count bunker-第15章

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Her　mother　indulged　her　with　a　pitying　smile　and　inquired

〃What　other　explanation　can　you　offer？　　Among　his　men　friends　is　there　anyone　likely　to　lead　him　into　mischief？〃

〃Noneat　least〃

〃Ah！〃

〃He　promised　me　he　would　avoid　Mr。　BunkerI　mean　Mr。　Essington。〃

The　Countess　started。　　She　had　vivid　and　exceedingly　distasteful　recollections　of　Mr。　Bunker。

〃That　man！　　Are　they　still　acquainted？〃

〃Acquaintedoh　yes；　but　I　give　Rudolph　credit　for　more　sense　and　more　truthfulness　than　to　renew　their　friendship。〃

The　Countess　pondered　with　a　very　grave　expression　upon　her　face；　while　Alicia　gently　wiped　her　eyes　and　ardently　wished　that　her　honest　Rudolph　was　here　to　defend　his　character　and　refute　these　baseless　insinuations。　　At　length　her　mother　said　with　a　brisker　air

〃Ah！　I　know　exactly　what　we　must　do。　　I　shall　make　a　point　of　seeing　Sir　Justin　Wallingford　tomorrow。〃

〃Sir　Justin　Wallingford！〃

〃If　anybody　can　obtain　private　information　for　us　he　can。　　We　shall　soon　learn　whether　the　Baron　has　been　sent　to　Russia。〃

Alicia　uttered　a　cry　of　protest。　　Sir　Justin；　ex…　diplomatist；　author　of　a　heavy　volume　of　Victorian　reminiscences；　and　confidant　of　many　public　personages；　was　one　of　her　mother's　oldest　friends；　but　to　her　he　was　only　one　degree　less　formidable　than　the　Countess；　and　quite　the　last　person　she　would　have　chosen　for　consultation　upon　this；　or　indeed　upon　any　other　subject。

〃I　am　not　going　to　intrust　my　husband's　secrets　to　him！〃　she　exclaimed。

〃I　am；〃　replied　the　Countess。

〃But　I　won't　allow　it！　　Rudolph　would　be〃

〃Rudolph　has　only　himself　to　blame。　　My　dear　Alicia；　you　can　trust　Sir　Justin　implicitly。　　When　my　child's　happiness　is　at　stake　I　would　consult　no　one　who　was　not　discretion　itself。　　I　am　very　glad　I　thought　of　him。〃

The　Baroness　burst　into　tears。

〃My　child；　my　child！〃　said　her　mother　compassionately。　　〃The　world　is　no　Garden　of　Eden；　however　much　we　may　all　try　to　make　it　so。〃

〃Youyou　don't　seseem　to　be　trying　now；　mamma。〃

〃May　Heaven　forgive　you；　my　darling；〃　pronounced　the　Countess　piously。



CHAPTER　XIV

〃Sir　Justin；〃　said　the　Countess　firmly；　〃please　tell　my　daughter　exactly　what　you　have　discovered。〃

Sir　Justin　Wallingford　sat　in　the　drawing…　room　at　Belgrave　Square　with　one　of　these　ladies　on　either　side　of　him。　　He　was　a　tall；　gaunt　man　with　a　grizzled　black　beard；　a　long　nose；　and　such　a　formidably　solemn　expression　that　ambitious　parents　were　in　the　habit　of　wishing　that　their　offspring　might　some　day　be　as　wise　as　Sir　Justin　Wallingford　looked。　　His　fund　of　information　was　prodigious；　while　his　reasoning　powers　were　so　remarkable　that　he　had　never　been　known　to　commit　the　slightest　action　without　furnishing　a　full　and　adequate　explanation　of　his　conduct。　　Thus　the　discrimination　shown　by　the　Countess　in　choosing　him　to　restore　a　lady's　peace　of　mind　will　at　once　be　apparent。

〃The　results　of　my　inquiries；〃　he　pronounced；　〃have　been　on　the　whole　of　a　negative　nature。　　If　this　mission　on　which　the　Baron　von　Blitzenberg　professes　to　be　employed　is　in　fact　of　an　unusually　delicate　nature；　it　is　just　conceivable　that　the　answer　I　received　from　Prince　Gommell…Kinchen；　when　I　sounded　him　at　the　Khalifa's　luncheon；　may　have　been　intended　merely　to　throw　dust　in　my　eyes。　　At　the　same　time；　his　highness　appeared　to　speak　with　the　candor　of　a　man　who　has　partaken；　not　excessively；　you　understand；　but　I　may　say　freely；　of　the　pleasures　of　the　table。〃

He　looked　steadily　first　at　one　lady　and　then　at　the　other；　to　let　this　point　sink　in。

〃And　what　did　the　Prince　say？〃　asked　the　Baroness；　who；　in　spite　of　her　supreme　confidence　in　her　husband；　showed　a　certain　eager　nervousness　inseparable　from　a　judicial　inquiry。

〃He　told　meI　merely　give　you　his　word；　and　not　my　own　opinion；　you　perfectly　understand　that；　Baroness？〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　she　answered　hurriedly。

〃He　informed　me　that；　in　fact；　the　Baron　had　been　obliged　to　ask　for　a　fortnight's　leave　of　absence　to　attend　to　some　very　pressing　and　private　business　in　connection　with　his　Silesian　estates。〃

