Кармілла

           "Somethingverydifferent,"hesaid,gruffly."Imeantounearthsomeofthosefinepeople.Ihope,byGod’sblessing,toaccomplishapioussacrilegehere,whichwillrelieveourearthofcertainmonsters,andenablehonestpeopletosleepintheirbedswithoutbeingassailedbymurderers.Ihavestrangethingstotellyou,mydearfriend,suchasImyselfwouldhavescoutedasincredibleafewmonthssince."

           Myfatherlookedathimagain,butthistimenotwithaglanceofsuspicion—withaneye,rather,ofkeenintelligenceandalarm.

           "ThehouseofKarnstein,"hesaid,"hasbeenlongextinct:ahundredyearsatleast.MydearwifewasmaternallydescendedfromtheKarnsteins.Butthenameandtitlehavelongceasedtoexist.Thecastleisaruin;theveryvillageisdeserted;itisfiftyyearssincethesmokeofachimneywasseenthere;notaroofleft."

           "Quitetrue.IhaveheardagreatdealaboutthatsinceIlastsawyou;agreatdealthatwillastonishyou.ButIhadbetterrelateeverythingintheorderinwhichitoccurred,"saidtheGeneral."Yousawmydearward—mychild,Imaycallher.Nocreaturecouldhavebeenmorebeautiful,andonlythreemonthsagononemoreblooming."

           "Yes,poorthing!whenIsawherlastshecertainlywasquitelovely,"saidmyfather."IwasgrievedandshockedmorethanIcantellyou,mydearfriend;Iknewwhatablowitwastoyou."

           HetooktheGeneral’shand,andtheyexchangedakindpressure.Tearsgatheredintheoldsoldier’seyes.Hedidnotseektoconcealthem