Кармілла
The Meeting
Butintowhatquackerieswillnotpeoplerushforalastchance,whereallaccustomedmeanshavefailed,andthelifeofabelovedobjectisatstake?
"Nothing,youwillsay,couldbemoreabsurdthanthelearnedman’sletter.
"Itwasmonstrousenoughtohaveconsignedhimtoamadhouse.Hesaidthatthepatientwassufferingfromthevisitsofavampire!Thepunctureswhichshedescribedashavingoccurrednearthethroat,were,heinsisted,theinsertionofthosetwolong,thin,andsharpteethwhich,itiswellknown,arepeculiartovampires;andtherecouldbenodoubt,headded,astothewell-definedpresenceofthesmalllividmarkwhichallconcurredindescribingasthatinducedbythedemon’slips,andeverysymptomdescribedbythesuffererwasinexactconformitywiththoserecordedineverycaseofasimilarvisitation.
"Beingmyselfwhollyskepticalastotheexistenceofanysuchportentasthevampire,thesupernaturaltheoryofthegooddoctorfurnished,inmyopinion,butanotherinstanceoflearningandintelligenceoddlyassociatedwithsomeonehallucination.Iwassomiserable,however,that,ratherthantrynothing,Iactedupontheinstructionsoftheletter.
"Iconcealedmyselfinthedarkdressingroom,thatopeneduponthepoorpatient’sroom,inwhichacandlewasburning,andwatchedtheretillshewasfastasleep.
