Chapter 5 chapter Five

At nine o'clock the next day, Nick Deckard and Dr. Batak were ready to hit the road.The forest ranger planned to climb up the Fuerkang Pass and take the shortest route to the old castle surrounded by suspicious clouds. It is conceivable that seeing the smoke from the castle tower and hearing the mysterious voice of "King Mathias Hotel", the people in the whole district fell into panic.Several gypsy families are already talking about moving.Households were talking about it—and whispering too.Even the young rangers were terrorized, and who could say there was no such thing as the Devil Schort.The fifteen people who heard the mysterious voice at the Jonas Hotel were all the most trustworthy people in the village.It is obviously unreliable to say that they all had hallucinations.There was no doubt about it; Nick Deckard was warned by name that if he insisted on exploring the Carpathian castle, he would be in trouble.

Although no one forced him to go, the young ranger decided to go.No matter how beneficial it is to Village Chief Kurtz and how important it is to the village to find out the truth, everyone still tried their best to dispel Nick Deckard's idea of ​​taking risks.The beautiful Milyuda, with a sad and despairing face, and with tears in her eyes, begged him not to let his passions pass.Doing so was extremely dangerous before the mysterious voice issued a warning.After the warning was issued, he still insisted on going, which was simply dizzy.As the wedding day approached, Nick Deckard risked his life in danger, and even if his fiancée held him by the legs, he couldn't shake his determination.

Neither the persuasion of friends nor the tears of Milyuda could affect the forester.No one was surprised.Everyone knows his unruly character, his stubbornness, or rather his stubborn temper. He said he was going to the Carpathian castle, and no one could stop him—even if he was threatened by a strange voice.yes!He is going to the castle, even if he never returns. The time of departure finally came. Nick Deck hugged Milyuda for the last time. The poor girl made a cross with her thumb, index finger, and middle finger according to the Romanian custom to show her respect for the Holy Father, Holy Son, and Holy Spirit.

What about Dr. Batak? ...well, Dr. Tucker, forced to agree to accompany the Ranger, tried his best to escape, but to no avail.He was exhausted!Try all the tricks! ... He excused that many people heard the order clearly: do not go to the castle ... "This threat is only aimed at me." Nick Dyke replied him lightly. "Should something happen to you, forest ranger, can I get away with it?" answered Dr. Batak. "Whether you will be safe or not, you have promised to accompany me to visit the castle, you must go, because I am going!" The inhabitants of Welster, seeing that he could not be dissuaded, thought it reasonable for the forester to insist that the doctor accompany him.It's better than leaving Nick Deckard alone.In this way, the doctor was dejected, knowing that he could no longer shirk, otherwise his prestige in the village would be endangered, and he would break his promise after boasting, and he would be ridiculed by others.So he had to reluctantly agree, feeling uneasy.He made up his mind that as long as he encountered any obstacles on the road, he must force his companions to return to the village.

Nick Deckard and Doctor Batak set off.Judge Coltz, Hellmould, Frick, and Jonas sent them straight to the bend in the road. From here the village chief Kurtz took out the telescope and looked at the castle again (this instrument is now inseparable from him).No more smoke from the tower chimneys.Through the clear spring sky and the clear horizon, if there is smoke, it should be easy to spot.Could it be that the men or elves in the castle saw that the Warden ignored their threats and fled?Some people think this way, so they should get to the bottom of the matter. Everyone shook hands and said goodbye, and Nick Deckard dragged the doctor, and their figures disappeared around the bend of the mountain pass.

The young forest ranger wears a patrol uniform, a wide-billed hat, and a large sheathed knife on his waist belt.He wears a pair of bloomers, leather boots with spurs on his feet, a long gun on his shoulder, and a bullet bag tied around his waist.He is a well-known gunman in the local area, and his marksmanship is like a god.This outfit, if you don't encounter ghosts, can also deal with robbers wandering on the border.Even if you can't run into a robber, if you encounter a few fierce bears, it is enough to defend yourself. The doctor, too, thought he should take the old-fashioned flint pistol, which failed three out of five times.He carried a small ax given to him by his companions, with which he could use to forge his way through the dense jungle of Mount Puzale.He wore a countryman's wide-brimmed hat, well-boots with thick spurs, and a heavy traveling cape, but this heavy outfit would not prevent him from getting away if anything should happen.

