Page 35 (1/2)
A DYNAMITE PARTY
Look at theon &039;Terrified of us, are they not? It is good, no?&039;
Von Klatka was enjoying himself too much The Carpathian Guard had been called into the park too late to do loat It was the best kind of victory, Kostaki reflected, with spoils but no losses The police had already rounded up and penned most of the trouble-h the bar-like slats of the nearest wagon It held the women Most hite vestments with red crosses on the front
&039;Christian Crusaders!&039; von Klatka sneered, &039;fools!&039;
&039;We were the Christians once,&039; Kostaki said &039;When we followed Prince Dracula against the Turk&039;
&039;An old battle, my comrade There are new eneon The prisoners whirinned and snarled Sohed Was there honour in this?
Kostaki saw a fa policemen
&039;Scotsman,&039; he shouted, &039;hail and well met&039;
Inspector Mackenzie turned fro down on hied, tapping the brim of his hat &039;You&039;ve missed the merrion, a naughty child in the zoo One of the prisoners fainted and her coo to protect them
&039;Merriht think it so Not enough blood spilled for your tastes, I iine No one killed&039;
&039;I aleaders&039;
&039;Examples will be made, Captain&039;
Kostaki sensed the warer Few alliances truly lasted It must be difficult for this man to reconcile his duties with his loyalties &039;I respect you, Inspector&039;
The Scotsman was surprised
&039;Have a care,&039; Kostaki continued &039;These are aard times All positions are precarious&039;
Von Klatka reached into the wagon and tickled a shrinking girl&039;s ankle He enjoyed his sport He turned to Kostaki, grinning for approval
A vaed from the shadows of the park Kostaki ia - a blusterer if ever there was - had been caught in the rioting; now, he strode about, with that arrogant devil Hentzau in tow, as if fresh froet von Klatka&039;s attention and was rewarded with another salute He was one of those officers, as co as of the un-dead, who need constant reassurance of their i to his superiors was taken up with being beastly to his subordinates For four hundred years, Iorga had vowed eternal fealty to the cause of Dracula, and for as long he had secretly hoped someone would hoist the impaler on one of his own stakes The General saw hi of the Vampires In this, he was alone: set beside the Prince, General Iorga was a featherweight
&039;There will be a celebration in the barracks tonight,&039; Iorga told them &039;The Guard has triuusted face, but did not contradict the General in his poaching of credit for the rout of the rioters
&039;Von Klatka,&039; Iorga said &039;Cut out half a dozen of those omen and escort them to our barracks&039;
&039;Yes sir,&039; von Klatka replied
The prisoners cried and prayed Von Klatkaat each of the prisoners, rejecting this one as too old and fat, that one as too thin and stringy He called Kostaki over for an added opinion but he pretended not to hear
Iorga and Hentzau strode off, capes flapping behind theh he was too plump to carry it off properly
&039;He reminds me of Sir Charles Warren,&039; Mackenzie said &039;Struts around spitting orders with no idea what it&039;s like out here at the sharp end&039;
&039;The General is a fool Most above the rank of Captain are&039;
The policeman chuckled &039;As are ree on that&039;
Von Klatka irls - for they tended to be the youngest - out of the wagon They clung together, shivering Their vestht
&039;Good fatthe nearest cheek
The turnkey produced handcuffs and chains froether Von Klatka slapped one on the rear and laughed like a gay devil The girl fell to her knees and prayed for deliverance Von Klatka bent over and poked his red tongue into her ear She reacted with cohter
&039;You, sir,&039; one of the women said to Mackenzie, &039;you&039;re warm, help us, save us&039;
Mackenzie was uncoain
&039;I apologise,&039; Kostaki said &039;This is an absurdity Azzo, get those women to the barracks I shall join you later&039;
Von Klatka saluted and dragged the girls off He sang a shepherd&039;s song as he led his flock away The Guard were quartered near the Palace