count bunker- 第18部分

〃Oh；〃　said　Alicia　indifferently；　〃I　am　not　really　interested。　　It　was　mere　idle　curiosity。〃

For　the　greater　part　of　twenty…four　hours　she　kept　this　mystery　locked　within　her　heart；　till　at　last　she　could　contain　it　no　longer。　　The　resolution　she　came　to　was　both　desperate　and　abruptly　taken。　　At　five　minutes　to　three　she　was　resolved　to　die　rather　than　mention　that　sprig　of　heather　to　a　soul；　at　five　minutes　past　she　was　on　her　way　to　Sir　Justin　Wallingford's　house。

〃It　may　be　going　behind　mamma's　back；〃　she　said　to　herself；　〃but　she　went　behind　mine　when　SHE　consulted　Sir　Justin。〃

It　was　probably　in　consequence　of　her　urgent　voice　and　agitated　manner　that　she　came　to　be　shown　straight　into　Sir　Justin's　library；　without　warning　on　either　side；　and　thus　surprised　her　counsellor　in　the　act　of　softly　singing　a　well…known　hymn　to　the　accompaniment　of　a　small　harmonium。　　He　seemed　for　a　moment　to　be　a　trifle　embarrassed；　and　the　glance　he　threw　at　his　footman　appeared　to　indicate　an　early　vacancy　in　his　establishment；　but　as　soon　as　he　had　recovered　his　customary　solemnity　his　explanation　reflected　nothing　but　credit　upon　his　character。

〃The　fact　is；〃　said　he；　〃that　I　am　shortly　going　to　rejoin　my　daughter　in　Scotland。　　You　are　aware　of　her　disposition；　Baroness？〃

〃I　have　heard　that　she　is　inclined　to　be　devotional。〃

〃She　is　devotional；〃　answered　this　excellent　man。　　〃I　have　taken　considerable　pains　to　see　to　it。　　As　your　mother　and　I　have　often　agreed；　there　is　no　such　safeguard　for　a　young　girl　as　a　hobby　or　mania　of　this　sort。〃

〃A　hobby　or　mania？〃　exclaimed　the　Baroness　in　a　pained　voice。

Sir　Justin　looked　annoyed。　　He　was　evidently　surprised　to　find　that　the　principles　inculcated　by　his　old　friend　and　himself　appeared　to　outlive　the　occasion　for　which　they　were　intendedto　wit；　the　protection　of　virgin　hearts　from　undesirable　aspirations　till　calm　reason　and　a　husband　should　render　them　unnecessary。

〃I　use　the　terms　employed　by　the　philosophical；〃　he　hastened　to　explain；　〃but　my　own　opinion　is　inclined　to　coincide　with　yours；　my　dear　Alicia。〃

This　paternal　use　of　her　Christian　name；　coupled　with　the　kindly　tone　of　his　justification；　encouraged　the　Baroness　to　open　her　business。

〃Sir　Justin；〃　she　began；　〃can　I　trust　youmay　I　ask　you　not　to　tell　my　mother　that　I　have　visited　you？〃

〃If　you　can　show　me　an　adequate　reason；　you　may　rely　upon　my　discretion；〃　said　the　ex…diplomatist　cautiously；　yet　with　an　encouraging　smile。

〃In　some　things　one　would　sooner　confide　in　a　man　than　a　woman；　Sir　Justin。〃

〃That　is　undoubtedly　true；〃　he　agreed　cordially。　　〃You　may　confide　in　me；　Baroness。〃

〃I　have　heard　from　my　husband　again。　　I　need　not　show　you　the　letter；　it　is　quite　satisfactoryoh；　quite；　I　assure　you！　　Only　I　found　this　enclosed　with　it。〃

In　breathless　silence　she　watched　him　examine　critically　first　the　heather　and　then　the　verses。

〃Lord　Tulliwuddle！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Is　there　anything　in　the　Baron's　letter　to　throw　any　light　upon　this？〃

〃Not　one　wordnot　the　slightest　hint。〃

Again　he　studied　the　paper。

〃Oh；　what　does　it　mean？〃　she　cried。　　〃I　came　to　you　because　you　know　all　about　the　Tulliwuddles。　　Where　is　Lord　Tulliwuddle　now？〃

〃I　am　not　acquainted　with　the　present　peer；〃　he　ansevered　meditatively。　　〃In　fact；　I　know　singularly　little　about　him。　　I　did　hearyes；　I　heard　from　my　daughter　some　rumor　that　he　was　shortly　expected　to　visit　his　place　in　Scotland；　but　whether　he　went　there　or　not　I　cannot　say。〃

