a thief in the night-第37部分

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to　the　three　or　four　weeks　in　which　those　events　happened　that　imperilled　the　fabric　of　our　empire；　and　rallied　her　sons　from　the　four　winds　to　fight　beneath　her　banner　on　the　veldt。　　It　all。　seems　very　ancient　history　now。　　But　I　remember　nothing　better　or　more　vividly　than　the　last　words　of　Raffles　upon　his　last　crime；　unless　it　be　the　pressure　of　his　hand　as　he　said　them；　or　the　rather　sad　twinkle　in　his　tired　eyes。




The　Last　Word


The　last　of　all。　these　tales　of　Raffles　is　from　a　fresher　and　a　sweeter　pen。　　I　give　it　exactly　as　it　came　to　me；　in　a　letter　which　meant　more　to　me　than　it　can　possibly　mean　to　any　other　reader。　And　yet；　it　may　stand　for　something　with　those　for　whom　these　pale　reflections　have　a　tithe　of　the　charm　that　the　real　man　had　for　me；　and　it　is　to　leave　such　persons　thinking　yet　a　little　better　of　him　（and　not　wasting　another　thought　on　me）　that　I　am　permitted　to　retail　the　very　last　word　about　their　hero　and　mine。

The　letter　was　my　first　healing　after　a　chance　encounter　and　a　sleepless　night；　and　I　print　every　word　of　it　except　the　last

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃39　CAMPDEN　GROVE　COURT；　W。；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃June　28；　1900。

〃DEAR　HARRY：　You　may　have　wondered　at　the　very　few　words　I　could　find　to　say　to　you　when　we　met　so　strangely　yesterday。　　I　did　not　mean　to　be　unkind。　　I　was　grieved　to　see　you　so　cruelly　hurt　and　lame。　　I　could　not　grieve　when　at　last　I　made　you　tell　me　how　it　happened。　　I　honor　and　envy　every　man　of　you　…　every　name　in　those　dreadful　lists　that　fill　the　papers　every　day。　　But　I　knew　about　Mr。　Raffles；　and　I　did　not　know　about　you；　and　there　was　something　I　longed　to　tell　you　about　him；　something　I　could　not　tell　you　in　a　minute　in　the　street；　or　indeed　by　word　of　mouth　at　all。　　That　is　why　I　asked　you　for　your　address。

〃You　said　I　spoke　as　if　I　had　known　Mr。　Raffles。　　Of　course　I　have　often　seen　him　playing　cricket；　and　heard　about　him　and　you。　But　I　only　once　met　him；　and　that　was　the　night　after　you　and　I　met　last。　　I　have　always　supposed　that　you　knew　all。　about　our　meeting。　　Yesterday　I　could　see　that　you　knew　nothing。　　So　I　have　made　up　my　mind　to　tell　you　every　word。

〃That　night　…　I　mean　the　next　night　…　they　were　all。　going　out　to　several　places；　but　I　stayed　behind　at　Palace　Gardens。　　I　had　gone　up　to　the　drawing…room　after　dinner；　and　was　just　putting　on　the　lights；　when　in　walked　Mr。　Raffles　from　the　balcony。　　I　knew　him　at　once；　because　I　happened　to　have　watched　him　make　his　hundred　at　Lord's　only　the　day　before。　　He　seemed　surprised　that　no　one　had　told　me　he　was　there；　but　the　whole　thing　was　such　a　surprise　that　I　hardly　thought　of　that。　　I　am　afraid　I　must　say　that　it　was　not　a　very　pleasant　surprise。　　I　felt　instinctively　that　he　had　come　from　you；　and　I　confess　that　for　the　moment　it　made　me　very　angry　indeed。　　Then　in　a　breath　he　assured　me　that　you　knew　nothing　of　his　coming；　that　you　would　never　have　allowed　him　to　come；　but　that　he　had　taken　it　upon　himself　as　your　intimate　friend　and　one　who　would　be　mine　as　well。　　（I　said　that　I　would　tell　you　every　word。）

