Count Vlad-jenny Dooley r386i

Chapter one A telegram from Count Dracula It was early autumn in the year 1895. Alfred Sackville-Jones and Lord Er nest Deboy were sitting in front of an open fire in Alfred's apartment. On the t able lay a heap of bones, all that remained of the meal they had just eaten. Lic king a finger, Alfred got to his feet. "Now after such a satisfying and filling meal, Ernest, my dear fellow, I suggest that we finish off with one of my very special wines." Alfred pulled the cork from a dusty bottle and filled a glass with dark red wine. His eyes lit up as he ed the glass under his nose. "Perfect. Absolutely perfect! Maison D' Armignac 1880. I've been saving it for a special occasion." "Special occasion? What are we celebrating, old boy?" "First of all, my birthday, which, of course, you completely forgot. And secondly, the end of another successful adventure." Alfred ed the glass to Ernest, who raised it in the air with a smile . "Sorry for forgetting your birthday, dear boy. I've got a hopeless memor y. I'm not sure I even know my own birthday. What age am I, anyway? Twenty-eight or twenty-nine?" "You're thirty-three. And a liar. You have a brilliant memory. You know by heart everything about every bat that has ever existed." "Ah, now that's different." Alfred, who worked for a newspaper called The Globe, just returned from Norway, where they had solved an unusual is family had gone to live in an old castle that the Count's in his will. However, after a week, a strange figure without like a Viking began appearing at midnight. The Viking roared ld, and scared everybody. Naturally, everybody in the castle ch was why they asked Alfred and Lord Ernest for help.

and Lord Ernest had case. A Count and h uncle had loft him a head and dressed as loudly as he cou was very upset, whi

As he drank his wine, Ernest looked out through the window into the stre ets of London, but all he could see was smoke and fog. "You know, Alfred, old chap I have to it that this is jolly good wine . You don't happen to have any more, do you, by any chance?" Alfred poured more wine and Ernest made himself comfortable again. "You know, I rather like this ghost-hunting business." Ernest began to laugh as he lit his pipe. "What a hopeless actor that Viking was!" "Quite terrible! I've seen better acting done by Great Aunt Agatha's chu rch drama group. He sounded more like a mouse than a monster!"

"What a devil! Imagine trying to frighten the family out of the castle s o that he could claim it as his." "Well, we solved that case, which makes three so far this year. I think we're becoming quite famous." Alfred went to his desk and picked up the newspaper and looked iringl y at the headline: 'BRITONS FIND VIKING'S MISSING HEAD.' Suddenly he looked very serious. "Do you believe in ghosts, Ernest?" "I'd like to, but I'm very much afraid they don't exist. A pity really." "Well, I'm not so sure." Just then the doorbell rang, which made both men jump a little. "Who on earth can it be at this time of night?" A minute or so later, Alfred's servant entered, holding a telegram. Alfred tore it open. He disliked telegrams. His eyes moved quickly down the paper. A look of relief appeared on his face. "You know, I think we're in business again, my dear Ernest. It's from... guess who?" "Oh, come on! Don't keep me in suspense!" "Count Dracula of Transylvania." "Count Dracula... Dracula... the name rings a bell." "I believe you have got a bad memory, after all. Those pointed teeth, I' ll never forget them as long as I live. Enough to make your blood run cold." "Teeth. Yes, of course, a handsome pair, all right. Perfect for sucking blood, eh? And those bloodshot eyes. What a funny looking man he was! And what a frightful accent! He sounded like an old frog. Well, come on!" Alfred held the telegram under the lamp and started reading:

"Dracula village 10th November 1895 Will always my visit to England and particularly meeting you an d your remarkable friend who knows so much about bats. I have bad news. I am dyi ng and badly in need of your help. I wish to clear the Dracula name before I lea ve this world. Please come quickly. Yours, Count Vlad Dracula."

Alfred noticed the excitement on Lord Ernest's face.

"How about it then, old chap? Can you pack your bags by tomorrow and be at the station by... em...? Let me see..." Alfred took the train timetable from the shelf and looked up the departu re times from Charing Cross to Dover. "7.32?" "a.m. or p.m., old boy?" "Why, a.m., of course!" "Thought so. You know how I hate getting up early in the morning." "I can always go without you." Ernest jumped up out of his chair. "No, you will not! I wouldn't miss this for the world!" "All right then. Meet you at the station at 7.15. And don't be late." Alfred took his friend to the front door and waited until a cab appeared out of the thick fog. The next day, on the train to Dover, Alfred was reading an early morning newspaper. The headline on page three caught his eye. "Ernest, look at this! 'VAMPIRE COUNT DEAD.'" Ernest half-opened his eyes and looked sleepily at his friend. "What's that?" "'Count Dracula of cea, Transylvania, after a ort from a reliable source itish experts to clear his

Transylvania died this morning in his castle near Vil short illness.' Oh, and look at this. It says, 'A rep says that before his death the Count had asked two Br name.' Good heavens, news travels fast."

"Well, now that he's dead, I suppose there's no point in going on." The newspaper nearly fell out of Alfred's hands. "What are you saying? I'm certainly not going back. Ernest, think of wha t you'll be missing. You might even get the chance to see the Transylvanian vamp ire bat, in person." Ernest's eyes suddenly came alive. "All right. You've persuaded me." "Wonderful, wonderful!" Alfred lay back happily in his seat and allowed the rhythm of the train to send him to sleep. Suddenly he woke up with a start. "Ernest! Do you think we've got everything we need?" "You mean, ports and so on?"

"Well, no. I was thinking more of... em... protection." "Let me see. I've got my Derringer, my buffalo knife and some rope. That should do. And, of course, I was twice boxing champion at school." "Well, yes, but I was wondering whether we should have brought a cross w ith us, and em... maybe some garlic." "I had no idea you were religious, old boy. And, as for garlic, I didn't know you had French tastes." Ernest burst into laughter, which made Alfred feel rather silly. So, he picked up his paper noisily and pretended to read. Ernest just fell back to sleep, dreaming he was in a coffin and meeting the vampire bat.

Chapter two A Visit to Count Vlad The journey across Europe was long and tiring. Ernest slept most of the day, waking at night to study the night life through the carriage window or read his favourite writer, Edgar Allan Poe, while Alfred read endless books about fa mous people in Transylvanian history. By the time they reached Vienna he knew al l there was to know about every Dracula back to the 16th century. As the train made its way deeper into Dracula's country, Alfred was just finishing the fifth and last volume of Complete History of Transylvania. "Fascinating! It was partly thanks to him that the Turks didn't conquer the rest of Europe. They say he was a fearless officer, loved by his men." "Who on earth are you talking about, dear fellow? I wish you wouldn't al ways expect me to read your mind." "The first Dracula. Prince Vlad Dracula. A great chap. He had one little weakness, though. He enjoyed torturing his prisoners by pushing sharp pieces of wood through their stomach or tearing their body apart." "Charming fellow! It doesn't say anything about him drinking their blood too, does it?" "It seems that only the present Count enjoys, or should I say, enjoyed, human blood. Hard to believe really. Seemed pretty harmless to me." "It was those teeth of his. Not exactly what one would like one's dear o ld granny to have!" "Ernest, for goodness' sake, how can humans suck blood?" "Just like vampire bats do, dear boy. Through holes in their teeth." "There's no such thing as a vampire human... is there?" "That's what we're here to find out, dear boy, isn't it?"

"Sometimes you can be quite absurd. Now, let me ask this kind old gentle man when we are expected to arrive in Vilcea." An old one-eyed man looked out of the window and pointed to the sky. He looked at him out of the corner of his good eye and asked him, "Where are you going, stranger?" "Castle Dracula. To help the Count with a spot of trouble. It's a bit hu sh- hush, you know." At the name Dracula the old man turned away from Alfred in horror. "Funny chap. He doesn't seem to like foreigners." Four hours later, just as the moon was appearing above the top of the mo untain, the train pulled into Vilcea station. Alfred and Ernest, along with one other enger, got off and walked to the entrance to find Dracula's servant, w ho was supposed to meet them there. "I hope he got our message. I don't fancy staying here the night." Hardly had Alfred spoken than a crooked old man appeared from the shadow s. His name was Gregory and he wore a black overcoat, black gloves and a black t op hat. He spoke so quietly that Alfred had to bend over to hear him. "Aleferd Shackwill Gons and Lourd Ernist, I suppose." "Just call me Alfred. I think it would be easier. It was very good of... " "Follow." Alfred and Ernest followed the old man to where a black carriage and two black horses were waiting outside. As soon as they had got in, the driver set o ff on the last part of their journey to Dracula Castle. Alfred was woken up by the sound of horses' hooves on wood. The carriage had stopped on the bridge over the water surrounding Dracula Castle. Then, they ed under the thick stone walls. By the dim light of the carriage, Ernest ca ught a glimpse of the enormous old door. "Did you see that, Alfred? A bat." "You've got bats on the brain, dear boy." "No, really, carved on the door. I'm sure it was a vampire bat!" When they entered the main building of the castle, the two servants were standing in deadly silence, ready to receive them. They too were in black, and their unsmiling faces looked like carved stone. Rodolfo, the Count's butler, was a giant of a man, and had a large head with deep hollow eyes. Mania, the cook, was about half his size and even older than Gregory, with a shrunken head covere d in thin white hair. As Mania took them up to their room, the sound of their feet echoed thro ugh the empty castle. She said nothing, just grunted and puffed as she slowly cl imbed the spiral stone steps. Finally alone, Alfred threw himself on the big fou r-poster bed and felt the soft velvet covers.

