Monster and Other Stories

Stephen Crane

Description

Though it didn't receive as much acclaim as Stephen Crane's The Red Badge of Courage at the time of its publication, many critics now regard the novella "The Monster" as one of the author's most accomplished works. When African-American servant Henry Johnson puts his own life on the line to save the son of his employer, he sustains horrifying injuries that disfigure him for life -- and make him a social pariah. The volume also contains a number of Crane's short stories.

Informations

• Publié par: The Floating Press
• Date de parution: 01 octobre 2016
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781776671175
• Langue: English

Extrait

THE MONSTER AND OTHER STORIES
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STEPHEN CRANE
 
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The Monster and Other Stories From a 1901 edition Epub ISBN 978-1-77667-117-5 Also available: PDF ISBN 978-1-77667-118-2 © 2016 The Floating Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike. Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
Contents
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THE MONSTER Chapter I Chapter II Chapter III Chapter IV Chapter V Chapter VI Chapter VII Chapter VIII Chapter IX Chapter X Chapter XI Chapter XII Chapter XIII Chapter XIV Chapter XV Chapter XVI Chapter XVII Chapter XVIII Chapter XIX Chapter XX Chapter XXI Chapter XXII Chapter XXIII Chapter XXIV THE BLUE HOTEL Chapter I Chapter II Chapter III Chapter IV Chapter V Chapter VI Chapter VII Chapter VIII Chapter IX HIS NEW MITTENS TWELVE O'CLOCK Chapter I Chapter II Chapter III MOONLIGHT ON THE SNOW Chapter I Chapter II Chapter III Chapter IV Chapter V AN ILLUSION IN RED AND WHITE MANACLED
THE MONSTER
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Chapter I
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LITTLE JIM was, for the time, engine Number 36, and he was makingthe run between Syracuse and Rochester. He was fourteen minutesbehind time, and the throttle was wide open. In consequence, when heswung around the curve at the flower-bed, a wheel of his cartdestroyed a peony. Number 36 slowed down at once and looked guiltilyat his father, who was mowing the lawn. The doctor had his back tothis accident, and he continued to pace slowly to and fro, pushingthe mower.
Jim dropped the tongue of the cart. He looked at his father and atthe broken flower. Finally he went to the peony and tried to stand iton its pins, resuscitated, but the spine of it was hurt, and it wouldonly hang limply from his hand. Jim could do no reparation. He lookedagain toward his father.
He went on to the lawn, very slowly, and kicking wretchedly at theturf. Presently his father came along with the whirring machine,while the sweet new grass blades spun from the knives. In a lowvoice, Jim said, "Pa!"
The doctor was shaving this lawn as if it were a priest's chin.All during the season he had worked at it in the coolness and peaceof the evenings after supper. Even in the shadow of the cherry-treesthe grass was strong and healthy. Jim raised his voice a trifle."Pa!"
The doctor paused, and with the howl of the machine no longeroccupying the sense, one could hear the robins in the cherry-treesarranging their affairs. Jim's hands were behind his back, andsometimes his fingers clasped and unclasped. Again he said, "Pa!" Thechild's fresh and rosy lip was lowered.
The doctor stared down at his son, thrusting his head forward andfrowning attentively. "What is it, Jimmie?"
"Pa!" repeated the child at length. Then he raised his finger andpointed at the flower-bed. "There!"
"What?" said the doctor, frowning more. "What is it, Jim?"
After a period of silence, during which the child may haveundergone a severe mental tumult, he raised his finger and repeatedhis former word—"There!" The father had respected this silence withperfect courtesy. Afterward his glance carefully followed thedirection indicated by the child's finger, but he could see nothingwhich explained to him. "I don't understand what you mean, Jimmie,"he said.
It seemed that the importance of the whole thing had taken awaythe boy's vocabulary. He could only reiterate, "There!"
The doctor mused upon the situation, but he could make nothing ofit. At last he said, "Come, show me."
Together they crossed the lawn toward the flower-bed. At someyards from the broken peony Jimmie began to leg. "There!" The wordcame almost breathlessly.
"Where?" said the doctor.
Jimmie kicked at the grass. "There!" he replied.
The doctor was obliged to go forward alone. After some trouble hefound the subject of the incident, the broken flower. Turning then,he saw the child lurking at the rear and scanning hiscountenance.
The father reflected. After a time he said, "Jimmie, come here."With an infinite modesty of demeanor the child came forward. "Jimmie,how did this happen?"
The child answered, "Now—I was playin' train—and—now—I runnedover it."
"You were doing what?"
"I was playin' train."
The father reflected again. "Well, Jimmie," he said, slowly, "Iguess you had better not play train any more today. Do you think youhad better?"
"No, sir," said Jimmie.
During the delivery of the judgment the child had not faced hisfather, and afterward he went away, with his head lowered, shufflinghis feet.
