castle by the same window, and in my clothes. As he went down the wall,
lizard fashion, I wished I had a gun or some lethal weapon, that I might
destroy him; but I fear that no weapon wrought alone by man s hand would
have any effect on him. I dared not wait to see him return, for I feared
to see those weird sisters. I came back to the library, and read there
till I fell asleep.
I was awakened by the Count, who looked at me as grimly as a man can
look as he said:--
To-morrow, my friend, we must part. You return to your beautiful
England, I to some work which may have such an end that we may never
meet. Your letter home has been despatched; to-morrow I shall not be
here, but all shall be ready for your journey. In the morning come the
Szgany, who have some labours of their own here, and also come some
Slovaks. When they have gone, my carriage shall come for you, and shall
bear you to the Borgo Pass to meet the diligence from Bukovina to
Bistritz. But I am in hopes that I shall see more of you at Castle
Dracula. I suspected him, and determined to test his sincerity.
Sincerity! It seems like a profanation of the word to write it in
connection with such a monster, so asked him point-blank:--
Why may I not go to-night?
Because, dear sir, my coachman and horses are away on a mission.
But I would walk with pleasure. I want to get away at once. He smiled,
such a soft, smooth, diabolical smile that I knew there was some trick
behind his smoothness. He said:--
And your baggage?
I do not care about it. I can send for it some other time.
The Count stood up, and said, with a sweet courtesy which made me rub my
eyes, it seemed so real:--
You English have a saying which is close to my heart, for its spirit is
that which rules our _boyars_: Welcome the coming; speed the parting
guest. Come with me, my dear young friend. Not an hour shall you wait
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