Voyages and Travels of Count Funnibos and Baron Stilkin Part 13

All this time they were not aware that they were closely followed by some one, who must have heard every word they said. Suddenly the sound of a footfall reached their ears, and turning they saw a figure, who, finding that he was discovered, rapidly retreated.

"Stop!" cried the Count, "whoever you are; we wish to have a few words with you."

"Stop, I say!" repeated the Baron. But their shouts were unheeded, and neither of them felt inclined to give chase.

"Who can that be?" asked the Count.

"That is the question," answered the Baron. "What do you say to Mynheer Bunck.u.m? He cast a jealous eye at us, as if he considered we were rivals."

"Then he should have come up and spoken to us like a man," said the Count. "We must be on our guard, at all events, for he evidently has no friendly feeling towards us."

The Count and the Baron met with no further adventures till they reached the inn.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

The next morning the Count and the Baron rose from their downy slumbers and took breakfast, to which the Baron paid due attention, as he did, in truth, to all his meals.

"Now, my dear Baron, what do you say--shall we continue our journey, or again pay our respects to the estimable family of Van Arent?" asked the Count.

"At this hour, I fear, from what I know of the habits of the people, that our visit would not be welcome," said the Baron. "The young ladies are probably engaged in milking the cows, or making b.u.t.ter, or superintending the manufacture of cheese. We should catch them in their working-dresses, and be considered intruders."

"Then the best thing we can do is to sally forth and see the country,"

said the Count. "But yet I should not like to leave this part of it without again having the happiness of basking in the smiles of those charming young ladies, Vrouw Margaret and Vrouw Isabelle."

"I think you may be content with basking in the smiles of one of the two," remarked the Baron, "I flatter myself that the smiles of the other are directed towards me."

"We won't quarrel on the matter," said the Count, who greatly disliked to dispute. "I was going to tell you that I have an idea."

"Have you, indeed!" exclaimed the Baron. "It is not often you indulge in anything of the sort, tray let me know what it is."

"My idea is this," said the Count. "You know that I am an exquisite player on the violin, though I did not bring one with me; for I might have been mistaken, had I done so, for an itinerant musician. The idea that has occurred to me is that I will purchase one, so that I may be able to accompany the fair Vrouws when they play the piano. They are sure to be delighted, and I shall be raised still higher in their good graces."

"You are only thinking of yourself," muttered the Baron. "But suppose,"

he added aloud, "no violin is to be found in this rural district, how can you obtain one?"

"I propose that we proceed to the nearest town, where such instruments are sure to be on sale; and we can return by the evening, when we are more likely to be admitted into Mynheer Van Arent's family circle," said the Count. "You, Baron, surely play on some instrument, and you might obtain it at the same time."

"The only instruments I play are the Jew's harp and the kettle-drum, and I am afraid that neither are very well suited to entertain ladies in their drawing-room," said the Baron.

"Not exactly. The latter would be rather too c.u.mbersome to carry about," said the Count. "However, let us set forth, or we shall not have time to return before the evening." Fortunately they found a _Trek-Schuit_ just starting for the far-famed town of Sneek.

Occasionally the boat pa.s.sed between some of the small towns and villages they had seen afar off, composed of neat houses with yellow and blue blinds. The housewives, in golden casques, the usual headdress, standing at the doors often exhibited a bright copper jug glistening in the sun. The travellers frequently pa.s.sed numerous boats, the men on board of which saluted them politely. They appeared good-natured, happy fellows, with ruddy countenances, light hair, and rings hanging to their ears. They were mostly dressed in red s.h.i.+rts, blue and white knickerbockers fastened at the knee, and thick brown woollen stockings.

The boat, as she glided on, was generally accompanied by sea-gulls, storks with long legs and outstretched necks, flights of lapwings, and other species of the feathered tribe, uttering their plaintive cries, and ever and anon as they skimmed the waves diving below the water to bring some hapless fish in their long slender beaks.

"Here we are," cried the Count, as they glided into the picturesque little town of Sneek, with its houses of white woodwork and painted window-frames, its winding streets and high-arched bridges, its trees and shady walks along the ca.n.a.ls, its gaily-painted ca.n.a.l-boats, and its picturesque water-gate. The town itself was soon inspected, while the Count and the Baron on their way made inquiries for the instrument the former was anxious to purchase. They were almost giving up the search in despair, when they heard of a manufacturer who was said to have produced violins which, in the hands of an artist, were capable of giving forth such touching sounds that many who heard them were moved to tears.

"That is just the description of instrument I require," exclaimed the Count.

He and the Baron hastened on to the shop of the manufacturer. It was an ancient building, the front of which looked as if, before long, it would become acquainted with the roadway. There were not only violins, but other musical instruments and curiosities of all sorts.

"Before I part with the violin I must hear you play," said the vendor; "I never allow my instruments to go into unskilled hands."

The Count eagerly took the violin, and played a few notes. The Baron produced his pocket-handkerchief, and placed it to his eyes.

"Touching, very touching!" he exclaimed.

"You will do," said the vendor.

The Count, well pleased with his purchase, asked the Baron if he could find any instrument to suit him.

The Baron shook his head, mournfully. "I must depend on my voice; and, provided I do not catch a cold, that will, I hope, produce as much effect as your fiddle."

"We shall see," said the Count.

Leaving the shop, they hastened back to the _Trek-Schuit_, which was about to return the way they had come. The journey occupied so long a time that the shades of evening were already stealing over the landscape when they reached their inn. Though the Count was eager at once to set out for the house of Mynheer Van Arent, the Baron declared that, without his supper, he could not sing at all. By the time that was finished it was dark.

"Now," said the Count, "let us go; even for you, Baron, I cannot wait longer."

The Count, of course, carried his violin.

"As it is too late to present ourselves, we will remain outside among the trees. You shall play an air, and I will sing a song, and we will then go in and ascertain the effect," said the Baron.

They soon got to a part of the shrubbery where they could effectually conceal themselves. Overhead they observed a tall tree--one of the branches of which extended to the walls of the house.

"Now," whispered the Baron, "shall I sing, or will you commence an air on your violin?"

"I will begin," said the Count, who was on the point of drawing the bow across the strings, when the Baron grasped his arm.

"Hark!" he said; "look up there."

What was their astonishment to observe a figure climbing the ancient tree they had remarked close above them. They, at all events, had not been discovered. Higher and higher the person climbed, till he gained a bough extending towards the house. Along it he made his way. When near the end, he stopped and threw several pieces of a branch he broke off against the shutter of a window, which was at no great distance from where he stood.

The Count, thus interrupted in his intended serenade, with jealous eyes watched the proceedings of the stranger, fully expecting that either Vrouw Margaret or Vrouw Isabelle would appear at the window. At length it opened, when, instead, the more portly form of Vrouw Van Arent herself came into view. She gazed with open eyes at the stranger standing up on the bough of the tree.

"Who are you, who thus, in so unseemly a way, ventures to disturb the quiet of our abode?" she asked, in somewhat angry tones.

"Hist, hist, Vrouw Van Arent! I am Ten d.i.c.k Bunck.u.m. Not wis.h.i.+ng to appear in the presence of your fair daughters, I have taken this method of warning you of a danger which threatens your family. Yesterday evening two persons were received in your house, who pretend to be a Count and a Baron. I have strong evidence, if not proof positive, that they are strolling musicians, who are travelling about the country to prey on the unwary. My great desire is to put you on your guard against them."

"I am much obliged to you for your good intentions, Mynheer Bunck.u.m, but would rather you had taken some other method of warning me, instead of throwing sticks at this window."

"I could not tell whether those pretended Count and Baron were already in your house; and, as my object was to avoid meeting them, I climbed into this tree that I might wait till I saw you approach the window."

"The Count and Baron have not come to the house this evening, and I would advise you, Mynheer Bunck.u.m, to descend from your perilous position, and allow my husband and me to arrange our family affairs as we think right and best; and I must again beg you to get off that tree, and take care, as you do so, that you do not fall down and break your neck."

"I obey you, Vrouw Van Arent," answered Mynheer Bunck.u.m, cautiously retracing his steps along the branch, while the lady of the mansion shut the window, and closed the shutter over it, which completely excluded the light.