Bunny's delicious slashy tidbits!
I thought it wouldn't do us any harm to have another look at some of the delicious slashy morsels in the canon. This is by no means complete - I haven't gone over 'The Black Mask' stories for instance, so please feel free to point out other tasty bits that I've missed here!
Bunny admires Raffles's good looks.
'At last the chain of holes was complete, the lock wrenched out bodily, and a splendid bare arm plunged up to the shoulder through the aperture, and through the bars of the gate beyond.'
Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman, 'The Ides of March'
'I looked at the curly head upon the pillow, at the smiling, handsome face under the curls.'
A Thief in the Night, 'The Rest Cure'
'Old Raffles opened his own door to me. I cannot remember finding him fresher, more immaculate, more delightful to behold in every way. Could I paint a picture of Raffles with something other than my pen, it would be as I saw him that bright March morning, at his open door in the Albany, a trim, slim figure in matutinal grey, cool and gay and breezy as incarnate spring.'
A Thief in the Night, 'A Trap to Catch a Cracksman'
Bunny is not insensible to the attractions of other young men.
'I was therefore much surprised when a young fellow of the exquisite type came and squeezed himself in between us, and met with a perfectly civil reception despite the liberty.'
Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman, 'Gentlemen and Players' (when young Crowley comes to talk to Raffles)
'...there was no answering smile of welcome on the fresh young face which used to remind me of the Phoebus in Guido's Aurora, with its healthy pink and bronze, and its hazel eyes like clear amber.'
Mr. Justice Raffles (describing Teddy Garland)
Bunny unabashedly cries when he thinks Raffles is dead.
'He got up and fixed his keen grey eyes upon me; my own were full of tears, but they faced him unashamed.'
Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman, 'The Return Match' (when Inspector Mackenzie and Bunny discover Raffles knocked out on the floor)
Gratuitous male nudity!
'It was twenty-five minutes past one when Raffles, without a stitch of clothing on his body, but with a glass phial, corked with cotton-wool ... squirmed feet first through the ventilator over his berth ...'
Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman, 'The Gift of the Emperor' (Yeah, I too went 'Bzuh, what?!' when I read this bit)
Bunny is jealous.
'”And who may you be?” I asked jealously. “And who are you to Mr. Raffles?”'
A Thief in the Night, 'The Rest Cure'
'I resented her success with Raffles, of whom, in consequence, I saw less and less each day. It is a mean thing to have to confess, but there must have been something not unlike jealousy rankling within me.'
Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman, 'The Gift of the Emperor' (Bunny is quite mean in his descriptions of Amy Werner! 'Colonial minx', LOL!)
'I followed rather heavily. It was not jealousy, but I did feel rather critical of this mushroom intimacy.'
Mr. Justice Raffles (when Raffles runs up to his room to meet Teddy Garland)
Bunk-up!
'”Climb into my bunk, Bunny, and you shall see.”'
Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman, 'The Gift of the Emperor'
Hand-holding.
'He had wrung my hand already, but at this he fairly mangled it in his. “You dear little brick,” he cried ...'
A Thief in the Night, 'The Chest of Silver' (when Raffles and Bunny meet after bringing back the chest from the bank)
'I had never seen Raffles more interested and impressed; but at this point his smile altered, his eyes softened, and I found my hand in his.'
A Thief in the Night, 'A Trap to Catch a Cracksman'
'Raffles leant across and took my hand. There was a flash of mischief in his eyes, but a very tender light as well.'
Mr. Justice Raffles
'Raffles and I did not speak till I was in the room which had been prepared for me. Nor was I anxious to do so then. But he followed me and took my hand.'
Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman, 'Nine Points of the Law'
Walking arm-in-arm (okay, I know this was fairly common in Victorian times and did not mean anything, but it's still cute!)
'And we made a brave show of assisting in the futile search, .... , gave us an excellent excuse for going off arm-in arm. But it was Raffles who had thrust his arm through mine.'
A Thief in the Night, 'Out of Paradise'
'Raffles took my arm again.'
A Thief in the Night, 'Out of Paradise'
'”Alright,” said he; and we went downstairs forthwith, and so to the Albany arm-in-arm.'
Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman, 'Wilful Murder'
Touchy-feely.
'He was standing in front of me with a hand on either shoulder; he was smiling as he knew so well how to smile.'
Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman, 'The Ides of March'
'Up went the umpire's finger, and down came Raffles's hand upon my thigh.'
