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A Startling Discovery
While rummaging around in the case-mates of one of the mightiest Austrian border castles, some youths discovered a secret compartment in the toolbox of a cannon dating back to the time of the Turkish invasion. They broke it open and found a letter and a number of diaries written in antiquated Hungarian. On closer examination, it was found that the letter and the diaries originated from the hand of a valet named Janos Pelegrin.
This proved without doubt that the mysterious count Caprioli, secret agent to the emperor's court in Vienna, really existed.
The letter of the valet Pelegrin:
My dear young friends!
I am writing to you because if anyone at any time should find this letter and my diaries, then it could only have been one of you. The older ones don't look for secrets any more. Which one of the grown ups could believe, that count Caprioli rode through the ocean on a shark, that my count melted the cannons of an enemy ship with a lightning bolt or that he loaded the cannons of the "Fantoma" with Dutch cheese balls.
Yesterday we landed in St. Petersburg. The Russian czar admired our "Fantoma" and made a bet with the count, more fantastic and dare devilish I ever experienced with him. I don't know how he wants to win it. Surely, it will be extremely dangerous and adventurous. That is why I want to save my diaries first. I will hide them and continue in a new one.
Your old Janos Pelegrin
