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The Dualitists; or, the Death Doom of the Double Born
This short story was written by Bram Stoker the world famous author of Dracula. In it a married couple, after trying for many years, has a set of identical twins. The dote on the twins for three years unaware that two neighborhood boys have developed an obsession for destroying things. At first the boys ruin various objects found in their houses. However, as time goes by they become bored with inanimate objects and decide to move on to something else.
29 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 22, 1887
6 people are currently reading
180 people want to read
About the author
Bram Stoker
2,637 books5,861 followersIrish-born Abraham Stoker, known as Bram, of Britain wrote the gothic horror novel
Dracula
(1897).
The feminist Charlotte Mathilda Blake Thornely Stoker at 15 Marino crescent, then as now called "the crescent," in Fairview, a coastal suburb of Dublin, Ireland, bore this third of seven children. The parents, members of church of Ireland, attended the parish church of Saint John the Baptist, located on Seafield road west in Clontarf with their baptized children.
Stoker, an invalid, started school at the age of seven years in 1854, when he made a complete and astounding recovery. Of this time, Stoker wrote, "I was naturally thoughtful, and the leisure of long illness gave opportunity for many thoughts which were fruitful according to their kind in later years."
After his recovery, he, a normal young man, even excelled as a university athlete at Trinity college, Dublin form 1864 to 1870 and graduated with honors in mathematics. He served as auditor of the college historical society and as president of the university philosophical society with his first paper on "Sensationalism in Fiction and Society."
In 1876, while employed as a civil servant in Dublin, Stoker wrote a non-fiction book (The Duties of Clerks of Petty Sessions in Ireland, published 1879) and theatre reviews for The Dublin Mail, a newspaper partly owned by fellow horror writer J. Sheridan Le Fanu. His interest in theatre led to a lifelong friendship with the English actor Henry Irving. He also wrote stories, and in 1872 "The Crystal Cup" was published by the London Society, followed by "The Chain of Destiny" in four parts in The Shamrock.
In 1878 Stoker married Florence Balcombe, a celebrated beauty whose former suitor was Oscar Wilde. The couple moved to London, where Stoker became business manager (at first as acting-manager) of Irving's Lyceum Theatre, a post he held for 27 years. The collaboration with Irving was very important for Stoker and through him he became involved in London's high society, where he met, among other notables, James McNeil Whistler, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In the course of Irving's tours, Stoker got the chance to travel around the world.
The Stokers had one son, Irving Noel, who was born on December 31, 1879.
People cremated the body of Bram Stoker and placed his ashes placed in a display urn at Golders green crematorium. After death of Irving Noel Stoker in 1961, people added his ashes to that urn. Despite the original plan to keep ashes of his parents together, after death, people scattered ashes of Florence Stoker at the gardens of rest.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bram_Stoker
The feminist Charlotte Mathilda Blake Thornely Stoker at 15 Marino crescent, then as now called "the crescent," in Fairview, a coastal suburb of Dublin, Ireland, bore this third of seven children. The parents, members of church of Ireland, attended the parish church of Saint John the Baptist, located on Seafield road west in Clontarf with their baptized children.
Stoker, an invalid, started school at the age of seven years in 1854, when he made a complete and astounding recovery. Of this time, Stoker wrote, "I was naturally thoughtful, and the leisure of long illness gave opportunity for many thoughts which were fruitful according to their kind in later years."
After his recovery, he, a normal young man, even excelled as a university athlete at Trinity college, Dublin form 1864 to 1870 and graduated with honors in mathematics. He served as auditor of the college historical society and as president of the university philosophical society with his first paper on "Sensationalism in Fiction and Society."
In 1876, while employed as a civil servant in Dublin, Stoker wrote a non-fiction book (The Duties of Clerks of Petty Sessions in Ireland, published 1879) and theatre reviews for The Dublin Mail, a newspaper partly owned by fellow horror writer J. Sheridan Le Fanu. His interest in theatre led to a lifelong friendship with the English actor Henry Irving. He also wrote stories, and in 1872 "The Crystal Cup" was published by the London Society, followed by "The Chain of Destiny" in four parts in The Shamrock.
In 1878 Stoker married Florence Balcombe, a celebrated beauty whose former suitor was Oscar Wilde. The couple moved to London, where Stoker became business manager (at first as acting-manager) of Irving's Lyceum Theatre, a post he held for 27 years. The collaboration with Irving was very important for Stoker and through him he became involved in London's high society, where he met, among other notables, James McNeil Whistler, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In the course of Irving's tours, Stoker got the chance to travel around the world.
The Stokers had one son, Irving Noel, who was born on December 31, 1879.
