When I went into the dining room, breakfast was ready, but I could not find the Count anywhere. So I ate my breakfast alone. It is strange that I have not yet seen the Count eat or drink. He must be a very peculiar man! After breakfast I did a little exploring in the castle. I went out on the stairs, and found a room looking towards the South.

The view was magnificent. And where I stood was the best possible place to see it. The castle is on the very edge of an incredible cliff. A stone falling from the window would fall a thousand feet without touching anything! As far as I could see there was a sea of green tree tops. Occasionally there was a deep rift where the ground had opened up. Here and there I could see silver threads which were rivers winding through deep valleys in the forests.

But I am not in the mood to describe beauty. As soon as I had seen the view I went on exploring. Doors, doors, doors everywhere, and all locked and bolted. The only way out of the castle walls is through the windows. In fact, the castle is a prison, and I am a prisoner!

Vocabulary:

Cliff: Where the ground drops straight down
Rift: A large gap
Winding: Turning around a lot
Valley: The long space between two hills
Bolted: A bolt is a piece of metal fixed across a door to stop it opening