A Jubilee Present by E.W. Hornung
Raffles, disgusted with the poor returns from recent jewel thefts, proposes to Bunny that they scout the Room of Gold at the British Museum, home to a valuable enamelled gold cup subscribed for by wealthy donors and given to the nation. During Dr. Theobald's honeymoon absence, Bunny fakes an invalid outing for his supposed patient "Mr. Maturin," bribing the porter and using a hired landau and carrying-chair to slip away instead to Kew Gardens, then on to the British Museum just after opening. In the Room of Gold, Raffles admires the ancient gold cup, decorated with scenes from the martyrdom of St. Agnes, in its glass case. A constable overhears Raffles musing aloud about lifting it and challenges him, but Raffles talks his way into a genial exchange about the room's lax security — noting the guard is unarmed and the attendants have wandered out of earshot. When the constable, growing suspicious, reaches for his whistle, Raffles knocks him out with two swift blows before he can sound it. Bunny checks that the attendants outside heard nothing, and the two saunter out at a deliberately unhurried pace, aware that a full sprint of the museum's 139 yards to the street would give them away. They escape by hansom, throw off the driver with a false destination, and double back home via train and cab, restoring Bunny's "invalid" to the flat with the porter's unwitting help. Bunny is furious at what he sees as a reckless, unplanned crime, but Raffles insists it was not premeditated — the chance to strike was too perfect to pass up, and knocking out the constable was the only way to avoid capture once suspicion arose. The theft becomes a sensation in the press amid Diamond Jubilee celebrations, with Scotland Yard searching for the cup and newspaper descriptions of the culprits comically inaccurate. Raffles keeps the cup openly on his mantelpiece, refusing to melt it down since he considers it too beautiful to destroy, and revels in owning it privately even though he can never display it. Eventually Raffles announces he has found a way to "place" the cup. He has Bunny buy a large Huntley & Palmer's biscuit tin, wraps the cup in newspaper, packs it inside, and disguises himself before slipping out and back via a roundabout route to avoid the porter. He reveals he has mailed the cup, registered, to Sir Arthur Bigge for presentation to the Queen, with an anonymous printed postcard message "with the loyal respects of the thief," reasoning that every class and nation is offering tribute for the Diamond Jubilee except thieves, and he has now remedied that omission. He is confident nothing traceable was left behind, aside from a moment's worry over spotting a detective at the post office. The story closes with Raffles and Bunny toasting the Queen with whisky.
By E.W. Hornung · First published 1894 · Genre: Crime Fiction, Adventure, Mystery · 6,072 words
First lines
The Room of Gold, in the British Museum, is probably well enough known to the inquiring alien and the travelled American. A true Londoner, however, I myself had never heard of it until Raffles casually proposed a raid.
What this Textopian page supports
A Jubilee Present is listed on Textopian as a short story by E.W. Hornung, dated 1894 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: E.W. Hornung
- Date: 1894 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Crime Fiction, Adventure, Mystery, Thriller, Literary Fiction
- Length: 6,072 words
- Structure: 1 section, 150 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
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Genres
- Crime Fiction — The plot revolves around a heist and the characters are thieves, making crime the central theme.
- Adventure — The narrative includes elements of exploration and risk-taking associated with the heist.
- Mystery — The story involves suspense and the unknown, particularly regarding the characters' plans and the potential for discovery.
- Thriller — The tension and urgency in the characters' actions create a thrilling atmosphere.
Tags
mystery · crime · suspense · thriller · detective · short stories · literary fiction · British literature · 19th century · plot twist · character study · narrative