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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/23172-h.zip b/23172-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3b2c743 --- /dev/null +++ b/23172-h.zip diff --git a/23172-h/23172-h.htm b/23172-h/23172-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..633dcc7 --- /dev/null +++ b/23172-h/23172-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,945 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="us-ascii"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + The Damned Thing, by Ambrose Bierce + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Damned Thing, by Ambrose Bierce + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Damned Thing + 1898, From "In the Midst of Life" + +Author: Ambrose Bierce + +Release Date: October 24, 2007 [EBook #23172] +Last Updated: January 9, 2013 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DAMNED THING *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + +</pre> + <div style="height: 8em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h1> + THE DAMNED THING + </h1> + <h3> + By Ambrose Bierce <br /><br /> Reprinted by permission. From "In the Midst + of Life," <br /><br /><br /> Copyright, 1898, by G. P. Putnam's Sons <br /> + <br /> + </h3> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h2> + Contents + </h2> + <table summary="" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto"> + <tr> + <td> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0001"> I </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0002"> II </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0003"> III </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0004"> IV </a> + </p> + </td> + </tr> + </table> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_4_0001" id="link2H_4_0001"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + I + </h2> + <p> + By THE light of a tallow candle, which had been placed on one end of a + rough table, a man was reading something written in a book. It was an old + account book, greatly worn; and the writing was not, apparently, very + legible, for the man sometimes held the page close to the flame of the + candle to get a stronger light upon it. The shadow of the book would then + throw into obscurity a half of the room, darkening a number of faces and + figures; for besides the reader, eight other men were present. Seven of + them sat against the rough log walls, silent and motionless, and, the room + being small, not very far from the table. By extending an arm any one of + them could have touched the eighth man, who lay on the table, face upward, + partly covered by a sheet, his arms at his sides. He was dead. + </p> + <p> + The man with the book was not reading aloud, and no one spoke; all seemed + to be waiting for something to occur; the dead man only was without + expectation. From the blank darkness outside came in, through the aperture + that served for a window, all the ever unfamiliar noises of night in the + wilderness—the long, nameless note of a distant coyote; the stilly + pulsing thrill of tireless insects in trees; strange cries of night birds, + so different from those of the birds of day; the drone of great blundering + beetles, and all that mysterious chorus of small sounds that seem always + to have been but half heard when they have suddenly ceased, as if + conscious of an indiscretion. But nothing of all this was noted in that + company; its members were not overmuch addicted to idle interest in + matters of no practical importance; that was obvious in every line of + their rugged faces—obvious even in the dim light of the single + candle. They were evidently men of the vicinity—farmers and woodmen. + </p> + <p> + The person reading was a trifle different; one would have said of him that + he was of the world, worldly, albeit there was that in his attire which + attested a certain fellowship with the organisms of his environment. His + coat would hardly have passed muster in San Francisco: his footgear was + not of urban origin, and the hat that lay by him on the floor (he was the + only one uncovered) was such that if one had considered it as an article + of mere personal adornment he would have missed its meaning. In + countenance the man was rather prepossessing, with just a hint of + sternness; though that he may have assumed or cultivated, as appropriate + to one in authority. For he was a coroner. It was by virtue of his office + that he had possession of the book in which he was reading; it had been + found among the dead man's effects—in his cabin, where the inquest + was now taking place. + </p> + <p> + When the coroner had finished reading he put the book into his breast + pocket. At that moment the door was pushed open and a young man entered. + He, clearly, was not of mountain birth and breeding: he was clad as those + who dwell in cities. His clothing was dusty, however, as from travel. He + had, in fact, been riding hard to attend the inquest. + </p> + <p> + The coroner nodded; no one else greeted him. + </p> + <p> + "We have waited for