Chapter 8 chapter eight

The events terrified the residents of Welster.Now there is no doubt that the warnings in "King Mathias Hotel" from the "invisible mouth," as the poet puts it, were not limited to verbal threats.Nick Deckard was beaten for no reason because he acted recklessly against the will of God. This was his punishment.Isn't this a warning to all who would like to emulate him?It officially stated that no attempt should be made to break into the Carpathian castle, and it follows from this sad attempt that anyone who tries to enter the castle will be in danger of his life.If the forest ranger climbed into the city wall, he would never return to the village alive.

In this way, the atmosphere of terror permeated the whole village of Weierster, even the Vulcan region and the Hill Valley.People talked a lot, and they all planned to leave here; some gypsy families moved to neighboring villages, saying that they wanted to avoid the limelight, but in fact they moved away permanently.Now, it has become a sanctuary for demons and gangsters, which is unacceptable to public sentiment.If the Hungarian government does not dispatch troops to wipe out this inaccessible magic lair, people will have to leave their homes.Can the Carpathian Castle be destroyed by manpower alone?

During the first week of June, no one dared to venture out of the village, not even to work in the fields.Go down with a shovel lightly, afraid that you will provoke the ghosts under the ground? ... The iron shovel is plowing, wouldn't a group of ghosts and vampires fly out? ...Aren't the sown wheat seeds afraid to breed a group of devils? "Sooner or later it will happen!" said Shepherd Frick with certainty. He himself took care to avoid the meadows by the Hill River, where he no longer tended his sheep. As a result, the whole village was shrouded in darkness.The fields are all barren.Villagers stayed at home, with doors and windows closed.Village Chief Kurz didn't know how to restore the confidence of his villagers. The problem was that he lacked courage himself.Obviously, the only recourse was to go to Coluri and ask the authorities to intervene in the matter.

Did the tower chimney smoke again? ……yes.Several times, through binoculars, wisps of smoke were seen rising from the mists that lingered over the Orgal Heights. At night, are the clouds in the sky still red with the burning flames? ... Yes, there is always a spiral of flames dancing over the castle. Did the roaring and howling that frightened Doctor Batak out of his wits pass through the mountains of Pleza to the ears of the villagers, making them restless? ... Yes, only the sound was weakened by the distance, and the terrible boom of the southwest wind echoed in the valley. According to the terrified people, the earth seemed to tremble, possibly the slumbering volcano in the Carpathians waking up.But the people of Weierster village think what they see, hear and feel, and there is a great degree of exaggeration in it.However, some facts are indisputable.It is certain that people will no longer be able to live in this place full of traps.

The "King Matthias Hotel" was naturally deserted.Quarantine stations during epidemics are not so deserted.No one dared to step over the threshold.Jonas thought to himself that if no more customers came to the door, he would close up soon.Just at this time, the visit of two tourists turned the situation around. On the evening of June 9th, at about 8 o'clock, the latch of the hotel door was removed from the outside, but it could not be opened because of the pin inserted in it. Jonas had already returned to the small attic, and when he heard the noise, he hurried downstairs again.He hoped that there would be guests staying in the hotel, but he was also worried that there was a hideous monster outside, so he really didn't know how to refuse it.

Jonas didn't open the door, but asked carefully through the door. "Who's out there?" he asked. "Two passers-by." "Is it alive?" "Live well." "Are you sure?..." "It's as good as it gets. But if you keep them out, they're going to starve to death." Jonas made up his mind, pulled the latch, and two men walked in. Once inside, they asked for a room each, saying they intended to stay in Welster for twenty-four hours. Using the light, Jonas carefully looked at the two strangers in front of him, and he was convinced that he was dealing with human beings.How lucky this is for the "King Mathias Hotel"!

The younger one was about 32 years old.Tall, with an elegant and handsome face, and dark eyes.His dark brown hair, carefully trimmed brown beard, and his slightly sad, yet haughty face showed that he was an aristocrat, and an innkeeper like Jonas, who was good at observing, would never be mistaken. He asked the names of the two guests to fill out the passenger registration form. "Count Franz de Derek and his entourage Rozko," replied the young man. "From where?..." "From Craiova." Craraova is an important town in Romania, which borders the province of Transylvania in the southern Carpathian Mountains.Franz Dederek was of Romanian descent—Jonas could see that from the moment he saw him.

