count bunker-第8节

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nces　there　was　nothing　for　it　but　shouting；　and　in　a　stentorian　yell　Mr。　Gallosh　introduced　his　wife　and　three　fair　daughters。

Thereupon　Mrs。　Gallosh；　a　broad…beamed　matron　whose　complexion　contrasted　pleasantly　with　her　costume；　delivered　the　following　oration

〃Lord　Tulliwuddle；　in　the　name　of　the　women　of　HechnahoulI　may　say　in　the　name　of　the　women　of　all　the　Highlandsoor　ain　Heelands；　my　lord〃　（this　with　the　most　insinuating　smile）〃I　bid　you　welcome　to　your　ancestral　estates。　　Remembering　the　conquests　your　ancestors　used　to　make　both　in　war　and　in　a　gentler　sphere〃　（Mrs。　Gallosh　looked　archness　itself）；　〃we　ladies；　I　suppose；　should　regard　your　home…　coming　with　some　misgivings；　but；　my　lord；　every　bonny　Prince　Charlie　has　his　bonny　Flora　Macdonald；　and　in　this　land　of　mountain；　mist；　and　flood；　where　'Dark　Ben　More　frowns　o'er　the　wave；'　and　where　'Ilka　lassie　has　her　laddie；'　you　will　find　a　thousand　romantic　maidens　ready　to　welcome　you　as　Ellen　welcomed　Fitz…James！　　For　centuries　your　heroic　race　has　adorned　the　halls　and　trod　the　heather　of　Hechnahoul；　and　for　centuries　more　we　hope　to　see　the　offspring　of　your　lordship　and　some　winsome　Celtic　maid　rule　these　cataracts　and　glens！〃

At　this　point　the　exertion　of　shouting　down　six　bagpipes　in　active　eruption　caused　a　temporary　cessation　of　the　lady's　eloquence；　and　the　pause　was　filled　by　the　cheers　of　the　crowd　led　by　the　〃Hip…hip…hip！〃　of　Count　Bunker；　and　by　the　broken　and　fortunately　inaudible　protests　of　the　embarrassed　father　of　future　Tulliwuddles。　　In　a　moment　Mrs。　Gallosh　had　resumed

〃Lord　Tulliwuddle；　though　I　myself　am　only　a　stranger　to　your　clan；　your　Highland　heart　will　feel　reassured　when　I　mention　that　I　belong　through　my　grandmother　to　the　kindred　clan　of　the　Mackays！〃　　（〃Hear；　hear！〃　from　two　or　three　ladies　and　gentlemen；　evidently　guests　of　the　Gallosh。）　　〃We　are　but　visitors　at　Hechnahoul；　yet　we　assure　you　that　no　more　devoted　hearts　beat　in　all　Caledonia！　　Lord　Tulliwuddle；　we　welcome　you！〃

〃Put　your　hand　on　your　heart　and　bow；〃　whispered　Bunker。　　〃Keep　on　bowing　and　say　nothing！〃

Mechanically　the　bewildered　Baron　obeyed；　and　for　a　few　moments　presented　a　spectacle　not　unlike　royalty　in　procession。

But　as　some　reply　from　him　had　evidently　been　expected　at　this　point；　and　the　pipers　had　even　ceased　playing　lest　any　word　of　their　chief's　should　be　lost；　a　pause　ensued　which　might　have　grown　embarrassing　had　not　the　Count　promptly　stepped　forward。

〃I　think；〃　he　said；　indicating　two　other　snow…white　figures　who　held　gigantic　bouquets；　〃that　a　pleasant　part　of　the　ceremony　still　remains　before　us。〃

With　a　grateful　glance　at　this　discerning　guest；　Mrs。　Gallosh　thereupon　led　forward　her　two　youngest　daughters　（aged　fifteen　and　thirteen）；　who；　with　an　air　so　delightfully　coy　that　it　fell　like　a　ray　of　sunshine　on　the　poor　Baron's　heart；　presented　him　with　their　flowery　symbols　of　Hechnahoul's　obeisance　to　its　lord。

