despite misgivings, abronsius and alfred accept the count's invitation to stay in his ramshackle gothic castle, where alfred spends the night fitfully. the next morning, abronsius plans to find the castle crypt and destroy the count by staking him in the heart, seemingly forgetting about the fate of sarah. the crypt is guarded by the hunchback, so after some wandering they attempt to climb in through a roof window. however, abronsius gets stuck in the aperture, and it falls to alfred to complete the task of killing the count in his slumber. at the last moment his nerve fails him and he cannot accomplish the deed. alfred then has to go back outside to free abronsius, but on the way he comes upon sarah having a bath in her room. she seems oblivious to her danger when he pleads for her to come away with him, and informs him that a ball is to take place this very night. after briefly taking his eyes off her, alfred turns to find sarah has vanished into thin air.