count bunker-第11节

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ye；　the　Count　surmised　that　he　was　composing　an　amorous　addendum；　and　at　last　he　laid　down　his　pen　with　a　sigh　which　the　cynical　（but　only　the　cynical）　might　have　attributed　to　relief。

〃Ha；　my　head　he　is　getting　more　clear！〃　he　announced。　　〃Gom；　let　us　present　ourselves　to　ze　ladies；　mine　Bonker！〃



CHAPTER　XII

〃It　is　necessary；　Bonkeryou　are　sure？〃

〃No　Tulliwuddle　has　ever　omitted　the　ceremony。　　If　you　shirked；　I　am　assured　on　the　very　best　authority　that　it　would　excite　the　gravest　suspicions　of　your　authenticity。〃

Count　Bunker　spoke　with　an　air　of　the　most　resolute　conviction。　　Ever　since　they　arrived　he　had　taken　infinite　pains　to　discover　precisely　what　was　expected　of　the　chieftain；　and　having　by　great　good　luck　made　the　acquaintance　of　an　elderly　individual　who　claimed　to　be　the　piper　of　the　clan；　and　who　proved　a　perfect　granary　of　legends；　he　was　able　to　supply　complete　information　on　every　point　of　importance。　　Once　the　Baron　had　endeavored　to　corroborate　these　particulars　by　interviewing　the　piper　himself；　but　they　had　found　so　much　difficulty　in　understanding　one　another's　dialects　that　he　had　been　content　to　trust　implicitly　to　his　friend's　information。　　The　Count；　indeed；　had　rather　avoided　than　sought　advice　on　the　subject；　and　the　piper；　after　several　confidential　conversations　and　the　passage　of　a　sum　of　silver　into　his　sporran；　displayed　an　equally　Delphic　tendency。

The　Baron；　therefore；　argued　the　present　point　no　longer。

〃It　is　jost　a　mere　ceremony；〃　he　said。　　〃Ach；　vell；　nozing　vill　happen。　　Zis　ghostvat　is　his　name？〃

〃It　is　known　as　the　Wraith　of　the　Tulliwuddles。　　The　heir　must　interview　it　within　a　week　of　coming　to　the　Castle。〃

〃Vere　most　I　see　him？〃

〃In　the　armory；　at　midnight。　　You　bring　one　friend；　one　candle；　and　wear　a　bonnet　with　one　eagle's　feather　in　it。　　You　enter　at　eleven　and　wait　for　an　hourand；　by　the　way；　neither　of　you　must　speak　above　a　whisper。〃

〃Pooh！　　Jost　hombog！〃　said　the　Baron　valiantly。　　〃I　do　not　fear　soch　trash。〃

〃When　the　Wraith　appears〃

〃My　goot　Bonker；　he　vill　not　gom！〃

〃Supposing　he　does　comeand　mind　you；　strange　things　happen　in　these　old　buildings；　particularly　in　the　Highlands；　and　after　dinner；　if　he　comes；　Baron；　you　must　ask　him　three　questions。〃

The　Baron　laughed　scornfully。

〃If　I　see　a　ghost　I　vill　ask　him　many　interesting　questionsif　he　does　feel　cold；　and　sochlike；　eh？　　Ha；　ha！〃

With　an　imperturbable　gravity　that　was　not　without　its　effect　upon　the　other；　however　gaily　he　might　talk；　Bunker　continued

〃The　three　questions　are：　first；　'What　art　thou？'　second；　'Why　comest　thou　here；　O　spirit？'　third；　'What　instructions　desirest　thou　to　give　me？'　　Strictly　speaking；　they　ought　to　be　asked　in　Gaelic；　but　exceptions　have　been　made　on　former　occasions；　and　Mac…　Duiwho　pipes；　by　the　way；　in　the　anteroomassures　me　that　English　will　satisfy　the　Wraith　in　your　case。〃

The　Baron　sniffed　and　laughed；　and　twirled　up　the　ends　of　his　mustaches　till　they　presented　a　particularly　desperate　appearance。　　Yet　there　was　a　faint　intonation　of　anxiety　in　his　voice　as　he　inquired