Mr. Justice Raffles
'”Wait-I must carry you across this."
It was the sweep of the drive, and in the dim light from above the door, the soft gravel, ploughed into ridges by the night's wheels, threatened an alarm at every step. Yet Raffles, with me in his arms, crossed the zone of peril softly as the pard.'
A Thief in the Night, 'Out of Paradise'
Boating - how romantic!
'”First-rate, old boy!” said Raffles (who must needs come and see me there), lying back in the boat whilst I sculled and steered.'
Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman, 'The Gift of the Emperor'
Cross-dressing!
'I have fair hair, and at the time it was rather long. With a pair of Mrs. Crutchley's tongs and a discarded hair-net, I was able to produce an almost immodest fringe. A big black hat with a wintry feather completed a headdress as unseasonable as my skating skirt and feather boa; of course, the good lady had all her summer frocks away with her in Switzerland.'
A Thief in the Night, 'The Rest Cure' (Bunny dressing up in Mrs. Crutchley's clothes)
Undressing (sort of).
'As for me, I stood by sullenly in my overcoat until he dragged it off my back.'
Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman, 'The Return Match' (Raffles asks Bunny up to his rooms)
Raffles cares about Bunny.
'”I was miserable about you - frankly - miserable!” he went on.'
A Thief in the Night, 'A Bad Night' (Raffles talking about being worried for Bunny)
'”So you came to me,” he went on, in a tone that thrilled me with its affectionate appreciation, “as I knew you would!”'
A Thief in the Night, 'A Trap to Catch a Cracksman' (when Bunny revives Raffles at the fighter Maguire's home)
Bunny loves Raffles.
'It was Raffles I loved. It was not the dark life we led together, still less its base rewards; it was the man himself, his gaiety, his humour, his dazzling audacity, his incomparable courage and resource.'
A Thief in the Night, 'Out of Paradise'
-----
Lastly, this doesn't fall into any of the above categories, but it just kills me every time I read it!
'”One question at a time, Bunny.” said he. “In the first place, I am going to have these rooms freshened up with a potful of paint, the electric light, and the telephone you've been at me about so long.”
“Good!” I cried. “Then we shall be able to talk to each other day and night!”'
A Thief in the Night, 'The Chest of Silver'
Oh Bunny, why are you so adorable?
Bunny admires Raffles's good looks.
'At last the chain of holes was complete, the lock wrenched out bodily, and a splendid bare arm plunged up to the shoulder through the aperture, and through the bars of the gate beyond.'
Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman, 'The Ides of March'
'I looked at the curly head upon the pillow, at the smiling, handsome face under the curls.'
A Thief in the Night, 'The Rest Cure'
'Old Raffles opened his own door to me. I cannot remember finding him fresher, more immaculate, more delightful to behold in every way. Could I paint a picture of Raffles with something other than my pen, it would be as I saw him that bright March morning, at his open door in the Albany, a trim, slim figure in matutinal grey, cool and gay and breezy as incarnate spring.'
A Thief in the Night, 'A Trap to Catch a Cracksman'
Bunny is not insensible to the attractions of other young men.
'I was therefore much surprised when a young fellow of the exquisite type came and squeezed himself in between us, and met with a perfectly civil reception despite the liberty.'
Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman, 'Gentlemen and Players' (when young Crowley comes to talk to Raffles)
'...there was no answering smile of welcome on the fresh young face which used to remind me of the Phoebus in Guido's Aurora, with its healthy pink and bronze, and its hazel eyes like clear amber.'
Mr. Justice Raffles (describing Teddy Garland)
Bunny unabashedly cries when he thinks Raffles is dead.
'He got up and fixed his keen grey eyes upon me; my own were full of tears, but they faced him unashamed.'
Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman, 'The Return Match' (when Inspector Mackenzie and Bunny discover Raffles knocked out on the floor)
Gratuitous male nudity!
'It was twenty-five minutes past one when Raffles, without a stitch of clothing on his body, but with a glass phial, corked with cotton-wool ... squirmed feet first through the ventilator over his berth ...'
Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman, 'The Gift of the Emperor' (Yeah, I too went 'Bzuh, what?!' when I read this bit)
Bunny is jealous.
'”And who may you be?” I asked jealously. “And who are you to Mr. Raffles?”'
