The Brazilian Cat

Sociedade das Relíquias Literárias #2

by Arthur Conan Doyle

This early work by Arthur Conan Doyle was originally published in 1898 and we are now republishing it with a brand new introductory biography as part of our Cryptofiction Classics series. 'The Brazilian Cat' is a short story about an enormous and captivating black cat. Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1859. It was between 1876 and 1881, while studying medicine at the University of Edinburgh, that he began writing short stories, and his first piece was published in 'Chambers's Edinburgh Journal' before he was 20. In 1887, Conan Doyle's first significant work, iA Study in Scarlet', appeared in 'Beeton's Christmas Annual'. It featured the first appearance of detective Sherlock Holmes, the protagonist who was to eventually make Conan Doyle's reputation. The Cryptofiction Classics series contains a collection of wonderful stories from some of the greatest authors in the genre, including Ambrose Bierce, Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Jack London. From its roots in cryptozoology, this genre features bizarre, fantastical, and often terrifying tales of mythical and legendary creatures. Whether it be giant spiders, werewolves, lake monsters, or dinosaurs, the Cryptofiction Classics series offers a fantastic introduction to the world of weird creatures in fiction.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Classics, Thriller, Mystery, Audiobook

45 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1898

About the author

Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle was a Scottish writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for A Study in Scarlet, the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Holmes and Dr. Watson. The Sherlock Holmes stories are milestones in the field of crime fiction.

Doyle was a prolific writer. In addition to the Holmes stories, his works include fantasy and science fiction stories about Professor Challenger, and humorous stories about the Napoleonic soldier Brigadier Gerard, as well as plays, romances, poetry, non-fiction, and historical novels. One of Doyle's early short stories, "J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement" (1884), helped to popularise the mystery of the brigantine Mary Celeste, found drifting at sea with no crew member aboard.

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very compelling story that slowly approaches its climax. When a young English peer in desperate need for money visits his rich cousin, things turn out in a different way than expected. An exotic Brazilian cat the relative brought with him also plays an important role here. Even if you suspect some nasty twist to come you are surprised like the protagonist when the situation enters. Masterly plotted, great story. Highly recommended!

[Charles van Buren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tense suspense filled story of attempted murder by cat written in a style which hints at least a little of Edgar Allan Poe. Very different from Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes adventures. Published in The Strand Magazine December 1898.

Later published in ROUND THE FIRE STORIES, a collection of Conan Doyle's dark tales. The collection is available from Amazon at about the same cost as a single story.

[Aishu Rehman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Brazilian Cat, one of the “tales of terror”, is a quick, easy read. Marshall King, heir to Lord Southerton, has been invited to stay at the home of his cousin Everard, who has recently returned to England from Brazil. Everard has brought a menagerie of animals and birds back to England with him, including a peccary, an armadillo, an oriole…and a Brazilian cat.

What exactly is a Brazilian cat? Why does Everard’s wife seem so desperate for Marshall to leave Greylands Court? And why is Everard receiving so many mysterious telegrams? You’ll have to read the story to find out.

As a short horror story I wouldn’t say it was terrifying, but it was suspenseful with the tension building at a steady pace throughout the story. There’s nothing very deep or profound about The Brazilian Cat, nothing complex or thought-provoking, but it’s entertaining and worth reading if you have a few minutes to spare.

[Latasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t think getting locked with with a big ol kitty cat is such a bad thing! This was a quick listen and the story was completely new to me. It was ok. The narrator was excellent.

[Katrina McCollough · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work"

Thank you. It hurts to know how many books have been lost to time. Thanks for making them semi permanent.

[Anjan Das · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice short story from Doyle.enjoy it while reading

[Deize ☾₊˚✭ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Graças a cultura pop não há quem não conheça o Arthur Conan Doyle, mas admito que nunca tinha lido nada dele. Esse conto apesar de curto é bem imersivo e por ter elementos que conhecemos bem isso torna tudo mais interessante, a história te deixa tensa e indignada, o desfecho não foi uma surpresa pois eu já esperava algo assim, mas o porquê de tudo aquilo...a ganância sempre fala mais alto, né?!

