count bunker-第26章

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hall　I　do　my　duty　to　Tollyvoddle？　　Zat　is　vat　I　ask　myself。〃

〃And　what　answer　do　you　generally　return？〃

〃Ze　answer　I　make　is；〃　said　the　Baron　gravely　and　with　the　deliberation　the　point　deserved〃Ze　answer　is　zat　I　shall　vait　and　gonsider　vich　lady　is　ze　best　for　him。〃

〃The　means　you　employ　will　no　doubt　include　a　further　short　personal　interview　with　each　of　them？〃

〃Vun　short！　　Ach；　Bonker；　I　most　investigate　mit　carefulness。　　No；　no；　I　most　see　zem　more　zan　zat。〃

〃How　long　do　you　expect　the　process　will　take　you？〃

For　the　first　time　the　Baron　noticed　with　surprise　a　shade　of　impatience　in　his　friend's　voice。

〃Are　you　in　a　horry；　Bonker？〃

〃My　dear　Baron；　I　grudge　no　man　his　sport　particularly　if　he　is　careful　to　label　it　his　duty。　　But；　to　tell　the　truth；　I　have　never　played　gamekeeper　for　so　long　before；　and　I　begin　to　find　that　picking　up　your　victims　and　carrying　them　after　you　in　a　bag　is　less　exhilarating　to…day　than　it　was　a　week　ago。　　I　wouldn't　curtail　your　pleasure　for　the　world；　my　dear　fellow！　　But　I　do　ask　you　to　remember　the　poor　keeper。〃

〃My　dear　friend；〃　said　the　Baron　cordially；　〃I　shall　remember！　　It　shall　take　bot　two　or　tree　days　to　do　my　duty。　　I　shall　not　be　long。〃

　　　　　　　　　　〃A　day　or　two　of　sober　duty；　　　　　　　　　　　　　Then；　Hoch！　for　London；　home；　and　beauty！〃

trolled　the　Count　pleasantly。

The　Baron　did　not　echo　the　〃Hoch〃；　but　after　retaining　his　thoughtful　expression　for　a　few　moments；　a　smile　stole　over　his　face；　and　he　remarked　in　an　absent　voice

〃Vun　does　not　alvays　need　to　go　home　to　find　beauty。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　Count；　〃I　have　always　held　it　to　be　one　of　the　advantages　of　travel　that　one　learns　to　tolerate　the　inhabitants　of　other　lands。〃



CHAPTER　XXIII

〃Ach；　you　are　onfair；〃　exclaimed　the　Baron。　　〃Really？〃　said　Eva；　with　a　sarcastic　intonation　he　had　not　believed　possible　in　so　sweet　a　voice。

It　was　the　day　following　the　luncheon　at　Lincoln　Lodge；　and　they　were　once　more　seated　in　the　shady　arbor：　this　time　the　Count　had　guaranteed　not　only　to　leave　them　uninterrupted　by　his　own　presence；　but　to　protect　the　garden　from　all　other　intruders。　　Everything；　in　fact；　had　presaged　the　pleasantest　of　tete…a…　tetes。　　But；　alas！　the　Baron　was　learning　that　if　Amaryllis　pouts；　the　shadiest　corner　may　prove　too　warm。　　Why；　he　was　asking　himself；　should　she　exhibit　this　incomprehensible　annoyance？　　What　had　he　done？　　How　to　awake　her　smiles　again？

〃I　do　not　forget　my　old　friends　so　quickly；〃　he　protested。　　〃No；　I　do　assure　you！　　I　do　not　onderstand　vy　you　should　say　so。〃

〃Oh；　we　don't　profess　to　be　old　FRIENDS；　Lord　Tulliwuddle！　　After　all；　there　is　no　reason　why　you　shouldn't　turn　your　back　on　us　as　soon　as　you　see　a　newerand　more　amusingACQUAINTANCE。〃

〃But　I　have　not　turned　my　back！〃

〃We　saw　nothing　else　all　yesterday。〃

〃Ah；　Mees　Gallosh；　zat　is　not　true！　　Often　did　I　look　at　you！〃

〃Did　you？　　I　had　forgotten。　　One　doesn't　treasure　every　glance；　you　know。〃

The　Baron　tugged　at　his　mustache　and　frowned。

〃She　vill　not　do　for　Tollyvoddle；〃　he　said　to　himself。

But　the　next　instant　a　glance　from　Eva's　brilliant　eyesa　glance　so　reproachful；　so　appealing；　and　so　stimulating；　that　there　was　no　resisting　itdiverted　his　reflections　into　quite　another　channel。

〃Vat　can　I　do　to　prove　zat　I　am　so　friendly　as　ever？〃　he　exclaimed。

〃So　FRIENDLY？〃　she　repeated；　with　an　innocently　meditative　air。

〃So　vary　parteecularly　friendly！〃

Her　air　relented　a　littlejust　enough；　in　fact；　to　make　him　ardently　desire　to　see　it　relent　still　further。

〃You　promise　things　to　me；　and　then　do　them　for　other　people's　benefit。〃

The　Baron　eagerly　demanded　a　fuller　statement　of　this　abominable　charge。

〃Well；〃　she　said；　〃you　told　me　twenty　times　you　would　show　me　something　really　Highlandthat　you'd　kill　a　deer　by　torchlight；　or　hold　a　gathering　of　the　clans　upon　the　castle　lawn。　　All　sorts　of　things　you　offered　to　do　for　me；　and　the　only　thing　you　have　done　has　been　for　the　sake　of　your　NEW　friends！　　You　gave　THEM　a　procession　and　a　dance。〃

