Chapter 2 Chapter two

It doesn't matter whether these rocks are naturally formed in the last major changes in the earth's crust in geological time, or whether they were artificially ax-hewn.Over time, the rock's surface appears indistinguishable from a distance.The uncut rock and the man-carved one are in perfect harmony.From a distance, the color is the same, and the outline is the same; in the distance, the peaks turn around, the layout is slightly different, the color is dark and green, and it must have withstood the sun and rain for several centuries. This ancient castle, also known as the Carpathian Castle, is probably like this.It is inlaid like a crown on the Algal Heights, on the left side of the Fubikang Pass.The outline of the castle is hidden in the distant mountains, making it difficult to distinguish.The tower that people see may be just a dull rock.The tooth-shaped battlements that I thought were the parapet walls turned out to be nothing more than a row of ordinary pinnacles.The whole castle is confusing and confusing, looming.Many tourists who come here are disappointed, thinking that the Carpathian castle is just a fabrication made by people.

Obviously, the easiest way to find out the truth is to pay for a villager from the village of Vulcan or Welster to be a guide, climb over the pass, climb to the top of the round hill, and observe the whole picture of the castle up close.It's just that finding a guide is more difficult than finding a road to the castle.No one in the valley of the Shir River is willing to take tourists to the old Carpathian castles, no matter how attractive the reward is. But at any rate, if you had a telescope—not of course the kind that Shepherd Frick bought Judge Kurtz, but a good, high-power telescope—then you'd observe something like this:

Behind the Vulkan Pass stands a section of clay-colored wall, about six to eight hundred feet high, covered with ivy-like vines, round in shape, about four to five hundred watts in circumference, and undulating with the terrain; There is a turret on each side, and the famous beech grows on the turret on the right, and there is a watchtower with a pointed top on the turret; on the left, several buttresses with through holes support several high walls, and there is a small church on it. When the wind blows, the cracked bell shakes from side to side, and the sound makes the local people terrified; in the middle is the ancient tower of the castle, with three rows of iron windows on the tower, and a platform with toothed battlements on the top of the tower.The second floor of the tower is surrounded by verandahs. On the top platform of the tower stands a long metal pole decorated with colored metal rings, similar to a weather beacon.

What was hidden in this many collapsed walls, whether there were inhabited houses, whether there were drawbridges, secret doors leading to the fort, these have been unknown for many years.In fact, the interior of the Carpathian castle is much better preserved than the exterior.People's fear of it, coupled with superstition, has played a significant role in protecting the castle, even more powerful than the guns equipped in the castle back then. But the Carpathian castle is really worth visiting for travelers and antique dealers.The castle is located on the top of the Algal Heights, and the scenery is strange and magnificent.Looking from the platform at the top of the tower of the tall building, there are many mountains and cockroaches in the distance, and the vision is wide.Behind the castle, the mountains are rolling and branching, and then we are at the border of Wallasia Park.Ahead, the winding Vulcan Pass is the only passage linking the neighboring provinces.

Going up along the valley of the Hill River, passing through the towns of Rivager, Lonière, Petchany, and Betria in turn.They are located near the coal mine, which is a rich coal field.In the distance, the mountains are stacked, which is amazing.The foot of the mountain is lush with trees, the mountainside is also lush and green, and the top of the mountain is a barren land.The steep Rediezato and Palin peaks dominate the mountains.Finally, across the Maas River in the Harzke Valley, the distant Alps in Transylvania can be seen in the mist. The mountains enclose a small basin, formerly a lake, into which the two Hill Rivers flow, and out through the mountains.Now, there are abundant coal resources in the small basin, which has both advantages and disadvantages.Tall brick chimneys mingled among the branches of poplar, fir, and beech; thick black smoke fouled the formerly pure air of birdsong and flowers.But at the time when this story happened, although the giant hands of industry had reached into this mining area, its rough and primitive style had not been completely lost.

The Carpathian castle was built in the 12th and 13th centuries.At that time, under the rule of princes and nobles, monasteries, churches, palaces, castles, and towns and villages were as carefully managed as city defenses.Nobles and peasants take care of each other and guard against various foreign aggressions.This suffices to explain why the walls, bastions and towers of old castles have the character of feudal fortifications.And which architect built it on the high ground of the cliff?No one knows that the extraordinary great master is unknown, unless he is the Romanian Manoli, who is widely known among the people of Wallasia, and he built the famous Rudolph in Nierde and Dargis. black castle.

