count bunker-第12节

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〃There's　a　lot　of　secret　doors　and　such　like　in　this　part　of　the　houselet's　hope　there'll　be　nothing　coming　through　one　of　them；〃　said　Mr。　Gallosh　in　a　breaking　voice。

The　Baron　muttered　an　inaudible　reply；　and　then　with　a　start　their　shoulders　bumped　together。

〃Damn　it；　what's　yon！〃　whispered　Mr。　Gallosh。

〃Ze　pipes！　　Gallosh；　how　beastly　he　does　play！〃

In　point　of　fact　the　air　seemed　to　consist　of　only　one　wailing　note。

〃Bong！〃they　heard　the　first　stroke　of　midnight　on　the　big　clock　on　the　Castle　Tower；　and　so　unfortunately　had　Count　Bunker　timed　the　candle　that　on　the　instant　its　flame　expired。

〃Vithdraw　ze　curtains！〃　gasped　the　Baron。

〃I　canna；　my　lord！　　Oh；　I　canna！〃　wailed　Mr。　Gallosh；　breaking　out　into　his　broadest　native　Scotch。

This　time　the　Baron　made　no　movement；　and　in　the　palpitating　silence　the　two　sat　through　one　long　dark　minute　after　another；　till　some　ten　of　them　had　passed。

〃I　shall　stand　it　no　more！〃　muttered　the　Baron。　　〃Ve　vill　creep　for　ze　door。〃

〃My　lord；　my　lord！　　For　maircy's　sake　gie's　a　hold　of　you！〃　stammered　Mr。　Gallosh；　falling　on　his　hands　and　knees　and　feeling　for　the　skirt　of　his　lordship's　kilt。

But　their　flight　was　arrested　by　a　portent　so　remarkable　that　had　there　been　only　a　single　witness　one　would　suppose　it　to　be　a　figment　of　his　imagination。　　Fortunately；　however；　both　the　Baron　and　Mr。　Gallosh　can　corroborate　each　detail。　　About　the　middle；　apparently；　of　the　wall　opposite；　an　oblong　of　light　appeared　in　the　thickest　of　the　gloom。

〃Mein　Gott！〃　cried　the　Baron。

〃It's　filled　wi'　reek！〃　gasped　Mr。　Gallosh。

And　indeed　the　space　seemed　filled　with　a　slowly　rising　cloud　of　pungent　blue　smoke。　　Then　their　horrified　eyes　beheld　the　figure　of　an　undoubted　Being　hazily　outlined　behind　the　cloud；　and　at　the　same　time　the　piper；　as　if　sympathetically　aware　of　the　crisis；　burst　into　his　most　dreadful　discords。　　A　yell　rang　through　the　gloom；　followed　by　the　sounds　of　a　heavy　body　alternately　scuffling　across　the　floor　and　falling　prostrate　over　unseen　furniture。　　The　Baron　felt　for　his　host；　and　realized　that　this　was　the　escaping　Gallosh。

〃Tulliwuddle！　　Speak！〃　a　hollow　voice　muttered　out　of　the　smoke。

The　Baron　has　never　ceased　to　exult　over　the　hardihood　he　displayed　in　this　unnerving　crisis。　　Rising　to　his　feet　and　drawing　his　claymore；　he　actually　managed　to　stammer　out

〃Whowho　are　you？〃

The　Being　（he　could　now　perceive　dimly　that　it　was　clad　in　tartan）　answered　in　the　same　deep；　measured　voice

　　　　　　　　　　〃Your　senses　to　confound　and　fuddle；　　　　　　　　　　　　　Behold　the　Wraith　of　Tulliwuddle！〃


This　was　sufficiently　terrifying；　one　would　think；　to　excuse　the　Baron　for　following　the　example　of　his　host。　But；　though　he　found　afterwards　that　he　must　have　perspired　freely；　he　courageously　stood　his　ground。

〃Vy　have　you　gomed　here？〃　he　demanded　in　a　voice　nearly　as　hollow　as　the　Wraith'

As　solemnly　as　before　the　spirit　replied

　　　　　　　　　　〃From　Pit　that's　bottomless　and　dark　　　　　　　　　　　　　Methinks　I　hear　it　shriekingHark！〃