〃You　can　find　out　for　me？〃

〃I　shall　lose　no　time　in　ascertaining。〃

The　Baroness　thanked　him　effusively；　and　rose　to　depart　with　a　mind　a　little　comforted。

〃And　you　won't　tell　mamma？〃

〃I　never　tell　a　woman　anything　that　is　of　any　importance。〃

The　Baroness　was　confirmed　in　her　opinion　that　Sir　Justin　was　not　a　very　nice　man；　but　she　felt　an　increased　confidence　in　his　judgment。



CHAPTER　XX

From　the　gargoyled　keep　which　the　cultured　enthusiasm　of　Eleanor　and　the　purse　of　her　father　had　recently　erected　at　Lincoln　Lodge；　the　brother　and　sister　looked　over　a　bend　of　the　river；　half　a　mile　of　valley　road；　a　wave　of　forest　country；　and　the　greater　billows　of　the　bare　hillsides　towering　beyond。　　But　out　of　all　this　prospect　it　was　only　upon　the　stretch　of　road　that　their　eyes　were　bent。

〃Surely　one　should　see　their　carriage　soon！〃　exclaimed　Eleanor。

〃Seems　to　me；〃　said　her　brother；　〃that　you're　sitting　something　like　a　cat　on　the　pounce　for　this　Tulliwuddle　fellow。　　Why；　Eleanor；　I　never　saw　you　so　excited　since　the　first　duke　came　along。　　I　thought　that　had　passed　right　off。〃

〃Oh；　Ri；　I　was　reading　'Waverley'　again　last　night；　and　somehow　I　felt　the　top　of　the　keep　was　the　only　place　to　watch　for　a　chief！〃

〃Why；　you　don't　expect　him　to　be　different　from　other　people？〃

〃Ri！　　I　tell　you　I'll　cry　if　he　looks　like　any　one　I've　ever　seen　before！　　Don't　you　remember　the　Count　said　he　moved　like　a　pine　in　his　native　forests？〃

〃He　won't　make　much　headway　like　that；〃　said　Ri　incisively。　　〃I'd　sooner　he　moved　like　something　more　spry　than　a　tree。　　I　guess　that　Count　was　talking　through　his　hat。〃

But　his　sister　was　not　to　be　argued　out　of　her　exalted　mood　by　such　prosaic　reasoning。　　She　exclaimed　at　his　sluggish　imagination；　reiterated　her　faith　in　the　insinuating　count's　assurances；　and　was　only　withheld　from　sending　her　brother　down　for　a　spy…glass　by　the　reflection　that　she　could　not　remember　reading　of　its　employment　by　any　maiden　in　analogous　circumstances。

It　was　at　this　auspicious　moment；　when　the　heart　of　the　expectant　heiress　was　inflamed　with　romantic　fancies　and　excited　with　the　suspense　of　waiting；　and　before　it　had　time　to　cool　through　any　undue　delay；　that　a　little　cloud　of　dust　first　caught　her　straining　eyes。

〃He　comes　at　last！〃　she　cried。

At　the　same　instant　the　faint　strains　of　the　pibroch　were　gently　wafted　to　her　embattled　tower。

〃He　is　bringing　his　piper！　　Oh；　what　a　duck　he　is！〃

〃Seems　to　me　he　is　bringing　a　dozen　of　them；〃　observed　Ri。

〃And　look；　Ri！　　The　sun　is　glinting　upon　steel！　　Claymores；　Ri！　oh；　how　heavenly！　　There　must　be　fifty　men！　　And　they　are　still　coming！　　I　do　believe　he　has　brought　the　whole　clan！〃

Too　petrified　with　delight　to　utter　another　exclamation；　she　watched　in　breathless　silence　the　approach　of　a　procession　more　formidable　than　had　ever　escorted　a　Tulliwuddle　since　the　year　of　Culloden。　　As　they　drew　nearer；　her　ardent　gaze　easily　distinguished　a　stalwart　figure　in　plaid　and　kilt；　armed　to　the　teeth　with　target　and　claymore；　marching　with　a　stately　stride　fully　ten　paces　before　his　retinue。

