Short Story: The Most Dangerous Game

Rainsford leaned across the table,absorbed in what his host was saying."It came to me as an inspirationwhat I must do," the general went on."And that was?"The general smiled the quiet smileof one who has faced an obstacle andsurmounted it with success. "I had to inventa new animal to hunt," he said."A new animal? You're joking.""Not at all," said the general. "Inever joke about hunting. I needed a newanimal. I found one. So I bought this islandbuilt this house, and here I do my hunting.The island is perfect for my purposes--thereare jungles with a maze of traits in them,hills, swamps--""But the animal, General Zaroff?""Oh," said the general, "it suppliesme with the most exciting hunting in theworld. No other hunting compares with itfor an instant. Every day I hunt, and I nevergrow bored now, for I have a quarry withwhich I can match my wits."Rainsford's bewilderment showed inhis face."I wanted the ideal animal to hunt,"explained the general. "So I said, `What arethe attributes of an ideal quarry?' And theanswer was, of course, `It must havecourage, cunning, and, above all, it must beable to reason."'"But no animal can reason,"objected Rainsford."My dear fellow," said the general,"there is one that can.""But you can't mean--" gaspedRainsford."And why not?""I can't believe you are serious,General Zaroff. This is a joke.""Why should I not be serious? I amspeaking of hunting.""Hunting? General Zaroff, what youspeak of is murder."The general laughed. I'll wager you'llforget your notions when you go huntingwith me. You've a genuine new thrill instore for you, Mr. Rainsford."Thank you, I'm a hunter, not amurderer.""Dear me, "said the general, "againthat unpleasant word."Yes?""Life is for the strong, to be lived by thestrong, and, if needs be, taken by thestrong. The weak of the world were puthere to give the strong pleasure. I amstrong. If I wish to hunt, why should I not?"But they are men," said Rainsfordhotly."Precisely," said the general. "That iswhy I use them. It gives me pleasure. Theycan reason. So they are dangerous.""But where do you get them?"The general's left eyelid fluttereddown in a wink. "This island is called ShipTrap," he answered. "Come to the windowwith me."Rainsford went to the window andlooked out toward the sea."Watch! Out there!" exclaimed thegeneral, pointing into the night. Rainsford'seyes saw only blackness, and then, as thegeneral pressed a button, far out to seaRainsford saw the flash of lights.The general chuckled. "They indicatea channel," he said, "where there's none;giant rocks with razor edges crouch like asea monster with wide-open jaws. They cancrush a ship as easily as I crush this nut." Hedropped a walnut on the hardwood floorand brought his heel grinding down on it."Oh, yes," he said, casually, as if in answerto a question, "I have electricity. We try tobe civilized here."6