review: horror: "The Drunkard's Dream" by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

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The Rev. Francis Purcell, a fictitious Roman Catholic priest, tells this story. Sometime in the year 17—, his servant woke his earlier than usual to make him aware of a sick call. A young girl stood outside, at first reluctant to tell him the name of the person she wished him to visit because of his reputation. Francis Purcell knows the name Pat Connell—a carpenter given to drink—only too well, nevertheless, as a priest, he also knows his duty to administer last rites cannot be delayed and follows the little girl. Once he arrives at the sick room, he finds Dr. D—, who not only confirms there is no hope, he pronounces the patient dead. Father Purcell offers up some prayers. By the time the priest finishes his prayers and rises from his knees, Pat Connell is sitting up in bed, the cloths wrapped around his head, slipping off. He tells the good father about his dream. He’s been given another chance and he means to make the most of it. He does. He gets squeaky clean, shows up regularly at Mass, works, save the money he would have spent on drink. In part of his dream, he fell through a staircase landing and ended up in hell. He repairs the landing because, well, you never know. His family prospers. If that were the end of the story, this would be an upbeat little tale. However, it’s not. This is pretty damn depressing. Pat Connell’s dream, the doctor’s pronouncement and the scene Purcell encounters when he initially enters the sick room leave little room for debate: He’s describes in terms of a corpse with black lips. His wife is in tears, already mourning. Connell was dead. He had a chance to make it right. This story is available from Project Gutenberg in the collection The Purcell Papers.: _____ Title: “The Drunkard’s Dream” Author: Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (1814-1873) First published: Dublin University Magazine 1838 Source: ISFDB