Fred Saberhagen Vlad Tepes 08 Seance for a Vampire

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'phoned back to me at the Saracen's Head, to pass along the information that
several months ago a Russian gentleman named
Alexander Ilyitch Kulakov had taken a country house within a few miles of the
Altamonts' estate.
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Fred Saberhagen - S�ance for a Vampire
While I was engaged in this second call, Prince Dracula had once more entered
the public bar and resumed his role of entertainer.
Still, I refrained from saying openly on the telephone that we were facing the
definite possibility that this Kulakov and our mysterious vampire were one and
the same.
"Is there anything more you can tell me about him Mycroft? It may be vitally
important."
"Yes, John, actually there is a fair amount of information." And
Mycroft relayed to me the suspicions then current in British intelligence
circles, that the Russian count was quite likely mixed up in the conflict
between terrorist revolutionaries and the Okhrana, or Tsarist secret police.
Each of these parties was known to have agents in England. Some people, men
and women, were double agents, trying to play both sides.
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"And his personal description, Mycroft his appearance?"
"I have never laid eyes on the man myself. But he is described as tall and
well built, about forty years of age. Has red hair and beard and greenish,
peculiar eyes. He seems to be heir to some remote but extensive Siberian
estates that were his father's and grandfather's before him. Another "
"Red hair," I repeated. "And beard. Tall and powerful. Even green eyes."
"That is the description I have been given."
Mycroft had more information at his fingertips. The Russian count had
apparently come to England unaccompanied save for a faithful servant or two.
Our own intelligence service supposed him, and
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Fred Saberhagen - S�ance for a Vampire doubtless his servants as well, to be
involved, in some way hard to determine, in the ongoing duel of secret agents
between the monarchy and the revolutionaries.
There was still more. Mycroft had discovered a dossier on one man bearing the
given name and patronymic of Gregory Efimovitch, who had attained a fair
degree of prominence in the intrigues among
Russian exiles, and Mycroft had already set in motion an investigation to
determine his current whereabouts.
"Can we establish any connection," I asked, "between this man and
Kulakov?"
"So far I cannot. But sooner or later we will discover the link if it exists."
Presently I rang off the telephone, looked in at the public bar to let my
colleague know the latest call had been completed, and preceded him back to
our rooms to report to Holmes.
On my arrival upstairs I found my friend in conversation with
Martin Armstrong and Rebecca Altamont, both of them much restored in
appearance from the last time I had seen them.
Armstrong and Rebecca Altamont had each awakened in Baker
Street shortly after noon that day, Thursday, and had been promptly handed my
messages by Mrs. Hudson. After our landlady had provided them with a hasty
meal, the young people had come rushing back to Amberley on the first train
available. The two appeared at the Saracen's Head at seven o'clock on Thursday
evening, after having stopped first at Norberton House to bathe and
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Fred Saberhagen - S�ance for a Vampire change.
They came to our inn partly with the intention of seeing Inspector
Merivale, who also occupied a room there. Further, Holmes had said he wanted
to see Armstrong, and I had sent a message to
Norberton House where any request from me was rather coldly received asking
the young American to call on me.
On the arrival of Armstrong and Miss Altamont, Holmes had ordered tea to be
served in our rooms, and I found him entertaining our visitors there.
Prince Dracula, now once more relieved from his duties in the bar downstairs,
looked in, and I had introductions to perform. "This is
Mr. Prince," I said, using an alias we had agreed on earlier, "who has come
down from London with me. He is another associate of
Mr. Sherlock Holmes."
Prince Dracula had been looking forward to a well-earned sleep, in his own
room, during the day's remaining daylight hours. But he was also eager to meet
these people who were so deeply involved in our mystery. "How do you do?"
I thought that Rebecca Altamont colored slightly when Dracula bowed and [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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