count bunker-第18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！


　accustomed　to　flowery　preliminaries　from　the　astutest　manipulators　of　a　deal。

〃I　am　only　sorry　you　should　find　our　little　cottage　in　such　disorder；〃　said　Mr。　Maddison。　　〃The　contractor　for　the　conservatory　undertook　to　erect　it　in　a　week；　and　my　only　satisfaction　is　that　he　is　now　paying　me　a　forfeit　of　500　dollars　a　day。　　As　for　the　electricians　in　this　country；　sir；　they　are　not　incompetent　men；　but　they　must　be　taught　to　hustle　if　they　are　to　work　under　American　orders；　and　I　don't　quite　see　how　they　are　to　find　a　job　anyways　else。〃

He　turned　to　the　window　with　a　more　satisfied　air。

〃Here；　however；　you　will　perceive　a　tolerably　satisfactory　piece　of　work。　　I　guess　those　trees　will　be　ready　pretty　near　as　soon　as　the　capercailzies　are　ready　for　them。〃

Count　Bunker　opened　his　eyes。

〃Do　I　understand　that　you　are　erecting　a　pine　wood？〃

〃You　do。　　That　fir　forest　is　my　daughter's　notion。　　She　thought　ordinary　plane…trees　looked　kind　of　unsuitable　for　our　mountain　home。　　The　land　of　Burns　and　of　the　ill…fated　Claverhouse；　Viscount　Dundee；　should　have　more　appropriate　foliage　than　that！　　Well；　sir；　it　took　four　hundred　men　just　three　days　to　remove　the　last　traces　of　the　last　root　of　the　last　of　those　plane…trees。〃

〃And　the　pines；　I　suppose；　you　brought　from　a　neighboring　wood？〃　said　the　Count；　patriotically　endeavoring　not　to　look　too　dumbfoundered。

〃No；　sir。　　Lord　Tulliwuddle's　factor　was　too　slow　for　mesaid　he　must　consult　his　lordship　before　removing　the　timber　on　the　estate。　　I　cabled　to　Norway：　the　trees　arrived　yesterday　in　Aberdeen；　and　I　guess　half　of　them　are　as　near　perpendicular　by　now　as　a　theodolite　can　make　them。　　They　are　being　erected；　sir；　on　scientific　principles。〃

Restraining　his　emotion　with　a　severe　effort；　Bunker　quietly　observed

〃Very　good　idea。　　I　don't　know　that　it　would　have　occurred　to　me　to　land　them　at　Aberdeen。〃

From　the　corner　of　his　eye　he　saw　that　his　composure　had　produced　a　distinct　impression；　but　he　found　it　hard　to　retain　it　through　the　Silver　King's　next　statement。

〃You　have　taken　a　long　lease　of　Lincoln　Lodge；　I　presume？〃　he　inquired。

〃One　year；〃　said　Mr。　Maddison。　　〃But　I　reckon　to　be　comfortable　if　I'm　spending　twenty　minutes　at　a　railroad　junction。〃

〃Ah！〃　responded　the　Count；　〃in　that　case　shifting　a　forest　must　be　child's…play。〃

The　millionaire　smiled　affably　at　this　pleasantry　and　invited　his　guest　to　be　seated。

〃You　will　try　something　American；　I　hope；　Count　Bunker？〃　he　asked；　touching　the　bell。

Count　Bunker；　rightly　conceiving　this　to　indicate　a　cock…tail；　replied　that　he　would；　and　in　as　nearly　seven　and　a　half　seconds　as　he　could　calculate；　a　tray　appeared　with　two　of　these　remarkable　compounds。　　Following　his　host's　example；　the　Count　threw　his　down　at　a　gulp。

〃The　same；〃　said　Mr。　Maddison　simply。　　And　in　an　almost　equally　brief　space　the　same　arrived。

〃Now；〃　said　he；　when　they　were　alone　again；　〃I　hope　you　will　pardon　me；　Count；　if　I　am　discourteous　enough　to　tell　you　that　my　time　is　uncomfortably　cramped。　　When　I　first　came　here　I　found　that　I　was　expected　to　stand　upon　the　shore　of　the　river　for　two　hours　on　the　chance　of　catching　one　salmon。　　But　I　have　changed　all　that。　　As　soon　as　I　step　outside　my　door；　my　ghillie　brings　me　my　rod；　and　if　there　ain't　a　salmon　at　the　end　for　me　to　land；　another　ghillie　will　receive　his　salary。　　Since　lunch　I　have　caught　a　fish；　despatched　fifteen　cablegrams；　and　dictated　nine　letters。　　I　am　only　on　holiday　here；　and　if　I　don't　get　through　double　that　amount　in　the　next　two　hours　I　scarcely　see　my　way　to　do　much　more　fishing　to…day。　　That　being　so；　let　us　come　right　to　the　point。　　You　bring　some　kind　of　proposition　from　Lord　Tulliwuddle；　I　guess？〃

During　his　drive　the　Count　had　cogitated　over　a　number　of　judicious　methods　of　opening　the　delicate　business；　but　his　adaptability　was　equal　to　the　occasion。　　In　as　business…like　a　tone　as　his　host；　he　replied

〃You　are　quite　right；　Mr。　Maddison。　　Lord　Tulliwuddle　has　deputed　me　to　open　negotiations　for　a　certain　matrimonial　project。〃

