deathanddoctorhornbook atruestory somebooksareliesfraeendtoend, andsomegreatlieswereneverpenn'd: ev'nministerstheyhaebeenkenn'd, inholyrapture, arousingwhidattimestovend, andnail'twi'scripture. butthisthatiamgauntotell, whichlatelyonanightbefell, isjustastrue'sthedeil'sinhell ordublincity: thate'erhenearercomesoursel' 'samucklepity. theclachanyillhadmademecanty, iwasnafou,butjusthadplenty istacher'dwhiles,butyettootentaye tofreetheditches an'hillocks,stanes,an'bushes,kenn'deye fraeghaistsan'witches. therisingmoonbegantoglowre thedistantcumnockhillsout-owre: tocountherhorns,wi'amypow'r, isetmysel' butwhethershehadthreeorfour, icou'dnatell. iwascomeroundaboutthehill, an'todlindownonwillie'smill, settingmystaffwi'a'myskill, tokeepmesicker tho'leewardwhiles,againstmywill, itookabicker. itherewi'somethingdidforgather, thatpatmeinaneerieswither an'awfu'scythe,out-owreaeshouther, clear-dangling,hang athree-tae'dleisterontheither lay,largean'lang. itsstatureseem'dlangscotchellstwa, thequeerestshapethate'erisaw, forfientawameithadava andthenitsshanks, theywereasthin,assharpan'sma' ascheekso'branks. “guid-een,”quo'i“friend!haeyebeenmawin, whenitherfolkarebusysawin!” iseem'dtomakeakindo'stan' butnaethingspak atlength,saysi,“friend!whareyegaun? willyegoback?” itspakrighthowe,—“mynameisdeath, butbenafley'd.”—hi,“guidfaith, ye'remaybecometostapmybreath buttentme,billie iredyeweel,takcareo'skaith see,there'sagully!” “gudeman,”quo'he,“putupyourwhittle, i'mnodesignedtotryitsmettle butifidid,iwadbekittle tobemislear'd iwadnamindit,nothatspittle out-owremybeard.” “weel,weel!”saysi,“abargainbe't come,gie'syourhand,an'saewe'regree't we'lleaseourshanksantakaseat— come,gie'syournews thiswhileyehaebeenmonyagate, atmonyahouse.” “ay,ay!”quo'he,an'shookhishead, “it'se'enalang,langtimeindeed sin'ibegantonickthethread, an'chokethebreath: folkmaundosomethingfortheirbread, an'saemaundeath. “saxthousandyearsarenear-handfled sin'iwastothebutchingbred, an'monyaschemeinvain'sbeenlaid, tostaporscarme tillanehornbook'sta'enupthetrade, andfaith!he'llwaurme. “yekenhornbooki'theclachan, deilmakhisking's-hoodinspleuchan! he'sgrownsaeweelacquaintwi'buchan anditherchaps, theweanshaudouttheirfingerslaughin, an'poukmyhips. “see,here'sascythe,an'there'sdart, theyhaepierc'dmonyagallantheart butdoctorhornbook,wi'hisart an'cursedskill, hasmadethembaithnoworthaf-t, damn'dhaetthey'llkill! “'twasbutyestreen,naefarthergane, ithrewanoblethrowatane wi'less,i'msure,i'vehundredsslain butdeil-ma-care, itjustplay'ddirlonthebane, butdidnaemair. “hornbookwasby,wi'readyart, an'hadsaefortify'dthepart, thatwhenilookedtomydart, itwassaeblunt, fienthaeto'twadhaepierc'dtheheart ofakail-runt. “idrewmyscytheinsicafury, inear-handcowpitwi'myhurry, butyetthebauldapothecary withstoodtheshock imightasweelhaetriedaquarry o'hardwhinrock. “ev'nthemhecannagetattended, aho'theirfacehene'erhadkendit, just—inakail-blade,an'sentit, assoon'shesmells't, baiththeirdisease,andwhatwillmendit, atoncehetells't. “andthen,a'doctor'ssawsan'whittles, ofa'dimensions,shapes,an'mettles, a'kindo'boxes,mugs,an'bottles, he'ssuretohae theirlatinnamesasfastherattles asabc. “calceso'fossils,earths,andtrees truesal-marinumo'theseas thefarinaofbeansan'pease, hehas'tinplenty aqua-fontis,whatyouplease, hecancontentye. “forbyesomenew,uncommonweapons, urinusspiritusofcapons ormite-hornshavings,filings,scrapings, distill'dperse sal-alkalio'midge-tailclippings, andmonymae.” “waesmeforjohnieged'sholenow,” hi,“ifthatthaenewsbetrue! hisbrawcalf-wardwharegowansgrew, saewhiteandbonie, naedoubtthey'llriveitwi'theplew they'llruinjohnie!” thecreaturegrain'daneldritchlaugh, andsays“yeneednayokethepleugh, kirkyardswillsoonbetill'deneugh, takyenaefear: they'llbetrench'dwi'monyasheugh, intwa-threeyear. “whareikill'dane,afairstrae-death, bylosso'bloodorwantofbreath thisnighti'mfreetotakmyaith, thathornbook'sskill hascladascorei'theirlastclaith, bydrapan'pill. “anhonestwabstertohistrade, whasewife'stwanieveswerescarceweel-bred gattippence-worthtomendherhead, whenitwassair thewifesladecannietoherbed, butne'erspakmair. “acountrylairdhadta'enthebatts, orsomecurmurringinhisguts, hisonlysonforhornbooksets, an'payshimwell: thelad,fortwaguidgimmer-pets, waslairdhimsel'. “abonielass—yekendhername— someill-brewndrinkhadhov'dherwame shetrustshersel',tohidetheshame, inhornbook'scare hornsentherafftoherlanghame, tohideitthere. “that'sjustaswatcho'hornbook'sway thusgoesheonfromdaytoday, thusdoeshepoison,kill,an'slay, an'sweelpaidfor't yetstopsmeo'mylawfu'prey, wi'hisdamn'ddirt: “but,hark!i'lellyouofaplot, tho'dinnayebespeakino't i'llnaiheself-conceitedsot, asdead'saherrin neisttimewemeet,i'llwadagroat, hegetshisfairin!” butjustashebegantotell, theauldkirk-hammerstrakthebell someweeshorthourayontthetwal', whichrais'dusbaith: itookthewaythatpleas'dmysel', andsaediddeath.