the isle of Pines

by Ambrose Bierce

for many years there lived near the town of Gallipolis, Ohio, an old man named Herman Deluse . very little was known of_his history, for he_would neither speak of it himself nor suffer others . it_was a common belief among his neighbors that he had_been a pirate-- if upon any better evidence than his collection of boarding pikes, cutlasses, and ancient flintlock pistols, no one knew . he lived entirely alone in a small house of four rooms, falling rapidly into decay and never repaired further than was required by_the weather . it stood on a slight elevation in_the midst of a large, stony field overgrown with brambles, and cultivated in patches and only in_the most primitive way . it_was his only visible property, but could hardly have yielded him aliving, simple and few as were his wants . he_seemed always to_have ready money, and paid cash for all his purchases at_the village stores roundabout, seldom buying more than two_or_three times at_the same place until after_the lapse of a considerable time . he got no commendation, however, for_this equitable distribution of_his patronage; people were disposed to regard it as an ineffectual attempt to conceal his possession of so_much money . that he had great hoards of ill- gotten gold buried somewhere about his tumble- down dwelling was not reasonably to_be doubted by any honest soul conversant with_the facts of local tradition and gifted with a sense of_the fitness of things .

on_the 9th of November, 1867, the old man died; at_least his dead body was discovered on_the 10th, and physicians testified that death had occurred about twenty-four hours previously-- precisely how, they were unable to_say; for_the post-mortem examination showed every organ to_be absolutely healthy, with no indication of disorder or violence .According to_them, death must_have taken place about noonday, yet the body was found in bed . the verdict of_the coroner's jury was_that he " came to_his death by a visitation of god ." the body was buried and_the public administrator took charge of_the estate .

a rigorous search disclosed nothing more than was already known about_the dead man, and much patient excavation here and there about_the premises by thoughtful and thrifty neighbors went unrewarded . the administrator locked up the house against the time when_the property, real and personal, should_be sold by law with a view to defraying, partly, the expenses of_the sale .

the night of November 20 was boisterous .a furious gale stormed across the country, scourging it with desolating drifts of sleet . great trees were torn from_the earth and hurled across the roads . so wild a night had never been known in all that region, but toward morning the storm had blown itself out of breath and day dawned bright and clear . at about eight o'clock that morning the Rev .Henry Galbraith, a well- known and highly esteemed Lutheran minister, arrived on foot at his house, a mile and a half from_the Deluse place .Mr Galbraith had_been for a month in Cincinnati . he had come up the river in a steamboat, and landing at Gallipolis the previous evening had immediately obtained a horse and buggy and set out for home . the violence of_the storm had delayed him over night, and in_the morning the fallen trees had compelled him to abandon his conveyance and continue his journey afoot .

" but where did you pass the night ? " inquired his wife, after he had briefly related his adventure .

" with old Deluse at_the ' isle of Pines,'" {1} was_the laughing reply; " and a glum enough time I had of it . he_made no objection to my remaining, but not a word could I get out of him ."

Fortunately for_the interests of truth there_was present at_this conversation Mr Robert Mosely Maren, a lawyer and litterateur of Columbus, the same who wrote the delightful "Mellowcraft Papers ." Noting, but apparently not sharing, the astonishment caused by_Mr Galbraith's answer this ready-witted person checked by a gesture the exclamations that_would naturally have followed, and tranquilly inquired: " how came you to_go in there ? "

this_is Mr Maren's version of Mr Galbraith's reply:

" I_saw a light moving about_the house, and being nearly blinded by_the sleet, and half frozen besides, drove in at_the gate and put up my horse in_the old rail stable, where it_is now .I then rapped at_the door, and getting no invitation went in without one . the room was dark, but having matches I_found a candle and lit it .I tried to enter the adjoining room, but the door was fast, and although I heard the old man's heavy footsteps in there he_made no response to my calls . there_was no fire on_the hearth, so I_made one and laying [sic] down before it with my overcoat under my head, prepared myself for sleep . pretty soon the door that I had tried silently opened and_the old man came in, carrying a candle .I spoke to him pleasantly, apologizing for_my intrusion, but he_took no notice of me . he_seemed to_be searching for something, though his eyes were unmoved in their sockets .I wonder if he ever walks in_his sleep . he_took a circuit a part of_the way round the room, and went out the same way he had come in . twice more before I slept he_came back into_the room, acting precisely the same way, and departing as at first . in_the intervals I heard him tramping all over the house, his footsteps distinctly audible in_the pauses of_the storm . when I woke in_the morning he had already gone out ."

Mr Maren attempted some further questioning, but was unable longer to restrain the family's tongues; the story of Deluse's death and burial came out, greatly to_the good minister's astonishment .

" the explanation of your adventure is very simple," said Mr Maren ."I don't believe old Deluse walks in_his sleep-- not in_his present one; but you evidently dream in yours ."

and to_this view of_the matter Mr Galbraith was compelled reluctantly to assent .

nevertheless, a late hour of_the next night found these two gentlemen, accompanied by a son of_the minister, in_the road in front of_the old Deluse house . there_was a light inside; it appeared now at one window and now at another . the three men advanced to_the door . just as_they reached it there came from_the interior a confusion of_the most appalling sounds-- the clash of weapons, steel against steel, sharp explosions as of firearms, shrieks of women, groans and_the curses of men in combat ! the investigators stood a moment, irresolute, frightened . then Mr Galbraith tried the door . it_was fast . but the minister was a man of courage, a man, moreover, of Herculean strength . he retired apace or two and rushed against the door, striking it with_his right shoulder and bursting it from_the frame with a loud crash . in a moment the three were inside . darkness and silence ! the only sound was_the beating of_their hearts .

Mr Maren had provided himself with matches and a candle . with some difficulty, begotten of_his excitement, he_made a light, and_they proceeded to explore the place, passing from room to room . everything was in orderly arrangement, as it had_been left by_the sheriff; nothing had_been disturbed .a light coating of dust was everywhere .a back door was partly open, as_if by neglect, and their first thought was_that the authors of_the awful revelry might_have escaped . the door was opened, and_the light of_the candle shone through upon_the ground . the expiring effort of_the previous night's storm had_been a light fall of snow; there were no footprints; the white surface was unbroken . they closed the door and entered the last room of_the four that_the house contained-- that farthest from_the road, in an angle of_the building . here the candle in Mr Maren's hand was suddenly extinguished as by a draught of air . almost immediately followed the sound of a heavy fall . when_the candle had_been hastily relighted young Mr Galbraith was seen prostrate on_the floor at a little distance from_the others . he_was dead . in one hand the body grasped a heavy sack of coins, which later examination showed to_be all of old Spanish mintage . directly over the body as it lay, a board had_been torn from its fastenings in_the wall, and from_the cavity so disclosed it_was evident that_the bag had_been taken .

another inquest was held: another post-mortem examination failed to reveal a probable cause of death . another verdict of " the visitation of god" left all at liberty to_form their own conclusions .Mr Maren contended that_the young man died of excitement .