Кармілла
Her Habits — A Saunter
Perhapsnotsosingularintheopinionofatownladylikeyou,astheyappearedtousrusticpeople.Sheusedtocomedownverylate,generallynottilloneo’clock,shewouldthentakeacupofchocolate,buteatnothing;wethenwentoutforawalk,whichwasameresaunter,andsheseemed,almostimmediately,exhausted,andeitherreturnedtotheschlossorsatononeofthebenchesthatwereplaced,hereandthere,amongthetrees.Thiswasabodilylanguorinwhichherminddidnotsympathize.Shewasalwaysananimatedtalker,andveryintelligent.
Shesometimesalludedforamomenttoherownhome,ormentionedanadventureorsituation,oranearlyrecollection,whichindicatedapeopleofstrangemanners,anddescribedcustomsofwhichweknewnothing.IgatheredfromthesechancehintsthathernativecountrywasmuchmoreremotethanIhadatfirstfancied.
Aswesatthusoneafternoonunderthetreesafuneralpassedusby.Itwasthatofaprettyyounggirl,whomIhadoftenseen,thedaughterofoneoftherangersoftheforest.Thepoormanwaswalkingbehindthecoffinofhisdarling;shewashisonlychild,andhelookedquiteheartbroken.
Peasantswalkingtwo-and-twocamebehind,theyweresingingafuneralhymn.
Irosetomarkmyrespectastheypassed,andjoinedinthehymntheywereverysweetlysinging.
Mycompanionshookmealittleroughly,andIturnedsurprised.
