the twins of table mountain-第23节

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James　Clinch；　the　coolest　head　at　a　late　supper；he；　the　American；
who　had　repeatedly　drunk　Frenchmen　and　Englishmen　under　the
tablecould　be　transformed　into　a　sentimental；　stagey　idiot　by　a
single　glass　of　wine？　　He　was　conscious；　too；　of　asking　himself
these　very　questions　in　a　stilted　sort　of　rhetoric；　and　with　a
rising　brutality　of　anger　that　was　new　to　him。　　And　then　everything
swam　before　him；　and　he　seemed　to　lose　all　consciousness。

But　only　for　an　instant。　　With　a　strong　effort　of　his　will　he　again
recalled　himself；　his　situation；　his　surroundings；　and；　above　all；
his　appointment。　　He　rose　to　his　feet；　hurriedly　descended　the
terrace…steps；　and；　before　he　well　knew　how；　found　himself　again　on
the　road。　　Once　there；　his　faculties　returned　in　full　vigor；　he　was
again　himself。　　He　strode　briskly　forward　toward　the　ditch　he　had
crossed　only　a　few　moments　before；　but　was　suddenly　stopped。　　It
was　filled　with　water。　　He　looked　up　and　down。　　It　was　clearly　the
same　ditch；　but　a　flowing　stream　thirty　feet　wide　now　separated　him
from　the　other　bank。

The　appearance　of　this　unlooked…for　obstacle　made　Mr。　Clinch　doubt
the　full　restoration　of　his　faculties。　　He　stepped　to　the　brink　of
the　flood　to　bathe　his　head　in　the　stream；　and　wash　away　the　last
vestiges　of　his　potations。　　But　as　he　approached　the　placid　depths；
and　knelt　down　he　again　started　back；　and　this　time　with　a　full
conviction　of　his　own　madness；　for　reflected　from　its　mirror…like
surface　was　a　figure　he　could　scarcely　call　his　own；　although　here
and　there　some　trace　of　his　former　self　remained。

His　close…cropped　hair；　trimmed　a　la　mode；　had　given　way　to　long；
curling　locks　that　dropped　upon　his　shoulders。　　His　neat　mustache
was　frightfully　prolonged；　and　curled　up　at　the　ends　stiffly。　　His
Piccadilly　collar　had　changed　shape　and　texture；　and　reacheda
mass　of　laceto　a　point　midway　of　his　breast！　　His　boots；why　had
he　not　noticed　his　boots　before？these　triumphs　of　his　Parisian
bootmaker；　were　lost　in　hideous　leathern　cases　that　reached　half
way　up　his　thighs。　　In　place　of　his　former　high　silk　hat；　there　lay
upon　the　ground　beside　him　the　awful　thing　he　had　just　taken　off；
a　mass　of　thickened　felt；　flap；　feather；　and　buckle　that　weighed　at
least　a　stone。

A　single　terrible　idea　now　took　possession　of　him。　　He　had　been
〃sold；〃　〃taken　in；〃　〃done　for。〃　　He　saw　it　all。　　In　a　state　of
intoxication　he　had　lost　his　way；　had　been　dragged　into　some　vile
den；　stripped　of　his　clothes　and　valuables；　and　turned　adrift　upon
the　quiet　town　in　this　shameless　masquerade。　　How　should　he　keep
his　appointment？　how　inform　the　police　of　this　outrage　upon　a
stranger　and　an　American　citizen？　how　establish　his　identity？　　Had
they　spared　his　papers？　　He　felt　feverishly　in　his　breast。　　Ah！
his　watch？　　Yes；　a　watchheavy；　jewelled；　enamelledand；　by　all
that　was　ridiculous；　FIVE　OTHERS！　　He　ran　his　hands　into　his
capacious　trunk　hose。　　What　was　this？　　Brooches；　chains；　finger…
rings；one　large　episcopal　one；ear…rings；　and　a　handful　of
battered　gold　and　silver　coins。　　His　papers；　his　memorandums；　his
passportall　proofs　of　his　identitywere　gone！　　In　their　place
was　the　unmistakable　omnium　gatherum　of　an　accomplished　knight　of
the　road。　　Not　only　was　his　personality；　but　his　character；　gone
forever。

