Moxon's Master
Moxon's Master
Suddenly it sprang to its feet and with a movement almost too quick for the eye to follow shot forward across table and chair, with both arms thrust forth to their full length. Moxon tried to throw himself backward out of reach, but he was too late: I saw the horrible thing's hand close upon his throat. Then the table was overturned, and candle thrown to the floor and extinguished, and all was black dark. But the noise of the struggle was dreadfully distinct, and most terrible of all were the raucous, squawking sounds made by the strangled man's efforts to breathe, Moxon underneath, his throat still in the clutch of those iron hands, his head forced backward, his eyes protruding, his mouth wide open and his tongue thrust out; and - horrible contrast! - upon the painted face of his assassin an expression of tranquil and profound thought, as in the solution of a problem in chess! This I observed, then all was blackness and silence.
Three days later I recovered consciousness in a hospital. I recognized in my attendant Moxon's confidential workman, Haley.
'Tell me about it,' I managed to say faintly - 'all about it.'
'Certainly,' he said; 'you were carried unconscious from a burning house - Moxon's. The origin of the fire is a bit mysterious, too. My own notion is that the house was struck by lightning.'
'And Moxon?'
'Buried yesterday - what was left of him.'
(From Ambrose Bierce: "Moxon's Master", in G.B.D.'s "FAMOUS SCIENCE FICTIONS", Good Books Distributors, 31 Chowringhee Road, Kolkata-700016, BOOKS AND GIFTS, S.C. Goswami Road, Panbazar, Guwahati-781001, 174 pages, Rs. 65.00)
[Fiction is uncountable. - G]
Kishalay Sinha [G]
Suddenly it sprang to its feet and with a movement almost too quick for the eye to follow shot forward across table and chair, with both arms thrust forth to their full length. Moxon tried to throw himself backward out of reach, but he was too late: I saw the horrible thing's hand close upon his throat. Then the table was overturned, and candle thrown to the floor and extinguished, and all was black dark. But the noise of the struggle was dreadfully distinct, and most terrible of all were the raucous, squawking sounds made by the strangled man's efforts to breathe, Moxon underneath, his throat still in the clutch of those iron hands, his head forced backward, his eyes protruding, his mouth wide open and his tongue thrust out; and - horrible contrast! - upon the painted face of his assassin an expression of tranquil and profound thought, as in the solution of a problem in chess! This I observed, then all was blackness and silence.
Three days later I recovered consciousness in a hospital. I recognized in my attendant Moxon's confidential workman, Haley.
'Tell me about it,' I managed to say faintly - 'all about it.'
'Certainly,' he said; 'you were carried unconscious from a burning house - Moxon's. The origin of the fire is a bit mysterious, too. My own notion is that the house was struck by lightning.'
'And Moxon?'
'Buried yesterday - what was left of him.'
(From Ambrose Bierce: "Moxon's Master", in G.B.D.'s "FAMOUS SCIENCE FICTIONS", Good Books Distributors, 31 Chowringhee Road, Kolkata-700016, BOOKS AND GIFTS, S.C. Goswami Road, Panbazar, Guwahati-781001, 174 pages, Rs. 65.00)
[Fiction is uncountable. - G]
Kishalay Sinha [G]
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