Chapter 3 The Theft

Bird had arrived at his stately home on Fifth Avenue in Central Park and went into his study, where a young man of about thirty was waiting for him.

“Are you still up, Charly?” he asked, offering his friend his hand.

“I have read so far, and also written some letters,” was the answer.

“How was the company at Palmer's?”

“Very well,” replied Bird, “I dare say I have become the favoured friend of the richest men in the world.”

"It was truly a good idea of ​​yours to leave London and travel to New York. No one is more glad than I am. Every day I trembled lest Scotland Yard should arrest us both."

Bird laughed softly.

"You are too anxious, old boy. Besides, I intend to go out tonight and you can accompany me. A walk in the night air will do you good too."

Charly looked at his friend repeatedly and then, hands in his pockets, paced up and down the room.

Suddenly he stopped in front of Bird:

"Edward, won't you take a little rest?" he asked urgently. "You've worked enough lately, and we don't want money. We can live well on our means for a long time yet."

"Yes," Bird replied. "I don't intend to appropriate the fortune of anyone in New York, but I have to make some inquiries. So, take it easy, get dressed, and come with me, Charly."

The person addressed said, staring thoughtfully into the fire:

"I had thought that you would have finally given up your sport. Now this unfortunate passion drives you into adventures again. You could live here in America in all possible peace and comfort. No one knows you and no one knows that behind the unsightly name of Bird the English Lord Lister, the notorious John Raffles, is hiding."

The Great Unknown let out a clear laugh. He stretched his slender figure even longer, and said:

"Dear Charly, your bad luck brought you into my house at that time, and you became my friend and assistant. Now it is called, captured, hung. And yet, if you should have regretted that you had become my friend, then you are free at any moment to detach yourself from me. In this case I would see to it that you lacked nothing. I would only be the one who lacked. Life would bore me without you. One must have someone with whom one can exchange ideas."

“I am absolutely not thinking of leaving you,” said Charly Brand, “but I would like you to take more rest.”

“I already told you that I have no intention of going on a robbery, but I am going to a rendezvous with a lady.”

Charly Brand looked at him with frightened eyes.

“With a lady?”

“Yes, my friend.”

“Are you in love?”

“I cannot say; a card was handed to me as I left the soirée, on which Mrs. Hundley begged me to come and see her in the conservatory at three o'clock this night, as she has something important to tell me.

“At the same time a key came into my hand, with which I can open the door.”

“A curious rendezvous.”

“How remarkable?”

“I mean with regard to the time. The lady might also find an opportunity to speak to you about the matter in question during the day.”

John Raffles shrugged his shoulders, lit a cigarette and looked at the large grandfather clock, which had just struck two heavy strokes.

"Who knows, Charly. Mrs. Hundley won't be able to solve this business in the day. We'll leave it to her. I'll take you as a guard.

“It is now two o'clock in the morning, in half an hour we will leave.”

At the same time that Raffles and his friend were walking down Fifth Avenue, Mr. Palmer's house was occupied by more than half a dozen detectives, under the command of Mr. Newton. In vain they waited for the visit of the strange burglar.

Newton was out of luck.

He had hoped that the unknown burglar would take advantage of Mr. Palmer's soirée to carry out his mysterious crime afterwards.

Newton was among the guests, and Mr. Bird seemed suspicious to him because of his wonderful tricks.

He had obtained information about Bird from a gentleman in the party and had learned that the suspect was the club king of the Hamilton club.

Newton sat dejectedly in Palmer's study and whiled away the night smoking and reading.

When he left the house very early the next morning, his conclusion that the burglar was always among the guests of the house where he wanted to strike was very shocked. Palmer's house had not been broken into.

Hundley's palace, which was also in the fifth avenue, was a building with two wings. The left wing was occupied by his wife, while he had his rooms in the right.

Both wings were connected by a central section, which contained the dining room, the lounges and the library, which in turn was connected to a winter garden covered with a dome.

Hundley, after a cool "good night" from his wife, had gone to his chambers. Madame dismissed her chambermaid, saying that she wished to be alone.

Soon deep silence reigned in the great building.

When the little mantel clock gave three clear strokes, Mrs. Hundley arose, and went into the conservatory. Presently Raffles appeared like a shadow from behind a clump of palms, and greeted her with a "Good morning!"

She was at first startled by his unexpected appearance, although she had expected him.

Then she extended her hand to him.

“Follow me, sir,” she whispered, and then she led the visitor from the winter garden through the dark drawing-rooms of her boudoir.

John Raffles was alone with the beautiful woman! It was a dangerous situation, if by some accident Mr. Hundley should come into the boudoir.

"You called me, Mrs. Hundley, and as a gentleman I have answered your call. What do you want of me?" the great stranger began the conversation, after the lady had requested him with a gesture of her hand to sit down on a leather armchair covered with polar bear skin. Then she handed him a silver cigarette-case and also sat down in the immediate vicinity of the visitor, so as to avoid speaking loudly.

She smiled at him with her beautiful eyes as she too lit a cigarette and slowly blew the delicious smoke into the air.

“I know you, Mr. Bird,” she said after a pause, “and know who you are.”

She watched her victim like a serpent, to see if these words would have any effect on Raffles. But he indifferently took a cigarette and, after lighting it, let the burning match be consumed to the end by the fire. Then he looked at her smilingly and replied:

“I thought so, and that is precisely why I came. May I ask where you met me?”

Mrs. Hundley placed her left hand gently on his arm.

"You probably don't remember me. It's been five years. I met you at a dinner at the Earl of Winston's. You were introduced to me then as an officer in the English army, we exchanged a few words and then you forgot me."

“Were you already married then?”

"No," she answered, with something bitter in her voice, "I had not yet known this happiness. My father was still alive then. Perhaps you remember my maiden name: Alice Symond, daughter of General Symond."

Raffles shrugged his shoulders in denial.

“You must excuse me, Mrs. Hundley, but I do not remember your name. The company was too large that evening.”

"Yes, over a hundred persons," nodded his companion, "but I remember your person as clearly as if it were only yesterday. You, without wishing to compliment yourself, are very advantageous to the other gentlemen."

John Raffles made a slight bow, bent over her hand and kissed it.

She continued:

"That same night a remarkable theft occurred at the Earl's house. A portfolio containing important papers disappeared from his writing-table. Two days later I read in the papers that the so-called English officer had embezzled the papers, and that Lord Lister, the great unknown, had been John Raffles."

“Quite right,” laughed the latter, “you have an excellent memory, madam!”

“All these years I have read with the greatest interest everything that has been published about this man of genius, and I have often hoped that chance would be favorable to me and I might meet him again.”

Raffles made an assent gesture.

"Chance has favoured you, Mrs. Hundley. John Raffles is with you.