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Chapter 2 of Ebenezer's Cascade by John Ulrich Gese and Junius B. Smith | chapter 2 of ebenezers cascade by john ulrich gese and junius b smith | |
This Libbervox recording is in the public domain, read by Ben Tucker. | this libbervox recording is in the public domain read by ben tucker | |
Chapter 2 | chapter 2 | |
You'll what? | youll what | |
The man at the desk lost his air of smiling composure all at once. | the man at the desk lost his air of smiling composure all at once | |
His jaw seemed inclined to sag, and his eyes had the appearance of trying to pop out of their | his jaw seemed inclined to sag and his eyes had the appearance of trying to pop out of their | |
sockets. | sockets | |
"'I'm going to die,' said Ebenezer, satisfied that he had made an impression at least. | im going to die said ebenezer satisfied that he had made an impression at least | |
I'll be dead at one minute after eleven o'clock tonight. | ill be dead at one minute after eleven oclock tonight | |
That's why I've got to have the deed before I leave here. | thats why ive got to have the deed before i leave here | |
It won't take long to fix it if you get to work. | it wont take long to fix it if you get to work | |
But the lawyer began to pause and apparently swallowed something before he continued. | but the lawyer began to pause and apparently swallowed something before he continued | |
You don't look sick. | you dont look sick | |
I'm not. | im not | |
Said Ebenezer shortly. | said ebenezer shortly | |
Now if you end, all at once the man of law looked troubled. | now if you end all at once the man of law looked troubled | |
Surely you aren't thinking of, well, doing anything rash. | surely you arent thinking of well doing anything rash | |
Ebenezer Clay took an exasperated breath. | ebenezer clay took an exasperated breath | |
He was beginning to feel annoyed. | he was beginning to feel annoyed | |
First Armistead and now this man seemed a lot more excited by his approaching end than | first armistead and now this man seemed a lot more excited by his approaching end than | |
he was himself. | he was himself | |
Look here, he rejoined in a tone of rising in patience. | look here he rejoined in a tone of rising in patience | |
Is there any reason why I've got to tell you what I'm thinking just because I come up | is there any reason why ive got to tell you what im thinking just because i come up | |
here to get you to draw a deed. | here to get you to draw a deed | |
You ain't the man that's going to die. | you aint the man thats going to die | |
I'm going to do that myself, and I want to get that deed in the mail before I do it. | im going to do that myself and i want to get that deed in the mail before i do it | |
What business is yours? | what business is yours | |
Just because I say I'm going to die is no sign and I'm going to kill myself. | just because i say im going to die is no sign and im going to kill myself | |
But the lawyer was breathing deeply. | but the lawyer was breathing deeply | |
The time, man, you said you'd be dead at one minute after eleven | the time man you said youd be dead at one minute after eleven | |
o'clock tonight. Ebenezer nodded, and that's right, and I want to mail that deed before | oclock tonight ebenezer nodded and thats right and i want to mail that deed before | |
then, if you'll get to work. I ain't going to take poison or shoot myself for nothing. I ain't | then if youll get to work i aint going to take poison or shoot myself for nothing i aint | |
too happy about it. But when a man knows the thing, he knows it. And that's all there is | too happy about it but when a man knows the thing he knows it and thats all there is | |
to it, except that I know this is my last day on Earth. | to it except that i know this is my last day on earth | |
Oh, you mean you feel a Promenician? | oh you mean you feel a promenician | |
All at once the attorney's manner was one of relief. | all at once the attorneys manner was one of relief | |
His expression altered. | his expression altered | |
From one of Intens' attention, not unmixed with something like startled horror, it became | from one of intens attention not unmixed with something like startled horror it became | |
a thing of awakening understanding. | a thing of awakening understanding | |
After all he possibly thought there were all sorts of cranks on earth, men mildly unbalanced | after all he possibly thought there were all sorts of cranks on earth men mildly unbalanced | |
or swayed by some temporary influence of one sort to another, people who predicted the | or swayed by some temporary influence of one sort to another people who predicted the | |
end of the world with an assurance little short of appalling. | end of the world with an assurance little short of appalling | |
Said Ebenezer with weight on each word and speaking slowly. I mean I've got a definite date. | said ebenezer with weight on each word and speaking slowly i mean ive got a definite date | |
Are you going to draw up that deed? | are you going to draw up that deed | |
Well, of course, of course. | well of course of course | |
The lawyer opened a drawer and produced some forms. | the lawyer opened a drawer and produced some forms | |
Be punched a buzzer, and the young woman from the outer office appeared. | be punched a buzzer and the young woman from the outer office appeared | |
He gave her the forms and Ebenezer's written memorandum, and instructed her to drop the | he gave her the forms and ebenezers written memorandum and instructed her to drop the | |
deed at once, passing title | deed at once passing title | |
in consideration of love and affection. | in consideration of love and affection | |
She took the papers and went out. Ebenezer watched her. At last he had got things started. | she took the papers and went out ebenezer watched her at last he had got things started | |
