Кармилла
Descending
"Idaresay;butMartinchoosestobefrightened,andneverdidIseefoolmorefrightened."
"YoumustnotsayawordaboutittoCarmilla,becauseshecanseedownthatwalkfromherroomwindow,"Iinterposed,"andsheis,ifpossible,agreatercowardthanI."
Carmillacamedownratherlaterthanusualthatday.
"Iwassofrightenedlastnight,"shesaid,sosoonasweretogether,"andIamsureIshouldhaveseensomethingdreadfulifithadnotbeenforthatcharmIboughtfromthepoorlittlehunchbackwhomIcalledsuchhardnames.Ihadadreamofsomethingblackcomingroundmybed,andIawokeinaperfecthorror,andIreallythought,forsomeseconds,Isawadarkfigurenearthechimney-piece,butIfeltundermypillowformycharm,andthemomentmyfingerstouchedit,thefiguredisappeared,andIfeltquitecertain,onlythatIhaditbyme,thatsomethingfrightfulwouldhavemadeitsappearance,and,perhaps,throttledme,asitdidthosepoorpeopleweheardof.
"Well,listentome,"Ibegan,andrecountedmyadventure,attherecitalofwhichsheappearedhorrified.
"Andhadyouthecharmnearyou?"sheasked,earnestly.
"No,Ihaddroppeditintoachinavaseinthedrawingroom,butIshallcertainlytakeitwithmetonight,asyouhavesomuchfaithinit."
AtthisdistanceoftimeIcannottellyou,orevenunderstand,howIovercamemyhorrorsoeffectuallyastoliealoneinmyroomthatnight.IrememberdistinctlythatIpinnedthecharmtomypillow.
