The Parenticide Club - Ambrose Bierce

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erce

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tle: The Parenticide Club

thor: Ambrose Bierce

sting Date: May 13, 2009 [EBook #3715]

lease Date: February, 2003

nguage: English

* START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PARENTICIDE CLUB ***

oduced by Paul J. Hollander. HTML version by Al Haines.

THE PARENTICIDE CLUB



by



Ambrose Bierce



CONTENTS

y Favorite Murder

l of Dog

n Imperfect Conflagration

he Hypnotist

MY FAVORITE MURDER

Having murdered my mother under circumstances of singular atrocity, I w

ested and put upon my trial, which lasted seven years. In charging the jur

e judge of the Court of Acquittal remarked that it was one of the most ghast

mes that he had ever been called upon to explain away.

At this, my attorney rose and said:

"May it please your Honor, crimes are ghastly or agreeable only mparison. If you were familiar with the details of my client's previous murd

his uncle you would discern in his later offense (if offense it may be calle

mething in the nature of tender forbearance and filial consideration for t

elings of the victim. The appalling ferocity of the former assassination w

deed inconsistent with any hypothesis but that of guilt; and had it not been f

e fact that the honorable judge before whom he was tried was the presidea life insurance company that took risks on hanging, and in which my clie



ld a policy, it is hard to see how he could decently have been acquitted.

ur Honor would like to hear about it for instruction and guidance of yo

onor's mind, this unfortunate man, my client, will consent to give himself t

in of relating it under oath."

The district attorney said: "Your Honor, I object. Such a statement would

the nature of evidence, and the testimony in this case is closed. The prisonetement should have been introduced three years ago, in the spring of 1881

"In a statutory sense," said the judge, "you are right, and in the Court

bjections and Technicalities you would get a ruling in your favor. But not in

ourt of Acquittal. The objection is overruled."

"I except," said the district attorney.

"You cannot do that," the judge said. "I must remind you that in order

ke an exception you must first get this case transferred for a time to the Cou

Exceptions on a formal motion duly supported by affidavits. A motion to th

fect by your predecessor in office was denied by me during the first year s trial. Mr. Clerk, swear the prisoner."

The customary oath having been administered, I made the followi

tement, which impressed the judge with so strong a sense of the comparati

viality of the offense for which I was on trial that he made no further sear

r mitigating circumstances, but simply instructed the jury to acquit, and I l

e court, without a stain upon my reputation:

"I was born in 1856 in Kalamakee, Mich., of honest and reputable paren

e of whom Heaven has mercifully spared to comfort me in my later years.

67 the family came to California and settled near Nigger Head, where m

her opened a road agency and prospered beyond the dreams of avarice. H

as a reticent, saturnine man then, though his increasing years have nomewhat relaxed the austerity of his disposition, and I believe that nothing b



memory of the sad event for which I am now on trial prevents him fro

anifesting a genuine hilarity.

"Four years after we had set up the road agency an itinerant preacher cam

ong, and having no other way to pay for the night's lodging that we gave him

vored us with an exhortation of such power that, praise God, we were

nverted to religion. My father at once sent for his brother, the Hon. Williadley of Stockton, and on his arrival turned over the agency to him, chargi

m nothing for the franchise nor plant—the latter consisting of a Winchest

e, a sawed-off shotgun, and an assortment of masks made out of flour sack

he family then moved to Ghost Rock and opened a dance house. It was call

he Saints' Rest Hurdy-Gurdy,' and the proceedings each night began w

ayer. It was there that my now sainted mother, by her grace in the dancquired the sobriquet of 'The Bucking Walrus.'

"In the fall of '75 I had occasion to visit Coyote, on the road to Mahala, a

ok the stage at Ghost Rock. There were four other passengers. About thr

les beyond Nigger Head, persons whom I identified as my Uncle William an

two sons held up the stage. Finding nothing in the express box, they weough the passengers. I acted a most honorable part in the affair, placi

yself in line with the others, holding up my hands and permitting myself to

prived of forty dollars and a gold watch. From my behavior no one cou

ve suspected that I knew the gentlemen who gave the entertainment. A fe

ys later, when I went to Nigger Head and asked for the return of my mon

d watch my uncle and cousins swore they knew nothing of the matter, aney affected a belief that my father and I had done the job ourselves

honest violation of commercial good faith. Uncle William even threatened

aliate by starting an opposition dance house at Ghost Rock. As 'The Sain

st' had become rather unpopular, I saw that this would assuredly ruin it an

ove a paying enterprise, so I told my uncle that I was willing to overlook t

st if he would take me into the scheme and keep the partnership a secrm my father. This fair offer he rejected, and I then perceived that it would b



tter and more satisfactory if he were dead.

