



Produced by David Widger from page images generously
provided by the Internet Archive








THE DANCE OF DEATH

By Ambrose Bierce (AKA William Herman)



```"Wilt thou bring fine gold for a payment

````For sins on this wise?

```For the glittering of raiment

````And the shining of eyes,

```For the painting of faces

````And the sundering of trust,

```For the sins of thine high places

````And delight of thy lust?"=

* * * *

```"Not with fine gold for a payment,

````But with coin of sighs,

```But with rending of raiment

````And with weeping of eyes,

```But with shame of stricken faces

````And with strewing of dust,

```For the sin of stately places

````And lordship of lust."

 `````Swinburne.=

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PREFACE.

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he writer of these pages is not foolish enough to suppose that he can
escape strong and bitter condemnation for his utterances. On this
score he is not disposed to be greatly troubled; and for these reasons:
Firstly--he feels that he is performing a _duty_; secondly--he is
certain that his sentiments will be endorsed by hundreds upon whose
opinion he sets great value; thirdly--he relieves his mind of a burden
that has oppressed it for many years; and fourthly--as is evident upon
the face of these pages--he is no professed _litterateur_, who can be
starved by adverse criticism. Nevertheless he would be apostate to his
self-appointed mission if he invited censure by unseemly defiance of
those who must