count bunker-第13节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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。

〃I　think；　mamma；　he　did；〃　her　daughter　faltered。

〃Ah！〃

And　there　was　a　world　of　meaning　in　that　comment。

〃Believe　me；　mamma；　it　is　something　very；　very　important；　or　Rudolph　would　certainly　have　let　me　tell　you　all　about　it。〃

Lady　Grillyer　opened　her　eyes　still　wider。

〃Then　I　am　to　understand　that　he　wishes　to　conceal　from　me　anything　that　he　considers　of　importance？〃

〃Oh；　no！　　Not　that！　　I　only　mean　that　this　thing　is　very　secret。〃

〃Alicia；〃　pronounced　the　Countess；　〃when　a　man　specifically　conceals　anything　from　his　mother…in…law；　you　may　be　quite　certain　that　she　ought　to　be　informed　of　it　at　once。〃

〃II　can't；　mamma！〃

〃A　trip　to　Germanyfor　it　is　there；　I　presume；　he　has　goneback　to　the　scenes　of　his　bachelorhood；　unprotected　by　the　influence　of　his　wife！　　Do　you　call　that　a　becoming　procedure？〃

〃But　he　hasn't　gone　to　Germany。〃

〃He　has　no　business　anywhere　else！〃

〃You　forget　his　diplomatic　duties。〃

〃Ah！　　He　professes　to　have　gone　on　diplomatic　business？〃

〃Professes；　mamma？〃　exclaimed　the　poor　Baroness。　　〃How　can　you　say　such　a　thing！　　He　certainly　has　gone　on　a　diplomatic　mission！〃

〃To　Paris；　no　doubt？〃　suggested　Lady　Grillyer；　with　an　intonation　that　made　it　quite　impossible　not　to　contradict　her。

〃Certainly　not！　　He　has　gone　to　Russia。〃

The　more　the　Countess　learned；　the　more　anxious　she　appeared　to　grow。

〃To　Russia；　on　a　diplomatic　mission？　　This　is　incredible；　Alicia！〃

〃Why　should　it　be　incredible？〃　demanded　Alicia；　flushing。

〃Because　he　is　a　mere　tyro　in　diplomacy。　　Because　there　is　a　German　embassy　at　Petersburg；　and　they　would　not　send　a　man　from　London　on　a　missionat　least；　it　is　most　unlikely。〃

〃It　seems　to　me　quite　natural；〃　declared　the　Baroness。

She　was　showing　more　fight　than　her　mother　had　ever　encountered　from　her　before；　and　the　opposition　seemed　to　inflame　Lady　Grillyer's　resentment　against　the　unfilial　couple。

〃You　know　nothing　about　it！　　What　is　this　mission　about？〃

〃That　certainly　is　a　secret；〃　said　Alicia；　relieved　that　there　was　something　left　to　keep　her　promise　over。

〃Has　he　gone　alone？〃

〃II　mustn't　tell　you；　mamma。〃

Alicia's　face　betrayed　this　subterfuge。

〃You　do　not　know　yourself；　Alicia；〃　said　the　Countess　incisively。　　〃And　so　you　need　no　longer　pretend　to　be　keeping　a　secret　from　me。　　It　now　becomes　our　joint　business　to　discover　the　actual　truth。　　Do　not　attempt　to　wrangle　with　me　further！　　This　investigation　is　necessary　for　your　peace　of　mind；　dear。〃

The　unfortunate　Baroness　dropped　a　silent　tear。　　Her　peace　of　mind　had　been　serenely　undisturbed　till　this　moment；　and　now　it　was　only　broken　by　the　thought　of　her　husband's　displeasure　should　he　ever　learn　how　she　had　disobeyed　his　injunctions。　　Further　investigation　was　the　very　last　thing　to　cure　it；　she　said　to　herself　bitterly。　　She　looked　piteously　at　her　parent；　but　there　she　only　saw　an　expression　of　concentrated　purpose。

