count bunker-第31部分

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mself　Lord　Tulliwuddle；　and　then　the　Baron　von　something　or　other。　　Well；　now；　that's　two　of　the　aristocracy　in　this　under…　sized　apartment　already。　　There's　hardly　room　for　a　thirdsee？　　Can't　you　be　plain　Mrs。　Smith　for　a　change？〃

The　Countess　tottered。

〃Fellow！〃　she　said　in　a　faint　voice；　〃II　do　not　understand　you。〃

〃Thought　that　would　fetch　her　down；〃　commented　Ri。

〃Lead　her　back　to　ze　train　and　make　her　go　to　London！〃　pleaded　the　Baron　earnestly。

〃You　stick　to　it；　you　don't　know　her？〃　asked　Mr。　Maddison　shrewdly。

〃No；　no；　I　do　not！〃

〃Is　her　name　Lady　Grillyer？〃

〃Not　more　zan　it　is　mine！〃

〃Rudolph！〃　gasped　the　Countess　inarticulately。　〃He　ishe　WAS　my　son！〃

〃Stoff　and　nonsense！〃　roared　the　Baron。　　〃Remove　her！I　am　tired。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Mr。　Maddison；　〃I　guess　I　don't　much　believe　either　of　you；　but　whether　you　know　each　other　or　not；　you　make　such　a　remarkably　fine　couple　that　I　reckon　you'd　better　get　acquainted　now。　　Come；　Ri。〃

And　before　either　Countess　or　Baron　could　interpose；　their　captors　had　slipped　out；　the　key　was　turned；　and　they　were　left　to　the　dual　enjoyment　of　the　antique　apartment。

〃Teufel！〃　shouted　the　Baron；　kicking　the　door　frantically。　　〃Open　him；　open　him！　　I　vill　pay　you　a　hondred　pound！　　Goddam！　　Open！〃

But　only　the　gasps　of　the　Countess　answered　him。

It　is　generally　conceded　that　if　you　want　to　see　the　full　depths　of　brutality　latent　in　man；　you　must　thoroughly　frighten　him　first。　　This　condition　the　Countess　of　Grillyer　had　exactly　succeeded　in　fulfilling；　with　the　consequence　that　the　Baron；　hitherto　the　most　complacent　and　amiable　of　sons…in…law；　seemed　ambitious　of　rivalling　the　Turk。　　When　he　perceived　that　no　answer　to　his　appeals　was　forthcoming；　dark　despair　for　a　moment　overcame　him。　　Then　the　fiendishly　ingenious　idea　struck　himmight　not　a　woman's　screams　accomplish　what　his　own　lungs　were　unable　to　effect？　　Turning　an　inflamed　and　frowning　countenance　upon　the　lady　who　had　intrusted　her　daughter's　happiness　to　his　hands；　he　addressed　her　in　a　deep　hissing　voice

〃Shcream；　shcream；　voman！　　Shcream　loudly；　or　I　vill　knock　you！〃

But　the　Countess　was　made　of　stern　stuff。　　Outraged　and　frightened　though　she　was；　she　yet　retorted　huskily

〃I　will　not　scream；　Rudolph！　　II　demand　an　explanation　first！〃

Executing　a　step　of　the　sword…dance　within　a　yard　of　her；　he　reiterated

〃Shcream　so　zat　zey　may　come　back！〃

She　blinked；　but　held　her　ground。

〃I　insist　upon　knowing　what　you　mean；　Rudolph！　　I　insist　upon　your　telling　me！　　What　are　you　doing　here　in　that　preposterous　kilt？〃

The　Baron's　wits　brightened　with　the　acuteness　of　the　emergency。

〃Ha！〃　he　cried；　〃I　vill　take　my　kilt　offtake　him　off　before　your　eyes　this　instant　if　you　do　not　shcream！〃

But　she　merely　closed　her　eyes。

〃If　you　dare！　　If　you　dare；　Rudolph；　I　shall　inform　your　Emperor！　　And　I　will　not　look！　　I　cannot　see　you！〃

Whether　in　deference　to　imperial　prejudices；　or　because　a　kiltless　man　would　be　thrown　away　upon　a　lady　who　refused　to　look　at　him；　the　Baron　regretfully　desisted　from　this　project。　　At　his　wits'　end；　he　besought　her

〃Make　zem　take　you　avay；　so　zat　you　vill　be　safe　from　my　rage！　　I　do　not　trost　myself　mit　you。　　I　am　so　violent　as　a　bull！　　Better　zat　you　should　go；　far　betterdo　you　not　see？〃

