The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce, Volume 02: In the Midst of Life: Tales of Soldiers and CiviliansBierce, Ambrose
History
The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce, Volume 02: In the Midst of Life: Tales of Soldiers and Civilians
Bierce, Ambrose
Horror tales, American; Paranormal fiction; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Fiction; War stories, American
"I'm not particular. I should suppose that four o'clock this afternoon
would be early enough."
"I'll meet you at the boat," said Harper.
Seven years afterward these two men sat upon a bench in Madison Square,
New York, in familiar conversation. Another man, who had been observing
them for some time, himself unobserved, approached and, courteously
lifting his hat from locks as white as frost, said: "I beg your pardon,
gentlemen, but when you have killed a man by coming to life, it is best
to change clothes with him, and at the first opportunity make a break
for liberty."
Helberson and Harper exchanged significant glances. They were obviously
amused. The former then looked the stranger kindly in the eye and
replied:
"That has always been my plan. I entirely agree with you as to its
advant--"
He stopped suddenly, rose and went white. He stared at the man,
open-mouthed; he trembled visibly.
"Ah!" said the stranger, "I see that you are indisposed, Doctor. If you
cannot treat yourself Dr. Harper can do something for you, I am sure."
"Who the devil are you?" said Harper, bluntly.
The stranger came nearer and, bending toward them, said in a whisper: "I
call myself Jarette sometimes, but I don't mind telling you, for old
friendship, that I am Dr. William Mancher."
The revelation brought Harper to his feet. "Mancher!" he cried; and
Helberson added: "It is true, by God!"
"Yes," said the stranger, smiling vaguely, "it is true enough, no
doubt."
He hesitated and seemed to be trying to recall something, then began
humming a popular air. He had apparently forgotten their presence.
"Look here, Mancher," said the elder of the two, "tell us just what
occurred that night--to Jarette, you know."
"Oh, yes, about Jarette," said the other. "It's odd I should have
neglected to tell you--I tell it so often. You see I knew, by
over-hearing him talking to himself, that he was pretty badly
frightened. So I couldn't resist the temptation to come to life and have
a bit of fun out of him--I couldn't really. That was all right, though
certainly I did not think he would take it so seriously; I did not,
truly. And afterward--well, it was a tough job changing places with him,
and then--damn you! you didn't let me out!"
Nothing could exceed the ferocity with which these last words were
delivered. Both men stepped back in alarm.
"We?--why--why," Helberson stammered, losing his self-possession
utterly, "we had nothing to do with it."
"Didn't I say you were Drs. Hell-born and Sharper?" inquired the man,
laughing.
"My name is Helberson, yes; and this gentleman is Mr. Harper," replied
the former, reassured by the laugh. "But we are not physicians now; we
are--well, hang it, old man, we are gamblers."
And that was the truth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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