"My segretary 'as tol' you of my agsident, yes. I voz much oblige' vor a
lif' to Brrrrooch. These gattle"--contemptuously he pointed to the
waggoner and his great beasts, to whose common sagacity he owed his
life--"should not allowed be on der roats, no. Ach, so. It voz all
wrong."
"Quite so," said Berry. "I think they're worse than pedestrians. If I
had my way, nothing but high-powered cars would be allowed on any high
road. If people can't afford cars, let them keep to the lanes."
"So 'ave I say often. What vor are der baths an' lanes else? Bah!"
By now Adele had taken her seat in front, and my brother-in-law, who had
descended, was ushering Mr. Dunkelsbaum into the place she had left.
With a grunt the fellow made to hoist himself in, when Nobby took a
flying leap from the front seat and planted himself in the intruder's
path, barking furiously.
Immediately withdrawing the foot which he had set upon the carpet, Mr.
Dunkelsbaum descended anyhow on to his secretary, who was not expecting
him and so too late to recede. The scream of agony which the unfortunate
creature emitted, no less than the convulsive way in which he clung to
the wing, while standing upon one leg and protesting with a horrible
leer that he was unhurt, gave the lie to his words.
His employer spoke at once and to the point.
"Den, if you 'ave no 'urt, what vor 'ave you yell in mine ear-'ole?
Bah!" He turned to me. "You vill blease gondrol der 'ound."
Mastering a desire to do the man violence, I leaned out and over the
back of my seat and, taking Nobby by the scruff of his neck, hauled him
struggling and growling across the barrier. Adele received him tenderly
and endeavoured to soothe him. But the Sealyham was mourning a lost
opportunity and would not be comforted.
Bluntly commanding his creature to stay with the car and arrange for its
salvage, Mr. Dunkelsbaum once more heaved himself into the Rolls and
sank upon the back seat. Berry followed, and a moment later I had let in
the clutch and turned up the by-road.
By the time we had reached the entrance to the enclosure it was ten
minutes past two, and, as Berry got out to open and hold the gate, I saw
our passenger bring out a handsome timepiece and, after a glance at the
dial, replace it in some uneasiness.
"Your dime voz der same as London?" he inquired.
"Five minutes ahead," I replied maliciously.
"Ach!"
"We shall do it all right," I said airily, "Your appointment's at three,
isn't it?"
Mr. Dunkelsbaum went a rich green colour, half rose from his seat, and
clawed at the air before replying.
"Three?" he raved. "Three? No, no! Alf-pas' doo, man, 'alf-pas' doo! 'Oo
'as say it voz three? In a quarder of an hour ve mus' be dere. It is
fital, yes."
Adele began to shake with laughter.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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