"My plans to that end were soon perfected, and communicating them to m

ar parents I had the gratification of receiving their approval. My father said

as proud of me, and my mother promised that although her religion forba

r to assist in taking human life I should have the advantage of her prayers f

y success. As a preliminary measure looking to my security in case tection I made an application for membership in that powerful order, th

nights of Murder, and in due course was received as a member of the Gho

ock commandery. On the day that my probation ended I was for the first tim

rmitted to inspect the records of the order and learn who belonged to it—

e rites of initiation having been conducted in masks. Fancy my delight when,

oking over the roll of membership, I found the third name to be that of mcle, who indeed was junior vice-chancellor of the order! Here was

portunity exceeding my wildest dreams—to murder I could a

ubordination and treachery. It was what my good mother would have call

special Providence.'

"At about this time something occurred which caused my cup of joy, alreal, to overflow on all sides, a circular cataract of bliss. Three men, strangers

at locality, were arrested for the stage robbery in which I had lost my mon

d watch. They were brought to trial and, despite my efforts to clear them a

ten the guilt upon three of the most respectable and worthy citizens of Gho

ock, convicted on the clearest proof. The murder would now be as want

d reasonless as I could wish.

"One morning I shouldered my Winchester rifle, and going over to m

cle's house, near Nigger Head, asked my Aunt Mary, his wife, if he were

me, adding that I had come to kill him. My aunt replied with her pecul

mile that so many gentlemen called on that errand and were afterward carri

way without having performed it that I must excuse her for doubting my gooth in the matter. She said I did not look as if I would kill anybody, so, as



oof of good faith I leveled my rifle and wounded a Chinaman who happen

be passing the house. She said she knew whole families that could do a thi

that kind, but Bill Ridley was a horse of another color. She said, howeve

at I would find him over on the other side of the creek in the sheep lot; an

e added that she hoped the best man would win.

"My Aunt Mary was one of the most fair-minded women that I have evet.

"I found my uncle down on his knees engaged in skinning a sheep. Seei

at he had neither gun nor pistol handy I had not the heart to shoot him, so

proached him, greeted him pleasantly and struck him a powerful blow on t

ad with the butt of my rifle. I have a very good delivery and Uncle William lwn on his side, then rolled over on his back, spread out his fingers an

vered. Before he could recover the use of his limbs I seized the knife that

d been using and cut his hamstrings. You know, doubtless, that when yo

ver the tendo Achillis the patient has no further use of his leg; it is just t

me as if he had no leg. Well, I parted them both, and when he revived he w

my service. As soon as he comprehended the situation, he said:

"'Samuel, you have got the drop on me and can afford to be generous

ve only one thing to ask of you, and that is that you carry me to the hou

d finish me in the bosom of my family.'

"I told him I thought that a pretty reasonable request and I would do so if ould let me put him into a wheat sack; he would be easier to carry that w

d if we were seen by the neighbors en route it would cause less remark. H

reed to that, and going to the barn I got a sack. This, however, did not

m; it was too short and much wider than he; so I bent his legs, forced h

ees up against his breast and got him into it that way, tying the sack above h

ad. He was a heavy man and I had all that I could do to get him on my bact I staggered along for some distance until I came to a swing that some of t



ildren had suspended to the branch of an oak. Here I laid him down and s

on him to rest, and the sight of the rope gave me a happy inspiration.

enty minutes my uncle, still in the sack, swung free to the sport of the wind.

"I had taken down the rope, tied one end tightly about the mouth of the ba

own the other across the limb and hauled him up about five feet from t

ound. Fastening the other end of the rope also about the mouth of the sackd the satisfaction to see my uncle converted into a large, fine pendulum

ust add that he was not himself entirely aware of the nature of the change th

had undergone in his relation to the exterior world, though in justice to

od man's memory I ought to say that I do not think he would in any ca

ve wasted much of my time in vain remonstrance.