you," said the coroner. "It is necessary to have done + with this business to-night." + </p> + <p> + The young man smiled. "I am sorry to have kept you," he said. "I went + away, not to evade your summons, but to post to my newspaper an account of + what I suppose I am called back to relate." + </p> + <p> + The coroner smiled. + </p> + <p> + "The account that you posted to your newspaper," he said, "differs + probably from that which you will give here under oath." + </p> + <p> + "That," replied the other, rather hotly and with a visible flush, "is as + you choose. I used manifold paper and have a copy of what I sent. It was + not written as news, for it is incredible, but as fiction. It may go as a + part of my testimony under oath." + </p> + <p> + "But you say it is incredible." + </p> + <p> + "That is nothing to you, sir, if I also swear that it is true." + </p> + <p> + The coroner was apparently not greatly affected by the young man's + manifest resentment. He was silent for some moments, his eyes upon the + floor. The men about the sides of the cabin talked in whispers, but seldom + withdrew their gaze from the face of the corpse. Presently the coroner + lifted his eyes and said: "We will resume the inquest." + </p> + <p> + The men removed their hats. The witness was sworn. + </p> + <p> + "What is your name?" the coroner asked. + </p> + <p> + "William Harker." + </p> + <p> + "Age?" + </p> + <p> + "Twenty-seven." + </p> + <p> + "You knew the deceased, Hugh Morgan?" + </p> + <p> + "Yes." + </p> + <p> + "You were with him when he died?" + </p> + <p> + "Near him." + </p> + <p> + "How did that happen—your presence, I mean?" + </p> + <p> + "I was visiting him at this place to shoot and fish. A part of my purpose, + however, was to study him, and his odd, solitary way of life. He seemed a + good model for a character in fiction. I sometimes write stories." + </p> + <p> + "I sometimes read them." + </p> + <p> + "Thank you." + </p> + <p> + "Stories in general—not yours." + </p> + <p> + Some of the jurors laughed. Against a sombre background humor shows high + lights. Soldiers in the intervals of battle laugh easily, and a jest in + the death chamber conquers by surprise. + </p> + <p> + "Relate the circumstances of this man's death," said the coroner. "You may + use any notes or memoranda that you please." + </p> + <p> + The witness understood. Pulling a manuscript from his breast pocket he + held it near the candle, and turning the leaves until he found the passage + that he wanted, began to read. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0002" id="link2H_4_0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + II + </h2> + <p> + "...The sun had hardly risen when we left the house. We were looking for + quail, each with a shotgun, but we had only one dog. Morgan said that our + best ground was beyond a certain ridge that he pointed out, and we crossed + it by a trail through the <i>chaparral</i>. On the other side was + comparatively level ground, thickly covered with wild oats. As we emerged + from the <i>chaparral</i>, Morgan was but a few yards in advance. + Suddenly, we heard, at a little distance to our right, and partly in + front, a noise as of some animal thrashing about in the bushes, which we + could see were violently agitated. + </p> + <p> + "'We've started a deer,' said. 'I wish we had brought a rifle.' + </p> + <p> + "Morgan, who had stopped and was intently watching the agitated chaparral, + said nothing, but had cocked both barrels of his gun, and was holding it + in readiness to aim. I thought him a trifle excited, which surprised me, + for he had a reputation for exceptional coolness, even in moments of + sudden and imminent peril. + </p> + <p> + "'O, come!' I said. 'You are not going to fill up a deer with quail-shot, + are you?' + </p> + <p> + "Still he did not reply; but, catching a sight of his face as he turned it + slightly toward me, I was struck by the pallor of it. Then I understood + that we had serious business on hand, and my first conjecture was that we + had 'jumped' a grizzly. I advanced to Morgan's side, cocking my piece as I + moved. + </p> + <p> + "The bushes were now quiet, and the sounds had ceased, but Morgan was as + attentive to the place as before. + </p> + <p> + "'What is it? What the devil is it?' I asked. + </p> + <p> + "'That Damned Thing!' he replied, without turning his head. His voice was + husky and unnatural. He trembled visibly. + </p> + <p> + "I was about to speak further, when I observed the wild oats near the + place of the disturbance moving in the most inexplicable way. I can hardly + describe it. It seemed as if stirred by a streak of wind, which not only + bent it, but pressed it down—crushed it so that it did not rise, and + this movement was slowly prolonging itself directly toward us. + </p> + <p> + "Nothing that I had ever seen had affected me so strangely as this + unfamiliar and unaccountable phenomenon, yet I am unable to recall any + sense of fear. I remember—and tell it here because, singularly + enough, I recollected it then—that once, in looking carelessly out + of an open window, I momentarily mistook a small tree close at hand for + one of a group of larger trees at a little distance away. It looked the + same size as the others, but, being more distinctly and sharply defined in + mass and detail, seemed out of harmony with them. It was a mere + falsification of the law of aerial perspective, but it startled, almost + terrified me. We so rely upon the orderly operation of familiar natural + laws that any seeming suspension of them is noted as a menace to our + safety, a warning of unthinkable calamity. So now the apparently causeless + movement of the herbage, and the slow, undeviating approach of the line of + disturbance were distinctly disquieting. My companion appeared actually + frightened, and I could hardly credit my senses when I saw him suddenly + throw his gun to his shoulders and fire both barrels at the agitated + grass! Before the smoke of the discharge had cleared away I heard a loud + savage cry—a scream like that of a wild animal—and, flinging + his gun upon the ground, Morgan sprang away and ran swiftly from the spot. + At the same instant I was thrown violently to the ground by the impact of + something unseen in the smoke—some soft, heavy substance that seemed + thrown against me with great force. + </p> + <p> + "Before I could get upon my feet and recover my gun, which seemed to have + been struck from my hands, I heard Morgan crying out as if in mortal + agony, and mingling with his cries were such hoarse savage sounds as one + hears from fighting dogs. Inexpressibly terrified, I struggled to my feet + and looked in the direction of Morgan's retreat; and may heaven in mercy + spare me from another sight like that! At a distance of less than thirty + yards was my friend, down upon one knee, his head thrown back at a + frightful angle, hatless, his long hair in disorder and his whole body in + violent movement from side to side, backward and forward. His right arm + was lifted and seemed to lack the hand—at least, I could see none. + The other arm was invisible. At times, as my memory now reports this + extraordinary scene, I could discern but a part of his body; it was as if + he had been partly blotted out—I can not otherwise express it—then + a shifting of his position would bring it all into view again. + </p> + <p> + "All this must have occurred within a few seconds, yet in that time Morgan + assumed all the postures of a determined wrestler vanquished by superior + weight and strength. I saw nothing but him, and him not always distinctly. + During the entire incident his shouts and curses were heard, as if through + an enveloping uproar of such sounds of rage and fury as I had never heard + from the throat of man or brute! + </p> + <p> + "For a moment only I stood irresolute, then, throwing down my gun, I ran + forward to my friend's assistance. I had a vague belief that he was + suffering from a fit or some form of convulsion. Before I could reach his + side he was down and quiet. All sounds had ceased, but, with a feeling of + such terror as even these awful events had not inspired, I now saw the + same mysterious movement of the wild oats prolonging itself from the + trampled area about the prostrate man toward the edge of a wood. It was + only when it had reached the wood that I was able to withdraw my eyes and + look at my companion. He was dead." + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0003" id="link2H_4_0003"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + III + </h2> + <p> + The coroner rose from his seat and stood beside the dead man. Lifting an + edge of the sheet he pulled it away, exposing the entire body, altogether + naked and showing in the candle light a clay-like yellow. It had, however, + broad maculations of bluish-black, obviously caused by extravasated blood + from contusions. The chest and sides looked as if they had been beaten + with a bludgeon. There were dreadful lacerations; the skin was torn in + strips and shreds. + </p> + <p> + The coroner moved round to the end of the table and undid a silk + handkerchief, which had been passed under the chin and knotted on the top + of the head. When the handkerchief was drawn away it exposed what had been + the throat. Some of the jurors who had risen to get a better view repented + their curiosity, and turned away their faces. Witness Harker went to the + open window and leaned out across the sill, faint and sick. Dropping the + handkerchief upon the dead man's neck, the coroner stepped to an angle of + the room, and from a pile of clothing produced one garment after another, + each of which he held up a moment for inspection. All were torn, and stiff + with blood. The jurors did not make a closer inspection. They seemed + rather uninterested. They had, in truth, seen all this before; the only + thing that was new to them being Harker's testimony. + </p> + <p> + "Gentlemen," the coroner said, "we have no more evidence, I think. Your + duty has been already explained to you; if there is nothing you wish to + ask you may go outside and consider your verdict." + </p> + <p> + The