"I don't know about you, old boy, but I've been looking forward to this moment for weeks." Ernest was wide awake and examining the room with his candle. "The silence is quite scary, isn't it? This place must be full of ghosts ." "You can't scare me, old boy. I'm so tired, I'd even share my bed with a ghost." Just as he said that he heard a tap which made him sit up with a start. Old Gregory half-opened the door and held out a letter. "Mr Aleferd Shac kwill, a letter from my master." "That's funny. I thought the Count was dead." "I expect he wrote it before he died." Just as Gregory had left, Ernest let out a cry from the other end of the bedroom. "You know, I think you've been given the Count's bedroom." Ernest shone his candle on the portrait of the Count on the wall. The te eth were not visible, only the dark bloodshot eyes. Alfred looked at the pillow where the Count's head once lay. "Do you mean to say that the Count died... here?" "Most likely, old sport. You wouldn't like to change beds, would you?" Alfred broke open the wax seal and began to read.

"Dear Alfred, I feel my life leaving me. We may not meet in this world. Whatever happens, come and see me when you arrive. I will be waiting with a warm heart. I have committed a crime, but not the crime of which I am un used. The t ime has come for my shame and that of others to be shown to the world. Don't lea ve a stone unturned and , "you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make him drink". Beware of the vampire bat and the Lover. I cannot go on. My mind and soul are preparing to leave for a better wor ld. I leave the name of Dracula in your hands. I trust him, as an Englishman and a gentleman, you will tell the truth and nothing but the truth. Your honourable servant, Count Dracula."

Alfred looked up at the Count's portrait, and for a moment In- thought h e saw the mouth move. "That portrait is almost alive. I'd swear I saw his face move just now." "Funny you should say that, old boy. The canvas seems a bit wet." Ernest rubbed the canvas with a finger.

"Looks awfully like blood." "Blood! Can't be. Probably just paint. This damp climate!" "Unlikely." Ernest smelt the substance on his finger, but said nothing. "Now, what do you think the Count meant when he said, 'Come and visit me when you arrive.' After all, he knew he was dying." "He probably meant visit him in his grave." "You mean dig up his coffin won't be too difficult. They only buried him a few days ago." "Do you realize what you're saying?" "Absolutely, dear boy. It might be more fun than sleeping in those coffi ns they call beds." "Oh, all right. When shall we do it, then?" "I know you're dying to get down to work, but I'm quite tired. How about tomorrow night? We can talk to the servants and find out more about the Count." "Good idea." Alfred yawned and started unbuttoning his shirt. "By the way, did you mean it when you said you'd like to have the Count' s bed?" "Yes, dear boy, but I'd hate to spoil your fun." "No, no, really, Ernest old chap, I insist." "Are you absolutely sure?" "Quite, dear boy, quite."

Chapter three The Man in the black Cape Ernest leant over Alfred who was snoring peacefully. "Boo!" "Ah!" Alfred screamed and sent the covers flying. Then he saw Ernest. "Oh, it's you." Ernest, who was fully dressed, handed him his dressing gown.

"Who did you expect it to be, dear boy? Count Dracula?" Alfred looked over at the portrait on the wall, which, in the daylight, seemed even more alive than ever, the manic eyes staring at him. Ernest gave him his razor and a shaving brush. "Hurry up, old chap. It's way past breakfast time, and we've got work to do. Now, I've done a little exploring. I got Rodolfo to show me where the Count is buried. I'm afraid his English is a little basic, but he's got the general i dea. Oh, you've cut yourself, dear fellow. Blood is running down your neck!" As he took a handkerchief from Ernest, Alfred noticed the Count's eyes. Did they really light up at the sound of the word "blood"? "The family graveyard is outside the castle, up a narrow path by the riv er. Beautiful spot; wouldn't mind being buried there myself!" They went down to the dining room and sat at an enormous wooden table lo aded with eggs, steak, cheese, liver and fish, along with bread, butter, honey, jam and coffee. During the meal, Mania and Rodolfo hovered over them like enormo us bats with trays of food. Towards the end, old Gregory staggered in, carrying logs for the fire. Alfred saw his opportunity. "Gregory, my dear fellow, can we have a word?" Gregory grunted and came up to the table. "Can you tell us a little bit about the old chap? The Count, I mean. By the way, it's awfully dark in here. Don't you ever open the shutters?" A look of horror appeared on the old man's wrinkled face. "No, Sir Aleferd. Not since the mistress died." "Oh, so he was married, was he? When did the good woman die?" "Forty-five years ago, Sir Aleferd." "Forty-five years ago! Did I understand correctly? My Romanian is a litt le rusty. Good heavens! Any children?" Gregory looked down at the floor and then whispered a reply. "I see. No children. And the Count never married again. He must have bee n madly in love." "Yes, quite mad. She was a very beautiful Gentle eyes and long shining r ed hair. A tragedy! The Count was heartbroken." "Are you sure you won't sit down, old boy? You look a little unsteady!" Gregory appeared not to hear. "When she died, the Count swore never to see the light of day again. Aft er that, he only went out at night, on Warrior, his white horse. When there was a good moon and a clear sky, of course." "Fascinating! Now how did these nasty rumours start about that vampire n onsense?"

Suddenly Gregory became very excited. "The master is... was... a good man!'' "I'm sure he was, old boy. But all these dead people with funny teeth ma rks on their necks... who or what made them?" Gregory waved his thin old arms in the air. "Not the master! Not the master!" "Calm down, old chap! You'll do yourself an injury! I believe you!" Gregory got down on his knees and took Alfred's hand, which Alfred found rather embarrassing. "Sir Aleferd Shagwill Gons, I would die for the master." "Quite sure you would, old boy. Fine. Now we're going to need some spade s. Any chance you could find us a couple?" "Spades?" "Yes, you see, Lord Ernest wants to go looking for truffles. Well, no, a ctually we have to see the Count. He told us to in his letter." Gregory drew away from Alfred. "It's the only way, really." "All right, Sir Aleferd. But Rodolfo must not know." Gregory looked round in the direction of the servants' rooms. "Oh, of course, we won't say a thing. And, by the way, could you open th e castle gates at about midnight tonight?" "Yes, Sir Aleferd. Anything for the master." That night, Alfred and Ernest met as planned near the castle gates. As p romised, Gregory turned the wheel to let them out. A strong wind had got up whic h roared through the valley. They followed the path with difficulty, as the moon kept hiding behind large black rain clouds. Every so often they heard the scree ch of an owl or some other night creature. As they entered the graveyard, the ru sty old iron gate squealed. The place was sheltered from the wind by massive cyp ress trees and was as silent as all the Dracula's that lay buried there. Ernest pointed to a white marble gravestone. "That's the one." As they approached the Count's grave, he looked up into the sky at the p ale light from the moon, which threw a white veil over the crooked gravestones. "It's a full moon. They say it was on such nights that the Count went lo oking for human blood. Well, here we are. Got your spade, Alfred? Don't look so down, old boy. The exercise'll do you good." The soil on the grave was loose and it was not long before they had dug a large hole. Ernest was the first to touch wood.

