The Nameless Castle

by Mór Jókai

  CHAPTER III

  And why should not Baroness Landsknechtsschild take observations with atelescope, as well as her neighbor at the Nameless Castle?

  She could very easily do so unnoticed. From the outside of a house, whenit is light, one cannot see what is going on in a dark room.

  This question Count Vavel was given an opportunity to decide.

  The astronomical calendar had announced a total eclipse of the moon on acertain night in July. The moon would enter the shadow at ten o'clock,and reach full obscuration toward midnight.

  Ludwig had persuaded Marie to observe the phenomenon with him; and theyoung girl was astonished beyond measure when she beheld for the firsttime the full moon through the telescope.

  Ludwig explained to her that the large, brilliant circles were extinctcraters; the dark blotches, seas. At that time scientists still acceptedthe theory of oceans on the moon. What interested Marie most of all,however, was the question, "Were there people on the moon?" Ludwigpromised to procure for her the fanciful descriptions of a supposedjourney made to the moon by some naturalists in the preceding century.Innocent enough reading for a girl of sixteen!

  "I wonder what the people are like who live on the moon?"

  And Ludwig's mental reply was: "One of them stands here by your side!"

  After a while Marie wearied of the heavenly phenomena, and when the hourcame at which she usually went to bed she was overcome by sleep.

  In vain Ludwig sought to keep her awake by telling her about the ImbrianOcean, and relating the wonders of Mount Aristarchus. Marie could notkeep from nodding, and several times she caught herself dreaming.

  "I shall not wait to see the end of the eclipse," she said to Ludwig."It is very pretty and interesting, but I am sleepy."

  She was yet so much a child that she would not have given up her sweetslumbers for an eclipse of all the planets of the universe.

  Ludwig accompanied her to the door of her apartments, bade her goodnight, and returned to the observatory.

  Already the disk of the moon was half obscured. Ludwig removed theastronomical eye-piece from the telescope, and inserted the tellurianglass instead; then he turned the object-glass toward the neighboringmanor instead of toward the moon. Now, if ever, was the time to find outif his fair neighbor possessed a telescope. If she had one, she wouldcertainly be using it now.

  It was sufficiently light to enable him to see quite distinctly thebaroness sitting, with two other women, on the veranda. She wasobserving the eclipse, but with an opera-glass--a magnifier thatcertainly could not reveal very much.

  Of this Count Ludwig might rest satisfied. And yet, in spite of thesatisfaction this decision had given him, he continued to observe thedisappearance of the moonlight from the veranda of the manor with farmore attention than he bestowed upon the gradual darkening of theheavenly luminary itself. Then there happened to the baroness'scompanions what had happened to Marie: the women began to nod, whereuponthe baroness sent them to bed. There remained now only the count and hisfair neighbor to continue the astronomical observations. The lady lookedat the moon; the count looked at the lady.

  The baroness, as was evident, was thorough in whatever she undertook.She waited for the full obscuration--until the last vestige of moonlighthad vanished, and only a strange-looking, dull, copper-hued ball hung inthe sky.

  The baroness now rose and went into the house. The astronomer on thecastle tower observed that she neglected to close the veranda door.

  It was now quite dark; the silence of midnight reigned over everything.

  Count Vavel waited in his observatory until the moon emerged fromshadow.

  Instead of the moon, something quite different came within the field ofvision.

  From the shrubbery in the rear of the manor there emerged a man. Helooked cautiously about him, then signaled backward with his hand,whereupon a second man, then a third and a fourth, appeared.

  Dark as it was, the count could distinguish that the men wore masks, andcarried hatchets in their hands. He could not see what sort of clothesthey wore.

  They were robbers.

  One of the men swung himself over the iron trellis of the veranda; hiscompanions waited below, in the shadow of the gate.

  The count hastened from his observatory.

  First he wakened Henry.

  "Robbers have broken into the manor, Henry!"

  "The rascals certainly chose a good time to do it; now that the moon isin shadow, no one will see them," sleepily returned Henry.

  "I saw them, and I am going to scare them away."

  "We can fire off our guns from here; that will scare them," suggestedHenry.

  "Are you out of your senses, Henry? We should frighten Marie; and wereshe to learn that there are robbers in the neighborhood, she would wantto go away from here, and you know we are chained to this place."

  "Yes; then I don't know what we can do. Shall I go down and rouse thevillage?"

  "So that you may be called on to testify before a court, and becompelled to tell who you are, what you are, and how you came here?"impatiently interposed the count.