foreman rose—a tall, bearded man of sixty, coarsely clad. + </p> + <p> + "I should like to ask one question, Mr. Coroner," he said. "What asylum + did this yer last witness escape from?" + </p> + <p> + "Mr. Harker," said the coroner, gravely and tranquilly, "from what asylum + did you last escape?" + </p> + <p> + Harker flushed crimson again, but said nothing, and the seven jurors rose + and solemnly filed out of the cabin. + </p> + <p> + "If you have done insulting me, sir," said Harker, as soon as he and the + officer were left alone with the dead man, "I suppose I am at liberty to + go?" + </p> + <p> + "Yes." + </p> + <p> + Harker started to leave, but paused, with his hand on the door latch. The + habit of his profession was strong in him—stronger than his sense of + personal dignity. He turned about and said: + </p> + <p> + "The book that you have there—I recognize it as Morgan's diary. You + seemed greatly interested in it; you read in it while I was testifying. + May I see it? The public would like—" + </p> + <p> + "The book will cut no figure in this matter," replied the official, + slipping it into his coat pocket; "all the entries in it were made before + the writer's death." + </p> + <p> + As Harker passed out of the house the jury reentered and stood about the + table on which the now covered corpse showed under the sheet with sharp + definition. The foreman seated himself near the candle, produced from his + breast pocket a pencil and scrap of paper, and wrote rather laboriously + the following verdict, which with various degrees of effort all signed: + </p> + <p> + "We, the jury, do find that the remains come to their death at the hands + of a mountain lion, but some of us thinks, all the same, they had fits." + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0004" id="link2H_4_0004"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + IV + </h2> + <p> + In the diary of the late Hugh Morgan are certain interesting entries + having, possibly, a scientific value as suggestions. At the inquest upon + his body the book was not put in evidence; possibly the coroner thought it + not worth while to confuse the jury. The date of the first of the entries + mentioned can not be ascertained; the upper part of the leaf is torn away; + the part of the entry remaining is as follows: + </p> + <p> + "... would run in a half circle, keeping his head turned always toward the + centre and again he would stand still, barking furiously. At last he ran + away into the brush as fast as he could go. I thought at first that he had + gone mad, but on returning to the house found no other alteration in his + manner than what was obviously due to fear of punishment. + </p> + <p> + "Can a dog see with his nose? Do odors impress some olfactory centre with + images of the thing emitting them? . . . + </p> + <p> + "Sept 2.—Looking at the stars last night as they rose above the + crest of the ridge east of the house, I observed them successively + disappear—from left to right. Each was eclipsed but an instant, and + only a few at the same time, but along the entire length of the ridge all + that were within a degree or two of the crest were blotted out. It was as + if something had passed along between me and them; but I could not see it, + and the stars were not thick enough to define its outline. Ugh! I don't + like this. . . ." + </p> + <p> + Several weeks' entries are missing, three leaves being torn from the book. + </p> + <p> + "Sept. 27.—It has been about here again—I find evidences of + its presence every day. I watched again all of last night in the same + cover, gun in hand, double-charged with buckshot. In the morning the fresh + footprints were there, as before. Yet I would have sworn that I did not + sleep—indeed, I hardly sleep at all. It is terrible, insupportable! + If these amazing experiences are real I shall go mad; if they are fanciful + I am mad already. + </p> + <p> + "Oct. 3.—I shall not go—it shall not drive me away. No, this + is <i>my</i> house, my land. God hates a coward.... + </p> + <p> + "Oct. 5.—I can stand it no longer; I have invited Harker to pass a + few weeks with me—he has a level head. I can judge from his manner + if he thinks me mad. + </p> + <p> + "Oct. 7.—I have the solution of the problem; it came to me last + night—suddenly, as by revelation. How simple—how terribly + simple! + </p> + <p> + "There are sounds that we can not hear. At either end of the scale are + notes that stir no chord of that imperfect instrument, the human ear. They + are too high or too grave. I have observed a flock of blackbirds occupying + an entire treetop—the tops of several trees—and all in full + song. Suddenly—in a moment—at absolutely the same instant—all + spring into the air and fly away. How? They could not all see one another—whole + treetops intervened. At no point could a leader have been visible to all. + There must have been a signal of warning or command, high and shrill above + the din, but by me unheard. I have observed, too, the same simultaneous + flight when all were silent, among not only blackbirds, but other