People cremated the body of Bram Stoker and placed his ashes placed in a display urn at Golders green crematorium. After death of Irving Noel Stoker in 1961, people added his ashes to that urn. Despite the original plan to keep ashes of his parents together, after death, people scattered ashes of Florence Stoker at the gardens of rest.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bram_Stoker
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 52 reviews
February 24, 2024
পাঠকজীবনের শ্রেষ্ঠ নৃশংস ছোটগল্পের তকমা এই গল্পটাকে দেওয়া যেতে পারে। নৃশংসতা ছাড়া এ গল্পে আর কি আছে সেটা জানতে হলে গল্পে আরেকবার মনোনিবেশ করতে হবে আমাকে।
October 26, 2019
What a terrifying tale!
Such a gloomy end.
Worst part? This could actually have happened, which makes this tale even more horrific.
Mankind can be really sick.
This was a compelling short story, which a dark twist, and even darker ending.
Read: 26/10/2019
1st rating: 4 stars
Genre/sub-genres: Horror/classics/short story/historical
Cover: 3 stars
POV: Multiple- (Harry, Tommy & Mr. Bubb)
Will I recommend: Yes
Such a gloomy end.
Worst part? This could actually have happened, which makes this tale even more horrific.
Mankind can be really sick.
This was a compelling short story, which a dark twist, and even darker ending.
Read: 26/10/2019
1st rating: 4 stars
Genre/sub-genres: Horror/classics/short story/historical
Cover: 3 stars
POV: Multiple- (Harry, Tommy & Mr. Bubb)
Will I recommend: Yes
June 18, 2018
Five stars because it was bonkers and the Public Domain Theater episode was so great. I don't use the word bonkers lightly.
November 25, 2020
Gosh! Bram Stoker went over the top in writing this story pulling out all the stops in telling the tale of the evolution of two what seems to be pre-adolescent boys Harry and Tommy turn into full fledged psychopaths. I am not one fond of the F word but there is no other description than stating that this is truly one "F---ED UP" story. Dracula in comparison is child's play [no pun intended] and tame compared to this story. Shock value is kept up throughout the story as well as rampant violence. 5 Stars is given not for taste in subject matter but a well written story line and strong plot development which this story undoubtedly has despite its horrific subject matter of the deranged escapades of the young boys.
June 23, 2025
Cosa cxxo ho appena letto? :D
È un racconto macabro e violento sulla malvagità infantile. L’autore da alla sua scrittura un particolare piglio ironico e scanzonato e il risultato è simpaticamente grottesco, perché descrive scene di violenza estrema come se fossero scenette comiche. Nonostante sia rimasta un pochino perplessa dall’escalation esagerata della storia non ho potuto fare a meno di apprezzare l’audacia di Stoker nel dissacrare l’infanzia. Lettura tanto tanto dark e controversa, adatta per chi ama il genere pulp e splatter.
Nota di merito all’edizione bellissima e curata di Caravaggio Editore, con illustrazioni di Massimiliano Modica.
TW: violenza su animali e bambini
È un racconto macabro e violento sulla malvagità infantile. L’autore da alla sua scrittura un particolare piglio ironico e scanzonato e il risultato è simpaticamente grottesco, perché descrive scene di violenza estrema come se fossero scenette comiche. Nonostante sia rimasta un pochino perplessa dall’escalation esagerata della storia non ho potuto fare a meno di apprezzare l’audacia di Stoker nel dissacrare l’infanzia. Lettura tanto tanto dark e controversa, adatta per chi ama il genere pulp e splatter.
Nota di merito all’edizione bellissima e curata di Caravaggio Editore, con illustrazioni di Massimiliano Modica.
TW: violenza su animali e bambini
May 10, 2017
If your appetite for horror tends towards a truly sick joke, this gleefully revolting story will satisfy you for a few minutes. Full of sociopathy, sentimentality mocked, and brutal animal and human mutilations for the sheer fun of hurting a living thing, this pitch-black comedy makes people uncomfortable even today. Imagine the reaction a hundred years ago...
December 28, 2019
Disgusting.
Based on the mock-heroic prose and the slapstick elements, it seems that Stoker was trying to be humorous, kind of like Struwwelpeter: Fearful Stories and Vile Pictures to Instruct Good Little Folks. However, the violence toward animals and children is hard to stomach, at least for me.
If Stephen King put this story out today, it would make headlines. Bram Stoker put it out in the 1890s and it got ignored. Go figure.
Based on the mock-heroic prose and the slapstick elements, it seems that Stoker was trying to be humorous, kind of like Struwwelpeter: Fearful Stories and Vile Pictures to Instruct Good Little Folks. However, the violence toward animals and children is hard to stomach, at least for me.
If Stephen King put this story out today, it would make headlines. Bram Stoker put it out in the 1890s and it got ignored. Go figure.
April 13, 2018
What... the...?