"Uncle William had a ram that was famous in all that region as a fighter.

as in a state of chronic constitutional indignation. Some deep disappointme

early life had soured its disposition and it had declared war upon the who

orld. To say that it would butt anything accessible is but faintly to express th

ture and scope of its military activity: the universe was its antagonist;

ethods that of a projectile. It fought like the angels and devils, in mid-aaving the atmosphere like a bird, describing a parabolic curve a

scending upon its victim at just the exact angle of incidence to make the mo

its velocity and weight. Its momentum, calculated in foot-tons, was somethi

credible. It had been seen to destroy a four year old bull by a single impa

on that animal's gnarly forehead. No stone wall had ever been known

ist its downward swoop; there were no trees tough enough to stay it;ould splinter them into matchwood and defile their leafy honors in the du

his irascible and implacable brute—this incarnate thunderbolt—this monster

e upper deep, I had seen reposing in the shade of an adjacent tree, dreami

eams of conquest and glory. It was with a view to summoning it forth to t

ld of honor that I suspended its master in the manner described.

"Having completed my preparations, I imparted to the avuncular pendulum



ntle oscillation, and retiring to cover behind a contiguous rock, lifted up m

ice in a long rasping cry whose diminishing final note was drowned in a noi

e that of a swearing cat, which emanated from the sack. Instantly th

rmidable sheep was upon its feet and had taken in the military situation a

ance. In a few moments it had approached, stamping, to within fifty yards

e swinging foeman, who, now retreating and anon advancing, seemed to inv

e fray. Suddenly I saw the beast's head drop earthward as if depressed b

e weight of its enormous horns; then a dim, white, wavy streak of she

olonged itself from that spot in a generally horizontal direction to within abo

ur yards of a point immediately beneath the enemy. There it struck sharp

ward, and before it had faded from my gaze at the place whence it had s

t I heard a horrid thump and a piercing scream, and my poor uncle sh

rward, with a slack rope higher than the limb to which he was attached. He

e rope tautened with a jerk, arresting his flight, and back he swung in

eathless curve to the other end of his arc. The ram had fallen, a heap

distinguishable legs, wool and horns, but pulling itself together and dodging

antagonist swept downward it retired at random, alternately shaking its he

d stamping its fore-feet. When it had backed about the same distance as th

m which it had delivered the assault it paused again, bowed its head as if

ayer for victory and again shot forward, dimly visible as before—a prolongi

hite streak with monstrous undulations, ending with a sharp ascension.

urse this time was at a right angle to its former one, and its impatience

eat that it struck the enemy before he had nearly reached the lowest point

arc. In consequence he went flying round and round in a horizontal circ

hose radius was about equal to half the length of the rope, which I forgot

y was nearly twenty feet long. His shrieks, crescendo in approach a

minuendo in recession, made the rapidity of his revolution more obvious

e ear than to the eye. He had evidently not yet been struck in a vital spot. H

sture in the sack and the distance from the ground at which he hu

mpelled the ram to operate upon his lower extremities and the end of h

ck. Like a plant that has struck its root into some poisonous mineral, m

or uncle was d in slowl u ward.



"After delivering its second blow the ram had not again retired. The fever

ttle burned hot in its heart; its brain was intoxicated with the wine of stri

ke a pugilist who in his rage forgets his skill and fights ineffectively at ha

m's length, the angry beast endeavored to reach its fleeting foe by awkwa

rtical leaps as he passed overhead, sometimes, indeed, succeeding in striki

m feebly, but more frequently overthrown by its own misguided eagerne

ut as the impetus was exhausted and the man's circles narrowed in scope a

minished in speed, bringing him nearer to the ground, these tactics produc

tter results, eliciting a superior quality of screams, which I greatly enjoyed.

"Suddenly, as if the bugles had sung truce, the ram suspended hostilities an

alked away, thoughtfully wrinkling and smoothing its great aquiline nose, ancasionally cropping a bunch of grass and slowly munching it. It seemed

ve tired of war's alarms and resolved to beat the sword into a plowshare a

ltivate the arts of peace. Steadily it held its course away from the field of fam

til it had gained a distance of nearly a quarter of a mile. There it stopped an

od with its rear to the foe, chewing its cud and apparently half asleep

served, however, an occasional slight turn of its head, as if its apathy weore affected than real.