birds—quail, + for example, widely separated by bushes—even on opposite sides of a + hill. + </p> + <p> + "It is known to seamen that a school of whales basking or sporting on the + surface of the ocean, miles apart, with the convexity of the earth between + them, will sometimes dive at the same instant—all gone out of sight + in a moment. The signal has been sounded—too grave for the ear of + the sailor at the masthead and his comrades on the deck—who + nevertheless feel its vibrations in the ship as the stones of a cathedral + are stirred by the bass of the organ. + </p> + <p> + "As with sounds, so with colors. At each end of the solar spectrum the + chemist can detect the presence of what are known as 'actinic' rays. They + represent colors—integral colors in the composition of light—which + we are unable to discern. The human eye is an imperfect instrument; its + range is but a few octaves of the real 'chromatic scale' I am not mad; + there are colors that we can not see. + </p> + <p> + "And, God help me! the Damned Thing is of such a color!" + </p> + <div style="height: 6em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Damned Thing, by Ambrose Bierce + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DAMNED THING *** + +***** This file should be named 23172-h.htm or 23172-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/1/7/23172/ + +Produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Damned Thing + 1898, From "In the Midst of Life" + +Author: Ambrose Bierce + +Release Date: October 24, 2007 [EBook #23172] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DAMNED THING *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + + +THE DAMNED THING + +By Ambrose Bierce + +Reprinted by permission. From "In the Midst of Life," copyright, 1898, +by G. P. Putnam's Sons + + + + +I + +By THE light of a tallow candle, which had been placed on one end of a +rough table, a man was reading something written in a book. It was an +old account book, greatly worn; and the writing was not, apparently, +very legible, for the man sometimes held the page close to the flame of +the candle to get a stronger light upon it. The shadow of the book would +then throw into obscurity a half of the room, darkening a number of +faces and figures; for besides the reader, eight other men were present. +Seven of them sat against the rough log walls, silent and motionless, +and, the room being small, not very far from the table. By extending an +arm any one of them could have touched the eighth man, who lay on the +table, face upward, partly covered by a sheet, his arms at his sides. He +was dead. + +The man with the book was not reading aloud, and no one spoke; all +seemed to be waiting for something to occur; the dead man only was +without expectation. From the blank darkness outside came in, through +the aperture that served for a window, all the ever unfamiliar noises +of night in the wilderness--the long, nameless note of a distant coyote; +the stilly pulsing thrill of tireless insects in trees; strange cries of +night birds, so different from those of the birds of day; the drone of +great blundering beetles, and all that mysterious chorus of small sounds +that seem always to have been but half heard when they have suddenly +ceased, as if conscious of an indiscretion. But nothing of all this was +noted in that company; its members were not overmuch addicted to idle +interest in matters of no practical importance; that was obvious in +every line of their rugged faces--obvious even in the dim light of the +single candle. They were evidently men of the vicinity--farmers and +woodmen. + +The person reading was a trifle different; one would have said of him +that he was of the world, worldly, albeit there was that in his +attire which attested a certain fellowship with the organisms of his +environment. His coat would hardly have passed muster in San Francisco: +his footgear was not of urban origin, and the hat that lay by him on +the floor (he was the only one uncovered) was such that if one had +considered it as an article of mere personal adornment he would have +missed its meaning. In countenance the man was rather prepossessing, +with just a hint of sternness; though that he may have assumed or +cultivated, as appropriate to one in authority. For he was a coroner. It +was by virtue of his office that he had possession of the book in which +he was reading; it had been found among the dead man's effects--in his +cabin, where the inquest was now taking place. + +When the coroner had finished reading he put the book into his breast +pocket. At that moment the door was pushed open and a young man entered. +He, clearly, was not of mountain birth and breeding: he was clad as +those who dwell in cities. His clothing was dusty, however, as from +travel. He had, in fact, been riding hard to attend the inquest. + +The coroner nodded; no one else greeted him. + +"We have waited for you," said the coroner. "It is necessary to have +done with this business to-night." + +The young man smiled. "I am sorry to have kept you," he said. "I went +away, not to evade your summons, but to post to my newspaper an account +of what I suppose I am called back to relate." + +The coroner smiled. + +"The account that you posted to your newspaper," he said, "differs +probably from that which you will give here under oath." + +"That," replied the other, rather hotly and with a visible flush, "is as +you choose. I used manifold paper and have a copy of what I sent. It was +not written as news, for it is incredible, but as fiction. It may go as +a part of my testimony under oath." + +"But you say it is incredible." + +"That is nothing to you, sir, if I also swear that it is true." + +The coroner was apparently not greatly affected by the young man's +manifest resentment. He was silent for some moments, his eyes upon the +floor. The men about the sides of the cabin talked in whispers, but +seldom withdrew their gaze from the face of the corpse. Presently the +coroner lifted his eyes and said: "We will resume the inquest." + +The men removed their hats. The witness was sworn. + +"What is your name?" the coroner asked. + +"William Harker." + +"Age?" + +"Twenty-seven." + +"You knew the deceased, Hugh Morgan?" + +"Yes." + +"You were with him when he died?" + +"Near him." + +"How did that happen--your presence, I mean?" + +"I was visiting him at this place to shoot and fish. A part of my +purpose, however, was to study him, and his odd, solitary way of life. +He seemed a good model for a character in fiction. I sometimes write +stories." + +"I sometimes read them." + +"Thank you." + +"Stories in general--not yours." + +Some of the jurors laughed. Against a sombre background humor shows high +lights. Soldiers in the intervals of battle laugh easily, and a jest in +the death chamber conquers by surprise. + +"Relate the circumstances of this man's death," said the coroner. "You +may use any notes or memoranda that you please." + +The witness understood. Pulling a manuscript from his breast pocket +he held it near the candle, and turning the leaves until he found the +passage that he wanted, began to read. + + + + +II + +"...The sun had hardly risen when we left the house. We were looking for +quail, each with a shotgun, but we had only one dog. Morgan said that +our best ground was beyond a certain ridge that he pointed out, and we +crossed it by a trail through the _chaparral_. On the other side was +comparatively level ground, thickly covered with wild oats. As we +emerged from the _chaparral_, Morgan was but a few yards in advance. +Suddenly, we heard, at a little distance to our right, and partly in +front, a noise as of some animal thrashing about in the bushes, which we +could see were violently agitated. + +"'We've started a deer,' said. 'I wish we had brought a rifle.' + +"Morgan, who had stopped and was intently watching the agitated +chaparral, said nothing, but had cocked both barrels of his gun, and was +holding it in readiness to aim. I thought him a trifle excited, which +surprised me, for he had a reputation for exceptional coolness, even in +moments of sudden and imminent peril. + +"'O, come!' I said. 'You are not going to fill up a deer with +quail-shot, are you?' + +"Still he did not reply; but, catching a sight of his face as he +turned it slightly toward me, I was struck by the pallor of it. Then I +understood that we had serious business on hand, and my first conjecture +was that we had 'jumped' a grizzly. I advanced to Morgan's side, cocking +my piece as I moved. + +"The bushes were now quiet, and the sounds had ceased, but Morgan was as +attentive to the place as before. + +"'What is it? What the devil is it?' I asked. + +"'That Damned Thing!' he replied, without turning his head. His voice +was husky and unnatural. He trembled visibly. + +"I was about to speak further, when I observed the wild oats near the +place of the disturbance moving in the most inexplicable way. I can +hardly describe it. It seemed as if stirred by a streak of wind, which +not only bent it, but pressed it down--crushed it so that it did not +rise, and this movement was slowly prolonging itself directly toward us. + +"Nothing that I had ever seen had affected me so strangely as this +unfamiliar and unaccountable phenomenon, yet I am unable to recall any +sense of fear. I remember--and tell it here because, singularly enough, +I recollected it then--that once, in looking carelessly out of an open +window, I momentarily mistook a small tree close at hand for one of a +group of larger trees at a little distance away. It looked the same size +as the others, but, being more distinctly and sharply defined in mass +and detail, seemed out of harmony with them. It was a mere falsification +of the law of aerial perspective, but it startled, almost terrified me. +We so rely upon the orderly operation of familiar natural laws that any +seeming suspension of them is noted as a menace to our safety, a warning +of unthinkable calamity. So now the apparently causeless movement of the +herbage, and the slow, undeviating approach of the line of disturbance +were distinctly disquieting. My companion appeared actually frightened, +and I