（The　Baron　certainly　did　hear　a　tumult　that　might　well　be　termed　infernal；　though　whether　it　emanated　from　Mr。　Gallosh；　fiends；　or　the　piper；　he　could　not　at　the　moment　feel　certain。）

　　　　　　　　　　〃I　came　o'er　many　leagues　of　heather　　　　　　　　　　　　　To　carry　back　the　answer　whether　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　noble　chieftain　of　my　clan　　　　　　　　　　　　　Conducts　him　like　a　gentleman。〃


After　this　warning；　to　put　the　third　question　required　an　effort　of　the　most　supreme　resolution。　　The　Baron　was　equal　to　it；　however。

〃Vat　instroction　do　you　give　me？〃　he　managed　to　utter。

In　the　gravest　accents　the　Wraith　chanted

　　　　　　　　　　〃Hang　ever　kilt　above　the　knee；　　　　　　　　　　　　　With　Usquebaugh　be　not　too　free；　　　　　　　　　　　　　When　toasts　and　sic'like　games　be　mooted　　　　　　　　　　　　　See　that　your　dram　be　well　diluted；　　　　　　　　　　　　　And　oh；　if　you'd　escape　from　Hades；　　　　　　　　　　　　　Lord　Tulliwuddle；　'ware　the　ladies！〃


The　spirit　vanished　as　magically　as　he　had　appeared；　and　with　this　solemn　warning　ringing　in　his　ears；　the　Baron　found　himself　in　inky　darkness　again。　　This　time　he　did　not　hesitate　to　grope　madly　for　the　door；　but　hardly　had　he　reached　it；　when；　with　a　fresh　sensation　of　horror；　he　stumbled　upon　a　writhing　form　that　seemed　to　be　pawing　the　panels。　　He　was；　fortunately；　as　quickly　reassured　by　hearing　the　voice　of　Mr。　Gallosh　exclaim　in　terrified　accents

〃I　canna　find　the　haundle！　　Oh；　Gosh；　where's　the　haundle？〃

Being　the　less　frenzied　of　the　two；　the　Baron　did　succeed　in　finding　the　handle；　and　with　a　gasp　of　relief　burst　into　the　lighted　anteroom。　　The　piper　had　already　departed；　and　evidently　in　haste；　since　he　had　left　some　portion　of　a　bottle　of　whisky　unfinished。　　This　fortunate　circumstance　enabled　them　to　recover　something　of　their　color；　though；　even　when　he　felt　his　blood　warming　again；　Mr。　Gallosh　could　scarcely　speak　coherently　of　his　terrible　ordeal。

〃What　an　awfu'　night！　what　an　awfu'　night！〃　he　murmured。　　〃Oh；　my　lord；　let's　get　out　of　this！〃

He　was　making　for　the　door　when　the　Baron　seized　his　arm。

〃Vait！〃　he　cried。　　〃Ze　danger　is　past！　　Ach；　vas　I　not　brave？　　Did　you　not　hear　me　speak　to　him？　　You　can　bear　vitness　how　brave　I　vas；　eh？〃

〃I'll　not　swear　I　heard　just　exactly　what　passed；　my　lord。　　Man；　I'll　own　I　was　awful　feared！〃

〃Tuts！　tuts！〃　said　the　Baron　kindly。　　〃Ve　vill　say　nozing　about　zat。　　You　stood　vell　by　me；　I　shall　say。　　And　you　vill　tell　zem　I　did　speak　mit　courage　to　ze　ghost。〃

〃I　will　that！〃　said　Mr。　Gallosh。

By　the　time　they　reached　the　drawing…room　he　had　so　far　recovered　his　equanimity　as　to　prove　a　very　creditable　witness；　and　between　them　they　gave　such　an　account　of　their　adventure　as　satisfied　even　the　excited　expectations　of　their　friends；　though　the　Baron　thought　it　both　prudent　and　more　becoming　his　dignity　to　leave　considerable　mystery　attaching　to　the　precise　revelations　of　his　ancestral　spirit。

