Кармілла
The Doctor
Itisnecessary,todetectasymptomofthecomplaintunderwhichyouhavebeensuffering."
Iacquiesced.Itwasonlyaninchortwobelowtheedgeofmycollar.
"Godblessme!—soitis,"exclaimedmyfather,growingpale.
"Youseeitnowwithyourowneyes,"saidthedoctor,withagloomytriumph.
"Whatisit?"Iexclaimed,beginningtobefrightened.
"Nothing,mydearyounglady,butasmallbluespot,aboutthesizeofthetipofyourlittlefinger;andnow,"hecontinued,turningtopapa,"thequestioniswhatisbesttobedone?"
"Isthereanydanger?"Iurged,ingreattrepidation.
"Itrustnot,mydear,"answeredthedoctor."Idon’tseewhyyoushouldnotrecover.Idon’tseewhyyoushouldnotbeginimmediatelytogetbetter.Thatisthepointatwhichthesenseofstrangulationbegins?"
"Yes,"Ianswered.
"And—recollectaswellasyoucan—thesamepointwasakindofcenterofthatthrillwhichyoudescribedjustnow,likethecurrentofacoldstreamrunningagainstyou?"
"Itmayhavebeen;Ithinkitwas."
"Ay,yousee?"headded,turningtomyfather."ShallIsayawordtoMadame?"
"Certainly,"saidmyfather.
HecalledMadametohim,andsaid:
"Ifindmyyoungfriendherefarfromwell.Itwon’tbeofanygreatconsequence,Ihope;butitwillbenecessarythatsomestepsbetaken,whichIwillexplainby-and-by;butinthemeantime,Madame,youwillbesogoodasnottoletMissLaurabealoneforonemoment.ThatistheonlydirectionIneedgiveforthepresent.