And Rodzko, a tall, heavy-haired man in his forties, with a soldierly demeanor.He carried a military bag on his shoulder and a light suitcase in his hand.This was all the luggage of the young earl.It can be seen from his attire that he often travels on foot.He wore a greatcoat over his shoulders, a woolen parka on his head, a broad jacket with a belt around his waist in which hung the scabbard of a Wallasian dagger, and large platform shoes on his feet. There are also shoe covers on the outside. These two travelers were exactly the people whom the shepherd Flick met on the mountain pass ten days ago.They were walking towards the Rediezato hill.After swimming in the Reediezzato Mountains, they walked as far as the Maros County border, climbed up the mountain again, and came to the village of Welster, intending to rest for a while before continuing up the valley of the Hill River.

"How many rooms do you have?" asked Franz Dederek. "Two...three...four...as many as you want." Jonas replied. "Two is enough," Rozko said, "as long as they're next to each other." "Are you satisfied with these two rooms?" Jonas said as he opened the two guest rooms at the end of the hall. "Very well," said Franz Dederek. Apparently, Jonas was not afraid of his lodger.They are not ghosts, ghosts and ghosts who have turned into human beings.no!The manner of this gentleman reflected in every respect the upbringing of a noble gentleman, for whom the innkeeper was more than happy to oblige.This bodes well for the revitalization of the "King Matthias Hotel".

"How far are we from Cluj?" asked the young man. "About fifty miles along the road, through Petrosani and Kaltsburg," replied Jonas. "Is the road difficult?" "It's too difficult for a walker. I think Mr. Earl should rest for a few more days..." "Shall we have dinner?" Franz Dederek interrupted the innkeeper's enthusiastic persuasion. "Please wait for half an hour, I will present a sumptuous dinner to Mr. Earl..." "All we want tonight is bread, wine, beef and eggs." "Willing to serve you." "The sooner the better."

