'The other,' here he caught sight of the strange symbols as he opened the envelope, and the dark look came into his face, and his eyes blazed wickedly, 'The other is a vile thing, an outrage upon friendship and hospitality! It is not signed. Well! So it cannot matter to us.' And he calmly held letter and envelope in the flame of the lamp till they were consumed.

Then he went on, 'The letter to Hawkins, that I shall, of course send on, since it is yours. Your letters are sacred to me. Your pardon, my friend, that unknowingly I did break the seal. Will you not cover it again?' He held out the letter to me, and with a courteous bow handed me a clean envelope.

I could only redirect it and hand it to him in silence. When he went out of the room I could hear the key turn softly. A minute later I went over and tried it, and the door was locked.

When, an hour or two after, the Count came quietly into the room, his coming awakened me, for I had gone to sleep on the sofa. He was very courteous and very cheery in his manner, and seeing that I had been sleeping, he said, 'So, my friend, you are tired? Get to bed. There is the surest rest. I may not have the pleasure of talk tonight, since there are many labours to me, but you will sleep, I pray.'

Vocabulary:

Symbols: Signs with a particular meaning
Vile: Absolutely horrible
Consumed: Here it means 'burned up'
Sacred: Respected as holy
Courteous: Very polite
Redirect: Send to a new address
Cheery: Very good-tempered and happy
Pray: Ask very politely