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Consequences
Henry Eastman, a lawyer, aged forty, was standing beside the Flatiron building in a driving November rainstorm, signaling frantically for a taxi. It was six-thirty, and everything on wheels was engaged. The streets were in confusion about him, the sky was in turmoil above him, and the Flatiron building, which seemed about to blow down, threw water like a mill-shoot. Suddenly, out of the brutal struggle of men and cars and machines and people tilting at each other with umbrellas, a quiet, well-mannered limousine paused before him, at the curb, and an agreeable, ruddy countenance confronted him through the open window of the car.
- GenresShort StoriesHorror
30 pages, Paperback
First published January 24, 2013
24 people want to read
About the author
Willa Cather
879 books2,771 followersWilella Sibert Cather was born in Back Creek Valley (Gore), Virginia, in December 7, 1873.
She grew up in Virginia and Nebraska. She then attended the University of Nebraska, initially planning to become a physician, but after writing an article for the Nebraska State Journal, she became a regular contributor to this journal. Because of this, she changed her major and graduated with a bachelor's degree in English.
After graduation in 1894, she worked in Pittsburgh as writer for various publications and as a school teacher for approximately 13 years, thereafter moving to New York City for the remainder of her life.
Her novels on frontier life brought her to national recognition. In 1923 she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for her novel, 'One of Ours' (1922), set during World War I. She travelled widely and often spent summers in New Brunswick, Canada. In later life, she experienced much negative criticism for her conservative politics and became reclusive, burning some of her letters and personal papers, including her last manuscript.
She was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1943. In 1944, Cather received the gold medal for fiction from the National Institute of Arts and Letters, an award given once a decade for an author's total accomplishments.
She died of a cerebral haemorrhage at the age of 73 in New York City.
She grew up in Virginia and Nebraska. She then attended the University of Nebraska, initially planning to become a physician, but after writing an article for the Nebraska State Journal, she became a regular contributor to this journal. Because of this, she changed her major and graduated with a bachelor's degree in English.
After graduation in 1894, she worked in Pittsburgh as writer for various publications and as a school teacher for approximately 13 years, thereafter moving to New York City for the remainder of her life.
Her novels on frontier life brought her to national recognition. In 1923 she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for her novel, 'One of Ours' (1922), set during World War I. She travelled widely and often spent summers in New Brunswick, Canada. In later life, she experienced much negative criticism for her conservative politics and became reclusive, burning some of her letters and personal papers, including her last manuscript.
She was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1943. In 1944, Cather received the gold medal for fiction from the National Institute of Arts and Letters, an award given once a decade for an author's total accomplishments.
She died of a cerebral haemorrhage at the age of 73 in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 26, 2025
Text
https://cather.unl.edu/writings/short...
Audiobook
https://librivox.org/short-ghost-and-...
The protagonist is friendly with a man of leisure who also lives in his apartment building. This man is healthy, but doesn't take care of his health, wealthy, but spends his money liberally, and good-natured, but hangs about with a questionable crowd.
On New Year's Eve, the protagonist and this man have a conversation about people they've known who have committed suicide, including a number of stories of people who committed suicide for no apparent reason, in the prime of their lives and when they were very happy. The man also tells the protagonist about a man who has been stalking him, whom he identifies as a ghost but whom the protagonist was also able to see at one point. This stalker/ghost knows everything about the man and seems to know the future fates of his acquaintances, is bothered by a photograph of his late twin brother, and urges him to save his money.
It's heavily implied that this ghost is the man himself: ugly, in failing health, mean-spirited, and destitute after a lifetime of dissolution. I thought there was going to be a big reveal that this was the case, but Cather leaves it up to the reader's interpretation. The story concludes with the protagonist finding that the man has committed suicide. I interpret that as the man realizing that his ghost is the ghost of his future (possibly deceased) self, and deciding to end it all rather than suffer that fate.
There are elements of The Picture of Dorian Gray and A Christmas Carol in the idea of seeing your true/future self and being terrified by it. I liked it a lot.
https://cather.unl.edu/writings/short...
Audiobook
https://librivox.org/short-ghost-and-...
The protagonist is friendly with a man of leisure who also lives in his apartment building. This man is healthy, but doesn't take care of his health, wealthy, but spends his money liberally, and good-natured, but hangs about with a questionable crowd.
On New Year's Eve, the protagonist and this man have a conversation about people they've known who have committed suicide, including a number of stories of people who committed suicide for no apparent reason, in the prime of their lives and when they were very happy. The man also tells the protagonist about a man who has been stalking him, whom he identifies as a ghost but whom the protagonist was also able to see at one point. This stalker/ghost knows everything about the man and seems to know the future fates of his acquaintances, is bothered by a photograph of his late twin brother, and urges him to save his money.
It's heavily implied that this ghost is the man himself: ugly, in failing health, mean-spirited, and destitute after a lifetime of dissolution. I thought there was going to be a big reveal that this was the case, but Cather leaves it up to the reader's interpretation. The story concludes with the protagonist finding that the man has committed suicide. I interpret that as the man realizing that his ghost is the ghost of his future (possibly deceased) self, and deciding to end it all rather than suffer that fate.
There are elements of The Picture of Dorian Gray and A Christmas Carol in the idea of seeing your true/future self and being terrified by it. I liked it a lot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2020
2.5/3.0 Ultimately this story dances around the idea of suicide. The plot follows two characters who live in the same building in New York. One is a busy lawyer and the second is his younger bon vivant neighbor. Their paths cross occasionally as the story unfolds. It's rather obvious where the story is going; money doesn't buy happiness.
Narrated by Bronson Pinchot.
Narrated by Bronson Pinchot.
January 19, 2020
3.5 stars
September 17, 2022
Was it a future him who wanted present to be miserable and not go to Montana and possibly make him not exist? Or am I thinking too hard?
November 20, 2016
26/100 Glimpse of Truth Short Stories
Well crafted noir-esque thriller, one can see the "consequence" coming but it's well done.
Well crafted noir-esque thriller, one can see the "consequence" coming but it's well done.
April 15, 2017
This is the first piece I've read by Willa Cather, although I have O PIONEERS on my 'novella challenge' reading list. Not knowing much about the author I had few expectations when I began this short story from 1915, which initially appears rather light and frothy and then takes a dark, sinister turn.
Henry Eastman is a Manhattan-based lawyer who is speculative when his neighbour and acquaintance, Kier Cavenaugh, confides that he is being haunted by a mysterious man who seems to know everything about his life. Eastman is portrayed as sensible and moralistic, whereas Cavenaugh is a louche, man-about-town who hangs around with a bad crowd; although neither character is unlikable, and there is a touching quality to their casual friendship.
There is a strong element of ambiguity in terms of the truthfulness of certain elements of the plot, but Cather seems to be making a general comment that material wealth does not equate to happiness. I ultimately find the moral tone of this story a bit heavy handed, but enjoyed its Gothic trappings.
6/10
Henry Eastman is a Manhattan-based lawyer who is speculative when his neighbour and acquaintance, Kier Cavenaugh, confides that he is being haunted by a mysterious man who seems to know everything about his life. Eastman is portrayed as sensible and moralistic, whereas Cavenaugh is a louche, man-about-town who hangs around with a bad crowd; although neither character is unlikable, and there is a touching quality to their casual friendship.
There is a strong element of ambiguity in terms of the truthfulness of certain elements of the plot, but Cather seems to be making a general comment that material wealth does not equate to happiness. I ultimately find the moral tone of this story a bit heavy handed, but enjoyed its Gothic trappings.
6/10
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews