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a thief in the night-µÚ17ÕÂ

С˵£º a thief in the night ×ÖÊý£º ÿҳ3500×Ö

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You¡¡may¡¡imagine¡¡with¡¡what¡¡alacrity¡¡we¡¡complied£»¡¡and¡¡yet¡¡I¡¡am¡¡bound¡¡to¡¡confess¡¡that¡¡I¡¡had¡¡never¡¡liked¡¡Nab¡¡at¡¡school¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡still¡¡remember¡¡my¡¡term¡¡in¡¡his¡¡form¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡had¡¡a¡¡caustic¡¡tongue¡¡and¡¡¡¡fine¡¡assortment¡¡of¡¡damaging¡¡epithets£»¡¡most¡¡of¡¡which¡¡were¡¡levelled¡¡at¡¡my¡¡devoted¡¡skull¡¡during¡¡those¡¡three¡¡months¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡now¡¡discovered¡¡that¡¡he¡¡also¡¡kept¡¡a¡¡particularly¡¡mellow¡¡Scotch¡¡whiskey£»¡¡an¡¡excellent¡¡cigar£»¡¡and¡¡a¡¡fund¡¡of¡¡anecdote¡¡of¡¡which¡¡a¡¡mordant¡¡wit¡¡was¡¡the¡¡worthy¡¡bursar¡£¡¡Enough¡¡to¡¡add¡¡that¡¡he¡¡kept¡¡us¡¡laughing¡¡in¡¡his¡¡study¡¡until¡¡the¡¡chapel¡¡bells¡¡rang¡¡him¡¡out¡£

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¡¨Lucky¡¡we¡¡weren't¡¡staying¡¡at¡¡Nab's£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡Raffles£»¡¡as¡¡he¡¡lit¡¡a¡¡Sullivan¡¡and¡¡opened¡¡his¡¡Daily¡¡Mail¡¡at¡¡its¡¡report¡¡of¡¡the¡¡robbery¡£¡¡¡¨There¡¡was¡¡one¡¡thing¡¡Nab¡¡would¡¡have¡¡spotted¡¡like¡¡the¡¡downy¡¡old¡¡bird¡¡he¡¡always¡¡was¡¡and¡¡will¡¡be¡£¡¨

¡¨What¡¡was¡¡that£¿¡¨

¡¨The¡¡front¡¡door¡¡must¡¡have¡¡been¡¡found¡¡duly¡¡barred¡¡and¡¡bolted¡¡in¡¡the¡¡morning£»¡¡and¡¡yet¡¡we¡¡let¡¡them¡¡assume¡¡that¡¡we¡¡came¡¡out¡¡that¡¡way¡£¡¡¡¡Nab¡¡would¡¡have¡¡pounced¡¡on¡¡the¡¡point£»¡¡and¡¡by¡¡this¡¡time¡¡we¡¡might¡¡have¡¡been¡¡nabbed¡¡ourselves¡£¡¨

