Кармілла
Ordeal and Execution
Heaccompanied,whatImayterm,hislecture,withoccasionalreadingsfromadirtylittlebook,whoseyellowleaveswerecloselywrittenover.
Theysaunteredtogetherdownthesideaisle,oppositetothespotwhereIwasstanding,conversingastheywent;thentheybeganmeasuringdistancesbypaces,andfinallytheyallstoodtogether,facingapieceofthesidewall,whichtheybegantoexaminewithgreatminuteness;pullingofftheivythatclungoverit,andrappingtheplasterwiththeendsoftheirsticks,scrapinghere,andknockingthere.Atlengththeyascertainedtheexistenceofabroadmarbletablet,withletterscarvedinreliefuponit.
Withtheassistanceofthewoodman,whosoonreturned,amonumentalinscription,andcarvedescutcheon,weredisclosed.TheyprovedtobethoseofthelonglostmonumentofMircalla,CountessKarnstein.
TheoldGeneral,thoughnotIfeargiventotheprayingmood,raisedhishandsandeyestoheaven,inmutethanksgivingforsomemoments.
"Tomorrow,"Iheardhimsay;"thecommissionerwillbehere,andtheInquisitionwillbeheldaccordingtolaw."
Thenturningtotheoldmanwiththegoldspectacles,whomIhavedescribed,heshookhimwarmlybybothhandsandsaid:
"Baron,howcanIthankyou?Howcanweallthankyou?Youwillhavedeliveredthisregionfromaplaguethathasscourgeditsinhabitantsformorethanacentury.Thehorribleenemy,thankGod,isatlasttracked."
Myfatherledthestrangeraside,andtheGeneralfollowed.
