asciilifeform: k to a great lord.' such was the custom of drakula: when an inexperienced envoy came to him, from a king or an emperor, and could not answer the wily questions of drakula, he would be sat upon a stake, drakula saying to him this: 'not i am to blame for your demise, but your lord is, or perhaps you are. for if your lord knew that you are unintelligent and inexperienced, and still sent you to me - a wise lord, yo ☟︎

asciilifeform: to blame for my demise, but i alone.' drakula laughed, and spoke thus, 'had you not answered as you did, you would have sat down upon this stake.' and the lord ordered the envoy honoured, and gifted, and sent off in peace, with the words: 'you may walk as an envoy from great lords, to great lords, because you know how to speak to great lords; while others ought not even try, but let them first learn how to spea

asciilifeform: ng the noble has dealt with you unjustly, and for him you have prepared a death more stately than for others.' drakula answered, 'you speak the truth. here you are - an envoy of a great lord, a kingly emissary, it is for you that i have crafted this stake.' answered the envoy, 'lord, if i have wrought an injustice worthy of death - do with me as you will. you are an impartial judge - it is not you who shall be

asciilifeform: 'came once to drakula an envoy from the great hungarian king mathias; a noble baron, of polish birth. and drakula did sit and dine with him among the corpses. and the envoy saw before him on the ground, a thick and gilded stake, and then drakula asked of the envoy: 'tell me, for what have i prepared this stake?' fear took hold of the envoy, who thought a while, and spoke: 'seems to me, my lord, that someone amo ☟︎

asciilifeform: ' and ordered that in the whole city the thief be sought, 'should you fail to find him, the city shall perish.' and ordered the same night his old gold placed on the cart - with one added duacat. morning came, the mechant counted the gold, and counted again, then exclaimed: 'i have my gold again, but a ducat is extra!' and then the thief was caught, and the stolen gold brought. spoke drakula to the merchant th

asciilifeform: rself, these people are martyrs. so i wish to make you a martyr, be in the company of your fellows.' and ordered him sat upon a stake, but the other monk, sent with fifty golden ducats back to the hungarian borders, 'you are a wise man.'

asciilifeform: "came to drakula two catholic monks, from the hungarian lands, pittances to collect. he ordered them brought apart, and called up one, pointed to the yard, where one could see many sat upon stakes, or on wheels broken. he did ask: 'was i just? and who are these people, sitting on stakes?' answered the monk, 'no, lord, you do evil, killing without mercy; a lord must be merciful. and those sat upon the stakes - a ☟︎☟︎