'The Boarded Window' by Ambrose Bierce
2021-05-22
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1Our story today is called "The Boarded Window."
2It was written by Ambrose Bierce.
3Here is Shep O'Neal with the story.
4In 1830, only a few miles away from what is now the great city of Cincinnati, Ohio, lay a huge and almost endless forest.
5The area had a few settlements established by people of the frontier.
6Many of them had already left the area for settlements further to the west.
7But among those remaining was a man who had been one of the first people to arrive there.
8He lived alone in a house of logs surrounded on all sides by the great forest.
9He seemed a part of the darkness and silence of the forest, for no one had ever known him to smile or speak an unnecessary word.
10His simple needs were supplied by selling or trading the skins of wild animals in the town.
11His little log house had a single door.
12Directly opposite was a window.
13The window was boarded up.
14No one could remember a time when it was not.
15And no one knew why it had been closed.
16It surely was not because of the man's dislike of light and air.
17Sometimes, he could be seen lying in the sun on his doorstep.
18I imagine there are few people living today who ever knew the secret of that window.
19But I am one, as you shall see.
20The man's name was said to be Murlock.
21He appeared to be seventy years old, but he was really fifty.
22Something other than years had been the cause of his aging.
23His hair and long, full beard were white.
24His gray, lifeless eyes were sunken.
25His face was wrinkled.
26He was tall and thin with drooping shoulders-like someone with many problems.
27I never saw him.
28These details I learned from my grandfather.
29He told me the man's story when I was a boy.
30He had known him when living nearby in that early day.
31One day Murlock was found in his cabin, dead.
32It was not a time and place for medical examiners and newspapers.
33I suppose it was agreed that he had died from natural causes or I should have been told, and should remember.
34I know only that the body was buried near the cabin, next to the burial place of his wife.
35She had died so many years before him that local tradition noted very little of her existence.
36That closes the final part of this true story, except for the incident that followed many years later.
37With a fearless spirit I went to the place and got close enough to the ruined cabin to throw a stone against it.
38I ran away to avoid the ghost which every well-informed boy in the area knew haunted the spot.
39But there is an earlier part to this story supplied by my grandfather.
40When Murlock built his cabin he was young, strong and full of hope.
41He began the hard work of creating a farm.
42He kept a gun--a rifle-for hunting to support himself.
43He had married a young woman, in all ways worthy of his honest love and loyalty.
44She shared the dangers of life with a willing spirit and a light heart.
45There is no known record of her name or details about her.
46They loved each other and were happy.
47One day Murlock returned from hunting in a deep part of the forest.
48He found his wife sick with fever and confusion.
49There was no doctor or neighbor within miles.
50She was in no condition to be left alone while he went to find help.
51So Murlock tried to take care of his wife and return her to good health.
52But at the end of the third day she fell into unconsciousness and died.
53From what we know about a man like Murlock, we may try to imagine some of the details of the story told by my grandfather.
54When he was sure she was dead, Murlock had sense enough to remember that the dead must be prepared for burial.
55He made a mistake now and again while performing this special duty.
56He did certain things wrong.
57And others which he did correctly were done over and over again.
58He was surprised that he did not cry - surprised and a little ashamed.
59Surely it is unkind not to cry for the dead.
60"Tomorrow," he said out loud, "I shall have to make the coffin and dig the grave; and then I shall miss her, when she is no longer in sight.
61But now -- she is dead, of course, but it is all right - it must be all right, somehow.
62Things cannot be as bad as they seem."
63He stood over the body of his wife in the disappearing light.
64He fixed the hair and made finishing touches to the rest.
65He did all of this without thinking but with care.
66And still through his mind ran a feeling that all was right
67-- that he should have her again as before, and everything would be explained.
68Murlock had no experience in deep sadness.
69His heart could not contain it all.
70His imagination could not understand it.
71He did not know he was so hard struck.
72That knowledge would come later and never leave.
73Deep sadness is an artist of powers that affects people in different ways.
74To one it comes like the stroke of an arrow, shocking all the emotions to a sharper life.
75To another, it comes as the blow of a crushing strike.
76We may believe Murlock to have been affected that way.
77Soon after he had finished his work he sank into a chair by the side of the table upon which the body lay.
78He noted how white his wife's face looked in the deepening darkness.
79He laid his arms upon the table's edge and dropped his face into them, tearless and very sleepy.
80At that moment a long, screaming sound came in through the open window.
81It was like the cry of a lost child in the far deep of the darkening forest! But the man did not move.
82He heard that unearthly cry upon his failing sense, again and nearer than before.
83Maybe it was a wild animal or maybe it was a dream.
84For Murlock was asleep.
85Some hours later, he awoke, lifted his head from his arms and listened closely.
86He knew not why.
87There in the black darkness by the side of the body, he remembered everything without a shock.
88He strained his eyes to see -- he knew not what.
89His senses were all alert.
90His breath was suspended.
91His blood was still as if to assist the silence.
92Who - what had awakened him and where was it!
93Suddenly the table shook under his arms.
94At the same time he heard, or imagined he heard, a light, soft step and then another.
95The sounds were as bare feet walking upon the floor!
96He was afraid beyond the power to cry out or move.
97He waited-waited there in the darkness through what seemed like centuries of such fear.
98Fear as one may know, but yet live to tell.
99He tried but failed to speak the dead woman's name.
100He tried but failed to stretch his hand across the table to learn if she was there.
101His throat was powerless.
102His arms and hands were like lead.
103Then something most frightful happened.
104It seemed as if a heavy body was thrown against the table with a force that pushed against his chest.
105At the same time he heard and felt the fall of something upon the floor.
106It was so violent a crash that the whole house shook.
107A fight followed and a confusion of sounds impossible to describe.
108Murlock had risen to his feet.
109Extreme fear had caused him to lose control of his senses.
110He threw his hands upon the table.
111Nothing was there!
112There is a point at which fear may turn to insanity; and insanity incites to action.
113With no definite plan and acting like a madman, Murlock ran quickly to the wall.
114He seized his loaded rifle and without aim fired it.
115The flash from the rifle lit the room with a clear brightness.
116He saw a huge fierce panther dragging the dead woman toward the window.
117The wild animal's teeth were fixed on her throat! Then there was darkness blacker than before, and silence.
118When he returned to consciousness the sun was high and the forest was filled with the sounds of singing birds.
119The body lay near the window, where the animal had left it when frightened away by the light and sound of the rifle.
120The clothing was ruined.
121The long hair was in disorder.
122The arms and legs lay in a careless way.
123And a pool of blood flowed from the horribly torn throat.
124The ribbon he had used to tie the wrists was broken.
125The hands were tightly closed.
126And between the teeth was a piece of the animal's ear.
1Our story today is called "The Boarded Window." It was written by Ambrose Bierce. Here is Shep O'Neal with the story. 2In 1830, only a few miles away from what is now the great city of Cincinnati, Ohio, lay a huge and almost endless forest. 3The area had a few settlements established by people of the frontier. Many of them had already left the area for settlements further to the west. But among those remaining was a man who had been one of the first people to arrive there. 4He lived alone in a house of logs surrounded on all sides by the great forest. He seemed a part of the darkness and silence of the forest, for no one had ever known him to smile or speak an unnecessary word. His simple needs were supplied by selling or trading the skins of wild animals in the town. 5His little log house had a single door. Directly opposite was a window. The window was boarded up. No one could remember a time when it was not. And no one knew why it had been closed. It surely was not because of the man's dislike of light and air. Sometimes, he could be seen lying in the sun on his doorstep. I imagine there are few people living today who ever knew the secret of that window. But I am one, as you shall see. 6The man's name was said to be Murlock. He appeared to be seventy years old, but he was really fifty. Something other than years had been the cause of his aging. 7His hair and long, full beard were white. His gray, lifeless eyes were sunken. His face was wrinkled. He was tall and thin with drooping shoulders-like someone with many problems. 8I never saw him. These details I learned from my grandfather. He told me the man's story when I was a boy. He had known him when living nearby in that early day. 9One day Murlock was found in his cabin, dead. It was not a time and place for medical examiners and newspapers. I suppose it was agreed that he had died from natural causes or I should have been told, and should remember. 10I know only that the body was buried near the cabin, next to the burial place of his wife. She had died so many years before him that local tradition noted very little of her existence. 11That closes the final part of this true story, except for the incident that followed many years later. With a fearless spirit I went to the place and got close enough to the ruined cabin to throw a stone against it. I ran away to avoid the ghost which every well-informed boy in the area knew haunted the spot. 12But there is an earlier part to this story supplied by my grandfather. 13When Murlock built his cabin he was young, strong and full of hope. He began the hard work of creating a farm. He kept a gun--a rifle-for hunting to support himself. 14He had married a young woman, in all ways worthy of his honest love and loyalty. She shared the dangers of life with a willing spirit and a light heart. There is no known record of her name or details about her. They loved each other and were happy. 15One day Murlock returned from hunting in a deep part of the forest. He found his wife sick with fever and confusion. There was no doctor or neighbor within miles. She was in no condition to be left alone while he went to find help. So Murlock tried to take care of his wife and return her to good health. But at the end of the third day she fell into unconsciousness and died. 16From what we know about a man like Murlock, we may try to imagine some of the details of the story told by my grandfather. 