Finding resistance useless, the Count descended the steps into a large vaulted chamber, which appeared from the contents on which the light fell through the open door, to be used as a lumber-room or store-room rather than as a prison.
"Is this a fit place in which to thrust a gentleman?" said the Count, feeling his dignity considerably hurt. "Had it been a dungeon, with chains and bolts and bars, it would have been only such as many an unfortunate n.o.bleman has been compelled to inhabit. But to be treated as if I were a piece of lumber is unbearable."
"We have no such refined opinions in this country, Mynheer," said the steward, with a grin on his countenance. "But make yourself happy, there is a chest for you to sit on and another on which your supper shall be placed. As to your bed and bedding we will see about that by-and-by, and the violin you ask for shall be brought forthwith.
Perhaps in return you will favour me with a tune, as I am a lover of music, and shall be pleased to hear you play."
The Count, who, though not very wise in all matters, made the best of everything, sat himself down on the chest with folded arms to consider how, under the disagreeable circ.u.mstances in which he was placed, it would be best to act. "One thing is very clear, that Mynheer Bunck.u.m has got the upper hand of me. The best thing I can do as soon as I obtain my liberty is to take my departure. The fair Isabelle may or may not care a stiver for me, and if she does not I must wish her farewell and try to forget her charms."
Just as he had arrived at this wise resolution the door opened, and the steward reappeared with a violin in his hand, followed by a servant bringing a very respectable supper.
"Thank you, my friend, thank you," said the Count, getting up; "I should be happy to show you my grat.i.tude at once by playing a tune, but I think that I shall play with more spirit after I have partaken of this food, for, as you may suppose, I am pretty well starved."
"I shall be happy to await your pleasure," said the steward, who was struck by the Count"s polite manner, and lifting up the dish-covers he helped him liberally to the contents of the dishes. The Count, considering all things, did ample justice to the meal set before him, as well as to a bottle of Rhenish wine.
"I might have been worse off," he observed, greatly revived. "And now you shall have a tune."
Whereon, taking the fiddle and s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g up the keys, he began to play in a way which astonished the Friesian steward.
"Really, you are a master of the art, Mynheer," he observed. "Such notes have never before proceeded from that violin."
"I am happy to please you," answered the Count, "And now I must beg you, as soon as your master returns, to request that he will either set me at liberty and have me conveyed safely back to my hotel, or else give me better accommodation than this vault offers for the night."
The steward faithfully promised to carry out the Count"s wishes, and, observing that he had duties to attend to, took his leave. The Count then, resuming his violin, once more began to play; the tunes he chose were such as especially suited his present feelings; they were of a gentle, pathetic character, often mournful and touching. He played on and on. Little was he aware who was listening to them. Could he have looked through the thick walls of his dungeon, he would have beheld a female form, her handkerchief to her eyes, leaning on the parapet of a terrace which ran along one of its sides. The lady whose tender feelings he had excited was no other than Isabelle Van Arent, who, with her sister and father and mother, had come that afternoon to pay a visit to Mynheer Bunck.u.m. At length the Count ceased playing, and the lady tore herself away from the spot to rejoin her family, to whom she could not refrain from speaking of the pathetic music to which she had been listening.
"Oh, that must have been my steward, Hans Gingel. I know he plays the fiddle," observed Mynheer Bunck.u.m, "and he sometimes goes to some out-of-the-way corner that he may not disturb the rest of the household, who are not generally inclined to be enraptured by his music."
"But he must, I a.s.sure you, be a very good player," urged the fair Isabelle.
"I dare say he can manage to produce a few good notes sometimes," said Mynheer Bunck.u.m, in a careless tone. "Probably distance lent enchantment to the sound. I will not advise you to allow him to play very near at hand."
Vrouw Isabelle looked puzzled, and began to fancy that her ears had deceived her; at all events, the Count had not obtained the advocate he might have gained, had she known who was the hidden musician to whom she had been listening. Mynheer Bunck.u.m waited till his guests were gone, when he summoned his steward, Hans Gingel. "Has anything been heard of the other stranger?" he asked.
"I have him safe enough in the dungeon," answered the steward. "He is not a bad fellow after all, as he takes the way he has been treated with wonderful good humour." And the steward described the mode in which he had hauled the Count out of the well. "He is a rare player, too, on the violin, and I lent him mine to amuse himself with."
"Then it was not your music with which Vrouw Isabelle was so delighted just now," observed Mynheer Bunck.u.m.
"No, no, no!" answered the steward laughing, "my strains are not calculated to draw tears from a lady"s eyes; to tell you the truth, Mynheer, I believe he is a Count after all."
"His playing only agrees with the story of his being a travelling musician," observed Mynheer Bunck.u.m.
"But travelling musicians are not as polite and well-mannered as our prisoner," said the steward. "I know a gentleman when I meet him."
"But supposing he is a real Count, and the other fellow who was so unceremoniously kicked out of the place is a Baron, I may be somewhat in a sc.r.a.pe," said Mynheer Bunck.u.m.
"I will enable you to get out of it, then," said Hans Gingel. "Let me visit the prisoner, and propose to him to make his escape. He has really won my regard, and I should be glad, were it not displeasing to you, to set him at liberty. He will only be too happy, I suspect, to get away, and will probably not trouble you, or the family of Mynheer Van Arent, any longer by his presence."
"But I accused him and his companion of stealing the plate at the picnic, and I certainly do not know who else could have taken it," said Mynheer Bunck.u.m.
