Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Brazilian Cat
TheimpactofthecreatureshookthebarsuponwhichIlay,untilIthought(asfarasIcouldthinkofanythingatsuchamoment)thattheywerecomingdown.Thecatswayedthereforaninstant,theheadandfrontpawsquiteclosetome,thehindpawsclawingtofindagripupontheedgeofthegrating.Iheardtheclawsraspingastheyclungtothewire-netting,andthebreathofthebeastmademesick.Butitsboundhadbeenmiscalculated.Itcouldnotretainitsposition.Slowly,grinningwithrage,andscratchingmadlyatthebars,itswungbackwardsanddroppedheavilyuponthefloor.Withagrowlitinstantlyfacedroundtomeandcrouchedforanotherspring.
Iknewthatthenextfewmomentswoulddecidemyfate.Thecreaturehadlearnedbyexperience.Itwouldnotmiscalculateagain.Imustactpromptly,fearlessly,ifIweretohaveachanceforlife.InaninstantIhadformedmyplan.Pullingoffmydress-coat,Ithrewitdownovertheheadofthebeast.AtthesamemomentIdroppedovertheedge,seizedtheendofthefrontgrating,andpulleditfranticallyoutofthewall.
ItcamemoreeasilythanIcouldhaveexpected.Irushedacrosstheroom,bearingitwithme;but,asIrushed,theaccidentofmypositionputmeupontheouterside.Haditbeentheotherway,Imighthavecomeoffscathless.Asitwas,therewasamoment’spauseasIstoppeditandtriedtopassinthroughtheopeningwhichIhadleft.ThatmomentwasenoughtogivetimetothecreaturetotossoffthecoatwithwhichIhadblindedhimandtospringuponme.
