1
00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:04,960
hello and welcome to quarantine story

2
00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:07,520
time

3
00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:08,559
i'm elise bauman and today i will be

4
00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:12,639
reading from

5
00:00:08,559 --> 00:00:15,280
jay sheridan le fanu's notable novel

6
00:00:12,639 --> 00:00:16,720
carmella is how you pronounce it i don't

7
00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:20,160
know i've never heard of it

8
00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:22,320
chapter one and early fright

9
00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:23,519
in styria we though by no means

10
00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:26,880
magnificent people

11
00:00:23,519 --> 00:00:28,000
inhabit a castle or schloss small income

12
00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:30,320
in that part of the world

13
00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:32,399
goes a great way eight or nine hundred a

14
00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:34,000
year does wonders

15
00:00:32,399 --> 00:00:35,920
scantily enough ours would have answered

16
00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:37,520
among wealthy people at home

17
00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:39,440
my father is english and i bear an

18
00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:40,160
english name although i never saw

19
00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:42,320
england

20
00:00:40,160 --> 00:00:44,319
but here in this lonely and primitive

21
00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:45,039
place where everything is so marvelously

22
00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:47,039
cheap

23
00:00:45,039 --> 00:00:48,879
i really don't see how ever so much more

24
00:00:47,039 --> 00:00:50,640
money would it all materially add to our

25
00:00:48,879 --> 00:00:52,480
comforts or even luxuries

26
00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:54,079
my father was in the austrian service

27
00:00:52,480 --> 00:00:55,199
and retired upon a pension in his

28
00:00:54,079 --> 00:00:57,039
patrimony

29
00:00:55,199 --> 00:00:58,800
and purchased this feudal residence in

30
00:00:57,039 --> 00:01:01,840
the smallest state on which it stands

31
00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:02,879
bargain nothing can be more picturesque

32
00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:04,640
or solitary

33
00:01:02,879 --> 00:01:07,280
it stands on a slight eminence in a

34
00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:09,119
forest the road very old and narrow

35
00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:11,040
passes in front of its drawbridge

36
00:01:09,119 --> 00:01:12,400
never raised in my time and its moat

37
00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:14,240
stalked with perch

38
00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:16,159
and sailed over by many swans and

39
00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:18,000
floating on its surface white fleets of

40
00:01:16,159 --> 00:01:20,080
water lilies

41
00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:21,200
over all this the schloss shows its many

42
00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:23,679
windowed front

43
00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:25,759
its towers and its gothic chapel the

44
00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:28,240
forest opens in an irregular and very

45
00:01:25,759 --> 00:01:30,479
picturesque glade before its gate

46
00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:32,320
and at the right a steep gothic bridge

47
00:01:30,479 --> 00:01:34,200
carries the road over a stream that

48
00:01:32,320 --> 00:01:35,360
winds in deep shadow through the wood

49
00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:37,280
[Music]

50
00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:38,400
i have said that this is a very lonely

51
00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:41,360
place

52
00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:42,880
judge whether i say truth looking from

53
00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:44,799
the hall towards the road

54
00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:47,520
the forest in which our castle stands

55
00:01:44,799 --> 00:01:48,799
exceeds 15 miles to the right and 12 to

56
00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:50,960
the left

57
00:01:48,799 --> 00:01:53,119
the nearest inhabited village is about

58
00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:54,880
seven of your english miles to the left

59
00:01:53,119 --> 00:01:56,719
the nearest inhabited schloss of any

60
00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:59,920
historic associations

61
00:01:56,719 --> 00:02:02,960
is that of old general spielsdorf

62
00:01:59,920 --> 00:02:04,880
20 miles away to the right i have said

63
00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:07,439
the nearest inhabited village because

64
00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:09,199
there is only three miles westward

65
00:02:07,439 --> 00:02:10,959
that is to say in the direction of jet

66
00:02:09,199 --> 00:02:14,799
general spielsdorf's

67
00:02:10,959 --> 00:02:17,920
sp spielsdorf schloss wow

68
00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:19,520
general spielsdorf's schloss

69
00:02:17,920 --> 00:02:21,200
i'm having flashbacks to film in

70
00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:23,280
carmilla this is wild for

71
00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:24,720
my mouth a ruined village with its

72
00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:27,200
quaint little church

73
00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:29,440
now ruthless in the isle of which are

74
00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:32,640
the mouldering tombs of the proud

75
00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:35,440
family of karnstein now

76
00:02:32,640 --> 00:02:36,000
extinct who once owned the equally

77
00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:38,480
desolate

78
00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:41,120
chateau which in the thick of the forest