"Meantime Uncle William's shrieks had abated with his motion, and nothin

as heard from him but long, low moans, and at long intervals my nam

ered in pleading tones exceedingly grateful to my ear. Evidently the man h

t the faintest notion of what was being done to him, and was inexpressibrified. When Death comes cloaked in mystery he is terrible indeed. Little

le my uncle's oscillations diminished, and finally he hung motionless. I went

m and was about to give him the coup de grace, when I heard and felt

ccession of smart shocks which shook the ground like a series of lig

rthquakes, and turning in the direction of the ram, saw a long cloud of du

proaching me with inconceivable rapidity and alarming effect! At a distansome thirty yards away it stopped short, and from the near end of it rose in



e air what I at first thought a great white bird. Its ascent was so smooth a

sy and regular that I could not realize its extraordinary celerity, and was lo

admiration of its grace. To this day the impression remains that it was a slow

liberate movement, the ram—for it was that animal—being upborne by som

wer other than its own impetus, and supported through the successive stag

its flight with infinite tenderness and care. My eyes followed its progre

ough the air with unspeakable pleasure, all the greater by contrast with m

rmer terror of its approach by land. Onward and upward the noble anim

led, its head bent down almost between its knees, its fore-feet thrown bac

hinder legs trailing to rear like the legs of a soaring heron.

"At a height of forty or fifty feet, as fond recollection presents it to view,

ained its zenith and appeared to remain an instant stationary; then, tiltiddenly forward without altering the relative position of its parts, it sh

wnward on a steeper and steeper course with augmenting velocity, pass

mediately above me with a noise like the rush of a cannon shot and struck m

or uncle almost squarely on the top of the head! So frightful was the impa

at not only the man's neck was broken, but the rope too; and the body of t

ceased, forced against the earth, was crushed to pulp beneath the awful frothat meteoric sheep! The concussion stopped all the clocks between Lo

and and Dutch Dan's, and Professor Davidson, a distinguished authority

atters seismic, who happened to be in the vicinity, promptly explained that th

brations were from north to southwest.

"Altogether, I cannot help thinking that in point of artistic atrocity my murdUncle William has seldom been excelled."



OIL OF DOG

My name is Boffer Bings. I was born of honest parents in one of the humb

alks of life, my father being a manufacturer of dog-oil and my mother having

mall studio in the shadow of the village church, where she disposed

welcome babes. In my boyhood I was trained to habits of industry; I not on

sisted my father in procuring dogs for his vats, but was frequently employ

my mother to carry away the debris of her work in the studio.

rformance of this duty I sometimes had need of all my natural intelligence f

the law officers of the vicinity were opposed to my mother's business. Th

ere not elected on an opposition ticket, and the matter had never been ma

political issue; it just happened so. My father's business of making dog-

as, naturally, less unpopular, though the owners of missing dogs sometim

garded him with suspicion, which was reflected, to some extent, upon m

y father had, as silent partners, all the physicians of the town, who seldo

ote a prescription which did not contain what they were pleased to designa

Ol. can. It is really the most valuable medicine ever discovered. But mo

rsons are unwilling to make personal sacrifices for the afflicted, and it w

ident that many of the fattest dogs in town had been forbidden to play w

e—a fact which pained my young sensibilities, and at one time came ne

ving me to become a pirate.

Looking back upon those days, I cannot but regret, at times, that

directly bringing my beloved parents to their death I was the author sfortunes profoundly affecting my future.

One evening while passing my father's oil factory with the body of

undling from my mother's studio I saw a constable who seemed to be close

atching my movements. Young as I was, I had learned that a constable's act

whatever apparent character, are prompted by the most reprehensibotives, and I avoided him by dodging into the oilery by a side door whi



ppened to stand ajar. I locked it at once and was alone with my dead. M

her had retired for the night. The only light in the place came from t

rnace, which glowed a deep, rich crimson under one of the vats, casti

ddy reflections on the walls. Within the cauldron the oil still rolled in indole

ullition, occasionally pushing to the surface a piece of dog. Seating myself

ait for the constable to go away, I held the naked body of the foundling in m

p and tenderly stroked its short, silken hair. Ah, how beautiful it was! Even

at early age I was passionately fond of children, and as I looked upon th

erub I could almost find it in my heart to wish that the small, red wound up

breast—the work of my dear mother—had not been mortal.

