count bunker- 第29部分

〃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；　and　then　set　it　down　abruptly；　emitting　a　startled　exclamation。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　cried　Julia　sympathetically。

Her　eyes　（he　was　embarrassed　to　note）　followed　his　every　movement　like　a　dog's；　and　her　apprehension　clearly　was　extreme。

〃This　seems　to　be　water；〃　smiled　the　Count；　with　an　effort　to　carry　off　their　error　as　pleasantly　for　them　as　possible。

〃Isn't　it　good　water？〃　asked　Julia　with　an　air　of　concern。

It　was　the　Count's　turn　to　open　his　eyes。

〃You　have　concluded　then　that　I　am　a　teetotaler？〃

〃Of　course；　we　know　you　are！〃

〃If　we　may　judge　by　your　prefaces；〃　smiled　Miss　Minchell。

The　Count　began　to　realize　the　hazards　that　beset　him；　but　his　spirit　stoutly　rose　to　meet　the　shock　of　the　occasion。

〃There　is　no　use　in　attempting　to　conceal　my　idiosyncrasies；　I　see；〃　he　answered。　　〃But　to…night；　will　you　forgive　me　if　I　break　through　the　cardinal　rule　of　my　life　and　ask　you　for　a　little　stimulant？　　My　doctor〃

〃I　see！〃　cried　Miss　Wallingford　compassionately。　　〃Of　course；　one　can't　dispute　a　doctor's　orders。　　What　would　you　like？〃

〃Oh；　anything　you　have。　　He　did　recommend　champagne　if　it　was　good；　but　anything　will　do。〃

〃A　bottle　of　the　VERY　best　champagne；　Mackenzie！〃

The　dinner　now　became　an　entirely　satisfactory　meal。　　Inspired　by　his　champagne　and　by　the　success　of　his　audacity　in　so　easily　surmounting　all　difficulties；　the　Count　delighted　his　hostesses　by　the　vivacity　and　originality　of　his　conversation。　　On　the　one　hand；　he　chose　topics　not　too　flippant　in　themselves　and　treated　them　with　a　becomingly　serious　air；　on　the　other；　he　carefully　steered　the　talk　away　from　the　neighborhood　of　his　uncle。

〃By　the　time　I　fetch　out　my　banjo　they'll　have　forgotten　all　about　him；〃　he　said　to　himself　complacently。

Knowing　well　the　importance　of　the　individual　factor　in　all　the　contingencies　of　life；　he　set　himself；　in　the　meanwhile；　to　study　with　some　attention　the　two　ladies　beside　him。　　Miss　Minchell　he　had　already　summarized　as　an　agreeable　nonentity；　and　this　impression　was　only　confirmed　on　better　acquaintance。　　It　was　quite　evident；　he　perceived；　that　she　was　dragged　practically　unresisting　in　Miss　Wallingford's　wakeeven　to　the　length　of　abetting　the　visit　of　an　unknown　bachelor　in　the　absence　of　Miss　Wallingford's　parent。

As　for　Julia；　he　decided　that　she　was　even　better…　looking　and　more　agreeable　than　he　had　at　first　imagined；　though；　having　the　gayest　of　hearts　himself；　he　was　a　trifle　disconcerted　to　observe　the　uniform　seriousness　of　her　ideas。　　How　one　could　reconcile　her　ecstatic　enthusiasm　for　the　ideal　with　her　evident　devotion　to　himself　he　was　at　a　loss　to　conceive。

〃However；　we　will　investigate　that　later；〃　he　thought。

But　first　came　a　more　urgent　question：　　Had　his　uncle　and　his　〃prefaces〃　committed　him　to　forswear　tobacco？　　He　resolved　to　take　the　bull　by　the　horns。

〃I　hope　you　will　not　be　scandalized　to　learn　that　I　have　acquired　the　pernicious　habit　of　smoking？〃　he　said　as　they　rose　from　the　table。

〃I　told　you　he　was　smoking　a　cigar　at　Hechnahoul！〃　cried　Miss　Minchell　with　an　air　of　triumph。

〃I　thought　you　were　mistaken；〃　said　Julia；　and　the　Count　could　see　that　he　had　slipped　a　little　from　his　pedestal。

This　must　not　be　permitted；　yet　he　must　smoke。

〃Of　course　I　don't　smoke　REAL　tobacco！〃　he　exclaimed。

〃Oh；　in　that　case；〃　cried　Julia；　〃certainly　then　you　may　smoke　in　the　drawing…room。　　What　is　it　you　use？〃

〃A　kind　of　herb　that　subdues　the　appetites；　Miss　Wallingford。〃

He　could　see　at　a　glance　that　he　was　more　firmly　on　his　pedestal　than　ever。



CHAPTER　XXX

〃I　have　been　longing　for　this　moment！〃　said　Julia　softly。

The　Count　and　she　were　seated　over　the　drawing…room　fire；　Bunker　in　an　easy…chair；　smoking　one　of　the　excellent　cigars　which　he　had　so　grievously　slandered；　Julia　upon　a　stool　by　his　knees；　her　face　suffused　with　the　most　intense　expression　of　rapture。　　Miss　Minchell　was　in　the　background；　shrouded　in　shadow；　purporting　to　be　enjoying　a　nap；　yet　the　Count　could　not　but　think　that　in　so　large　a　house　a　separate　apartment　might　well　have　been　provided　for　her。　　Her　presence；　he　felt；　circumscribed　his　actions　uncomfortably。

〃So　have　I！〃　he　murmured；　deeming　this　the　most　appropriate　answer。

〃Now　we　can　talk　about　HIM！〃

He　started；　but　preserved　his　composure。

〃Couldn't　we　keep　HIM　till　morning？〃　he　suggested。

〃But　that　is　why　you　are　here！〃

She　spoke　as　if　this　were　self…evident；　while　the　Count　read　himself　a　thousand　lessons　upon　the　errors　vanity　is　apt　to　lead　one　into。　　Yet　his　politeness　remained　unruffled。

〃Of　course；〃　he　answered。　　〃Of　course！　　But　you　see　my　knowledge　of　him〃

He　was　about　to　say　that　it　was　very　slight；　when；　fortunately　for　him；　she　interrupted　with　an　eager

〃I　know！　　I　know！　　You　were　more　than　a　son　to　him！〃

〃The　deuce　and　all！〃　thought　the　Count。　　〃That　was　a　narrow　squeak！〃

〃Do　you　know；〃　she　continued　in　the　same　tone；　〃I　have　actually　had　the　audacity　to　translate　one　of　his　booksyour　preface　and　all。〃

〃I　understand　the　allus