Robbers (page 1)

Robbers

Page 1
1.As In Life, So in Death
The wealthy and the poor are divided both in life and in death. In life, the community of wealthy residents is landmarked by mansions    . The poor may live in hovels or erect adequate housing, but it can never match the mansions of the wealthy. In death, the rich are in graves or mausoleums to one end of the cemetery and the poor lie in simple graves at another end.

Because of this division, the more degenerate of the poor choose to rob the rich graves, as they might have robbed the mansions when the rich were alive. Of course, robbing graves is a serious offense and whenever a robber is discovered, he is punished. This writer is not certain what the penalty is.

However, among the poor there are those not only uneducated but also starkly superstitious and fear that the rich dead will avenge the robbery. This writer has recorded one case.

2. How it Began
The case I am reporting was not a simple case of theft and grave robbery as mentioned before. The suspects were in fact middle class adventurers and scholars in archaeology and ancient culture at Oxford University, London. They were two alumni of renown. Sir Keith Hargreaves was the senior, having completed his studies one year before his partner, Malcolm Townes.  Hargreaves' research had at some time solicited communication with counterparts in America, particularly at Miskatonic University, Arkham, Massachusetts.  It was a research fellow at this university who had informed Hargreaves about the grave he would finally explore.

"Comte (Count) Frederic  Vanescu was a frequently dabbler in the tomes of various Cultes, including Cultes des Goules and the Cthulhu cults. He is not exactly easy to deal with, Sir Keith.
"In February of 1879, someone mysteriously died while excavating his grave. Of course, nobody could prove it, but locals think that Count Frederic avenged the action."
"Of course, if one were to get away with it, he must be cautious to maintain secrecy. But as you said, the cause was undetermined and could be simple shock."
"You may consider hiring locals to find and search the grave instead," Professor Philip Dinwiddy, emeritus at the aforesaid university, suggested wryly.
"By George, Philip, what a capital suggestion. I just may, after all."

After that conversation, Sir Keith Hargreaves planned his journey to  Romania and prepared enough cash to hire a local for all handiwork, including chauffeur. He was certain, and certainly right, that somebody would be available. After calculating his total expenses carefully, Sir Keith reserved a seat from London to Bucharest, Romania by air.