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“Mein Herr, the nights are very cold here; ood care of you There is plum rakia under the seat You may take a few sips if you would like”
I did not touch the plum rakia, but it was a coe feelings; while I ht have been afraid to confess it to htened If there had been any way to avoid this night journey, I would not have hesitated to take it This trip, which I thought would be an altogether novel and pleasant experience when I left Istanbul, was taking a turn for the worse
After traveling for soan down a different road It appeared to round over and over Once I suspected that this was the case, I took note of soht for athis, but I abandoned the idea If it was intended to delay my arrival to the Count, my protest would be useless By-and-by, as I was curious what time it was, I struck a match and looked at my watch
It was a few ht…
This gave s I had seen in the last few hours had given a weird potency to the prinorant people, and especially the villagers’ fears about ht With an anxiety that nearly caused me to faint, I waited
Suddenly a dog began to howl far away, perhaps from a far and agonizing wail, uttered as if in great fear It was followed by another one, and then another dog howled! And another dog! And onewas borne on the wind, blowing like a deep, slow o Pass It was as if the sound was enveloping the entire area, and even the whole country, in a deep, terrible darkness At the first howl, the horses started and began to turn back When the driver spoke soothingly to the animals they recovered, but I could see them sweat and shake Then, far off in the distance, froan a louder and a sharper howling—that of wolves These nels had the sa effect on both the horses and myself For not only did I have a mind to juan to rear up, et away froth on the reins Eventually an to calot out of his seat and approached the horses He stroked and talked to thein to return to their senses
The driver again took his seat and shook the reins We started off at a great pace This tio Pass we suddenly took a sharp right turn down a narrow path We passed through dense forest and entered a steepus on either side The wind bleerfully around us and the trees shook as though they were about to topple The cold intensified and finally a dusty snow began to fall A fewwas covered in a white shroud of snow A sharp wind still carried the howls of the dogs to us, but as we rew fainter However, the baying of the wolves increased steadily as though they had surrounded us and were closing in I grew afraid, and the horses shared ely the driver was not at all disturbed He constantly turned his head left and right; but I was unable to see anything in the pitch black darkness that surrounded us
Suddenly, away on our left, I saw a bright flame; the driver had seen it too He stopped the horses immediately, jumped down, and faded into the darkness I do not knohat he did there, but the howling of the wolves grew closer; that much was certain While I waited in terror and anticipation, the driver suddenly returned and took his seat without saying a word; we began ain
I think now that I had fallen asleep by the ti events took place and that I was actually seeing them in my dreams Because as I write these lines, they seehtmare
Once in particular that blue flaht I was able to see what the coachathering a few stones, forn
I observed a very strange illusion Although the driver was standing between myself and the blue flame, the fire was still visible The driver’s torso did not obstruct ht This caused me nearly to jump from my seat But as it only lasted a few seconds I ascribed it to the weariness ofFinally there came a time when the driver stopped the coach and went even further than before; while he was gone the horses began to stamp, rear up, and tremble uncontrollably I could not understand why, for the howling of the wolves had ceased altogether Then, at that very ed briefly from behind the dark clouds and illuminated the area
My God! We were surrounded by a sea of wolves! In front of us, at our back, and all around us olves with lolling criylike that, they were a hundred ti them so, I was paralyzed with fear There is no way for ait for himself
Suddenly the wolves began howling all together, as though the ht had a peculiar effect on them I shouted to the coachman to return At that moment I heard a voice and looked in its direction Lo and behold! The driver, whoht was beyond the pack of wolves, had inexplicably appeared in the esture of command, the wolves retreated timorously
When dense clouds obscured the face of the moon once more, complete darkness fell
When I could seeinto his seat—and the wolves had disappeared!