count bunker-第29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！


eserves　to　be　embraced；　not　dissected。〃

He　swiftly　debated　how　best　to　gratify　the　lady。　　Last　night　it　had　been　his　own　counsel；　and　likewise　the　Baron's　desire；　to　leave　by　the　night　mail　that　very　evening；　with　their　laurels　still　unfaded　and　blessings　heaped　upon　their　heads。　　Why　not　make　his　next　stage　The　Lash？

〃Hang　it；　the　Baron　has　had　such　a　good　innings　that　he　can　scarcely　grudge　me　a　short　knock；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃He　can　wait　for　me　at　Perth　or　somewhere。〃

And；　ringing　the　bell；　he　wrote　and　promptly　despatched　this　brief　telegram：

〃Delighted。　　Shall　spend　to…night　in　passing。　　Bunker。〃

Hardly　was　this　point　settled　when　the　footman　re…　entered　to　inform　him　that　Mr。　Maddison's　motor　car　was　at　the　door　waiting　to　convey　him　without　delay　to　Lincoln　Lodge。　　Accompanying　this　announcement　came　the　Silver　King's　card　bearing　the　words；　〃Please　come　and　see　me　at　once。〃

The　Count　stroked　his　chin；　and　lit　a　cigarette。

〃There　is　something　fresh　in　the　wind；〃　thought　he。

In　the　course　of　his　forty…miles…an…hour　rush　through　the　odors　of　pine　woods；　he　had　time　to　come　to　a　pretty　correct　conclusion　regarding　the　business　before　him；　and　was　thus　enabled　to　adopt　the　mien　most　suitable　to　the　contingency　when　he　found　himself　ushered　into　the　presence　of　the　millionaire　and　his　son。　　The　set　look　upon　their　faces；　the　ceremonious　manner　of　their　greeting；　and　the　low　buzzing　of　the　phonograph；　audible　above　the　tinkle　of　a　musical　box　ingeniously　intended　to　drown　it；　confirmed　his　guess　even　before　a　word　had　passed。

〃Be　seated；　Count；〃　said　the　Silver　King；　and　the　Count　sat。

〃Now；　sir；〃　he　continued；　〃I　have　sent　for　you；　owing；　sir；　to　the　high　opinion　I　have　formed　of　your　intelligence　and　business　capabilities。〃

The　Count　bowed　profoundly。

〃Yes；　sir；　I　believe；　and　my　son　believes；　you　to　be　a　white　man；　even　though　you　are　a　Count。〃

〃That　is　so；〃　said　Ri。

〃Now；　sir；　you　must　be　awarein　fact；　you　ARE　awareof　the　matrimonial　project　once　entertained　between　my　daughter　and　Lord　Tulliwuddle。〃

〃Once！〃　exclaimed　the　Count　in　protest。

〃ONCE！〃　echoed　Ri　in　his　deepest　voice。

〃Hish；　Ri！　　Let　your　poppa　do　the　talking　this　time；〃　said　the　millionaire　sternly；　though　with　an　indulgent　eye。

〃ButerONCE？〃　repeated　the　Count；　as　if　bewildered　by　the　past　tense　implied；　though　to　himself　he　murmured〃I　knew　it！〃

〃When　I　gave　my　sanction　to　Lord　Tulliwuddle's　proposition；　I　did　so　under　the　impression　that　I　was　doing　a　deal　with　a　man；　sir；　of　integrity　and　honor。　　But　what　do　I　find？〃

〃Yes；　what？〃　thundered　Ri。

〃I　find；　sir；　that　his　darned　my…lordshipand　be　damned　to　his　titles〃

〃Mr。　Maddison！〃　expostulated　the　Count　gently。

〃I　find；　Count；　I　find　that　Lord　Tulliwuddle；　under　pretext　of　paying　my　Eleanor　a　compliment；　has　provided　an　entertainmenta　musical　and　athletic　entertainment　for　another　woman！〃

The　Count　sprang　to　his　feet。

〃Impossible！〃　he　cried。

〃It　is　true！〃

〃Name　her！〃

〃She　answers；　sir；　to　the　plebeian　cognomen　of　Gallosh。〃

〃A　nobody！〃　sneered　Ri。

〃In　trade！〃　added　his　father　scornfully。

Had　the　occasion　been　more　propitious；　the　Count　could　scarcely　have　refrained　from　commenting　upon　this　remarkably　republican　criticism；　but；　as　it　was；　he　deemed　it　more　advisable　to　hunt　with　the　hounds。

〃That　canaille！〃　he　shouted。　　〃Ha；　ha！　　Lord　Tulliwuddle　would　never　so　far　demean　himself！〃

〃I　have　it　from　old　Gallosh　himself；〃　declared　Mr。　Maddison。

〃And　that　girl　Gallosh　told　Eleanor　the　same；〃　added　Ri。

〃Pooh！〃　cried　the　Count。　　〃A　mere　invention。〃

〃You　are　certain；　sir；　that　Lord　Tulliwuddle　gave　them　no　grounds　whatever　for　supposing　such　a　thing？〃

〃I　pledge　my　reputation　as　Count　of　the　Austrian　Empire；　that　if　my　friend　be　indeed　a　Tulliwuddle　he　is　faithful　to　your　charming　daughter！〃

Father　and　son　looked　at　him　shrewdly。

〃Being　a　Tulliwuddle；　or　any　other　sort　of　pampered　aristocrat；　doesn't　altogether　guarantee　faithfulness；〃　observed　the　Silver　King。

