count bunker-第31节

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〃Your　name；　you　say；　is　Bunker？〃　he　observed　at　length。

〃Count　Bunker；〃　corrected　that　nobleman。

〃Ah！　　Doubtless；　then；　you　are　the　same　gentleman　who　has　been　residing　with　Lord　Tulliwuddle？〃

〃I　am　unaware　of　a　duplicate。〃

〃And　the　uncle　you　allude　to？〃

By　a　wave　of　his　hand　the　Count　referred　him　to　the　portrait　upon　the　wall。　　Sir　Justin　now　stared　at　it。

〃BunkerCount　Bunker；〃　he　repeated　in　a　musing　tone；　and　then　turned　to　the　present　holder　of　that　dignity　with　a　look　in　his　eye　which　the　adventurer　disliked　exceedingly。

〃I　will　confer　with　you　later；〃　he　observed。　　〃Mackenzie；　remove　my　portmanteau。〃

In　a　voice　inaudible　to　the　Count　he　gave　another　order；　which　was　followed　by　Mackenzie　also　removing　the　Count's　clothes　from　their　chair。

〃I　say；　Mackenzie！〃　expostulated　Bunker；　now　beginning　to　feel　seriously　uneasy；　but　heedless　of　his　protest　the　butler　hastened　with　them　from　the　room。

Then；　with　a　grim　smile　and　a　surprising　alacrity　of　movement；　Sir　Justin　changed　the　key　into　the　outside　of　the　lock；　passed　through　the　door；　and　shut　and　locked　it　behind　him。

〃The　devil！〃　ejaculated　Count　Bunker。

Here　was　a　pretty　predicament！　　And　the　most　ominous　feature　about　it　appeared　to　him　to　be　the　deliberation　with　which　his　captor　had　acted。　　It　seemed　that　he　had　got　himself　into　a　worse　scrape　than　he　could　estimate。

He　wasted　no　time　in　examining　his　prison　with　an　eye　to　the　possibility　of　an　escape；　but　it　became　very　quickly　evident　that　he　was　securely　trapped。　　From　the　windows　he　could　not　see　even　a　water…pipe　within　hail；　and　the　door　was　unburstably　ponderous。　　Besides；　a　gentleman　attired　either　in　pajamas　or　evening　dress　will　naturally　shrink　from　flight　across　country　at　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning。　　It　seemed　to　the　Count　that　he　was　as　well　in　bed　as　anywhere　else；　and　upon　this　opinion　he　acted。

In　about　an　hour's　time　the　door　was　cautiously　unlocked；　and　a　tray；　containing　some　breakfast；　laid　upon　the　floor；　but　at　the　same　time　he　was　permitted　to　see　that　a　cordon　of　grooms　and　keepers　guarded　against　his　flight。　　He　showed　a　wonderful　appetite；　all　circumstances　considered；　smoked　a　couple　of　cigars；　and　at　last　decided　upon　getting　up　and　donning　his　evening　clothes。　　Thereafter　nothing　occurred；　beyond　the　arrival　of　a　luncheon　tray；　till　the　afternoon　was　well　advanced；　by　which　time　even　his　good　spirits　had　become　a　trifle　damped；　and　his　apprehensions　considerably　increased。

At　last　his　prison　door　was　again　thrown　open；　this　time　by　Sir　Justin　himself。

〃Come　in；　my　dear；〃　he　said　in　a　grave　voice；　and　with　a　downcast　eye　and　scarlet　cheek　the　fair　Julia　met　her　guest　again。

Her　father　closed　the　door；　and　they　seated　themselves　before　their　prisoner；　who；　after　a　profound　obeisance　to　the　lady；　faced　them　from　the　edge　of　his　bed　with　an　air　of　more　composure　than　he　felt。

〃I　await　your　explanation；　Sir　Justin；〃　he　began；　striking　at　once　the　note　which　seemed　to　him　（so　far　as　he　could　guess）　most　likely　to　be　characteristic　of　an　innocent　and　much…injured　man。

