Кармілла
The Doctor
Itisindispensable."
"Wemayrelyuponyourkindness,Madame,Iknow,"addedmyfather.
Madamesatisfiedhimeagerly.
"Andyou,dearLaura,Iknowyouwillobservethedoctor’sdirection."
"Ishallhavetoaskyouropinionuponanotherpatient,whosesymptomsslightlyresemblethoseofmydaughter,thathavejustbeendetailedtoyou—verymuchmilderindegree,butIbelievequiteofthesamesort.Sheisayounglady—ourguest;butasyousayyouwillbepassingthiswayagainthisevening,youcan’tdobetterthantakeyoursupperhere,andyoucanthenseeher.Shedoesnotcomedowntilltheafternoon."
"Ithankyou,"saidthedoctor."Ishallbewithyou,then,ataboutseventhisevening."
AndthentheyrepeatedtheirdirectionstomeandtoMadame,andwiththispartingchargemyfatherleftus,andwalkedoutwiththedoctor;andIsawthempacingtogetherupanddownbetweentheroadandthemoat,onthegrassyplatforminfrontofthecastle,evidentlyabsorbedinearnestconversation.
Thedoctordidnotreturn.Isawhimmounthishorsethere,takehisleave,andrideawayeastwardthroughtheforest.
NearlyatthesametimeIsawthemanarrivefromDranfieldwiththeletters,anddismountandhandthebagtomyfather.
Inthemeantime,MadameandIwerebothbusy,lostinconjectureastothereasonsofthesingularandearnestdirectionwhichthedoctorandmyfatherhadconcurredinimposing.