His　consternation　returned　with　the　advance　of　the　two　ancient　clansmen　who；　after　a　guttural　panegyric　in　Gaelic；　offered　him　further　symbolsa　claymore　and　target；　very　formidable　to　behold。　　All　these　gifts　having　been　adroitly　transferred　to　the　arms　of　the　footmen　by　the　ubiquitous　Count；　the　Baron's　emotions　swiftly　passed　through　another　phase　when　the　eldest　Miss　Gallosh；　aged　twenty；　with　burning　eyes　and　the　most　distracting　tresses；　dropped　him　a　sweeping　courtesy　and　offered　a　final　contributiona　fiery　cross；　carved　and　painted　by　her　own　fair　hands。

A　fresh　round　of　applause　followed　this；　and　then　a　sudden　silence　fell　upon　the　assembly。　　All　eyes　were　turned　upon　the　chieftain：　not　even　a　dog　barked：　it　was　the　moment　of　a　lifetime。

〃Can　you　manage　a　speech；　old　man？〃　whispered　Bunker。

〃Ach；　no；　no；　no！　　Let　me　escape。　　Oh；　let　me　fly！〃

〃Bury　your　face　in　your　hands　and　lean　on　my　shoulder；〃　prompted　the　Count。

This　stage　direction　being　obeyed；　the　most　effective　tableau　conceivable　was　presented；　and　the　climax　was　reached　when　the　Count；　after　a　brief　dumb…show　intended　to　indicate　how　vain　were　Lord　Tulliwuddle's　efforts　to　master　his　emotion；　spoke　these　words　in　the　most　thrilling　accents　he　could　muster

〃Fair　ladies　and　brave　men　of　Hechnahoul！　　Your　chief；　your　friend；　your　father　requests　me　to　express　to　you　the　sentiments　which　his　over…wrought　emotions　prevent　him　from　uttering　himself。　　On　his　behalf　I　tender　to　his　kind　and　courteous　friends；　Mr。；　Mrs。；　and　the　fair　maids　Gallosh；　the　thanks　of　a　long…　absent　exile　returned　to　his　native　land　for　the　welcome　they　have　given　him！　　To　his　devoted　clan　he　not　only　gives　his　thanks；　but　his　promise　that　all　rents　shall　be　reduced　by　one　halfso　long　as　he　dwells　among　them！〃　　（Tumultuous　applause；　disturbed　only　by　a　violent　ejaculation　from　a　large　man　in　knickerbockers　whom　Bunker　justly　judged　to　be　the　factor。）

〃With　his　last　breath　he　shall　perpetually　thunder：　Ahasheencomaramohr！〃

The　Tulliwuddle　slogan；　pronounced　with　the　most　conscientious　accuracy　of　which　a　Sassenach　was　capable；　proved　as　effective　a　curtain　as　he　had　anticipated；　and　amid　a　perfect　babel　of　cheering　and　bagpiping　the　chieftain　was　led　to　his　host's　carriage。



CHAPTER　IX

〃Well；　the　worst　of　it　is　over；〃　said　Bunker　cheerfully。

The　Baron　groaned。　　〃Ze　vorst　is　only　jost　beginning　to　gommence。〃

They　were　sitting　over　a　crackling　fire　of　logs　in　the　sitting…room　of　the　suite　which　their　host　had　reserved　for　his　honored　visitors。　　How　many　heirlooms　and　dusky　portraits　the　romantic　thoughtfulness　of　the　ladies　had　managed　to　crowd　into　this　apartment　for　the　occasion　were　hard　to　compute；　enough；　certainly；　one　would　think；　to　inspire　the　most　sluggish…　blooded　Tulliwuddle　with　a　martial　exultation。　　Instead；　the　chieftain　groaned　again。

〃Tell　zem　I　am　ill。　　I　cannot　gom　to　dinner。　　To…　morrow　I　shall　take　ze　train　back　to　London。　　Himmel！　　Vy　vas　I　fool　enof　to　act　soch　dishonorable　lies！　　I　deceive　all　these　kind　peoples！〃