〃You　shall　have　it；〃　said　Sir　Justin　grimly。　　〃Julia；　you　asked　this　person　to　my　house　under　the　impression　that　he　was　the　nephew　of　that　particularly　obnoxious　fanatic；　Count　Herbrand　Bunker；　and　still　engaged　upon　furthering　his　relative's　philanthropic　and　other　visionary　schemes。〃

〃But　isn't　he〃　began　Julia　with　startled　eyes。

〃I　am　Count　Bunker；〃　said　our　hero　firmly。

〃The　nephew　in　question？〃　inquired　Sir　Justin。

〃Certainly；　sir。〃

Again　Sir　Justin　turned　to　his　daughter。

〃I　have　already　told　you　what　I　think　of　your　conduct　under　any　circumstances。　　What　your　feelings　will　be　I　can　only　surmise　when　I　inform　you　that　I　have　detained　this　adventurer　here　until　I　had　time　to　despatch　a　wire　and　receive　an　answer　from　Scotland　Yard。〃

Both　Count　and　Julia　started。

〃What；　sir！〃　exclaimed　Bunker。

Quite　unmoved　by　his　protest；　his　captor　continued；　this　time　addressing　him

〃My　memory；　fortunately；　is　unusually　excellent；　and　when　you　told　me　this　morning　who　you　were　related　to；　I　recalled　at　once　something　I　had　heard　of　your　past　career。　　It　is　now　confirmed　by　the　reply　I　received　to　my　telegram。〃

〃And　what；　Sir　Justin；　does　Scotland　Yard　have　to　say　about　me？〃

〃Julia；〃　said　her　parent；　〃this　unhappy　young　man　did　indeed　profess　for　some　time　a　regard　for　his　uncle's　teachings；　and　even；　I　believe；　advocated　them　in　writing。　　In　this　way　he　obtained　the　disposal　of　considerable　funds　contributed　by　unsuspicious　persons　for　ostensibly　philanthropic　purposes。　　About　two　years　ago　these　funds　and　Count　Bunker　simultaneously　disappeared；　and　your　estimable　guest　was　last　heard　of　under　an　assumed　name　in　the　republic　of　Uruguay。〃

Uncomfortable　as　his　predicament　was；　this　picture　of　himself　as　the　fraudulent　philanthropist　was　too　much　for　Bunker's　sense　of　humor；　and　to　the　extreme　astonishment　of　his　visitors　he　went　off　into　a　fit　of　laughter　so　hearty　and　prolonged　that　it　was　some　time　before　he　recovered　his　gravity。

〃My　dear　friends；〃　he　exclaimed　at　last；　〃I　am　not　that　Bunker　at　all！　　In　fact　I　was　only　created　a　few　weeks　ago。　　Bring　me　back　my　clothes；　and　in　return　I'll　tell　you　a　deuced　sight　funnier　story　even　than　that。〃

Sir　Justin　rose　and　led　his　daughter　to　the　door。

〃You　will　have　an　opportunity　to…morrow；〃　he　replied　stiffly。　　〃In　the　meantime　I　shall　leave　you　to　the　enjoyment　of　the　joke。〃

〃But；　my　dear　sir〃

Sir　Justin　turned　his　back；　and　the　door　closed　upon　him　again。

Count　Bunker's　position　was　now　less　supportable　than　ever。

〃Escape　I　must；〃　he　thought。

And　hardly　had　he　breathed　the　word　when　a　gleam　of　his　old　luck　seemed　to　return。　　He　was　standing　by　the　window；　and　presently　he　observed　a　groom　ride　up　on　a　bicycle；　dismount；　and　push　it　through　an　outhouse　door。　　Then　the　man　strolled　off；　and　he　said　to　himself；　with　an　uprising　of　his　spirits

〃There's　my　steedif　I　could　once　get　to　it！〃

Then　again　he　thought　the　situation　over；　and　gradually　the　prospect　of　a　midnight　ride　on　a　bicycle　over　a　road　he　had　only　once　traversed；　clad　in　his　emblazoned　socks　and　blue…lapelled　coat；　appeared　rather　less　entertaining　than　another　night's　confinement。　　So　he　lit　his　last　cigar；　threw　himself　on　the　bed；　and　resigned　himself　to　the　consolations　of　an　innocent　heart　and　a　practical　philosophy。



