Кармілла
A Wonderful Likeness
"Inonecorner,atthetopofit,isthename,aswellasIcouldread,‘MarciaKarnstein,’andthedate‘1698’;andIamcurioustoseehowithasturnedout."
Irememberedit;itwasasmallpicture,aboutafootandahalfhigh,andnearlysquare,withoutaframe;butitwassoblackenedbyagethatIcouldnotmakeitout.
Theartistnowproducedit,withevidentpride.Itwasquitebeautiful;itwasstartling;itseemedtolive.ItwastheeffigyofCarmilla!
"Carmilla,dear,hereisanabsolutemiracle.Hereyouare,living,smiling,readytospeak,inthispicture.Isn’titbeautiful,Papa?Andsee,eventhelittlemoleonherthroat."
Myfatherlaughed,andsaid"Certainlyitisawonderfullikeness,"buthelookedaway,andtomysurpriseseemedbutlittlestruckbyit,andwentontalkingtothepicturecleaner,whowasalsosomethingofanartist,anddiscoursedwithintelligenceabouttheportraitsorotherworks,whichhisarthadjustbroughtintolightandcolor,whileIwasmoreandmorelostinwonderthemoreIlookedatthepicture.
"Willyouletmehangthispictureinmyroom,papa?"Iasked.
"Certainly,dear,"saidhe,smiling,"I’mverygladyouthinkitsolike.ItmustbeprettiereventhanIthoughtit,ifitis."
Theyoungladydidnotacknowledgethisprettyspeech,didnotseemtohearit.Shewasleaningbackinherseat,herfineeyesundertheirlonglashesgazingonmeincontemplation,andshesmiledinakindofrapture.
"Andnowyoucanreadquiteplainlythenamethatiswritteninthecorner.
