Part 26 (1/2)
”I know that was wrong,” the poor devil owned. ”I'm very sorry for it, I'm sure! But you wouldn't trust me with my own property, and that and the drink together made me mad.”
”So you acknowledge the alcoholic influence at last?”
”Oh, yes! I must have been as drunk as an owl.”
”You know you've been suggesting that we drugged you?”
”Not seriously, Mr. Raffles. I knew the old stale taste too well. It must have been the best part of a bottle I had before you got down.”
”In your anxiety to see me safe and sound?”
”That's it-with the letter.”
”You never dreamt of playing me false until I hesitated to let you handle it?”
”Never for one moment, my dear Raffles!”
Raffles was still standing up to his last inch under the apex of the tower, his head and shoulders the b.u.t.t of a climbing sunbeam full of fretful motes. I could not see his expression from the banisters, but only its effect upon Dan Levy, who first held up his manacled hands in hypocritical protestation, and then dropped them as though it were a bad job.
”Then why,” said Raffles, ”did you have me watched almost from the moment that we parted company at the Albany last Friday morning?”
”I have you watched!” exclaimed the other in real horror. ”Why should I? It must have been the police.”
”It was not the police, though the blackguards did their best to look as if they were. I happen to be too familiar with both cla.s.ses to be deceived. Your fellows were waiting for me up at Lord's, but I had no difficulty in shaking them off when I got back to the Albany. They gave me no further trouble until last night, when they got on my tracks at Gray's Inn in the guise of the two common, low detectives whom I believe I have already mentioned to you.”
”You said you left them there in their glory.”
”It was glorious from my point of view rather than theirs.”
Levy struggled into a less rec.u.mbent posture.
”And what makes you think,” said he, ”that I set this watch upon you?”
”I don't think,” returned Raffles. ”I know.”
”And how the devil do you know?”
Raffles answered with a slow smile, and a still slower shake of the head: ”You really mustn't ask me to give everybody away, Mr. Levy!”
The money-lender swore an oath of sheer incredulous surprise, but checked himself at that and tried one more poser.
”And what do you suppose was my object in having you watched, if it wasn't to ensure your safety?”
”It might have been to make doubly sure of the letter, and to cut down expenses at the same swoop, by knocking me on the head and abstracting the treasure from my person. It was a jolly cunning idea-prisoner in the bunk! I shouldn't be upset about it just because it didn't come off. My compliments especially on making up your varlets in the quite colourable image of the true detective. If they had fallen upon me, and it had been a case of my liberty or your letter, you know well enough which I should let go.”
But Levy had fallen back upon his pillow of folded flag, and the Red Ensign over him bubbled and heaved with his impotent paroxysms.
”They told you! They must have told you!” he ground out through his teeth. ”The traitors-the blasted traitors!”
”It's a catching complaint, you see, Mr. Levy,” said Raffles, ”especially when one's elders and betters themselves succ.u.mb to it.”