count bunker-第2章

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ia。

〃You　have　too　much　self…respect　to　wish　to　find　yourself　in　such　a　position　again；〃　she　said。　　〃I　know　you　have；　Rudolph！〃

The　Baron　was　silent。　　This　appeal　met　with　distinctly　less　response　than　she　confidently　counted　upon。　　In　a　graver　note　she　inquired

〃You　know　what　mother　thinks　of　Mr。　Essington？〃

〃Your　mozzer　is　a　vise　old　lady；　Alicia；　but　we　do　not　zink　ze　same　on　all　opinions。〃

〃She　will　be　exceedingly　displeased　if　youwell；　if　you　do　anything　that　she　THOROUGHLY　disapproves　of。〃

The　Baron　left　the　window　and　took　his　wife's　plump　hand　affectionately　within　his　own　broad　palm。

〃You　can　assure　her；　my　love；　zat　I　shall　never　do　vat　she　dislikes。　　You　vill　say　zat　to　her　if　she　inquires？〃

〃Can　I；　truthfully？〃

〃Ach；　my　own　dear！〃

From　his　enfolding　arms　she　whispered　tenderly

〃Of　course　I　will；　Rudolph！〃

With　a　final　hug　the　embrace　abruptly　ended；　and　the　Baron　hastily　glanced　at　his　watch。

〃Ach；　nearly　had　I　forgot！　　I　must　go　to　ze　club　for　half　an　hour。〃

〃Must　you？〃

〃To　meet　a　friend。〃

〃What　friend？〃　asked　the　Baroness　quickly。

〃A　man　whose　name　you　vould　know　velloh；　vary　vell　known　he　is！　　But　in　diplomacy；　mine　Alicia；　a　quiet　meeting　in　a　club　is　sometimes　better　not　to　be　advertised　too　moch。　　Great　wars　have　come　from　one　vord　of　indiscretion。　　You　know　ze　axiom　of　Bismarck　'In　diplomacy　it　is　necessary　for　a　diplomatist　to　be　diplomatic。'　　Good…by；　my　love。〃

He　bowed　as　profoundly　as　if　she　were　a　reigning　sovereign；　blew　an　affectionate　kiss　as　he　went　through　the　door；　and　then　descended　the　stairs　with　a　rapidity　that　argued　either　that　his　appointment　was　urgent　or　that　diplomacy　shrank　from　a　further　test　within　this　mansion。



CHAPTER　II

For　the　last　year　or　two　the　name　of　Rudolph　von　Blitzenberg　had　appeared　in　the　members'　list　of　that　most　exclusive　of　institutions；　the　Regent's　Club；　Pall　Mall；　and　it　was　thither　he　drove　on　this　fine　afternoon　of　July。　　At　no　resort　in　London　were　more　famous　personages　to　be　found；　diplomatic　and　otherwise；　and　nothing　would　have　been　more　natural　than　a　meeting　between　the　Baron　and　a　European　celebrity　beneath　its　roof；　so　that　if　you　had　seen　him　bounding　impetuously　up　the　steps；　and　noted　the　eagerness　with　which　he　inquired　whether　a　gentleman　had　called　for　him；　you　would　have　had　considerable　excuse　for　supposing　his　appointment　to　be　with　a　dignitary　of　the　highest　importance。

〃Goot！〃　he　cried　on　learning　that　a　stranger　was　indeed　waiting　for　him。　　His　face　beamed　with　anticipatory　joy。　　Aha！　he　was　not　to　be　disappointed。

〃Vill　he　be　jost　the　same？〃　he　wondered。　　〃Ah；　if　he　is　changed　I　shall　veep！〃

He　rushed　into　the　smoking…room；　and　there；　instead　of　any　bald　notability　or　spectacled　statesman；　there　advanced　to　meet　him　a　merely　private　English　gentleman；　tolerably　young；　undeniably　good…looking；　and　graced　with　the　most　debonair　of　smiles。

〃My　dear　Bonker！〃　cried　the　Baron；　crimsoning　with　joy。　　〃Ach；　how　pleased　I　am！〃

〃Baron！〃　replied　his　visitor　gaily。　　〃You　cannot　deceive　methat　waistcoat　was　made　in　Germany！　　Let　me　lead　you　to　a　respectable　tailor！〃

Yet；　despite　his　bantering　tone；　it　was　easy　to　see　that　he　took　an　equal　pleasure　in　the　meeting。

〃Ha；　ha！〃　laughed　the　Baron；　〃vot　a　fonny　zing　to　say！　　Droll　as　ever；　eh？〃

〃Five　years　less　droll　than　when　we　first。　　met；〃　said　the　late　Bunker　and　present　Essington。　　〃You　meet　a　dullish　dog；　Barona　sobered　reveller。〃

〃Ach；　no！　　Not　surely？　　Do　not　disappoint　me；　dear　Bonker！〃

The　Baron's　plaintive　note　seemed　to　amuse　his　friend。

〃You　don't　mean　to　say　you　actually　wish　a　boon　companion？　　You；　Baron；　the　modern　Talleyrand；　the　repository　of　three　emperors'　secrets？　　My　dear　fellow；　I　nearly　came　in　deep　mourning。〃

〃Mourning！　　For　vat？〃

〃For　our　lamented　past：　　I　supposed　you　would　have　the　air　of　a　Nonconformist　beadle。〃

〃My　friend！〃　said　the　Baron　eagerly；　and　yet　with　a　lowering　of　his　voice；　〃I　vould　not　like　to　engage　a　beadle　mit　jost　ze　same　feelings　as　me。　　Come　here　to　zis　corner　and　let　us　talk！　　Vaiter！　whiskysoda　cigarsall　for　two。　　Come；　Bonker！〃