It had been my custom to throw the babes into the river which nature h

oughtfully provided for the purpose, but that night I did not dare to leave tery for fear of the constable. "After all," I said to myself, "it cannot grea

atter if I put it into this cauldron. My father will never know the bones fro

ose of a puppy, and the few deaths which may result from administerin

other kind of oil for the incomparable ol. can. are not important in

pulation which increases so rapidly." In short, I took the first step in crim

d brought myself untold sorrow by casting the babe into the cauldron.

The next day, somewhat to my surprise, my father, rubbing his hands wi

isfaction, informed me and my mother that he had obtained the finest qual

oil that was ever seen; that the physicians to whom he had shown samp

d so pronounced it. He added that he had no knowledge as to how the resu

as obtained; the dogs had been treated in all respects as usual, and were of dinary breed. I deemed it my duty to explain—which I did, though palsi

ould have been my tongue if I could have foreseen the consequenc

wailing their previous ignorance of the advantages of combining th

dustries, my parents at once took measures to repair the error. My moth

moved her studio to a wing of the factory building and my duties

nnection with the business ceased; I was no longer required to dispose of tdies of the small superfluous, and there was no need of alluring dogs to th



om, for my father discarded them altogether, though they still had

norable place in the name of the oil. So suddenly thrown into idleness, I mig

turally have been expected to become vicious and dissolute, but I did n

e holy influence of my dear mother was ever about me to protect me fro

e temptations which beset youth, and my father was a deacon in a churc

as, that through my fault these estimable persons should have come to so b

end!

Finding a double profit in her business, my mother now devoted herself to

th a new assiduity. She removed not only superfluous and unwelcome bab

order, but went out into the highways and byways, gathering in children of

ger growth, and even such adults as she could entice to the oilery. My fathe

o, enamored of the superior quality of oil produced, purveyed for his vath diligence and zeal. The conversion of their neighbors into dog-oil becam

short, the one passion of their lives—an absorbing and overwhelming gre

ok possession of their souls and served them in place of a hope in Heaven—

which, also, they were inspired.

So enterprising had they now become that a public meeting was held anolutions passed severely censuring them. It was intimated by the chairm

at any further raids upon the population would be met in a spirit of hostili

y poor parents left the meeting broken-hearted, desperate and, I believe, n

ogether sane. Anyhow, I deemed it prudent not to enter the oilery with the

at night, but slept outside in a stable.

At about midnight some mysterious impulse caused me to rise and pe

ough a window into the furnace-room, where I knew my father now sle

e fires were burning as brightly as if the following day's harvest had be

pected to be abundant. One of the large cauldrons was slowly "wallopin

th a mysterious appearance of self-restraint, as if it bided its time to put fo

full energy. My father was not in bed; he had risen in his night clothes anas preparing a noose in a strong cord. From the looks which he cast at t



or of my mother's bedroom I knew too well the purpose that he had in min

eechless and motionless with terror, I could do nothing in prevention

arning. Suddenly the door of my mother's apartment was opened, noiselessl

d the two confronted each other, both apparently surprised. The lady, als

as in her night clothes, and she held in her right hand the tool of her trade

ng, narrow-bladed dagger.

She, too, had been unable to deny herself the last profit which the unfriend

tion of the citizens and my absence had left her. For one instant they look

o each other's blazing eyes and then sprang together with indescribable fur

ound and round, the room they struggled, the man cursing, the wom

rieking, both fighting like demons—she to strike him with the dagger, he

angle her with his great bare hands. I know not how long I had thappiness to observe this disagreeable instance of domestic infelicity, but

t, after a more than usually vigorous struggle, the combatants sudden

oved apart.

My father's breast and my mother's weapon showed evidences of conta

r another instant they glared at each other in the most unamiable way; thy poor, wounded father, feeling the hand of death upon him, leaped forwar

mindful of resistance, grasped my dear mother in his arms, dragged her to t

e of the boiling cauldron, collected all his failing energies, and sprang in w

r! In a moment, both had disappeared and were adding their oil to that of t

mmittee of citizens who had called the day before with an invitation to t

blic meeting.

Convinced that these unhappy events closed to me every avenue to

norable career in that town, I removed to the famous city of Otumwe

here these memoirs are written with a heart full of remorse for a heedless a

tailing so dismal a commercial disaster.



