Tales of Terror and Mystery

           Thespacebetweenthisironshelfandtheroofmayhavebeenfromtwoorthreefeet.IfIcouldonlygetupthere,squeezedinbetweenbarsandceiling,Ishouldhaveonlyonevulnerableside.Ishouldbesafefrombelow,frombehind,andfromeachside.OnlyontheopenfaceofitcouldIbeattacked.There,itistrue,Ihadnoprotectionwhatever;butatleast,Ishouldbeoutofthebrute’spathwhenhebegantopaceabouthisden.Hewouldhavetocomeoutofhiswaytoreachme.Itwasnowornever,forifoncethelightwereoutitwouldbeimpossible.WithagulpinmythroatIsprangup,seizedtheironedgeofthetop,andswungmyselfpantingontoit.Iwrithedinfacedownwards,andfoundmyselflookingstraightintotheterribleeyesandyawningjawsofthecat.Itsfetidbreathcameupintomyfacelikethesteamfromsomefoulpot.

           Itappeared,however,toberathercuriousthanangry.Withasleekrippleofitslong,blackbackitrose,stretcheditself,andthenrearingitselfonitshindlegs,withoneforepawagainstthewall,itraisedtheother,anddrewitsclawsacrossthewiremeshesbeneathme.Onesharp,whitehooktorethroughmytrousers—forImaymentionthatIwasstillineveningdress—anddugafurrowinmyknee.Itwasnotmeantasanattack,butratherasanexperiment,foruponmygivingasharpcryofpainhedroppeddownagain,andspringinglightlyintotheroom,hebeganwalkingswiftlyroundit,lookingupeverynowandagaininmydirection.FormypartIshuffledbackwardsuntilIlaywithmybackagainstthewall,screwingmyselfintothesmallestspacepossible.