Кармілла
We Compare Notes
YourfaceIhaveneverforgottensince.Icouldnotbemisledbymereresemblance.YouaretheladywhomIsawthen."
Itwasnowmyturntorelatemycorrespondingvision,whichIdid,totheundisguisedwonderofmynewacquaintance.
"Idon’tknowwhichshouldbemostafraidoftheother,"shesaid,againsmiling—"IfyouwerelessprettyIthinkIshouldbeverymuchafraidofyou,butbeingasyouare,andyouandIbothsoyoung,IfeelonlythatIhavemadeyouracquaintancetwelveyearsago,andhavealreadyarighttoyourintimacy;atalleventsitdoesseemasifweweredestined,fromourearliestchildhood,tobefriends.IwonderwhetheryoufeelasstrangelydrawntowardsmeasIdotoyou;Ihaveneverhadafriend—shallIfindonenow?"Shesighed,andherfinedarkeyesgazedpassionatelyonme.
Nowthetruthis,Ifeltratherunaccountablytowardsthebeautifulstranger.Ididfeel,asshesaid,"drawntowardsher,"buttherewasalsosomethingofrepulsion.Inthisambiguousfeeling,however,thesenseofattractionimmenselyprevailed.Sheinterestedandwonme;shewassobeautifulandsoindescribablyengaging.
Iperceivednowsomethingoflanguorandexhaustionstealingoverher,andhastenedtobidhergoodnight.
"Thedoctorthinks,"Iadded,"thatyououghttohaveamaidtositupwithyoutonight;oneofoursiswaiting,andyouwillfindheraveryusefulandquietcreature."
"Howkindofyou,butIcouldnotsleep,Inevercouldwithanattendantintheroom