〃No；　Rudolph；　no！〃　replied　the　adamant　lady。　　〃I　have　come　to　guard　you　against　your　own　abandoned　nature；　and　I　shall　only　leave　this　room　when　you　do！〃

She　sat　down　and　faced　him；　palpitating；　but　immovable；　and　against　such　obstinacy　the　unhappy　Rudolph　gave　up　the　contest　in　despair。

〃But　I　shall　not　talk　mit　her；　oh；　Himmel；　nein！〃　he　said　to　himself；　and　in　pursuance　of　this　policy　sat　with　his　back　turned　to　her　while　the　shadows　of　evening　gradually　filled　the　room。　　In　vain　did　she　address　him：　he　neither　answered　nor　moved。　　Indeed；　to　discourage　her　still　further；　he　even　summoned　up　a　forced　gaiety　of　demeanor；　and　in　a　low　rumble　of　discords　sang　to　himself　the　least　respectable　songs　he　knew。

〃His　mind　is　certainly　deranged；〃　thought　the　Countess。　　〃I　must　not　let　him　out　of　my　sight。　　Ah；　poor　Alicia！〃

But　in　time；　when　the　dusk　was　thickening　so　fast　that　her　son…in…law's　broad　back　had　already　grown　indistinct　of　outline；　and　no　voice　or　footstep　had　come　near　their　prison；　her　thoughts　began　to　wander　from　his　case　to　her　own。　　The　outrageous　conduct　of　those　Americans　in　discrediting　her　word　and　incarcerating　her　person；　though　overshadowed　at　the　time　by　the　yet　greater　atrocity　of　the　Baron's　behavior；　now　loomed　up　in　formidable　proportions。　　And　the　gravity　of　their　offence　was　emphasized　by　an　unpleasant　sensation　she　now　began　to　experience　with　considerable　acuteness。

〃Do　they　mean　to　starve　us　as　well　as　insult　us？〃　she　wondered。

The　Baron's　thoughts　also　seemed　to　have　drifted　into　a　different　channel。　　He　no　longer　sang；　he　fidgeted　in　his　chair；　he　even　softly　groaned；　and　at　last　he　actually　changed　his　attitude　so　far　as　to　survey　the　dim　form　of　his　mother…in…law　over　one　shoulder。

〃Oh；　ze　devil！〃　he　exclaimed　aloud。　　〃I　am　so　hongry！〃

〃That　is　no　reason　why　you　should　also　be　profane；〃　said　the　Countess　severely。

〃I　did　not　speak　to　you；〃　retorted　the　Baron；　and　again　a　constrained　silence　fell　on　the　room。

The　Baron　was　the　first　to　break　it。

〃Ha！〃　he　cried。　　〃I　hear　a　step。〃

〃Thank　God！〃　exclaimed　the　Countess　devoutly。

In　the　blaze　of　a　stable　lantern　there　entered　to　them　Dugald　M'Culloch；　jailor。

〃Will　you　be　for　any　supper？〃　he　inquired；　with　a　politeness　he　felt　due　to　prisoners　with　purses。

〃I　do　starve！〃　replied　the　Baron。

〃And　I　am　nearly　fainting！〃　cried　the　Countess。

Both　rose　with　an　alacrity　astonishing　in　people　so　nearly　exhausted；　and　made　as　though　they　would　pass　out。　　With　a　deprecatory　gesture　Dugald　arrested　them。

〃I　will　bring　your　supper　fery　soon；〃　said　he。

〃Here？〃　gasped　the　Countess。

〃It　is　the　master's　orders。〃

〃Tell　him　I　vill　have　him　ponished　mit　ze　law；　if　he　does　not　let　me　come　out！〃　roared　the　Baron。

Their　jailor　was　courtesy　itself；　but　it　was　in　their　prison　that　they　suppeda　silent　meal；　and　very　plain。　　And；　bitterest　pill　of　all；　they　were　further　informed　that　in　their　prison　they　must　pass　the　night。

〃In　ze　same　room！〃　cried　the　Baron　frantically。　　〃Impossible！　　Improper！〃

Even　his　mother…in…law's　solicitude　shrank　from　this　vigil；　but　with　unruffled　consideration　for　their　comfort　their　guardian　and　his　assistants　made　up　two　beds　forthwith。　　The　Baron；　subdued　to　a　fierce　and　snarling　moodiness；　watched　their　preparations　with　a　lurid　eye。

〃Put　not　zat　bed　so　near　ze　door；〃　he　snapped。

In　his　ear　his　jailor　whispered；　〃That　one's　for　you；　sir；　and　dinna　put　off　your　clothes！〃