Nick Deckard and the doctor also took some dry food, packed in saddlebags, for a possible prolongation of the expedition. After turning the main road, the two of them walked up the rapids on the right bank of the Niad River and walked several hundred steps.If you walk along the winding passage in the mountain, it will be too west.But to continue up the rapids, the distance can be reduced by a third, which is more advantageous, because the Niad River originates in the Algal Highlands.At first, the steep river bank was still passable, but later the ravines and huge boulders were everywhere, and it was difficult to climb even on foot.Just after they had passed through the forest of Mount Puzale, they had to cut diagonally to the left before returning to the road leading to the castle.

Moreover, this is the only way to reach the castle.During the time of Baron Rudolf de Golz, a trail was opened in this direction between the village of Welster, the Vulkan Pass, and the valley of the Hill River in Wallachia.But 20 years have passed, weeds are overgrown, thorns are everywhere, and it is difficult to find traces of the path. With the cliffs on both sides of the Niad River and the sound of the water thundering, another way must be found.Nick Deckard stopped to get his bearings.The castle disappeared at this time.The low slopes are lined with trees—the way most of the Carpathian forests are.Stepping out of this curtain, you can see the castle again.Without markers, it will be difficult to determine the orientation.It can only be judged according to the position of the sun, and the sun is shining on the far peak in the southeast.

"Look, Ranger," said the doctor, "look! . . . there's no way...or no way!" "It will be found," Nick Deckard replied. "Easy to say, Nick." "Easy to do, Batak." "Then you still insist on going?..." The forest ranger just made an affirmative gesture, and looked for the way in the jungle again. At this moment, the doctor had a strong desire to go back to the village, but his companion turned around, and the resolute gaze made the timid Batak feel embarrassed to stay behind. Dr. Batak held out one last hope: that Nick Deckard would soon lose his way in this maze of woods.The rangers never come here when they are on patrol.Although he does not have the keen sense of smell of animals, he relies on the "animal" endowment of professional instinct to find the direction with few signs, such as the projection of branches, the uneven ground, the color of bark, and the display of moss due to different wind directions. The nuances that come out.Nick Decker is too proficient in his trade, good at observation, never lost his way, even in an unfamiliar environment, he can completely compete with the famous hunters Badgul and Shenjak Guke in the Cooper area.

But it is extremely difficult to pass through this forest area.The forest is full of elms, beeches, several mechanical trees called maple trees, and tall and lush oak trees.The hills to the right of the pass are topped with birch, fir and pine trees.The trunks of these trees are tall and straight, with luxuriant branches and leaves, like a green tent blocking the sun. It is relatively easy to bend over these low branches.But you have to know what grows on the ground, and you have to be careful not to touch the thorny nettles, so as not to be bruised all over by the thorns!Nick Deckard didn't care about that, he wouldn't hesitate to get stabbed as long as he could get through the jungle.Under the circumstances they were moving very slowly--disturbingly, since Nick Deckard and Dr. Batak intended to reach the castle in the afternoon.In that case, there is still time to explore the castle—and then rush back to Weierst village before dark.

