can collect on my
investments. I am to meet with him the day after tomorrow. If I do not have his
money - which I don’t - then he says he
will seek to destroy my reputation by informing my family and employers of my
indebtedness. Cardinal also employs a number of thugs who will look to inflict
harm upon my body, rather than good name. I am caught between Scylla and
Charybdis Raffles. My lack of funds has only been matched by my lack of sleep
over the last day or so. I fear I will just have to relinquish all my
investments to him – and thus leave me ruined for years to come.”
Raffles opened his silver cigarette case and
handed me a Sullivan. His face had betrayed neither sympathy nor indifference
when listening to my plight.
“You have a trusting nature Bunny. ‘Tis a virtue I admire old chap, as is your
trustworthiness, but others see such virtues as weaknesses rather than
strengths. I have heard about this Alexander Cardinal. He is as rapacious as he
is niggarding , I understand. He is also a hermit
somewhat, or agoraphobic is the term I believe, hence
he conducts his business dealings at home. He lives with just his manservant, a
former soldier, who also serves as his minder.”
“And he has heard of you Raffles in return, it
seems. When he discovered that you were an acquaintance he spoke of a passion
for cricket and a desire to meet you. I duly played down our friendship, as I
did not wish for him to have any thoughts of ensnaring you also. I will not
have you in his debt too and suffer my fate.”
My friend stood up and commenced to pace
around the room - his head bowed, deep in thought. After two laps around his
armchair and desk he finally stopped, lifted his head and smiled.
“You must ask Cardinal to pay me a visit here,
upon the evening after tomorrow. Let us say 9.00. You should state, to further
entice the fox from his burrow at such an hour, that you will pay the debt in
full. And you will be paying off your debt with your very own hard earned money
Bunny.”
“But how? Raffles, you are being absurd. A whole year’s earnings from my
writing would be needed to pay off the sum. And if you are thinking that we
could pull a job in that time then it’s out of the question. We would need time
to locate and reconnaissance the place. Also, we would need the house to be
empty – and for there to be enough boodle about. No, I will not permit you to
risk your neck, or for there to be any blood spilled,” I vehemently exclaimed.
“Bunny, I need you to utilise your trusting
nature one last time – by trusting me.”
I smiled, feebly, and nodded my head but I was
stumped if I knew how Raffles thought he could deliver me from my ruinous fate
within forty eight hours.
2.
The Madeira may have wiped away some of my
brain cells, but alas it did not wipe away my debts when I awoke the next
morning. As I had promised Raffles my task for the day was to visit my
persecutor. Cardinal’s house – and his intimidating character – loomed large in
my mind but I confronted them both that afternoon.
Perhaps a certain desperation of having nothing left to lose, or my growing resentment for the
odious usurer, emboldened me to hold fast in my insistence that Raffles would
meet with Cardinal – but only in the evening and at the Albany. It rankled with
his pride - and the prospect of venturing outdoors discomforted him - but
Cardinal agreed to the meeting. He explained how he was keen to meet the famous
cricketer who could “turn a game with the turn of his wrist.” And of course he
was eager to have me settle my debt with him, one way or another.
“I’ll either have the money, or you, in my
pocket by the end of the week Mr Manders ,” Cardinal
remarked with self-satisfaction – and then cackled to himself .
I looked up to see his smarmy butler-soldier grinning too. I was a source of
amusement, as well as revenue, to the broker of the “quick quid” it seemed.
Later that
investments. I am to meet with him the day after tomorrow. If I do not have his
money - which I don’t - then he says he
will seek to destroy my reputation by informing my family and employers of my
indebtedness. Cardinal also employs a number of thugs who will look to inflict
harm upon my body, rather than good name. I am caught between Scylla and
Charybdis Raffles. My lack of funds has only been matched by my lack of sleep
over the last day or so. I fear I will just have to relinquish all my
investments to him – and thus leave me ruined for years to come.”
Raffles opened his silver cigarette case and
handed me a Sullivan. His face had betrayed neither sympathy nor indifference
when listening to my plight.
“You have a trusting nature Bunny. ‘Tis a virtue I admire old chap, as is your
trustworthiness, but others see such virtues as weaknesses rather than
strengths. I have heard about this Alexander Cardinal. He is as rapacious as he
is niggarding , I understand. He is also a hermit
somewhat, or agoraphobic is the term I believe, hence
he conducts his business dealings at home. He lives with just his manservant, a
former soldier, who also serves as his minder.”
“And he has heard of you Raffles in return, it
seems. When he discovered that you were an acquaintance he spoke of a passion
for cricket and a desire to meet you. I duly played down our friendship, as I
did not wish for him to have any thoughts of ensnaring you also. I will not
have you in his debt too and suffer my fate.”
My friend stood up and commenced to pace
around the room - his head bowed, deep in thought. After two laps around his
armchair and desk he finally stopped, lifted his head and smiled.
“You must ask Cardinal to pay me a visit here,
upon the evening after tomorrow. Let us say 9.00. You should state, to further
entice the fox from his burrow at such an hour, that you will pay the debt in
full. And you will be paying off your debt with your very own hard earned money
Bunny.”
“But how? Raffles, you are being absurd. A whole year’s earnings from my
writing would be needed to pay off the sum. And if you are thinking that we
could pull a job in that time then it’s out of the question. We would need time
to locate and reconnaissance the place. Also, we would need the house to be
empty – and for there to be enough boodle about. No, I will not permit you to
risk your neck, or for there to be any blood spilled,” I vehemently exclaimed.
“Bunny, I need you to utilise your trusting
nature one last time – by trusting me.”
I smiled, feebly, and nodded my head but I was
stumped if I knew how Raffles thought he could deliver me from my ruinous fate
within forty eight hours.
2.
The Madeira may have wiped away some of my
brain cells, but alas it did not wipe away my debts when I awoke the next
morning. As I had promised Raffles my task for the day was to visit my
persecutor. Cardinal’s house – and his intimidating character – loomed large in
my mind but I confronted them both that afternoon.
Perhaps a certain desperation of having nothing left to lose, or my growing resentment for the
odious usurer, emboldened me to hold fast in my insistence that Raffles would
meet with Cardinal – but only in the evening and at the Albany. It rankled with
his pride - and the prospect of venturing outdoors discomforted him - but
Cardinal agreed to the meeting. He explained how he was keen to meet the famous
cricketer who could “turn a game with the turn of his wrist.” And of course he
was eager to have me settle my debt with him, one way or another.
“I’ll either have the money, or you, in my
pocket by the end of the week Mr Manders ,” Cardinal
remarked with self-satisfaction – and then cackled to himself .
I looked up to see his smarmy butler-soldier grinning too. I was a source of
amusement, as well as revenue, to the broker of the “quick quid” it seemed.
Later that
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