〃But　you　did　see　it　too！〃　he　interrupted　eagerly。

〃As　part　of　your　procession；〃　she　retorted　scornfully。　　〃We　felt　much　obliged　to　youespecially　as　you　were　so　attentive　to　us　afterwards！〃

〃I　did　not　mean　to　leave　you；〃　exclaimed　the　Baron　weakly。　　〃It　was　jost　zat　Miss　Maddison〃

〃I　am　not　interested　in　Miss　Maddison。　　No　doubt　she　is　very　charming；　but；　really；　she　doesn't　interest　me　at　all。　　You　were　unavoidably　prevented　from　talking　to　usthat　is　quite　sufficient　for　me。　　I　excuse　you；　Lord　Tulliwuddle。　　Only；　please；　don't　make　me　any　more　promises。〃

〃Eva！　　Ach；　I　most　say　'Eva'　jost　vunce　more！　　I　am　going　to　leave　my　castle；　to　leave　you；　and　say　good…by。〃

She　started　and　looked　quickly　at　him。

〃Bot　before　I　go　I　shall　keep　my　promise！　　Ve　shall　have　ze　pipers；　and　ze　kilts；　and　ze　dancing；　and　toss　ze　caber；　and　fling　ze　hammer；　and　it　shall　be　on　ze　castle　lawn；　and　all　for　your　sake！　　Vill　you　not　forgive　me　and　be　friends？〃

〃Will　it　really　be　all　for　my　sake？〃

She　spoke　incredulously；　yet　looked　as　if　she　were　willing　to　be　convinced。

〃I　swear　it　vill！〃

The　latter　part　of　this　interview　was　so　much　more　agreeable　than　the　beginning　that　when　the　distant　rumble　of　the　luncheon　gong　brought　it　to　an　end　at　last　they　sighed；　and　for　fully　half　a　minute　lingered　still　in　silence。　　If　one　may　dare　to　express　in　crude　language　a　maiden's　unspoken；　formless　thought；　Eva's　might　be　read〃There　is　yet　a　moment　left　for　him　to　say　the　three　short　words　that　seem　to　hang　upon　his　tongue！〃　　While　on　his　part　he　was　reflecting　that　he　had　another　duologue　arranged　for　that　very　afternoon；　and　that；　for　the　simultaneous　suitor　of　two　ladies；　an　open　mind　was　almost　indispensable。

〃Then　you　are　going　for　a　drive　with　the　Count　Bunker　this　afternoon？〃　she　asked；　as　they　strolled　slowly　towards　the　house。

〃For　a　leetle　tour　in　my　estate；〃　he　answered　easily。

〃On　business；　I　suppose？〃

〃Yes；　vorse　luck！〃

He　knew　not　whether　to　feel　more　relieved　or　embarrassed　to　find　that　he　evidently　rose　in　her　estimation　as　a　conscientious　landlord。

　。　　　。　　　　。　　　　。　　　　。　　　　。

〃You　are　having　a　capital　day's　sport；　Baron；〃　said　the　Count　gaily；　as　they　drew　near　Lincoln　Lodge。

During　their　drive　the　Baron　had　remained　unusually　silent。　　He　now　roused　himself　and　said　in　a　guarded　whisper

〃Bonker；　vill　you　please　to　give　ze　coachman　some　money　not　to　say　jost　vere　he　did　drive　us。〃

〃I　have　done　so；〃　smiled　the　Count。

His　friend　gratefully　grasped　his　hand　and　curled　his　mustache　with　an　emboldened　air。

A　similar　display　of　address　on　the　part　of　Count　Bunker　resulted　in　the　Baron's　finding　himself　some　ten　minutes　later　alone　with　Miss　Maddison　in　her　sanctuary。　　But；　to　his　great　surprise；　he　was　greeted　with　none　of　the　encouraging　cordiality　that　had　so　charmed　him　yesterday。　　The　lady　was　brief　in　her　responses；　critical　in　her　tone；　and　evidently　disposed　to　quarrel　with　her　admirer　on　some　ground　at　present　entirely　mysterious。　　Indeed；　so　discouraging　was　she　that　at　length　he　exclaimed

〃Tell　me；　Miss　MaddisonI　should　not　have　gom　to…day？　　You　did　not　vish　to　see　me。　　Eh？〃

〃I　certainly　was　perfectly　comfortable　without　you；　Lord　Tulliwuddle；〃　said　the　heiress　tartly。

〃Shall　I　go　avay？〃

〃You　have　come　here　entirely　for　your　own　pleasure；　and　the　moment　you　begin　to　feel　tired　there　is　nothing　to　hinder　you　going　home　again。〃

〃You　vere　more　kind　to　me　yesterday；〃　said　the　Baron　sadly。

〃I　did　not　learn　till　after　you　had　gone　how　much　I　was　to　blame　for　keeping　you　so　long　away　from　your　friends。　　Please　do　not　think　I　shall　repeat　the　offence。〃

There　was　an　accent　on　the　word　〃friends〃　that　enlightened　the　bewildered　nobleman；　even　though　quickness　in　taking　a　hint　was　not　his　most　conspicuous　attribute。　　That　the　voice　of　gossip　had　reached　the　fair　American　was　only　too　evident；　but　though　considerably　annoyed；　he　could　not　help　feeling　at　the　same　time　flattered　to　see　the　concern　he　was　able　to　inspire。

〃My　friends！〃　said　he　with　amorous　artfulness。

〃Do　you　mean　Count　Bunker？　　He　is　ze　only　FRIEND　I　have　here　mit　me。〃

〃The　ONLY　friend？　　Indeed！〃