With an ax in hand, the forest ranger cuts through thorns and thorns in the jungle. His feet often encounter tree roots, stumps, and a thick layer of wet leaves. No wind has ever blown them away.Numerous bean pods burst open, like the sound of frying peas, which made the doctor terrified. Turn around and look.yes!Poor man, he was frightened and terrified.Now, he dared not be left behind alone, desperately trying to catch up with his stubborn companion. Sometimes an irregular clearing would suddenly appear in the woods.Sunshine rained down on the clearing.Pairs of black storks, disturbed in the silence, hulala flapped their wings and flew away from the branches and into the blue sky.And walking through these woodlands is even more exhausting.The ground was littered with trees that had been knocked down by the storm or died of old age, looking like they had been dealt a fatal blow by the carpenter.The huge tree trunk could not be pulled into the sawmill to be sawed into planks, nor could it be drawn to Wallachia by horse-drawn cart and thrown into the water of the Hill River, only to be eaten by insects and rot.Faced with these insurmountable and sometimes impossible obstacles, Nick Deckard and his companions must undergo rigorous tests.The young forest ranger was agile, strong and powerful, and had no problem overcoming difficulties; but Doctor Batak, with two thick legs and a pot belly, was panting and exhausted from exhaustion. "Look, Nick, I'm gonna break an arm and a leg!" he grumbled all the way. "Aren't you a doctor, you can take care of yourself." "Come on, Nick, be sensible...don't be too hotheaded and crazy!" what!Nick Deckard had already gone to the front, but the doctor hurriedly followed without getting any answer. Can they go straight to the opposite side of the castle?It's really hard to say.But since the terrain keeps rising, it will always come out of the woods.At 3 p.m., they finally reached the edge of the forest. From there up to the heights of the Olgal there was another green curtain, thinner and thinner as the hill climbed higher. The Niad River gushes out from among the rocks again.Maybe it went northwest, maybe Nick Deckard turned toward the river.Since the creek appeared to flow down from the Orgal Heights, the young ranger was sure they were on the right track. Nick Decker couldn't refuse the doctor's request to rest by the water for an hour.Furthermore, my legs were really weak and weak, and my stomach was growling with hunger.The doctor's and the forester's bag was stuffed with rations, and the jug was filled with anisette.And a few steps away, a stream of clear spring emerges from a crack in the rock.What could be more pleasant than this?I've consumed too much just now, it's time to eat something to nourish my spirit. Ever since they were on the road, the doctor hadn't had a chance to speak to Nick Dyke, because the ranger was always ahead.But now that they were sitting by the Nyard Creek, the doctor had his chance.Of these two, one was taciturn and the other was talkative.It's not surprising that one is always asking non-stop questions, while the other always grunts a few times and ignores them. "Forester, let's talk, talk, talk," said the doctor. "I'm listening," Nick Decker replied. "I think we'll rest here for a while to recharge our batteries." "It couldn't be more correct." "Then go back to the village..." "No...go to the castle." "My God! Nick, we walked for 6 hours and we're only halfway there..." "It's just a reminder to stop wasting time." "It was already dark when we arrived at the castle. Forest ranger, I don't think you are so crazy that you can't see clearly and want to take risks. Anyway, you have to wait until dawn..." "We'll wait until dawn." "So you still don't want to give up this meaningless project?..." "of course not." "God! We are so exhausted now, how much we need to sit in a cozy restaurant and have a good meal, how much we need to lie in a warm room and have a good sleep. Do you want to lie in the open air overnight?" "Yes, if we are kept out of the city walls." "If you are blocked outside the city?..." "We're going to sleep in the tower." "The Tower!" exclaimed the Doctor. "You thought, Forest Ranger, that I would agree to spend the night in that damned old castle..." "Probably, unless you'd rather be out there alone." "Forester, alone!...That's not okay, if we have to break up, I think this place is better, and we can go back to the village!" "Doctor Batak, the safest thing is to follow me wherever I go..." "During the day, yes!... At night, never!" "Well then, whatever you want, you can go as long as you want, and be careful not to get lost in the woods." Getting lost made the doctor uneasy.Leave him alone, he is not familiar with the twists and turns in the woods of Mount Plezza.He was never so sure that he would find his way back to the village.Besides, if it is dark—perhaps it is too dark—a person climbs down a steep slope in case he falls into a deep abyss, he does not want to do so.When the sun is setting, it is best to follow the forester to the foot of the fence, if he insists, provided he promises not to go over the wall.But the doctor wanted to make one last attempt to stop his companion. "You know very well, dear Nick," he added, "that I will never leave you... Since you insist on going to the castle, I will not let you go to danger alone." "Well said, Dr. Batak! I think you will do what you say." "Hey, Nick, one more word. If we arrive at the castle after dark, promise me that you won't even try to go into it..." "Doctor, what I can assure you is that I will try to get in no matter what. As long as I can't find out what's going on inside, I won't back down." "What's going on inside, Ranger!" cried Dr. Batak, shrugging his shoulders disapprovingly. "What do you think will happen inside?..." "I don't know anything, but I must find out, I will always find out..." "But we must get that damned castle!" The doctor retorted at the end of his argument, "According to the difficulties we have encountered so