[Penny -Thecatladybooknook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marshall King goes to visit his first cousin, Everard King. Everard likes to collect exotic animals so Marshall goes to visit.

I have fallen in love with Doyle's writing and storytelling style so I plan to read as much of him as I can. This "short story"/novelette was really good and even had a feel of Poe to me.

[Richie Kercenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intense and beautifully written. This is one of Doyle's spookiest tales; and while it has nothing of the Holmesian about it, it is imbued with gothic gloom and thrilling suspense. A treacherous man, a wild beast, a penniless cousin, a heartless relative; all these are combined to give the plot a touch of the macabre. Indeed, when locked up with the Brazilian cat, the narrator had been confined in what could have become his grave!
But what can this masterpiece teach us in a practical way?
1. You certainly can't trust savage felines so don't keep one in your basement! But most importantly you must never give your full trust to people without first putting them to the test.
2. Greed kills! It had almost killed our penniless narrator here and it certainly ended the life of his cousin in a somewhat very painful manner.
3. Get something to do. Idleness was at the bottom of the whole disastrous episode.

[Rafa · Rating 2 out of 5]

A descrição do belo felino negro foi provavelmente o que eu mais gostei... Durante o clímax do conto, até tive uma certa simpatia pela situação que o personagem se encontrava, mas nada muito além disso.

Por fim, senti falta de uma escrita mais visceral, algo que desse arrepios na espinha.

[Akrabar · Rating 5 out of 5]

audiobook

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0Ttm...

[Tgordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very deep for such a short story. Beware the cat.

[Lannie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I enjoyed this simple story more in style and plot than any of the other Doyle stuff I've read.

[Pilar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Conto interessante sobre família e dinheiro, com um final bacana!

[Pawarut Jongsirirag · Rating 4 out of 5]

**อ่านฉบับเเปลไทยของ สนพ เวลา

คุณก็รู้ที่นี่บราซิล

ออกตัวก่อนว่าผมไม่ได้เป็นสาวกของปู่ดอยล์เลยครับ สมัยก่อนก็อ่านเชอร์ล็อค โฮม ชอบเลยนะ แต่ไม่รู้เพราะอะไรไม่ค่อยจูนกับงานปู่แกเท่าไหร่ เลยอ่านแบบก็อกแก๊กๆแล้วไม่ได้ตามต่อเลย จนเวลาผ่านพ้นเนิ่นนาน เล่มแมวป่าบราซิลนี่แหละครับที่ได้กลับมาอ่านของแกอีกครั้ง

เรื่องนี้เป็นสไตล์ Thriller เข้มๆ ที่ไม่ใช่เกิดปมปริศนารอคอยให้นักสืบมาไขคดี แต่มาในรูปแบบที่ทำให้ผมนึกถึงมังงะเรื่อง QED หรือ CMB (มังงะในดวงใจของผมทั้งสองเรื่อง) ที่เป็นเหตุการณ์ระทึกขวัญให้ตัวเอกของเราต้องเผชิญ อาจจะจบด้วยหักมุมหรือไม่หักมุมอันนี้ก็ต้องไปติดตามเอานะครับ

เนื้อเรื่องเล่าถึง หนุ่มเศรษฐีตกอับที่หนี้ท่วมหัว ความสิ้นหวังในการหาเงินมาชดใช้หนี้ทำให้เขาต้องไปพบญาติคนนึงที่ห่างไกลเพื่อขอหยิบยืมเงิน แต่การไปพบญาติของเขาในครั้งนี้ กลับทำให้เขาได้พบกับแมวป่าจากบราซิลที่จะทำให้เขาไม่อาจลืมช่วงเวลาในการพบกันครั้งนี้ได้อีกเลย