〃If　he　has　deceived　you；　he　shall　answer　to　ME！〃　declared　the　Count。　　〃And　between　ourselves；　as　nature's　gentleman　to　nature's　gentleman；　you　may　assure　Miss　Maddison　that　there　is　not　the　remotest　likelihood　of　this　scheming　Miss　Gallosh　ever　becoming　my　friend's　bride！〃

The　two　Dariuses　were　sensibly　affected　by　this　assurance。

〃As　nature's　gentleman　to　nature's　gentleman！〃　repeated　the　elder　with　unction；　wringing　his　hand。

His　son　displayed　an　equal　enthusiasm；　and　the　Count　departed　with　an　enhanced　reputation　and　the　lingering　fragrance　of　a　cocktail　upon　his　tongue。

〃Now　I　think　we　are　in　comparatively　smooth　water；〃　he　said　to　himself　as　he　whizzed　back　to　the　castle。

At　the　door　he　was　received　by　the　butler。

〃Mr。　Gallosh　is　waiting　for　you　in　the　library；　my　lord；〃　said　he；　adding　confidentially　（since　the　Count　had　endeared　himself　to　all）；　〃He's　terrible　impatient　for　to　see　your　lordship。〃



CHAPTER　XXVI

Evidently　Mr。　Gallosh；　while　waiting　for　the　Count's　return；　had　so　worked　up　his　wrath　that　it　was　ready　to　explode　on　a　hair…trigger　touch；　and；　as　evidently；　his　guest's　extreme　urbanity　made　it　exceedingly　difficult　to　carry　out　his　threatening　intentions。

〃I　want　a　word　with　you；　Count。　　I've　been　wanting　a　word　with　you　all　morning；〃　he　began。

〃Believe　me；　Mr。　Gallosh；　I　appreciate　the　compliment。〃

〃Where　were　you？　I　mean　it　was　verra　annoying　not　to　find　you　when　I　wanted　you。〃

The　merchant　was　so　evidently　divided　between　anxiety　to　blurt　out　his　mind　while　it　was　yet　hot　from　the　making　up；　and　desire　not　to　affront　a　guest　and　a　man　of　rank；　that　the　Count　could　scarcely　restrain　a　smile。

〃It　is　equally　annoying　to　myself。　　I　should　have　enjoyed　a　conversation　with　you　at　any　hour　since　breakfast。〃

〃Umph；〃　replied　his　host。

〃What　can　I　do　for　you　now？〃

Mr。　Gallosh　looked　at　him　steadfastly。

〃Count　Bunker；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　only　a　plain　man〃

〃The　ladies；　I　assure　you；　are　not　of　that　opinion；〃　interposed　the　Count　politely。

Mr。　Gallosh　seemed　to　him　to　receive　this　compliment　with　more　suspicion　than　pleasure。

〃I'm　saying；〃　he　repeated；　〃that　I'm　only　a　plain　man　of　business；　and　you　and　your　friend　are　what　you'd　call　swells。〃

〃God　forbid　that　I　should！〃　the　Count　interjected　fervently。　　〃　'Toffs；'　possiblybut　no　matter；　please　continue。〃

〃Well；　now；　so　long　as　his　lordship　likes　to　treat　me　and　my　family　as　kind　of　belonging　to　a　different　sphere；　I'm　well　enough　content。　　I　make　no　pretensions；　Count；　to　be　better　than　what　I　am。〃

〃I　also；　Mr。　Gallosh；　endeavor　to　affect　a　similar　modesty。　　It's　rather　becoming；　I　think；　to　a　fine…looking　man。〃

〃It's　becoming　to　any　kind　of　man　that　he　should　know　his　place。　　But　I　was　saying；　I'd　have　been　content　if　his　lordship　had　been　distant　and　polite　and　that　kind　of　thing。　　But　was　he？　　You　know　yourself；　Count；　how　he's　behaved！〃

〃Perfectly　politely；　I　trust。〃

〃But　he's　not　been　what　you'd　call　distant；　Count　Bunker。　　In　fac'；　the　long　and　the　short　of　it　is　just　thiswhat's　his　intentions　towards　my　Eva？〃

〃Is　it　Mrs。　Gallosh　who　desires　this　information？〃

〃It　is。　　And　myself　too；　oh；　I'm　not　behindhand　where　the　reputation　of　my　daughters　is　concerned！〃

〃Mrs。　G。　has　screwed　him　up　to　this；〃　said　the　Count　to　himself。　　Aloud；　he　asked　with　his　blandest　air

〃Was　not　Lord　Tulliwuddle　available　himself？〃

〃No；　he's　gone　out。〃

〃Alone？〃

〃No；　not　alone。〃

〃In　brief；　with　Miss　Gallosh？〃

〃Quite　so；　and　what'll　he　be　saying　to　her？〃

〃He　is　a　man　of　such　varied　information　that　it's　hard　to　guess。〃

〃From　all　I　hear；　there's　not　been　much　variety　so　far；〃　said　Mr。　Gallosh　drily。

〃Dear　me！〃　observed　the　Count。

His　host　looked　at　him　for　a　few　moments。

〃Well？〃　he　demanded　at　length。

〃Pardon　me　if　I　am　stupid；　but　what　comment　do　you　expect　me　to　make？〃

〃Well；　you　see；　we　all　know　quite　well　you're　more　in　his　lordship's　confidence　than　any　one　else　in　the　house；　and　I'd　take　it　as　a　favor　if　you'd　just　give　me　your　honest　opinion。　　Is　he　just　playing　himselfor　what？〃

The　worthy　Mr。　Gallosh　was　so　evidently　sincere；　and　looked　at　him　with　such　an　appealing　eye；　that　the