Pagina 131 de 788

"O!" cried the Count, raising his hands on high, "I had a fair

foreboding that I loved these walls, though I knew not that they

contained such treasures, so many dramatic memories, and so many

tales! When once I seize from the Soplicas the castle of my

ancestors, I will establish you within its walls as my burgrave:

your tale, Gerwazy, has mightily affected me. I regret that you

did not lead me here at the hour of midnight; draped in my cloak

I should have sat upon the ruins and you would have told me of

bloody deeds. I regret that you have no great gift of narration!

Often have I heard and often do I read such traditions; in

England and Scotland every lord's castle, in Germany every

count's mansion was the theatre of murders! In every ancient,

noble, powerful family there is a report of some bloody or

treacherous deed, after which vengeance descends as an

inheritance to the heirs: in Poland for the first time do I hear

of such an incident.