  "That is true. Then I can't raise an alarm?"

  "Certainly not. Do as I tell you. Stop here in the castle, take yourstation in front of Marie's door, and I will go over to the manor. Giveme your walking-stick."

  "What? You are going after the robbers with a walking-stick?"

  "They are only petty thieves; they are not real robbers. Men of thissort will run when they hear a footstep. Besides, there are only four ofthem."

  "Four against one who has nothing but a cudgel!"

  "In which is concealed a sharp poniard--a very effective weapon at closequarters," supplemented the count. "But don't stop here talking, Henry.Fetch the stick, and my driving-coat, into the pocket of which put mybloodletting instruments. Some one might faint over yonder, and I shouldneed them."

  Henry brought the stick and coat. Only after he had gone some distancefrom the castle did Count Vavel notice that some heavy object keptthumping against his side. The faithful Henry had smuggled adouble-barreled pistol into the pocket of his coat, in addition to thebloodletting instruments. The count did not take the road which ranaround the cove to the manor, but hurried to the shore, where he spranginto his canoe, and with a few powerful strokes of the oars reached theopposite shore. A few steps took him to the manor. His heart beatrapidly. He had a certain dread of the coming meeting--not the meetingwith the robbers, but with the baroness.

  The gates of the manor were open, as was usual in Hungarian manors dayand night. The count crossed the court, and as he turned the corner ofthe house there happened what he had predicted: the masked man who wason watch at the door gave a shrill whistle, then dashed into theshrubbery. Count Vavel did not give chase to the fleeing thief, but,swinging his cudgel around his head, ran through the open door into thehall. Here a lamp was burning. He hurried into the salon, and saw, as heentered, two more of the robbers jump from the window into the garden.

  Count Ludwig hurried on toward the adjoining room, whence came the faintlight of a lamp. The light came from another room still farther on. Itwas the sleeping-chamber of the lady of the house. There were no robbershere, but on the table lay jewelry and articles of silver which had beenemptied from the cases lying about the floor. In an arm-chair whichstood near the bed-alcove reclined a female form, the arms and handsfirmly bound with cords to the chair.

  What a beautiful creature! The clinging folds of her dressing-roberevealed the perfect proportions of her figure. Her hair fell like agolden cataract to the floor. Modest blushes and joy at her deliverancemade the lovely face even more enchanting when the knightly delivererentered the room--a hero who came with a cudgel to do battle against aband of robbers, and conquered!

  "I am Count Vavel," he hastened to explain, cudgel in hand, that thelady might not think him another robber and fall into a faint.

  "Pray release me," in a low tone begged the lady, her cheeks crimsoningwith modest shame wh
en he bent over her to untie the cords.

  The task was quickly performed; the count took a knife from his pocketand cut the cords; then he turned to look for a bell.

  "Please don't ring," hastily interposed the baroness. "Don't rouse mypeople from their slumbers. The robbers are gone, and have takennothing. You came in good time to help me."

  "Did the rascals ill-treat you, baroness?"

  "They only tied me to this chair; but they threatened to kill me if Irefused to give them money--they were not content to take only myjewelry. I was about to give them an order to the steward, who hascharge of my money, when your arrival suddenly ended the agreement wehad made."

  "Agreement?" repeated the count. "A pretty business, truly!"

  "Pray don't speak so loudly; I don't want any one to be alarmed--andplease go into the next room, where you will find my maid, who is alsobound."

  Count Vavel went into the small chamber which communicated with that ofthe baroness, and saw lying on the bed a woman whose hands and feet werebound; a handkerchief had been thrust into her mouth. He quicklyreleased her from the cords and handkerchief; but she did not stir: shehad evidently lost consciousness.

  By this time the baroness had followed with a lighted candle. She hadflung a silken shawl about her shoulders, thrust her feet into Turkishslippers, and tucked her hair underneath a becoming lace cap.

  "Is she dead?" she asked, lifting an anxious glance to Ludwig's face.

  "No, she is not dead," replied the count, who was attentively scanningthe unconscious woman's face.

  "What is the matter with her?" pursued the baroness, with evidentdistress.

  The count now recognized the woman's face. He had seen her with the ladwho had been his protege, and who was now a member of the baroness'shousehold. It was the wife of Satan Laczi.

  "No, she is not dead," he repeated; "she has only fainted."

  The baroness hastily fetched her smelling-salts, and held them to theunconscious woman's nostrils.

