De Profundis by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Name: De Profundis
Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The narrative unfolds through the perspective of a narrator who recounts the story of John Vansittart, a coffee exporter from Ceylon, and his tragic fate. The tale begins with reflections on the British Empire and the sacrifices made by its youth, setting a tone of melancholy and foreboding. Vansittart, who is visiting England, becomes engaged to Emily Lawson and plans to return to Ceylon with her aboard the ship _Eastern Star_. However, he exhibits signs of distress and illness during his last night in London, revealing a troubled state exacerbated by the pressures of his life and possibly alcohol. Despite the narrator's concerns, Vansittart departs for the ship, leaving behind a sense of unease. As the _Eastern Star_ sets sail, a fierce storm arises, and the ship is lost at sea for several days. The narrator waits anxiously in Falmouth with Emily, who is increasingly consumed by worry for her husband. After a week of waiting, a letter arrives from the ship's captain, revealing that Vansittart has contracted smallpox and is gravely ill. The captain decides to head for Madeira to seek medical help. In a moment of eerie coincidence, while on a calm sea, the narrator and Emily witness what appears to be Vansittart emerging from the water, a vision that deeply affects them both. Emily interprets this as a sign of her husband's death, which she believes occurred at the same moment. Upon reaching Madeira, they learn that Vansittart had indeed died at sea days earlier, and his body was buried in the ocean. The narrator grapples with the implications of the vision they witnessed, pondering whether it was a manifestation of telepathy or a supernatural occurrence. He ultimately concludes that it was not a mere wraith but rather a strange coincidence that brought them to the very spot where Vansittart had been buried, suggesting a deeper connection between the living and the dead. The story explores themes of love, loss, and the mysteries of existence, leaving readers to contemplate the boundaries of life and death, as well as the nature of human connection across distances.

By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle · First published 1896 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Romance, Psychological Fiction · 5,433 words

First lines

So long as the oceans are the ligaments which bind together the great / broad-cast British Empire, so long will there be a dash of romance in / our minds. For the soul is swayed by the waters, as the waters are by / the moon, and when the great highways of an empire are along such roads / as these, so full of strange sights and sounds, with danger ever running / like a hedge on either side of the course, it is a dull mind indeed / which does not bear away with it some trace of such a passage. And / now, Britain lies far beyond herself, for the three-mile limit of every / seaboard is her frontier, which has been won by hammer and loom and pick / rather than by arts of war. For it is written in history that neither / king nor army can bar the path to the man who having twopence in his / strong box, and knowing well where he can turn it to threepence, sets / his mind to that one end. And as the frontier has broadened, the mind of / Britain has broadened too, spreading out until all men can see that the / ways of the island are continental, even as those of the Continent are / insular.

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De Profundis is listed on Textopian as a short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, dated 1896 CE.

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Work type: Short story
Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Date: 1896 CE
Language: English
Genres: Literary Fiction, Romance, Psychological Fiction, Supernatural Fiction, Adventure
Length: 5,433 words
Structure: 1 section, 67 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Genres

Literary Fiction — The book explores deep themes of love, loss, and the human condition, characteristic of literary fiction.
Romance — The central plot revolves around the romantic relationship between John Vansittart and Emily Lawson.
Psychological Fiction — The narrative delves into the psychological states of the characters, particularly in moments of grief and supernatural experiences.
Supernatural Fiction — The story includes elements of the supernatural, particularly the appearance of John Vansittart's wraith.