Mr。　Maddison's　expression　showed　his　appreciation　of　this　candor　and　delicacy。

〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃to　be　quite　frank；　Count；　I　should　have　thought　all　the　better　of　his　lordship　if　he　had　been　a　little　more　prompt　about　the　business。〃

〃It　is　not　through　want　of　admiration　for　Miss　Maddison；　I　assure　you〃

〃No；〃　interrupted　Mr。　Maddison；　〃it　is　because　he　does　not　realize　the　value　of　timewhich　is　considerably　more　valuable　than　admiration；　I　can　assure　you。　　Since　I　discussed　the　matter　with　Lord　Tulliwuddle's　aunt　we　have　had　several　more　buyersI　should　say；　suitorsin　the　marketerin　the　field；　Count　Bunker。　　But　so　far；　fortunately　for　his　lordship；　my　Eleanor　has　not　approved　of　the　samples　sent；　and　if　he　still　cares　to　come　forward　we　shall　be　pleased　to　consider　his　proposition。〃

The　millionaire　looked　at　him　out　of　an　impenetrable　eye；　and　the　Count　in　an　equally　guarded　tone　replied

〃I　greatly　approve　of　putting　things　on　so　sound　a　footing；　and　with　equal　frankness　I　may　tell　you　in　confidence；　of　coursethat　Lord　Tulliwuddle　also　is　not　without　alternatives。　　He　would；　however；　prefer　to　offer　his　title　and　estates　to　Miss　Maddison；　provided　that　there　is　no　personal　objection　to　be　found　on　either　side。〃

Mr。　Maddison's　eye　brightened　and　his　tone　warmed。

〃Sir；〃　said　he；　〃I　guess　there　won't　be　much　objection　to　Eleanor　Maddison　when　your　friend　has　seen　her。　　Without　exaggeration；　I　may　say　that　she　is　the　most　beautiful　girl　in　America；　and　that　is　to　say；　the　most　beautiful　girl　anywhere。　　The　precise　amount　of　her　fortune　we　can　discuss；　supposing　the　necessity　arrives：　but　I　can　assure　you　it　will　be　sufficient　to　set　three　of　your　mortgaged　British　aristocrats　upon　their　legs　again。　　No；　sir；　the　objection　will　not　come　from　THAT　side！〃

With　a　gentle　smile　and　a　deprecatory　gesture　the　Count　answered；　〃I　am　convinced　that　Miss　Maddison　is　allindeed；　more　than　allyour　eloquence　has　painted。　　On　the　other　hand；　I　trust　that　you　will　not　be　disappointed　in　my　friend　Tulliwuddle。〃

Mr。　Maddison　crossed　his　legs　and　interlocked　his　fingers　like　a　man　about　to　air　his　views。　　This；　in　fact；　was　what　he　proceeded　to　do。

〃My　opinion　of　aristocracies　and　the　pampered　individuals　who　compose　them　is　the　opinion　of　an　intelligent　and　enlightened　democrat。　　I　see　them　from　the　vantage…ground　of　a　man　who　has　made　his　own　way　in　the　world　unhampered　by　ancestry；　who　has　dwelt　in　a　country　fortunately　unencumbered　by　such　hindrances　to　progress；　and　who　has　no　personal　knowledge　of　their　defects。　　You　will　admit　that　I　speak　with　unusual　opportunities　of　forming　a　judgment？〃

〃You　should　have　the　impartiality　of　a　missionary；〃　said　Bunker　gravely。

〃That　is　so；　sir。　　Now；　in　proposing　to　marry　my　daughter　to　a　member　of　this　class；　I　am　actuated　solely　by　a　desire　to　take　advantage　of　the　opportunities　such　an　alliance　would　confer。　　I　am　still　perfectly　clear？〃

〃Perfectly；〃　replied　Bunker；　with　the　same　profound　gravity。

〃In　consequence；〃　resumed　the　millionaire；　with　the　impressiveness　of　a　logician　drawing　a　conclusion　from　two　irrefutable　premises〃in　consequence；　Count　Bunker；　I　demandand　my　daughter　demandsand　my　son　demands；　sir；　that　the　nobleman　should　possess　an　unusual　number　of　high…class；　fire…proof；　expert…　guaranteed　qualities。　　That　is　only　fair；　you　must　admit？〃

〃I　agree　with　you　entirely。〃

Mr。　Maddison　glanced　at　the　clock　and　sprang　to　his　feet。

〃I　have　not　the　pleasure　of　knowing　my　neighbor；　Mr。　Gallosh；〃　he　said；　resuming　his　brisk　business　tone；　〃but　I　beg　you　to　convey　to　him　and　to　his　wife　and　daughter　my　complimentsand　my　daughter's　complimentsand　tell　them　that　we　hope　they　will　excuse　ceremony　and　bring　Lord　Tulliwuddle　to　luncheon　to…morrow。〃

Count　Bunker　expressed　his　readiness　to　carry　this　message；　and　the　millionaire　even　more　briskly　resumed

〃I　shall　now　give　myself　the　pleasure　of　presenting　you　to　my　son　and　daughter。〃

With　his　swiftest　strides　he　escorted　his　distinguished　guest　to　another　room；　flung　the　door　open；　announced；　〃My　dears；　Count　Bunker！〃　and　pressed　the　Count's　hand　even　as　he　was　effecting　this　introduction。