Кармілла
The Woodman
Thesquaredblockofwood,whichlayonthegrass-grownpavementofthechapel,formedabenchonwhichIwasverygladtoseatmyself,andinthemeantimetheGeneralcalledtothewoodman,whohadbeenremovingsomeboughswhichleanedupontheoldwalls;and,axeinhand,thehardyoldfellowstoodbeforeus.
Hecouldnottellusanythingofthesemonuments;buttherewasanoldman,hesaid,arangerofthisforest,atpresentsojourninginthehouseofthepriest,abouttwomilesaway,whocouldpointouteverymonumentoftheoldKarnsteinfamily;and,foratrifle,heundertooktobringhimbackwithhim,ifwewouldlendhimoneofourhorses,inlittlemorethanhalfanhour.
"Haveyoubeenlongemployedaboutthisforest?"askedmyfatheroftheoldman.
"Ihavebeenawoodmanhere,"heansweredinhispatois,"undertheforester,allmydays;sohasmyratherbeforeme,andsoon,asmanygenerationsasIcancountup.IcouldshowYoutheveryhouseinthevillagehere,inwhichmyancestorslived."
"Howcamethevillagetobedeserted?"askedtheGeneral.
"Itwastroubledbyrevenants,sir;severalweretrackedtotheirgraves,theredetectedbytheusualtests,andextinguishedintheusualway,bydecapitation,bythestake,andbyburning;butnotuntilmanyofthevillagerswerekilled.
"Butafteralltheseproceedingsaccordingtolaw,"hecontinued—"somanygravesopened,andsomanyvampiresdeprivedoftheirhorribleanimation—thevillagewasnotrelieved.
