Page 573 - the-idiot

look at. I was dreadfully afraid it would sting me; somebody
had told me, I thought, that it was venomous; but what tor-
mented me most of all was the wondering and wondering as
to who had sent it into my room, and what was the mystery
which I felt it contained.
‘It hid itself under the cupboard and under the chest of
drawers, and crawled into the corners. I sat on a chair and
kept my legs tucked under me. Then the beast crawled qui-
etly across the room and disappeared somewhere near my
chair. I looked about for it in terror, but I still hoped that
as my feet were safely tucked away it would not be able to
touch me.
‘Suddenly I heard behind me, and about on a level with
my head, a sort of rattling sound. I turned sharp round and
saw that the brute had crawled up the wall as high as the
level of my face, and that its horrible tail, which was mov-
ing incredibly fast from side to side, was actually touching
my hair! I jumped up—and it disappeared. I did not dare
lie down on my bed for fear it should creep under my pillow.
My mother came into the room, and some friends of hers.
They began to hunt for the reptile and were more composed
than I was; they did not seem to be afraid of it. But they did
not understand as I did.
‘Suddenly the monster reappeared; it crawled slowly
across the room and made for the door, as though with
some fixed intention, and with a slow movement that was
more horrible than ever.
‘Then my mother opened the door and called my dog,
Norma. Norma was a great Newfoundland, and died five

The Idiot