count bunker-第32章

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〃You　do　still　think　that　nobody　should　dine　later　than　six；　don't　you？　　I　have　ordered　dinner　for　six　to…night。〃

〃Six！〃　exclaimed　the　Count；　but　recovering　himself；　added；　〃An　ideal　hourand　it　is　half…past　five　now。　　Perhaps　I　had　better　think　of　dressing。〃

〃What　YOU　call　dressing！〃　smiled　Julia；　to　his　justifiable　amazement。　　〃Let　me　show　you　to　your　room。〃

She　led　him　upstairs；　and　finally　stopped　before　an　open　door。

〃There！〃　she　said；　with　an　air　of　pride。　　〃It　is　really　my　father's　bedroom　when　he　is　at　home；　but　I've　had　it　specially　prepared　for　YOU！　　Is　it　just　as　you　would　like？〃

Bunker　was　incapable　of　observing　anything　very　particularly　beyond　the　fact　that　the　floor　was　uncarpeted；　and　as　nearly　free　from　furniture　as　a　bedroom　floor　could　well　be。

〃It　is　ravishing！〃　he　murmured；　and　dismissed　her　with　a　well…feigned　smile。

Bereft　even　of　expletives；　he　gazed　round　the　apartment　prepared　for　him。　　It　was　a　few　moments　before　he　could　bring　himself　to　make　a　tour　of　its　vast　bleakness。

〃I　suppose　that's　what　they　call　a　truckle…bed；〃　he　mused。　　〃Oh；　there　is　one　chairnothing　but　cold　water…towels　made　of　vegetable　fibre　apparently。　　The　devil　take　me；　is　this　a　reformatory　for　bogus　noblemen！〃

He　next　gazed　at　the　bare　whitewashed　wall。　　On　it　hung　one　picturethe　portrait　of　a　strangely　attired　man。

〃What　n　shocking…looking　fellow！〃　he　exclaimed；　and　went　up　to　examine　it　more　closely。

Then；　with　a　stupefying　shock；　he　read　this　legend　beneath　it

〃Count　Bunker。　　Philosopher；　teacher；　and　martyr。〃

For　a　minute　he　stared　in　rapt　amazement；　and　then　sharply　rang　the　bell。

〃Hang　it；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃I　must　throw　a　little　light　on　this　somehow！〃

Presently　the　elderly　man…servant　appeared；　this　time　in　a　state　of　still　more　obvious　confusion。　　For　a　moment　he　stared　at　the　Countwho　was　too　discomposed　by　his　manner　to　open　his　lipsand　then；　once　more　stretching　out　his　hand；　exclaimed　in　a　choked　voice　and　a　strong　Scotch　accent

〃How　are　ye；　Bunker！〃

〃What　the　deuce！〃　shouted　the　Count；　evading　the　proffered　hand…shake　with　an　agile　leap。

The　poor　fellow　turned　scarlet；　and　in　an　humble　voice　blurted　out

〃She　told　me　to　do　it！　　Miss　Julia　said　ye'd　like　me　to　shake　hands　and　just　ca'　ye　plain　Bunker。　　I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；　oh；　I　beg　your　pardon　humbly！〃

The　Count　looked　at　him　keenly。

〃He　is　evidently　telling　the　truth；〃　he　thought。

Thereupon　he　took　from　his　pocket　half　a　sovereign。

〃My　good　fellow；〃　he　began。　　〃By　the　way；　what's　your　name？〃

〃Mackenzie；　sir。〃

〃Mackenzie；　my　honest　friend；　I　clearly　perceive　that　Miss　Wallingford；　in　her　very　kind　efforts　to　gratify　my　unconventional　tastes；　has　put　herself　to　quite　unnecessary　trouble。　　She　has　even　succeeded　in　surprising　me；　and　I　should　be　greatly　obliged　if　you　would　kindly　explain　to　me　the　reasons　for　her　conduct；　so　far　as　you　can。〃

At　this　point　the　half…sovereign　changed　hands。

〃In　the　first　place；〃　resumed　the　Count；　〃what　is　the　meaning　of　this　remarkably　villainous　portrait　labelled　with　my　name？〃

〃That；　sir；〃　stammered　Mackenzie；　greatly　taken　aback　by　the　inquiry。　　〃Why；　sir；　that's　the　famous　Count　Bunkeryour　uncle；　sir；　is　he　no'？〃

Bunker　began　to　see　a　glimmer　of　light；　though　the　vista　it　illumined　was　scarcely　a　much　pleasanter　prospect　than　the　previous　bank　of　fog。　　He　remembered　now；　for　the　first　time　since　his　journey　north；　that　the　Baron；　in　dubbing　him　Count　Bunker；　had　encouraged　him　to　take　the　title　on　the　ground　that　it　was　a　real　dignity　once　borne　by　a　famous　personage；　and　in　a　flash　he　realized　the　pitfalls　that　awaited　a　solitary　false　step。

〃THAT　my　uncle！〃　he　exclaimed　with　an　air　of　pleased　surprise；　examining　the　portrait　more　attentively；　〃by　Gad；　I　suppose　it　is！　　But　I　can't　say　it　is　a　flattering　likeness。　　'Philosopher；　teacher；　and　martyr'how　apt　a　description！　　I　hadn't　noticed　that　before；　or　I　should　have　known　at　once　who　it　was。〃

