Scattered themes from the note-books of Nathaniel Hawthorne

A person, while awake and in the business of life, to think highly of another, and place perfect confidence in him, but to be troubled with dreams in which this seeming friend appears to act the part of a most deadly enemy. Finally it is discovered that the dream character is the true one. The explanation would be – the soul’s instinctive perception.

Some man of powerful character to command a person, morally subjected to him, to perform some act. The commanding person to suddenly die; and, for all the rest of his life, the subjected one continues to perform that act.

A rich man left by will his mansion and estate to a poor couple. They remove into it, and find there a darksome servant, whom they are forbidden by will to turn away. He becomes a torment to them; and, in finale, he turns out to be the former master of the estate.

Two persons to be expecting some occurence, and watching for the two principle actors in it, and to find that the occurence is even then passing, and that they themselves are the two actors.

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Note-Books (1968) from Extraordinary Tales by Jorge Luis Borges and Adolfo Bioy Casares

Related posts:

1. The face of death
2. The greater torment