17When he was sure she was dead, Murlock had sense enough to remember that the dead must be prepared for burial. He made a mistake now and again while performing this special duty. He did certain things wrong. And others which he did correctly were done over and over again. 18He was surprised that he did not cry - surprised and a little ashamed. Surely it is unkind not to cry for the dead. 19"Tomorrow," he said out loud, "I shall have to make the coffin and dig the grave; and then I shall miss her, when she is no longer in sight. But now -- she is dead, of course, but it is all right - it must be all right, somehow. Things cannot be as bad as they seem." 20He stood over the body of his wife in the disappearing light. He fixed the hair and made finishing touches to the rest. He did all of this without thinking but with care. And still through his mind ran a feeling that all was right -- that he should have her again as before, and everything would be explained. 21Murlock had no experience in deep sadness. His heart could not contain it all. His imagination could not understand it. He did not know he was so hard struck. That knowledge would come later and never leave. 22Deep sadness is an artist of powers that affects people in different ways. To one it comes like the stroke of an arrow, shocking all the emotions to a sharper life. To another, it comes as the blow of a crushing strike. We may believe Murlock to have been affected that way. 23Soon after he had finished his work he sank into a chair by the side of the table upon which the body lay. He noted how white his wife's face looked in the deepening darkness. He laid his arms upon the table's edge and dropped his face into them, tearless and very sleepy. 24At that moment a long, screaming sound came in through the open window. It was like the cry of a lost child in the far deep of the darkening forest! But the man did not move. He heard that unearthly cry upon his failing sense, again and nearer than before. Maybe it was a wild animal or maybe it was a dream. For Murlock was asleep. 25Some hours later, he awoke, lifted his head from his arms and listened closely. He knew not why. There in the black darkness by the side of the body, he remembered everything without a shock. He strained his eyes to see -- he knew not what. 26His senses were all alert. His breath was suspended. His blood was still as if to assist the silence. Who - what had awakened him and where was it! 27Suddenly the table shook under his arms. At the same time he heard, or imagined he heard, a light, soft step and then another. The sounds were as bare feet walking upon the floor! 28He was afraid beyond the power to cry out or move. He waited-waited there in the darkness through what seemed like centuries of such fear. Fear as one may know, but yet live to tell. He tried but failed to speak the dead woman's name. He tried but failed to stretch his hand across the table to learn if she was there. His throat was powerless. His arms and hands were like lead. 29Then something most frightful happened. It seemed as if a heavy body was thrown against the table with a force that pushed against his chest. At the same time he heard and felt the fall of something upon the floor. It was so violent a crash that the whole house shook. A fight followed and a confusion of sounds impossible to describe. 30Murlock had risen to his feet. Extreme fear had caused him to lose control of his senses. He threw his hands upon the table. Nothing was there! 31There is a point at which fear may turn to insanity; and insanity incites to action. With no definite plan and acting like a madman, Murlock ran quickly to the wall. He seized his loaded rifle and without aim fired it. 32The flash from the rifle lit the room with a clear brightness. He saw a huge fierce panther dragging the dead woman toward the window. The wild animal's teeth were fixed on her throat! Then there was darkness blacker than before, and silence. 33When he returned to consciousness the sun was high and the forest was filled with the sounds of singing birds. The body lay near the window, where the animal had left it when frightened away by the light and sound of the rifle. 34The clothing was ruined. The long hair was in disorder. The arms and legs lay in a careless way. And a pool of blood flowed from the horribly torn throat. The ribbon he had used to tie the wrists was broken. The hands were tightly closed. 35And between the teeth was a piece of the animal's ear. 36"The Boarded Window" was written by Ambrose Bierce. It was adapted by Lawan Davis who was also the producer. The storyteller was Shep O'Neal. 37______________________________________________________________ 38Try this Listening Quiz to check your understanding. 39Now it's your turn to use the words in this story. What do you think it would be like to live all alone in the woods? What kinds of scary stories are famous in your country?Let us know in the comments section or on our Facebook page. 40Download activities to help you understand this story here. 41_______________________________________________________________ 42Words in This Story 43frontier - n. a border between two countries 44doorstep - n. a step or series of steps leading up to one of the doors that is used to enter or leave a building 45lifeless - adj. Having no life 46rifle - n. A gun that has a long barrel and that is held against your shoulder when you shoot it 47unconscious - adj. not awake especially because of an injury, drug, etc.