count bunker-第41章

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〃That's　just　what　I　want　to　know　too；〃　added　Eva　sadly。

Indeed；　they　both　had　a　hint　of　tears　in　their　eyes；　and　in　their　voices。

〃What　has　happened；〃　replied　the　Count；　〃is　that　a　couple　of　thoughtless　masqueraders　came　up　here　to　play　a　little　joke；　and　succeeded　in　getting　themselves　into　a　scrape。　　For　your　share　in　getting　us　out　of　it　we　cannot　feel　too　grateful。〃

〃But；　who　is？〃　the　girls　began　together；　and　then　stopped；　with　a　rise　of　color　and　a　suspicion　of　displeasure　in　their　interchange　of　eyes。

〃Who　is　who？　　Well；　my　friend　is　the　Baron　von　Blitzenberg；　and　the　lady　is；　as　she　stated；　his　wife。〃

〃Then　all　this　time〃　began　Eva。

〃He　was　married！〃　Eleanor　finished　for　her。　　〃Oh；　the　heartless　scoundrel！　　To　think　that　I　rescued　him！〃

〃I　wouldn't　have　either！〃　said　Eva；　〃I　mean　if　if　I　had　known　he　treated　you　so　badly。〃

〃Treated　ME！　　I　was　only　thinking　of　YOU；　Miss　Gallosh！〃

〃Dear　ladies！〃　interposed　the　Count　with　his　ready　tact；　〃remember　his　excuse。〃

〃His　excuse？〃

〃The　beauty；　the　charm；　the　wit　of　the　lady　who　took　by　storm　a　heart　not　easily　captured！　　He　himself；　poor　fellow；　thought　it　love…proof；　but　he　had　not　then　met　HER。　　Think　mercifully　of　him！〃

He　was　so　careful　to　give　no　indication　which　of　the　rival　belles　was　〃her；〃　that　each　was　able　to　take　to　herself　a　certain　mournful　consolation。

〃That　wasn't　MUCH　excuse；〃　said　Eleanor；　yet　with　a　less　vindictive　air。

〃Certainly　not　VERY　much；〃　murmured　Eva。

〃He　ought　to　have　thought　of　the　pain　he　was　giving　HER；〃　added　Eleanor。

〃Yes；〃　said　Eva。　　〃Indeed　he　ought！〃

〃Yes；　that　is　true；〃　allowed　the　Count；　〃but　remember　his　punishment！　　To　be　married　already　now　proves　to　be　less　his　fault　than　his　misfortune。〃

By　this　time　he　had　insidiously　led　them　back　to　their　car。

〃And　must　you　return　at　once？〃　he　exclaimed。

〃We　had　better；〃　said　Eleanor；　with　a　suspicion　of　a　sigh。　　〃Miss　Gallosh；　I'll　drive　you　home　first。〃

〃You're　too　kind；　Miss　Maddison。〃

〃Oh；　no！〃

The　Count　assisted　them　in；　greatly　pleased　to　see　this　amicable　spirit。　　Then　shaking　hands　heartily　with　each；　he　said

〃I　can　speak　for　my　friend　with　conviction；　because　my　own　regard　for　the　lady　in　question　is　as　deep　and　as　sincere　as　his。　　Believe　me；　I　shall　never　forget　her！〃

He　was　rewarded　with　two　of　the　kindest　smiles　ever　bestowed　upon　him；　and　as　they　drove　away　each　secretly　wondered　why　she　had　previously　preferred　the　Baron　to　the　Count。　　It　seemed　a　singular　folly。

〃Two　deuced　nice　girls；〃　mused　he；　〃I　do　believe　I　told　'em　the　truth　in　every　particular！〃

He　watched　their　car　dwindle　to　a　scurrying　speck；　and　then　strolled　back　thoughtfully　to　purchase　his　ticket。

He　found　the　signals　down；　and　the　far…off　clatter　of　the　train　distinctly　audible　through　the　early　morning　air。　　A　few　minutes　more　and　he　was　stepping　into　a　first…class　compartment；　his　remarkable　costume　earning　（he　could　not　but　observe）　the　pronounced　attention　of　the　guard。　　The　Baron　and　Alicia；　with　an　air　of　mutual　affection；　entered　another；　both　the　doors　were　closed；　everything　seemed　ready；　yet　the　train　lingered。

〃Start　ze　train！　　Start　ze　train！　　I　vill　give　you　a　poundtwo　poundtree　pound；　to　start　him！〃

The　Count　leaped　up　and　thrust　his　head　through　the　window。

〃What　the　dickens！〃　thought　he。

Hanging　out　of　the　other　window　he　beheld　the　clamant　Baron　urging　the　guard　with　frenzied　entreaty。

〃But　they're　wanting　to　go　by　the　train；　sir；〃　said　the　guard。

〃No；　no。　　Zey　do　not！　　It　is　a　mistake！　　Start　him！〃

Following　their　gaze　he　saw；　racing　toward　them；　the　cause　of　their　delay。　　It　was　a　motor　car；　yet　not　the　same　that　had　so　lately　departed。　　In　this　were　seated　a　young　man　and　an　elderly　lady；　both　waving　to　hold　back　the　train；　and　to　his　vast　amazement　he　recognized　in　the　man　Darius　Maddison；　junior；　in　the　lady　the　Countess　of　Grillyer。

The　car　stopped；　the　occupants　alighted；　and　the　Countess；　supported　on　the　strong　arm　of　Ri；　scuttled　down　the　platform。

〃Bonker；　take　her　in　mit　you！〃　groaned　the　Baron；　and　his　head　vanished　from　the　Count's　sight。

