the twins of table mountain-第24节

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uncle；　and　permitted　himself　to　be　led　into　the　castle。　　They
passed　into　a　large　banqueting…hall　adorned　with　armor　and
implements　of　the　chase。　　Mr。　Clinch　could　not　help　noticing；　that；
although　the　appointments　were　liberal　and　picturesque；　the
ventilation　was　bad；　and　the　smoke　from　the　huge　chimney　made　the
air　murky。　　The　oaken　tables；　massive　in　carving　and　rich　in　color；
were　unmistakably　greasy；　and　Mr。　Clinch　slipped　on　a　piece　of　meat
that　one　of　the　dozen　half…wild　dogs　who　were　occupying　the　room
was　tearing　on　the　floor。　　The　dog；　yelping；　ran　between　the　legs
of　a　retainer；　precipitating　him　upon　the　baron；　who　instantly；
with　the　〃equal　foot〃　of　fate；　kicked　him　and　the　dog　into　a
corner。

〃And　whence　came　you　last？〃　asked　the　baron；　disregarding　the
little　contretemps；　and　throwing　himself　heavily　on　an　oaken
settle；　while　he　pushed　a　queer；　uncomfortable…looking　stool；　with
legs　like　a　Siamese…twin…connected　double　X；　towards　his　companion。

Mr。　Clinch；　who　had　quite　given　himself　up　to　fate；　answered
mechanically；

〃Paris。〃

The　baron　winked　his　eye　with　unutterable；　elderly　wickedness。
〃Ach　Gott！　it　is　nothing　to　what　it　was　when　I　was　your　age。　　Ah！
there　was　Manon；Sieur　Manon　we　used　to　call　her。　　I　suppose　she's
getting　old　now。　　How　goes　on　the　feud　between　the　students　and　the
citizens？　　Eh？　　Did　you　go　to　the　bal　in　la　Cite？〃

Mr。　Clinch　stopped　the　flow　of　those　Justice…Shallow…like
reminiscences　by　an　uneasy　exclamation。　　He　was　thinking　of　the
maiden　who　had　disappeared　so　suddenly。　　The　baron　misinterpreted
his　nervousness。　　〃What　ho；　within　there！Max；　Wolfgang；lazy
rascals！　　Bring　some　wine。〃

At　the　baleful　word　Mr。　Clinch　started　to　his　feet。　　〃Not　for　me！
Bring　me　none　of　your　body…and…soul…destroying　poison！　　I've　enough
of　it！〃

The　baron　stared。　　The　servitors　stared　also。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　Mr。　Clinch；　recalling　himself　slowly；
〃but　I　fear　that　Rhine　wine　does　not　agree　with　me。〃

The　baron　grinned。　　Perceiving；　however；　that　the　three　servitors
grinned　also；　he　kicked　two　of　them　into　obscurity；　and　felled　the
third　to　the　floor　with　his　fist。　　〃Hark　ye；　nephew；〃　he　said；
turning　to　the　astonished　Clinch；　〃give　over　this　nonsense！　　By　the
mitre　of　Bishop　Hatto；　thou　art　as　big　a　fool　as　he！〃

〃Hatto；〃　repeated　Clinch　mechanically。　　〃What！　he　of　the　Mouse
Tower？〃

〃Ay；　of　the　Mouse　Tower！〃　sneered　the　baron。　　〃I　see　you　know　the
story。〃

〃Why　am　I　like　him？〃　asked　Mr。　Clinch　in　amazement。

The　baron　grinned。　　〃HE　punished　the　Rhenish　wine　as　thou　dost；
without　judgment。　　He　had〃

〃The　jim…jams；〃　said　Mr。　Clinch　mechanically　again。

The　baron　frowned。　　〃I　know　not　what　gibberish　thou　sayest　by　'jim…
jams'；　but　he　had；　like　thee；　the　wildest　fantasies　and　imaginings；
saw　snakes；　toads；　rats；　in　his　boots；　but　principally　rats；　said
they　pursued　him；　came　to　his　room；　his　bedach　Gott！〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Mr。　Clinch；　with　a　sudden　return　to　his　firmer　self　and
his　native　inquiring　habits；　〃then　THAT　is　the　fact　about　Bishop
Hatto　of　the　story？〃