AN IMPERFECT CONFLAGRATION

Early one June morning in 1872 I murdered my father—an act which ma

deep impression on me at the time. This was before my marriage, while I w

ing with my parents in Wisconsin. My father and I were in the library of o

me, dividing the proceeds of a burglary which we had committed that nig

hese consisted of household goods mostly, and the task of equitable divisi

as difficult. We got on very well with the napkins, towels and such things, ane silverware was parted pretty nearly equally, but you can see for yours

at when you try to divide a single music-box by two without a remainder y

ll have trouble. It was that music-box which brought disaster and disgra

on our family. If we had left it my poor father might now be alive.

It was a most exquisite and beautiful piece of workmanship—inlaid w

stly woods and carven very curiously. It would not only play a great varie

tunes, but would whistle like a quail, bark like a dog, crow every morning

ylight whether it was wound up or not, and break the Ten Commandments

as this last mentioned accomplishment that won my father's heart and caus

m to commit the only dishonorable act of his life, though possibly he wou

ve committed more if he had been spared: he tried to conceal that music-b

m me, and declared upon his honor that he had not taken it, though I kno

ry well that, so far as he was concerned, the burglary had been undertak

iefly for the purpose of obtaining it.

My father had the music-box hidden under his cloak; we had worn cloa

way of disguise. He had solemnly assured me that he did not take it. I kne

at he did, and knew something of which he was evidently ignorant; nameat the box would crow at daylight and betray him if I could prolong t



vision of profits till that time. All occurred as I wished: as the gaslight began

le in the library and the shape of the windows was seen dimly behind t

rtains, a long cock-a-doodle-doo came from beneath the old gentlema

oak, followed by a few bars of an aria fromTannhauser , ending with a lo

ck. A small hand-axe, which we had used to break into the unlucky hous

y between us on the table; I picked it up. The old man seeing that furth

ncealment was useless took the box from under his cloak and set it on t

ble. "Cut it in two if you prefer that plan," said he; "I tried to save it fro

struction."

He was a passionate lover of music and could himself play the concerti

th expression and feeling.

I said: "I do not question the purity of your motive: it would

esumptuous of me to sit in judgment on my father. But business is busine

d with this axe I am going to effect a dissolution of our partnership unless y

ll consent in all future burglaries to wear a bell-punch."

"No," he said, after some reflection, "no, I could not do that; it would loe a confession of dishonesty. People would say that you distrusted me."

I could not help admiring his spirit and sensitiveness; for a moment I w

oud of him and disposed to overlook his fault, but a glance at the rich

weled music-box decided me, and, as I said, I removed the old man from th

le of tears. Having done so, I was a trifle uneasy. Not only was he my faththe author of my being—but the body would be certainly discovered. It w

w broad daylight and my mother was likely to enter the library at a

oment. Under the circumstances, I thought it expedient to remove her als

hich I did. Then I paid off all the servants and discharged them.

That afternoon I went to the chief of police, told him what I had done an

ked his advice. It would be very painful to me if the facts became public

own. M conduct would be enerall condemned; the news a ers wou



ng it up against me if ever I should run for office. The chief saw the force

ese considerations; he was himself an assassin of wide experience. Aft

nsulting with the presiding judge of the Court of Variable Jurisdiction h

vised me to conceal the bodies in one of the bookcases, get a hea

urance on the house and burn it down. This I proceeded to do.

In the library was a book-case which my father had recently purchased

me cranky inventor and had not filled. It was in shape and size something li

e old-fashioned "ward-robes" which one sees in bed-rooms without close

t opened all the way down, like a woman's night-dress. It had glass doors

d recently laid out my parents and they were now rigid enough to stand ere

I stood them in this book-case, from which I had removed the shelves

cked them in and tacked some curtains over the glass doors. The inspect

m the insurance office passed a half-dozen times before the case witho

spicion.

That night, after getting my policy, I set fire to the house and started throug

e woods to town, two miles away, where I managed to be found about th

me the excitement was at its height. With cries of apprehension for the fate y parents, I joined the rush and arrived at the fire some two hours after I h

ndled it. The whole town was there as I dashed up. The house was entire

nsumed, but in one end of the level bed of glowing embers, bolt upright a

injured, was that book-case! The curtains had burned away, exposing t

ass-doors, through which the fierce, red light illuminated the interior. The

od my dear father "in his habit as he lived," and at his side the partner of hys and sorrows. Not a hair of them was singed, their clothing was intact. O

eir heads and throats the injuries which in the accomplishment of my design

d been compelled to inflict were conspicuous. As in the presence of

racle, the people were silent; awe and terror had stilled every tongue. I w

yself greatly affected.

