But come into the best bedroom, Bunny. You won't think me selfish
if I don't give it up to you? Look at this, my boy, look at this!
It's the only one I use in all. the house."
I had followed him into a good room, with ample windows closely
curtained, and he had switched on the light in a hanging lamp at
the bedside. The rays fell from a thick green funnel in a plateful
of strong light upon a table deep in books. I noticed several
volumes of the "Invasion of the Crimea."
"That's where I rest the body and exercise the brain," said Raffles.
"I have long wanted to read my Kinglake from A to Z, and I manage
about a volume a night. There's a style for you, Bunny! I love the
punctilious thoroughness of the whole thing; one can understand its
appeal to our careful colonel. His name, did you say? Crutchley,
Bunny - Colonel Crutchley, R.E., V.C."
"We'd put his valor to the test!" said I, feeling more valiant
myself after our tour of inspection.
"Not so loud on the stairs," whispered Raffles. "There's only one
door between us and - "
Raffles stood still at my feet, and well he might! A deafening
double knock had resounded through the empty house; and to add to
the utter horror of the moment, Raffles instantly blew out the light.
Pages:
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93