Lady Mary was young. Lady Mary was wonderful. She had two brothers, and countless fans. But the bravest and most handsome of them all was Mr. Fox. She met him while living in her father's hunting castle. No one knew where Mr. Fox came from, but he was very brave and undoubtedly rich. Of all her admirers, Lady Mary distinguished him alone.
Finally they decided to get married, and Lady Mary asked her groom where they would live when they got married. Mr. Fox described his castle to her and told her where it was, but - oddly enough - did not invite either the bride or her brothers to visit him.
And then one day, shortly before the wedding, when Mr. Fauquet was away for a day or two, “on business,” as he said, Lady Mary went to his castle alone. She wandered and wandered and finally found him. It truly was a beautiful castle, surrounded by high walls and a deep moat. She approached the gate and saw the inscription on it:
Dare, dare. .
The gate was open and she entered it, but there was not a soul in the yard. She went to the door and again read the inscription on it:
Dare, dare. But don't get too cocky...
Lady Mary entered the hall, then climbed the wide stairs and stopped in the gallery at the door on which was written:
Dare, dare, but don’t dare too much, otherwise you’ll end up with endless grief.
Lady Mary was a brave girl. She fearlessly opened the door, and what she saw - skeletons and dead bodies of beautiful girls covered in blood.
And Lady Mary decided that it was better for her to leave this terrible place as soon as possible. She closed the door, ran through the gallery and was about to go down the stairs to leave the hall when she saw Mr. Fox himself through the window. He was dragging a beautiful girl across the yard.
Lady Mary rushed downstairs and only managed to hide behind a barrel when Mr. Fox burst into the house with a girl who had apparently lost consciousness. He dragged his burden to the place where Lady Mary was hiding, and then suddenly noticed a sparkling diamond ring on the girl’s hand. Mr. Fox tried to take it off, but couldn't. Then, cursing, he pulled out his sword, raised it and cut off the poor girl’s hand. The hand flew to the side and fell straight into Lady Mary's lap. Mr. Fox looked and looked for it, but did not find it, and did not think to look behind the barrel. Then he picked up the girl again and dragged her up the stairs into the Bloody Room.
As soon as Lady Mary heard him come up the gallery, she quietly ran out of the castle, went out through the gates and rushed home as fast as she could.
And it must be said that the marriage contract between Lady Mary and Mr. Fox was supposed to be signed the next day. All the household members have gathered at the festive table. Mr. Fox was seated opposite Lady Mary. He looked at her and said:
- How pale you are today, my dear!
“I didn’t sleep well last night,” she answered. — I was tormented by terrible dreams.
“Bad dreams are good,” said Mr. Fox. - Tell us what you dreamed about. We will listen to your wondrous voice and will not notice how the hour of our happiness strikes.
“I dreamed,” Lady Mary began, “that I went to your castle yesterday morning.” I found him in the forest, behind high walls and a deep ditch. On the castle gate was written:
Dare, dare...
“But that’s not so, and it never was,” Mr. Fox interrupted her.
“I went to the door and read on it:
Dare, dare, but don't dare too much...
“But that’s not so, and it wasn’t like that,” Mr. Fox interrupted her again.
— I climbed the stairs to the gallery. At the end of the gallery there was a door, and on it was the inscription:
Dare, dare, but don’t dare too much, otherwise you’ll end up with endless grief.
“But it’s not like that, and it wasn’t like that,” said Mr. Fox.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru