Паразит
IV
Butisitpossiblethatshehasreallyreducedyoutothis?Whatdoyouintendtodo?""Tostopit!"Icried."Iamperfectlydesperate;Ishallgiveherfairwarningto-day,andthenexttimewillbethelast.""Donothingrash,"saidhe."Rash!"Icried."TheonlyrashthingisthatIshouldpostponeitanotherhour."WiththatIrushedtomyroom,andhereIamontheeveofwhatmaybethegreatcrisisofmylife.Ishallstartatonce.Ihavegainedonethingto-day,forIhavemadeoneman,atleast,realizethetruthofthismonstrousexperienceofmine.And,iftheworstshouldhappen,thisdiaryremainsasaproofofthegoadthathasdrivenme.Evening.WhenIcametoWilson’s,Iwasshownup,andfoundthathewassittingwithMissPenclosa.ForhalfanhourIhadtoendurehisfussytalkabouthisrecentresearchintotheexactnatureofthespiritualisticrap,whilethecreatureandIsatinsilencelookingacrosstheroomateachother.Ireadasinisteramusementinhereyes,andshemusthaveseenhatredandmenaceinmine.Ihadalmostdespairedofhavingspeechwithherwhenhewascalledfromtheroom,andwewereleftforafewmomentstogether."Well,ProfessorGilroy—orisitMr.Gilroy?"saidshe,withthatbittersmileofhers."HowisyourfriendMr.CharlesSadleraftertheball?""Youfiend!"Icried."Youhavecometotheendofyourtricksnow.Iwillhavenomoreofthem.ListentowhatIsay."Istrodeacrossandshookherroughlybytheshoulder"AssureasthereisaGodinheaven,IswearthatifyoutryanotherofyourdeviltriesuponmeIwillhaveyourlifeforit.