〃Have　you　any　reason；　Alicia；　to　suspect　an　attachmentan　affair　of　any　kind？〃

〃Mamma！〃

〃Do　not　jump　in　that　excitable　manner。　　Think　quietly。　　He　has　evidently　returned　to　Germany　for　some　purpose　which　he　wishes　to　conceal　from　us：　the　natural　supposition　is　that　a　woman　is　at　the　bottom　of　it。〃

〃Rudolph　is　incapable〃

〃No　man　is　incapable　who　is　in　the　full　possession　of　his　faculties。　　I　know　them　perfectly。〃

〃But；　mamma；　I　cannot　bear　to　think　of　such　a　thing！〃

〃That　is　a　merely　middle…class　prejudice。　　I　can't　imagine　where　you　have　picked　it　up。〃

In　point　of　fact；　during　Alicia's　girlhood　Lady　Grillyer　had　always　been　at　the　greatest　pains　to　preserve　her　daughter's　innocent　simplicity；　as　being　preeminently　a　more　marketable　commodity　than　precocious　worldliness。　　But　if　reminded　of　this　she　would　probably　have　retorted　that　consistency　was　middle…class　also。

〃I　have　no　reason　to　suspect　anything　of　the　sort；〃　the　Baroness　declared　emphatically。

Her　mother　indulged　her　with　a　pitying　smile　and　inquired

〃What　other　explanation　can　you　offer？　　Among　his　men　friends　is　there　anyone　likely　to　lead　him　into　mischief？〃

〃Noneat　least〃

〃Ah！〃

〃He　promised　me　he　would　avoid　Mr。　BunkerI　mean　Mr。　Essington。〃

The　Countess　started。　　She　had　vivid　and　exceedingly　distasteful　recollections　of　Mr。　Bunker。

〃That　man！　　Are　they　still　acquainted？〃

〃Acquaintedoh　yes；　but　I　give　Rudolph　credit　for　more　sense　and　more　truthfulness　than　to　renew　their　friendship。〃

The　Countess　pondered　with　a　very　grave　expression　upon　her　face；　while　Alicia　gently　wiped　her　eyes　and　ardently　wished　that　her　honest　Rudolph　was　here　to　defend　his　character　and　refute　these　baseless　insinuations。　　At　length　her　mother　said　with　a　brisker　air

〃Ah！　I　know　exactly　what　we　must　do。　　I　shall　make　a　point　of　seeing　Sir　Justin　Wallingford　tomorrow。〃

〃Sir　Justin　Wallingford！〃

〃If　anybody　can　obtain　private　information　for　us　he　can。　　We　shall　soon　learn　whether　the　Baron　has　been　sent　to　Russia。〃

Alicia　uttered　a　cry　of　protest。　　Sir　Justin；　ex…　diplomatist；　author　of　a　heavy　volume　of　Victorian　reminiscences；　and　confidant　of　many　public　personages；　was　one　of　her　mother's　oldest　friends；　but　to　her　he　was　only　one　degree　less　formidable　than　the　Countess；　and　quite　the　last　person　she　would　have　chosen　for　consultation　upon　this；　or　indeed　upon　any　other　subject。

〃I　am　not　going　to　intrust　my　husband's　secrets　to　him！〃　she　exclaimed。

〃I　am；〃　replied　the　Countess。

〃But　I　won't　allow　it！　　Rudolph　would　be〃

〃Rudolph　has　only　himself　to　blame。　　My　dear　Alicia；　you　can　trust　Sir　Justin　implicitly。　　When　my　child's　happiness　is　at　stake　I　would　consult　no　one　who　was　not　discretion　itself。　　I　am　very　glad　I　thought　of　him。〃

The　Baroness　burst　into　tears。

〃My　child；　my　child！〃　said　her　mother　compassionately。　　〃The　world　is　no　Garden　of　Eden；　however　much　we　may　all　try　to　make　it　so。〃

〃Youyou　don't　seseem　to　be　trying　now；　mamma。〃

〃May　Heaven　forgive　you；　my　darling；〃　pronounced　the　Countess　piously。



CHAPTER　XIV

〃Sir　Justin；〃　said　the　Countess　firmly；　〃please　tell　my　daughter　exactly　what　you　have　discovered。〃