〃It　isn't　that　which　worries　me；〃　said　Bunker　imperturbably。　　〃I　am　only　afraid　that　if　you　display　this　spirit　you　won't　deceive　them。〃

〃I　do　not　vish　to；〃　said　the　Baron　sulkily。

It　required　half　an　hour　of　the　Count's　most　artful　blandishments　to　persuade　him　that　duty；　honor；　and　prudence　all　summoned　him　to　the　feast。　　This　being　accomplished；　he　next　endeavored　to　convince　him　that　he　would　feel　more　comfortable　in　the　airy　freedom　of　the　Tulliwuddle　tartan。　　But　here　the　Baron　was　obdurate。　　Now　that　the　kilt　lay　ready　to　his　hand　he　could　not　be　persuaded　even　to　look　at　it。　　In　gloomy　silence　he　donned　his　conventional　evening　dress　and　announced；　last　thing　before　they　left　their　room

〃Bonker；　say　no　more！　　To…morrow　morning　I　depart！〃

Their　hostess　had　explained　that　a　merely　informal　dinner　awaited　them；　since　his　lordship　（she　observed）　would　no　doubt　prefer　a　quiet　evening　after　his　long　journey。　　But　Mrs。　Gallosh　was　one　of　those　good　ladies　who　are　fond　of　asking　their　friends　to　take　〃pot　luck；〃　and　then　providing　them　with　fourteen　courses；　or　suggesting　a　〃quiet　little　evening　together；〃　when　they　have　previously　removed　the　drawing…　room　carpet。　　It　is　an　affectation　of　modesty　apt　to　disconcert　the　retiring　guest　who　takes　them　at　their　word。　　In　the　drawing…room　of　Mrs。　Gallosh　the　startled　Baron　found　assembledfirstly；　the　Gallosh　family；　consisting　of　all　those　whose　acquaintance　we　have　already　made；　and　in　addition　two　stalwart　school…　boy　sons；　secondly；　their　house…party；　who　comprised　a　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Rentoul；　from　the　same　metropolis　of　commerce　as　Mr。　Gallosh；　and　a　hatchet…faced　young　man　with　glasses；　answering　to　the　name　of　Mr。　Cromarty…　Gow；　and；　finally；　one　or　two　neighbors。　　These　last　included　Mr。　M'Fadyen；　the　large　factor；　the　Established　Church；　U。F。；　Wee　Free；　Episcopalian；　and　Original　Secession　ministers；　all　of　whom；　together　with　their　kirks；　flourished　within　a　four…mile　radius　of　the　Castle；　the　wives　to　three　of　the　above；　three　young　men　and　their　tutor；　being　some　portion　of　a　reading…party　in　the　village；　and　Mrs。　Cameron…　Campbell　and　her　five　daughters；　from　a　neighboring　dower…house　upon　the　loch。

It　was　fortunate　that　all　these　people　were　prepared　to　be　impressed　with　Lord　Tulliwuddle；　whatever　he　should　say　or　do；　and　further；　that　the　unique　position　of　such　a　famous　hereditary　magnate　even　led　them　to　anticipate　some　marked　deviation　from　the　ordinary　canons　of　conduct。　　Otherwise；　the　gloomy　brows；　the　stare；　apparently　haughty；　in　reality　alarmed；　the　strange　accent　and　the　brief　responses　of　the　chief　guest；　might　have　caused　an　unfavorable　opinion　of　his　character。

As　it　was；　his　aloofness；　however　natural；　would　probably　have　proved　depressing　had　it　not　been　for　the　gay　charm　and　agreeable　condescension　of　the　other　nobleman。　　Seldom　had　more　rested　upon　that　adventurer's　shoulders；　and　never　had　he　acquitted　himself　with　greater　credit。　　It　was　with　considerable　secret　concern　that　he　found　himself　placed　at　the　opposite　end　of　the　table　from　his　friend；　but　his　tongue　rattled　as　gaily　and　his　smiles　came　as　readily　as　ever。　　With　Mrs。　Cameron…Campbell　on　one　side；　and　a　minister's　lady　upon　the　other；　his　host　two　places　distant；