The count stepped forward and took off the cover of a dish. At once I started eating an excellent roast chicken. This, with some cheese and a salad was my supper. There was also a bottle of old Tokay, and I drank two glasses of this. While I was eating, the Count asked me many questions about my journey, and I told him by degrees about everything that had happened.

By this time I had finished my supper. The count asked my to pull up a chair by the fire. I did this and began to smoke a cigar which he had offered me. He did not take one for himself, saying that he did not smoke. I had now an opportunity to see him properly. In fact his face and head were quite remarkable.

His face was strong, and very aquiline. His nose was thin, and the nostrils were peculiarly arched. His forehead was high and round and there was not much hair growing around his temples but growing very thickly elsewhere. His eyebrows were very massive, almost meeting over his nose. The hair of the eyebrows was very thick and curly. His mouth, so far as I could see it under the heavy moustache, was hard and rather cruel-looking, with peculiarly sharp white teeth.