A True Tale by Anonymous
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panted like that of a deer in_the wolf's jaws .I sank back, and_the benumbing influence of excessive terror reduced me to a state of stupor .

when my full consciousness returned i_was sitting on_the edge of_the bed, shivering with cold, and barefooted . all was silent, but I_felt that my sleeve was still clutched by my unearthly visitant . the silence lasted a long_time . then followed achuckling laugh that froze my very marrow, and_the gnashing of teeth as in demoniac frenzy; and then awailing moan, and this_was succeeded by silence .Hours may_have passed--nay, though the tumult of_my own heart prevented my hearing the clock strike, must_have passed-- but they seemed ages to_me . and how were they passed ? hideous visions passed before_the aching eyes that I dared not close, but which gazed ever into_the dumb darkness where it lay-- my dread companion through_the watches of_the night .I pictured it in every abhorrent form which an excited fancy could summon up: now as a skeleton; with hollow eye-holes and grinning, fleshless jaws; now as a vampire, with livid face and bloated form, and dripping mouth wet with blood . would it never be light ! and yet, when day should dawn i_should_be forced to_see it face_to_face .I had heard that specter and fiend were compelled to fade as morning brightened, but this creature was too real, too foul a thing of earth, to vanish at cock- crow . no ! I should_see it-- the horror-- face_to_face ! and then the cold prevailed, and my teeth chattered, and shiverings ran through me, and yet there_was the damp of agony on my bursting brow . some instinct made me snatch at a shawl or cloak that lay on a chair within reach, and wrap it round me . the moan was renewed, and_the chain just stirred . then I sank into apathy, like an Indian at_the stake, in_the intervals of torture .Hours fled by, and I remained like a statue of ice, rigid and mute .I even slept, for I remember that I started to_find the cold gray light of an early winter's day was on my face, and stealing around the room from between_the heavy curtains of_the window .

Shuddering, but urged by_the impulse that rivets the gaze of_the bird upon_the snake, I turned to_see the horror of_the night . yes, it_was no fevered dream, no hallucination of sickness, no airy phantom unable to_face the dawn . in_the sickly light I_saw it lying on_the bed, with its grim head on_the pillow .a man ? or a corpse arisen from its unhallowed grave, and awaiting the demon that animated it ? there it lay--a gaunt, gigantic form, wasted to a skeleton, half-clad, foul with dust and clotted gore, its huge limbs flung upon_the couch as_if at random, its shaggy hair streaming over the pillows like a lion's mane . his face was toward me .Oh, the wild hideousness of_that face, even in sleep ! in features it_was human, even through_its horrid mask of mud and half- dried bloody gouts, but the expression was brutish and savagely fierce; the white teeth were visible between_the parted lips, in a malignant grin; the tangled hair and beard were mixed in leonine confusion, and there were scars disfiguring the brow . round the creature's waist was a ring of iron, to which_was attached a heavy but broken chain-- the chain I had heard clanking . with a second glance I noted that part of_the chain was wrapped in straw to_prevent its galling the wearer . the creature-- I_cannot call it a man-- had the marks of fetters on its wrists, the bony arm that protruded through one tattered sleeve was scarred and bruised; the feet were bare, and lacerated by pebbles and briers, and one_of_them was wounded, and wrapped in a morsel of rag . and_the lean hands, one of_which held my sleeve, were armed with talons like an eagle's . in an instant the horrid truth flashed upon me-- i_was in_the grasp of a madman . better the phantom that scares the sight than_the wild beast that rends and tears the quivering flesh-- the pitiless human brute that has no heart to_be softened, no reason at whose bar to plead, no compassion, naught of man save the form and_the cunning .I gasped in terror .Ah ! the mystery of_those ensanguined fingers, those gory, wolfish jaws ! that face, all besmeared with blackening blood, is revealed !