He relaxed in his chair and began seeing pictures in his mind. The old home place, adjoining | he relaxed in his chair and began seeing pictures in his mind the old home place adjoining | |
that of Claire Markley's father, where he had started life, where he had expected to go | that of claire markleys father where he had started life where he had expected to go | |
on living, and would have in all likelihood | on living and would have in all likelihood | |
if he hadn't quarreled with Claire two years ago last spring. | if he hadnt quarreled with claire two years ago last spring | |
He stared out of the office window without seeing the jumble of buildings beyond it, because | he stared out of the office window without seeing the jumble of buildings beyond it because | |
instead he was seeing the old house to which he had expected some day to bring Claire home. | instead he was seeing the old house to which he had expected some day to bring claire home | |
The old house he was deeding to her now in consideration | the old house he was deeding to her now in consideration | |
of love and affection. The attorney leaned back in his chair with a squeaking of springs. | of love and affection the attorney leaned back in his chair with a squeaking of springs | |
He regarded Ebenezer with far more calm than he had recently shown. He cleared his throat | he regarded ebenezer with far more calm than he had recently shown he cleared his throat | |
in preliminary fashion. | in preliminary fashion | |
Have you had this feeling long? Ebenezer turned his eyes from the window. | have you had this feeling long ebenezer turned his eyes from the window | |
He had an impulse to reply to the question with a contemptuous laugh. | he had an impulse to reply to the question with a contemptuous laugh | |
Feeling. | feeling | |
This man characterized the steady march of the minutes and hours toward a definite event | this man characterized the steady march of the minutes and hours toward a definite event | |
as a feeling. | as a feeling | |
No doubt he rather padded himself on the back for his choice of words. | no doubt he rather padded himself on the back for his choice of words | |
But mankind had always been like that in the face of the unusual, the | but mankind had always been like that in the face of the unusual the | |
surprising, the unexpected, credulous, and many things. They were yet prone to exhibit | surprising the unexpected credulous and many things they were yet prone to exhibit | |
incredulity when faced by the truth. Ebenezer took that fact into consideration as he answered, | incredulity when faced by the truth ebenezer took that fact into consideration as he answered | |
something over a month did it come upon you suddenly or by degrees?" | something over a month did it come upon you suddenly or by degrees | |
Heavens air eyed his companion. | heavens air eyed his companion | |
He wasn't a fool, and he understood. | he wasnt a fool and he understood | |
The man thought him the victim of a delusion, a sort of harmless nut. | the man thought him the victim of a delusion a sort of harmless nut | |
And there had always been men who regarded those to whom it was given to know the future, | and there had always been men who regarded those to whom it was given to know the future | |
as men of unbalanced brains. Why, he said. I got wise to it all at once. | as men of unbalanced brains why he said i got wise to it all at once | |
I didn't know a thing about it, and then all at once I was sure. | i didnt know a thing about it and then all at once i was sure | |
That you were going to die tonight. | that you were going to die tonight | |
You knew all about it, even to the time. | you knew all about it even to the time | |
Yes, Ebenezer nodded. | yes ebenezer nodded | |
You are—don't carry any insurance, do you? | you are—dont carry any insurance do you | |
There was a tolerance, something, in the way Ebenezer grinned. Suddenly it seemed to | there was a tolerance something in the way ebenezer grinned suddenly it seemed to | |
him that he saw very well what was going on in the attorney's mind. | him that he saw very well what was going on in the attorneys mind | |
Nope, he responded shortly, and I ain't trying to beat that game. I was to see a doctor | nope he responded shortly and i aint trying to beat that game i was to see a doctor | |
about a month ago after I knew what was going to happen, and he said there wasn't anything | about a month ago after i knew what was going to happen and he said there wasnt anything | |
that mattered with me, so far as he could see. Trouble with him was he couldn't see as far into the future as I could. | that mattered with me so far as he could see trouble with him was he couldnt see as far into the future as i could | |
And since then, what have you been doing? | and since then what have you been doing | |
I've been working in Armstead Casket Company Plant, same as I have for the last two years. | ive been working in armstead casket company plant same as i have for the last two years | |
Ebenezer's tone was resigned. | ebenezers tone was resigned | |
Oh, you've been making coffins. | oh youve been making coffins | |
Finish him. | finish him | |
Ebenezer explained. | ebenezer explained | |
His manner became one of a transitory animation. | his manner became one of a transitory animation | |
The last one I fixed is the best I ever done. | the last one i fixed is the best i ever done | |
I bought it off him this afternoon. | i bought it off him this afternoon | |
Not—did Tony stiffen his eyes widen? | not—did tony stiffen his eyes widen | |
Not for tonight? | not for tonight | |
He finished rather lamely. | he finished rather lamely | |
Sure, said Ebenezer. | sure said ebenezer | |
I know it's a good piece of work. | i know its a good piece of work |