Паразит
II
Tohavethepowerofexaminingthesephenomenafrominside—tohaveanorganismwhichwillrespond,andatthesametimeabrainwhichwillappreciateandcriticise—thatissurelyauniqueadvantage.IamquitesurethatWilsonwouldgivefiveyearsofhislifetobeassusceptibleasIhaveprovedmyselftobe.TherewasnoonepresentexceptWilsonandhiswife.Iwasseatedwithmyheadleaningback,andMissPenclosa,standinginfrontandalittletotheleft,usedthesamelong,sweepingstrokesaswithAgatha.Ateachofthemawarmcurrentofairseemedtostrikeme,andtosuffuseathrillandglowallthroughmefromheadtofoot.MyeyeswerefixeduponMissPenclosa’sface,butasIgazedthefeaturesseemedtoblurandtofadeaway.Iwasconsciousonlyofherowneyeslookingdownatme,gray,deep,inscrutable.Largertheygrewandlarger,untiltheychangedsuddenlyintotwomountainlakestowardwhichIseemedtobefallingwithhorriblerapidity.Ishuddered,andasIdidsosomedeeperstratumofthoughttoldmethattheshudderrepresentedtherigorwhichIhadobservedinAgatha.AninstantlaterIstruckthesurfaceofthelakes,nowjoinedintoone,anddownIwentbeneaththewaterwithafulnessinmyheadandabuzzinginmyears.DownIwent,down,down,andthenwithaswoopupagainuntilIcouldseethelightstreamingbrightlythroughthegreenwater.Iwasalmostatthesurfacewhentheword"Awake!"rangthroughmyhead,and,withastart,Ifoundmyselfbackinthearm-chair,withMissPenclosaleaningonhercrutch,andWilson,hisnotebookinhishand,peepingoverhershoulder.