"Ho, ho! I believe we're about to meet the Count again. Is it just the m oonlight or are you looking rather pale, dear boy? I know it's well past your be dtime, but I wish you would be a little bit more enthusiastic about it all." "Are you sure we ought to do this, Ernest? I know that I wouldn't like t o be disturbed just as I had started my eternal rest." "You're forgetting, dear boy. He's not at rest. Now help me take off the lid." At that moment they heard a screech above their heads. Ernest let out a cry. "The vampire bat! I'd recognise that sound anywhere." Ernest lit a candle and held it over the Count's head. Now it was Alfred 's turn to cry out. "Oh, my God, his eyes are still open! Just like the portrait!" "Stop staring and let's search him. I'm afraid we're going to have to tu rn him over. Just grab his left arm. That's funny. I'd swear he was warm." They searched the coffin but all they found was the Count's silver cane. "Well, look at that! The end of the cane is in the shape of Desmodus Rot ondus." "I beg your pardon. Who's he?" "The vampire bat. Look at those pointed ears and the teeth. Just hold th e candle a little closer." "Ernest, this is not the time not the place" "Beautiful piece of work. Nothing here though. Pity." They rolled the Co unt on to his back again. Ernest stopped dead. "Look. His eyes are closed, and I think... yes, I'm certain. I believe h e's smiling. I can see his teeth. And what's that? Blood." "Blood?" "Oops. Sorry. I must have cut myself on a nail opening the coffin." "This whole business is beginning to disturb me." They put the coffin ba ck, covering it with soil, and made their way back to the castle. Just as they arrived, Alfred ed something. "Oh, dash it! I completely forgot to tell old Gregory to let us in again ." At that moment, they heard the grinding of the castle gate. When it was wide enough, a white horse charged out, ridden by a man in a black cape and hood . They watched in amazement as the figure disappeared into the night. Ernest gra bbed Alfred's arm. "You once asked me whether I believed in ghosts, old chap. Well, I have

to say that I think I've changed my mind on the subject." "A ghost! What an article this is going to be! The only trouble is The G lobe won't believe a word of it." They ran through the castle yard and up to their bedroom. As he was taki ng off his cloak, Alfred noticed the Count's portrait. "Look, Ernest. The Count's face. It seems so much more peaceful than bef ore, almost happy." "Who's imagining things now? It looks like an ordinary portrait to me." "That's exactly what I mean."

Chapter four Dracula's Village The next morning it was Mania who served the two men breakfast. Rodolfo was nowhere to be seen. Concerned, Alfred asked Mania where he was, but she was not one to waste energy on words. "Rodolfo sick." "Oh, dear, poor fellow. It's the climate, awfully damp. Almost as bad as England. Well, give him our regards, will you?" By the time he had finished, Mania had already shuffled out of the room. "A jolly nice chap Rodolfo. Takes life a bit too seriously, but..." "Alfred, don't dead people usually look sort of grey and... well... life less?" "Don't ask me. You're the expert on death, old boy. I like to avoid it m yself. Makes me feel rather insecure." "The Count had red cheeks, as if he were alive. How very strange!" "He looked as dead as a doornail to me. Probably put rouge on him. Under takers like to have their customers looking their best on the 'big day'." "Yes, maybe. By the way, I had a funny dream last night. We were at the Dracula Cemetery digging up the Count." "That was no dream, old boy. It really happened." "No, no. Wait! We'd stopped for a rest and you were sitting on a gravest one eating a sandwich..." "Eating a sandwich? I'd never eat a sandwich sitting on a gravestone!" "I know you wouldn't. It was only a dream. Anyway, suddenly the coffin l id began to open... very slowly, and out came long white fingers with pointed na ils followed by the head of the Count, his eyes shining in the moonlight. When h e was half out, he looked up at us, and his mouth opened in a broad smile and I could see his teeth dripping with blood. Suddenly, he spoke in his funny Romania

n accent, 'Welcome, my friends. I am happy....' But before he had time to finish the sentence, there was a horrendous screech and down flew a vampire bat, which landed on his shoulder. It was the screech that woke me up. Very unfortunate. I don't have many dreams and I really wanted to see how this one would end." "I'm rather glad you didn't. You said 'scream'. About what time?" "I couldn't go back to sleep, so I lit a candle to read a bit of Edgar a nd I happened to look at my watch. It was precisely 2.34. Why?" "Well, at about that time I heard a scream too. A long blood-chilling sc ream that seemed to rise from the very heart of the castle. It sounded hollow, a s if it was coming from the bottom of a well. Quite disturbing!" "Yes, it was, rather. It hasn't affected your appetite though." "Quite the opposite. I haven't had an appetite like this for years. I do recommend this fishy stuff. Very tasty with brown bread and butter." "Alfred, old chap, this whole business is awfully good fun, isn't it? Sc reams in the night. Ghosts on white horses. What next?" "I must say you have an odd idea of fun. As for ghosts on horses, I'm no t convinced. Though the resemblance was quite astonishing, I must say." "Well, I suggest we go into the village and try to get some information from the locals...just as soon as you've had your fill of that fishy looking stu ff. Ugh!" "You should try it, old boy. Absolutely delicious. Ah, here's Gregory. I say, Gregory, would you be a good chap and run us into the village today? Lord Ernest and I feel like seeing a bit of the local colour." "Of course, Sir Aleferd." "I suppose you've noticed, Ernest, that I've ed the aristocracy. Sir Alfred... it sounds rather good actually... Sir Alfred... em?" The village was miles from anywhere, cut off from the rest of the world by tall, snow-topped mountains. It was pouring with rain and the main street was deserted, apart from the occasional wet bundle running from one doorway to anot her. They decided to go straight for the inn. Ernest pushed open the door and entered a dimly lit room full of heavy w ooden tables, where some of the locals were drinking and talking. An oil lamp hu ng from the wooden ceiling. When Gregory and the Englishmen entered, silence fel l like a heavy cloud. Alfred raised his hand and smiled at the silent watchers. "Good day to you all. Frightful weather, isn't it? Jolly fine inn! My co mpliments to the landlord. Ah, my dear sir. The barman, I suppose." A large man with a red face and white apron was standing by a barrel. "Yes?" "I'd like to buy these fine fellows a drink. And if you have a moment, I 'd be grateful if you could give us some information. I'm a journalist, and my f riend here is a historian, and we're writing a history of the Dracula family." At the sound of Dracula, heads turned towards the foreigners.

"You'd better ask some of them." The barman indicated the drinkers at the tables. "Now, who'd like to have a little chat about the Dracula family?" No one answered. After a minute or so, a young man with fiery red hair r ose unsteadily to his feet. "You mean the 'vampire family'. I'll tell you about them. Come over here and sit down," Ernest and Alfred pulled up two stools and sat opposite the red-haired m an, who seemed a bit drunk. "Jolly nice of you, old chap." "The Count likes human blood. Especially the blood of young women, just like his wife's, who died mysteriously years ago." "What do you mean 'mysteriously'?" "She was found dead with tooth marks on her neck. It is believed that th ey were done by her husband. He killed her then, just as he killed my sister las t night." "What did you say? Last night?" "Yes, and she's still up there, with the marks on her neck for all the w orld to see. Count Dracula may be dead, but he can still kill. My sister, my bea utiful sister, she's dead and I'm certain that he killed her." The man began to sob into his drink. "Steady on, old chap. Sorry to hear about your sister. But these are qui te strong accusations. Have you any proof?" Just then an old man, with a country face, spoke up from the next table. "That man doesn't know what he's saying. He's from another village. The Count was no vampire. He was a good man. He loved the people of the village. I'l l never forget the winter of '82'. It started to snow in September and didn't st op until April. The people were starving. What did the Count do? He opened up hi s stores to the people and kept all of us alive. He nearly starved to death hims elf. The Count is no vampire." "Very interesting! So, how do you explain the deaths and the teeth marks ." The man stopped for a moment and thought. "The vampire bat." Ernest suddenly showed interest. He had learnt the word for vampire bat in Romanian. 'What's that about vampire bat?" Alfred told him what the old man had said.

"I think we should go and see this young girl. I say, old fellow, you sa id your sister was killed by the Count. You wouldn't care to prove it, would you ?" The drunken young man got to his feet and dragged them to the staircase. They stumbled up, the man talking to himself all the time. "We had to bring her here. She was very ill. Coughing blood. This was th e nearest village with a doctor, Dr Magorsky, but..." They reached the bedroom door. Inside, they could see the body of a youn g girl laid out on a bed with a sheet covering the lower part of her body. A wom an of about forty was crying beside the bed. On the other side of the bed, an ol d man in a black suit was gathering up some surgical instruments. The drunken man fell into the room. "Look! Look at the work of the vampire Count!" Alfred and Ernest saw a beautiful pale face. On her neck were two red do ts about an inch apart. The old man turned angrily at the intruders. "Who are you? Get out of here at once." "They're friends of mine, Doctor. They didn't believe that..." "Well, now you know what a devil the Count was... and still is; you can leave." "Well, thank you, Doctor. I hope we shall have the pleasure again." Alfred wished to get out as quickly as possible. Ernest, on the other ha nd, was quietly looking around the room. Alfred couldn't keep his eyes off the b loodless girl. "I say, Ernest old chap. I think I need a drink." At the table in the inn below, Ernest was thinking. "I didn't like the Doctor at all. Nasty piece of work. Definitely not a gentleman. Did notice that scratch on his hand?" "I don't know what you're saying, old boy. As soon as we've had this dri nk I suggest we get back to the castle."

