„ She might be very estimable as a human being, honourable, brave, generous, but she is not a woman. She does not fulfil one condition of womanhood; she could not fulfil her duties in the society. Which man would prefer a woman who has been travelling across Europe and Arabia with an unknown man, to the simple and delicate ladies who spend their time playing the piano or painting! Who would want a woman who is wearing high-heeled boots, trousers, dark make-up, and wields a sword?" stopped the young man for a while. Agnes was looking at him with anger, peeking out from behind the curtain. He was standing on the balcony, leaning against the handrail. He had a particularly ugly face with a huge nose and hard gaze. He was talking to an elegantly dressed elderly man, who had softer features with his brown eyes, and grey hair and full-beard. They were both dressed elegantly.

„ Do not be so harsh in judging her son. She is an educated lady, who can behave well, as you have seen. And not to mention she is very beautiful." said the grey-bearded man quietly.

„ I am not blinded by her beauty father, like all people are! She is an immoral woman, and I will talk to Count Sáradi to ban his fiancé from seeing her sister, before she affects Miss Elizabeth's thinking. God save us from the kind of Agnes Desewffys! I'm telling you father, they ruined the bloodline with her grandmother, that woman named Gabriella! Nobody knew anything about her origin!"

Agnes was boiling with fury upon hearing this. She stepped out from behind the curtain, and walked up to the men.

„ Good evening gentlemen!" she greeted them politely, and then turned to the younger man politely, who was making a surprised face.

„ May I ask you just how dare you talk about my grandmother like that? I can put up with what you say about me, but she is dead long ago for Heaven's sake! Why can't you just let her rest in peace!?" asked Agnes in an irritated voice.

„ Excuse me young miss, but you should be thinking about your own morals first!" came the indignant answer from the huge-nosed man „ It is very impolite to eavesdrop on somebody else's conversation!" he said, and raised his head. Agnes narrowed her eyes.

„No, you excuse me, but you were talking so loud, only the deaf would not have been able to hear it clearly! And if I'm not wrong, it is also rather impolite to bad-mouth a lady!"

„ You just think too much about yourself young miss! Maybe we had a reason to..."

„ Please son, finish this, don't hurt the lady's feelings." interrupted the old man, and then turned to Agnes „ Please miss, forgive him, he just doesn't know what he is talking about!" said the old man, trying to smooth the problem.

„ Oh yes, I know what I'm talking about!" exclaimed the big-nosed man „ You are an immoral woman, and do not belong here!" he exclaimed „ Can you not see that you might ruin your sister's manners and reputation!"

„ Alright:" said Agnes calmly „ I will leave now, I have heard enough for one day already! Forgive me for standing up for myself, and not letting evil to be spoken of me! But the matter is not settled yet." she bowed her head to the old man, and looked at the huge-nosed man with anger and disgust, and left to get back to the ballroom.

„ Are you happy now with what you had done?" asked the old man.

„ I haven't done anything unusual, I was trying to teach her some manners, and humbleness towards men. And telling somebody the truth might hurt, you know!" he said in a cheerful tone. Agnes turned around upon hearing this.

„ Oh, yeah, you're right, and lying hurts even more!" she said, and set off again. The huge-nosed man's nose was red with anger, and hurried of after Agnes, who has reached the ballroom already. The orchestra had just stopped playing, so everybody could hear what he shouted after Agnes, who was about to leave.

„ Would you get back here for a word missy? Did you just say I was lying?" he said, and seeing Agnes stop, he went on „ Well, then what about settling this in the way you refer so much to any others?" his words echoed in the high room, and all the guests became quiet. Agnes turned around, and the others let her walk back to the ugly-faced, large-nosed man.

„ So you mean to say you want to fight a duel with me?" she asked, and paused for a while. Everybody in the room was listening to their conversation, including Fervency Sardis, who was eyeing the events from one of the corners.

„ And you regard me as immoral? You are a man, and you ask a lady for a duel?"

„ Well, you're not a real lady, we all know that! Many people have seen you wearing trousers! Let the best win!" said the man in a brash tone

„ Son, what are you doing, you're humiliating yourself in front of everybody!" came the low voice of the grey-haired old man, from behind the big-nosed man's back, but the latter took no notice of it. Agnes way looking at the man thoroughly then narrowed her eyes.

„ You know, I think you're a coward!" she spat „ So just let us suppose you won the duel, could you kill me?" the huge-nosed man was starting to feel uncomfortable in the situation now.

„ You think you're brave, you have your noble name, and think can do anything! The thought of killing an immoral woman, like me, sounded luring, didn't it? As long as it was a thought. Tell me mister, have you ever killed anyone?" Agnes asked, and stopped talking. The room was so quiet the buzzing of a fly could have been heard. Agnes went on with a cold voice.

„ Have you looked them in the eye, as they were holding their last breath? When death's grasp tightens around them more and more? Well I have. And believe me, there is nothing grand or majestic about it! Think about the consequences before you say something mister." The huge-nosed man was standing in front of Agnes, in the most degrading situation of his life.

„ You know, I would as soon draw a sword because of you, as the king would march his army against a colony of ants!" Agnes turned on her heels, and set off to leave the room. Before disappearing in the corridor, she turned back

„ I kindly apologise to all the guests here for the previous scene in the name of the gentleman as well. Good night ladies and gentlemen!" she said, and left the room

Elizabeth, who joined Ferenc a few minutes before, wanted to run off after Agnes, but Ferenc held her back gently.

„ I think we should leave her alone for a little time now, my dear. Maybe I should talk to her later."

„ Well, if you say so, I hope she doesn't do anything foolish until then!" said Elizabeth.

It was getting late, and few people felt like continuing the ball, so Count Sáradi and Elizabeth kindly asked everybody to return to their homes. Elizabeth was worried about her sister falling into a depression again, while Ferenc was worried about something different in connection with Agnes....

Well, I hope you liked these emotional chapters! Thank you for reading, and review please! For Dracula fans: don't worry, he will take part soon, and there will be a little more action I promise!