count bunker-第6章
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just made the discovery that his ancestral castle is let； but his tenant； in the most handsome spirit； invites us to be his guests so long as we are in Scotland。 A very hospitable letter； isn't it？〃
He handed him a large envelope with a more than proportionately large crest upon it； and drawing from this a sheet of note…paper headed by a second crest； the Baron read this epistle：
〃MY LORD；Learning that you propose visiting your Scottish estates； and Mr。 M'Fadyen； your factor； informing me no lodge is at present available for your reception； it will give Mrs。 Gallosh and myself great pleasure； and we will esteem it a distinguished honor； if you and your friend will be our guests at Hechnahoul Castle during the duration of your visit。 Should you do us the honor of accepting； I shall send my steam launch to meet you at Torrydhulish pier and convey you across the loch； if you will be kind enough to advise me which train you are coming by。
〃In conclusion； Mrs。 Gallosh and myself beg to assure you that although you find strangers in your ancestral halls； you will receive both from your tenantry and ourselves a very hearty welcome to your native land。 Believe me； your obedient servant； 〃DUNCAN JNO。 GALLOSH。〃
〃Zat is goot news！〃 cried the Baron。 〃Ve shall have companyperhaps ladies！ Ach； Bonker； I have ze soft spot in mine heart： I am so constant as ze needle to ze pole； but I do like sometimes to talk mit voman！〃
〃With Mrs。 Gallosh； for instance？〃
〃But； Bonker； zere may be a Miss Gallosh。〃
〃If you consulted the Baroness；〃 said Bunker； smiling； 〃I suspect she would prefer you to be imprisoned in China。〃
The Baron laughed； and curled his martial mustache with a dangerous air。
〃Who is zis Gallosh？〃 he inquired。
〃Scottish； I judge from his name； commercial； from his literary style； elevated by his own exertions； from the size of his crest； and wealthy； from the fact that he rents Hechnahoul Castle。 His mention of Mrs。 Gallosh points to the fact that he is either married or would have us think so； and I should be inclined to conclude that he has probably begot a family。〃
〃Aha！〃 said the Baron。 〃Ve vill gom and see； eh？〃
CHAPTER VI
A carefully clothed young man； with an eyeglass and a wavering gait； walked slowly out of Euston Station。 He had just seen the Scottish express depart； and this event seemed to have filled him with dubious reflections。 In fact； at the very last moment Lord Tulliwuddle's confidence in his two friends had been a trifling degree disturbed。 It occurred to him as he lingered by the door of their reserved first…class compartment that they had a little too much the air of gentlemen departing on their own pleasure rather than on his business。 No sooner did he drop a fretful hint of this opinion than their affectionate protestations had quickly revived his spirit； but now that they were no longer with him to counsel and encourage； it once more drooped。
〃Confound it！〃 he thought； 〃I hadn't bargained on having to keep out of people's way till they came back。 If Essington had mentioned that sooner； I don't know that I'd have been so keen about the notion。 Hang it！ I'll have to chuck the Morrells' dance。 And I can't go with the Greys to Ranelagh。 I can't even dine with my own aunt on Sunday。 Oh； the devil！〃
The perturbed young peer waved his umbrella and climbed into a hansom。
〃Well； anyhow； I can still go on seeing Connie。 That's some consolation；〃 he told himself； and without stopping to consider what would be the thoughts of his two obliging friends had they known he was seeking consolation in the society of one lady while they were arranging his nuptials with another； the baptismal Tulliwuddle drove back to the civilization of St。 James's。
Within the reserved compartment was no foreboding； no faint…hearted paling of the cheek。 As the train clattered； hummed； and presently thundered on its way； the two laughed cheerfully towards one another； delighted beyond measure with the prosperous beginning of their enterprise。 The Baron could not sufficiently express his gratitude and admiration for the promptitude with which his friend had purveyed so promising an adventure。
