"Blyton, Enid - The Five Find-Outers 15 - The Mystery of Banshee Towers 1.1" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

The Austrian was sitting on the big settee behind which the children had hidden the day before. He was studying a catalogue of some sort, frowning over it. He was big and burly, with great eyebrows and a big nose.

Fatty went up to him, and spoke in his politest voice. "Excuse me, sir, for interrupting - but I believe you own this magnificent old place?"

"What - er - dear me, you startled me!" said the man, in a very deep voice, with a decidedly foreign accent. "Yes, my boy, I own it. But, alas, it was a bad bargain. So few visitors come to see it."

"I suppose they come because they hope to hear the Wailing Banshee," said Fatty. "We heard it yesterday - a very fine performance, sir. Very fine. Best wailing I ever heard! How is it done, sir?"

"Done? My boy, who knows anything about the poor, poor unhappy banshees?" said the man. "Who knows how or why they wail? "

"Well, in these days, sir, I expect they wail because their machinery is started up," said Fatty, unexpectedly. "I mean - modern banshees are all pretence, aren't they?"

"Certainly NOT," said the man angrily. "You think I am a fraud? You think my banshee does not exist? I own a very fine banshee - poor poor thing, how she wails! It rends the heart!"

"Let me see now - banshees are supposed only to wail because they want to warn the owner of the place that something terrible is going to happen to him, aren't they?" said Fatty, putting on his most innocent expression. "You know, sir, I heard her wailing yesterday, and I hoped somebody would warn you that trouble and unhappiness might be coming to you. Of course, that wouldn't be so if it wasn't a _real_ banshee - but simply some kind of machinery, sir - but you are certain it isn't?"

"My boy, I give you leave to go into every room in Banshee Towers, and to look into every hole and corner and cranny there, to see if there is any machinery," said Mr Engler, solemnly.

"Oh, thank you, sir, that's very kind of you, but I'll take your word for it that you've no machinery hidden in any of the rooms," said Fatty. "Let's change the subject, sir. What wonderful sea-pictures there are here! What collection are they from, sir? I don't recognize any of them."

"Well, you seem to be an intelligent boy," said the Austrian, obviously struck by Fatty's ready conversation. "So I'll tell you. They are from a famous collection of pictures in Count Ludwig's castle in Austria. He is a cousin of mine, and he has lent me the pictures to attract visitors to Banshee Towers. A truly wonderful collection - but alas, few people look at the pictures. Just a few artists to copy them - and one or two visitors like yourself notice them."

"They are worth a lot of money, I suppose?" said Fatty.

"Oh yes, yes - thousands of pounds!" said Mr Engler.

"I wonder you dare to risk the chance of some thief coming here to steal them," said Fatty.

"Now, my boy - use your sense," said Mr Engler. "It is not easy to take great pictures like these from their frames and carry them off unnoticed! Ha - would _you_ be able to do it?"

It was at this very moment that Ern decided to go and find Fatty. Mr Engler jumped when Ern's voice came into the room, sounding urgent.

"Fatty! Fatty, here! I've got something to ask you!"

"Excuse me, sir - that's my friend. I'd better go and see what he wants," said Fatty, surprised to see Ern looking so agitated. "Thank you for giving me so much information. Very kind of you."

He went over to Ern. "Ern! What is it? Now don't blurt it out at the top of your voice, for goodness sake. Come into the hall and tell me quietly."

"Well, Fatty, you know that sea-picture I liked so much - the one I showed you yesterday, with the high cliffs and the swirling sea below?"

"Yes, I remember it quite well. It's still over there," said Fatty, waving an arm towards it.

"Yes - well, there's something very queer about it today," said Ern, agitated. "Come and look."

"What do you mean - queer?" asked Fatty, surprised, as they came up to the picture.

"Something's gone out of it," said Ern. "Something I noticed particularly yesterday, Fatty. It's not there today, straight it isn't!"

"Well, what _was_ it?" asked Fatty, exasperated. "The picture looks _exactly_ the same to me!"