Carmilla

ar

struck Mademoiselle that possibly Carmilla had been wakened by the uproar at her door, and in her first panic had jumped from her bed, and hid herself in a press, or behind

It was all useless. I was by this time convinced that she was not in the room, nor in the dressing room, the door of which was still locked on this side. She could not have passed it. I was utterly puzzled. Had Carmilla discovered one of th

the remaining hours of darkness in Madame's room

ds were explored. No trace of the missing lady could be discovered. The stream was about to be dragged; my father was in distraction; what a

to Carmilla's room, and found her standing at her dressing table. I was astounded. I could not believ

in and again. I ran to the bell and rang it vehemently, to bring

We have been in agonies of anxiety about you," I exc

een a night of wo

sake, explain

ow, dreamless; but I woke just now on the sofa in the dressing room there, and I found the door between the rooms open, and the other door forced. How could all this have happened without my being wakened? It must

was, of course, overwhelmed with inquiries, congratulations, and welcomes. She had but one story to t

m, thinking. I saw Carmilla's eye follow

an and salvolatile, and there being no one now in the room with Carmilla, except my father, Madame, and my

dear, if I risk a conject

g. But my story is simply one of bewilderment and darkness. I know absolutely nothing. Put a

ts in your having been removed from your bed and your room, without being wakened, and this removal having occurred apparently w

hand dejectedly; Madame and

Have you ever been suspecte

I was very y

in your sleep wh

have been told so of

smiled a

; you again took the key out, and carried it away with you to some one of the five-and-twenty rooms on this floor, or perhaps upstairs or downstairs. There are so many ro

not all," s

nding herself on the sofa in the dressing

mysteries were as easily and innocently explained as yours, Carmilla," he said, laughing. "And so we may congratulate ourselves on the certainty that the most natural explanation o

Her beauty was, I think, enhanced by that graceful languor that was peculiar to

was looking more like

ily ended, and Carmilla