Part 17 (1/2)
It was a question of principle with him, and one that I like to remember. ”Never give a woman away, Bunny,” he used to say; and he said it again to-night, but with a heavy cloud upon him, as though his chivalry was sorely tried.
”That's all right,” said I, ”if you're not going to be given away yourself.”
”That's just it, Bunny! That's just-”
The words were out of him, it was too late to recall them. I had hit the nail upon the head.
”So she threatened you,” I said, ”did she?”
”I didn't say so,” he replied, coldly.
”And she is mated with a clown!” I pursued.
”How she ever married him,” he admitted, ”is a mystery to me.”
”It always is,” said I, the wise man for once, and rather enjoying the role.
”Southern blood?”
”Spanish.”
”She'll be pestering you to run off with her, old chap,” said I.
Raffles was pacing the room. He stopped in his stride for half a second. So she had begun pestering him already! It is wonderful how acute any fool can be in the affairs of his friend.
But Raffles resumed his walk without a syllable, and I retreated to safer ground.
”So you sent her to Earl's Court,” I mused aloud; and at last he smiled.
”You'll be interested to hear, Bunny,” said he, ”that I am now living in Seven Dials, and Bill Sikes couldn't hold a farthing dip to me. Bless you, she had my old police record at her fingers' ends, but it was fit to frame compared with the one I gave her. I had sunk as low as they dig. I divided my nights between the open parks and a thieves' kitchen in Seven Dials. If I was decently dressed it was because I had stolen the suit down the Thames Valley beat the night before last. I was on my way back when first that sleepy square, and then her open window, proved too much for me. You should have heard me beg her to let me push on to the devil in my own way; there I spread myself, for I meant every word; but I swore the final stage would be a six-foot drop.”
”You did lay it on,” said I.
”It was necessary, and that had its effect. She let me go. But at the last moment she said she didn't believe I was so black as I painted myself, and then there was the balcony scene you missed.”
So that was all. I could not help telling him that he had got out of it better than he deserved for ever getting in. Next moment I regretted the remark.
”If I have got out of it,” said Raffles, doubtfully. ”We are dreadfully near neighbors, and I can't move in a minute, with old Theobald taking a grave view of my case. I suppose I had better lie low, and thank the G.o.ds again for putting her off the scent for the time being.”
No doubt our conversation was carried beyond this point, but it certainly was not many minutes later, nor had we left the subject, when the electric bell thrilled us both to a sudden silence.
”The doctor?” I queried, hope fighting with my horror.
”It was a single ring.”
”The last post?”
”You know he knocks, and it's long past his time.”