"'Upon this, I looked around--and there she was! There at my shoulder,
almost touching me with her clothes, gazing at me with her horrible little
eyes, displaying the gloomy cavern of her mouth, fanning herself in a
mocking manner, as if to make fun of my childish alarm.

"'I passed from dread to the most furious anger, to savage and desperate
rage. I dashed at the heavy old creature. I flung her against the wall. I
put my hand to her throat. I felt of her face, her breast, the straggling
locks of her gray hair until I was thoroughly convinced that she was a
human being--a woman.

"'Meanwhile she had uttered a howl which was hoarse and piercing at the
same time. It seemed false and feigned to me, like the hypocritical
expression of a fear which she did not really feel. Immediately afterwards
she exclaimed, making believe cry, though she was not crying, but looking
at me with her hyena eyes:

"'"Why have you picked a quarrel with me?"

"'This remark increased my fright and weakened my wrath.

"'"Then you remember," I cried, "that you have seen me somewhere else."

"'"I should say so, my dear," she replied, mockingly. "Saint Eugene's
night, in Jardines Street, three years ago."

"'My very marrow was chilled.

"'"But who are you?" I asked, without letting go of her. "Why do you