Still　Mackenzie　was　looking　at　him　with　a　perplexed　and　uneasy　air。

〃Miss　Wallingford；　sir；　seems　under　the　impression　that　you　would　be　wanting　jist　the　same　kind　of　things　as　he　likit；〃　he　remarked　diffidently。

The　Count　laughed。

〃Hence　the　condemned　cell　she's　put　me　in？　　I　see！　　Ha；　ha！　　No；　Mackenzie；　I　have　moved　with　the　times。　　In　fact；　my　uncle's　philosophy　and　teachings　always　struck　me　as　hardly　suitable　for　a　gentleman。〃

〃I　was　thinking　that　mysel'；〃　observed　Mackenzie。

〃Well；　you　understand　now　how　things　are；　don't　you？　　By　the　way；　you　haven't　put　out　my　evening　clothes；　I　notice。〃

〃You　werena　to　dress；　sir；　Miss　Julia　said。〃

〃Not　to　dress！　　What　the　deuce　does　she　expect　me　to　dine　in？〃

With　a　sheepish　grin　Mackenzie　pointed　to　something　upon　the　bed　which　the　Count　had　hitherto　taken　to　be　a　rough　species　of　quilt。

〃She　said　you　might　like　to　wear　that；　sir。〃

The　Count　took　it　up。

〃It　appears　to　be　a　dressing…gown！〃　said　he。

〃She　said；　sir；　your　uncle　was　wont　to　dine　in　it。〃

〃Ah！　　It's　one　of　my　poor　uncle's　eccentricities；　is　it？　　Very　nice　of　Miss　Wallingford；　but　all　the　same　I　think　you　can　put　out　my　evening　clothes　for　me；　and；　I　say；　get　me　some　hot　water　and　a　couple　of　towels　that　feel　a　little　less　like　sandpaper；　will　you？　　By　the　wayone　moment；　Mackenzie！you　needn't　mention　anything　of　this　to　Miss　Wallingford。　　I'll　explain　it　all　to　her　myself。〃

It　is　remarkable　how　the　presence　or　absence　of　a　few　of　the　very　minor　accessories　of　life　will　affect　the　humor　even　of　a　man　so　essentially　philosophical　as　Count　Bunker。　　His　equanimity　was　most　marvelously　restored　by　a　single　jugful　of　hot　water；　and　by　the　time　he　came　to　survey　his　blue　lapels　in　the　mirror　the　completest　confidence　shone　in　his　humorous　eyes。

〃How　deuced　pleased　she'll　be　to　find　I'm　a　white　man　after　all；〃　he　reflected。　　〃Supposing　I'd　really　turned　out　a　replica　of　that　unshaved　heathen　on　the　wallpoor　girl；　what　a　dull　evening　she'd　have　spent！　　Perhaps　I'd　better　break　the　news　gently　for　the　chaperon's　sake；　but　once　we　get　her　of　to　bed　I　rather　fancy　the　fair　Julia　and　I　will　smile　together　over　my　dear　uncle's　dressing…gown！〃

And　in　this　humor　he　strode　forth　to　conquer。



CHAPTER　XXIX

Count　Bunker　could　not　but　observe　that　Miss　Wallingford's　eyes　expressed　more　surprise　than　pleasure　when　he　entered　the　drawing…　room；　and　he　was　confirmed　in　his　resolution　to　let　his　true　character　appear　but　gradually。　　Afterwards　he　could　not　congratulate　himself　too　heartily　on　this　prudent　decision。

〃I　fear；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　am　late。〃　（It　was　in　fact　half…past　six　by　now。）　　〃I　have　been　searching　through　my　wardrobe　to　find　some　nether　garments　at　all　appropriate　to　the　overallif　I　may　so　term　it　which　you　were　kind　enough　to　lay　out　for　me。　　But　I　found　mustard　of　that　particular　shade　so　hard　to　match　that　I　finally　decided　in　favor　of　this　more　conventional　habit。　　I　trust　you　don't　mind？〃

Both　the　ladies；　though　evidently　disappointed；　excused　him　with　much　kindness；　and　Miss　Minchell　alluded　directly　to　his　blue　lapels　as　evidence　that　even　now　he　held　himself　somewhat　aloof　from　strict　orthodoxy。

〃May　we　see　any　allusion　to　your　uncle；　the　late　Count　Bunker；　in　his　choice　of　color？〃　she　asked　in　a　reverently　hushed　voice。

〃Yes；〃　replied　the　Count　readily；　〃my　aunt's　stockings　were　of　that　hue。〃

From　the　startled　glances　of　the　two　ladies　it　became　plain　that　the　late　Count　Bunker　had　died　a　bachelor。

〃My　other　aunt；〃　he　exclaimed　unabashed；　yet　nevertheless　it　was　with　decided　pleasure　that　he　heard　dinner　announced　immediately　afterwards。

〃They　seem　to　know　something　about　my　uncle；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃I　must　glean　a　few　particulars　too。〃

A　horrible　fear　lest　his　namesake　might　have　dined　solely　upon　herbs；　and　himself　be　expected　to　follow　his　example；　was　pleasantly　dissipated　by　a　glance　at　the　menu；　but　he　confessed　to　a　sinking　of　his　heart　when　he　observed　merely　a　tumbler　beside　his　own　plate　and　a　large　brown　jug　before　him。

〃Good　heavens！〃　he　thought；　〃do　they　imagine　an　Austrian　count　is　necessarily　a　beer　drinker？〃

With　a　sigh　he　could　not　quite　smother；　he　began　to　pour　the　contents　into　his　glass；