The　Baron　started；　and　from　that　moment　his　air　of　resignation　began　to　affront　the　Countess　as　deeply　as　his　previous　violence。　　When　they　were　again　alone；　stretched　in　black　darkness　each　upon　their　couch；　she　lifted　up　her　voice　in　a　last　word　of　protest

〃Rudolph！　have　you　no　single　feeling　for　me　left？　　Why　didn't　you　stab　that　man？〃

But　the　Baron　merely　retorted　with　a　lifelike　affectation　of　snoring。



CHAPTER　XXXVI

For　a　long　time　the　Baron　lay　wide　awake；　every　sense　alert；　listening　for　the　creak　of　a　footstep　on　the　wooden　stair　that　led　up　from　the　harness…room　to　his　prison。　　What　else　could　the　strange　words　of　Dugald　have　meant；　save　that　some　friend　proposed　to　climb　those　stairs　and　gently　open　that　stubborn　door？　　And　in　this　opinion　he　had　been　confirmed　when　he　observed　that　on　Dugald's　departure　the　key　turned　with　a　silence　suggesting　a　recently　oiled　lock。　　His　bed　lay　along　the　wall；　with　the　head　so　close　to　the　door　that　any　one　opening　it　and　stretching　forth　a　hand　could　tweak　him　by　the　nose　without　an　effort　（supposing　that　were　the　object　of　their　visit）。　　Clearly；　he　thought；　it　was　not　thus　arranged　without　some　very　special　purpose。　　Yet　when　hour　after　hour　passed　and　nothing　happened；　he　began　to　sleep　fitfully；　and　at　last；　worn　out　with　fruitless　waiting；　dropped　into　a　profound　slumber。

He　was　in　the　midst　of　a　harassing　dream　or　drama；　wherein　Bunker　and　Eva　played　an　incoherent　part　and　he　himself　passed　wearily　from　peril　to　peril；　when　the　stage　suddenly　was　cleared；　his　eyes　started　open；　and　he　became　wakefully　conscious　of　a　little　ray　of　light　that　fell　upon　his　face。　　Before　he　could　raise　his　head　a　soft　voice　whispered　urgently；

〃Don't　move！〃

With　admirable　self…control　he　obeyed　implicitly。

〃Who　is　zere？〃　he　whispered　back。

The　voice　seemed　for　a　moment　to　hesitate；　and　then　answered

〃Eleanor　Maddison！〃

He　started　so　audibly　that　again　she　breathed　peremptorily

〃Hush！　　Lie　still　till　I　come　back。　　Youyou　don't　deserve　it；　but　I　want　to　save　you　from　the　disgrace　of　arrest。〃

〃Ach；　zank　youmine　better　angel！〃　he　murmured；　with　a　fervor　that　seemed　not　unpleasing　to　his　rescuer。

〃You　really　are　a　nobleman　in　trouble？〃

〃I　swear　I　am！〃

〃And　didn't　mean　anything　really　wrong？〃

〃Neveroh；　never！〃

More　kindly　than　before　she　murmured

〃Well；　I　guess　I'll　take　you　out；　then。　　I've　bribed　Dugald；　so　that's　all　right。　　When　my　car's　ready　I'll　send　him　up　for　you。　　You　just　lie　still　till　he　comes。〃

From　which　it　appears　that　Count　Bunker's　appreciation　of　the　sex　fell　short　of　their　meed。

Hardly　daring　to　breathe　for　fear　of　awakening　his　fellow…prisoner；　trembling　with　agitation；　and　consumed　by　a　mad　impatience　for　action；　the　Baron　passed　five　of　the　longest　minutes　he　had　ever　endured。　　At　the　end　of　that　time　he　heard　a　stealthy　step　upon　the　stairs；　and　with　infinite　precautions　threw　off　his　bedclothes　and　sat　upright；　ready　for　instant　departure。　　But　how　slowly　and　with　what　a　superfluity　of　precaution　his　jailor　moved！　　When　the　door　at　length　opened　he　wondered　that　no　ray　of　light　fell　this　time。

〃Dugald！〃　he　whispered　eagerly。

〃Hush！〃　replied　a　softer　voice　than　Dugald's；　as　soft；　indeed；　as　Eleanor's；　yet　clearly　different。

〃Who　is　zat？〃　he　gasped。

〃Eva　Gallosh！〃　said　the　silken　voice。　　〃Oh；　is　that　you？〃

〃Yesyesit　is　me。〃

〃And　are　you　really　a　Baron　and　an　ambassador？〃

〃Oh　yesyescertainly　I　am。〃

〃Thenthen