〃Ve vill have fon； my Bonker。 Ach！ ve vill；〃 he exclaimed for the third or fourth time within a dozen miles from Euston。
His Bunker assumed an air half affectionate； half apologetic。
〃I only regret that I should have the lion's share of the adventure； my dear Baron。〃
〃Yes；〃 said the Baron； with a symptom of a sigh； 〃I do envy you indeed。 Yet I should not say zat〃 Bunker swiftly interrupted him。
〃You would like to play a worthier part than merely his lordship's friend？〃
〃Ach！ if I could。〃
Bunker smiled benignantly。
〃Ah； Baron； you cannot suppose that I would really do Tulliwuddle such injustice as to attempt； in my own feeble manner； to impersonate him？〃
The Baron stared。
〃Vat mean you？〃
〃YOU shall be the lion； _I_ the humble necessary jackal。 As our friend so aptly quoted； noblesse oblige。 Of course； there can be no doubt about it。 You； Baron； must play the part of peer； I of friend。〃
The Baron gasped。
〃Impossible！〃
〃Quite simple； my dear fellow。〃
〃Youyou don't mean so？〃
〃I do indeed。〃
〃Bot I shall not do it so vell as you。〃
〃A hundred times better。〃
〃Bot vy did you not say so before？〃
〃Tulliwuddle might not have agreed with me。〃
〃Bot vould he like it now？〃
〃It is not what he likes that we should consider； it's what is good for his interests。〃
〃Bot if I should fail？〃
〃He will be no worse off than before。 Left to himself； he certainly won't marry the lady。 You give him his only chance。〃
〃Bot more zan you vould； really and truthfully？〃
〃My dear Baron； you are admitted by all to be an ideal German nobleman。 Therefore you will certainly make an ideal British peer。 You have the true Grand…Seigneur air。 No one would mistake you for anything but a great aristocrat； if they merely saw you in bathing pants； whereas I have something a little different about my manner。 I'm not so impressive not so hall…marked； in fact。〃
His friend's omniscient air and candidly eloquent tone impressed the Baron considerably。 His ingrained conviction of his own importance accorded admirably with these arguments。 His thirst for 〃life〃 craved this lion's share。 His sanguine spirit leaped at the appeal。 Yet his well…regulated conscience could not but state one or two patent objections。
〃Bot I have not read so moch of the Tollyvoddles as you。 I do not know ze strings so vell。〃
〃I have told you nearly everything I know。 You will find the rest here。〃
Essington handed him the note…book containing his succinct digest。 In intelligent anticipation of this contingency it was written in his clearest handwriting。
〃You should have been a German；〃 said the Baron admiringly。
He glanced with sparkling eyes at the note…book； and then with a distinctly greater effort the Teutonic conscience advanced another objection。
〃Bot you have bought ze kilt； ze Highland hat； ze brogue shoes。〃
〃I had them made to your measurements。〃
The Baron impetuously embraced his thoughtful friend。 Then again his smile died away。
〃Bot； Bonker； my voice！ Zey tell me I haf nozing zat you vould call qvite an accent； bot a foreigner one does regognize him； eh？〃
〃I shall explain that in a sentence。 The romantic tincture ofwell； not quite accent； is a pleasant little piece of affectation adopted by the young bloods about the Court in compliment to the German connections of the Royal family。〃
The Baron raised no more objections。
〃Bonker； I agree！ Tollyvoddle I shall be； by Jove and all！〃
He beamed his satisfaction； and then in an eager voice asked
〃You haf not ze kilt in zat hat…box？〃
Unfortunately； however； the kilt was in the van。
Now the journey； propitiously begun； became more exhilarating； more exciting with each mile flung by。 The Baron； egged on by his friend's high spirits and his own imagination to anticipate pleasure upon pleasure； watched with rapture the summer landscape whiz past the windows。 Through the flat midlands of England they sped； field after field； hedgerow after hedgerow