〃I　think；　Alicia；　we　may　take　that　as　final；〃　said　her　mother　decisively。

〃Indeed　_I_　shan't！〃　cried　Alicia　warmly。　　〃That　was　just　an　excuse；　of　course。　　Rudolph's　business　is　so　very　delicate　thatthatwell；　that　you　could　only　expect　Prince　Gommell…Kinchen　to　say　something　of　that　sort。〃

〃What　do　you　say　to　that；　Sir　Justin？〃　demanded　the　Countess。

With　the　air　of　a　man　doing　what　was　only　his　duty；　he　replied

〃I　say　that　I　think　it　is　improbable。　　In　fact；　since　you　demand　to　know　the　truth；　I　may　inform　you　that　the　Prince　added　that　leave　of　absence　was　readily　given；　since　the　Baron's　diplomatic　duties　are　merely　nominal。　　To　quote　his　own　words；　'Von　Blitzenberg　is　a　nice　fellow；　and　it　pleases　the　English　ladies　to　play　with　him。'　〃

Even　Lady　Grillyer　was　a　trifle　taken　aback　at　this　description　of　her　son…in…law；　while　Alicia　turned　scarlet　with　anger。

〃I　don't　believe　he　said　anything　of　the　sort！〃　she　cried。　　〃You　both　of　you　only　want　to　hurt　me　and　insult　Rudolph！　　I　won't　stand　it！〃

She　was　already　on　her　feet　to　leave　them；　when　her　mother　stopped　her；　and　Sir　Justin　hastened　to　explain。

〃No　reflection　upon　the　Baron's　character　was　intended；　I　assure　you。　　The　Prince　merely　meant　to　imply　that　he　represented　the　social　rather　than　the　business　side　of　the　embassy。　　And　both　are　equally　necessary；　I　assure　youequally　essential；　Baroness；　believe　me。〃

〃In　fact；〃　said　the　Countess；　〃the　remark　comes　to　this；　that　Rudolph　would　never　be　sent　to　Russia；　whatever　else　they　might　expect　of　him。〃

Even　through　their　tears　Alicia's　eyes　brightened　with　triumph。

〃But　he　HAS　gone；　mamma！　　I　got　a　letter　from　him　this　morningfrom　St。　Petersburg！〃

The　satisfaction　of　her　two　physicians　on　hearing　this　piece　of　good　news　took　the　form　of　a　start　which　might　well　have　been　mistaken　for　mere　astonishment；　or　even　for　dismay。

〃And　you　did　not　tell　ME　of　it！〃　cried　her　mother。

〃Rudolph　did　not　wish　me　to。　　I　have　only　told　you　now　to　prove　how　utterly　wrong　you　both　are。〃

〃Let　me　see　this　letter！〃

〃Indeed；　mamma；　I　won't！〃

The　two　ladies　looked　at　one　another　with　such　animosity　that　Sir　Justin　felt　called　upon　to　interfere。

〃Suppose　the　Baroness　were　to　read　us　as　much　as　is　necessary　to　convince　us　that　there　is　no　possibility　of　a　mistake；〃　he　suggested。

So　profoundly　did　the　Countess　respect　his　advice　that　she　graciously　waived　her　maternal　rights　so　far　as　actually　following　the　text　with　her　eyes　went；　while　her　daughter；　after　a　little　demur；　was　induced　to　depart　this　one　step　further　from　her　husband's　injunctions。

〃You　have　no　objections　to　my　glancing　at　the　post…mark？〃　said　Sir　Justin　when　this　point　was　settled。

With　a　toss　of　her　head　the　Baroness　silently　handed　him　the　envelope。

〃It　seems　correct；〃　he　observed　cautiously。

〃But　post…marks　can　be　forged；　can't　they？〃　inquired　the　Countess。

〃I　fear　they　can；〃　he　admitted；　with　a　sorrowful　air。

Scorning　to　answer　this　insinuation；　the　Baroness　proceeded　to　read　aloud　the　following　extracts

〃　'I　travelled　with　comfort　through　Europe；　and　having　by　many　countries　passed；　such　as　Germany　and　others；　I　arrived；　my　dear　Alicia；　in　Russia。'　〃

〃Is　that　all　he　says　about　his　journey？〃　interrupted　Lady　Grillyer。

〃It　is　certainly　a　curiously　insufficient　description　of　a　particularly　interesting　route；〃　commented　Sir　Justin。

〃It　almost　seems　as　if　he　didn't　know　what　other　countries　lie　between　England　and　Russia；〃　added　the　Countess。

〃It　only　means　that　he　knows　geography　doesn't　interest　me！〃　replied　Alicia。　　〃And　he　does　say　more　about　his　journey'Alone　by　myself；　in　a　carriage　very　quietly　I　travelled。'　　And　again'To　be　observed　not　wishing；　and　strict　orders　being　given　to　me；　with　no　man　I　spoke　all　the　way。'　　There！〃

〃That　certainly　makes　it　more　difficult　to　check　his　statements；〃　Sir　Justin　admitted。

〃Ah；　he　evidently　thought　of　that！〃　said　the　Countess。　　〃If　he　had　said　there　was　anyone　with　him；　we　could　have　asked　him　afterwards　who　it　was。　　What　a　pity！　　Read　on；　my　childwe　are　vastly　interested。〃

Thus　encouraged；　the　Baroness　continued