"As to that, I am sure he is incapable of such an act, and he would not a.s.sociate with any person who was. I am, therefore, of opinion that neither he nor the Baron stole the plate; indeed, one of the men on board the yacht told me that he observed a boat with several boys approach the sh.o.r.e during the picnic, and that they climbed up the bank, as he supposed, to amuse themselves by watching what was going forward, or to obtain a few cakes or sweetmeats which any of the party might be disposed to give them. Now, since the plate is missing, it is much more than probable that those young monkeys took it, and, if search is made in the village, probably it will be found that they were the thieves."
"That alters the whole complexion of affairs," observed Mynheer Bunck.u.m.
"I am satisfied that the Baron, if such he is, will not become my rival, and Vrouw Isabelle is free to choose whom she will; therefore by all means set the Count at liberty as you propose, only don"t let him know that I am aware of what you are doing, and advise him and his companion to take their departure from this part of the country as soon as possible."
"I will carry out your orders, Mynheer," was the answer. The steward waited, however, till night closed in, when, with a lantern in hand, he repaired to the dungeon.
"Count Funnibos," he said, "for such I believe you truly are, your music, and your manners, and your gentle behaviour have completely won my heart; and as I took you prisoner under what, you will allow, were somewhat suspicious circ.u.mstances, I must give myself the privilege of setting you free; and if you will consent to leave as I advise, you may do so without difficulty or danger, and by to-morrow morning be far beyond the reach of those whom you may look upon as enemies."
The Count thought for some moments before he replied. He recollected that he had been unjustly imprisoned, accused of robbery, and insulted by the lord of the mansion; but it would save a vast deal of trouble to himself and everybody else if he were to go away and let the matter drop. He quickly, therefore, decided on the latter course.
"I accept your offer, my friend," he answered. "When shall we set out?"
"I would advise you, Count, to wait for some hours, till everyone is in bed, and there is no risk of your being discovered and followed. I will then come for you, and conduct you down to the river, where you will find numerous boats in which you can cross the Meer, and soon make your way to the seaboard; and thence either proceed to Amsterdam by water, or go across the Zuyder Zee to Hoorn, or any other place on its sh.o.r.e."
"Your plan just suits my fancy," said the Count. "But my friend and companion, Baron Stilkin, what will become of him?"
"You can write and tell him to join you at whatever place you may happen to reach," said Hans Gingel. "It would cause considerable delay were you to go back to your inn."
The Count thought the matter over, and reflected that it would be very pleasant to enjoy a few days of independent action.
"I have an idea," he said to the steward. "I will write a note to Baron Stilkin desiring him to return to Amsterdam, and to wait for me there, if you will undertake to have it delivered."
"Very gladly, Mynheer," answered Hans Gingel. "I will get you paper and pens. Now, if you can rest in tolerable comfort propped up between these chests, I will come for you at the hour named, and as you may grow hungry, bring you some more food to stay your appet.i.te." The note to the Baron was written, the Count discussed the second supper, and, having recovered from his fatigue, was perfectly ready, when the steward appeared, to make his escape from the castle.
"Tread softly," said the steward, as he led the way up the steps. "It is important not to awaken Mynheer Bunck.u.m or any of the servants. I have shut up the dogs, so that they will not bark unless they hear a noise."
Cautiously they proceeded, the steward holding a lantern and the Count following close at his heels. They were soon out of the dungeon, when the steward, turning to the right, led the way along a narrow pa.s.sage which conducted them to the opposite side of the building. The steward then, producing a key from his pocket, opened a door, the lock gliding back smoothly as if it had been well oiled, they pa.s.sed on, and the Count found himself in the open air.
"We are now outside the castle," whispered the steward; "but should Mynheer Bunck.u.m look out of his window he might perhaps fancy that we are thieves, and fire off his blunderbuss at our heads; so be cautious, and do not speak above a whisper till we get to a distance."
"I am afraid that I shall not be able to find my way in the dark,"
whispered the Count.
"Do not be anxious on that subject," answered the steward. "I intend to accompany you till day breaks, and see you safe on the high road." They walked on and on till day began to dawn. The fresh morning air revived the Count"s spirits, and he was more than ever satisfied with himself at the thoughts of starting on an independent tour without the company of the Baron.
"I will buy a gun, and a knapsack, and a telescope, and a shooting-dress, and will trudge across the country, living on the produce of the chase. I saw a vast number of birds as we came along on the ca.n.a.ls and borders of the Meers, and I shall have no lack of sport.
Such a life suits my present mood."
"A very excellent plan," observed the steward; "but I would advise you to employ some more rapid means of locomotion than your own legs afford till you get to a distance from this. Mynheer Bunck.u.m may be wandering about in the Neighbourhood, and should he fall in with you the consequences may be disagreeable."
"I will take your advice, my friend," said the Count; "but I must first procure the gun and the telescope, the knapsack and the shooting-dress."
"Certainly, and I shall be happy to a.s.sist you in that object. We can at once proceed to Sneek, which being one of the chief places of the province of Friesland, everything you require can be procured."
"I am overwhelmed by your kindness, and I accept your offer," said the Count. And they proceeded on their way, having stopped to breakfast at a house of a friend of the steward.
They reached Sneek about noon. The articles the Count required were speedily procured.
"And now farewell, my friend," he said, taking the steward"s hand. "We are brothers of the bow, and I look upon you as a friend who has rendered me an essential service, although you did haul me out of the well in a somewhat rough fashion."