Even　this　ordeal　was　not　too　much　for　Bunker's　fidelity。

〃Madam；　there　is　room　here！〃　he　announced　politely；　as　they　swept　past；　but　with　set　faces　they　panted　toward　the　doomed　von　Blitzenberg。

All　of　the　tragedy　that　the　Count；　with　strained　neck；　could　see　or　overhear；　was　a　vision　of　the　Countess　being　pushed　by　the　guard　and　her　escort　into　that　first…class　compartment　whence　so　lately　the　Baron's　crimson　visage　had　protruded；　and　the　voice　of　Ri　stridently　declaring

〃Guess　you'll　recognize　your　momma　this　time；　Baron！〃

A　whistle　from　the　guard；　another　from　the　engine；　and　they　were　off；　clattering　southward　in　the　first　of　the　morning　sunshine。

Inadequately　attired；　damp；　hungry；　and　divorced　from　tobacco　as　the　Count　was；　he　yet　could　say　to　himself　with　the　sincerest　honesty

〃I　wouldn't　change　carriages　with　the　Baron　von　Blitzenbergnot　even　for　a　pair　of　dry　socks　and　a　cigar！　　Alas；　poor　Rudolph！　　May　this　teach　all　young　men　a　lesson　in　sobriety　of　conduct！〃

For　which　moral　reflection　the　historian　feels　it　incumbent　upon　him；　as　a　philosopher　and　serious　psychologist；　to　express　his　conscientious　admiration。



EPILOGUE

IT　was　an　evening　in　early　August；　luminous　and　warm；　the　scene；　a　certain　club　now　emptied　of　all　but　a　sprinkling　of　its　members；　the　festival；　dinner；　and　the　persons　of　the　play；　that　gentleman　lately　known　as　Count　Bunker　and　his　friend　the　Baron　von　Blitzenberg。　　The　Count　was　habited　in　tweeds；　the　Baron　in　evening　dress。

〃It　vas　good　of　you　to　come　up　to　town　jost　to　see　me；〃　said　the　Baron。

〃I'd　have　crossed　Europe；　Baron！〃

The　Baron　smiled　faintly。　　Evidently　he　was　scarcely　in　his　most　florid　humor。

〃I　vish　I　could　have　asked　you　to　my　club；　Bonker。〃

〃Are　you　dissatisfied　with　mine？〃

〃Oh；　no；　no！　　But　vell；　ze　fact　is；　it　vould　be　reported　by　some　one　if　I　took　you　to　ze　Regents。　　Bonker；　she　does　have　me　watched！〃

〃The　Baroness？〃

〃Her　mozzer。〃

〃The　deuce；　Baron！〃

The　diplomatist　gloomily　sipped　his　wine。

〃You　did　hush　it　all　up；　eh？〃　he　inquired　presently。

〃Completely。〃

〃Zank　you。　　I　vas　so　afraid　of　some　scandal！〃

〃So　were　they；　that's　where　I　had　'em。〃

〃Did　zey　write　in　moch　anger？〃

〃Nonot　very　much　；　rather　nice　letters；　in　fact。〃

The　Baron　began　to　cheer　up。

〃Ach；　so！　　Vas　zere　any　news　ofze　Galloshes？〃

〃Yes；　they　seem　very　well。　　Old　Rentoul　has　caught　a　salmon。　　Gallosh　hopes　to　get　a　fair　bag〃

〃Bot　did　zey　say　nozing　aboutabout　Miss　Eva？〃

〃The　letter　was　written　by　her；　you　see。〃

〃SHE　wrote　to　YOU！　　Strange！〃

〃Very　odd；　isn't　it？〃

The　Baron　meditated　for　a　minute　and　then　inquired

〃Vat　of　ze　Maddisons？〃

〃Well；　I　gather　that　Mr。　Maddison　is　erecting　an　ibis　house　in　connection　with　the　aviary。　　Ri　has　gone　to　Kamchatka；　but　hopes　to　be　back　by　the　12th〃

〃And　Eleanorno　vord　of　her？〃

〃It　was　she　who　wrote；　don't　you　know。〃

〃Eleanorand　also　to　you！　　Bot　vy　should　she？〃

〃Can't　imagine；　can　you？〃

The　Baron　shook　his　head　solemnly。　　〃No；　Bonker；　I　cannot。〃

For　some　moments　he　pondered　over　the　remarkable　conduct　of　these　ladies；　and　then

〃Did　you　also　hear　of　ze　Wallingfords？〃　he　asked。

〃I　had　a　short　note　from　them。〃

〃From　him；　or〃

〃Her。〃

〃So！　　Humph；　zey　all　seem　fond　of　writing　letters。〃

〃Whyhave　you　had　any　too？〃

〃No；　and　I　do　not　vant　zem。〃

Yet　his　immunity　did　not　appear　to　exhilarate　the　diplomatist。

〃Another　bottle　of　the　same；〃　said　Bunker　aside　to　the　waiter。

　。　　　。　　　　。　　　　。　　　　。　　　　。


It　was　an　hour　later；　the　scene　and　the　personages　the　same；　but　the　atmosphere　marvellously　altered。

〃To　ze　ladies；　Bonker！〃

〃To　HER；　Baron！〃

〃To　zem　both！〃

The　genial　heart；　the　magnanimous　soul　of　Rudolph　von　Blitzenberg　had　asserted　their　dominion　again。　　Depression；　jealousy；　repentance；　qualms；　and　all　other　shackles　of　the　spirit　whatsoever；　had　fled　discomfited。　　Now　at　last　he　saw　his　late　exploits　in　their　true　heroic　proportions；　and　realized　his　marvellous　good　fortune　in　satisfying　his　aspirations　so　gloriously。　　Raising　his　glass　once