  "Peasant women have strong constitutions," observed the count. "Whensuch a one loses consciousness a perfume like that will not restore her;she needs to be bled."

  "But good heavens! What are we to do? I can't think of sending for thedoctor now! I don't want him to hear of what has happened hereto-night."

  "I understand bloodletting," observed Vavel.

  "You, Herr Count?"

  "Yes; I have studied medicine and surgery."

  "But you have no lance."

  "I brought my chirurgic instruments with me."

  "Then you thought you might find here some one who had fainted?"exclaimed the baroness, wonderingly.

  "Yes. I shall require the assistance of a maid to hold the woman's armwhile I perform the operation."

  "I don't want any of the servants wakened. Can't I--help you?" shesuggested hesitatingly.

  "Are not you afraid of the sight of blood, baroness?"

  "Of course I am; but I will endure that rather than have one of my maidssee you here at this hour."

  "But this one will see me when she recovers consciousness."

  "Oh, I can trust this one; she will be silent."

  "Then let us make an attempt."

  The result of the attempt was, the fainting maid was restored toconsciousness by the skilfully applied lance, while the face of theassisting lady became deathly pale. Her eyes closed, her lips becameblue. Fortunately, she had a more susceptible nature than her maid. Afew drops of cold water sprinkled on her face, and the smelling-salts,quickly restored her to consciousness. During these few moments her headhad rested on the young man's shoulder, her form had been supported onhis arm.

  "Don't trouble any further about me," she murmured, when she opened hereyes and saw herself in Vavel's arms; "but attend to that poor woman";and she hastily rose from her recumbent position.

  The woman was shivering with a chill--or was it the result of extremeterror? If the former, then a little medicine would soon help her; butif it was terror, there was no remedy for it.

  To all questions she returned but the one answer: "Oh, my God! my God!"

  The baroness and Count Vavel now returned to the outer room.

  "I regret very much, baroness, that you have had an unpleasantexperience like this--here in our peaceful neighborhood, where every oneis so honest that you might leave your purse lying out in the court; noone would take it."

  The baroness laughingly interrupted him:

  "The robber adventure amused more than it frightened me. All my life Ihave wanted to see a real Hungarian robber, of whom the Viennese tellsuch wonderful tales. My wish has been gratified, and I have had a realadventure--the sort one reads in romances."

  "Your romance might have had a sorrowful conclusion," responded CountLudwig, seriously.

  "Yes--if Heaven had not sent a brave deliverer to my rescue."

  "You may well say Heaven sent him," smilingly returned the count; "forif there had not been an eclipse of the moon to-night, which I wasobserving through my telescope, and at the same time taking a look aboutthe neighborhood, I should not have seen the masked men enter themanor."

  "What!" in astonishment exclaimed the baroness; "you saw the men througha telescope? Truly, _I_ shall have to be on my guard in future! But,"she added more seriously, lifting from the table the count'swalking-stick, toward which he had extended his hand, "before you go Iwant to beg a favor. Please do not mention the occurrence of this nightto any one. I don't want the authorities to make any inquiriesconcerning the attempted robbery."

  "That favor I grant most willingly," replied Count Vavel, who had notthe least desire for a legal examination which would require him to tellwho he was, what he was, whence he came, and what he was doing here.

  "I can tell you why I don't want the affair known," continued thebaroness. "The woman in yonder is the one of whom I wrote you some timeago--the wife of Ladislaus Satan, or, as he is called, Satan Laczi.Should it become known that a robbery was attempted here, the villagerswill say at once, 'It was the wife of the robber Satan Laczi who helpedthe men to rob her mistress,' and the poor woman will be sent back toprison."

  "And do you really believe her innocent?"

  "I can assure you that she knew nothing about this matter. I shall notsend her away, but, as a proof that I trust her entirely, shall let hersleep in the room next to mine, and let her carry all my keys!" Toemphasize her declaration, she thumped the floor vigorously with Vavel'siron-ferruled stick.

  Involuntarily the count extended his hand to her. She grasped itcordially, and, shaking it, added: "Don't speak of our meeting to-nightto any one; I shall not mention it, I can promise you! And now, I willgive you your stick; I am certain some one at home is anxious about you.God be with you!"

  At home Count Vavel found Henry on guard at the door of Marie's room,his musket cocked, ready for action.

  "Did anything happen here?" asked the count. "Did Marie waken?"