〃His　enemies　made　it　the　subject　of　a　vile　slander　of　an　old　friend
of　mine；〃　said　the　baron；　〃and　those　cursed　poets；　who　believe
everything；　and　then　persuade　others　to　do　so；may　the　Devil　fly
away　with　them！kept　it　up。〃

Here　were　facts　quite　to　Mr。　Clinch's　sceptical　mind。　　He　forgot
himself　and　his　surroundings。

〃And　that　story　of　the　Drachenfels？〃　he　asked　insinuatingly；〃the
dragon；　you　know。　　Was　he　too〃

The　baron　grinned。　　〃A　boar　transformed　by　the　drunken　brains　of
the　Bauers　of　the　Siebengebirge。　　Ach　Gott！　　Ottefried　had　many　a
hearty　laugh　over　it；　and　it　did　him；　as　thou　knowest；　good　service
with　the　nervous　mother　of　the　silly　maiden。〃

〃And　the　seven　sisters　of　Schonberg？〃　asked　Mr。　Clinch　persuasively。

〃'Schonberg！　　Seven　sisters！'　　What　of　them？〃　demanded　the　baron
sharply。

〃Why；　you　know；the　maidens　who　were　so　coy　to　their　suitors；　and
don't　you　remember？jumped　into　the　Rhine　to　avoid　them。〃

〃'Coy？　　Jumped　into　the　Rhine　to　avoid　suitors'？〃　roared　the　baron；
purple　with　rage。　　〃Hark　ye；　nephew！　　I　like　not　this　jesting。
Thou　knowest　I　married　one　of　the　Schonberg　girls；　as　did　thy
father。　　How　'coy'　they　were　is　neither　here　nor　there；　but　mayhap
WE　might　tell　another　story。　　Thy　father；　as　weak　a　fellow　as　thou
art　where　a　petticoat　is　concerned；　could　not　as　a　gentleman　do
other　than　he　did。　　And　THIS　is　his　reward？　　Ach　Gott！　　'Coy！'　　And
THIS；　I　warrant；　is　the　way　the　story　is　delivered　in　Paris。〃

Mr。　Clinch　would　have　answered　that　this　was　the　way　he　read　it　in
a　guidebook；　but　checked　himself　at　the　hopelessness　of　the
explanation。　　Besides；　he　was　on　the　eve　of　historic　information；
he　was；　as　it　were；　interviewing　the　past；　and；　whether　he　would
ever　be　able　to　profit　by　the　opportunity　or　not；　he　could　not　bear
to　lose　it。　　〃And　how　about　the　Loreleiis　she；　too；　a　fiction？〃
he　asked　glibly。

〃It　was　said；〃　observed　the　baron　sardonically；　〃that　when　thou
disappeared　with　the　gamekeeper's　daughter　at　ObercasselHeaven
knows　where！thou　wast　swallowed　up　in　a　whirlpool　with　some
creature。　　Ach　Gott！　　I　believe　it！　　But　a　truce　to　this
balderdash。　　And　so　thou　wantest　to　know　of　the　'coy'　sisters　of
Schoenberg？　　Hark　ye；　Jann；　that　cousin　of　thine　is　a　Schonberg。
Call　you　her　'coy'？　　Did　I　not　see　thy　greeting？　　Eh？　　By　St。
Adolph；　knowing　thee　as　she　does　to　be　robber　and　thief；　call　you
her　greeting　'coy'？〃

Furious　as　Mr。　Clinch　inwardly　became　under　these　epithets；　he　felt
that　his　explanation　would　hardly　relieve　the　maiden　from　deceit；
or　himself　from　weakness。　　But　out　of　his　very　perplexity　and
turmoil　a　bright　idea　was　born。　　He　turned　to　the　baron；

〃Then　you　have　no　faith　in　the　Rhine　legends？〃

The　baron　only　replied　with　a　contemptuous　shrug　of　his　shoulders。

〃But　what　if　I　told　you　a　new　one？〃

〃You？〃

〃Yes；　a　part　of　my　experience？〃

The　baron　was　curious。　　It　was　early　in　the　afternoon；　just　after
dinner。　　He　might　be　worse　bored。

〃I've　only　one　condition；〃　added　Mr。　Clinch：　〃the　young　ladyI
mean；　of　course；　my　cousinmust　hear　it　too。〃

