count bunker-第14章

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！



He　was　making　for　the　door　when　the　Baron　seized　his　arm。

〃Vait！〃　he　cried。　　〃Ze　danger　is　past！　　Ach；　vas　I　not　brave？　　Did　you　not　hear　me　speak　to　him？　　You　can　bear　vitness　how　brave　I　vas；　eh？〃

〃I'll　not　swear　I　heard　just　exactly　what　passed；　my　lord。　　Man；　I'll　own　I　was　awful　feared！〃

〃Tuts！　tuts！〃　said　the　Baron　kindly。　　〃Ve　vill　say　nozing　about　zat。　　You　stood　vell　by　me；　I　shall　say。　　And　you　vill　tell　zem　I　did　speak　mit　courage　to　ze　ghost。〃

〃I　will　that！〃　said　Mr。　Gallosh。

By　the　time　they　reached　the　drawing…room　he　had　so　far　recovered　his　equanimity　as　to　prove　a　very　creditable　witness；　and　between　them　they　gave　such　an　account　of　their　adventure　as　satisfied　even　the　excited　expectations　of　their　friends；　though　the　Baron　thought　it　both　prudent　and　more　becoming　his　dignity　to　leave　considerable　mystery　attaching　to　the　precise　revelations　of　his　ancestral　spirit。

〃Bot　vere　is　Bonker？〃　he　asked；　suddenly　noticing　the　absence　of　his　friend。

A　moment　later　the　Count　entered　and　listened　with　the　greatest　interest　to　a　second　（and　even　more　graphic）　account　of　the　adventure。　　More　intimate　particulars　still　were　confided　to　him　when　they　had　retired　to　their　own　room；　and　he　appeared　as　surprised　and　impressed　as　any　wraith…seer　could　desire。　　As　they　parted　for　the　night；　the　Baron　started　and　sniffed　at　him。

〃Vat　a　strange　smell　you　have！〃　he　exclaimed。

〃Peat　smoke；　probably。　　This　fire　wouldn't　draw。〃

〃Strange！〃　mused　the　Baron。　　〃I　did　smell　a　leetle　smell　of　zat　before　to…night。〃

〃Yes；　one　notices　it　all　through　the　house　with　an　east　wind。〃

This　seemed　to　the　Baron　a　complete　explanation　of　the　coincidence。



CHAPTER　XIII

At　the　house　in　Belgrave　Square　at　present　tenanted　by　the　Baron　and　Baroness　von　Blitzenberg；　an　event　of　considerable　importance　had　occurred。　　This　was　nothing　less　than　the　arrival　of　the　Countess　of　Grillyer　upon　a　visit　both　of　affection　and　state。　　So　important　was　she；　and　so　great　the　attachment　of　her　daughter；　that　the　preparations　for　her　reception　would　have　served　for　a　reigning　sovereign。　　But　the　Countess　had　an　eye　as　quick　and　an　appetite　for　respect　as　exacting　as　Queen　Elizabeth；　and　she　had　no　sooner　embraced　the　Baroness　and　kissed　her　ceremoniously　upon　either　cheek；　than　her　glance　appeared　to　seek　something　that　she　deemed　should　have　been　there　also。

〃And　where　is　Rudolph？〃　she　demanded。　　〃Is　he　so　very　busy　that　he　cannot　spare　a　moment　even　to　welcome　me？〃

The　Baroness　changed　color；　but　with　as　easy　an　air　as　she　could　assume　she　answered　that　Rudolph　had　most　unfortunately　been　summoned　from　England。

〃Indeed？〃　observed　the　Countess；　and　the　observation　was　made　in　a　tone　that　suggested　the　advisability　of　a　satisfactory　explanation。

This　paragon　among　mothers　and　peeresses　was　a　lady　of　majestic　port；　whose　ascendant　expression　and　commanding　voice　were　commonly　held　to　typify　all　that　is　best　in　the　feudal　system；　or；　in　other　words；　to　indicate　that　her　opinions　had　never　been　contradicted　in　her　life。　　When　one　of　these　is　a　firm　belief　in　the　holder's　divine　rights　and　semi…divine　origin；　the　effect　is　undoubtedly　impressive。　　And　the　Countess　impressed。

〃My　dear　Alicia；〃　said　she；　when　they　had　settled　down　to　tea　and　confidential　talk；　〃you　have　not　yet　told　me　what　has　taken　Rudolph　abroad　again　so　soon。〃

On　nothing　had　the　Baron　laid　more　stress　than　on　the　necessity　of　maintaining　the　most　profound　secrecy　respecting　his　mission。　　〃No；　not　even　to　your　mozzer　most　you　say。　　My　love；　you　vill　remember？〃　had　been　almost　his　very　last　words　before　departing　for　St。　Petersburg。　　His　devoted　wife　had　promised　this　not　once；　but　many　times；　while　his　finger　was　being　shaken　at　her；　and　would　have　scorned　herself　had　she　thought　it　possible　to　break　her　vows。

〃That　is　a　secret；　mamma；〃　she　declared。

Her　mother　opened　her　eyes。

〃A　secret　from　me；　Alicia？〃

〃Rudolph　made　me　promise。〃

〃Not　to　tell　your　friendsbut　that　hardly　was　intended　to　include　your　mother。〃

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