Кармілла
A Wonderful Likeness
ItisnotMarcia;itlooksasifitwasdoneingold.ThenameisMircalla,CountessKarnstein,andthisisalittlecoronetoverandunderneathA.D.1698.IamdescendedfromtheKarnsteins;thatis,mammawas."
"Ah!"saidthelady,languidly,"soamI,Ithink,averylongdescent,veryancient.ArethereanyKarnsteinslivingnow?"
"Nonewhobearthename,Ibelieve.Thefamilywereruined,Ibelieve,insomecivilwars,longago,buttheruinsofthecastleareonlyaboutthreemilesaway."
"Howinteresting!"shesaid,languidly."Butseewhatbeautifulmoonlight!"Sheglancedthroughthehalldoor,whichstoodalittleopen."Supposeyoutakealittlerambleroundthecourt,andlookdownattheroadandriver."
"Itissolikethenightyoucametous,"Isaid.
Shesighed;smiling.
Sherose,andeachwithherarmabouttheother’swaist,wewalkedoutuponthepavement.
Insilence,slowlywewalkeddowntothedrawbridge,wherethebeautifullandscapeopenedbeforeus.
"AndsoyouwerethinkingofthenightIcamehere?"shealmostwhispered.
"AreyougladIcame?"
"Delighted,dearCarmilla,"Ianswered.
"Andyouaskedforthepictureyouthinklikeme,tohanginyourroom,"shemurmuredwithasigh,asshedrewherarmcloseraboutmywaist,andletherprettyheadsinkuponmyshoulder."Howromanticyouare,Carmilla,"Isaid."Wheneveryoutellmeyourstory,itwillbemadeupchieflyofsomeonegreatromance."
Shekissedmesilently.