It¡¡was¡¡but¡¡a¡¡little¡¡over¡¡a¡¡hundred¡¡sovereigns¡¡that¡¡Raffles¡¡had¡¡taken£»¡¡and£»¡¡of¡¡course£»¡¡he¡¡had¡¡resolutely¡¡eschewed¡¡any¡¡and¡¡every¡¡form¡¡of¡¡paper¡¡money¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡posted¡¡his¡¡own¡¡first¡¡contribution¡¡of¡¡twenty¡­five¡¡pounds¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Founder's¡¡Fund¡¡immediately¡¡on¡¡our¡¡return¡¡to¡¡town£»¡¡before¡¡rushing¡¡off¡¡to¡¡more¡¡first¡­class¡¡cricket£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡gathered¡¡that¡¡the¡¡rest¡¡would¡¡follow¡¡piecemeal¡¡as¡¡he¡¡deemed¡¡it¡¡safe¡£¡¡By¡¡an¡¡odd¡¡coincidence£»¡¡however£»¡¡a¡¡mysterious¡¡but¡¡magnificent¡¡donation¡¡of¡¡a¡¡hundred¡¡guineas¡¡was¡¡almost¡¡simultaneously¡¡received¡¡in¡¡notes¡¡by¡¡the¡¡treasurer¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Founder's¡¡Fund£»¡¡from¡¡one¡¡who¡¡simply¡¡signed¡¡himself¡¡¡¨Old¡¡Boy¡£¡¨¡¡¡¡The¡¡treasurer¡¡happened¡¡to¡¡be¡¡our¡¡late¡¡host£»¡¡the¡¡new¡¡man¡¡at¡¡our¡¡old¡¡house£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡wrote¡¡to¡¡congratulate¡¡Raffles¡¡on¡¡what¡¡he¡¡was¡¡pleased¡¡to¡¡consider¡¡a¡¡direct¡¡result¡¡of¡¡the¡¡latter's¡¡speech¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡did¡¡not¡¡see¡¡the¡¡letter¡¡that¡¡Raffles¡¡wrote¡¡in¡¡reply£»¡¡but¡¡in¡¡due¡¡course¡¡I¡¡heard¡¡the¡¡name¡¡of¡¡the¡¡mysterious¡¡contributor¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡was¡¡said¡¡to¡¡be¡¡no¡¡other¡¡than¡¡Nipper¡¡Nasmyth¡¡himself¡£¡¡I¡¡asked¡¡Raffles¡¡if¡¡it¡¡was¡¡true¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡replied¡¡that¡¡he¡¡would¡¡ask¡¡old¡¡Nipper¡¡point¡­blank¡¡if¡¡he¡¡came¡¡up¡¡as¡¡usual¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Varsity¡¡match£»¡¡and¡¡if¡¡they¡¡had¡¡the¡¡luck¡¡to¡¡meet¡£¡¡¡¡And¡¡not¡¡only¡¡did¡¡this¡¡happen£»¡¡but¡¡I¡¡had¡¡the¡¡greater¡¡luck¡¡to¡¡be¡¡walking¡¡round¡¡the¡¡ground¡¡with¡¡Raffles¡¡when¡¡we¡¡encountered¡¡our¡¡shabby¡¡friend¡¡in¡¡front¡¡of¡¡the¡¡pavilion¡£

¡¨My¡¡dear¡¡fellow£»¡¨¡¡cried¡¡Raffles£»¡¡¡¨I¡¡hear¡¡it¡¡was¡¡you¡¡who¡¡gave¡¡that¡¡hundred¡¡guineas¡¡by¡¡stealth¡¡to¡¡the¡¡very¡¡movement¡¡you¡¡denounced¡£¡¡Don't¡¡deny¡¡it£»¡¡and¡¡don't¡¡blush¡¡to¡¡find¡¡it¡¡fame¡£¡¡¡¡Listen¡¡to¡¡me¡£¡¡There¡¡was¡¡a¡¡great¡¡lot¡¡in¡¡what¡¡you¡¡said£»¡¡but¡¡it's¡¡the¡¡kind¡¡of¡¡thing¡¡we¡¡ought¡¡all¡£¡¡to¡¡back£»¡¡whether¡¡we¡¡strictly¡¡approve¡¡of¡¡it¡¡in¡¡our¡¡hearts¡¡or¡¡not¡£¡¨

¡¨Exactly£»¡¡Raffles£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡fact¡¡is¡¡¡­¡¡¡¨

¡¨I¡¡know¡¡what¡¡you're¡¡going¡¡to¡¡say¡£¡¡¡¡Don't¡¡say¡¡it¡£¡¡¡¡There's¡¡not¡¡one¡¡in¡¡a¡¡thousand¡¡who¡¡would¡¡do¡¡as¡¡you've¡¡done£»¡¡and¡¡not¡¡one¡¡in¡¡a¡¡million¡¡who¡¡would¡¡do¡¡it¡¡anonymously¡£¡¨

¡¨But¡¡what¡¡makes¡¡you¡¡think¡¡I¡¡did¡¡it£»¡¡Raffles£¿¡¨

¡¨Everybody¡¡is¡¡saying¡¡so¡£¡¡¡¡You¡¡will¡¡find¡¡it¡¡all¡£¡¡over¡¡the¡¡place¡¡when¡¡you¡¡get¡¡back¡£¡¡¡¡You¡¡will¡¡find¡¡yourself¡¡the¡¡most¡¡popular¡¡man¡¡down¡¡there£»¡¡Nasmyth£¡¡¨