Chapter five The Search Back in Dracula Castle, Alfred and Ernest were sitting in front of a bla zing fire after yet another wonderful meal, this time of roast goose and apple p ie with cream on top. Alfred raised his glass of wine in the air. "I would like to drink a toast to the Count and his superb hospitality." "And his excellent taste in wines. The old fellow certainly knew how to eat and drink well. As for Mania, she's an absolute treasure."

"You know, Ernest, I am a little bit worried. The evidence does not seem to be in the old chap's favour, does it? A figure looking like the Count rides out into the moonlit night and two hours later a girl dies with two teeth marks on her neck. It can hardly be a coincidence now, can it?" "The question is whether we believe in ghosts or not. As you know, I'd l ove them to exist, but my logic tells me that they don't. Therefore, that person on the white horse could not have been the Count. So, who was it?" "Well, it certainly wasn't Mania or Gregory. And the only other person i n the castle is..." "Good thinking, old boy. Perhaps that's why he didn't serve us at breakf ast yesterday. He was catching up on his sleep. But why?" "I can't help feeling that the answer must be in the Count's letter. I'v e got it here. Let's see.

"Don't leave a stone unturned...' stone... we have to look under stones. .. "You can lead a horse to water...'"

Suddenly, a scream, just like the one they had heard the previous night, was heard faintly echoing through the castle. Alfred shivered. "Did you hear it?" "I certainly did, old boy. And I think it came from outside." They ran out into the castle yard, but there was nothing to be seen exce pt the well. They stood wondering where the sound could have come from. Alfred p ointed to the well. "Do you see that enormous stone covering the well? How on earth do they get the water out?" "Interesting question, old boy. And what's that thick piece of wood for? " "Ernest, come here! Quick!" Alfred was holding his ear to the stone. "What is it?" "I can hear something like an animal in pain, crying or... no, it's more of a moan. Can you hear it?" "Sorry. Can't hear a thing. I think your mind's playing tricks on you, o ld boy. It's probably the rumbling of your stomach after that delicious goose. L et's get back inside. It's freezing out here." Gregory was standing inside the door of the dining room with a worried l ook on his face. "Sir what is the matter?"

"Probably my imagination. I thought I heard someone scream." "Ah, that was Don Juan maybe. He has bad dreams." "I beg your pardon. Don Juan?" "I mean Rodolfo. Don Juan is his nickname. He was loved by many women, b ut he loved the master more." "I see. By the way, Gregory, I've been meaning to ask you. Tell me about Dr Magorsky. Lord Ernest and I didn't take to him very much." "He was the Count's doctor, but he is an evil man. He uses old medicine, the medicine of the witches. Herbs, leaves..." "Nothing wrong with herbs. My Aunt Agatha swears by them." "Frogs, snakes, bats and mice and other living creatures." "Well, yes, I think Aunt Agatha would draw the line there." "He bleeds all his patients. He says losing blood is good for you. But h e does not care about health. He is a greedy man, who loves only money." "Thank you very much, Gregory old fellow. Bleeds his patients..." "Good night, Sir Aleferd. I am an old man and must sleep." "Oh, of course, old boy. Sweet dreams!" Alfred told Ernest what Gregory said. Ernest was intrigued. "It becomes more interesting by the minute. I suggest we go for a walk b efore breakfast, when our minds are clear, and try and sort this out." "Ernest, old boy, what has got into you? I thought you liked sleep. I wi sh you'd have pity on me. I'm exhausted." "My dear fellow, we're on a case. We can't waste time sleeping." The next morning, Alfred and Ernest got up early and went out into the y ard for a walk. Through the thick mist they saw Rodolfo near the well carrying a tray of food. Alfred was surprised. "That's funny. What's Rodolfo doing? I didn't ask for breakfast in bed." Rodolfo had laid the tray on the well top and was holding an enormous pi ece of wood. Alfred called out. Rodolfo turned with a look of shock on his face. "Bright and early, I see, Rodolfo. Or should I say, Don Juan? I wanted t o ask you about this well top. How do you get the water out?" "The well is not used. The Count put a stone over it many years ago." "I see, what is that piece of wood for?" Rodolfo seemed angry. "This well is not used. The wood is rotten."

"Looks fine to me, but I won't argue with you, old fellow." "Now I must leave." "Of course. Oh, don't forget your tray. Em, those eggs and that bacon lo ok good. Perhaps we should have breakfast now, Ernest." Rodolfo took the tray and went quickly towards the kitchen. "Come on, Alfred. Stop thinking of your stomach and let's go for that wa lk. I suggest we visit the Count." "The Count?" "Yes, I feel he may give us inspiration." Dracula Cemetery was as quiet as an empty house. Even the birds seemed t o have stopped singing. Because of the thick mist, they could hardly see more th an a few feet in front of them. Suddenly Alfred couldn't see Ernest anywhere. "Ernest! Where on earth have you gone?" There was no answer, just the echo of his voice. He called again and thi s time got an answer. "I'm over here, dear boy. At the Count's grave. And I've found something rather interesting." "Just keep talking, will you? In that way, I might be able to find you." Finally, Alfred found Ernest leaning over the Count's grave. "Do you think it's rather strange that there is no sign of our footsteps ? It's as if the soil was taken out and put back again." "Don't forget; it rained last night." "What I can't understand is why the Count told us in his letter to visit him when he had nothing to tell us." "Hold on. I've just had an idea. You don't think that cane of his is hol low, do you? And that inside is a vital message?" "My word, you're a genius, dear boy. Of course, it must be!" "Oh, dear. Does that mean we have to do more grave- digging?" "Afraid so, old chap. But you're getting quite good at it. By the way, h ave you been eating garlic?" "Garlic? Well, yes... em... I... thought it better to be safe than sorry . I got dear Mania to let me have a few cloves for emergencies." "The smell is enough to keep away the Devil himself. As for the vampire bat, he wouldn't dare fly within a mile of us. Come on. Let's go and have breakf ast." They made their way back by the river to the castle gate, which Gregory had left open for them. Alfred was still trying to work out the connection betwe

en stones, water and horses. "You know, Ernest. I feel that the solution to our mystery lies very clo se to that well. There's a big stone there, with water under it, and opposite th e stable where the Count's horse is kept. I'm sure the answer lies under that st one." Ernest touched Alfred's arm and held a finger to his mouth. "Sh! Look, Rodolfo just got out of the well. And he's pushing the stone back by himself. Good heavens, he must be as strong as an ox." Through the mist they saw Rodolfo carrying a tray from the well to the k itchen. Alfred slapped the side of his head in annoyance. "Dash it! I should have thought of it before. Don Juan was a great lover , wasn't he? What did the Count say in his letter? 'Beware of the Lover.' Do you think Rodolfo could be 'The Lover? We'd better keep a very close eye on him and find out what's hidden down that well. Why was he carrying a tray?" "All this detective work has given me quite an appetite. What about you, Alfred?" "Oh, yes. And I think we deserve it. I feel we're getting very close to an important discovery."

