count bunker-第25节

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The　Baron　came　from　an　economical　nation。

〃Two　to　each！〃

〃My　dear　fellow；　wasn't　it　worth　it？〃

The　Baron　grasped　his　hand。

〃Ja；　mine　Bonker；　it　vas！　　I　vill　pay　zem。〃

Radiant　and　smiling；　he　returned　to　receive　the　congratulations　of　his　guests；　dreaming　that　his　triumph　was　complete；　and　that　nothing　more　arduous　remained　than　pleasant　dalliance　alternately　with　his　Eleanor　and　his　Eva。　　But　he　speedily　discovered　that　hurling　an　inflated　hammer　heavenwards　was　child's　play　as　compared　with　the　simultaneous　negotiation　of　a　double　wooing。　　The　first　person　to　address　him　was　the　millionaire；　and　he　could　not　but　feel　a　shiver　of　apprehension　to　note　that　he　was　evidently　in　the　midst　of　a　conversation　with　Mr。　Gallosh。

〃I　must　congratulate　you；　Lord　Tulliwuddle；〃　said　Mr。　Maddison；　〃and　I　must　further　congratulate　my　daughter　upon　the　almost　miraculous　feat　you　have　performed　for　her　benefit。　　You　know；　I　dare　say〃　here　he　turned　to　Mr。　Gallosh〃that　this　very　delightful　entertainment　was　given　primarily　in　my　Eleanor's　honor？〃

〃Whut！〃　exclaimed　the　merchant。　　〃That'seh　that's　scarcely　the　fac's　as　we've　learned　them。　　But　his　lordship　will　be　able　to　tell　you　best　himself。〃

His　lordship　smiled　affably　upon　both；　murmured　something　incoherent；　and　passed　on　hastily　towards　the　scarlet　parasol　of　Eleanor。　　But　he　had　no　sooner　reached　it　than　he　paused　and　would　have　turned　had　she　not　seen　him；　for　under　a　blue　parasol　beside　her　he　espied；　too　late；　the　fair　face　of　Eva；　and　too　clearly　perceived　that　the　happy　maidens　had　been　comparing　notes；　with　the　result　that　neither　looked　very　happy　now。

〃I　hope　you　do　enjoy　ze　sports；〃　he　began；　endeavoring　to　distribute　this　wish　as　equally　as　possible。

〃Miss　Gallosh　has　been　remarkably　fortunate　in　her　weather；〃　said　Eleanor；　and　therewith　gave　him　an　uninterrupted　view　of　her　sunshade。

〃Miss　Maddison　has　seen　you　to　great　advantage；　Lord　Tulliwuddle；〃　said　Eva；　affording　him　the　next　instant　a　similar　prospect　of　silk。

The　unfortunate　chief　recoiled　from　this　ungrateful　reception　of　his　kindness。　　Only　one　refuge；　one　mediator；　he　instinctively　looked　for；　but　where　could　the　Count　have　gone？

〃Himmel！　　Has　he　deserted　me？〃　he　muttered；　frantically　elbowing　his　way　in　search　of　him。

But　this　once　it　happened　that　the　Count　was　engaged　upon　business　of　his　own。　　Strolling　outside　the　ring　of　spectators；　with　a　view　to　enjoying　a　cigar　and　a　little　relaxation　from　the　anxieties　of　stage…management；　his　attention　had　been　arrested　in　a　singular　and　flattering　way。　　At　that　place　where　he　happened　to　be　passing　stood　an　open　carriage　containing　a　girl　and　an　older　lady；　evidently　guests　from　the　neighborhood　personally　unknown　to　his　lordship；　and　just　as　he　went　by　he　heard　pronounced　in　a　thrilling　whisper〃THAT　must　be　Count　Bunker！〃

