Carmilla

We followed the cortege with our eyes until it was swiftly lost to

sight in the misty wood; and the very sound of the hoofs and the wheels

died away in the silent night air.

Nothing remained to assure us that the adventure had not been an

illusion of a moment but the young lady, who just at that moment opened

her eyes. I could not see, for her face was turned from me, but she

raised her head, evidently looking about her, and I heard a very sweet

voice ask complainingly, "Where is mamma?"

Our good Madame Perrodon answered tenderly, and added some comfortable

assurances.

I then heard her ask: "Where am I? What is this place?" and after that she said, "I don't see

the carriage; and Matska, where is she?"

Madame answered all her questions in so far as she understood them; and

gradually the young lady remembered how the misadventure came about, and

was glad to hear that no one in, or in attendance on, the carriage was

hurt; and on learning that her mamma had left her here, till her return

in about three months, she wept.

I was going to add my consolations to those of Madame Perrodon when

Mademoiselle De Lafontaine placed her hand upon my arm, saying: "Don't approach, one at a time is as much as she can at present converse

with; a very little excitement would possibly overpower her now."

As soon as she is comfortably in bed, I thought, I will run up to her

room and see her.

My father in the meantime had sent a servant on horseback for the

physician, who lived about two leagues away; and a bedroom was being

prepared for the young lady's reception.

The stranger now rose, and leaning on Madame's arm, walked slowly over

the drawbridge and into the castle gate.

In the hall, servants waited to receive her, and she was conducted

forthwith to her room. The room we usually sat in as our drawing room is

long, having four windows, that looked over the moat and drawbridge,

upon the forest scene I have just described.

It is furnished in old carved oak, with large carved cabinets, and the

chairs are cushioned with crimson Utrecht velvet. The walls are covered

with tapestry, and surrounded with great gold frames, the figures being

as large as life, in ancient and very curious costume, and the subjects

represented are hunting, hawking, and generally festive. It is not too

stately to be extremely comfortable; and here we had our tea, for with

his usual patriotic leanings he insisted that the national beverage

should make its appearance regularly with our coffee and chocolate.

We sat here this night, and with candles lighted, were talking over the

adventure of the evening.

Madame Perrodon and Mademoiselle De Lafontaine were both of our party.

The young stranger had hardly lain down in her bed when she sank into a

deep sleep; and those ladies had left her in the care of a servant.