  "No; but she called out several times in her sleep, and once I heard hersay quite distinctly: 'Ludwig, take care; she will bite!"

  * * * * *

  Count Vavel could not deny that his fair neighbor had made a veryfavorable impression on him. In astronomy she had taken the place of themoon, in classic literature that of an ideal, and in metaphysics that ofthe absolutely good.

  He had sufficient command of himself, however, to suppress the desire tosee her again. From that day he did not again turn his telescope towardthe neighboring manor. But to prevent his thoughts from straying therewas beyond his power. These straying thoughts after a while began tobetray themselves in his countenance and in his eyes; and there arepersons who understand how to read faces and eyes.

  "Are you troubled about anything, Ludwig?" one day inquired Marie,after they had been sitting in silence together for a long while.

  Ludwig started guiltily.

  "Ye-es; I have bad news from abroad."

  Such a reply, however, cannot deceive those who understand the languageo
f the face and eyes.

  One afternoon Marie stole noiselessly up to the observatory, andsurprised Ludwig at the telescope.

  "Let me see, too, Ludwig. Are you looking at something pretty?"

  "Very pretty," answered Ludwig, giving place to the young girl.

  Marie looked through the glass, and saw a farm-yard overgrown withweeds. On an inverted tub near the door of the cottage sat a little oldgrandmother teaching her grandchildren how to knit a stocking.

  "Then you were not looking at our lovely neighbor," said Marie. "Whydon't you look at her?"

  "Because it is not necessary for me to know what she is doing."

  Marie turned the telescope toward the manor, and persisted until she hadfound what she was looking for.

  "How sad she looks!" she said to Ludwig.

  But he paid no attention to her words.

  "Now it seems as though she were looking straight into my eyes; now sheclasps her hands as if she were praying."

  Ludwig said, with pedagogic calmness:

  "If you continue to gaze with such intensity through the telescope yourface will become distorted."

  Marie laughed. "If I had a crooked mouth, and kept one eye shut, peoplewould say, 'There goes that ugly little Marie!' Then I should not haveto wear a veil any more."

  She distorted her face as she had described, and turned it towardLudwig, who said hastily: "Don't--don't do that, Marie."

  "Is it not all the same to you whether I am ugly or pretty?" sheretorted. Then, as if to soften the harshness of her words, she added:"Even if I were ugly, would you love me--as the fakir loves his Brahma?"

  * * * * *

  Ludwig continued his correspondence with the learned Herr Mercatoris. Healways dictated his letters to Marie. No one in the neighborhood had yetseen his own writing. Therefore, it would have been impossible for himto ask the pastor anything relating to the baroness without Marieknowing it. In one of his letters, however, he inquired how the motherof the lad he had once had in his care was conducting herself at themanor, and was informed that the woman had disappeared--and withoutleaving any explanation for her conduct--a few days after the eclipse ofthe moon. The baroness had been greatly troubled by the woman's going,but would not consent to having a search made for her, as she had takennothing from the manor.

  This incident made Count Vavel believe that the woman had secretlyjoined the band of robbers, and that there would be another attempt madesometime to break into the manor.

  From that time the count slept more frequently in his observatory thanhe did in his bedchamber, where an entire arsenal of muskets and otherfirearms were always kept in readiness.

  One evening, when he approached the door of his room, he was surprisedto see a light through the keyhole; some one was in the room.

  He entered hastily. On the table was a lighted candle, and standing withhis back toward the table was a strange man, clad in a costume unlikethat worn by the dwellers in that neighborhood.

  For an instant Count Vavel surveyed the stranger, who was standingbetween him and his weapons; then he demanded imperiously:

  "Who are you? How came you here, and what do you want?"

  "I am Satan Laczi," coolly replied the man.

  On hearing the name, Count Vavel sprang suddenly toward the robber, andseized him by the arms. The fellow's arms were like the legs of avulture--nothing but bone and sinew. Count Vavel was an athletic man,strong and powerful; but had the room been filled with men as strong andpowerful as he, and had they every one hurled themselves upon SatanLaczi, he would have had no difficulty in defending himself. He hadperformed such a feat more than once. This evening, however, he made nomove to defend himself, but looked calmly at his assailant, and said:"The Herr Count can see that I have no weapons; and yet, there areenough here, had I wanted to arm myself against an attack. I am not herefor an evil purpose."

  The count released his hold on the man's arms, and looked at him insurprise.

  "Why are you here?" he asked.