Chapter six The Missing Link That night Alfred and Ernest were too tired to go grave- digging. They d ecided, however, that they would keep a careful eye on Rodolfo. They felt that h e, and in fact all three servants, were hiding something which might provide the key to the whole Dracula mystery. So, next morning they got up early, before th e mist had risen, and slipped out into the castle yard to wait for Rodolfo to ap pear with his tray of food, as they believed he almost certainly would. About te n feet from the well, Gregory had parked the carriage with the Dracula coat of a rms and the head of the vampire bat painted in gold on the side. They decided th at this would be a good place to hide. Ernest looked at his watch. "Do you think he's not coming? We've been here for nearly an hour." "Perhaps he heard us come out and realised that we're after him." "Well, let's give him another fifteen minutes." They waited another fifteen minutes and were about to give up when they heard the kitchen door slam shut. "I think it's him." Sure enough, Rodolfo appeared carrying the same tray as on the previous day. But instead of stopping at the well, he walked straight to the carriage. Er nest and Alfred began to feel uneasy. However, when he reached the driver's seat , he stopped and laid the tray on it. Then, he returned to the well and, using t he thick piece of wood as a lever, pushed back the stone. He came back for the t ray and, to their surprise, climbed into the well and disappeared. Alfred whistl ed to himself,

"I think this is our opportunity. Let's follow him." Alfred reached the well first. He could hear the sound of Rodolfo's boot s on the stone steps as he went deeper into the well. At some point, they seemed to just fade away. Alfred looked in, but all he could see was a black hole. "I say, I don't fancy getting in there. Looks like the way down to Hell! " Ernest struck a match and held it over the hole. They could make out spi ral steps built on the side of the well. There was nothing to hold on to, and th e steps looked wet and slippery, so if either of them fell, he would almost cert ainly go hurtling down to a sure death. Ernest got into the mouth of the well. "Be careful. The steps are all wet and slimy." Step by step they climbed down into the darkness, feeling their way as b est they could by leaning against the well wall. Suddenly, Alfred saw Ernest fal l. For a moment he thought he had seen the last of his friend and he expected to hear the fatal splash. Instead, he heard Ernest's voice coming from the well. T hen he realised what had happened. There was a large hole in the wall and Ernest had fallen into it and was now lying on the floor of what, by the looks of it, was a ageway, which led somewhere underground. "Are you all right, old chap?" "Well, just about. I thought I was on my way to meet the Count for a mom ent. Where the devil are we?" "Your guess is as good as mine. The home of the vampire bat I should thi nk. Hold on a tick. I can just make out a dim light at the end there." Ernest got to his feet and felt his way along the age to a door, whi ch was slightly open. Inside, they could hear Rodolfo's voice and the grunts of some kind of animal. Ernest pushed the door slightly. "There's only one way to find out. Let's go." He opened the door just enough to see what was happening. Rodolfo had hi s back to them and was facing someone sitting on a chair. He appeared to have a spoon in one hand, feeding a baby. The room was warm and comfortable, with expen sive Persian carpets on the floor. Rodolfo got up to put more wood on the fire, revealing the ugliest creature they had ever seen. One side of its face was twis ted and shapeless, and its arms and whole body were all bent and moving out of c ontrol. Uneaten food and meaningless sounds were coming out of its mouth. Alfred could not help exclaiming. "Good heavens! What is that?" Rodolfo was speaking to the creature as if it understood what he was say ing, but could not reply. Alfred pulled Ernest's arm. "I think we ought to go." Rodolfo must have sensed someone was there because he let out a wild cry and started to run towards them. "You devils! Father said I should trust you because you are English gent lemen, but everybody hates the Dracula name and you're no different. You want a

story for your newspaper. You don't care about the great family Dracula. Well, I 'm going to kill you." Rodolfo reached the two men and was about to lift Alfred into the air, w hen Ernest threw his bolas, which was made of thick string with three metal ball s tied to the ends. The bolas went right around Rodolfo's legs. Alfred was throw n into the air and Rodolfo fell forward onto the floor. Ernest threw the end of a piece of rope to Alfred. "Here, grab the end of this and tie him up before he recovers." "Bravo, Ernest old fellow! Where on earth did you learn that little tric k?" "Didn't I tell you I spent three months with the rebels in Argentina fig hting the Dictator? I brought that little fellow back with me." Between the two of them, they managed to tie up the struggling Rodolfo. Ernest was afraid he was going to break the rope, but it soon became clear that it was too strong for him. When they had finally got him under control, Alfred s tarted to speak. "Now, Rodolfo, old fellow. I'm frightfully sorry to have to do this, but you simply must understand. We're here to help you." "No, you're just like the rest." "Look, old fellow, why do you think the Count asked us over here? Now I think you'd better tell us the whole thing." The creature in the corner let out an animal cry. "I suppose it was he who was making the screams in the night. Who is he? I suppose it is a he?" Rodolfo said nothing, just boiled with anger. Then he spoke. "Well, you know now and I cannot kill you. So, I might as well tell you the whole story. That is the Count's son." "The Count's son?" "Yes, he is forty-five years old. He should have died, but... "Hold on a tick! Forty-five, but the Countess died forty- five years ago . You mean that she died giving birth to that... that gentleman over there?" "Yes, Radu is the heir to the Dracula estate. He should now be Count Dra cula." "Radu? That means 'handsome', doesn't it? Rather ironical." "Naturally, the Count did not want the world to know about Radu. It woul d be a great shame for the family. But he felt great guilt for keeping him here in this... this hole. But Radu doesn't know any better." "Well, it looks as if you've let the cat out of the bag, Rodolfo. But do n't worry. Your secret will be safe with us. I won't even mention it in my artic le. I promise. Now, one thing puzzles us. Who is this Doctor Magorsky?"

"Doctor Magorsky is an evil man, but the Count was a naive man and trust ed him. I think he killed her." "Killed the Countess?" "By bleeding her. This is what he does, to make people better." "I see. Fascinating! Oh, and one last little question, old boy, now that we've got you in this... em... difficult position, so to speak. That was you we saw on the Count's horse the other night, wearing his cloak and hood?" Rodolfo was silent. Then hesitatingly he replied. "... No." "Are you sure you weren't sleep-riding, old fellow? Because if it wasn't you, I daren't think who it was, unless it was the Count himself. Now you must trust us. We can work together and sort this whole nasty business out. Our job i s to clear the Dracula name and that's exactly what we will do." "All right. I will help you." "Oh, what a jolly good fellow! Did you understand that, Ernest? Rodolfo is going to help. I think we can untie him now." "Are you sure we can trust him? He could throw both of us into the well with one arm." "Well, perhaps you'd better keep your little handy just in case." They first unwound the bolas and then the ropes from around his arms. He made no attempt to attack them. Alfred sighed with relief. "Well, I don't know about you two, but I'm starving. How about breakfast ?" When Ernest and Alfred were having breakfast, Alfred was still unsure of the situation. "There are still a lot of questions unanswered, aren't there, old boy? I mean, who was that chappy on the horse? Now, we don't believe in ghosts. Or do we?" "I'm not sure we can trust Rodolfo. He may have been lying, or at least not telling us the whole truth. Might he still throw us down the well or somethi ng?" "Oh, no, no, no. Rodolfo's a fine fellow. I think we need to investigate the Doctor. All this bleeding! Nasty business!" "Well, in that case, I suggest that after breakfast, we get old Gregory to pop us into the village so that we can get to the bottom of this Magorsky fel low." "Ah, Rodolfo, a superb breakfast as usual. I hope you didn't just accide ntally drop a few spoonfuls of cyanide into the coffee." Rodolfo did not reply or smile. "Funny about foreigners. They can't take a joke."

Chapter seven Dr Benjamin Magorsky They decided to go straight to the Doctor's house and face him. For some reason, Rodolfo insisted on driving them there. After a two-hour journey, they arrived at an iron gate leading into a la rge estate surrounded by a tall glass-topped wall. A well-kept drive led up to t he Doctor's house. On looking out of the window of the carriage, Ernest was surp rised to see a large house with at least twenty rooms. "Take a look at that, old boy. He's not doing too badly for a country do ctor. A house like that must be worth a fortune." The door was opened by a servant. After a long wait, the Doctor who was still an extremely handsome man, with long silver hair brushed back on both side s of his head, came into the room. Surprisingly, he spoke excellent English. "I believe we've met before, gentlemen. Under less happy circumstances. You're English, I believe." "Yes, Doctor, we're doing a spot of investigating for the late Count." "They tell me you've been asking questions that have been upsetting some of the villagers." "Not at all, Doctor. People have been very happy to tell us all they kno w. It seems that these rumours about the Count having a taste for human blood ar e totally unfounded." "I don't know who you've been talking to, gentlemen, but I can assure yo u that the Count was, and I believe, still is, a vampire. You forget, gentlemen. I was his doctor." "You say 'still is'. Do you mean to say that you don't believe that the Count is dead? Or do you believe in ghosts?" "I believe he died, yes, but I also believe in his power to come back fr om the dead. In fact, I believe that vampires are humans who have died and come back to earth." "Very interesting, Doctor. But you say the Count was also a vampire in r eal life?" "Yes, the Count had very rare powers. I once examined his teeth at some length, and..." At that moment a shout was heard from the hall and all seven feet of Rod olfo came through the door into the sitting- room. "That man is a liar. He is the vampire, not the Count. Tell them how you ..." The Doctor looked at Rodolfo with an ironic smile on his face. "You can't prove it. The Count never recognised you as his son." "Maybe not publicly, but I'm going to prove how you blackmailed the Coun

t so you would keep his secret. You were the only person who knew about Radu." "Rubbish! Nonsense!" "I can get all the villagers to say how you forced large sums of money o ut of them and threatened to kill them if they did not pay." The Doctor began to laugh hysterically. "This man is mad, absolutely mad. He needs to be locked up. And if he do esn't shut up soon, I shall call my men and have him taken away." During this confrontation, Ernest and Alfred just sat and watched, not k nowing who was telling the truth. Suddenly, Rodolfo came towards the Doctor and took him by the shirt collar. He probably would have broken his neck if Alfred h ad not stopped him. "Gentlemen, there's no need to fight like animals. We're all civilised h ere." "Civilised? This doctor is an animal. He has killed thousands by bleedin g them to death." "Lies! Prove it, you monster." Suddenly Rodolfo calmed down. "Yes, Doctor Lover. I will prove it." "You can prove nothing." te ur ow ou nd