the slain sheep, so mangled and rent-- the fantastic butchery-- the print of_the naked foot-- all, all were explained; and_the chain, the broken link of which_was found near the slaughtered animals-- it came from_his broken chain-- the chain he had snapped, doubtless, in_his escape from_the asylum where his raging frenzy had_been fettered and bound, in vain ! in vain ! Ah me ! how had this grisly Samson broken manacles and prison bars-- how had he eluded guardian and keeper and a hostile world, and come hither on_his wild way, hunted like a beast of prey, and snatching his hideous banquet like a beast of prey, too ! yes, through_the tatters of_his mean and ragged garb I could_see the marks of_the seventies, cruel and foolish, with_which men in that_time tried to tame the might of madness . the scourge-- its marks were there; and_the scars of_the hard iron fetters, and many acicatrice and welt, that told a dismal tale of hard usage . but now he_was loose, free to play the brute-- the baited, tortured brute that_they had made him-- now without the cage, and ready to gloat over the victims his strength should overpower . horror ! horror ! I was_the prey-- the victim-- already in_the tiger's clutch; and a deadly sickness came over me, and_the iron entered into my soul, and I longed to scream, and was dumb ! I died a thousand deaths as_that morning wore on .I dared not faint . but words cannot paint what I suffered as I waited-- waited till the moment when he_should open his eyes and be aware of_my presence; for i_was assured he_knew it not . he had entered the chamber as a lair, when weary and gorged with_his horrid orgy; and he had flung himself down to sleep without a suspicion that he_was not alone . even his grasping my sleeve was doubtless an act done betwixt sleeping and waking, like his unconscious moans and laughter, in some frightful dream .

Hours went on; then I trembled as i_thought that soon the house would_be astir, that my maid would come to_call me as usual, and awake that ghastly sleeper . and might he not have time to tear me, as he tore the sheep, before any aid could arrive ? at last what I dreaded came to_pass--a light footstep on_the landing-- there_is a tap at_the door .a pause succeeds, and then the tapping is renewed, and this_time more loudly . then the madman stretched his limbs, and uttered his moaning cry, and_his eyes slowly opened-- very slowly opened and met mine . the girl waited a while ere she knocked for_the third time .I trembled lest she should open the door unbidden-- see that grim thing, and bring about_the worst .

I_saw the wondering surprise in_his haggard, bloodshot eyes; I_saw him stare at me half vacantly, then with a crafty yet wondering look; and then I_saw the devil of murder begin to peep forth from those hideous eyes, and_the lips to part as in a sneer, and_the wolfish teeth to bare themselves . but i_was not what I had_been . fear gave_me a new and a desperate composure--a courage foreign to my nature .I had heard of_the best method of managing the insane; I_could but try; I_did try . calmly, wondering at my own feigned calm, I fronted the glare of_those terrible eyes . steady and undaunted was my gaze-- motionless my attitude .I marveled at myself, but in_that agony of sickening terror i_was outwardly firm . they sink, they quail, abashed, those dreadful eyes, before_the gaze of a helpless girl; and_the shame that_is never absent from insanity bears down the pride of strength, the bloody cravings of_the wild beast . the lunatic moaned and drooped his shaggy head between his gaunt, squalid hands .

I lost not an instant .I rose, and with one spring reached the door, tore it open, and, with a shriek, rushed through, caught the wondering girl by_the arm, and crying to her to run for her life, rushed like the wind along the gallery, down the corridor, down the stairs .Mary's screams filled the house as she fled beside me .I heard a long- drawn, raging cry, the roar of a wild animal mocked of_its prey, and I_knew what_was behind me .I never turned my head--I flew rather than ran . i_was in_the hall already; there_was a rush of many feet, an outcry of many voices, a sound of scuffling feet, and brutal yells, and oaths, and heavy blows, and I fell to_the ground crying, " save me ! " and lay in a swoon .I awoke from a delirious trance . kind faces were around my bed, loving looks were bent on me by all, by my dear father and dear sisters; but I scarcely saw them before I swooned again .

when I recovered from_that long illness, through which I had_been nursed so tenderly, the pitying looks I met made me tremble .I asked for a looking- glass . it_was long denied me, but my importunity prevailed at last--a mirror was brought . my youth was gone at one fell swoop . the glass showed me a livid and haggard face, blanched and bloodless as of one who sees a specter; and in_the ashen lips, and wrinkled brow, and dim eyes, I_could trace nothing of_my old self . the hair, too, jetty and rich before, was now as white as snow; and in one night the ravages of half a century had passed over my face . nor have my nerves ever recovered their tone after_that dire shock . can_you wonder that my life was blighted, that my lover shrank from me, so sad a wreck was I ?

I_am old now-- old and alone . my sisters would_have had me to live with_them, but I chose not to sadden their genial homes with my phantom face and dead eyes . Reginald married another . he has_been dead many years .I never ceased to pray for him, though he left me when i_was bereft of all . the sad weird is nearly over now . I_am old, and near the end, and wishful for_it .I have_not_been bitter or hard, but I_cannot bear to_see many people, and am best alone .I try to_do what good I_can with_the worthless wealth lady Speldhurst left me, for, at my wish, my portion was shared between my sisters . what need had I of inheritance ? --I, the shattered wreck made by_that one night of horror !

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