CHAPTER　XXXII

The　clearness　of　the　Count's　conscience　may　be　gauged　when　it　is　narrated　that　no　sooner　had　he　dismissed　the　stump　of　his　cigar　toward　the　grate　than　he　dropped　into　a　peaceful　doze　and　remained　placidly　unconscious　of　his　perils　for　the　space　of　an　hour　or　more。　　He　was　then　awakened　by　the　sound　of　a　key　being　gently　turned；　and　his　opening　eyes　rested　upon　a　charming　vision　of　Julia　Wallingford　framed　in　the　outline　of　the　door。

〃Hush！〃　she　whispered；　〃II　have　brought　a　note　for　you！〃

Smoothing　his　hair　as　he　met　her；　the　Count　thanked　her　with　an　air　of　considerable　feeling；　and　took　from　her　hand　a　twisted　slip　of　paper。

〃It　was　brought　by　a　messengera　man　in　a　kilt；　who　came　in　a　motor　car。　　I　didn't　know　whether　father　would　let　you　have　it；　so　I　brought　it　up　myself。〃

〃Is　the　messenger　waiting？〃

〃No；　he　went　straight　off　again。〃

Unrolling　the　scrap　he　read　this　brief　message　scrawled　in　pencil　and　evidently　in　dire　haste


〃All　is　lost！　　I　am　prisoner！　　Go　straightway　to　London　for　help　from　my　Embassy。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃R。　VON　B。〃


〃Good　heavens！〃　he　exclaimed　aloud。

〃Is　it　bad　news？〃　asked　Julia；　with　a　solicitude　that　instantly　suggested　possibilities　to　his　fertile　brain。

〃Horribly！〃　he　said。　　〃It　tells　of　a　calamity　that　has　befallen　a　very　dear　friend　of　mine！　　Oh；　Rudolph；　Rudolph！　　And　I　a　helpless　prisoner！〃

As　he　anticipated；　this　outburst　of　emotion　was　not　without　its　effect。

〃I　am　so　sorry！〃　she　said。　　〃II　don't　believe；　Count　Bunker；　you　are　as　guilty　as　father　says！〃

〃I　swear　to　you　I　am　not！〃

〃Can　Ihelp　you？〃

He　thought　swiftly。

〃Is　there　any　one　about　the　house　just　now？〃

〃Oh　yes；　the　keeper　is　stationed　in　the　hall！〃

〃Miss　Wallingford；　if　you　would　atone　for　a　deep　injury　which　you　have　inadvertently　done　an　innocent　man；　bring　me　fifty　feet　of　stout　rope！　　And；　I　say；　see　that　the　door　of　the　bicycle　house　is　left　unlocked。　　Will　you　do　this？〃

〃II'll　try。〃

A　sound　on　the　stairs　alarmed　her；　and　with　a　fleeting　smile　of　sympathy　she　was　gone　and　the　door　locked　upon　him　again。

Again　the　time　passed　slowly　by；　and　he　was　left　to　ponder　over　the　critical　nature　of　the　situation　as　revealed　by　the　luckless　Baron's　intelligence。　　Clearly　he　must　escape　to…night；　at　all　hazards。

〃What's　that？　　My　rope？〃　he　wondered。

But　it　was　only　the　arrival　of　his　dinner；　brought　as　before　upon　a　tray　and　set　just　within　the　door；　as　though　they　feared　for　the　bearer's　life　should　he　venture　within　reach　of　this　desperate　adventurer　from　Uruguay。

〃A　very　large　dish　for　a　very　small　appetite；〃　he　thought；　as　he　bore　his　meal　over　to　the　bed　and　drew　his　chair　up　before　it。

It　looked　indeed　as　though　a　roasted　goose　must　be　beneath　the　cover。　　He　raised　it；　and　there；　behold！　　lay　a　large　c