Sir　Justin　Wallingford　sat　in　the　drawing…　room　at　Belgrave　Square　with　one　of　these　ladies　on　either　side　of　him。　　He　was　a　tall；　gaunt　man　with　a　grizzled　black　beard；　a　long　nose；　and　such　a　formidably　solemn　expression　that　ambitious　parents　were　in　the　habit　of　wishing　that　their　offspring　might　some　day　be　as　wise　as　Sir　Justin　Wallingford　looked。　　His　fund　of　information　was　prodigious；　while　his　reasoning　powers　were　so　remarkable　that　he　had　never　been　known　to　commit　the　slightest　action　without　furnishing　a　full　and　adequate　explanation　of　his　conduct。　　Thus　the　discrimination　shown　by　the　Countess　in　choosing　him　to　restore　a　lady's　peace　of　mind　will　at　once　be　apparent。

〃The　results　of　my　inquiries；〃　he　pronounced；　〃have　been　on　the　whole　of　a　negative　nature。　　If　this　mission　on　which　the　Baron　von　Blitzenberg　professes　to　be　employed　is　in　fact　of　an　unusually　delicate　nature；　it　is　just　conceivable　that　the　answer　I　received　from　Prince　Gommell…Kinchen；　when　I　sounded　him　at　the　Khalifa's　luncheon；　may　have　been　intended　merely　to　throw　dust　in　my　eyes。　　At　the　same　time；　his　highness　appeared　to　speak　with　the　candor　of　a　man　who　has　partaken；　not　excessively；　you　understand；　but　I　may　say　freely；　of　the　pleasures　of　the　table。〃

He　looked　steadily　first　at　one　lady　and　then　at　the　other；　to　let　this　point　sink　in。

〃And　what　did　the　Prince　say？〃　asked　the　Baroness；　who；　in　spite　of　her　supreme　confidence　in　her　husband；　showed　a　certain　eager　nervousness　inseparable　from　a　judicial　inquiry。

〃He　told　meI　merely　give　you　his　word；　and　not　my　own　opinion；　you　perfectly　understand　that；　Baroness？〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　she　answered　hurriedly。

〃He　informed　me　that；　in　fact；　the　Baron　had　been　obliged　to　ask　for　a　fortnight's　leave　of　absence　to　attend　to　some　very　pressing　and　private　business　in　connection　with　his　Silesian　estates。〃

〃I　think；　Alicia；　we　may　take　that　as　final；〃　said　her　mother　decisively。

〃Indeed　_I_　shan't！〃　cried　Alicia　warmly。　　〃That　was　just　an　excuse；　of　course。　　Rudolph's　business　is　so　very　delicate　thatthatwell；　that　you　could　only　expect　Prince　Gommell…Kinchen　to　say　something　of　that　sort。〃

〃What　do　you　say　to　that；　Sir　Justin？〃　demanded　the　Countess。

With　the　air　of　a　man　doing　what　was　only　his　duty；　he　replied

〃I　say　that　I　think　it　is　improbable。　　In　fact；　since　you　demand　to　know　the　truth；　I　may　inform　you　that　the　Prince　added　that　leave　of　absence　was　readily　given；　since　the　Baron's　diplomatic　duties　are　merely　nominal。　　To　quote　his　own　words；　'Von　Blitzenberg　is　a　nice　fellow；　and　it　pleases　the　English　ladies　to　play　with　him。'　〃

Even　Lady　Grillyer　was　a　trifle　taken　aback　at　this　description　of　her　son…in…law；　while　Alicia　turned　scarlet　with　anger。

〃I　don't　believe　he　said　anything　of　the　sort！〃　she　cried。　　〃You　both　of　you　only　want　to　hurt　me　and　insult　Rudolph！　　I　won't　stand　it！〃

She　was　already　on　her　feet　to　leave　them；　when　her　m