count bunker-第37节

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〃Bonker；　take　her　in　mit　you！〃　groaned　the　Baron；　and　his　head　vanished　from　the　Count's　sight。

Even　this　ordeal　was　not　too　much　for　Bunker's　fidelity。

〃Madam；　there　is　room　here！〃　he　announced　politely；　as　they　swept　past；　but　with　set　faces　they　panted　toward　the　doomed　von　Blitzenberg。

All　of　the　tragedy　that　the　Count；　with　strained　neck；　could　see　or　overhear；　was　a　vision　of　the　Countess　being　pushed　by　the　guard　and　her　escort　into　that　first…class　compartment　whence　so　lately　the　Baron's　crimson　visage　had　protruded；　and　the　voice　of　Ri　stridently　declaring

〃Guess　you'll　recognize　your　momma　this　time；　Baron！〃

A　whistle　from　the　guard；　another　from　the　engine；　and　they　were　off；　clattering　southward　in　the　first　of　the　morning　sunshine。

Inadequately　attired；　damp；　hungry；　and　divorced　from　tobacco　as　the　Count　was；　he　yet　could　say　to　himself　with　the　sincerest　honesty

〃I　wouldn't　change　carriages　with　the　Baron　von　Blitzenbergnot　even　for　a　pair　of　dry　socks　and　a　cigar！　　Alas；　poor　Rudolph！　　May　this　teach　all　young　men　a　lesson　in　sobriety　of　conduct！〃

For　which　moral　reflection　the　historian　feels　it　incumbent　upon　him；　as　a　philosopher　and　serious　psychologist；　to　express　his　conscientious　admiration。



EPILOGUE

IT　was　an　evening　in　early　August；　luminous　and　warm；　the　scene；　a　certain　club　now　emptied　of　all　but　a　sprinkling　of　its　members；　the　festival；　dinner；　and　the　persons　of　the　play；　that　gentleman　lately　known　as　Count　Bunker　and　his　friend　the　Baron　von　Blitzenberg。　　The　Count　was　habited　in　tweeds；　the　Baron　in　evening　dress。

〃It　vas　good　of　you　to　come　up　to　town　jost　to　see　me；〃　said　the　Baron。

〃I'd　have　crossed　Europe；　Baron！〃

The　Baron　smiled　faintly。　　Evidently　he　was　scarcely　in　his　most　florid　humor。

〃I　vish　I　could　have　asked　you　to　my　club；　Bonker。〃

〃Are　you　dissatisfied　with　mine？〃

〃Oh；　no；　no！　　But　vell；　ze　fact　is；　it　vould　be　reported　by　some　one　if　I　took　you　to　ze　Regents。　　Bonker；　she　does　have　me　watched！〃

〃The　Baroness？〃

〃Her　mozzer。〃

〃The　deuce；　Baron！〃

The　diplomatist　gloomily　sipped　his　wine。

〃You　did　hush　it　all　up；　eh？〃　he　inquired　presently。

〃Completely。〃

〃Zank　you。　　I　vas　so　afraid　of　some　scandal！〃

〃So　were　they；　that's　where　I　had　'em。〃

〃Did　zey　write　in　moch　anger？〃

〃Nonot　very　much　；　rather　nice　letters；　in　fact。〃

The　Baron　began　to　cheer　up。

〃Ach；　so！　　Vas　zere　any　news　ofze　Galloshes？〃

〃Yes；　they　seem　very　well。　　Old　Rentoul　has　caught　a　salmon。　　Gallosh　hopes　to　get　a　fair　bag〃

〃Bot　did　zey　say　nozing　aboutabout　Miss　Eva？〃

〃The　letter　was　written　by　her；　you　see。〃

〃SHE　wrote　to　YOU！　　Strange！〃

〃Very　odd；　isn't　it？〃

The　Baron　meditated　for　a　minute　and　then　inquired

〃Vat　of　ze　Maddisons？〃

〃Well；　I　gather　that　Mr。　Maddison　is　erecting　an　ibis　house　in　connection　with　the　aviary。　　Ri　has　gone　to　Kamchatka；　but　hopes　to　be　back　by　the　12th〃

