The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-02-22


they were discussing something which
they did not want me to know about.
At last my aunt said to me in English:
my dear, am sorry the room | had
intended for you is not ready yet. 1t will
be ready tomorrow, but for tonight You
must sleep in another ROOM
Here Sophia said something in German,
and after a moments pause Aunt Judith
said, as if in answer:
1.-THE blue room. Yes. my DEAR" she
continued, speaking to me, sit is an old
fashioned room, but very comfortable.
Sophia will show you to it. Good night.
dear"
Again the curious look had noticed
before came over her face as | left the
room with Sophia, who walked before
me with candle.
We went up a flight of stairs that led
to part of the building which seemed
to be but little used. At the top of these
stairs there was a long narrow passage.
the walls of which were lined with oak
panels When we got to the end of this
passage we turned to the right and went
a few yards down another and similar
passage, until the servant opened door
that led into spacious bedchamber.
Having put the candle ON the mantel-
piece, and laid my travelling bag, which
she carried with her, on the floor, she
looked curiously round the room, and
then, when she had hidden me good
night, went out and shut the door. /
felt very nervous as / looked about the
apartment, which seemed to be in an un-
inhabited part of the large house, and
was furnished, l thought, in an antique
and rather grewsome manner. The lofty
walls, paneled as they were with wood
painted blue, contrasted strangely with
the heavy silk window curtains, which
were of a dark red color, and with some
old portraits in oil that hung in massive
oak and ebony frames. The chairs and
tables were all cumbrous and old FASH
toned, and, as to the bed, it almost fright
ened me to think of sleeping in it, so vast
and gloomy did it look with its huge
canopy and somber curtains.
1t is not easy to go to sleep at once DUR
ing the first night of ones stay in a strange
house, especially if anything has hap,
pened to make the mind uneasy and sus-
picious. For q long time I lay awake
wondering at the curious look had seen
on Aunt Judith's face, and shivering,
now and again, as / thought how far
away / was from the rest of the house
hold. If were to be taken suddenly ill,
or if anything were to happen to me
during the night, what could l do? There
was bell rope in the room, but had for
gotten to ask Sophia whether it commu-
nicated with bell, and, if SO, whether
there was any one to answer my ring.
Isolated as was in this large and gloomy
chamber, my mind was agitated with
vague fears, and it must have been near
ly two hours before got to sleep.
How long this state lasted do not
know, when suddenly / awoke. In a
moment was wide awake, staring be-
fore me into the black darkness and list
ening intently to the profound about me.
Why was doing this? asked myself,
but could not give any answer. Some
thing must have happened to awake me-.
What was it? I wondered. looked and
listened. There was only blackness and
silence.
For many seconds / lay thus peering
and listening, and was just on the point
of shutting my eyes again, when, glazing
at them through the darkness, l saw two
other eyes, and hot ON my cheek came
the breath of something-man, or beast,
or monster! Idrew my head some inches
back; the eyes, to which mine were rivet-
ed, advanced. felt form bending over
the side of the bed. Itstopped. The eyes
stopped, the form became motionless. In
the pure agony of the moment-actuated
by that alone---I rose little in my bed,
and bent my head forward; the form
also rose. and the eyes, which were still
fastened to mine, retreated. As they did
so, to my unutterable horror discerned
the outline of human facet
1t was within a few inches Of my own;
and now my eyes, becoming accustomed
to the darkness, could see that 1t was
covered with hair. There was dread
full gibber-such as might come from an
ape or dumb man in pain-and before
my fascinated gaze flashed two rows of
shining teeth. The creature-monster
or maniac--was by my side, ready, wait
ing to spring upon me. Hot upon my
face came its breath, while the awful
eyes shone like the eyes of tiger. 1t
was on the spring-to tear me limb from
limb. Just one thing stayed 1t. Just
one thing was keeping off the awful
death that threatened me. In all the
ecstasy of my terror I comprehended
what that one thing was. 1t was the
power of my eyes. I was fighting an
eye battle with the monster.
Into its dreadful eyes l gazed, as
though was gazing into the very gates
of hell. Like the eyes of a wild beast,
they seemed ever restlessly pouring forth
a tumultuous torrent of passion, and
ever restlessly in search of mine, which
yet they shrank from when they met.
Constantly as they did so there was the
same hideous, inarticulate gibber of baf-
fled rage.
Thus some two or three hours at least
must have passed until the daylight be-
gan to steal in through the curtains,
which were only partly drawn.
When the light came the sight before
me was even more horrible than my i'm
agination had conjured in the dark.
Crouching by the side of the large bed,
between the window and me, was man.
But such a mani A tall man in a flow
ing gown, with long, matted, unkempt
yellow hair and beard, his face deadly
white, but every muscle in it throbbing
in convulsive sympathy with the fires
that blazed from his wild and awful
eyes!
Minute after minute passed, though /
took no heed of them. All my thought,
all my strength was concentrated into
the one weapon I had-my eyes. Still.
/ felt at last that could not prolong the
battle much longer. What was to do?
My strength was giving way. The mon
ster or maniac was becoming more and
more excited, foaming at the lips and
uttering short, sharp cries, while his
long, cruel fingers worked convulsively,
as though they were impatient to be on
their prey.
So long as could ward him off with
my eyes, he dared not approach me
nearer; directly, through faintness, l
dropped them, he would fall upon me
and tear me to pieces. My strength was
going. A look of exultation came upon
his face. The daylight had lasted for
long time. Oh, Godl would no one ever
come? could hold out no longer. His
glare Of triumph increased. My eyes
were getting dim. His face was getting
nearer and more exulting.
1t seemed as though another spirit
came suddenly into my body-I was