〃Well；　we　stood　looking　at　each　other　for　some　time；　and　I　was　never　more　convinced　of　anybody's　straightness　and　sincerity；　but　he　was　straight　and　sincere　with　me；　and　true　to　you　that　night；　whatever　he　may　have　been　before　and　after。　　So　I　asked　him　why　he　had　come；　and　what　had　happened；　and　he　said　it　was　not　what　had　happened；　but　what　might　happen　next；　so　I　asked　him　if　he　was　thinking　of　you；　and　he　just　nodded；　and　told　me　that　I　knew　very　well　what　you　had　done。　　But　I　began　to　wonder　whether　Mr。　Raffles　himself　knew；　and　I　tried　to　get　him　to　tell　me　what　you　had　done；　and　he　said　I　knew　as　well　as　he　did　that　you　were　one　of　the　two　men　who　had　come　to　the　house　the　night　before。　　I　took　some　time　to　answer。　　I　was　quite　mystified　by　his　manner。　　At　last　I　asked　him　how　he　knew。　　I　can　hear　his　answer　now。

〃'Because　I　was　the　other　man；'　he　said　quite　quietly；　'because　I　led　him　blindfold　into　the　whole　business；　and　would　rather　pay　the　shot　than　see　poor　Bunny　suffer　for　it。'

〃Those　were　his　words；　but　as　he　said　them　he　made　their　meaning　clear　by　going　over　to　the　bell；　and　waiting　with　his　finger　ready　to　ring　for　whatever　assistance　or　protection　I　desired。　　Of　course　I　would　not　let　him　ring　at　all。；　in　fact；　at　first　I　refused　to　believe　him。　　Then　he　led　me　out　into　the　balcony；　and　showed　me　exactly　how　he　had　got　up　and　in。　　He　had　broken　in　for　the　second　night　running；　and　all。　to　tell　me　that　the　first　night　he　had　brought　you　with　him　on　false　pretences。　　He　had　to　tell　me　a　great　deal　more　before　I　could　quite　believe　him。　　But　before　he　went　（as　he　had　come）　I　was　the　one　woman　in　the　world　who　knew　that　A。　J。　Raffles；　the　great　cricketer；　and　the　so…called　'amateur　cracksman'　of　equal　notoriety；　were　one　and　the　same　person。

〃He　had　told　me　his　secret；　thrown　himself　on　my　mercy；　and　put　his　liberty　if　not　his　life　in　my　hands；　but　all。　for　your　sake；　Harry；　to　right　you　in　my　eyes　at　his　own　expense。　　And　yesterday　　I　could　see　that　you　knew　nothing　whatever　about　it；　that　your　friend　had　died　without　telling　you　of　his　act　of　real　and　yet　vain　self…sacrifice！　　Harry；　I　can　only　say　that　now　I　understand　your　friendship；　and　the　dreadful　lengths　to　which　it　carried　you。　　How　many　in　your　place　would　not　have　gone　as　far　for　such　a　friend？　Since　that　night；　at　any　rate；　I　for　one　have　understood。　　It　has　grieved　me　more　than　I　can　tell　you；　Harry；　but　I　have　always　understood。