〃And　Eleanorno　vord　of　her？〃

〃It　was　she　who　wrote；　don't　you　know。〃

〃Eleanorand　also　to　you！　　Bot　vy　should　she？〃

〃Can't　imagine；　can　you？〃

The　Baron　shook　his　head　solemnly。　　〃No；　Bonker；　I　cannot。〃

For　some　moments　he　pondered　over　the　remarkable　conduct　of　these　ladies；　and　then

〃Did　you　also　hear　of　ze　Wallingfords？〃　he　asked。

〃I　had　a　short　note　from　them。〃

〃From　him；　or〃

〃Her。〃

〃So！　　Humph；　zey　all　seem　fond　of　writing　letters。〃

〃Whyhave　you　had　any　too？〃

〃No；　and　I　do　not　vant　zem。〃

Yet　his　immunity　did　not　appear　to　exhilarate　the　diplomatist。

〃Another　bottle　of　the　same；〃　said　Bunker　aside　to　the　waiter。

　。　　　。　　　　。　　　　。　　　　。　　　　。


It　was　an　hour　later；　the　scene　and　the　personages　the　same；　but　the　atmosphere　marvellously　altered。

〃To　ze　ladies；　Bonker！〃

〃To　HER；　Baron！〃

〃To　zem　both！〃

The　genial　heart；　the　magnanimous　soul　of　Rudolph　von　Blitzenberg　had　asserted　their　dominion　again。　　Depression；　jealousy；　repentance；　qualms；　and　all　other　shackles　of　the　spirit　whatsoever；　had　fled　discomfited。　　Now　at　last　he　saw　his　late　exploits　in　their　true　heroic　proportions；　and　realized　his　marvellous　good　fortune　in　satisfying　his　aspirations　so　gloriously。　　Raising　his　glass　once　more；　he　cried

〃Dear　Bonker；　my　heart　he　does　go　out　to　you！　　Ach；　you　have　given　me　soch　a　treat。　　Vunce　more　I　schmell　ze　mountain　dewI　hear　ze　pipesI　gaze　into　loffly　eyesI　am　ze　noblest　part　of　mineself！　　Bonker；　I　vill　defy　ze　mozzer　of　my　wife！　　I　drink　to　you；　my　friend；　mit　hiphiphiphooray！〃

〃You　have　more　than　repaid　me；〃　replied　the　Count；　〃by　the　spectacle　you　have　provided。　　Dear　Baron；　it　was　a　panorama　calculated　to　convert　a　continent！〃

〃To　vat　should　it　convert　him？〃　inquired　the　Baron　with　interest。

〃To　a　creed　even　merrier　than　Socialism；　more　convivial　than　Total　Abstinence；　and　more　perfectly　designed　for　human　needs　than　Esperantothe　gospel　of　'Cheer　up。'　〃

〃Sheerup？〃　repeated　the　Baron；　whose　acquaintance　with　the　English　words　used　in　commerce　and　war　was　singularly　intimate；　but　who　was　occasionally　at　fault　with　terms　of　less　portentous　import。

〃A　name　given　to　the　bridge　that　crosses　the　Slough　of　Despond；〃　explained　the　Count。

The　Baron　still　seemed　puzzled。　　〃I　am　not　any　wiser；〃　said　he。

〃Never　cease　thanking　Heaven　for　that！〃　cried　Bunker　fervently。　　〃The　man　who　once　dubs　himself　wise　is　the　jest　of　gods　and　the　plague　of　mortals。〃

With　this　handsome　tribute　to　the　character　and　attainments　of　one　of　these　heroes；　and　the　Baronial　roar　that　congratulated　the　other；　our　chronicle　may　fittingly　leave　them；　since　the　mutual　admiration　of　two　such　catholic　critics　is　surely　more　significant　than　the　colder　approval　of　a　mere　historian。







End