第11部分(第3/7 頁)

ay　low；　waiting　in

breathless　terror　for　the　creature　to　spring　and　bury　its　long　claws　in

my　flesh。　I　thought；　〃They　will　feel　like　turkey…claws。〃　Something　warm

and　wet　touched　my　face。　I　shrieked；　struck　out　frantically；　and　awoke。

Something　was　still　struggling　in　my　arms。　I　held　on　with　might　and　main

until　I　was　exhausted；　then　I　loosed　my　hold。　I　found　dear　old　Belle；

the　setter；　shaking　herself　and　looking　at　me　reproachfully。　She　and　I

had　gone　to　sleep　together　on　the　rug；　and　had　naturally　wandered　to　the

dream…forest　where　dogs　and　little　girls　hunt　wild　game　and　have

strange　adventures。　We　encountered　hosts　of　elfin　foes；　and　it　required

all　the　dog　tactics　at　Belle's　mand　to　acquit　herself　like　the　lady

and　huntress　that　she　was。　Belle　had　her　dreams　too。　We　used　to　lie

under　the　trees　and　flowers　in　the　old　garden；　and　I　used　to　laugh　with

delight　when　the　magnolia　leaves　fell　with　little　thuds；　and　Belle

jumped　up；　thinking　she　had　heard　a　partridge。　She　would　pursue　the

leaf；　point　it；　bring　it　back　to　me　and　lay　it　at　my　feet　with　a

humorous　wag　of　her　tail　as　much　as　to　say；　〃This　is　the　kind　of　bird

that　waked　me。〃　I　made　a　chain　for　her　neck　out　of　the　lovely　blue

Paulownia　flowers　and　covered　her　with　great　heart…shaped　leaves。

Dear　old　Belle；　she　has　long　been　dreaming　among　the　lotus…flowers　and

poppies　of　the　dogs'　paradise。

Certain　dreams　have　haunted　me　since　my　childhood。　One　which　recurs

often　proceeds　after　this　wise：　A　spirit　seems　to　pass　before　my　face。　I

feel　an　extreme　heat　like　the　blast　from　an　engine。　It　is　the　embodiment

of　evil。　I　must　have　had　it　first　after　the　da