I¡¡never¡¡saw¡¡a¡¡nobler¡¡embarrassment¡¡than¡¡that¡¡of¡¡this¡¡awkward£»¡¡ungainly£»¡¡cantankerous¡¡man£º¡¡all¡£¡¡his¡¡angles¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡have¡¡been¡¡smoothed¡¡away£º¡¡there¡¡was¡¡something¡¡quite¡¡human¡¡in¡¡the¡¡flushed£»¡¡undecided£»¡¡wistful¡¡face¡£¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¨I¡¡never¡¡was¡¡popular¡¡in¡¡my¡¡life£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡said¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨I¡¡don't¡¡want¡¡to¡¡buy¡¡my¡¡popularity¡¡now¡£¡¡¡¡To¡¡be¡¡perfectly¡¡candid¡¡with¡¡you£»¡¡Raffles¡¡¡­¡¡¡¨

¡¨Don't£¡¡¡¡¡I¡¡can't¡¡stop¡¡to¡¡hear¡£¡¡¡¡They're¡¡ringing¡¡the¡¡bell¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡you¡¡shouldn't¡¡have¡¡been¡¡angry¡¡with¡¡me¡¡for¡¡saying¡¡you¡¡were¡¡a¡¡generous¡¡good¡¡chap£»¡¡Nasmyth£»¡¡when¡¡you¡¡were¡¡one¡¡all¡£¡¡the¡¡time¡£¡¡¡¡Good¡­by£»¡¡old¡¡fellow£¡¡¨

But¡¡Nasmyth¡¡detained¡¡us¡¡a¡¡second¡¡more¡£¡¡¡¡His¡¡hesitation¡¡was¡¡at¡¡an¡¡end¡£¡¡¡¡There¡¡was¡¡a¡¡sudden¡¡new¡¡light¡¡in¡¡his¡¡face¡£

¡¨Was¡¡I£¿¡¨¡¡he¡¡cried¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨Then¡¡I'll¡¡make¡¡it¡¡two¡¡hundred£»¡¡and¡¡damn¡¡the¡¡odds£¡¡¨

Raffles¡¡was¡¡a¡¡thoughtful¡¡man¡¡as¡¡we¡¡went¡¡to¡¡our¡¡seats¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡saw¡¡nobody£»¡¡would¡¡acknowledge¡¡no¡¡remark¡£¡¡¡¡Neither¡¡did¡¡he¡¡attend¡¡to¡¡the¡¡cricket¡¡for¡¡the¡¡first¡¡half¡­hour¡¡after¡¡lunch£»¡¡instead£»¡¡he¡¡eventually¡¡invited¡¡me¡¡to¡¡come¡¡for¡¡a¡¡stroll¡¡on¡¡the¡¡practice¡¡ground£»¡¡where£»¡¡however£»¡¡we¡¡found¡¡two¡¡chairs¡¡aloof¡¡from¡¡the¡¡fascinating¡¡throng¡£

¡¨I¡¡am¡¡not¡¡often¡¡sorry£»¡¡Bunny£»¡¡as¡¡you¡¡know£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡began¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨But¡¡I¡¡have¡¡been¡¡sorry¡¡since¡¡the¡¡interval¡£¡¡¡¡I've¡¡been¡¡sorry¡¡for¡¡poor¡¡old¡¡Nipper¡¡Nasmyth¡£¡¡¡¡Did¡¡you¡¡see¡¡the¡¡idea¡¡of¡¡being¡¡popular¡¡dawn¡¡upon¡¡him¡¡for¡¡the¡¡first¡¡time¡¡in¡¡his¡¡life£¿¡¨

¡¨I¡¡did£»¡¡but¡¡you¡¡had¡¡nothing¡¡to¡¡do¡¡with¡¡that£»¡¡my¡¡dear¡¡man¡£¡¨

Raffles¡¡shook¡¡his¡¡head¡¡over¡¡me¡¡as¡¡our¡¡eyes¡¡met¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨I¡¡had¡¡everything¡¡to¡¡do¡¡with¡¡it¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡tried¡¡to¡¡make¡¡him¡¡tell¡¡the¡¡meanest¡¡lie¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡made¡¡sure¡¡he¡¡would£»¡¡and¡¡for¡¡that¡¡matter¡¡he¡¡nearly¡¡did¡£¡¡¡¡Then£»¡¡at¡¡the¡¡last¡¡moment£»¡¡he¡¡saw¡¡how¡¡to¡¡hedge¡¡things¡¡with¡¡his¡¡conscience¡£¡¡¡¡And¡¡his¡¡second¡¡hundred¡¡will¡¡be¡¡a¡¡real¡¡gift¡£¡¨

