Tales of Terror and Mystery

           "

           IsaythatIhadriseninordertoannouncemypresence,butIcouldnotdosowhilethevoicewassounding.Icouldonlyremainhalflying,halfsitting,paralysed,astounded,listeningtothoseyearningdistantmusicalwords.Andhe—hewassoabsorbedthatevenifIhadspokenhemightnothaveheardme.Butwiththesilenceofthevoicecamemyhalfarticulatedapologiesandexplanations.Hesprangacrosstheroom,switchedontheelectriclight,andinitswhiteglareIsawhim,hiseyesgleamingwithanger,hisfacetwistedwithpassion,asthehaplesscharwomanmayhaveseenhimweeksbefore.

           "Mr.Colmore!"hecried."Youhere!Whatisthemeaningofthis,sir?"

           WithhaltingwordsIexplaineditall,myneuralgia,thenarcotic,mylucklesssleepandsingularawakening.Ashelistenedtheglowofangerfadedfromhisface,andthesad,impassivemaskclosedoncemoreoverhisfeatures.

           "Mysecretisyours,Mr.Colmore,"saidhe."Ihaveonlymyselftoblameforrelaxingmyprecautions.Halfconfidencesareworsethannoconfidences,andsoyoumayknowallsinceyouknowsomuch.ThestorymaygowhereyouwillwhenIhavepassedaway,butuntilthenIrelyuponyoursenseofhonourthatnohumansoulshallhearitfromyourlips.Iamproudstill—Godhelpme!—or,atleast,Iamproudenoughtoresentthatpitywhichthisstorywoulddrawuponme.Ihavesmiledatenvy,anddisregardedhatred,butpityismorethanIcantolerate.

           "Youhaveheardthesourcefromwhichthevoicecomes—thatvoicewhichhas,asIunderstand,excitedsomuchcuriosityinmyhousehold.