Stretched　in　arm…chairs；　in　a　quiet　corner　of　the　room；　the　two　surveyed　one　another　with　affectionate　and　humorous　interest。　　For　three　years　they　had　not　seen　one　another　at　all；　and　save　once　they　had　not　met　for　five。　　In　five　years　a　man　may　change　his　religion　or　lose　his　hair；　inherit　a　principality　or　part　with　a　reputation；　grow　a　beard　or　turn　teetotaler。　　Nothing　so　fundamental　had　happened　to　either　of　our　friends。　　The　Baron's　fullness　of　contour　we　have　already　noticed；　in　Mandell…　Essington；　EX　Bunker；　was　to　be　seen　even　less　evidence　of　the　march　of　time。　　But　years；　like　wheels　upon　a　road；　can　hardly　pass　without　leaving　in　their　wake　some　faint　impress；　however　fair　the　weather；　and　perhaps　his　hair　lay　a　fraction　of　an　inch　higher　up　the　temple；　and　in　the　corners　of　his　eyes　a　hint　might　even　be　discerned　of　those　little　wrinkles　that　register　the　smiles　and　frowns。　Otherwise　he　was　the　same　distinguished…looking；　immaculately　dressed；　supremely　self…possessed；　and　charming　Francis　Bunker；　whom　the　Baron's　memory　stored　among　its　choicer　possessions。

〃Tell　me；〃　demanded　the　Baron；　〃vat　you　are　doing　mit　yourself；　mine　Bonker。〃

〃Doing？〃　said　Essington；　lighting　his　cigar。　　〃Well；　my　dear　Baron；　I　am　endeavoring　to　live　as　I　imagine　a　gentleman　should。〃

〃And　how　is　zat？〃

〃Riding　a　little；　shooting　a　little；　and　occasionally　telling　the　truth。　　At　other　times　I　cock　a　wise　eye　at　my　modest　patrimony；　now　and　then　I　deliver　a　lecture　with　magic…lantern　slides；　and　when　I　come　up　to　town　I　sometimes　watch　cricket…matches。　　A　devilish　invigorating　programme；　isn't　it？〃

〃Ha；　ha！〃　laughed　the　Baron　again；　he　had　come　prepared　to　laugh；　and　carried　out　his　intention　religiously。　　〃But　you　do　not　feel　more　old　and　sober；　eh？〃

〃I　don't　want　to；　but　no　man　can　avoid　his　destiny。　　The　natives　of　this　island　are　a　serious　people；　or　if　they　are　frivolous；　it　is　generally　a　trifle　vulgarly　done。　　The　diversions　of　the　professedly　gay…hooting　over　pointless　badinage　and　speculating　whose　turn　it　is　to　get　divorced　nextbecome　in　time　even　more　sobering　than　a　scientific　study　with　diagrams　of　how　to　breed　pheasants　or　play　golf。　　If　some　one　would　teach　us　the　simple　art　of　being　light…hearted　he　would　deserve　to　be　placed　along　with　Nelson　on　his　monument。〃

〃Oh；　my　dear　vellow！〃　cried　the　Baron。　　〃Do　I　hear　zese　kind　of　vords　from　you？〃

〃If　you　starved　a　city…full　of　people；　wouldn't　you　expect　to　hear　the　man　with　the　biggest　appetite　cry　loudest？〃

The　Baron's　face　fell　further　and　Essington　laughed　aloud。

〃Come；　Baron；　hang　it！　　You　of　all　people　should　be　delighted　to　see　me　a　fellow…member　of　respectable　society。　　I　take　you　to　be　the　type　of　the　conventional　aristocrat。　　Why；　a　fellow　who's　been　travelling　in　Germany　said　to　me　lately；　when　I　asked　about　you'Von　Blitzenberg；'　said　he；　'he's　used　as　a　simile　for　traditional　dignity。　　His　very　dogs　have　to　sit　up　on　their　hind…legs　when　he　inspects　the　kennels！'　〃

The　Baron　with　a　solemn　face　gulped　down　his　whisky…and…soda。

〃Zat　is　not　true　about　my　dogs；〃　he　replied；　〃but　I　do　confess　my　life　is　vary　dignified。　　So　moch　is　expected　of　a　Blitzenberg。　　Oh；　ja；　zere　is　moch　state　and　ceremony。〃

〃And　you　seem　to　thrive　on　it。〃

〃Vell；　it　does　not　destroy　ze　appetite；〃　the　Baron　admitted；　〃and　it　is　my　duty　so　to　live　at　Fogelschloss；　and　I　alvays　vish　to　do　my　duty。　　But；　ach；　sometimes　I　do　vant　to　kick　ze　trace！〃

〃You　mean　you　would　want　to　if　it　were　not　for　the　Baroness？〃

Bunker　smiled　whimsically；　but　his　friend　continued　as　simply　serious　as　ever。

〃Alicia　is　ze　most　divine　woman　in　ze　worldI　respect　her；　Bonker；　I　love　her；　I　gonsider　her　my　better　angel；　but　even　in　Heaven；　I　suppose；　peoples　sometimes　vould　enjoy　a　stroll　in　Piccadeelly；　or　in　some　vay　to　exercise　ze　legs　and　shout　mit　excitement。　　No　doubt　you　zink　it　unaccountable　and　strangepairhaps　ungrateful　of　me；　eh？〃

〃On　the　contrary；　I　feel　as　I　should　if　I　feared　this　cigar　had　gone　out　and　then　found　it　alight　after　all。〃

〃You　say　so！　　Ah；　zen　I　will　have　mo