could hardly credit my senses when I saw him suddenly throw his +gun to his shoulders and fire both barrels at the agitated grass! Before +the smoke of the discharge had cleared away I heard a loud savage +cry--a scream like that of a wild animal--and, flinging his gun upon the +ground, Morgan sprang away and ran swiftly from the spot. At the same +instant I was thrown violently to the ground by the impact of something +unseen in the smoke--some soft, heavy substance that seemed thrown +against me with great force. + +"Before I could get upon my feet and recover my gun, which seemed to +have been struck from my hands, I heard Morgan crying out as if in +mortal agony, and mingling with his cries were such hoarse savage sounds +as one hears from fighting dogs. Inexpressibly terrified, I struggled to +my feet and looked in the direction of Morgan's retreat; and may heaven +in mercy spare me from another sight like that! At a distance of less +than thirty yards was my friend, down upon one knee, his head thrown +back at a frightful angle, hatless, his long hair in disorder and his +whole body in violent movement from side to side, backward and forward. +His right arm was lifted and seemed to lack the hand--at least, I +could see none. The other arm was invisible. At times, as my memory +now reports this extraordinary scene, I could discern but a part of his +body; it was as if he had been partly blotted out--I can not otherwise +express it--then a shifting of his position would bring it all into view +again. + +"All this must have occurred within a few seconds, yet in that time +Morgan assumed all the postures of a determined wrestler vanquished by +superior weight and strength. I saw nothing but him, and him not always +distinctly. During the entire incident his shouts and curses were heard, +as if through an enveloping uproar of such sounds of rage and fury as I +had never heard from the throat of man or brute! + +"For a moment only I stood irresolute, then, throwing down my gun, I +ran forward to my friend's assistance. I had a vague belief that he was +suffering from a fit or some form of convulsion. Before I could reach +his side he was down and quiet. All sounds had ceased, but, with a +feeling of such terror as even these awful events had not inspired, I +now saw the same mysterious movement of the wild oats prolonging itself +from the trampled area about the prostrate man toward the edge of +a wood. It was only when it had reached the wood that I was able to +withdraw my eyes and look at my companion. He was dead." + + + + +III + +The coroner rose from his seat and stood beside the dead man. Lifting +an edge of the sheet he pulled it away, exposing the entire body, +altogether naked and showing in the candle light a clay-like yellow. It +had, however, broad maculations of bluish-black, obviously caused by +extravasated blood from contusions. The chest and sides looked as if +they had been beaten with a bludgeon. There were dreadful lacerations; +the skin was torn in strips and shreds. + +The coroner moved round to the end of the table and undid a silk +handkerchief, which had been passed under the chin and knotted on the +top of the head. When the handkerchief was drawn away it exposed what +had been the throat. Some of the jurors who had risen to get a better +view repented their curiosity, and turned away their faces. Witness +Harker went to the open window and leaned out across the sill, faint and +sick. Dropping the handkerchief upon the dead man's neck, the coroner +stepped to an angle of the room, and from a pile of clothing produced +one garment after another, each of which he held up a moment for +inspection. All were torn, and stiff with blood. The jurors did not +make a closer inspection. They seemed rather uninterested. They had, in +truth, seen all this before; the only thing that was new to them being +Harker's testimony. + +"Gentlemen," the coroner said, "we have no more evidence, I think. Your +duty has been already explained to you; if there is nothing you wish to +ask you may go outside and consider your verdict." + +The foreman rose--a tall, bearded man of sixty, coarsely clad. + +"I should like to ask one question, Mr. Coroner," he said. "What asylum +did this yer last witness escape from?" + +"Mr. Harker," said the coroner, gravely and tranquilly, "from what +asylum did you last escape?" + +Harker flushed crimson again, but said nothing, and the seven jurors +rose and solemnly filed out of the cabin. + +"If you have done insulting me, sir," said Harker, as soon as he and the +officer were left alone with the dead man, "I suppose I am at liberty to +go?" + +"Yes." + +Harker started to leave, but paused, with his hand on the door latch. +The habit of his profession was strong in him--stronger than his sense +of personal dignity. He turned about and said: + +"The book that you have there--I recognize it as Morgan's diary. You +seemed greatly interested in it; you read in it while I was testifying. +May I see it? The public would like--" + +"The book will cut no figure in this matter," replied the official, +slipping