Кармілла
The Meeting
"Thisconsultation,then,leftmepreciselywhereIwas.Iwalkedoutintothegrounds,allbutdistracted.ThedoctorfromGratz,intenorfifteenminutes,overtookme.Heapologizedforhavingfollowedme,butsaidthathecouldnotconscientiouslytakehisleavewithoutafewwordsmore.Hetoldmethathecouldnotbemistaken;nonaturaldiseaseexhibitedthesamesymptoms;andthatdeathwasalreadyverynear.Thereremained,however,aday,orpossiblytwo,oflife.Ifthefatalseizurewereatoncearrested,withgreatcareandskillherstrengthmightpossiblyreturn.Butallhungnowupontheconfinesoftheirrevocable.Onemoreassaultmightextinguishthelastsparkofvitalitywhichis,everymoment,readytodie.
"‘Andwhatisthenatureoftheseizureyouspeakof?’Ientreated.
"‘Ihavestatedallfullyinthisnote,whichIplaceinyourhandsuponthedistinctconditionthatyousendforthenearestclergyman,andopenmyletterinhispresence,andonnoaccountreadittillheiswithyou;youwoulddespiseitelse,anditisamatteroflifeanddeath.Shouldthepriestfailyou,then,indeed,youmayreadit.’
"Heaskedme,beforetakinghisleavefinally,whetherIwouldwishtoseeamancuriouslylearnedupontheverysubject,which,afterIhadreadhisletter,wouldprobablyinterestmeaboveallothers,andheurgedmeearnestlytoinvitehimtovisithimthere;andsotookhisleave.
"Theecclesiasticwasabsent,andIreadtheletterbymyself.Atanothertime,orinanothercase,itmighthaveexcitedmyridicule.