"Yes, I can. Before the Count died he left me his diary, in which he wro everything. When you killed the Countess with your so-called medicines and yo bleeding, not one day went by that the Count did not write down everything. H you blackmailed him, how you got rich by threatening the poor and sick, how y used the vampire bat to do your dirty work for you, how everybody hates you a fears you!"

"No one would believe it. They all think the Count was the vampire. It's his word against mine." "You know very well that if it's a question of your word against his, th e people will believe his. The people loved the Count and never really believed the rumours." Suddenly a fearful screeching was heard from the next room. Everybody ex cept the Doctor froze. "It's nothing, gentlemen. It's my falcon. He wishes to go hunting." As soon as Ernest heard the screech, he showed great excitement. "Alfred old chap, this is the moment I've been waiting for." Ernest walked excitedly to the door and was about to open it when the Do ctor shouted at him. "Don't open that door unless you want to die, Lord Ernest. I have specia lly trained them to go straight for the neck."

"Doctor, you don't think I would come all the way from England and not s ee the vampire bat in the light of day. After all I am a specialist." "I warned you." No sooner had Ernest opened the door than a loud flapping of wings and t he screeching of a starving bat was heard, and an ugly creature with pointed win gs and a squashed nose, with black hairs sticking out of it, flew wildly at Erne st. Alfred screamed and ran to fight off the vicious creature, but by the time h e had reached his friend, the bat had already got its teeth in his neck. To Alfr ed's surprise, Ernest just stood there while the creature got its fill from his neck. Alfred did not know what to do. Soon, the bat drew out its teeth from Ernest's neck and sat on his shoul der like a parrot or a tame bird. "Do you know, Alfred, old boy, I think this is the most exciting moment of my life! How many people back in England can say that they came in such close with a Desmodus Rotondus?" "But won't it kill you, dear boy?" "Good heavens, no! Of course, if I were one of the Doctor's patients and it fed off me three times a day, I wouldn't last long." The doctor stood in iration listening to the man talking about his ba ts so casually. "A beautiful creature, Doctor. But also a deadly one, if you let it be." "You have them well trained, Doctor. You don't mind if I see the rest of the family?" At that, Ernest went into the Doctor's laboratory and looked up at the c eiling. Sure enough, hanging upside down on a wooden bar were four more vampire bats. Alfred, by now, had wrapped a scarf around his neck and was holding it tig htly with both hands. "How many people have you killed, Doctor, to keep your little family ali ve?" "Yes, they are my family. I love them more than any human being because they love me with all their heart. They are faithful, not like women, who love y ou today and leave you tomorrow. All those people, they were going to die anyway . I couldn't save them. Nobody could." "How can you be so sure, Doctor? I think we should let the police decide on that. Don't you think, Alfred?" "Absolutely, old chap. I suggest we go right now." At that, they turned and left the Doctor, who was shouting nonsense afte r them. "You can't do anything to me. They're just peasants. They're all afraid of me. I have all the power." As they reached the carriage, Ernest turned to the Doctor. "Well, goodbye, Doctor. It was a pleasure. We shall meet again soon. Oh,

and one more thing, you won't need to feed one member of your family tonight." When they were in the carriage, Alfred felt a little better and let his hands go from his neck, but he seemed very concerned by the two pink spots on Er nest's neck. "Are you all right, old chap? Horrifying experience!" "On the contrary, dear boy. It was like a gentle kiss. You should try it some time." "I think give it a miss, old fellow. stick to the female kind." "Now, what I'm worried about is what the Doctor will do to get his hands on the Count's diary. He'll stop at nothing. I'll check my Derringer just in ca se. I think we'll be needing it."

Chapter eight The lover By the time they left the Doctor's it had begun to snow, and by the look of the dark clouds there was going to be a storm. So they decided not to go to the police that night. Anyway, Alfred wished to examine the Count's diaries firs t to make sure that Rodolfo had got his facts correct. Alfred had two things on his mind that he had not had a chance to talk to Ernest about. He leaned towards Ernest so that he could be heard above the noise of the carriage and the rising storm. "Did you notice, Ernest, that Rodolfo called Magorsky 'Doctor Lover'?" "I'm afraid I missed that, old boy. Why? Do you think that the Doctor is the the Count mentioned in his letter?" Suddenly the sound of horses approaching the carriage was heard and then a shot rang out. Ernest quickly stuck his head out of the window. Through the f alling snow, he could see three riders. "I think we're being attacked by the Doctor's men. I hope you're a good shot old boy, because it's the only gun we've got." Rodolfo was now going faster and the carriage was rolling dangerously fr om side to side. Another shot rang out, and they heard a cry from Rodolfo. At th at, Ernest started climbing out of the window, much to Alfred's concern. "Be careful, old boy. They're out to kill." "I'm afraid you're going to have to me, dear fellow. You don't stand a chance of hitting any of them in here." So, both men climbed out on to the carriage roof. Rodolfo had been shot in the arm but was still able to drive the horses. After nearly being thrown off the carriage three times, Alfred finally managed to get onto the carriage roof. He lay down on his stomach and aimed. His first shot knocked one of the riders off his horse. Ernest looked around in surprise. "I say, well done! You never told me you were such an ace!"

The other two riders followed for a short distance and then dropped behi nd. Alfred relaxed, but was not happy. "This doctor will stop at nothing to keep the world from finding out the truth. I think we've got a rather unpleasant few days ahead of us." "Jolly good show! I was beginning to think things were getting rather bo ring." They reached Dracula Castle without any further adventures. Rodolfo was bleeding badly, but Ernest, who knew quite a lot about first aid, cleaned and dr essed the wound. While this was going on, Alfred thought it was a good opportuni ty to get some straight answers from Rodolfo. "Rodolfo, did I hear you say that the Count was your father? And if so, why are you pretending to be his servant?" "I should have told you everything from the beginning, but I have learnt to trust nobody. I am the son of Mania. The Count married her secretly. He brou ght a priest from far away so that no one would know. But the Count never treate d me like a son, more like a servant. That made me bitter, and I hated the Count for that, but I loved him as my father." "I see, I see. Now what about Magorsky. Why did you call him Doctor Love r?" "It is a name he hates. When he was young, he loved a beautiful woman fr om Vilcea, and they were going to get married. But she left him for another man, a rich man from the town, and after that people made fun of him by calling him 'The Lover'. It was that which made the doctor hate women, particularly young an d beautiful women. I am sure now that 'The Lover' killed the Countess." "Doesn't the Count mention it in his diaries?" "No, you see the Count was such a kind man that he could not believe tha t others could be evil. He did not know how jealous the Doctor was of him. He di d not even hate the Doctor for blackmailing him. The Count was the kindest man." "But you say he treated you badly." "Yes, you see my mother is not an aristocrat. She is nobody, and so I to o am nobody, but I have the Dracula blood in my veins. That is hard to accept." "Now this is all jolly interesting, Rodolfo, but who was that fellow on the horse the other night pretending to be the Count?" Rodolfo looked at the ground and his pale bony face went red. "I lied to you. It was me. I have a confession to make. I helped the Doc tor spread these rumours about the Count. I would ride the Count's horse through the village whenever the Doctor told me to, so that everybody would think it wa s the Count. What I did was terrible, but I wanted to hurt the Count for the way he treated me." "And it appears that you did. Well, there's no point in crying over spil t milk. The important thing is to keep those diaries safe for the police and try and prove that you are the Count's son. Does he mention it anywhere in his diar ies?"

