The Lunatic at LargeClouston, J. Storer (Joseph Storer)
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The Lunatic at Large
Clouston, J. Storer (Joseph Storer)
Humorous stories; Nobility -- Germany -- Fiction
His lordship opened a door, and turning on an electric light, revealed a
small and ordinary-looking bathroom.
“Ha, no bell—excellent!” said Mr Bunker.
“What are you doing with the key?” exclaimed his host.
“Good night, my Lord. I shall tell them to send up breakfast at nine,”
said Mr Bunker, and stepping quickly out, he shut and locked the door.
A minute later he was back in the ballroom looking anxiously for the
Baron, but that nobleman was nowhere to be seen.
“The devil!” he said to himself. “Can they have tackled him too?”
But as he ran downstairs a gust of cheerful laughter set his mind at ease.
“Ha, ha, ha! Vere is old Bonker? He also vill shoot vid me!”
“Here I am, my dear Baron,” he exclaimed gaily, as he tracked the voice
into the supper-room.
“Ach, mine dear Bonker!” cried the Baron, folding him in his muscular
embrace, “I haf here met friends, ve are merry! Ve drink to Bavaria, to
England, to everyzing!”
The “friends” consisted of two highly amused young men and two
half-scandalised, half-hysterical ladies, into the midst of whose
supper-table the Baron had projected himself with infectious hilarity.
They all looked up with great curiosity at Mr Bunker, but that gentleman
was not in the least put about. He bowed politely to the table generally,
and took his friend by the arm.
“It is time we were going, Baron, I’m afraid,” he said.
“Vat for? Ah, not yet, Bonker, not yet. I am enjoying myself down to ze
floor. I most dance again, Bonker, jost vunce more,” pleaded the Baron.
“My dear Baron, the noblemen of highest rank must always leave first, and
people are talking of going now. Come along, old man.”
“Ha, is zat so?” said the Baron. “Zen vill I go. Good night!” he cried,
waving his hand to the room generally. “Ven you gom to Bavaria you most
all shoot vid me. Bravo, my goot Bonker! Ha! ha!”
As they turned away from the table, one of the young men, who had been
looking very hard at Mr Bunker, rose and touched his sleeve.
“I say, aren’t you——?” he began.
“Possibly I am,” interrupted Mr Bunker, “only I haven’t the slightest
recollection of the fact.”
An astonished lady was indicated by Mr Bunker as the hostess, and to her
the Baron bade an affectionate adieu. He handed a sovereign to the
footman, embraced the butler, and as they sped eastwards in their hansom,
a rousing chorus from the two friends awoke the echoes of Piccadilly.
“Bravo, Bonker! Himmel, I haf enjoyed myself!” sighed the exhausted Baron.
CHAPTER VII.
The Baron and Mr Bunker discussed a twelve o’clock breakfast with the
relish of men who had done a good night’s work. The Baron was full of his
exploits. “Ze lofly Lady Hilton” and his new “friends” seemed to have made
a vivid impression.
“Zey vill be in ze Park to-day, of course?” he suggested.
“Possibly,” replied Mr Bunker, without any great enthusiasm.
“But surely.”
“After a dance it is rather unlikely.”
“Ze Lady Hilton did say she vent to ze Park.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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