Keeping within the dark fringe of the wood, they began the ascent of the hill and soon had reached the small plateau on which Rozsnyo stood. As the castle came into view from the side approach the two men could get a very good idea of its real size and form. It was a large rambling structure, covering far more space than apparently its real size and capacity would warrant. Indeed, the idea in its construction seemed to have been distance; for one part, that is, to lie as far from the other extremity as possible. From their point of observation in the valley below, the two men had noticed a light in one of the windows; here on the inner side all was dark: there seemed no sign of life about the place.
The principal approach to the castle was by a great bridge of wood and iron thrown over a moat drained of its water and planted with flower-beds in curiously modern contrast to the grey massive walls which rose from it.
All was still and silent save for the rustling of the pines as an occasional gust swept through them. The two men emerged boldly into the open which divided the surrounding wood from the castle precincts.
“We are doing no harm in strolling round the place,” Galabin said. “Let us make a tour of inspection and keep our eyes open.”
Keeping on the outer edge of what had been the moat, they followed the circuit of the building until they came round again on the farther side of the declivity of rock which dropped almost sheer down to the valley. Nothing but a general idea of the castle rewarded their scrutiny. All was dark and silent.
“Not a very promising place to investigate,” Von Tressen laughed. “We had better go back again as we came. To try and get down into the valley from this side looks like breaking our necks.”
“Yes,” Galabin assented grimly. “The vulture has well chosen his eyrie. But for a great house there seems to be a singular absence of life about the place.”
A heavy bank of clouds had now drifted over the moon, and the darkness, intensified by the wall of pine woods, was so thick that the two men had some difficulty in finding their way round the moat again, at least without stumbling down the grass-grown bank.
Suddenly Von Tressen, who was in front, stopped, so abruptly that Galabin cannoned against him.
“Look!”