The Task :: essays research papers

It was a quiet afternoon so crudely interrupted by a knock at the door. A messenger had come with a letter. I took the letter and began reading. It was from my father. The old man was ill and had requested my immediate presence. I gathered my things and mounted my best horse.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I arrived at my fathers house before nightfall and was let in by one of his illustrious maids. Her name was Margarette`. She had been tending to my father for many years now. A tall, young lady yet always bleak and deteriorating. She led me strait to his chamber which was filled with the aroma of medicines and ails. The physician was also present as were a few maids. Upon seeing my arrival the old man made a weak attempt to sit up, coughing as though his lungs were filled with smoke from a thousand chimneys, and motioned for me to come closer. It was painful for me to see my once strong, cunning and seemingly invincible father in this state. In his youth, his strength had equaled ten men but now he had been reduced to a thin and withering, pale, old man. I greeted him warmly, hiding my true feelings of disgust and immorality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My father instructed all to leave us and began talk of death nearing him. My father was not a poor man and had said to be leaving a greater portion of his wealth to me and the rest being divided amongst the maids and my sister who after marriage had moved to Spain. However before the fortune was upon me I would have to complete a task—to kill the one man who had wronged my father. The old man instructed me to take a key from his neck and open his personal drawer with it. From there I would take his prized dagger and use it to slay my fathers adversary. The jewel was wrapped in fine cloth and was not to be opened until I face my enemy in combat. My father spoke of great evil that was in the heart of this beast and only that dagger which had been soaked in his own blood could destroy him. He bid me be careful and keen with my task as this man wore a mask of kindness that I should not fall under.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Automatically I dispersed my fathers warnings, questioning his sanity and left to retire before my journey.