Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Black Doctor
Myfather,whocameofthebestbloodofoldSpain,filledallthehighestofficesoftheState,andwouldhavebeenPresidentbutforhisdeathintheriotsofSanJuan.AbrilliantcareermighthavebeenopentomytwinbrotherErnestandmyselfhaditnotbeenforfinanciallosseswhichmadeitnecessarythatweshouldearnourownliving.Iapologize,sir,ifthesedetailsappeartobeirrelevant,buttheyareanecessaryintroductiontothatwhichistofollow.
"Ihad,asIhavesaid,atwinbrothernamedErnest,whoseresemblancetomewassogreatthatevenwhenweweretogetherpeoplecouldseenodifferencebetweenus.Downtothesmallestdetailwewereexactlythesame.Aswegrewolderthislikenessbecamelessmarkedbecauseourexpressionwasnotthesame,butwithourfeaturesinreposethepointsofdifferencewereveryslight.
"Itdoesnotbecomemetosaytoomuchofonewhoisdead,themoresoasheismyonlybrother,butIleavehischaractertothosewhoknewhimbest.Iwillonlysay—forIHAVEtosayit—thatinmyearlymanhoodIconceivedahorrorofhim,andthatIhadgoodreasonfortheaversionwhichfilledme.Myownreputationsufferedfromhisactions,forourcloseresemblancecausedmetobecreditedwithmanyofthem.Eventually,inapeculiarlydisgracefulbusiness,hecontrivedtothrowthewholeodiumuponmeinsuchawaythatIwasforcedtoleavetheArgentineforever,andtoseekacareerinEurope.Thefreedomfromhishatedpresencemorethancompensatedmeforthelossofmynativeland.
