Presently, when they had gone round the room, and cursorily inspected its contents, their host proposed, what his visitors were really eager for, a stroll round the outside of the castle.
“You have a most interesting abode,” Galabin remarked, as they found themselves in the hall again. “I suppose there are further curiosities to be seen above stairs?”
The Count’s urbane smile widened into a half comic grin of apology.
“All modern! Alas! all modern,” he exclaimed. “The lower part of the castle alone is old. I will not destroy the effect of the few quaint things you have seen by contrasting them with the bedroom appointments from the Königstrasse. Unless, that is, you shall change your mind and care to spend a few nights here. Perhaps if the weather breaks I may have the pleasure of being your host.”
They strolled out and made the circuit of the castle. It was with no small curiosity that the two visitors sought the window where they had seen the light, and which had seemed to disappear so mysteriously. It had vanished indeed. A blank wall ran from tower to tower without an opening or break of any kind. Unseen by Zarka the two men exchanged glances of wonder. Surely, they thought, the window itself with the light streaming from it across to the very spot where they were standing had not been a delusion of their brain. At any rate, now in the broad sunlight, there was no sign of it to be detected. The wall, massive and thick, seemed to put out of the question the idea of an opening into it. No particular examination could, of course, be hazarded, but a glance was enough to show how unaccountable was what they had seen the night before.
As they strolled on, Fräulein d’Ivady lingered behind to point out to Von Tressen a rare species of flowering plant which was growing in the old moat. This manœuvre, for it seemed designed, threw them a little way behind the other pair.
“You have been long encamped here in the forest?” the girl asked as they turned to follow.
“Hardly a week.”
“I heard,” she seemed to lower her voice guardedly, “I heard of your adventure the other day.”
“My adventure?”