〃Oh；　ay！　　I　see。　　Of　coursethe　old　trick！　　Well；　call　the　jade。
But　mark　ye；　Sir　Nephew；　no　enchanted　maidens　and　knights。　　Keep　to
thyself。　　Be　as　thou　art；　vagabond　Jann　Kolnische；　knight　of　the
road。What　ho　there；　scoundrels！　　Call　the　Lady　Wilhemina。〃

It　was　the　first　time　Mr。　Clinch　had　heard　his　fair　friend's　name；
but　it　was　not；　evidently；　the　first　time　she　had　seen　him；　as　the
very　decided　wink　the　gentle　maiden　dropped　him　testified。
Nevertheless；　with　hands　lightly　clasped　together；　and　downcast
eyes；　she　stood　before　them。

Mr。　Clinch　began。　　Without　heeding　the　baron's　scornful　grin；　he
graphically　described　his　meeting；　two　years　before；　with　a
Lorelei；　her　usual　pressing　invitation；　and　his　subsequent　plunge
into　the　Rhine。

〃I　am　free　to　confess；〃　added　Mr。　Clinch；　with　an　affecting　glance
to　Wilhelmina；　〃that　I　was　not　enamoured　of　the　graces　of　the　lady；
but　was　actuated　by　my　desire　to　travel；　and　explore　hitherto
unknown　regions。　　I　wished　to　travel；　to　visit〃

〃Paris；〃　interrupted　the　baron　sarcastically。

〃America；〃　continued　Mr。　Clinch。

〃What？〃〃America。〃

〃'Tis　a　gnome…like　sounding　name；　this　Meriker。　　Go　on；　nephew：
tell　us　of　Meriker。〃

With　the　characteristic　fluency　of　his　nation；　Mr。　Clinch　described
his　landing　on　those　enchanted　shores；　viz；　the　Rhine　Whirlpool　and
Hell　Gate；　East　River；　New　York。　　He　described　the　railways；　tram…
ways；　telegraphs；　hotels；　phonograph；　and　telephone。　　An　occasional
oath　broke　from　the　baron；　but　he　listened　attentively；　and　in　a
few　moments　Mr。　Clinch　had　the　raconteur's　satisfaction　of　seeing
the　vast　hall　slowly　filling　with　open…eyed　and　open…mouthed
retainers　hanging　upon　his　words。　　Mr。　Clinch　went　on　to　describe
his　astonishment　at　meeting　on　these　very　shores　some　of　his　own
blood　and　kin。　　〃In　fact；〃　said　Mr。　Clinch；　〃here　were　a　race
calling　themselves　'Clinch；'　but　all　claiming　to　have　descended
from　Kolnische。〃

〃And　how？〃　sneered　the　baron。

〃Through　James　Kolnische　and　Wilhelmina　his　wife；〃　returned　Mr。
Clinch　boldly。　　〃They　emigrated　from　Koln　and　Crefeld　to
Philadelphia；　where　there　is　a　quarter　named　Crefeld。〃　　Mr。　Clinch
felt　himself　shaky　as　to　his　chronology；　but　wisely　remembered　that
it　was　a　chronology　of　the　future　to　his　hearers；　and　they　could
not　detect　an　anachronism。　　With　his　eyes　fixed　upon　those　of　the
gentle　Wilhelmina；　Mr。　Clinch　now　proceeded　to　describe　his　return
to　his　fatherland；　but　his　astonishment　at　finding　the　very　face　of
the　country　changed；　and　a　city　standing　on　those　fields　he　had
played　in　as　a　boy；　and　how　he　had　wandered　hopelessly　on；　until　he
at　last　sat　wearily　down　in　a　humble　cottage　built　upon　the　ruins
of　a　lordly　castle。　　〃So　utterly　travel…worn　and　weak　had　I
become；〃　said　Mr。　Clinch；　with　adroitly　simulated　pathos；　〃that　a
single　glass　of　wine　offered　me　by　the　simple　cottage　maiden
affected　me　like　a　prolonged　debauch。〃

A　long…drawn　snore　was　all　that　followed　this　affecting　climax。
The　baron　was　asleep；　the　retainers　were　also　asleep。　　Only　one
pai