Chapter II
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It was apparent from Jimmie's manner that he felt some kind ofdesire to efface himself. He went down to the stable. Henry Johnson,the negro who cared for the doctor's horses, was sponging the buggy.He grinned fraternally when he saw Jimmie coming. These two werepals. In regard to almost everything in life they seemed to haveminds precisely alike. Of course there were points of emphaticdivergence. For instance, it was plain from Henry's talk that he wasa very handsome negro, and he was known to be a light, a weight, andan eminence in the suburb of the town, where lived the larger numberof the negroes, and obviously this glory was over Jimmie's horizon;but he vaguely appreciated it and paid deference to Henry for itmainly because Henry appreciated it and deferred to himself. However,on all points of conduct as related to the doctor, who was the moon,they were in complete but unexpressed understanding. Whenever Jimmiebecame the victim of an eclipse he went to the stable to solacehimself with Henry's crimes. Henry, with the elasticity of his race,could usually provide a sin to place himself on a footing with thedisgraced one. Perhaps he would remember that he had forgotten to putthe hitching strap in the back of the buggy on some recent occasion,and had been reprimanded by the doctor. Then these two would communesubtly and without words concerning their moon, holding themselvessympathetically as people who had committed similar treasons. On theother hand, Henry would sometimes choose to absolutely repudiate thisidea, and when Jimmie appeared in his shame would bully him mostvirtuously, preaching with assurance the precepts of the doctor'screed, and pointing out to Jimmie all his abominations. Jimmie didnot discover that this was odious in his comrade. He accepted it andlived in its shadow with humility, merely trying to conciliate thesaintly Henry with acts of deference. Won by this attitude, Henrywould sometimes allow the child to enjoy the felicity of squeezingthe sponge over a buggy-wheel, even when Jimmie was still gory fromunspeakable deeds.
Whenever Henry dwelt for a time in sackcloth, Jimmie did notpatronize him at all. This was a justice of his age, his condition.He did not know. Besides, Henry could drive a horse, and Jimmie had afull sense of this sublimity. Henry personally conducted the moonduring the splendid journeys through the country roads, where farmsspread on all sides, with sheep, cows, and other marvelsabounding.
"Hello, Jim!" said Henry, poising his sponge. Water was drippingfrom the buggy. Sometimes the horses in the stalls stampedthunderingly on the pine floor. There was an atmosphere of hay and ofharness.
For a minute Jimmie refused to take an interest in anything. Hewas very downcast. He could not even feel the wonders ofwagon-washing. Henry, while at his work, narrowly observed him.
"Your pop done wallop yer, didn't he?" he said at last.
"No," said Jimmie, defensively; "he didn't."
After this casual remark Henry continued his labor, with a scowlof occupation. Presently he said: "I done tol' yer many's th' timenot to go a-foolin' an' a-projjeckin' with them flowers. Yer pop don'like it nohow." As a matter of fact, Henry had never mentionedflowers to the boy.
Jimmie preserved a gloomy silence, so Henry began to use seductivewiles in this affair of washing a wagon. It was not until he began tospin a wheel on the tree, and the sprinkling water flew everywhere,that the boy was visibly moved. He had been seated on the sill of thecarriage-house door, but at the beginning of this ceremony he aroseand circled toward the buggy, with an interest that slowly consumedthe remembrance of a late disgrace.
Johnson could then display all the dignity of a man whose duty itwas to protect Jimmie from a splashing. "Look out, boy! look out! Youdone gwi' spile yer pants. I raikon your mommer don't 'low thisfoolishness, she know it. I ain't gwi' have you round yere spilin'yer pants, an' have Mis' Trescott light on me pressen'ly. 'Deed Iain't."
He spoke with an air of great irritation, but he was not annoyedat all. This tone was merely a part of his importance. In reality hewas always delighted to have the child there to witness the businessof the stable. For one thing, Jimmie was invariably overcome withreverence when he was told how beautifully a harness was polished ora horse groomed. Henry explained each detail of this kind withunction, procuring great joy from the child's admiration.
Chapter III
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After Johnson had taken his supper in the kitchen, he went to hisloft in the carriage-house and dressed himself with much care. Nobelle of a court circle could bestow more mind on a toilet than didJohnson. On second thought, he was more like a priest arrayinghimself for some parade of the church. As he emerged from his roomand sauntered down the carriage drive, no one would have suspectedhim of ever having washed a buggy.
It was not altogether a matter of the lavender trousers, nor yetthe straw hat with its bright silk band. The change was somewhere farin the interior of Henry. But there was no cake-walk hype