For a moment I stood still, and considered what this really could
mean, when a horrible noise, as if cats were sent with yells
lumbering down the whole flight of stairs, and ended with a mighty
blow against my door, put an end to my indecision. I took up the
candle, and a stick, and went out. At the moment when I opened the
door my light was blown out. A gigantic white figure glimmered
opposite to me, and I felt myself suddenly embraced by two strong
arms. I cried for help, and struggled so actively to get loose
that both myself and my adversary fell to the ground, but so that
I lay uppermost. Like an arrow I sprang again upright, and was
about to fetch a light, when I stumbled over something--Heaven
knows what it was (I firmly believe that somebody held me fast by
the feet), by which I fell a second time, struck my head on the
corner of the table, and lost my consciousness, whilst a
suspicions noise, which had great resemblance to laughter,
rang in my ears.
When I again opened my eyes, they met a dazzling blaze of light. I
closed them again, and listened to a confused noise around me--
opened them again a very little, and endeavoured to distinguish
the objects which surrounded me, which appeared to me so
enigmatical and strange that I almost feared my mind had vanished.
I lay upon a sofa, and--no, I really did not deceive myself,--that
charming girl, who on this evening had so incessantly floated
before my thoughts, stood actually beside me, and with a heavenly
expression of sympathy bathed my head with vinegar.
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