The best short stories of 1919, and the yearbook of the American short story
General
The best short stories of 1919, and the yearbook of the American short story
American fiction -- 20th century; Short stories -- 20th century -- Bibliography; Short stories -- 20th century -- Indexes; Short stories, American
So Tiburce told him of yet more curious matters. Now the augmenting
mists had shut off all the rest of the world. Florian could see only
vague, rolling graynesses and a gray and changed Tiburce sitting there,
with bright, wild eyes, and discoursing in a small chill voice. The
appearance of a woman came, and sat beside him on the right. She, too,
was gray, as became Eve's senior; and she made a sign which Florian
remembered, and it troubled him. Tiburce said then:
"And now, young Florian, you who were once so dear to me, it is to your
welfare I drink."
"I drink to yours, Tiburce."
Tiburce drank first; and Florian, having drunk in turn, cried out: "You
have changed beyond recognition!"
"You have not changed," Tiburce d'Arnaye replied again. "Now let me tell
you of our pastimes yonder."
With that he talked of exceedingly curious matters. And Florian began to
grow dissatisfied, for Tiburce was no longer recognizable, and Tiburce
whispered things uncomfortable to believe; and other eyes, as wild as
his, but lit with red flarings from behind, like a beast's eyes, showed
in the mists to this side and to that side, and unhappy beings were
passing through the mists upon secret errands which they discharged
unwillingly. Then, too, the appearance of a gray man now sat to the left
of that which had been Tiburce d'Arnaye, and this new-comer was marked
so that all might know who he was; and Florian's heart was troubled to
note how handsome and how admirable was that desecrated face even now.
"But I must go," said Florian, "lest they miss me at Storisende and
Adelaide be worried."
"Surely it will not take long to toss off a third cup. Nay, comrade, who
were once so dear, let us two now drink our last toast together. Then
go, in Sclaug's name, and celebrate your marriage. But before that let
us drink to the continuance of human mirth-making everywhere."
Florian drank first. Then Tiburce took his turn, looking at Florian as
Tiburce drank slowly. As he drank, Tiburce d'Arnaye was changed even
more, and the shape of him altered, and the shape of him trickled as
though Tiburce were builded of sliding fine white sand. So Tiburce
d'Arnaye returned to his own place. The appearances that had sat to his
left and to his right were no longer there to trouble Florian with
memories. And Florian saw that the mists of Walburga's eve had departed,
and that the sun was rising, and that the graveyard was all overgrown
with nettles and tall grass.
He had not remembered the place being thus, and it seemed to him the
night had passed with unnatural quickness. But he thought more of the
fact that he had been beguiled into spending his wedding-night in a
graveyard in such questionable company, and of what explanation he could
make to Adelaide.
II. OF YOUNG PERSONS IN MAY
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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