Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Brazilian Cat
Ihurledmyselfthroughthegapandpulledtherailstobehindme,butheseizedmylegbeforeIcouldentirelywithdrawit.Onestrokeofthathugepawtoreoffmycalfasashavingofwoodcurlsoffbeforeaplane.Thenextmoment,bleedingandfainting,Iwaslyingamongthefoulstrawwithalineoffriendlybarsbetweenmeandthecreaturewhichrampedsofranticallyagainstthem.
Toowoundedtomove,andtoofainttobeconsciousoffear,Icouldonlylie,moredeadthanalive,andwatchit.Itpresseditsbroad,blackchestagainstthebarsandangledformewithitscrookedpawsasIhaveseenakittendobeforeamouse-trap.Itrippedmyclothes,but,stretchasitwould,itcouldnotquitereachme.Ihaveheardofthecuriousnumbingeffectproducedbywoundsfromthegreatcarnivora,andnowIwasdestinedtoexperienceit,forIhadlostallsenseofpersonality,andwasasinterestedinthecat’sfailureorsuccessasifitweresomegamewhichIwaswatching.Andthengraduallymyminddriftedawayintostrangevaguedreams,alwayswiththatblackfaceandredtonguecomingbackintothem,andsoIlostmyselfinthenirvanaofdelirium,theblessedreliefofthosewhoaretoosorelytried.
Tracingthecourseofeventsafterwards,IconcludethatImusthavebeeninsensibleforabouttwohours.Whatrousedmetoconsciousnessoncemorewasthatsharpmetallicclickwhichhadbeentheprecursorofmyterribleexperience.Itwastheshootingbackofthespringlock.