  "First, because I want to tell the Herr Count that it was not I whoattempted to rob the baroness, nor were those thieves comrades of mine.I know that the people around here say it was Satan Laczi; but itwas n't, and I came to tell you so. I confess I have robbed churches;but the house which has given shelter and food to my poor little lad ismore sacred to me than a church. The people insist that I was guilty ofsuch baseness because I am Satan Laczi; but the Herr Count, who hasdoubtless read a description of my person, can say whether or no it wasI he saw at the manor."

  With these words he turned his face toward the light. It was a veryrepulsive countenance.

  "Do you think there is another face that the description of mine wouldfit, Herr Count?" he asked, a certain melancholy softening therepulsiveness of his features. "But what is the use of such senselesschatter?" he added hastily. "I am not silly enough to come here seekinghonor and respect--though it does vex me when people say that one manwith a cudgel put to flight Satan Laczi and three of his comrades. Icame here to-night because the Herr Count rescued my poor little ladfrom the morass, gave him shelter and food, and even condescended toteach him. For all this I owe you, Herr Count, and I am come to returnfavor for favor. You are thinking: 'How can this robber repay me what heowes?' I will tell you: by giving you a robber's information. I want toprove to the Herr Count that the robber--the true robber who understandshis trade--can enter this securely barred castle whenever he is sominded. The locks on the doors, the bolts on the windows, are nohindrance to the man who understands his business, and the way _I_ camein another can come as well. It is said that the Herr Count guards agreat treasure here in this castle. I don't know, and I don't ask, whatthis treasure is. If I should find it, I would n't take it from the HerrCount, and if any one else took it I should try to get it back for him.But some one may steal in here, as I did, while the Herr Count islooking at the stars up in the tower, and carry off his carefullyguarded treasure."

  Count Vavel gave utterance to a groan of terror; his knees gave waybeneath him; a chill shook his entire frame.

  "Marie!" he gasped, forgetting himself.

  Then, hastily snatching the candle from the table, he rushedfrantically toward the young girl's sleeping-chamber, leaving SatanLaczi alone in his room.

  Since he had ceased guarding Marie's door at night by sleeping on thelounge in her room, he had cautioned her to lock the door beforeretiring. Now he found the door open.

  Breathless with fear, the count sprang toward the alcove and flung backthe bed-curtains. The little maid was sleeping peacefully, her faceresting against her arm. Her favorite cat was lying at her feet, and onthe floor by the bedside lay the two pugs. But the door of thewall-cupboard in which was hidden the steel casket stood wide open, andon the casket was a singular toy--a miniature human figure turning aspinning-wheel.

  For an instant Count Vavel's heart ceased beating. Here was sufficientproof that the maid, together with the steel casket, might have beencarried away during his absence.

  He took the curious image, which was molded of black bread, and returnedto his room.

  As he crossed the threshold, Satan Laczi pointed to the toy and said:

  "I left it on the casket as a remembrance in exchange for the littlestockings some one in this house knit for my little lad. We learn tomake such things in prison, where time hangs heavily on one's hands."

  "But how did you manage to open the door when it was locked and the keyinside?" inquired the count.

  Satan Laczi showed him the tools which he used to turn keys from theoutside.

  "Any burglar can open a door from the outside if the key is left in thelock, Herr Count. Only those doors can be securely locked which have nokeyholes outside."

  "I have no idea how that could be arranged," said Count Vavel.

  "I am acquainted with a jack of all trades here in the neighborhood whocould make such a door for you if I told him how to make it. He is acarpenter, locksmith, and clock-maker, all in one
person."

  The count shook his head wonderingly. The robber was to direct thelocksmith how to fashion a lock that no one could open!

  "Shall I send the man to the castle?" asked Satan Laczi.

  "Yes; if the fellow is sensible, and does not chatter."

  "But he is a fool that never knows when to stop talking. But he talksonly on one subject, so you need not be afraid to employ him. Heunderstands everything you tell him, will do just as you say, but willnot talk about what he is doing for you. There is only one subject onwhich he will chatter, and that is, how Napoleon might be beaten. He iscontinually talking about stratagems, infernal machines, and how to wina battle. On this subject he is crazy. He will make doors for the HerrCount that can't be opened, and tell everybody else only how to makeinfernal machines, and how to build fortifications."

  "Very good; then send him to me."

  "But--I must say something else, Herr Count--no matter how secure yourlocks may be, that treasure is best guarded against robbers which iskept in the room you sleep in. A man of courage is worth a hundredlocks. I am not talking without a purpose when I say the Herr Count mustlook after his treasure. I know more than I say, and Satan Laczi is notthe greatest robber in the world. Be on your guard!"