Some three years later, when the events herein related had nearly fad



m my memory, I went to New York to assist in passing some counterfe

nited States bonds. Carelessly looking into a furniture store one day, I sa

e exact counterpart of that book-case. "I bought it for a trifle from a reform

ventor," the dealer explained. "He said it was fireproof, the pores of the wo

ing filled with alum under hydraulic pressure and the glass made of asbesto

on't suppose it is really fireproof—you can have it at the price of an ordina

ok-case."

"No," I said, "if you cannot warrant it fireproof I won't take it"—and I ba

m good morning.

I would not have had it at any price: it revived memories that we

ceedingly disagreeable.

THE HYPNOTIST

By those of my friends who happen to know that I sometimes amuse mys

th hypnotism, mind reading and kindred phenomena, I am frequently asked

ave a clear conception of the nature of whatever principle underlies them. T

s question I always reply that I neither have nor desire to have. I am nvestigator with an ear at the key-hole of Nature's workshop, trying with vulg

riosity to steal the secrets of her trade. The interests of science are as little

e as mine seem to have been to science.

Doubtless the phenomena in question are simple enough, and in no w

nscend our powers of comprehension if only we could find the clew; but fy part I prefer not to find it, for I am of a singularly romantic dispositio



riving more gratification from mystery than from knowledge. It w

mmonly remarked of me when I was a child that my big blue eyes appear

have been made rather to look into than look out of—such was th

eamful beauty, and in my frequent periods of abstraction, their indifference

hat was going on. In those peculiarities they resembled, I venture to think, t

ul which lies behind them, always more intent upon some lovely concepti

hich it has created in its own image than concerned about the laws of natu

d the material frame of things. All this, irrelevant and egotistic as it may seem

related by way of accounting for the meagreness of the light that I am able

ow upon a subject that has engaged so much of my attention, and concerni

hich there is so keen and general a curiosity. With my powers an

portunities, another person might doubtless have an explanation for much

hat I present simply as narrative.

My first knowledge that I possessed unusual powers came to me in m

urteenth year, when at school. Happening one day to have forgotten to brin

y noon-day luncheon, I gazed longingly at that of a small girl who w

eparing to eat hers. Looking up, her eyes met mine and she seemed unable

thdraw them. After a moment of hesitancy she came forward in an absend of way and without a word surrendered her little basket with its tempti

ntents and walked away. Inexpressibly pleased, I relieved my hunger an

stroyed the basket. After that I had not the trouble to bring a luncheon f

yself: that little girl was my daily purveyor; and not infrequently in satisfying m

mple need from her frugal store I combined pleasure and profit

nstraining her attendance at the feast and making misleading proffer of tands, which eventually I consumed to the last fragment. The girl was alwa

rsuaded that she had eaten all herself; and later in the day her tear

mplaints of hunger surprised the teacher, entertained the pupils, earned f

r the sobriquet of Greedy-Gut and filled me with a peace past understandin

A disagreeable feature of this otherwise satisfactory condition of things we necessary secrecy: the transfer of the luncheon, for example, had to



ade at some distance from the madding crowd, in a wood; and I blush

nk of the many other unworthy subterfuges entailed by the situation. As I w

nd am) naturally of a frank and open disposition, these became more an

ore irksome, and but for the reluctance of my parents to renounce the obvio

vantages of the new regime I would gladly have reverted to the old. The pl

at I finally adopted to free myself from the consequences of my own powe

cited a wide and keen interest at the time, and that part of it which consist

the death of the girl was severely condemned, but it is hardly pertinent to t

ope of this narrative.

For some years afterward I had little opportunity to practice hypnotism

ch small essays as I made at it were commonly barren of other recogniti

an solitary confinement on a bread-and-water diet; sometimes, indeed, thcited nothing better than the cat-o'-nine-tails. It was when I was about

ave the scene of these small disappointments that my one really important fe

as performed.

