Rattle of bones — Reading Notes

A Tale of Two Travelers

The narrative hinges on the contrast between Kane and l'Armon. Kane is described as 'tall gaunt man, clad in a featherless hat and somber black garments,' his face 'forbidding.' He speaks little and observes much. L'Armon, by contrast, is 'bedecked with lace and plumes,' his finery travel-stained, his 'restless eyes shifted from side to side.' This dichotomy extends to their reactions: Kane is immediately alert to the host's cryptic remark that 'few come twice,' while l'Armon presses for information with careless bravado. Their dynamic drives the plot forward, as each man's character shapes his fate. The host's sullen demeanor and the tavern's oppressive atmosphere further heighten the tension, suggesting that the building itself is a trap.

The Architecture of Dread

Howard structures the story around a series of confined spaces: the tavern's main room, a long dark hall, and a secret chamber. The movement between these spaces is marked by the flickering light of a candle, which 'threw a long, grim shadow behind' the host as he leads the way. The description of the hall—'black shadows wavered on the walls'—creates a sense of disorientation. The secret room, revealed later, contains the skeleton of a sorcerer, its 'bare fingerbones' ultimately becoming the instrument of the host's death. This spatial progression from public to private mirrors the unraveling of the mystery, with each new room exposing a deeper layer of horror.

Recurring Images: Skulls, Bones, and Firelight

The title 'Rattle of Bones' is literalized through repeated skeletal imagery. The tavern's sign is a 'cleft skull'; the host's face is 'bestial' and his eyes 'red'; the skeleton in the secret room is described with 'fingerbones' that move of their own accord. Firelight plays a crucial role, alternately revealing and obscuring: the host's features are 'luridly etched' one moment, then 'receding into vagueness' the next. This interplay of light and shadow creates a visual rhythm that underscores the story's supernatural elements. The bones themselves become a motif of agency, as the skeleton's attack on the host suggests a return of the repressed—the sorcerer's vengeance from beyond the grave.

Dialogue as a Tool of Suspense

Howard uses sparse, pointed dialogue to build suspense. The host's lines are terse and ominous: 'Strangers are few in the Black Forest,' 'Few come twice.' Kane's responses are equally brief—'Solomon Kane,' he says, offering no more. L'Armon's chatter contrasts with this economy, but his questions ('Do you have many guests?') only elicit more cryptic replies. The conversation is punctuated by silences and glances, such as when 'Kane started and glanced up straight into those small red eyes.' This verbal restraint forces the reader to attend to physical details—the host's 'grudging gesture,' the 'sinister echoing' of the shout—amplifying the atmosphere of dread. The dialogue never explains the supernatural events; instead, it hints at them, leaving the horror to unfold through action.

Readers should pay close attention to Howard's use of light and shadow as a structural device, marking transitions between safety and danger. The story's brevity—just over 5,600 words—means every detail counts, from the cleft skull sign to the host's animal-like beard. The contrast between Kane's Puritanical reserve and l'Armon's worldly curiosity is not merely character color but a mechanism that drives the plot toward its grim conclusion. Approach this tale as a tightly wound chamber piece, where the setting itself is a character and the bones truly do rattle.

There is a particular hush in Howard’s forest tavern, that clink of bone against stone, which reminds me of the quieter snap of pages turning in an old anthologies. Both hold a lantern, not to blaze, but to show shadows. I have watched readers find that same flicker in The best short stories of 1920, and the yearbook of the American short story — Story, Setting & Ideas. A kinship of shivers, softly shared.