June 18, 2018
WHAT THE HELL
February 20, 2020
I was expecting something more supernatural but this story was a lot like a Criminal Minds episode. It is about injustice, about how more dangerous two crazy minds are instead of just one and about parental love. The ending broke my heart, but I'm pretty sure something like that actually happens in real life.
April 22, 2019
That was definitely... weird. Bram Stoker was sure a creative horror writer!
January 2, 2025
This story was difficult to stomach. Stoker made light of torturing animals and babies without any meaningful literary purpose besides comedic effect.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2019
I read this in a collection of 19th century horror stories/novels called Penny Dreadfuls. Most of the stories were pretty good, but this one was completely sickening. I almost threw up, and I actually cried because of how completely twisted it was. I have literally never read anything this horrible. Spoiler alert, although I don't think anyone should read this, it ends with the two main characters brutally murdering two infants. It's absolutely disgusting. It literally made me decide not to read Dracula, because if Stoker wrote this he clearly had a horribly sick mind. There is no moral or message to it, just mindless brutality against animals and children. I am disgusted and horrified that this even exists. This is the first time in my life I've understood why people burn and/or ban books. I am not exaggerating when I say that this is the worst thing I've ever read. Both the author and anyone who enjoys it must be seriously mentally ill. I am utterly revolted.
July 12, 2020
In terms of an entertaining story, this is a negative star, if that was possible. Not because it’s not well told, but because it is NOT a fun story.
The execution and story structure were very well done, hence the high rating, that, and my immense emotional reaction to the conclusion.
Not something for the faint of heart.
Not a casual read.
The execution and story structure were very well done, hence the high rating, that, and my immense emotional reaction to the conclusion.
Not something for the faint of heart.
Not a casual read.
October 22, 2018
Good lord, I did not expect something this ghastly... It makes Dracula appear to be the great british baking show. Animal mutilation, infanticide, evil kids, and more. Have a strong stomach if you wish to read this. Quite a short book, but grim.
December 20, 2020
Stoker opts for the most horrific ending possible instead of the perhaps-more-obvious and (in my opinion) more satisfying ending in which justice prevails. (I’m picturing Harry and Tommy falling from the roof and ending up like their victims—skulls smashed together. Seems a fitting death. The horror would remain, with the twins still dead, but at least Harry and Tommy would be gone.) This short story delivers the horror, no doubt. It’s more horrific to have the psychopaths get away with their crimes and continue on.
What bothers me about the ending is primarily this: are we to believe the two criminal psychopaths give up their passion and settle down to a normal life, satisfied with story telling? Surely Stoker could have popped in another sentence or two, playing on the imaginations of the reader, inviting them to wonder what additional terrors the two men come up with later in life? But no mention is made of any continued “hacking” behavior. Are they finally satisfied with their twisted game? Stoker’s descriptions of the characters make it seem as if they could never be satiated. It feels like the characters deviate from their established personalities at the end.
What bothers me about the ending is primarily this: are we to believe the two criminal psychopaths give up their passion and settle down to a normal life, satisfied with story telling? Surely Stoker could have popped in another sentence or two, playing on the imaginations of the reader, inviting them to wonder what additional terrors the two men come up with later in life? But no mention is made of any continued “hacking” behavior. Are they finally satisfied with their twisted game? Stoker’s descriptions of the characters make it seem as if they could never be satiated. It feels like the characters deviate from their established personalities at the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2024
Plot:
When married, couple Ephraim Bubb and Sophonisba Bubb, after trying for many years, have a set of identical twins. The Dote on the twins for three years unaware that the two neighborhood boys, Harry Merford and Tommy Santon, have developed an obsession for destroying things. At first, the boys ruined various objects found in their houses. However, as time goes by, they become bored with inanimate objects and decide to move on to something else.
My Thoughts
This book had an ending I didn't see coming until the last four pages. What a dark way to end a book, Bram Stoker put chills down my back and tears in my eyes with the ending. The ending makes up for how short and sometimes hard to follow the beginning of the book was. It's not bad for an introduction into Bram Stoker Horror. P.S. I still can't get over that bold and dark ending such a tear-jerker
My Current Bram Stoker Ranking
1. (1887) The Dualitists
When married, couple Ephraim Bubb and Sophonisba Bubb, after trying for many years, have a set of identical twins. The Dote on the twins for three years unaware that the two neighborhood boys, Harry Merford and Tommy Santon, have developed an obsession for destroying things. At first, the boys ruined various objects found in their houses. However, as time goes by, they become bored with inanimate objects and decide to move on to something else.
My Thoughts
This book had an ending I didn't see coming until the last four pages. What a dark way to end a book, Bram Stoker put chills down my back and tears in my eyes with the ending. The ending makes up for how short and sometimes hard to follow the beginning of the book was. It's not bad for an introduction into Bram Stoker Horror. P.S. I still can't get over that bold and dark ending such a tear-jerker
My Current Bram Stoker Ranking
1. (1887) The Dualitists
January 1, 2026
Recensione di “I dualisti” di Bram Stoker edito Caravaggio editore
📚📚📚📚📚
Si può racchiudere una spietata crudeltà in sole 54 pagine? Se si è Stoker sì.
