The Last Laugh

"The Last Laugh" is a short story by E. W. Hornung. It features the gentleman thief A. J. Raffles, and his companion and biographer, Bunny Manders. The story was first published in Scribner's Magazine in April 1901. The story was also included as the fourth story in the collection The Black Mask, published by Grant Richards in London, and Charles Scribner's Sons in New York, both in 1901. The plot follows as a sequel to the events of "The Fate of Faustina". Plot Raffles tells Bunny that one of the dreaded Count Corbucci's men secretly followed them on their way home. Raffles in turn leaves to secretly follow the man, after tricking Bunny into changing into pajamas so that Bunny cannot accompany him. Bunny watches the nighttime street from the window, only to see Corbucci appear and, in turn, secretly follow Raffles. Bunny decides to follow Corbucci, but loses track of Corbucci by the time he gets to the street. A constable tells him that Corbucci has left in a hansom. Bunny engages a hansom and searches the streets for Raffles, without success.