Carnacki, The Ghost Finder | Page 9

as possible.
"As I knelt, there came to me presently, a vague wonder at the two
'accidents' which had so nearly allowed the brute to get at me. Was I
being influenced to unconscious voluntary actions that endangered me?
The thought took hold of me, and I watched my every movement.
Abruptly, I stretched a tired leg, and knocked over one of the jars of
water. Some was spilled; but, because of my suspicious watchfulness, I
had it upright and back within the vale while yet some of the water
remained. Even as I did so, the vast, black, half-materialized hand beat
up at me out of the shadows, and seemed to leap almost into my face;
so nearly did it approach; but for the third time it was thrown back by
some altogether enormous, overmastering force. Yet, apart from the
dazed fright in which it left me, I had for a moment that feeling of
spiritual sickness, as if some delicate, beautiful, inward grace had
suffered, which is felt only upon the too near approach of the ab-human,
and is more dreadful, in a strange way, than any physical pain that can
be suffered. I knew by this more of the extent and closeness of the
danger; and for a long time I was simply cowed by the butt-headed
brutality of that Force upon my spirit. I can put it no other way.
"I knelt again in the center of the pentacles, watching myself with more
fear, almost, than the monster; for I knew now that, unless I guarded
myself from every sudden impulse that came to me, I might simply
work my own destruction. Do you see how horrible it all was?
"I spent the rest of the night in a haze of sick fright, and so tense that I
could not make a single movement naturally. I was in such fear that any
desire for action that came to me might be prompted by the Influence
that I knew was at work on me. And outside of the barrier that ghastly
thing went 'round and 'round, grabbing and grabbing in the air at me.
Twice more was the body of the dead cat molested. The second time, I
heard every bone in its body scrunch and crack. And all the time the

horrible wind was blowing upon me from the corner of the room to the
left of the bed.
"Then, just as the first touch of dawn came into the sky, that unnatural
wind ceased, in a single moment; and I could see no sign of the hand.
The dawn came slowly, and presently the wan light filled all the room,
and made the pale glare of the Electric Pentacle look more unearthly.
Yet, it was not until the day had fully come, that I made any attempt to
leave the barrier, for I did not know but that there was some method
abroad, in the sudden stopping of that wind, to entice me from the
pentacles.
"At last, when the dawn was strong and bright, I took one last look
'round, and ran for the door. I got it unlocked, in a nervous and clumsy
fashion, then locked it hurriedly, and went to my bedroom, where I lay
on the bed, and tried to steady my nerves. Peter came, presently, with
the coffee, and when I had drunk it, I told him I meant to have a sleep,
as I had been up all night. He took the tray, and went out quietly, and
after I had locked my door I turned in properly, and at last got to sleep.
"I woke about midday, and after some lunch, went up to the Grey
Room. I switched off the current from the Pentacle, which I had left on
in my hurry; also, I removed the body of the cat. You can understand I
did not want anyone to see the poor brute. After that, I made a very
careful search of the corner where the bedclothes had been thrown. I
made several holes, and probed, and found nothing. Then it occurred to
me to try with my instrument under the skirting. I did so, and heard my
wire ring on metal. I turned the hook end that way, and fished for the
thing. At the second go, I got it. It was a small object, and I took it to
the window. I found it to be a curious ring, made of some greying
material. The curious thing about it was that it was made in the form of
a pentagon; that is, the same shape as the inside of the magic pentacle,
but without the 'mounts,' which form the points of the defensive star. It
was free from all chasing or engraving.
"You will understand that