79
00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:43,119
overlooks the silent ruins of the town

80
00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:45,360
respecting the cause of the desertion of

81
00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:46,959
this striking and melancholy spot there

82
00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:49,440
is a legend which i shall

83
00:02:46,959 --> 00:02:51,519
relate to you another time i must tell

84
00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:53,680
you now how very small is the party who

85
00:02:51,519 --> 00:02:55,200
constitute the inhabitants of our castle

86
00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:56,800
i don't include servants or those

87
00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:57,440
dependents who occupy rooms in the

88
00:02:56,800 --> 00:02:59,920
buildings

89
00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:00,640
attached to the schloss listen and

90
00:02:59,920 --> 00:03:02,399
wonder

91
00:03:00,640 --> 00:03:04,159
my father who is the kindest man on

92
00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:07,920
earth but growing old

93
00:03:04,159 --> 00:03:10,640
and i at the date of my story only 19.

94
00:03:07,920 --> 00:03:11,359
eight years have passed since then i and

95
00:03:10,640 --> 00:03:13,760
my father

96
00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:16,239
constituted the family at the schloss my

97
00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:18,000
mother a syrian lady died in my infancy

98
00:03:16,239 --> 00:03:20,159
but i had a good natured governess who

99
00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:21,040
had been with me from i might almost say

100
00:03:20,159 --> 00:03:22,640
my infancy

101
00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:24,480
i could not remember the time when her

102
00:03:22,640 --> 00:03:26,798
fat benign face was not a

103
00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:27,920
familiar picture in my memory this was

104
00:03:26,799 --> 00:03:29,760
madame perez

105
00:03:27,920 --> 00:03:31,760
a native of bern whose care and good

106
00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:33,280
nature now in part supplied to me the

107
00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:35,440
loss of my mother

108
00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:37,440
whom i do not even remember so early i

109
00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:38,239
lost her she made a third at our little

110
00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:40,480
dinner party

111
00:03:38,239 --> 00:03:42,799
there was a fourth mademoiselle de la

112
00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:44,159
fontaine a lady such as uterm i believe

113
00:03:42,799 --> 00:03:46,720
of finishing governess

114
00:03:44,159 --> 00:03:48,399
she spoke french and german madame perez

115
00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:50,159
french and broken english

116
00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:52,239
to which my father and i added english

117
00:03:50,159 --> 00:03:54,159
which partly to prevent its becoming a

118
00:03:52,239 --> 00:03:55,439
lost language among us and partly from

119
00:03:54,159 --> 00:03:58,079
patriotic motives

120
00:03:55,439 --> 00:03:58,879
we spoke every day the consequence was a

121
00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:00,879
babble

122
00:03:58,879 --> 00:04:02,079
at which strangers used to laugh and

123
00:04:00,879 --> 00:04:03,439
which i shall make no attempt to

124
00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:04,799
reproduce in this narrative

125
00:04:03,439 --> 00:04:06,799
and there were two or three young lady

126
00:04:04,799 --> 00:04:08,799
friends besides pretty nearly of my own

127
00:04:06,799 --> 00:04:10,799
age who were occasional visitors

128
00:04:08,799 --> 00:04:12,640
for longer or shorter terms and these

129
00:04:10,799 --> 00:04:15,200
visits i sometimes returned

130
00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:16,320
there were our regular social resources

131
00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:18,639
but of course

132
00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:19,759
there were chance visits from neighbors

133
00:04:18,639 --> 00:04:22,079
only five or six

134
00:04:19,759 --> 00:04:22,960
leagues distance my life was

135
00:04:22,079 --> 00:04:25,759
notwithstanding

136
00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:27,120
rather a solitary one i can assure you

137
00:04:25,759 --> 00:04:28,720
my governance had just

138
00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:30,880
so much control over me as you might

139
00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:33,600
conjecture such sage persons would have

140
00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:35,199
in the case of a rather spoiled girl

141
00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:39,199
whose only parent allowed her pretty

142
00:04:35,199 --> 00:04:41,360
nearly her own way in everything

143
00:04:39,199 --> 00:04:42,960
the first occurrence in my existence

144
00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:44,160
which produced a terrible impression

145
00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:46,880
upon my mind which

146
00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:48,800
in fact never has been effaced was one

147
00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:50,880
of the very earliest incidents of my

148
00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:52,800
life which i can recollect

149
00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:54,639
some people will think it's so trifling

150
00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:56,720
that it should not be recorded here