It　was　a　part　of　Mr。　Clinch's　singular　experience　that　this　last
stroke　of　ill　fortune　seemed　to　revive　in　him　something　of　the
brutal　instinct　he　had　felt　a　moment　before。　　He　turned　eagerly
about　with　the　intention　of　calling　some　onethe　first　person　he
metto　account。　　But　the　house　that　he　had　just　quitted　was　gone。
The　wall！　　Ah；　there　it　was；　no　longer　purposeless；　intrusive；　and
ivy…clad；　but　part　of　the　buttress　of　another　massive　wall　that
rose　into　battlements　above　him。　　Mr。　Clinch　turned　again
hopelessly　toward　Sammtstadt。　　There　was　the　fringe　of　poplars　on
the　Rhine；　there　were　the　outlying　fields　lit　by　the　same　meridian
sun；　but　the　characteristic　chimneys　of　Sammtstadt　were　gone。　　Mr。
Clinch　was　hopelessly　lost。

The　sound　of　a　horn　breaking　the　stillness　recalled　his　senses。　　He
now　for　the　first　time　perceived　that　a　little　distance　below　him；
partly　hidden　in　the　trees；　was　a　queer；　tower…shaped　structure
with　chains　and　pulleys；　that　in　some　strange　way　recalled　his
boyish　reading。　　A　drawbridge　and　portcullis！　　And　on　the
battlement　a　figure　in　a　masquerading　dress　as　absurd　as　his　own；
flourishing　a　banner　and　trumpet；　and　trying　to　attract　his
attention。

〃Was　wollen　Sie？〃

〃I　want　to　see　the　proprietor；〃　said　Mr。　Clinch；　choking　back　his
rage。

There　was　a　pause；　and　the　figure　turned　apparently　to　consult　with
some　one　behind　the　battlements。　　After　a　moment　he　reappeared；　and
in　a　perfunctory　monotone；　with　an　occasional　breathing　spell　on
the　trumpet；　began；

〃You　do　give　warranty　as　a　good　knight　and　true；　as　well　as　by　the
bones　of　the　blessed　St。　Ursula；　that　you　bear　no　ill　will；　secret
enmity；　wicked　misprise　or　conspiracy；　against　the　body　of　our
noble　lord　and　master　Von　Kolnsche？　　And　you　bring　with　you　no
ambush；　siege；　or　surprise　of　retainers；　neither　secret　warrant　nor
lettres　de　cachet；　nor　carry　on　your　knightly　person　poisoned
dagger；　magic　ring；　witch…powder；　nor　enchanted　bullet；　and　that
you　have　entered　into　no　unhallowed　alliance　with　the　Prince　of
Darkness；　gnomes；　hexies；　dragons；　Undines；　Loreleis；　nor　the
like？〃

〃Come　down　out　of　that；　you　dd　old　fool！〃　roared　Mr。　Clinch；
now　perfectly　beside　himself　with　rage；〃come　down；　and　let　me
in！〃

As　Mr。　Clinch　shouted　out　the　last　words；　confused　cries　of
recognition　and　welcome；　not　unmixed　with　some　consternation；　rose
from　the　battlements：　〃Ach　Gott！〃　〃Mutter　Gottit　is　he！　　It　is
Jann；　Der　Wanderer。　　It　is　himself。〃　　The　chains　rattled；　the
ponderous　drawbridge　creaked　and　dropped；　and　across　it　a　medley　of
motley　figures　rushed　pellmell。　　But；　foremost　among　them；　the　very
maiden　whom　he　had　left　not　ten　minutes　before　flew　into　his　arms；
and　with　a　cry　of　joyful　greeting　sank　upon　his　breast。　　Mr。　Clinch
looked　down　upon　the　fair　head　and　long　braids。　　It　certainly　was
the　same　maiden；　his　cruel　enchantress；　but　where　did　she　get　those
absurd　garments？