I had been called into the warden's office and given a suit of civilia

othing, a trifling sum of money and a great deal of advice, which I am bouconfess was of a much better quality than the clothing. As I was passing o

the gate into the light of freedom I suddenly turned and looking the ward

avely in the eye, soon had him in control.

"You are an ostrich," I said.

At the post-mortem examination the stomach was found to contain a gre

antity of indigestible articles mostly of wood or metal. Stuck fast in t

ophagus and constituting, according to the Coroner's jury, the immedia

use of death, one door-knob.

I was by nature a good and affectionate son, but as I took my way into t

eat world from which I had been so long secluded I could not he

memberin that all m misfortunes had flowed like a stream from the ni a



onomy of my parents in the matter of school luncheons; and I knew of

ason to think they had reformed.

On the road between Succotash Hill and South Asphyxia is a little open fie

hich once contained a shanty known as Pete Gilstrap's Place, where th

ntleman used to murder travelers for a living. The death of Mr. Gilstrap an

e diversion of nearly all the travel to another road occurred so nearly at t

me time that no one has ever been able to say which was cause and whi

fect. Anyhow, the field was now a desolation and the Place had long be

rned. It was while going afoot to South Asphyxia, the home of my childhoo

at I found both my parents on their way to the Hill. They had hitched th

am and were eating luncheon under an oak tree in the center of the field. T

ht of the luncheon called up painful memories of my school days and rous

e sleeping lion in my breast. Approaching the guilty couple, who at on

cognized me, I ventured to suggest that I share their hospitality.

"Of this cheer, my son," said the author of my being, with characteris

mposity, which age had not withered, "there is sufficient for but two. I a

t, I hope, insensible to the hunger-light in your eyes, but—"

My father has never completed that sentence; what he mistook for hunge

ht was simply the earnest gaze of the hypnotist. In a few seconds he was

y service. A few more sufficed for the lady, and the dictates of a ju

entment could be carried into effect. "My former father," I said, "I presum

at it is known to you that you and this lady are no longer what you were?"

"I have observed a certain subtle change," was the rather dubious reply

e old gentleman; "it is perhaps attributable to age."

"It is more than that," I explained; "it goes to character—to species. Yo

d the lady here are, in truth, two broncos—wild stallions both, a

friendly."



"Why, John," exclaimed my dear mother, "you don't mean to say that I a

"

"Madam," I replied, solemnly, fixing my eyes again upon hers, "you are."

Scarcely had the words fallen from my lips when she dropped upon h

nds and knees, and backing up to the old man squealed like a demon alivered a vicious kick upon his shin! An instant later he was himself down o

-fours, headed away from her and flinging his feet at her simultaneously a

ccessively. With equal earnestness but inferior agility, because of h

mpering body-gear, she plied her own. Their flying legs crossed and mingl

the most bewildering way; their feet sometimes meeting squarely in mida

eir bodies thrust forward, falling flat upon the ground and for a momelpless. On recovering themselves they would resume the combat, utteri

eir frenzy in the nameless sounds of the furious brutes which they believ

emselves to be—the whole region rang with their clamor! Round and rou

ey wheeled, the blows of their feet falling "like lightnings from the mounta

oud." They plunged and reared backward upon their knees, struck savage

each other with awkward descending blows of both fists at once, anopped again upon their hands as if unable to maintain the upright position

e body. Grass and pebbles were torn from the soil by hands and fe

othing, hair, faces inexpressibly defiled with dust and blood. Wild, inarticula

reams of rage attested the delivery of the blows; groans, grunts and gas

eir receipt. Nothing more truly military was ever seen at Gettysburg

aterloo: the valor of my dear parents in the hour of danger can never cease to me a source of pride and gratification. At the end of it all two battere

tered, bloody and fragmentary vestiges of mortality attested the solemn fa

at the author of the strife was an orphan.

Arrested for provoking a breach of the peace, I was, and have ever sin

en, tried in the Court of Technicalities and Continuances whence, after fiftears of proceedings, my attorney is moving heaven and earth to get the ca



ken to the Court of Remandment for New Trials.

Such are a few of my principal experiments in the mysterious force

ency known as hypnotic suggestion. Whether or not it could be employed

bad man for an unworthy purpose I am unable to say.

d of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Parenticide Club,

brose Bierce

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The Parenticide Club - Ambrose Bierce