Although there is much speculation about the builder of the castle, it is clear who owns the castle.The barons of the Degolz family have been local lords since ancient times.They participated in the bloody battles of Transylvania; they fought against the invaders Hungarians, Saxons, and Zeclairs; There is a famous Wallasian proverb that is their motto: "Da pe maoete" (Da pe maoete), they throw their heads and shed their blood, Fighting for independence, - the blood of their Romanian ancestors. They were known for their hardships, unfailing loyalty, and devotion, but the descendants of this courageous people fell into slavery and lost their political status.They have been ravaged by three generations of nobles.However, these Wallacians of Transylvania will not bow their heads, trying to break the shackles around their necks, the future belongs to them.With unshakable conviction, they reiterated the oath that encapsulated all their pursuits: "Roman on pere!" (Roman on pere!)

In the middle of the 19th century, there was only one Baron Rudolf left in the Baron de Golz family.He was born in an ancient Carpathian castle and witnessed the decline of his entire family at a young age. At 22, he was alone in the world.All his relatives passed away one after another, just like the branch of the century-old beech, which fell year after year. Outsiders rumored that this beech was closely related to the rise and fall of the castle.How did Baron Rudolph, who had no friends or relatives, pass the monotonous hours in the solitude under the shadow of death?What are his tastes, dispositions, and specialties?People only know that he has an irresistible passion for music, and he especially likes to listen to the great contemporary singers.Other than that, people don't know anything.One day, he left the dilapidated old castle to several old servants to take care of, and disappeared by himself.It was only later that he traveled with his vast fortune to the major romantic capitals of Europe, to the theaters of Germany, France, and Italy, in order to satisfy his insatiable taste for music.He's a madman, to put it mildly, a freak.His treacherous menstruation cannot but make people think so.

However, the young Baron Golz was deeply attached to his homeland.On his way to a foreign land far away, his hometown of Transylvania has always haunted him.So he returned home and took part in a bloody battle of Romanian peasants against Hungarian oppression. The descendants of the Dacian ancestors were defeated, and their lands were divided among the conquerors. After that uprising was brutally suppressed, Baron Rudolf left the partially collapsed Carpathian castle forever.When the servants in the castle died one by one, the castle was completely abandoned.As for the Baron de Golze, it is said that he joined the ranks of the famous Roza Sandor with patriotic zeal.Roza Sandor was originally a green man, and the Revolutionary War made him a legendary hero.Fortunately, after the failure of this uprising, Rudolf de Golz broke away from the "bandits" that would hurt others, and he did so wisely.Later, the former robbers reunited and took up the old business of thieves, and finally fell into the hands of the police and were imprisoned in Zamos-Yuval Prison.

However, there is still a local legend: Baron Rudolph is said to have been killed in a battle where Roza Sandor's troops fought with the checkpoint armed forces.Though it is true that Baron de Golzes has not been seen at the castle since then, and though no one suspects that he is long dead, it is better to be cautious about such a statement than to trust the rumour-believing inhabitants unreservedly. The news that came out of the mouth. The Carpathian castle has become a deserted, haunted, haunted place.People blow up the castle to a miraculous level, saying that it is surrounded by evil spirits and haunted by ghosts.This kind of thing still happens from time to time in some superstitious regions in Europe today, and the Transylvania region should be the first.

