"Hornung, E W - A J Raffles 02 - Further Adventures of the Amateur Cracksman (The Black Mask)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hornung E. W)

"Yes, Bunny, it was the very devil of a swim; but I defy you to
sink in the Mediterranean. That sunset saved me. The sea was
on fire. I hardly swam under water at all, but went all I knew
for the sun itself; when it set I must have been a mile away;
until it did I was the invisible man. I figured on that, and
only hope it wasn't set down as a case of suicide. I shall get
outed quite soon enough, Bunny, but I'd rather be dropped by the
hangman than throw my own wicket away."

"Oh, my dear old chap, to think of having you by the hand again!
I feel as though we were both aboard that German liner, and all
that's happened since a nightmare. I thought that time was the
last!"

"It looked rather like it, Bunny. It was taking all the risks,
and hitting at everything. But the game came off, and some day
I'll tell you how."

"Oh, I'm in no hurry to hear. It's enough for me to see you
lying there. I don't want to know how you came there, or why,
though I fear you must be pretty bad. I must have a good look
at you before I let you speak another word!"

I raised one of the blinds, I sat upon the bed, and I had that
look. It left me all unable to conjecture his true state of
health, but quite certain in my own mind that my dear Raffles
was not and never would be the man that he had been. He had
aged twenty years; he looked fifty at the very least. His hair
was white; there was no trick about that; and his face was
another white. The lines about the corners of the eyes and
mouth were both many and deep. On the other hand, the eyes
themselves were alight and alert as ever; they were still keen
and gray and gleaming, like finely tempered steel. Even the
mouth, with a cigarette to close it, was the mouth of Raffles
and no other: strong and unscrupulous as the man himself. It
was only the physical strength which appeared to have departed;
but that was quite sufficient to make my heart bleed for the
dear rascal who had cost me every tie I valued but the tie
between us two.

"Think I look much older?" he asked at length.

"A bit," I admitted. "But it is chiefly your hair."

"Whereby hangs a tale for when we've talked ourselves out,
though I have often thought it was that long swim that started
it. Still, the Island of Elba is a rummy show, I can assure
you. And Naples is a rummier!"