Червона кімната

           Istaggeredback,turned,andwaseitherstruckorstruckmyselfagainstsomeotherbulkyfurnishing. Ihaveavaguememoryofbatteringmyselfthustoandfrointhedarkness,ofaheavyblowatlastuponmyforehead,ofahorriblesensationoffallingthatlastedanage,ofmylastfranticefforttokeepmyfooting,andthenIremembernomore. 

           Iopenedmyeyesindaylight. Myheadwasroughlybandaged,andthemanwiththewitheredhandwaswatchingmyface. Ilookedaboutmetryingtorememberwhathadhappened,andforaspaceIcouldnotrecollect. Irolledmyeyesintothecornerandsawtheoldwoman,nolongerabstracted,nolongerterrible,pouringoutsomedropsofmedicinefromalittlebluephialintoaglass. “WhereamI?"Isaid. “Iseemtorememberyou,andyetIcannotrememberwhoyouare." 

           Theytoldmethen,andIheardofthehauntedRedRoomasonewhohearsatale. “Wefoundyouatdawn,"saidhe,“andtherewasbloodonyourforeheadandlips." 

           IwonderedthatIhadeverdislikedhim. Thethreeoftheminthedaylightseemedcommonplaceoldfolkenough. Themanwiththegreenshadehadhisheadbentasonewhosleeps. 

           ItwasveryslowlyIrecoveredthememoryofmyexperience. “Youbelievenow,"saidtheoldmanwiththewitheredhand,“thattheroomishaunted?" Hespokenolongerasonewhogreetsanintruder,butasonewhocondoleswithafriend. 

           “Yes,"saidI,“theroomishaunted." 

           “Andyouhaveseenit. Andwewhohavebeenhereallourliveshaveneverseteyesuponit. Becausewehaveneverdared. Tellus,isittrulytheoldearlwho—"