The　Count　was　too　well…bred　to　turn　at　once；　but　it　is　hardly　necessary　to　say　that　a　few　moments　later　he　casually　repassed　the　carriage；　nor　will　it　astonish　any　who　have　been　kind　enough　to　follow　his　previous　career　with　some　degree　of　attention　to　learn　that　when　opposite　the　ladies　he　paused；　looked　from　them　to　the　enclosure　and　back　again；　and　presently　raising　his　feathered　bonnet；　said　in　the　most　ingratiating　tones

〃Pardon　me；　but　I　am　requested　by　Lord　Tulliwuddle　to　show　any　attention　I　can　to　the　comfort　of　his　guests。　　Can　you　see　well　from　where　you　are？〃

The　younger　lady　with　an　eager　air　assured　him　that　they　saw　perfectly；　and　even　in　the　course　of　the　three　or　four　sentences　she　spoke　he　was　able　to　come　to　several　conclusions　regarding　her：　that　her　companion　was　in　a　subsidiary　and　doubtless　salaried　position；　that　she　herself　was　decidedly　attractive　to　look　upon；　that　her　voice　had　spoken　the　whispered　words；　and　that　her　present　animated　air　might　safely　be　attributed　rather　to　the　fact　that　she　addressed　Count　Bunker　than　to　the　subject…matter　of　her　reply。

No　one　possessed　in　a　higher　degree　than　the　Count　the　nice　art　of　erecting　a　whole　conversation　upon　the　foundation　of　the　lightest　phrase。　　He　contrived　a　reply　to　the　lady's　answer；　was　able　to　put　the　most　natural　question　next；　to　follow　that　with　a　happy　stroke　of　wit；　and　within　three　minutes　to　make　it　seem　the　most　obvious　thing　in　the　world　that　he　should　be　saying

〃I　am　sure　that　Lord　Tulliwuddle　will　never　forgive　me　if　I　fail　to　learn　the　names　of　any　visitors　who　have　honored　him　to…day。〃

〃Mine；〃　said　the　girl；　her　color　rising　slightly；　but　her　glance　as　kind　as　ever；　〃is　Julia　Wallingford。　　This　is　my　friend　Miss　Minchell。〃

The　Count　bowed。

〃And　may　I　introduce　myself　as　a　friend　of　Tulliwuddle's；　answering　to　the　name　of　Count　Bunker。〃

Again　Miss　Wallingford's　color　rose。　　In　a　low　and　ardent　voice　she　began

〃I　am　so　glad　to　meet　you！　　Your　name　is　already〃

But　at　that　instant；　when　the　Count　was　bending　forward　to　catch　the　words　and　the　lady　bending　down　to　utter　them；　a　hand　grasped　him　by　the　sleeve；　and　the　Baron's　voice　exclaimed

〃Come；　Bonker；　quickly　here　to　help　me！〃

He　would　fain　have　presented　his　lordship　to　the　ladies；　but　the　Baron　was　too　hurried　to　pause；　and　with　a　parting　bow　he　was　reluctantly　borne　off　to　assist　his　friend　out　of　his　latest　dilemma。

〃Pooh；　my　dear　Baron！〃　he　cried；　when　the　situation　was　explained　to　him；　〃you　couldn't　have　done　more　damage　to　their　hearts　if　you　had　hurled　your　hammer　at　them！　　A　touch　of　jealousy　was　all　that　was　needed　to　complete　your　conquests。　　But　for　me　you　have　spoiled　the　most　promising　affair　imaginable。　　There　goes　their　carriage　trotting　down　the　drive！　　And　I　shall　probably　never　know　whether　my　name　was　already　in　her　heart　or　in　her　prayers。　　Those　are　the　two　chief　receptacles　for　gentlemen's　names；　I　believearen't　they；　Baron？〃

On　his　advice　the　rival　families　were　left　to　the　soothing　influences　of　a　good　dinner　and　a　night's　sleep；　and　he　found　himself　free　to　ponder　over　his　interrupted　adventure。

〃Undoubtedly　one　feels　all　the　better　for　a　little　appreciation；〃　he　reflected　complacently。　　〃I　wonder　if　it　was　my　trews　that　bowled　her　over？〃



