might　be　done；　and　we　shall　have　to　choose　between　them。　　It　will　mean　watching　the　house　for　at　least　a　week　in　any　case；　it　may　mean　lots　of　other　things　that　will　take　much　longer；　but　give　me　a　week　and　I　will　tell　you　more。　　That's　to　say；　if　you're　really　on？〃

〃Of　course　I　am；〃　I　replied　indignantly。　　〃But　why　should　I　give　you　a　week？　　Why　shouldn't　we　watch　the　house　together？〃

〃Because　two　eyes　are　as　good　as　four　and　take　up　less　room。　　Never　hunt　in　couples　unless　you're　obliged。　　But　don't　you　look　offended；　Bunny；　there'll　be　plenty　for　you　to　do　when　the　time　comes；　that　I　promise　you。　　You　shall　have　your　share　of　the　fun；　never　fear；　and　a　purple　diamond　all　to　yourselfif　we're　lucky。〃

On　the　whole；　however；　this　conversation　left　me　less　than　lukewarm；　and　I　still　remember　the　depression　which　came　upon　me　when　Raffles　was　gone。　　I　saw　the　folly　of　the　enterprise　to　which　I　had　committed　myselfthe　sheer；　gratuitous；　unnecessary　folly　of　it。　　And　the　paradoxes　in　which　Raffles　revelled；　and　the　frivolous　casuistry　which　was　nevertheless　half　sincere；　and　which　his　mere　personality　rendered　wholly　plausible　at　the　moment　of　utterance；　appealed　very　little　to　me　when　recalled　in　cold　blood。　　I　admired　the　spirit　of　pure　mischief　in　which　he　seemed　prepared　to　risk　his　liberty　and　his　life；　but　I　did　not　find　it　an　infectious　spirit　on　calm　reflection。　　Yet　the　thought　of　withdrawal　was　not　to　be　entertained　for　a　moment。　　On　the　contrary；　I　was　impatient　of　the　delay　ordained　by　Raffles；　and；　perhaps；　no　small　part　of　my　secret　disaffection　came　of　his　galling　determination　to　do　without　me　until　the　last　moment。

It　made　it　no　better　that　this　was　characteristic　of　the　man　and　of　his　attitude　towards　me。　　For　a　month　we　had　been；　I　suppose；　the　thickest　thieves　in　all　London；　and　yet　our　intimacy　was　curiously　incomplete。　　With　all　his　charming　frankness；　there　was　in　Raffles　a　vein　of　capricious　reserve　which　was　perceptible　enough　to　be　very　irritating。　He　had　the　instinctive　secretiveness　of　the　inveterate　criminal。　　He　would　make　mysteries　of　matters　of　common　concern；　for　example；　I　never　knew　how　or　where　he　disposed　of　the　Bond　Street　jewels；　on　the　proceeds　of　which　we　were　both　still　leading　the　outward　lives　of　hundreds　of　other　young　fellows　about　town。　　He　was　consistently　mysterious　about　that　and　other　details；　of　which　it　seemed　to　me　that　I　had　already　earned　the　right　to　know　everything。　　I　could　not　but　remember　how　he　had　led　me　into　my　first　felony；　by　means　of　a　trick；　while　yet　uncertain　whether　he　could　trust　me　or　not。

That　I　could　no　longer　afford　to　resent；　but　I　did　resent　his　want　of　confidence　in　me　now。　　I　said　nothing　about　it；　but　it　rankled　every　day；　and　never　more　than　in　the　week　that　succeeded　the　Rosenthall　dinner。　　When　I　met　Raffles　at　the　club　he　would　tell　me　nothing；　when　I　went　to　his　rooms　he　was　out；　or　pretended　to　be。

One　day　he　told　me　he　was　getting　on　well；　but　slowly；　it　was　a　more　ticklish　game　than　he　had　thought；　but　when　I　began　to　ask　questions　he　would　say　no　more。　　Then　and　there；　in　my　annoyance；　I　took　my　own　decision。　　Since　he　would　tell　me　nothing　of　the　result　of　his　vigils；　I　determined　to　keep　one　on　my　own　account；　and　that　very　evening　found　my　way　to　the　millionaire's　front　gates。

The　house　he　was　occupying　is；　I　believe；　quite　the　largest　in　the　St。　John's　Wood　district。　　It　stands　in　the　angle　formed　by　two　broad　thoroughfares；　neither　of　which；　as　it　happens；　is　a　'bus　route；　and　I　doubt　if　many　quieter　spots　exist　within　the　four…mile　radius。　　Quiet　also　was　the　great　square　house；　in　its　garden　of　grass…plots　and　shrubs；　the　lights　were　low；　the　millionaire　and　his　friends　obviously　spending　their　evening　elsewhere。　　The　garden　walls　were　only　a　few　feet　high。　　In　one　there　was　a　side　door　opening　into　a　glass　passage；　in　the　other　two　five…barred；　grained…and…varnished　gates；　one　at　either　end　of　the　little　semi…circular　drive；　and　both　wide　open。　So　still　was　the　place　that　I　had　a　great　mind　to　walk　boldly　in　and　learn　something　of　the　premises；　in　fact；　I　was　on　the　point　of　doing　so；　when　I　heard　a　quick；　shuffling　step　on　the　pavement　behind　me。　　I　turned　round　and　faced　the　dark　scowl　and　the　dirty　clenched　fists　of　a　dilapidated　tramp。

〃You　fool！〃　said　he。　　〃You　utter　idiot！〃

〃Raffles！〃

〃That's　it；〃　he　whispered　savagely；　〃tell　all　the　neighborhoodgive　me　away　at　the　top　of　your　voice！〃

With　that　he　turned　his　back　upon　me；　and　shambled　down　the　road；　shrugging　his　shoulders　and　muttering　to　himself　as　though　I　had　refused　him　alms。　　A　few　moments　I　stood　astounded；　indignant；　at　a　loss；　then　I　followed　him。　　His　feet　trailed；　his　knees　gave；　his　back　was　bowed；　his　head　kept　nodding；　it　was　the　gait　of　a　man　eighty　years　of　age。　　Presently　he　waited　for　me　midway　between　two　lamp…posts。　　As　I　came　up　he　was　lighting　rank　tobacco；　in　a　cutty　pipe；　with　an　evil…smelling　match；　and　the　flame　showed　me　the　suspicion　of　a　smile。

〃You　must　forgive　my　heat；　Bunny；　but　it　really　was　very　foolish　of　you。　　Here　am　I　trying　every　dodgebegging　at　the　door　one　nighthiding　in　the　shrubs　the　nextdoing　every　mortal　thing　but　stand　and　stare　at　the　house　as　you　went　and　did。　It's　a　costume　piece；　and　in　you　rush　in　your　ordinary　clothes。　　I　tell　you　they're　on　the　lookout　for　us　night　and　day。　　It's　the　toughest　nut　I　ever　tackled！〃

〃Well；〃　said　I；　〃if　you　had　told　me　so　before　I　shouldn't　have　come。　　You　told　me　nothing。〃

He　looked　hard　at　me　from　under　the　broken　brim　of　a　battered　billycock。

〃You're　right；〃　he　said　at　length。　　〃I've　been　too　close。　　It's　become　second　nature　with　me　when　I've　anything　on。　　But　here's　an　end　of　it；　Bunny；　so　far　as　you're　concerned。　　I'm　going　home　now；　and　I　want　you　to　follow　me；　but　for　heaven's　sake　keep　your　distance；　and　don't　speak　to　me　again　till　I　speak　to　you。　　Theregive　me　a　start。〃　　And　he　was　off　aga