La lucidità con cui questi ragazzi sin da piccoli commettono atti criminali è terrificante tanto quanto la gioia che provano nell’accusare, subdolamente, e nel far condannare poi, degli innocenti al loro posto.
Atti nefandi che crescono sempre più sino ad arrivare al climax dell’ultimo: il più aberrante, il più inimmaginabile.
Il male ha il sopravvento sull’innocenza che viene spazzata via come polvere.
Non c’è lieto fine, non c’è redenzione, non c’è giustizia.
Ed è questo che rende il racconto così amaro: siamo abituati al castigo dopo il delitto che qui, come spesso accade nella realtà, rimane impunito.
Da leggere
📚📚📚📚📚
Si può racchiudere una spietata crudeltà in sole 54 pagine? Se si è Stoker sì.
La lucidità con cui questi ragazzi sin da piccoli commettono atti criminali è terrificante tanto quanto la gioia che provano nell’accusare, subdolamente, e nel far condannare poi, degli innocenti al loro posto.
Atti nefandi che crescono sempre più sino ad arrivare al climax dell’ultimo: il più aberrante, il più inimmaginabile.
Il male ha il sopravvento sull’innocenza che viene spazzata via come polvere.
Non c’è lieto fine, non c’è redenzione, non c’è giustizia.
Ed è questo che rende il racconto così amaro: siamo abituati al castigo dopo il delitto che qui, come spesso accade nella realtà, rimane impunito.
Da leggere
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2021
1.5☆
Stoker was a little sick in the head for this one. I get this was the point of the penny dreadfuls, but there is a line and that line is describing the murder of many animals and children.
I wasn't scared, simply disgusted. I thought the point of these spooky stories was for them to be supernatural, not have mad murderous children getting away with their insanity and living out the rest of their days happily.
Stoker was a little sick in the head for this one. I get this was the point of the penny dreadfuls, but there is a line and that line is describing the murder of many animals and children.
I wasn't scared, simply disgusted. I thought the point of these spooky stories was for them to be supernatural, not have mad murderous children getting away with their insanity and living out the rest of their days happily.
July 24, 2021
I suppose that the only comment in need of saying is that this story was a chore to read. The 'comedy' of the tale, if it was so intentioned, is lost, and the purple prose liberally dipped into is grating. The plot, such as it is, makes little sense, as well--relying upon very chancy affairs with sometimes unbelievable causation. Possibly the worst Stoker story to exist.
November 30, 2021
A cynical and pretty monstrous tale that makes Dracula seem like a comedy romp. This is the kind of story Saki might have written if he'd been a sociopath rather than a satirist. It's undeniably powerful, and the fact that the ending can be seen coming a mile off only makes it more nightmarish. If you read it you'll probably never forget it -- much as you might want to.
February 8, 2025
oh my god this was WAY better dead baby comedy than jonathan swift's a modest proposal (or, as i call it, a mid-est proposal). i had no idea bram stoker was talented with both comedy and horror, which this was BOTH. i...damn. if i were to introduce bram stoker to someone unfamiliar with him, i would introduce them to him with THIS, not even dracula.
December 23, 2021
Holy crap, this is f***in' dark. This is like "Bad Seed" meets "Psycho". Two kids take turns destroying inanimate objects, then animate objects of increasing size. The most disturbing thing about this is probably the very chipper narrative style. Very subversive, Bram!
October 1, 2022
This started so slowly that I was wondering why it classed as a horror story.
But that ending answers why it does… easily one of the worst things I’ve ever listened to. Feels like Stoker had some demons to deal with while writing this story.
But that ending answers why it does… easily one of the worst things I’ve ever listened to. Feels like Stoker had some demons to deal with while writing this story.
October 2, 2023
gee wiz. yikes. this is still shocking today.
at one line i let out a shout so loud my grandma came into the room to see if i was okay. i recounted her the story that scared me and she said she wished she hadn't asked.
at one line i let out a shout so loud my grandma came into the room to see if i was okay. i recounted her the story that scared me and she said she wished she hadn't asked.
August 8, 2025
La constante tensión que sentí me tuvo con un nudo en la garganta a medida que la historia se iba contando. Quedé horrorizado pero encantado con la forma de relatar algo tan atroz y vil como lo fue esta narrativa.
October 26, 2018
This is so sick and twisted. What in God's name did I read?
October 29, 2019
The degree of horrible things that happened. Short horror story
June 1, 2020
This was a weird story to read, especially everything I have read by Bram Stoker before. I honestly don’t know how I felt about the story or the ending.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 52 reviews