〃You　vill　gom　as　my　friend；　of　course？〃

〃I？　　Quite　out　of　the　question；　I　am　sorry　to　say。　　To　bring　a　foreigner　（as　I　am　supposed　to　be）　would　rouse　the　clan　to　rebellion。　　No；　Baron；　you　have　a　chance　of　paying　a　graceful　compliment　to　your　host　which　you　must　not　lose。　　Ask　Mr。　Gallosh　to　share　your　vigil。〃

〃Galloshhe　vould　not　be　moch　good　sopposing　Ach；　but　nozing　vill　happen！　　I　vill　ask　him。〃

The　pride　of　Mr。　Gallosh　on　being　selected　as　his　lordship's　friend　on　this　historic　occasion　was　pleasant　to　witness。

〃It's　just　a　bit　of　fiddle…de…dee；〃　he　informed　his　delighted　family。　　〃Duncan　Gallosh　to　be　looking　for　bogles　is　pretty　ridiculousbut　oh；　I　can't　refuse　to　disoblige　his　lordship。〃

〃I　should　think　not；　when　he's　done　you　the　honor　to　invite　you　out　of　all　his　friends！〃　said　Mrs。　Gallosh　warmly。　　〃Eva！　　do　you　hear　the　compliment　that's　been　paid　your　papa？〃

Eva；　their　fair　eldest　daughter；　came　into　the　room　at　a　run。　　She　had　indeed　heard　（since　the　news　was　on　every　tongue）；　and　impetuously　she　flung　her　arms　about　her　father's　neck。

〃Oh；　papa；　do　him　credit！〃　she　cried；　〃it's　like　a　story　come　true！　　What　a　romantic　thing　to　happen！〃

〃What　a　spirit！〃　her　mother　reflected　proudly。　　〃She　is　just　the　girl　for　a　chieftain's　bride！〃

That　very　night　was　chosen　for　the　ceremony；　and　eleven　o'clock　found　them　all　assembled　breathless　in　the　drawing…room：　all；　save　Lord　Tulliwuddle　and　his　host。

〃Will　they　have　to　wait　for　a　whole　hour？〃　asked　Mrs。　Gallosh　in　a　low　voice。

Indeed　they　all　spoke　in　subdued　accents。

〃I　am　told；〃　replied　the　Count；　〃that　the　apparition　never　appears　till　after　midnight　has　struck。　　Any　time　between　twelve　and　one　he　may　be　expected。〃

〃Think　of　the　terrible　suspense　after　twelve　has　passed！〃　whispered　Eva。

The　Count　had　thought　of　this。

〃I　advised　Duncan　to　take　his　flask；〃　said　Mr。　Rentoul；　with　a　solemn　wink。　　〃So　he'll　not　be　so　badly　off。〃

〃Papa　would　never　do　such　a　thing　to…night！〃　cried　Eva。

〃It's　always　a　kind　of　precaution；〃　said　the　sage。

Presently　Count　Bunker；　who　had　been　imparting　the　most　terrific　particulars　of　former　interviews　with　the　Wraith　to　the　younger　Galloshes；　remarked　that　he　must　pass　the　time　by　overtaking　some　pressing　correspondence。

〃You　will　forgive　me；　I　hope；　for　shutting　myself　up　for　an　hour　or　so；〃　he　said　to　his　hostess。　　〃I　shall　come　back　in　time　to　learn　the　results　of　the　meeting。〃

And　with　the　loss　of　his　encouraging　company　a　greater　uneasiness　fell　upon　the　party。

Meanwhile；　in　a　vast　cavern　of　darkness；　lit　only　by　the　solitary　candle；　the　Baron　and　his　host　endeavored　to　maintain　the　sceptical　buoyancy　with　which　they　had　set　forth　upon　their　adventure。　　But　the　chilliness　of　the　room　（they　had　no　fire；　and　it　was　a　misty　night　with　a　moaning　wind）；　the　inordinate　quantity　of　odd…　looking　shadows；　and　the　profound　silence；　were　immediately　destructive　to　buoyancy　and　ultimately　trying　to　scepticism。