151
00:04:54,639 --> 00:04:57,919
you will see however by and by why i

152
00:04:56,720 --> 00:05:00,160
mention it

153
00:04:57,919 --> 00:05:01,758
the nursery as it was called though i

154
00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:03,680
had it all to myself

155
00:05:01,759 --> 00:05:06,320
was a large room in the upper story of

156
00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:07,919
the castle with a steep oak roof

157
00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:10,400
i can't have been more than six years

158
00:05:07,919 --> 00:05:11,840
old when one night i awoke and looking

159
00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:14,479
around the room from my bed

160
00:05:11,840 --> 00:05:15,599
failed to see the nurse remade neither

161
00:05:14,479 --> 00:05:17,758
was my nurse there

162
00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:18,800
and i felt myself alone i was not

163
00:05:17,759 --> 00:05:20,320
frightened

164
00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:22,320
for i was one of those happy children

165
00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:24,479
who are studiously kept in ignorance of

166
00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:26,719
ghost stories of fairy tales

167
00:05:24,479 --> 00:05:28,479
and all such lores makes us cover up our

168
00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:30,320
heads when the door cracks suddenly

169
00:05:28,479 --> 00:05:32,240
where the flicker of an expiring candle

170
00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:33,360
makes the shadow of a bedpost dance upon

171
00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:36,080
the wall

172
00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:38,000
nearer to our faces i was vexed and

173
00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:41,039
insulted at my finding

174
00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:42,080
and i conceived neglected and i began to

175
00:05:41,039 --> 00:05:44,800
whimper

176
00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:46,320
preparatory to a hearty bout of roaring

177
00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:49,120
and to my surprise

178
00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:51,520
i saw a solemn but very pretty face

179
00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:53,120
looking at me from the side of the bed

180
00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:56,240
it was out of a young lady who was

181
00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:58,319
kneeling her hands under her coverlet

182
00:05:56,240 --> 00:06:00,880
i looked at her with a kind of pleased

183
00:05:58,319 --> 00:06:03,600
wonder and ceased whimpering

184
00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:05,120
she caressed me with her hands and laid

185
00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:08,319
down beside me on the bed

186
00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:10,960
and drew me towards her smiling i felt

187
00:06:08,319 --> 00:06:13,680
immediately delightfully soothed

188
00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:15,039
and fell asleep again i was awakened by

189
00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:17,360
a sensation

190
00:06:15,039 --> 00:06:19,520
as if two needles ran into my breast

191
00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:21,759
very deep at the same moment and i cried

192
00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:23,758
loudly

193
00:06:21,759 --> 00:06:25,919
the lady started back with her eyes

194
00:06:23,759 --> 00:06:26,720
fixed on me and then slipped down upon

195
00:06:25,919 --> 00:06:29,440
the floor

196
00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:30,400
and as i thought hid herself under my

197
00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:32,319
bed

198
00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:34,799
i was now for the first time frightened

199
00:06:32,319 --> 00:06:36,960
and i yelled with all my might and mane

200
00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:38,960
nurse nursery maid housekeeper all came

201
00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:40,318
running in and hearing my story they

202
00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:43,520
made light of it

203
00:06:40,319 --> 00:06:45,840
soothing me all they could meanwhile but

204
00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:47,919
child as i was i could perceive that

205
00:06:45,840 --> 00:06:49,198
their faces were pale with an unwanted

206
00:06:47,919 --> 00:06:51,120
look of anxiety

207
00:06:49,199 --> 00:06:52,240
and i saw them look under the bed and

208
00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:54,160
about the room

209
00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:55,759
and peep under tables and pluck open

210
00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:56,880
cupboards and the housekeeper whispered

211
00:06:55,759 --> 00:06:58,560
to the nurse

212
00:06:56,880 --> 00:07:00,800
lay your hand along the hollow in the

213
00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:02,639
bed someone did lie there

214
00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:05,120
so sure as you did not the place is

215
00:07:02,639 --> 00:07:06,160
still warm i remember the nursery made

216
00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:08,080
petting me

217
00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:09,440
and the three examining my chest where i

218
00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:10,800
told them i felt the puncture

219
00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:12,400
and the pronouncing that there was no

220
00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:14,080
sign visible that any such thing had

221
00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:15,520
happened to me

222
00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:16,880
the housekeeper and the two other

223
00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:19,440
servants who were in charge of the

224
00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:21,120
nursery remained sitting up all night

225
00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:22,960
and from that time the servant always

226
00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:23,919
sat up in the nursery until i was about

227
00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:26,239
14.

