H.M.
Alexandra Bastedo
The Blood Spattered Bride
(La Novia Ensangrentada, Spain, 1972)
She used to place her pretty arms about my neck, draw me to her, and laying her Cheek
to mine, murmur with her lips near my ear, 'Dearest, your little heart is wounded;
think me not cruel because I obey the irresistible law of my strength and weakness;
if your dear heart is wounded, my wild heart bleeds with yours. In the rapture of
my enormous humiliation I live in your warm life, and you shall die - die, sweetly
die - into mine. I cannot help it; as I draw near to you, you, in turn, will draw
near to others, and learn the rapture of that cruelty, which yet is love...
J. Sheridan LeFanu,
Carmilla