〃He　spoke　to　me　quite　simply　and　frankly　of　his　life。　　It　was　wonderful　to　me　then　that　he　should　speak　of　it　as　he　did；　and　still　more　wonderful　that　I　should　sit　and　listen　to　him　as　I　did。　But　I　have　often　thought　about　it　since；　and　have　long　ceased　to　wonder　at　myself。　　There　was　an　absolute　magnetism　about　Mr。　Raffles　which　neither　you　nor　I　could　resist。　　He　had　the　strength　of　personality　which　is　a　different　thing　from　strength　of　character；　but　when　you　meet　both　kinds　together；　they　carry　the　ordinary　mortal　off　his　or　her　feet。　　You　must　not　imagine　you　are　the　only　one　who　would　have　served　and　followed　him　as　you　did。　When　he　told　me　it　was　all。　a　game　to　him；　and　the　one　game　he　knew　that　was　always　exciting；　always　full　of　danger　and　of　drama；　I　could　just　then　have　found　it　in　my　heart　to　try　the　game　myself！　Not　that　he　treated　me　to　any　ingenious　sophistries　or　paradoxical　perversities。　　It　was　just　his　natural　charm　and　humor；　and　a　touch　of　sadness　with　it　all。；　that　appealed　to　something　deeper　than　one's　reason　and　one's　sense　of　right。　　Glamour；　I　suppose；　is　the　word。　　Yet　there　was　far　more　in　him　than　that。　　There　were　depths；　which　called　to　depths；　and　you　will　not　misunderstand　me　when　I　say　I　think　it　touched　him　that　a　woman　should　listen　to　him　as　I　did；　and　in　such　circumstances。　　I　know　that　it　touched　me　to　think　of　such　a　life　so　spent；　and　that　I　came　to　myself　and　implored　him　to　give　it　all。　up。　　I　don't　think　I　went　on　my　knees　over　it。　　But　I　am　afraid　I　did　cry；　and　that　was　the　end。　　He　pretended　not　to　notice　anything；　and　then　in　an　instant　he　froze　everything　with　a　flippancy　which　jarred　horribly　at　the　time；　but　has　ever　since　touched　me　more　than　all。　the　rest。　　I　remember　that　I　wanted　to　shake　hands　at　the　end。　　But　Mr。　Raffles　only　shook　his　head；　and　for　one　instant　his　face　was　as　sad　as　it　was　gallant　and　gay　all。　the　rest　of　the　time。　　Then　he　went　as　he　had　come；　in　his　own　dreadful　way；　and　not　a　soul　in　the　house　knew　that　he　had　been。　　And　even　you　were　never　told！

〃I　didn't　mean　to　write　all。　this　about　your　own　friend；　whom　you　knew　so　much　better　yourself；　yet　you　see　that　even　you　did　not　know　how　nobly　he　tried　to　undo　the　wrong　he　had　done　you；　and　now　I　think　I　know　why　he　kept　it　to　himself。　　It　is　fearfully　late　　　…　or　early　…　I　seem　to　have　been　writing　all。　night　…　and　I　will　explain　the　matter　in　the　fewest　words。　　I　promised　Mr。　Raffles　that　I　would　write　to　you；　Harry；　and　see　you　if　I　could。　　Well；　I　did　write；　and　I　did　mean　to　see　you；　but　I　never　had　an　answer　to　what　I　wrote。　　It　was　only　one　line；　and　I　have　long　known　you　never　received　it。　　I　could　not　bring　myself　to　write　more；　and　even　those　few　words　were　merely　slipped　into　one　of　the　books　which　you　had　given　me。　　Years　afterward　these　books；　with　my　name　in　them；　must　have　been　found　in　your　rooms；　at　any　rate　they　were　returned　to　me　by　somebody；　and　you　could　never　have　opened　them；　for　there　was　my　line　where　I　had　left　it。　　Of　course　you　had　never　seen　it；　and　that　was　all。　my　fault。　　But　it　was　too　late　to　write　again。　　Mr。　Raffles　was　supposed　to　have　been　drowned；　and　everything　was　known　about　you　both。　　But　I　still　kept　my　own　independent　knowledge　to　myself；　to　this　day；　no　one　else　knows　that　you　were　one　of　the　two　in　Palace　Gardens；　and　I　still　blame　myself　more　than　you　may　think　for　nearly　everything　that　has　happened　since。

〃You　said　yesterday　that　your　going　to　the　war　and　getting　wounded　wiped　out　nothing　that　had　gone　before。　　I　hope　you　are　not　growing　morbid　about　the　past。　　It　is　not　for　me　to　condone　it；　and　　yet　I　know　that　Mr。　Raffles　was　what　he　was　because　he　loved　danger