〃Bot　vere　is　Bonker？〃　he　asked；　suddenly　noticing　the　absence　of　his　friend。

A　moment　later　the　Count　entered　and　listened　with　the　greatest　interest　to　a　second　（and　even　more　graphic）　account　of　the　adventure。　　More　intimate　particulars　still　were　confided　to　him　when　they　had　retired　to　their　own　room；　and　he　appeared　as　surprised　and　impressed　as　any　wraith…seer　could　desire。　　As　they　parted　for　the　night；　the　Baron　started　and　sniffed　at　him。

〃Vat　a　strange　smell　you　have！〃　he　exclaimed。

〃Peat　smoke；　probably。　　This　fire　wouldn't　draw。〃

〃Strange！〃　mused　the　Baron。　　〃I　did　smell　a　leetle　smell　of　zat　before　to…night。〃

〃Yes；　one　notices　it　all　through　the　house　with　an　east　wind。〃

This　seemed　to　the　Baron　a　complete　explanation　of　the　coincidence。



CHAPTER　XIII

At　the　house　in　Belgrave　Square　at　present　tenanted　by　the　Baron　and　Baroness　von　Blitzenberg；　an　event　of　considerable　importance　had　occurred。　　This　was　nothing　less　than　the　arrival　of　the　Countess　of　Grillyer　upon　a　visit　both　of　affection　and　state。　　So　important　was　she；　and　so　great　the　attachment　of　her　daughter；　that　the　preparations　for　her　reception　would　have　served　for　a　reigning　sovereign。　　But　the　Countess　had　an　eye　as　quick　and　an　appetite　for　respect　as　exacting　as　Queen　Elizabeth；　and　she　had　no　sooner　embraced　the　Baroness　and　kissed　her　ceremoniously　upon　either　cheek；　than　her　glance　appeared　to　seek　something　that　she　deemed　should　have　been　there　also。

〃And　where　is　Rudolph？〃　she　demanded。　　〃Is　he　so　very　busy　that　he　cannot　spare　a　moment　even　to　welcome　me？〃

The　Baroness　changed　color；　but　with　as　easy　an　air　as　she　could　assume　she　answered　that　Rudolph　had　most　unfortunately　been　summoned　from　England。

〃Indeed？〃　observed　the　Countess；　and　the　observation　was　made　in　a　tone　that　suggested　the　advisability　of　a　satisfactory　explanation。

This　paragon　among　mothers　and　peeresses　was　a　lady　of　majestic　port；　whose　ascendant　expression　and　commanding　voice　were　commonly　held　to　typify　all　that　is　best　in　the　feudal　system；　or；　in　other　words；　to　indicate　that　her　opinions　had　never　been　contradicted　in　her　life。　　When　one　of　these　is　a　firm　belief　in　the　holder's　divine　rights　and　semi…divine　origin；　the　effect　is　undoubtedly　impressive。　　And　the　Countess　impressed。

〃My　dear　Alicia；〃　said　she；　when　they　had　settled　down　to　tea　and　confidential　talk；　〃you　have　not　yet　told　me　what　has　taken　Rudolph　abroad　again　so　soon。〃

On　nothing　had　the　Baron　laid　more　stress　than　on　the　necessity　of　maintaining　the　most　profound　secrecy　respecting　his　mission。　　〃No；　not　even　to　your　mozzer　most　you　say。　　My　love；　you　vill　remember？〃　had　been　almost　his　very　last　words　before　departing　for　St。　Petersburg。　　His　devoted　wife　had　promised　this　not　once；　but　many　times；　while　his　finger　was　being　shaken　at　her；　and　would　have　scorned　herself　had　she　thought　it　possible　to　break　her　vows。

〃That　is　a　secret；　mamma；〃　she　declared。

Her　mother　opened　her　eyes。

〃A　secret　from　me；　Alicia？〃

〃Rudolph　made　me　promise。〃

〃Not　to　tell　your　friendsbut　that　hardly　was　intended　to　include　your　mother。〃

The　Baroness　looked　uncomfortable。

〃II'm　afraid〃　she　began；　and　stopped　in　hesitation。

〃Did　he　specifically　include　me？〃　demanded　the　Countess　in　an　altered　tone。