I seemed to be drawn along like one in a dream by the golden thread
of the bird's sweet singing. All at once I caught my foot against a
stone and fell forward with some force, but I felt no pain--my limbs
were too numb to be sensible of any fresh suffering. I raised my
heavy, aching eyes in the darkness; as I did so I uttered an
exclamation of thanksgiving. A slender stream of moonlight, no
thicker than the stem of an arrow, slanted downward toward me, and
showed me that I had at last reached the spot I sought--in fact, I
had fallen upon the lowest step of the stone stairway. I could not
distinguish the entrance door of the vault, but I knew that it must
be at the summit of the steep ascent. I was too weary to move
further just then. I lay still where I was, staring at the solitary
moon-ray, and listening to the nightingale, whose rapturous melodies
now rang out upon my ears with full distinctness. ONE! The harsh-
toned bell I had heard before clanged forth the hour. It would soon
be morning; I resolved to rest till then. Utterly worn out in body
and mind, I laid down my head upon the cold stones as readily as if
they had been the softest cushions, and in a few moments forgot all
my miseries in a profound sleep.

***

I must have slumbered for some time, when I was suddenly awakened by
a suffocating sensation of faintness and nausea, accompanied by a
sharp pain on my neck as though some creatures were stinging me. I
put my hand up to the place--God! shall I ever forget the feel of
the THING my trembling fingers closed upon! It was fastened in my
flesh--a winged, clammy, breathing horror! It clung to me with a
loathly persistency that nearly drove me frantic, and wild with
disgust and terror I screamed aloud! I closed both hands