E. W. Hornung_A J Raffles 03 Read Online Free PDF

Easter," I remarked.
    "To learn the language," he explained. "I have no tongue but my own,
you see, but I try to make up for it by cultivating every shade of
that. Some of them have come in useful even to your knowledge, Bunny:
what price my Cockney that night in St. John's Wood? I can keep up
my end in stage Irish, real Devonshire, very fair Norfolk, and three
distinct Yorkshire dialects. But my good Galloway Scots might be
better, and I mean to make it so."
    "You still haven't told me where to write to you."
    "I'll write to you first, Bunny."
    "At least let me see you off," I urged at the door. "I promise not
to look at your ticket if you tell me the train!"
    "The eleven-fifty from Euston."
    "Then I'll be with you by quarter to ten."
    And I left him without further parley, reading his impatience in his
face. Everything, to be sure, seemed clear enough without that
fuller discussion which I loved and Raffles hated. Yet I thought
we might at least have dined together, and in my heart I felt just
the least bit hurt, until it occurred to me as I drove to count the
notes in my cigarette case. Resentment was impossible after that.
The sum ran well into three figures, and it was plain that Raffles
meant me to have a good time in his absence. So I told his lie
with unction at my bank, and made due arrangements for the reception
of his chest next morning. Then I repaired to our club, hoping he
would drop in, and that we might dine together after all. In that
I was disappointed. It was nothing, however, to the disappointment
awaiting me at the Albany, when I arrived in my four-wheeler at the
appointed hour next morning.
    "Mr. Raffles 'as gawn, sir," said the porter, with a note of reproach
in his confidential undertone. The man was a favorite with Raffles,
who used him and tipped him with consummate tact, and he knew me only
less well.
    "Gone!" I echoed aghast. "Where on earth to?"
    "Scotland, sir."
    "Already?"
    "By the eleven-fifty lawst night"
    "Last night! I thought he meant eleven-fifty this morning!"
    "He knew you did, sir, when you never came, and he told me to tell
you there was no such train."
    I could have rent my garments in mortification and annoyance with
myself and Raffles. It was as much his fault as mine. But for his
indecent haste in getting rid of me, his characteristic abruptness
at the end, there would have been no misunderstanding or mistake.
    "Any other message?" I inquired morosely.
    "Only about the box, sir. Mr. Raffles said as you was goin' to take
chawge of it time he's away, and I've a friend ready to lend a 'and
in getting it on the cab. It's a rare 'eavy 'un, but Mr. Raffles an'
me could lift it all right between us, so I dessay me an' my friend
can."
    For my own part, I must confess that its weight concerned me less
than the vast size of that infernal chest, as I drove with it past
club and park at ten o'clock in the morning. Sit as far back as I
might in the four-wheeler, I could conceal neither myself nor my
connection with the huge iron-clamped case upon the roof: in my
heated imagination its wood was glass through which all the world
could see the guilty contents. Once an officious constable held up
the traffic at our approach, and for a moment I put a blood-curdling
construction upon the simple ceremony. Low boys shouted after us
- or if it was not after us, I thought it was - and that their cry
was "Stop thief!" Enough said of one of the most unpleasant
cab-drives I ever had in my life. Horresco referens.
    At the bank, however, thanks to the foresight and liberality of
Raffles, all was smooth water. I paid my cabman handsomely, gave
a florin to the stout fellow in livery whom he helped with the
chest, and could have pressed gold upon the genial clerk who laughed
like a gentleman at my jokes about the Liverpool winners and the
latest betting on the Family Plate. I was only disconcerted when
he informed me that the bank gave no receipts for deposits of this
nature. I am now aware that few London banks