count bunker-第35章
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at a cordon of grooms and keepers guarded against his flight。 He showed a wonderful appetite； all circumstances considered； smoked a couple of cigars； and at last decided upon getting up and donning his evening clothes。 Thereafter nothing occurred； beyond the arrival of a luncheon tray； till the afternoon was well advanced； by which time even his good spirits had become a trifle damped； and his apprehensions considerably increased。
At last his prison door was again thrown open； this time by Sir Justin himself。
〃Come in； my dear；〃 he said in a grave voice； and with a downcast eye and scarlet cheek the fair Julia met her guest again。
Her father closed the door； and they seated themselves before their prisoner； who； after a profound obeisance to the lady； faced them from the edge of his bed with an air of more composure than he felt。
〃I await your explanation； Sir Justin；〃 he began； striking at once the note which seemed to him （so far as he could guess） most likely to be characteristic of an innocent and much…injured man。
〃You shall have it；〃 said Sir Justin grimly。 〃Julia； you asked this person to my house under the impression that he was the nephew of that particularly obnoxious fanatic； Count Herbrand Bunker； and still engaged upon furthering his relative's philanthropic and other visionary schemes。〃
〃But isn't he〃 began Julia with startled eyes。
〃I am Count Bunker；〃 said our hero firmly。
〃The nephew in question？〃 inquired Sir Justin。
〃Certainly； sir。〃
Again Sir Justin turned to his daughter。
〃I have already told you what I think of your conduct under any circumstances。 What your feelings will be I can only surmise when I inform you that I have detained this adventurer here until I had time to despatch a wire and receive an answer from Scotland Yard。〃
Both Count and Julia started。
〃What； sir！〃 exclaimed Bunker。
Quite unmoved by his protest； his captor continued； this time addressing him
〃My memory； fortunately； is unusually excellent； and when you told me this morning who you were related to； I recalled at once something I had heard of your past career。 It is now confirmed by the reply I received to my telegram。〃
〃And what； Sir Justin； does Scotland Yard have to say about me？〃
〃Julia；〃 said her parent； 〃this unhappy young man did indeed profess for some time a regard for his uncle's teachings； and even； I believe； advocated them in writing。 In this way he obtained the disposal of considerable funds contributed by unsuspicious persons for ostensibly philanthropic purposes。 About two years ago these funds and Count Bunker simultaneously disappeared； and your estimable guest was last heard of under an assumed name in the republic of Uruguay。〃
Uncomfortable as his predicament was； this picture of himself as the fraudulent philanthropist was too much for Bunker's sense of humor； and to the extreme astonishment of his visitors he went off into a fit of laughter so hearty and prolonged that it was some time before he recovered his gravity。
〃My dear friends；〃 he exclaimed at last； 〃I am not that Bunker at all！ In fact I was only created a few weeks ago。 Bring me back my clothes； and in return I'll tell you a deuced sight funnier story even than that。〃
Sir Justin rose and led his daughter to the door。
〃You will have an opportunity to…morrow；〃 he replied stiffly。 〃In the meantime I shall leave you to the enjoyment of the joke。〃
〃But； my dear sir〃
Sir Justin turned his back； and the door closed upon him again。
Count Bunker's position was now less supportable than ever。
〃Escape I must；〃 he thought。
And hardly had he breathed the word when a gleam of his old luck seemed to return。 He was standing by the window； and presently he observed a groom ride up on a bicycle； dismount； and push it through an outhouse door。 Then the man strolled off； and he said to himself； with an uprising of his spirits
〃There's my steedif I could once get to it！〃
Then again he thought the situation over； and gradually the prospect of a midnight ride on a bicycle over a road he had only once traversed； clad in his emblazoned socks and blue…lapelled coat； appeared rather less entertaining than another night's confinement。 So he lit his last cigar； threw himself on the bed； and resigned himself to the consolations of an innocent heart and a practical philosophy。
CHAPTER XXXII
The clearness of the Count's conscience may be gauged when it is narrated that no sooner had he dismissed the stump of his cigar toward the grate than he dropped into a peaceful doze and remained placidly unconscious of his perils for the space of an hour or more。 He was then awakened by the sound of a key being gently turned； and his opening eyes rested upon a charming vision of Julia Wallingford framed in the outline of the door。
〃Hush！〃 she whispered； 〃II have brought a note for you！〃
Smoothing his hair as he met her； the Count thanked her with an air of considerable feeling； and took from her hand a twisted slip of paper。
〃It was brought by a messengera man in a kilt； who came in a motor car。 I didn't know whether father would let you have it； so I brought it up myself。〃
〃Is the messenger waiting？〃
〃No； he went straight off again。〃
Unrolling the scrap he read this brief message scrawled in pencil and evidently in dire haste
〃All is lost！ I am prisoner！ Go straightway to London for help from my Embassy。 〃R。 VON B。〃
〃Good heavens！〃 he exclaimed aloud。
〃Is it bad news？〃 asked Julia； with a solicitude that instantly suggested possibilities to his fertile brain。
〃Horribly！〃 he said。 〃It tells of a calamity that has befallen a very dear friend of mine！ Oh； Rudolph； Rudolph！ And I a helpless prisoner！〃
As he anticipated； this outburst of emotion was not without its effect。
〃I am so sorry！〃 she said。 〃II don't believe； Count Bunker； you are as guilty as father says！〃
〃I swear to you I am not！〃
〃Can Ihelp you？〃
He thought swiftly。
〃Is there any one about the house just now？〃
〃Oh yes； the keeper is stationed in the hall！〃
〃Miss Wallingford； if you would atone for a deep injury which you have inadvertently done an innocent man； bring me fifty feet of stout rope！ And； I say； see that the door of the bicycle house is left unlocked。 Will you do this？〃
〃II'll try。〃
A sound on the stairs alarmed her； and with a fleeting smile of sympathy she was gone and the door locked upon him again。
Again the time passed slowly by； and he was left to ponder over the critical nature of the situation as revealed by the luckless Baron's intelligence。 Clearly he must escape to…night； at all hazards。
〃What's that？ My rope？〃 he wondered。
But it was only the arrival of his dinner； brought as before upon a tray and set just within the door； as though they feared for the bearer's life should he venture within reach of this desperate adventurer from Uruguay。
〃A very large dish for a very small appetite；〃 he thought； as he bore his meal over to the bed and drew his chair up before it。
It looked indeed as though a roasted goose must be beneath the cover。 He raised it； and there； behold！ lay a large coil of excellent new rope。 The Count chuckled。
〃Commend me to the heart and the wit of women！ What man would ever have provided so dainty a dish as this？ Unless； indeed〃 （he had the breadth of mind to add） 〃it happened to be a charming adventuress who was in trouble。〃
Drinking the half pint of moderate claret which they had allowed him to the happiness and prosperity of all true…hearted women； he could not help regretting that his imprisoned confederate should be so unlikely to enjoy similar good fortune。
〃He went too far with those two dear girls。 A woman deceived as he has deceived them will never forgive him。 They'd stand sentry at his cell…door sooner than let the poor Baron escape；〃 he reflected commiserately； and sighed to think of the disastrous effect this mishap might have both upon his friend's diplomatic career and domestic felicity。
While waiting for the dusk to deepen； and endeavoring to console himself for the lack of cigars with the poor remedy of cigarettes； he employed his time profitably i