CHAPTER　XXV

The　Count　next　morning　consumed　a　solitary　breakfast；　his　noble　friend　having　risen　some　hours　previously　and　gone　for　an　early　walk　upon　the　hill。　　But　he　was　far　from　feeling　any　trace　of　boredom；　since　an　open　letter　beside　his　plate　appeared　to　provide　him　with　an　ample　fund　of　pleasant　and　entertaining　reflections。

〃I　have　not　withered　yet；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃Here　is　proof　positive　that　some　blossom；　some　aroma　remains！〃

The　precise　terms　of　this　encouraging　epistle　were　these：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃THE　LASH；　near　NETHERBRIG。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Tuesday　night。


〃DEAR　COUNT　BUNKER；Forgive　what　must　seem　to　you　INCREDIBLE　boldness　（！）；　and　do　not　think　worse　of　me　than　I　deserve。　　It　seems　such　a　pity　that　you　should　be　so　near　and　yet　that　I　should　lose　this　chance　of　gratifying　my　great　desire。　　If　you　knew　how　I　prized　the　name　of　Bunker　you　would　understand；　but　no　doubt　I　am　only　one　among　many；　and　you　do　understand　better　than　I　can　explain。

〃My　father　is　away　from　home；　and　the　WORLD　dictates　prudence；　but　I　know　your　views　on　conventionality　are　those　I　too　have　learned　to　share；　so　will　you　come　and　see　me　before　you　leave　Scotland？

〃With　kindest　regards　and　in　great　haste　because　I　want　you　to　get　this　to…morrow　morning。　　Believe　me；　yours　very　sincerely；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃JULIA　WALLINGFORD。〃


〃P。S。If　it　would　upset　your　arrangements　to　come　only　for　the　day；　Miss　Minchell　agrees　with　me　that　we　could　easily　put　you　up。J。　W。〃


〃By　Jingo！〃　mused　the　Count；　〃that's　what　I　call　a　sporting　offer。　　Her　father　away　from　home；　and　Count　Bunker　understanding　better　than　she　can　explain！　　Gad；　it's　my　duty　to　go！〃

But　besides　the　engaging　cordiality　of　Miss　Wallingford's　invitation；　there　was　something　about　the　letter　that　puzzled　almost　as　much　as　it　cheered　him。

〃She　prizes　the　name　of　Bunker；　does　she？　　Never　struck　me　it　was　very　ornamental；　and　in　any　case　the　compliment　seems　a　trifle　stretched。　　But；　hang　it！　this　is　looking　a　gift…horse　in　the　mouth。　　Such　ardor　deserves　to　be　embraced；　not　dissected。〃

He　swiftly　debated　how　best　to　gratify　the　lady。　　Last　night　it　had　been　his　own　counsel；　and　likewise　the　Baron's　desire；　to　leave　by　the　night　mail　that　very　evening；　with　their　laurels　still　unfaded　and　blessings　heaped　upon　their　heads。　　Why　not　make　his　next　stage　The　Lash？

〃Hang　it；　the　Baron　has　had　such　a　good　innings　that　he　can　scarcely　grudge　me　a　short　knock；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃He　can　wait　for　me　at　Perth　or　somewhere。〃

And；　ringing　the　bell；　he　wrote　and　promptly　despatched　this　brief　telegram：

〃Delighted。　　Shall　spend　to…night　in　passing。　　Bunker。〃

Hardly　was　this　point　settled　when　the　footman　re…　entered　to　inform　him　that　Mr。　Maddison's　motor　car　was　at　the　door　waiting　to　convey　him　without　delay　to　Lincoln　Lodge。　　Accompanying　this　announcement　came　the　Silver　King's　card　bearing　the　words；　〃Please　come　and　see　me　at　once。〃

The　Count　stroked　his　chin；　and　lit　a　cigarette。

〃There　is　something　fresh　in　the　wind；〃　thought　he。

In　the　co