〃Willkommen；〃　said　a　stout　figure；　advancing　with　some　authority；
and　seizing　his　disengaged　hand；　〃where　hast　thou　been　so　long？〃

Mr。　Clinch；　by　no　means　placated；　coldly　dropped　the　extended　hand。
It　was　NOT　the　proprietor　he　had　known。　　But　there　was　a　singular
resemblance　in　his　face　to　some　one　of　Mr。　Clinch's　own　kin；　but
who；　he　could　not　remember。　　〃May　I　take　the　liberty　of　asking　your
name？〃　he　asked　coldly。

The　figure　grinned。　　〃Surely；　but；　if　thou　standest　upon　punctilio；
it　is　for　ME　to　ask　thine；　most　noble　Freiherr；〃　said　he；　winking
upon　his　retainers。　　〃Whom　have　I　the　honor　of　entertaining？〃

〃My　name　is　Clinch；James　Clinch　of　Chicago；　Ill。〃

A　shout　of　laughter　followed。　　In　the　midst　of　his　rage　and
mortification　Mr。　Clinch　fancied　he　saw　a　shade　of　pain　and
annoyance　flit　across　the　face　of　the　maiden。　　He　was　puzzled；　but
pressed　her　hand；　in　spite　of　his　late　experiences；　reassuringly。
She　made　a　gesture　of　silence　to　him；　and　then　slipped　away　in　the
crowd。

〃Schames　K'l'n'sche　von　Schekargo；〃　mimicked　the　figure；　to　the
unspeakable　delight　of　his　retainers。　　〃So！　　THAT　is　the　latest
French　style。　　Holy　St。　Ursula！　　Hark　ye；　nephew！　　I　am　not　a
travelled　man。　　Since　the　Crusades　we　simple　Rhine　gentlemen　have
staid　at　home。　　But　I　call　myself　Kolnsche　of　Koln；　at　your
service。〃

〃Very　likely　you　are　right；〃　said　Mr。　Clinch　hotly；　disregarding
the　caution　of　his　fair　companion；　〃but；　whoever　YOU　are；　I　am　a
stranger　entitled　to　protection。　　I　have　been　robbed。〃

If　Mr。　Clinch　had　uttered　an　exquisite　joke　instead　of　a　very　angry
statement；　it　could　not　have　been　more　hilariously　received。　　He
paused；　grew　confused；　and　then　went　on　hesitatingly；

〃In　place　of　my　papers　and　credentials　I　find　only　these。〃　　And　he
produced　the　jewelry　from　his　pockets。

Another　shout　of　laughter　and　clapping　of　hands　followed　this
second　speech；　and　the　baron；　with　a　wink　at　his　retainers；
prolonged　the　general　mirth　by　saying；　〃By　the　way；　nephew；　there
is　little　doubt　but　there　has　been　robberysomewhere。〃

〃It　was　done；〃　continued　Mr。　Clinch；　hurrying　to　make　an　end　of　his
explanation；　〃while　I　was　inadvertently　overcome　with　liquor；
drugged　liquor。〃

The　laughter　here　was　so　uproarious　that　the　baron；　albeit　with
tears　of　laughter　in　his　own　eyes；　made　a　peremptory　gesture　of
silence。　　The　gesture　was　peculiar　to　the　baron；　efficacious　and
simple。　　It　consisted　merely　in　knocking　down　the　nearest　laugher。
Having　thus　restored　tranquillity；　he　strode　forward；　and　took　Mr。
Clinch　by　the　hand。　　〃By　St。　Adolph；　I　did　doubt　thee　a　moment　ago；
nephew；　but　this　last　frank　confession　of　thine　shows　me　I　did　thee
wrong。　　Willkommen　zu　Hause；　Jann；　drunk　or　sober；　willcommen　zu
Cracowen。〃

More　and　more　mystified；　but　convinced　of　the　folly　of　any　further
explanation；　Mr。　Clinch　took　the　extended　hand　of　his　alleged
uncle；　and　permitted　himself　to　be　led　into　the　castle。　　They
passed　into　a　larg