"No. I have read them all." "I can't believe that if the Count was such a kind man he would not reco gnise you as his son. We've got to search the castle high and low. Ernest, do yo u have any ideas where the Count could have hidden a letter or a will or somethi ng?" Ernest, who was warming himself in front of the fire, looked thoughtful. "Well, it was your idea really, old boy. You thought the Count's cane mi ght be hollow." "Yes, of course. I'd completely forgotten." "Deliberately, perhaps? You don't share my interest in coffins, do you, old chap? So it looks as if we've got work to do tonight." "In this weather?" "Sometimes Alfred, you surprise me. You call yourself a reporter, and ye t you like putting things off. Yes, tonight! Not that I think we'll see the vamp ire bat, I'm afraid. It's too cold." "Well, at least that's one good thing." After supper they again set out with spades. This time Rodolfo came with them, though he had a great fear of ghosts. The snow was falling in large flake s, and the wind was bitterly cold. By the time they reached the cemetery, everyt hing was so white that they could see their way without lamps. It took them abou t half an hour to dig down to the Count's coffin. At the sound of his spade on t he coffin, Rodolfo jumped out of the grave. "I am sorry Sir Alfred, but the rest you must do alone." "I agree with you, old fellow. I can't stand this part. To tell you the truth, I just keep my eyes closed. I leave it all to Ernest. He enjoys it." The snow was falling so fast that already a white layer covered the top of the coffin. Ernest was removing the lid. "I wonder if we'll see the end of my dream?" "Have the white fingers started to appear then?" Ernest laughed and pulled off the lid. Ernest could not believe his eyes . The Count's face seemed younger and more alive than ever. And the eyes had ope ned again. For a moment he thought the Count was going to speak. "Alfred, can you help me turn the Count? I the cane." "Do I have to?" They both lifted the Count over and underneath found the cane. "That's funny. I thought I left the cane on top of him. Ah, well, let's see if all this was a waste of time or not." Ernest began to unscrew the handle. When he had finished, he turned it o ver and tapped the end. Sure enough, a piece of thick paper fell out the end.

"Bingo! What does it say on the top, Alfred?" "I can only just see but... Yes, 'Lastwill and testament'... I think." "Wonderful! Let's put the Count back to rest, hopefully for the last tim e." When they had got him laid on his back, Ernest noticed something very st range. "Good heavens! His eyes have closed, and his face..." "What about it?" "It actually looks dead this time, but it's as if he's smiling. I believ ed in ghosts, I'd swear that he knew everything that has gone on in the last few days." "But you don't, do you, Ernest?" Chapter nine The Will Back at the castle, Rodolfo immediately went to tell his old mother the news and they all gathered around the fire, while Alfred read the will, translat ing it for Ernest as he went.

"In this, my last will and testament, I wish to undo a wrong I committed many years ago. I married a good and kind woman below my position, my excuse be ing that like all men, I needed human warmth and comfort. My greatest crime was being ashamed of it and never recognising the fruit of that marriage, my son, Ro dolfo. In this will I ask his forgiveness and leave everything to him, declaring that he has the right to call himself Count Dracula. As for my first-born, the unfortunate Radu, I know that Rodolfo will take care of him as long as he lives. I have taken this will to my grave, with the knowledge that if it is eve r found, it will be because the Dracula name has been cleared of all the lies sp read by that evil Doctor 'Lover' Magorsky. I wish to thank Alfred Sackville-Jones and Lord Ernest Deboy for helping my son Rodolfo to get what is rightfully his. I can now rest in peace. Count Vlad Dracula."

Alfred looked up from the handwritten letter with the Dracula seal and t he Count's elaborate signature at the bottom. "Well, Rodolfo old fellow, we shall have to call you Count from now on." Rodolfo was so overjoyed that he got up and lifted his ancient mother in to the air and kissed her a hundred times on her wrinkled old face so that she a ctually smiled. Gregory too was jumping up and down, doing some sort of strange Romanian dance. Having put his mother down, Rodolfo then came and gave Alfred an d Ernest kisses on both cheeks.

"May I suggest, Count, that we open one of the late Count's excellent bo ttles of German wine? I think this calls for a celebration." So, the five of them celebrated to the early hours. They even got Ernest to in singing some traditional Romanian songs. Of course, Alfred knew that many dangers lay ahead, but he did not wish to spoil the fun. Next morning, as usual, Alfred first said good morning to the portrait o f the Count, whose cheeks were all rosy red, as if he too had drunk a little too much the night before. Then, he looked out of the window over the castle walls across to the river and down Dracula Valley. The storm was over, but the snow wa s at least two feet deep. Ernest was still fast asleep. Now that he had no coffi ns to visit or vampire bats to see, the exciting part was over for him. Alfred s hook him. "Wake up, old boy!" "Alfred really, why do you always have to interrupt my dream at the most exciting moment? I can see I'll never get to the end." "Come on. We've got a long day ahead of us. First, we've got to bring th ese documents to the authorities. And I'm sure that the Doctor's men are already on the road and will probably do anything to stop us." The snow was too deep for the carriage, so Rodolfo rode Warrior, while A lfred and Ernest took a carriage horse each. As they were not sure that they wou ld be returning to the Castle, they took a bag full of their belongings and said goodbye to Mania and Gregory, who both had tears in their eyes. Alfred paid one last visit to their room and said goodbye to the portrait on the wall. He was a lmost certain he saw the lips move. As they rode out of Dracula's Castle, the silence was immense. All that could be heard was the muffled sounds of the river near the cemetery where the w aterfall was. About a mile out, Alfred turned to Rodolfo. "If the Doctor's men try to attack us, where is the most likely spot?" "Either where the valley narrows or where we have to cross the river abo ut a mile out of Vilcea." They said little, just kept their eyes on the hills and trees around the m where a man with a gun might be hiding. The Doctor's men were not waiting at the narrow , which surprised Ro dolfo, and he wondered whether the Doctor was going to attack them after all. Al fred, however, was sure that he would, and so, when they were halfway across the river, he stopped. "Gentlemen, get your guns ready." No sooner had he spoken than a gun appeared from behind a tree and a sho t rang out. The bullet whistled past Ernest's ear. "Good heavens! That was close." They jumped off their horses and ran for shelter. They could now see tha t there were three attackers. Ernest, who had more experience fighting than the others, took charge. "Rodolfo, is it possible to cross the river at any other point?"

"About a half a mile farther up, but there is no road." "If you'll let me have Warrior, I'll manage it all right. You keep them busy while I approach from behind." So Ernest got up on the beautiful white horse, which was almost invisibl e in the snow, and rode off up the river. About half an hour later, a shot rang out and they saw a body fall from behind one of the trees. Alfred saw his chance . "Rodolfo, let's get to the other side. Ernest won't give them any time t o think ." Two minutes later they were on the other side. By this time, Ernest had hit another and the third had laid down his gun and was holding up a white handk erchief. Ernest appeared from behind a tree, followed by Warrior. "Well, that wasn't too difficult." Then, out of the corner of his eye, Alfred saw a movement. It was the wo unded man who was pointing his gun at Rodolfo. "Rodolfo, get down!" But is was too late. Rodolfo fell to the ground, his blood spilling onto the white snow. Ernest pointed his gun and shot the man. Ernest examined Rodolfo and found that he was still breathing, but the b ullet had entered his chest and he was bleeding badly. "We've got to get him to Vilcea quickly. Alfred, throw the men's guns in to the river and get that man to put the dead men on to a horse. Then let's get going." They reached Vilcea about twenty minutes later. Ernest held Rodolfo in h is arms and rode into Vilcea on Warrior. At the first inn, they got Rodolfo on t o a bed and Ernest set to work, trying to save his life. Two hours later, Ernest had managed to get the bullet out and the wound dressed. Alfred looked on in iration. "I had no idea you were such an expert, dear boy." "Oh, did I never tell you I studied medicine for two years before turnin g to archaeology? You know, I think I would have made quite a good doctor." "I suppose it's all that blood you like, dear fellow. What are Rodolfo's chances of pulling through?" "Oh, he'll live, but it may take a few days before he can get back on to his feet." Suddenly they heard Rodolfo's voice. "Sir Alfred, get the Mayor and the Police Chief to come. I want witnesse s." "Straight away, old fellow." Seeing Ernest's bare and bloody arms, Rodolfo realised that it was he wh

o had saved his life. "Lord Ernest, I now owe you a life. How can I repay you?" "One day, Count, I'd like to spend some time at the castle, just going t hrough the archives. Would that be all right?" "Anything, Lord Ernest, anything." Half an hour later, the Mayor and the Police Chief arrived and the docum ents were formally handed over. It was now up to the authorities to deal with Do ctor Magorsky. Alfred was thinking. "It looks as if our job is over, Ernest old fellow." "I'd really love to see those vampire bats again. Can't I go with the po lice to arrest the Doctor?" "First of all, we don't know where the Doctor is. He is probably hiding by now. And his main aim now will be to kill us, not Rodolfo, before we get back to England and publish everything." "Quite so, old boy." "Rodolfo's in good hands. So I suggest we get out of here as quickly as possible. We have a long journey ahead of us." "I'm going to miss this place, Alfred old fellow, it suits me." "I can't altogether agree with you, old boy. But I do believe Rodolfo wi ll make a very good Count. I always thought he was a very solid chap."