Just imagine, how can the village of Weierster get rid of this deep-rooted superstition?The priest and the village teacher, the former instructing the religious life, the latter the education of the children, both of them not only believed in this, but also publicized it with embellishment. The vampires are drinking human blood; the staff ghosts prowl the ruins, and they have to be brought food and drink every night, and if they forget one day, something will happen.Tuesday and Friday are the most unlucky days of the week. During these two days, people have to be careful not to run into fairies, elves, "babes" and so on.In the mysterious and deep magic forest, there are hidden giant dragons "Balauli", and they insert their gums into the clouds.There is also the giant-winged monster "Zmei", which specializes in robbing royal girls, and commoner girls can't escape its clutches as long as they are a little bit pretty!Look, there are so many evil spirits in the world, what good tricks can the kind people come up with to deal with them?There is only one kind, the house snake, which lives in the fireplace, and the farmers offer it with the best milk for good luck. If it is said which castle is the best sanctuary for the monsters and ghosts in Romanian myths and legends, then the Carpathian castle does its part.It is surrounded by cliffs and can only be climbed from the left side of Fuerkang Pass.There is no doubt that there are dragons, fairies, and vampires hidden in the castle, and even a few undead of the Baron de Golz family wander in it.As a result, the castle became famous naturally.As for taking the risk to patronize, I'm not so bold.Its terrible reputation spread like a plague, like a stench rising from a foul swamp.As long as you walk only more than 200 meters away from the castle, your life will be hard to save, and it will be hard to save you in the underworld.It was this sort of stuff that the village teacher Helmold used to harp on in class. As long as the old castle of Baron de Golz's family completely collapsed, such rumors should disappear.But here ghosts and legends play a role again. According to the authority of Weierster Village, the fate of the castle is directly related to the old beech tree on the left corner of the castle. Since Baron Rudolf de Golz abandoned the castle—the people in the village, especially the shepherd Frick, have observed that one of the main branches of this old tree falls every year.The last time Baron Rudolph stood on the tower platform, there were still eighteen branches on the tree, but now there were only three left.That is to say, every time a tree branch falls, the life of the castle will be reduced by one year.If the branches fall off, the castle will no longer exist.By then, you will no longer see the remains of the old Carpathian castles on the Olgare Heights. In fact, this is only the imagination of the Romanians.First of all, does this beech really lose a branch every year?This is very doubtful, although Frick the Shepherd tried to confirm it.Because every time he grazes sheep by the Hill River, he can see the old castle.Although the reliability of Frick's words is still open to question, no one in Weierster Village, from the common people to the village head, doubts that the castle is only alive for three years, since its "Guardian Beech" has only three left. Twigs gone. The shepherd strode quickly to bring back to the village the event he had observed through the telescope. This is really an earth-shattering new discovery!Smoke came out of the tower...Although the shepherd couldn't see it with the naked eye, he could see it clearly with the peddler's binoculars...It wasn't water vapor, but a puff of smoke rising and intertwined with the clouds in the sky...But Well, no one lives in the castle... For a long time, no one has passed through the closed secret door and the drawbridge that must be pulled up.If there was any movement in it, it must be some elves and ghosts... But why did the elves light a fire in Peilou's room? ...for heating or for cooking?It's really puzzling. Frick hurried the flock to the sheepfold.Hearing his yelling, the shepherd dogs forced the flock of sheep to climb up the slope, causing dust to fly up, and then slowly fell to the ground wrapped in the night dew. He reluctantly returned the salute to a few farmers returning late as they passed by.This really aroused their uneasiness, because in order to drive away evil spirits and avoid disasters, it is not enough to just greet the shepherd, he must also return the greetings.But it appears that Flick has no desire to return the salute at all.His eyes were panicked, his expression was strange, and his behavior was abnormal, as if a wolf and bear had taken half of his flock, something must be wrong.What bad news did he bring back? The first person to receive the bad news was Judge Coltz.Seeing him from afar, Flick shouted: "Sir, the castle is smoking!" "What are you talking about, Frick?" "I'm telling the truth." "Are you crazy?" How could a fire start on this rocky, broken hill?Doesn't this mean that Negoi, the main peak of the Carpathian Mountains, was engulfed in flames?Nothing could be more ludicrous than that. "You said, Frick, you said that the castle was really on fire?..." Village Chief Kurtz asked again. "It's not fire, it's smoke." "Maybe it's water vapor." "No, it's smoke...come and have a look." The two of them walked in the middle of the village street, and reached a platform on the edge of the ravine, from which the castle could be seen clearly. On the platform, Frick handed the binoculars to Judge Kurtz.Evidently, he was far less skilled at handling this instrument than his shepherd. "What is this?" he asked. "I bought it for you for two florins, sir, and it was worth four florins!" "Who did you buy it from?" "A hawker." "Why use it?" "Put it in front of your eyes and look towards the old castle opposite. You will see it." The judge pointed the binoculars in the direction of the castle and looked at it for a long time. good!There was indeed a puff of smoke coming from the chimney of the tower.At this time, a breeze blew, pressing the smoke towards the mountainside. "It's smoke!" Village Chief Kerz was terrified. At this time, Milyuda and the forest ranger Nick Dyke, who had been home for a while, came over. "What is this for?" the young man asked, taking the binoculars. "I can see things in the distance," replied the shepherd. "Are you kidding, Frick." "I'm not kidding, Ranger. I recognized you when you came back to the village about an hour ago, you and..." Before he finished speaking, Milyuda blushed, and quickly lowered her beautiful eyes.Actually, no one wants to stop a decent girl from going out with her fiancé. The two of them picked up the binoculars one after another to watch the castle in the distance. At this moment, five or six neighbors came to the platform. When they heard that there was smoke in the castle, they also took turns to observe with binoculars. "Smoke! There is smoke in the castle!..." A person exclaimed. "Maybe lightning hit the tower?..." One person guessed. "Has there been any thunder recently?..." Village Chief Kurz asked Flick. "There has been no thunder for a week!" replied the Shepherd. If someone had told these good old folks at this time that the Rediezato had just erupted and spewed a lot of steam from the ground, they might not have made such a fuss.