〃The　chief！〃　she　murmured。

Now　indeed　she　saw　there　was　no　cause　to　mourn；　for　any　one　at　all　resembling　the　Baron　von　Blitzenberg　as　he　appeared　at　that　moment　she　had　certainly　never　met　before。　　Intoxicated　with　his　finery　and　with　the　terrific　peals　of　melody　behind　him；　he　pranced　rather　than　walked　up　to　the　portals　of　Lincoln　Lodge；　and　there；　to　the　amazement　and　admiration　alike　of　his　clansmen　and　his　expectant　host；　he　burst　forth　into　the　following　Celtic　fragment；　translated　into　English　for　the　occasion　by　his　assiduous　friend　from　a　hitherto　undiscovered　manuscript　of　Ossian：

　　　　　〃I　am　ze　chieftain；　　　　　　　　Nursed　in　ze　mountains；　　　　　　　　Behold　me；　Macigigig　ish！

（Yet　the　Count　had　written　this　word　very　distinctly。）

　　　　　〃Oich　for　ze　claymore！　　　　　　　　Hoch　for　ze　philabeg！　　　　　　　　Sons　of　ze　red　deers；　　　　　　　　Children　of　eagles；　　　　　　　　I　will　supply　you　　　　　　　　Mit　Sassenach　carcases！〃

At　this　point　came　a　momentary　lull；　the　chieftain's　eyes　rolling　bloodthirstily；　but　the　rhapsody　having　apparently　become　congested　within　his　fiery　heart。　His　audience；　however；　were　not　given　time　to　recover　their　senses；　before　a　striking…looking　individual；　adorned　with　tartan　trews　and　a　feathered　hat；　in　whom　all　were　pleased　to　recognize　Count　Bunker；　whispered　briefly　in　his　lordship's　ear；　and　like　a　river　in　spate　he　foamed　on：

　　　　　〃Donald　and　Ronald　　　　　　　　Avake　from　your　slumbers！　　　　　　　　Maiden　so　lovely；　　　　　　　　Smile　mit　your　bright　eyes！　　　　　　　　Ze　heather　is　blooming！　　　　　　　　Ze　vild　cat　is　growling！　　　　　　　　Hech　Dummeldirroch！　　　　　　　　Behold　Tollyvoddle；　　　　　　　　Ze　Lord　of　ze　Mountains！〃　　

Hardly　had　the　reverberations　of　the　chieftain's　voice　died　away；　when　the　Count；　uttering　a　series　of　presumably　Gaelic　cries；　advanced　with　the　most　dramatic　air；　and　threw　his　broad…sword　upon　the　ground。　　The　Baron　laid　his　across　it；　the　pipes　struck　up　a　less　formidable；　but　if　anything　more　exciting　air；　and　the　two　noblemen；　springing　simultaneously　from　the　ground；　began　what　the　Count　confidently　trusted　their　American　hosts　would　accept　as　the　national　sworddance。

This　lasted　for　some　considerable　time；　and　gave　the　Count　an　opportunity　of　testifying　his　remarkable　agility　and　the　Baron　of　displaying　the　greater　part　of　his　generously　proportioned　limbs；　while　the　lung　power　of　both　became　from　that　moment　proverbial　in　the　glen。

At　the　conclusion　of　this　ceremony　the　chieftain；　crimson；　breathless；　and　radiant；　a　sight　for　gods　and　ladies；　advanced　to　greet　his　host。

〃Very　happy　to　see　you；　Lord　Tulliwuddle；〃　said　Mr。　Maddison。　　〃Allow　me　to　offer　you　my　very　sincere　congratulations　on　your　exceedingly　interesting　exhibition。　　Welcome　to　Lincoln　Lodge；　your　lordship！　　My　daughtermy　son。〃

Eleanor；　almost　as　flushed　as　the　Baron　by　her　headlong　rush　from　the　keep　at　the　conclusion　of　the　sword…　dance；　threw　him　such　a　smile　as　none　of　her　admirers　had　ever　enjoyed　before；　while　he；　incapable　of　speech　beyond　a　gasped　〃Ach！〃　bowed　so　low　that　the　Count　had　gently　to　adjust　his　kilt。　　Then　followed　the　approach　of　the　Gallosh　family；　attired　in　costumes　of　Harris　tweed　and　tartan　selected　and　arranged　under　the　artistic　eye　of　Count　Bunker；　and　escorted；　to　their　huge　delight；　by　six　picked　clansmen。　　Their　formal　presentation　having　been　completed　by　a　last　skirl　on　the　bagpipes；　the　whole　party　moved　in　procession　to　the　banqueting…hall。

〃A　complete　success；　I　flatter　myself；〃　thought　Count　Bunker；　with　excusable　complacency。

To　the　banquet　itself　it　is　scarcely　possible　for　a　mere　mortal　historian　to　pay　a　fitting　tribute。　　Every　rarity　known　to　the　gourmet　tha