Part 55 (1/2)

At last the sky was covered with clouds, and it seemed to promise rain for several days. Zaklika, covered with his long mantle, was continually coming in and going out of the castle, not answering the questions made to him by the sentries, as if telling them that he did not like to talk much. The trials were very successful. One Friday it rained hard from the early morning. When dusk began to fall everything was ready. Cosel gave the servant leave to go to the town.

Covered with a long, military mantle, with a cap pushed over her eyes, Cosel went first to the St. Donat's gate, and no one paid any attention to her; at the second gate the soldiers looked at her, but let her pa.s.s.

A few minutes later Zaklika, dressed in the same manner, pa.s.sed the first gate quickly, in which he did not meet anybody. At the second gate the soldier muttered,--

”How many of you are there?”

Zaklika uncovered his face.

”Devil knows you,” said the soldier. ”I know only that there came in one, and two go out.”

”What are you talking about?”

”I am not blind.”

Zaklika paid no attention and moved on. The soldier stopped him.

”But they all know me here,” said Zaklika.

”Go to the commandant and explain to him, otherwise I shall not let you out.”

They began to quarrel. The corporal came. Zaklika complained to him, and they let him out, and he disappeared in the bushes beyond the park; but the soldier grumbled.

”Why are you angry with him?” asked the corporal.

”When I am at the gate, I must count how many people I let in, and how many out. There entered one clad in a long mantle, and two of them went out. The first looked as if he never was a soldier. Suppose it was the Countess?” added he, laughing.

”You talk nonsense!” said the corporal, with uneasiness. He stopped, thought for a while, and went to the St. John's tower. Here he learned that all the servants had been permitted to go to town.

He rushed up the first flight--the room was dark and empty; on the floor above--n.o.body either. The corporal hastened to the commandant, who rushed out and began to search with the soldiers in the castle.

Time was pa.s.sing by; dusk was already quite thick. There was no doubt that Cosel had escaped! They struck the alarm, and the commandant, dividing his soldiers into several groups, rushed out to chase the fugitive lady.

In the meantime Cosel ran to the horses, which were ready at a certain spot; in her great haste she lost her way. Zaklika reached them, and, not finding the Countess, rushed to seek her, but not daring to call, for the alarm was already given.

He lost much time, but he found her standing under a tree. He seized her by the hand, and conducted her to the horses. Cosel jumped on her horse, and Zaklika was ready too, when the soldiers arrived and surrounded them. Zaklika cried to Cosel to run, he barring the road to the soldiers.

A few shots sounded, and the faithful man, struck by a bullet in the forehead, fell to the ground moaning. At that moment a soldier seized the reins of the Countess's horse. She killed the aggressor on the spot; but there rushed forward another and a third, and she was obliged to surrender.

The commandant arrived when the two cold corpses were already on the b.l.o.o.d.y ground--the third was dying.