Chapter ten The end? Alfred and Ernest said goodbye to Rodolfo, who could not thank them enou gh, and caught the 3.30 from Vilcea to Craiova, where they planned to pick up th e train to Vienna. They, of course, had no news of the Doctor and wondered wheth er he would use his money and power to send a team to try to kill them. Strangel y enough, it was Ernest who was most concerned. "Do you know, Alfred old fellow, we're not home and dry yet! It was we w ho uncovered his evil deeds, and he's not the type who forgives easily." "Do you really think he'll send some of his killers after us? Why would he bother?" "It's a question of pride and honour. And these foreign fellows think su ch things are terribly important." Alfred had great difficulty thinking of danger. He was already imagining himself back in his room in London. "What's the first thing you'll do when you get back, Ernest?" "What a question! Let me see. Yes, I think I'll open a bottle of your fi nest wine, dear boy. What'll you do?"

"I'll go for a walk through the fog of London and stand on Tower Bridge and watch the boats go underneath." Ernest laughed. "Really, Alfred, you're such a sentimentalist." They arrived in Craiova at about 6:00 and had to wait an hour for their connection. They were waiting on the crowded platform when Alfred saw a man he t hought he recognised. "Ernest, do you see that man over by the entrance? The one with the bear d and the scar above his left eye. Does he ring a bell?" "Don't think so, old fellow." "Probably my imagination." However, Alfred kept an eye on him and noticed that he too got on the tr ain to Vienna. There was something suspicious about him. He was dressed like a m an of wealth, but looked like a boxer. It was about 4.45 in the morning and they were about halfway to Vienna w hen the first attempt on their lives was made. Ernest was fast asleep and snorin g so loudly that he was keeping Alfred awake. The door of their cabin opened, al lowing a strip of light to enter. Alfred opened his eyes for a second and saw th e man with the beard. He was holding a piece of rope in his hands and was obviou sly intending to strangle them both. Alfred wished he had put the Derringer unde r his pillow, and also that Ernest was not fast asleep. He decided to wait and g rab the man by the legs as soon as he got close enough to the bunk bed. Alfred w as about to jump when he heard the man grunt and fall to the floor of the compar tment. Ernest switched on the light and looked at the man lying on the floor, ap parently dead. "It looks as if I saved your life, Alfred old fellow. It's a good thing I don't sleep as deeply as you do." "But I don't." "Don't what?" "Sleep soundly. You were the one snoring. I was wide awake." "Snoring? Was I really?" Ernest looked at the body. "I'm afraid I broke his neck. Well, what can a chap do if another chap t ries to strangle him in the middle of the night? I suppose we'll have to explain this mess to the guard." For the next two days, nothing unusual happened. It wasn't until they we re outside Paris that the next attempt on their lives was made. They had got to know another enger, a German by the name of Wolf Heinz. He said he was an or nithologist and was on his way to England to study a bird species there. Ernest, however, was quite suspicious because that particular species of bird wouldn't arrive in England for another two months. It all happened when they were having tea and cakes in the dining car. Herr Heinz had arrived first and had already or dered. Alfred was delighted to see the cherry cakes and tea waiting.

"I say, Wolf, old chap. Jolly nice of you!" They sat down and Wolf offered them a cake each. Ernest noticed that the y smelt strongly of almond and suspected that Wolf had put cyanide in some of th em. Rather than cause a fuss, he pretended to knock the cake out of Alfred's han d. "Frightfully sorry, old fellow! How clumsy of me! Good heavens! Look out there! That bird. Very unusual. What is it?" Wolf looked out of the window and tried hard to see the bird, during whi ch time Ernest changed his cake for the one on Wolf's plate. Then he winked at A lfred so that he understood what was happening. "Oh, dear, it must have flown away." When he turned round, Alfred and Ernest were pretending to be finishing off their cakes, which Ernest had put into his pocket. "What lovely cakes, Wolf!" Wolf ed in and ate his. On arrival in Paris, they saw an empty coffin arrive and leave with a bo dy in it. Ernest looked at Alfred and smiled. "Poor Wolf! And they did look like awfully nice cakes!" When they got off the train at Charing Cross they really felt their adve nture had ended, but they did not see the young man get into the cab behind them and follow them all the way. Suddenly, a shot rang out. Alfred pushed Ernest to the ground. A man was standing on the pavement, pointing a gun at them. Ernest was quite annoyed. "Dear me! And I was so looking forward to a nice cup of English tea." The man in the street looked mad, his eyes moving wildly in his head. "You ruined my father! You will pay for this!" But by the time he had finished his last sentence, Ernest had got out hi s Derringer and had shot him straight through the heart. They ran to the body, n ow lying in a pool of blood. In his pocket, Alfred found a port with the nam e Nikolai Magorsky. "Really, these foreign fellows are hot-blooded, aren't they?" Ernest was more concerned about the body. "Now how are we going to explain this to the police?" For the next three months, Alfred and Ernest went everywhere looking ove r their shoulder. But it appeared that Nikolai was the last assassin. "Come on! Hold out your glass, Ernest old chap." Alfred raised his glass in the air and Ernest filled it with champagne. "Well, here's to a successful end to the Dracula affair. The Globe has b een awfully good. Of course, they didn't believe a word of it, but they said tha t even as a work of fiction it was worth publishing."

"Oh, well done, old fellow." "Yes, we're going to call it The Real Count Dracula, in ten episodes. I have to it that I'm going to make a fortune." "Well, I must tell you, old fellow, that you're not the only one who's h ad some success. I'm going to have an article published in The British Bat Socie ty magazine on the vampire bat and I've been booked to give talks on the subject all summer." "Oh, how superb! Let's drink to the late and present Counts Dracula!" "I wonder what happened to the Doctor." "Probably took one of his deadly potions. He had nothing to live for." Just then, there was a knock on the door and Alfred's servant entered wi th a letter. Alfred opened it quickly. "Ah, it's from Rodolfo. Let's see what he has to say.

'Dear Alfred and Ernest, I have some good and some bad news. The bad new s is that my brother Radu died and was buried next to his father in the Dracula Cemetery. The good news is that the Doctor is dead. He was found with all the bl ood sucked out of him with his horrible bats standing on his body. He died as he deserved to: in the way that he killed his victims. The other good news is that I am getting married and would like you to come to my wedding. I am marrying th e daughter of a Count, in Craiova. I know it may not be possible for you to come , but it would make me very happy as I owe you my life and much more. Your true and devoted friend, Count Rodolfo Dracula.

"Well, it is nice to know that everything turned out all right for him i n the end. What about this wedding thing, then?" "Let's decide tomorrow. Have some more champagne?" Some minutes later, there was another knock on the door, and Alfred's se rvant entered with another letter. Alfred opened it and looked at the name. "Frankenstein. Have you heard the name Frankenstein before?" "Yes, I believe I have. Wasn't he that chap who created a monster?"

'"Dear Alfred Sackville-Jones, something terrible has happened. There ha ve been reports that a family of monsters looking like the monster my grandfathe r created, have been seen high up in a mountain in Switzerland. I do not know wh ether it is a He or not. Could you please come and investigate? I have heard abo ut your success with Count Dracula and I want you to do the same for the Franken

stein name. Please reply as soon as possible. Yours, Albert Frankenstein.'"

"Well, it sounds pretty exciting to me. When shall we leave?" "Ernest, Ernest, old boy! I still haven't recovered from the Dracula aff air!" "Oh, what a spoil sport you are!" "Well, I won't say no. I'll decide tomorrow. Come on. Let's enjoy this c hampagne and go for a walk to the Tower Bridge. I do love England at this time o f year. Don't you?"

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