¡¨You¡¡mean¡¡under¡¡his¡¡own¡¡name¡¡¡­¡¡¡¨

¡¨And¡¡with¡¡his¡¡own¡¡free¡­will¡£¡¡¡¡My¡¡good¡¡Bunny£»¡¡is¡¡it¡¡possible¡¡you¡¡don't¡¡know¡¡what¡¡I¡¡did¡¡with¡¡the¡¡hundred¡¡we¡¡drew¡¡from¡¡that¡¡bank£¡¡¨

¡¨I¡¡knew¡¡what¡¡you¡¡were¡¡going¡¡to¡¡do¡¡with¡¡it£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡I¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨I¡¡didn't¡¡know¡¡you¡¡had¡¡actually¡¡got¡¡further¡¡than¡¡the¡¡twenty¡­five¡¡you¡¡told¡¡me¡¡you¡¡were¡¡sending¡¡as¡¡your¡¡own¡¡contribution¡£¡¨

Raffles¡¡rose¡¡abruptly¡¡from¡¡his¡¡chair¡£

¡¨And¡¡you¡¡actually¡¡thought¡¡that¡¡came¡¡out¡¡of¡¡his¡¡money£¿¡¨

¡¨Naturally¡£¡¨

¡¨In¡¡my¡¡name£¿¡¨

¡¨I¡¡thought¡¡so¡£¡¨

Raffles¡¡stared¡¡at¡¡me¡¡inscrutably¡¡for¡¡some¡¡moments£»¡¡and¡¡for¡¡some¡¡more¡¡at¡¡the¡¡great¡¡white¡¡numbers¡¡over¡¡the¡¡grand¡­stand¡£

¡¨We¡¡may¡¡as¡¡well¡¡have¡¡another¡¡look¡¡at¡¡the¡¡cricket£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡he¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨It's¡¡difficult¡¡to¡¡see¡¡the¡¡board¡¡from¡¡here£»¡¡but¡¡I¡¡believe¡¡there's¡¡another¡¡man¡¡out¡£¡¨




A¡¡Bad¡¡Night


There¡¡was¡¡to¡¡be¡¡a¡¡certain¡¡little¡¡wedding¡¡in¡¡which¡¡Raffles¡¡and¡¡I¡¡took¡¡a¡¡surreptitious¡¡interest¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡bride¡­elect¡¡was¡¡living¡¡in¡¡some¡¡retirement£»¡¡with¡¡a¡¡recently¡¡widowed¡¡mother¡¡and¡¡an¡¡asthmatical¡¡brother£»¡¡in¡¡a¡¡mellow¡¡hermitage¡¡on¡¡the¡¡banks¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Mole¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡bridegroom¡¡was¡¡a¡¡prosperous¡¡son¡¡of¡¡the¡¡same¡¡suburban¡¡soil¡¡which¡¡had¡¡nourished¡¡both¡¡families¡¡for¡¡generations¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡wedding¡¡presents¡¡were¡¡so¡¡numerous¡¡as¡¡to¡¡fill¡¡several¡¡rooms¡¡at¡¡the¡¡pretty¡¡retreat¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡Mole£»¡¡and¡¡of¡¡an¡¡intrinsic¡¡value¡¡calling¡¡for¡¡a¡¡special¡¡transaction¡¡with¡¡the¡¡Burglary¡¡Insurance¡¡Company¡¡in¡¡Cheapside¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡cannot¡¡say¡¡how¡¡Raffles¡¡obtained¡¡all¡£¡¡this¡¡information¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡only¡¡know¡¡that¡¡it¡¡proved¡¡correct¡¡in¡¡each¡¡particular¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡was¡¡not¡¡indeed¡¡deeply¡¡interested¡¡before¡¡the¡¡event£»¡¡since¡¡Raffles¡¡assured¡¡me¡¡that¡¡it¡¡was¡¡¡¨a¡¡one¡­man¡¡job£»¡¨¡¡and¡¡naturally¡¡intended¡¡to¡¡be¡¡the¡¡one¡¡man¡¡himself¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡only¡¡at¡¡the¡¡eleventh¡¡hour¡¡that¡¡our¡¡positions¡¡were¡¡inverted¡¡by¡¡the¡¡wholly¡¡unexpected¡¡selection¡¡of¡¡Raffles¡¡for¡¡the¡¡English¡¡team¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Second¡¡Test¡¡Match¡£

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