it into his coat pocket; "all the entries in it were made +before the writer's death." + +As Harker passed out of the house the jury reentered and stood about the +table on which the now covered corpse showed under the sheet with sharp +definition. The foreman seated himself near the candle, produced +from his breast pocket a pencil and scrap of paper, and wrote rather +laboriously the following verdict, which with various degrees of effort +all signed: + +"We, the jury, do find that the remains come to their death at the hands +of a mountain lion, but some of us thinks, all the same, they had fits." + + + + +IV + +In the diary of the late Hugh Morgan are certain interesting entries +having, possibly, a scientific value as suggestions. At the inquest upon +his body the book was not put in evidence; possibly the coroner thought +it not worth while to confuse the jury. The date of the first of the +entries mentioned can not be ascertained; the upper part of the leaf is +torn away; the part of the entry remaining is as follows: + +"... would run in a half circle, keeping his head turned always toward +the centre and again he would stand still, barking furiously. At last he +ran away into the brush as fast as he could go. I thought at first that +he had gone mad, but on returning to the house found no other alteration +in his manner than what was obviously due to fear of punishment. + +"Can a dog see with his nose? Do odors impress some olfactory centre +with images of the thing emitting them? . . . + +"Sept 2.--Looking at the stars last night as they rose above the +crest of the ridge east of the house, I observed them successively +disappear--from left to right. Each was eclipsed but an instant, and +only a few at the same time, but along the entire length of the ridge +all that were within a degree or two of the crest were blotted out. It +was as if something had passed along between me and them; but I could +not see it, and the stars were not thick enough to define its outline. +Ugh! I don't like this. . . ." + +Several weeks' entries are missing, three leaves being torn from the +book. + +"Sept. 27.--It has been about here again--I find evidences of its +presence every day. I watched again all of last night in the same cover, +gun in hand, double-charged with buckshot. In the morning the fresh +footprints were there, as before. Yet I would have sworn that I did not +sleep--indeed, I hardly sleep at all. It is terrible, insupportable! If +these amazing experiences are real I shall go mad; if they are fanciful +I am mad already. + +"Oct. 3.--I shall not go--it shall not drive me away. No, this is _my_ +house, my land. God hates a coward.... + +"Oct. 5.--I can stand it no longer; I have invited Harker to pass a few +weeks with me--he has a level head. I can judge from his manner if he +thinks me mad. + +"Oct. 7.--I have the solution of the problem; it came to me last +night--suddenly, as by revelation. How simple--how terribly simple! + +"There are sounds that we can not hear. At either end of the scale are +notes that stir no chord of that imperfect instrument, the human ear. +They are too high or too grave. I have observed a flock of blackbirds +occupying an entire treetop--the tops of several trees--and all in full +song. Suddenly--in a moment--at absolutely the same instant--all +spring into the air and fly away. How? They could not all see one +another--whole treetops intervened. At no point could a leader have been +visible to all. There must have been a signal of warning or command, +high and shrill above the din, but by me unheard. I have observed, +too, the same simultaneous flight when all were silent, among not only +blackbirds, but other birds--quail, for example, widely separated by +bushes--even on opposite sides of a hill. + +"It is known to seamen that a school of whales basking or sporting on +the surface of the ocean, miles apart, with the convexity of the earth +between them, will sometimes dive at the same instant--all gone out of +sight in a moment. The signal has been sounded--too grave for the ear +of the sailor at the masthead and his comrades on the deck--who +nevertheless feel its vibrations in the ship as the stones of a +cathedral are stirred by the bass of the organ. + +"As with sounds, so with colors. At each end of the solar spectrum the +chemist can detect the presence of what are known as 'actinic' +rays. They represent colors--integral colors in the composition of +light--which we are unable to discern. The human eye is an imperfect +instrument; its range is but a few octaves of the real 'chromatic scale' +I am not mad; there are colors that we can not see. + +"And, God help me! the Damned Thing is of such a color!" + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Damned Thing, by Ambrose Bierce + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DAMNED THING *** + +***** This file should be named 23172.txt or 23172.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/1/7/23172/ + +Produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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