Кармілла
Descending
MyfatheraskedmeoftenwhetherIwasill;but,withanobstinacywhichnowseemstomeunaccountable,IpersistedinassuringhimthatIwasquitewell.
Inasensethiswastrue.Ihadnopain,Icouldcomplainofnobodilyderangement.Mycomplaintseemedtobeoneoftheimagination,orthenerves,and,horribleasmysufferingswere,Ikeptthem,withamorbidreserve,verynearlytomyself.
Itcouldnotbethatterriblecomplaintwhichthepeasantscalledtheoupire,forIhadnowbeensufferingforthreeweeks,andtheywereseldomillformuchmorethanthreedays,whendeathputanendtotheirmiseries.
Carmillacomplainedofdreamsandfeverishsensations,butbynomeansofsoalarmingakindasmine.Isaythatminewereextremelyalarming.HadIbeencapableofcomprehendingmycondition,Iwouldhaveinvokedaidandadviceonmyknees.Thenarcoticofanunsuspectedinfluencewasactinguponme,andmyperceptionswerebenumbed.
Iamgoingtotellyounowofadreamthatledimmediatelytoanodddiscovery.
Onenight,insteadofthevoiceIwasaccustomedtohearinthedark,Iheardone,sweetandtender,andatthesametimeterrible,whichsaid,"Yourmotherwarnsyoutobewareoftheassassin."Atthesametimealightunexpectedlysprangup,andIsawCarmilla,standing,nearthefootofmybed,inherwhitenightdress,bathed,fromherchintoherfeet,inonegreatstainofblood.
Iwakenedwithashriek,possessedwiththeoneideathatCarmillawasbeingmurdered
