"Bram Stoker - Dracula" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stoker Bram)

There are thousands of them in Hungary and Transylvania,
who are almost outside all law. They attach themselves as a rule
to some great noble or boyar, and call themselves by his name.
They are fearless and without religion, save superstition,
and they talk only their own varieties of the Romany tongue.

I shall write some letters home, and shall try to get them
to have them posted. I have already spoken to them through
my window to begin acquaintanceship. They took their hats
off and made obeisance and many signs, which however, I could
not understand any more than I could their spoken language.
. .

I have written the letters. Mina's is in shorthand, and I simply
ask Mr. Hawkins to communicate with her. To her I have explained
my situation, but without the horrors which I may only surmise.
It would shock and frighten her to death were I to expose my heart to her.
Should the letters not carry, then the Count shall not yet know
my secret or the extent of my knowledge. . .


I have given the letters. I threw them through the bars of my window with a
gold piece, and made what signs I could to have them posted. The man who took
them pressed them to his heart and bowed, and then put them in his cap.
I could do no more. I stole back to the study, and began to read.
As the Count did not come in, I have written here. . .


The Count has come. He sat down beside me, and said in his
smoothest voice as he opened two letters, "The Szgany has
given me these, of which, though I know not whence they come,
I shall, of course, take care. See!"--He must have looked
at it.--"One is from you, and to my friend Peter Hawkins.
The other,"--here he caught sight of the strange symbols
as he opened the envelope, and the dark look came into
his face, and his eyes blazed wickedly,--"The other is
a vile thing, an outrage upon friendship and hospitality!
It is not signed. Well! So it cannot matter to us."And
he calmly held letter and envelope in the flame of the lamp
till they were consumed.

Then he went on, "The letter to Hawkins, that I shall, of course
send on, since it is yours. Your letters are sacred to me.
Your pardon, my friend, that unknowingly I did break the seal.
Will you not cover it again?" He held out the letter to me,
and with a courteous bow handed me a clean envelope.

I could only redirect it and hand it to him in silence.
When he went out of the room I could hear the key turn softly.
A minute later I went over and tried it, and the door was locked.