"Come right away." Jonas was about to enter the kitchen when the count's question made him stop. "You don't seem to have many guests here? . . . " asked Franz Dederek. "Uh... there are few people at this time, Mr. Earl." "Don't the villagers come to drink a glass of wine and smoke a cigarette at this time?" "The time has passed... Monsieur Count... We usually have the hens in the nest, and everyone goes to bed." He would never say why there was no one in the hotel. "There are about four or five hundred people in your village, right?" "Almost, Monsieur Count." "However, we didn't see a living person on the road..." "That's because...today...today is Saturday...it's the eve of Sunday..." Fortunately, Franz Dederek didn't ask any further questions, otherwise, Jonas really didn't know how to answer.In any case, he will not cut himself off.If these outsiders know the truth, who guarantees that they will not immediately flee from this village with a reputation for ghosts! "Maybe that noise doesn't bother them when they're eating!" Jonas thought, setting the table in the middle of the hall. Soon, the light meal the young man ordered was placed on a clean white tablecloth.Franz.Dederek took the seat, and Rozko sat opposite him as he was used to when traveling.The two gobbled it up, and after the meal, they went back to their houses to rest. At the dinner table, the young count and Rozko didn't even exchange ten words, so Jonas couldn't find out anything, which made him very unhappy.Besides, Franz de Derek seemed to be a man of great power, and his moods were undisturbed; as far as the innkeeper observed, he could not even try to extract words from Rodzko about his master's family background. Jonas had no choice but to say good night to the guests.Before going up to the attic, he glanced at the hall again, pricked up his ears to listen to the movement inside and outside the house, and kept muttering: "I hope that damned noise doesn't wake them up when they're sleeping!" The night was uneventful. At dawn the next day, the news that the two travelers were staying at the "King Mathias Hotel" spread like wildfire, and many people flocked to the door of the hotel. Franz Dederek and Rodzko were tired from the long journey the night before and slept soundly.It seems that they will not get up until seven or eight o'clock. The spectators waited impatiently.But the guests didn't get up, and they didn't have the courage to rush into the hall rashly. The two finally showed up at eight o'clock. They didn't seem to be in any trouble.The two were seen walking up and down the hotel before sitting down to breakfast.But that's not reassuring. Jonas stood at the door, with a kind demeanor and a wide smile, as if asking his regular customers to trust him.Since the guest at the hotel is a nobleman - and a descendant of the oldest family in Romania - what is there to fear? Later, the village chief Kurz suddenly felt that he should take the lead, and decided to venture in and have a look. At about 9 o'clock, the village head hesitated for a moment, and finally went in.Immediately, Hellmode, Shepherd Frick, and three or four other regulars followed.As for Dr. Batak, he had already sworn to his death that he would never go in again. "To Jonas," he said, "not even for ten florins!" It is necessary to add here that it is not superfluous: if the mayor of Kurtz agrees to return to the hotel, it is not just to satisfy his curiosity, nor is it to get close to Franz Dederek.neither!To a large extent, he made up his mind considering his own interests. As a traveler, the young earl had to pay toll for himself and his entourage.You have not forgotten, according to the practice, these taxes directly fall into the pocket of the chief executive of the village. The mayor suggested the payment of the tax in tactful terms, and Franz de Derek paid it hastily, though he was a little taken aback. He also invited the village chief Kurz and the village teachers to sit down for a while.They saw that the other party was so polite to invite, and it was hard to refuse, so they sat down. Jonas hurriedly took out all kinds of good sweet shochu from the wine cellar.The village chief wanted three cups.Therefore, there is every reason to believe that the regular patrons who were scattered before will soon be reunited at the "King Matthias Hotel". After paying the toll, Franz Dederek asked if the toll was legal. "Not yet, but we hope to be able to in the future, Mr. Earl." The mayor of Kurz replied. "Do foreigners seldom come to Transylvania?" "Not many," said the village chief, "but this place is still worth visiting." "I think so too," said the young man. "The scenery I see attracts tourists. Standing on the top of the Rediezato Mountain, you can see the beautiful valley of the Hill River, the villages and towns to the east, and the Cabaret. The lofty islets of the Alpathians." "It's really beautiful, Mr. Earl, it's so beautiful." Helmold said, "You can also go to Palin Peak to see it." "I'm afraid I'm running out of time," said Franz Dederek. "One day is enough." "Yes, but I'm going to Katzburg, tomorrow morning." "What, Mr. Earl is leaving us so soon?" Jonas said in surprise, with a very affectionate expression. He just hoped that the two guests could stay longer. "I must go," replied the Count de Derek. "Besides, what am I doing in Weierst? . . . " "Please believe that our village is worth a tourist's stay for a while!" the village chief Kerz said again. "But it seems that few people come here to visit," the young count retorted, "probably because there is nothing to see around it..." "Yeah, nothing to see..." the village chief said, but he couldn't help but think of the old castle. "No... nothing unusual..." the rural teacher repeated. "Oh!...Oh!..." Flick the shepherd inadvertently leaked out his words. Village head Kerz, several others, especially the innkeeper, glared at him at the same time!The implication is, why are you so eager to reveal the secrets of this area to passers-by?Wouldn't it frighten him to leave the village by telling him about the strange things that had happened on the Orgal Heights, and by showing him the old Carpathian castle?What traveler would ever want to take the Vulcan Pass to Transylvania? The shepherd was not much wiser than the dumbest of his flock. "Shut up, idiot, shut up!" Master Kurtz yelled at him in a low voice. But young people's appetites have been whetted.He asked Frick directly what he meant by "Oh! Oh!" The shepherd is not a man to give in easily.Besides, he probably felt that Franz de Darey could think of a way for them. "Mr. Earl, I am oh, I am not bad." "Are there really any wonders worth seeing near Weierster Village?" The young man asked again. "It's not a spectacle..." Village