〃I　wish　ze　piper　vould　play；〃　whispered　the　Baron。

〃Mebbe　he'll　begin　nearer　the　time；〃　his　companion　suggested。

The　Baron　shivered。　　For　the　first　time　he　had　been　persuaded　to　wear　the　full　panoply　of　a　Highland　chief；　and　though　he　had　exhibited　himself　to　the　ladies　with　much　pride；　and　even　in　the　course　of　dinner　had　promised　Eva　Gallosh　that　he　would　never　again　don　anything　less　romantic；　he　now　began　to　think　that　a　travelling…rug　of　the　Tulliwuddle　tartan　would　prove　a　useful　addition　to　the　outfit　on　the　occasion　of　a　midnight　vigil。　　Also　the　stern　prohibition　against　talking　aloud　（corroborated　by　the　piper　with　many　guttural　warnings）　grew　more　and　more　irksome　as　the　night　advanced。

〃It's　an　awesome　place；〃　whispered　Mr。　Gallosh。

〃I　hardly　thought　it　would　have　been　as　lonesome…　like。〃

There　was　a　tremor　in　his　voice　that　irritated　the　Baron。

〃Pooh！〃　he　answered；　〃it　is　jost　vun　old　piece　of　hombog！　　I　do　not　believe　in　soch　things　myself。〃

〃Neither　do　I；　my　lord；　oh；　neither　do　I；　but　would　you　fancy　a　dram？〃

〃Not　for　me；　I　zank　you；〃　said　his　lordship　stiffly。

Blessing　the　foresight　of　Mr。　Rentoul；　his　host　unscrewed　his　flask　and　had　a　generous　swig。　　As　he　was　screwing　on　the　top　again；　the　Baron；　in　a　less　haughty　voice；　whispered

〃Perhaps　jost　vun　leetle　taste。〃

They　felt　now　for　a　few　minutes　more　aggressively　disposed。

〃Ve　need　not　have　ze　curtain　shut；〃　said　the　Baron。　　〃Soppose　you　do　draw　him？〃

Through　the　gloom　Mr。　Gallosh　took　one　or　two　faltering　steps。

〃Man；　it's　awful　hard　to　see　one's　way；〃　he　said　nervously。

The　Baron　took　the　candle；　and　with　a　martial　stride　escorted　him　to　the　window。　　They　pulled　aside　one　corner　of　the　heavy　curtain；　and　then　let　it　fall　again　and　hurried　back。　　So　far　north　there　was　indeed　a　gleam　of　daylight　left；　but　it　was　such　a　pale　and　ghostly　ray；　and　the　wreaths　of　mist　swept　so　eerily　and　silently　across　the　pane；　that　candle…light　and　shadows　seemed　vastly　preferable。

〃How　much　more　time　will　there　be？〃　whispered　Mr。　Gallosh　presently。

〃It　is　twenty…five　minutes　to　twelve。〃

〃Your　lordship！　　Can　we　leave　at　twelve？〃

The　Baron　started。

〃Oh；　Himmel！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Vy　did　I　not　realize　before？　　If　nozing　comesand　nozing　vill　comeve　most　stay　till　one；　I　soppose。〃

Mr。　Gallosh　emitted　something　like　a　groan。

〃Oh　my；　and　that　candle　will　not　last　more　than　half　an　hour　at　the　most！〃

〃Teufel！〃　said　the　Baron。　　〃It　vas　Bonker　did　give　him　to　me。　　He　might　have　made　a　more　proper　calculation。〃

The　prospect　was　now　gloomy　indeed。　　An　hour　of　candle…light　had　been　bad；　but　an　hour　of　pitch　darkness　or　of　mist　wreaths　would　be　many　times　worse。

〃A　wee　tastie　more；　my　lord？〃　Mr。　Gallosh　suggested；　in　a　voice　whose　vibrations　he　made　an　effort　to　conceal。

〃Jost　a　vee；〃　said　his　lordship；　hardly　more　firmly。

With　a　dismal　disregard　for　their　suspense　the　minutes　dragged　infinitely　slowly。　　The　flask　was　finished；　the　candle　guttered　and　flickered　ominously；　the　very　shadows　grew　restless。

〃There's　a　lot　of　secret　doors　and　such　like　in　this　part　of　the　houselet's　hope　there'll　be　nothing