far, it takes us less time to travel through the jungles of the Pleza Mountains, and we can't even see the castle when it gets dark." shadow." "I don't think so," Nick Decker told him. "The cold maple forest on the hills is not like the thorns under the elms and maples and beeches." "But the way up the mountain is not easy!" "It doesn't matter, as long as you can climb up, it's good." "I mean there are bears around the Algal Heights." "I have a shotgun, and you have a gun to defend yourself, Doctor." "But if it's dark, we might get lost!" "No, because now we have a guide, I think, it won't abandon us again." "Guide!" cried the doctor. He stood up abruptly and looked around in horror. "Yes," Nick Dyke replied, "this guide is the rapids of the Niguide River. As long as you follow the right bank upstream, you can reach the summit of the highlands where it originates. So I think that in two hours, if Without being delayed on the road, we should be able to reach the castle." "Two hours, shouldn't it be six hours!" "Come on, are you ready?..." "What! Nick, it's time to go again! . . . We just rested for a few minutes!" "A few minutes is half an hour. One last time, are you ready?" "Get ready...my legs are leaden...you know I don't have the scud you rangers have, Nick Dyke!...my feet are swollen and you force me to follow You go, it's just too cruel..." "Batak, you're annoying me! Whatever you want, go back if you want! Good luck!" Nick Decker stood up. "For God's sake, Ranger," cried Dr. Batak, "listen to me again!" "Listen to your nonsense!" "Hey, since it's getting late, why don't we stay here, why don't we sleep under the tree, and we will start again at dawn tomorrow, and we will have enough time to reach the castle in the morning." "Doctor," said Nick Dyke, "I repeat, I want to spend the night in the castle." "No!" cried the doctor, "No...Nick, you won't! . . . I must stop you . . . " "you?……" "I'm going to catch you... Hold you!... Hit you if necessary..." Poor Batak, in the end, he didn't know what he was talking about. Nick Deckard didn't bother to talk to him, put the gun on his shoulder again, and walked towards the bank of the Niad River. "Wait...wait!..." the doctor cried pitifully, "damn it!...wait a moment!...my legs are stiff...the joints are sore, I can't walk..." But his joints quickly regained function.The old quarantine officer ran up with his short legs, and the forest ranger didn't even look back. It's 4 o'clock in the afternoon.The sun shines on the Plezza Ridge.The light that cannot be blocked by this barrier, like a mountain spring spurting obliquely, flickers on the high branches of fir trees.It was not unreasonable for Nick Decker to be in such a hurry, for as soon as the sun went down it was dark in the woods. The Alps are full of trees, rough and simple, with a strange and interesting landscape.The trees in the woods are not crooked and intertwined trees. On the contrary, the trunks are tall and straight, arranged in an orderly manner, and the trunks are exposed fifty or sixty feet above the roots without knots. The green leaves on the top stretch out like a big green umbrella.Under the tree is not overgrown with thorns and weeds.Long tree roots crawled to the ground like frozen snakes.The ground is covered with a light layer of dark yellow moss.Occasionally, a few dead branches and fruits, when stepped on, make a crackling sound.The steep slopes were piled with crystal white stones, hard and sharp enough to cut through the thickest leather.Therefore, it is quite difficult to cross this 200-meter-long fir forest. It is necessary to have a flexible waist, strong feet, and strong limbs, which is really difficult for Dr. Batak to do.If only Nick Deckard was alone, he would only need an hour, but dragging the doctor as a burden, stopping and waiting for him from time to time, and dragging him up the high rock that his short short legs can't get on superior.In this way, it took a full three hours.Now, the doctor has only one fear: a man left in this eerie deserted place. The more you climb, the harder it is, but the trees on the mountain are getting sparser.There are clusters here, clusters there, scattered on the hillside.The outlines of the mountains are looming between the trees. At this moment, the Niad River, along which Nick Deck had been running, became a trickle, and it seemed that it was not far from its source. A few hundred feet above the last ridges, the Algal plateau gradually opened up, and the old castle towered above it. Nick Deckard took his last breath and climbed onto the high ground.The doctor had collapsed into a pile of mud, and he didn't even have the strength to walk another 20 steps. He fell to the ground like a cow under a heavy blow from a butcher. Nick Deckard felt a little tired after this difficult trek.He stood motionless, gazing at the old Carpathian castle he had never been near. What appeared in front of him was a winding wall with crenelated battlements, and a deep moat was dug outside the wall. The only drawbridge on the ditch had been pulled up, leaning against a circle of secret doors surrounded by stones. Outside the wall, the Olgale Heights was completely silent, which was shocking. With the afterglow of the setting sun, you can also enjoy the vague shadow of the castle shrouded in the night.There was no one on the fort, no one on the platform of the tower, and no one on the circular veranda on the second floor.There was not even a trace of smoke hanging from the quaint, rusty weathervane. "Hey, forest ranger," Dr. Batak began, "you must admit that this ditch cannot be crossed, the drawbridge cannot be lowered, and the secret door cannot be opened." Nick Decker ignored him.He realized that he should stop and rest in front of the castle for a while.It was pitch black all around, how could he climb to the bottom of the ditch, climb to the wall, and enter the castle?Obviously, the wisest course of action is to wait until tomorrow morning before taking action. This annoyed the forest ranger, but the doctor was satisfied.