Chief Kerz said first. "No!...No!..." Everyone present shouted in unison. The thought that someone might want to enter the castle again, which would inevitably lead to new disasters, made them panic. Franz Dederek looked at these good old men with a little surprise, and all the horrors on their faces were obvious, but the meaning was obvious. "What the hell?..." he asked. "What is it, master?" Rodzko replied, "There seems to be an old Carpathian castle here." "The Carpathian Castle?..." "Yes! . . . The shepherd just whispered to me." He pointed at Frick while talking, and the shepherd shook his head violently, not daring to look at the village chief. Now, now that the secret of this superstitious village has been revealed, nothing else can be concealed. The mayor of Kurtz decided to tell the count himself, and he told all the stories about the Carpathian castle. Apparently, this story surprised Franz de Derek.Although, like many young noblemen in his station, he lived in seclusion in castles in the backcountry of Valasia, and was ignorant of scientific knowledge.But he is a man with a brain after all.He doesn't believe in ghosts and spirits, and he spontaneously ridicules the rumors that cause hauntings.A castle haunted by ghosts, for which he would just scoff.In his opinion, the wonderful things that Village Chief Kurz said were just outdated news, but the people of Weierster Village thought it was a ghost.The smoke on the top of the tower and the flying bells are all very easy to explain.As for the flashes and roars that emanated from the castle, they were pure hallucinations. Franz de Derek expressed the above opinion very bluntly, and made a joke, which embarrassed everyone present. "Well, Monsieur Count," said the mayor, "there is still more." "and also?……" "Yes! It is absolutely impossible to break into the Carpathian castle." "real?……" "A few days ago, the forest rangers and doctors in our village wanted to check in the castle for the safety of the village, but they paid a heavy price for it." "What's the matter with them? . . . " asked Franz Dederek sarcastically. The mayor of Kurz told in detail the adventures of Nick Deckard and Dr. Batak. "So," said the young count, "when the doctor wanted to leave the ditch, his feet were firmly stuck to the ground, and he couldn't move forward at all?" "You can't move forward, you can't move backward!" Helmode added. "That's just what your doctor thinks," retorted Franz Dederek. "He's so frightened . . . that he can't move!" "Even so, Mr. Earl," said the village chief Kurtz, "how can you explain the strong shock Nick Dyke felt when he put his hand on the iron ring on the suspension bridge..." "He was plotted against..." "Even if he was plotted against," the village head continued, "he is still bedridden..." "Is it not life-threatening?" The young count asked eagerly. "No...it's lucky." The facts in front of him are undeniable, and the village chief Kurz watched the young earl explain it. He told everyone clearly. "The rumors I heard just now are nothing serious. I repeat, they are all too simple. I have no doubt that someone must be occupying the Carpathian Castle. But who is it? ... I don't know .But it can't be ghosts anyway, it's people, they found that place as a refuge... Maybe it's gangsters and robbers..." "A gangster and a robber?..." the village chief Kurtz called out. "It is probable that, since they did not want to be caught and hunted, they must have tried to convince people that the castle was haunted." "Oh, Monsieur Count, what do you think? . . . " asked Helmed. "I think this area is very superstitious, and the people in the castle know it, so they use this method to prevent uninvited guests from visiting." That seemed to be the case, but unsurprisingly, none of the villagers were willing to accept it.The young earl knew very well that he had not persuaded this group at all, and they did not want to be persuaded.In the end, he had to say: "Since you don't want to believe what I said, gentlemen, please continue to believe in the legend of the Carpathian castle." "We believe what we have seen and heard, Mr. Earl," argued the village head of Kurtz. "It's true," the teacher added. "Forget it, what a pity, if Rozko and I can spare a day to visit your famous castle, I assure you, we will definitely learn the truth..." "Go and visit the castle!..." exclaimed the Village Chief of Kurtz. "Not even the devil can stop us from climbing the wall if we are determined." To hear Franz de Derek speak so firmly, even cynically, everyone was seized by another terror.The elves in the castle are so rebellious and disrespectful, is this causing trouble for the village? ... I don't know if they heard the conversation in the "King Matthias Hotel"? ...Will that mysterious voice sound again? Thinking of this, the village chief Kurz told the young count how the forester was named and warned that day, if he dared to pry into the castle's secrets, he would be severely punished. Franz Dederek shrugged his shoulders; he got up, and said he couldn't hear anything.All that, he asserted, was nothing but the imagination of the guests, who were too trusting in ghosts, and who drank a few extra glasses of the inn's cinnamon. After hearing his words, some people got up and walked out the door, afraid to stay with this atheist again, how dare he say that. Franz Dederek beckoned them to stay. "It is evident, gentlemen, that I understand the atmosphere of terror that hangs over the village of Welster," he said. "It makes sense, Mr. Earl," replied the village head of Kurtz. "Well, then, I have a way of exposing the intrigue in the castle. The day after tomorrow, I am going to Katzburg, and if you like, I can report what happened here to the municipal authorities. They will send a squadron of gendarmes and police, and I will report to the city. You promise that these brave warriors will storm the castle, and drive away the pranksters who make you suspicious, or arrest the criminals who plan to do wrong." This suggestion was more acceptable, but it was still not to the liking of the village dignitaries.They believe that neither the gendarmerie, the police, nor the army can subdue these ghosts who can call the wind and make waves. "Gentlemen, as I recall, you haven't told me whose property the Carpathian castle belongs to?" asked the count. "It's from an old local family, Baron de Golz's family." Village Chief Kurz replied. "The Degolzes? . . . " cried Franz D'Derek. "It's his house!" "Is it Baron Rudolph's family?" "Exactly, Monsieur Count." "Do you know how he is now?..." "I don't know. Baron de Golze hasn't been seen at the castle for many years." Franz Dederek's face was pale, and he said the name blankly, his voice changed: "Rudolf de Golz!"