228
00:07:23,919 --> 00:07:27,758
girl you coddled i was very nervous for

229
00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:30,240
a long time after this

230
00:07:27,759 --> 00:07:30,880
a doctor was called in he was pallid and

231
00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:33,280
elderly

232
00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:35,759
how well i remember his long saturane

233
00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:39,359
face slightly pitted with smallpox

234
00:07:35,759 --> 00:07:41,199
and his chestnut wig for a good while

235
00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:42,560
every second day he came and gave me

236
00:07:41,199 --> 00:07:44,560
medicine which of course i

237
00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:46,560
hated the morning after i saw this

238
00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:48,319
apparition i was in a state of terror

239
00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:50,560
and could not bear to be left alone

240
00:07:48,319 --> 00:07:52,080
daylight though it was for a moment i

241
00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:53,520
remember my father coming up and

242
00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:55,120
standing at the bedside

243
00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:56,878
and talking cheerfully and asking the

244
00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:58,800
nurse a number of questions and laughing

245
00:07:56,879 --> 00:08:00,080
very heartily at one of the answers

246
00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:01,520
and patting me on the shoulder and

247
00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:02,318
kissing me and telling me not to be

248
00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:03,680
frightened

249
00:08:02,319 --> 00:08:06,319
there was nothing but a dream and could

250
00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:07,759
not hurt me but i was not comforted

251
00:08:06,319 --> 00:08:09,840
for i knew the visit of the strange

252
00:08:07,759 --> 00:08:10,479
woman was not a dream and i was awfully

253
00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:12,159
frightened

254
00:08:10,479 --> 00:08:13,758
i was a little consoled by the nursery

255
00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:15,039
maids assuring me

256
00:08:13,759 --> 00:08:16,960
that it was she who had come in and

257
00:08:15,039 --> 00:08:17,440
looked at me and laid down beside me in

258
00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:18,878
bed

259
00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:20,879
and that i must have been half dreaming

260
00:08:18,879 --> 00:08:22,400
not to know her face but this

261
00:08:20,879 --> 00:08:24,240
though supported by the nurse did not

262
00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:26,159
quite satisfy me

263
00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:28,720
i remembered in the course of the of

264
00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:29,680
that day a venerable old man in a black

265
00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:31,039
cassock

266
00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:33,279
coming into the room with a nurse and

267
00:08:31,039 --> 00:08:35,679
housekeeper and talking a little to them

268
00:08:33,279 --> 00:08:36,719
very kindly to me his face was very

269
00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:38,000
sweet and gentle

270
00:08:36,719 --> 00:08:40,240
and he told me that they were going to

271
00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:42,240
pray and joined my hands together

272
00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:43,440
and desired me to say softly while they

273
00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:45,600
were praying

274
00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:46,640
lord hear all my good prayers for us for

275
00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:48,399
jesus sakes

276
00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:49,920
i think these were the very words for i

277
00:08:48,399 --> 00:08:51,839
often repeated them to myself

278
00:08:49,920 --> 00:08:53,040
and my nurse used for years to make me

279
00:08:51,839 --> 00:08:54,880
say them in my prayers

280
00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:56,880
i remembered so well the thoughtful

281
00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:58,320
sweet face of that white-haired old man

282
00:08:56,880 --> 00:09:00,399
in his black cassock

283
00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:02,320
as he stood in that rude lofty brown

284
00:09:00,399 --> 00:09:05,440
room with the clumsy furniture

285
00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:07,360
of a fashion 300 years about him and the

286
00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:09,839
scanty light entering its shadowy

287
00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:12,320
atmosphere through the small lattice

288
00:09:09,839 --> 00:09:14,160
he kneeled and the three women with him

289
00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:16,640
and he prayed aloud with an earnest

290
00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:18,399
quake quavering voice for what appeared

291
00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:20,240
to me a long time

292
00:09:18,399 --> 00:09:22,000
i forget all my life preceding that

293
00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:25,040
event and for some time

294
00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:26,399
after it all obscure also but the scenes

295
00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:29,199
i have just described

296
00:09:26,399 --> 00:09:32,000
stand out vivid as the isolated pictures

297
00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:35,279
of the phantasmagoria surrounded by

298
00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:36,940
darkness what a last

299
00:09:35,279 --> 00:09:38,800
sentence is that

300
00:09:36,940 --> 00:09:41,560
[Music]

301
00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:45,760
vivid as the isolated pictures of the

302
00:09:41,560 --> 00:09:51,839
phantasmagoria surrounded by darkness

303
00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:51,839
thank you for listening

304
00:09:52,650 --> 00:10:02,800
[Music]

305
00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:02,800
you