A Thief in the Night, 'The Rest Cure'
'I resented her success with Raffles, of whom, in consequence, I saw less and less each day. It is a mean thing to have to confess, but there must have been something not unlike jealousy rankling within me.'
Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman, 'The Gift of the Emperor' (Bunny is quite mean in his descriptions of Amy Werner! 'Colonial minx', LOL!)
'I followed rather heavily. It was not jealousy, but I did feel rather critical of this mushroom intimacy.'
Mr. Justice Raffles (when Raffles runs up to his room to meet Teddy Garland)
Bunk-up!
'”Climb into my bunk, Bunny, and you shall see.”'
Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman, 'The Gift of the Emperor'
Hand-holding.
'He had wrung my hand already, but at this he fairly mangled it in his. “You dear little brick,” he cried ...'
A Thief in the Night, 'The Chest of Silver' (when Raffles and Bunny meet after bringing back the chest from the bank)
'I had never seen Raffles more interested and impressed; but at this point his smile altered, his eyes softened, and I found my hand in his.'
A Thief in the Night, 'A Trap to Catch a Cracksman'
'Raffles leant across and took my hand. There was a flash of mischief in his eyes, but a very tender light as well.'
Mr. Justice Raffles
'Raffles and I did not speak till I was in the room which had been prepared for me. Nor was I anxious to do so then. But he followed me and took my hand.'
Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman, 'Nine Points of the Law'
Walking arm-in-arm (okay, I know this was fairly common in Victorian times and did not mean anything, but it's still cute!)
'And we made a brave show of assisting in the futile search, .... , gave us an excellent excuse for going off arm-in arm. But it was Raffles who had thrust his arm through mine.'
A Thief in the Night, 'Out of Paradise'
'Raffles took my arm again.'
A Thief in the Night, 'Out of Paradise'
'”Alright,” said he; and we went downstairs forthwith, and so to the Albany arm-in-arm.'
Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman, 'Wilful Murder'
Touchy-feely.
'He was standing in front of me with a hand on either shoulder; he was smiling as he knew so well how to smile.'
Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman, 'The Ides of March'
'Up went the umpire's finger, and down came Raffles's hand upon my thigh.'
Mr. Justice Raffles
'”Wait-I must carry you across this."
It was the sweep of the drive, and in the dim light from above the door, the soft gravel, ploughed into ridges by the night's wheels, threatened an alarm at every step. Yet Raffles, with me in his arms, crossed the zone of peril softly as the pard.'
A Thief in the Night, 'Out of Paradise'
Boating - how romantic!
'”First-rate, old boy!” said Raffles (who must needs come and see me there), lying back in the boat whilst I sculled and steered.'
Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman, 'The Gift of the Emperor'
Cross-dressing!
'I have fair hair, and at the time it was rather long. With a pair of Mrs. Crutchley's tongs and a discarded hair-net, I was able to produce an almost immodest fringe. A big black hat with a wintry feather completed a headdress as unseasonable as my skating skirt and feather boa; of course, the good lady had all her summer frocks away with her in Switzerland.'
A Thief in the Night, 'The Rest Cure' (Bunny dressing up in Mrs. Crutchley's clothes)
Undressing (sort of).
'As for me, I stood by sullenly in my overcoat until he dragged it off my back.'
Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman, 'The Return Match' (Raffles asks Bunny up to his rooms)
Raffles cares about Bunny.
'”I was miserable about you - frankly - miserable!” he went on.'
A Thief in the Night, 'A Bad Night' (Raffles talking about being worried for Bunny)
'”So you came to me,” he went on, in a tone that thrilled me with its affectionate appreciation, “as I knew you would!”'
A Thief in the Night, 'A Trap to Catch a Cracksman' (when Bunny revives Raffles at the fighter Maguire's home)
Bunny loves Raffles.
'It was Raffles I loved. It was not the dark life we led together, still less its base rewards; it was the man himself, his gaiety, his humour, his dazzling audacity, his incomparable courage and resource.'
A Thief in the Night, 'Out of Paradise'
-----
Lastly, this doesn't fall into any of the above categories, but it just kills me every time I read it!
'”One question at a time, Bunny.” said he. “In the first place, I am going to have these rooms freshened up with a potful of paint, the electric light, and the telephone you've been at me about so long.”
“Good!” I cried. “Then we shall be able to talk to each other day and night!”'
A Thief in the Night, 'The Chest of Silver'
Oh Bunny, why are you so adorable?