  "I thank you."

  "Does the Herr Count still believe that it was I and my comrades whobroke into the manor?"

  "No; I am convinced that it was not you."

  "Then my mission here is accomplished--"

  "Not yet," interposed the count, stepping to a cupboard, and taking fromit a straw-covered bottle and a goblet. "Here,"--filling the goblet andhanding it to the robber,--"he who comes to my house as a guest must notquit it without a parting glass."

  "A strange guest, indeed!" responded the robber, taking the profferedglass. "I came without knocking for admittance. But I performed amasterpiece to-day; the Herr Count will find it out soon enough! I donot drink to your welfare Herr Count, for my good wishes don't go formuch in heaven!"

  The count seated himself at the table, and said: "Don't go just yet, myfriend; I want to give you a few words of advice. I believe you are agood man at heart. Quit your present mode of life, which will ultimatelylead you--"

  "Yes, I know--to the gallows and to hell," interposed the robber.

  "Take up some trade," pursued the count. "I will gladly assist you tobecome an honest man. I will lend you the money necessary to begin work,and you can pay me when you have succeeded. Surely honest labor is thebest."

  "I thank you for the good advice, Herr Count, but it is too late. I knowvery well what would be best for me; but, as I said, it is too late now.There was a time when I would gladly have labored at my trade,--for Ihave one,--but no one would tolerate me because of my repulsive face.From my childhood I have been an object of ridicule and abuse. My fatherwas well-born, but he died in a political prison, and I was leftdestitute with this hideous face. No one would employ me for anythingbut swine-herd; and even then luck was against me, for if anything wentwrong with a litter of pigs, I was always blamed for the mishap, andsent about my business. Count Jharose gave me a job once; it was aridiculous task, but I was glad to get any kind of honest work. I had toexercise the count's two tame bears--promenade with them through thevillage. The bears' fore paws were tied about their necks, so that theywere obliged to walk on their hind feet, and I had to walk between them,my hands resting on a fore leg of each animal, as if I were escortingtwo young women. When we promenaded thus along the village street, thepeople would laugh and shout: 'There go Count Jharose's three tamebears.' At last I got out of the way of doing hard work, and got used tobeing ridiculed by all the world. But I had not yet learned to steal.The bears grew fat under my care. I was given every day two loaves ofbread to feed to them. One day I saw, in a wretched hut at the end ofthe village, a poor woman and her daughter who were starving. From thatday the bears began to grow thin; for I stole one of the loaves of breadand gave it to the poor women, who were glad enough to get it, I cantell you! But the steward found out my theft, and I was dismissed fromthe count's service. The poor women were turned out of their miserablehut. The mother froze to death,--for it was winter then,--and thedaughter was left on my hands. We got a Franciscan monk, whom we met inthe forest, to marry us--which was a bad move for the girl, for no onewould employ her, because she was my wife. So the forest became ourhome, hollow trees our shelter; and what a friend an old tree canbecome! Well, to make a long story short, necessity very soon taught mehow to take what belonged to others. I got used to the vagrant life. Icould not sleep under a roof any more. I could n't live among men, andpull off my hat to my betters. When the little lad came into the world,I said to my wife: 'Do you quit the forest, and look for work in somevillage. Don't let the little one grow up to become a thief.' She did asI bade her; but the people who hired her always found out that she wasthe wife of Satan Laczi, and then they would not keep her, and she wouldhave to come back to me in the forest. And that is where I shall end mydays--in the forest. I am not good for anything any more; I could n'teven plow a furrow any more. I shall end on the gallows--I feel it. Ishould have liked the life of a soldier, but they never would take me;they always said I would disgrace any regiment to which I might belong.Yes, I would rather have been a soldier than anything else; but what isnot to be will not be! I shall keep to my forest. I am obliged to theHerr Count for his good wishes and this delicious brandy."

  The robber placed the empty glass on the table, took up his hat, andwalked with heavy steps toward the door. Here he halted to say:

  "I must tell you that the touch-holes of all your firearms are filledwith wax. Have them cleaned, or you will not be able to shoot withthem."

  The count rose, and hastened to convince himself that this statement wastrue. He found that his firearms had indeed been rendered useless; therobber had taken good care to protect himself from an attack. When Vavellooked around again, Satan Laczi had disappeared.