i had a dream of something black coming round my bed , and i awoke in a perfect horror , and i really thought , for some seconds , i saw a dark figure near the chimney-piece , but i felt under my pillow for my charm , and the moment my fingers touched it , the figure disappeared , and i felt quite certain , only that i had it by me , that something frightful would have made its appearance , and , perhaps , throttled me , as it did those poor people we heard of .