Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Brazilian Cat
ThefartherIgotthemoredifficultitwasforhimtoattackme.
Heseemedmoreexcitednowthathehadbeguntomoveabout,andheranswiftlyandnoiselesslyroundandroundtheden,passingcontinuallyunderneaththeironcouchuponwhichIlay.Itwaswonderfultoseesogreatabulkpassinglikeashadow,withhardlythesoftestthuddingofvelvetypads.Thecandlewasburninglow—solowthatIcouldhardlyseethecreature.Andthen,withalastflareandsplutteritwentoutaltogether.Iwasalonewiththecatinthedark!
Ithelpsonetofaceadangerwhenoneknowsthatonehasdoneallthatpossiblycanbedone.Thereisnothingforitthenbuttoquietlyawaittheresult.Inthiscase,therewasnochanceofsafetyanywhereexcepttheprecisespotwhereIwas.Istretchedmyselfout,therefore,andlaysilently,almostbreathlessly,hopingthatthebeastmightforgetmypresenceifIdidnothingtoremindhim.Ireckonedthatitmustalreadybetwoo’clock.Atfouritwouldbefulldawn.Ihadnotmorethantwohourstowaitfordaylight.
Outside,thestormwasstillraging,andtherainlashedcontinuallyagainstthelittlewindows.Inside,thepoisonousandfetidairwasoverpowering.Icouldneitherhearnorseethecat.Itriedtothinkaboutotherthings—butonlyonehadpowerenoughtodrawmymindfrommyterribleposition.Thatwasthecontemplationofmycousin’svillainy,hisunparalleledhypocrisy,hismalignanthatredofme.Beneaththatcheerfulfacetherelurkedthespiritofamediaevalassassin.AndasIthoughtofitIsawmoreclearlyhowcunninglythethinghadbeenarranged.