ในภาพรวมผมว่าผมชอบเล่มนี้นะ มันกระชับฉับไว เล่าได้แบบไม่เวิ่นเว้อยืดยาด เพราะสไตล์การเขียนในยุคนั้นค่อนข้างอืดอาด บรรยายเยอะแยะไปหมด การที่เล่าด้วยความเร็วมากกว่าปกติเลยทำให้มันสนุกแล้วก็ดูฉีกออกไปจากขนบการเขียนในยุคนั้นได้ดี ถึงแม้เรื่องราวและการคลายปมจะไม่ได้แปลกประหลาดอะไรนักหากมาอ่านด้วยสายตาของยุคสมัยนี้ แต่ถ้านับว่ามันเขียนขึ้นให้กับนิตยสาร The Strand Magazine ในช่วงปี 1898 เราจะสัมผัสได้ถึงการเล่าที่สดใหม่ พล็อตที่ไม่ซ้ำซากจำเจ ก็ไม่แปลกใจที่ทำไมคนในยุคนั้นถึงยกย่องปู่ดอยล์จนถึงทุกวันนี้

ปล.คิดเล่นๆว่าที่ปู่ดอยล์ให้แมวป่ามาจากบราซิล ไม่ใช่แถบอื่น อาจจะเป็นเพราะในช่วงเวลานั้น พื้นที่แถบนี้เป็นพื้นที่ลึกลับที่ชาวเมกันหรือชาวยุโรปยังไม่รู้จักดีนัก จึงเต็มไปด้วยเรื่องเล่า ความพิศวง หรือปริศนามากมาย เสริมให้เนื้อเรื่องและน้อลแมวให้ดูเป็นสิ่งลึกลับ ไม่อาจควบคุม ? ก็เป็นไปได้ครับ

[Jaide · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first, the middle of the story seemed to come out of left field and I was thrown for a loop. Fortunately, the ending explained things satisfactorily.
My first foray into Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; and I must say he is very good at descriptions and building tension.

[Rafael Duarte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conto interessante de Conan Doyle. Não comete muitos erros em relação ao Brasil. O protagonista é um anti-herói mais sortudo que habilidoso. A narrativa é prolixa principalmente nas descrições e desenvolvimentos psicológicos. Há algumas falhas na revisão da tradução, como alguns erros de ortografia, concordância e outros, mas não o suficiente para prejudicar a leitura.

[Deize ☾₊˚✭ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Graças a cultura pop não há quem não conheça o Arthur Conan Doyle, mas admito que nunca tinha lido nada dele. Esse conto apesar de curto é bem imersivo e por ter elementos que conhecemos bem isso torna tudo mais interessante, a história te deixa tensa e indignada, o desfecho não foi uma surpresa pois eu já esperava algo assim, mas o porquê de tudo aquilo...a ganância sempre fala mais alto, né?!

[Margot Meanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one very much, a suspenseful story about an attempted murder by a cat. . A down on his luck man gets invited to his cousin, who has a particular fondness for ferocious animals. Things go from there. Very good story, unravels slowly but keeps the interest and tension. It's a quick and entertaining read.

[Tilia]

This was so exciting. I dind't know the genre going in but my brain just asumed that it was a mystery because I already have such a strong association between Sir Arthur Conan Doyles writing style and mysteries. I didn't realise how familiar I've become with his writing style until I read this and from the first sentence was 100 percent ready for something mysterious to happen.

I did guess litterally everything about the story. But that kind of just made me more excited/anxious to see if I was right, especialy since I didn't even know if it was actually a mystery. But I did guess LITERALLY everything.

spoilers
I knew from the start that the cousin was no good. I realised that his wife was trying to be unpleasent so that the mc would leave. I knew that the he would end up locked in with the cat. I knew that the cousin only wanted to know about his affair and his uncle because he wanted to get something out of it.

It did really reminde me of a Sherlock Mystery. In particular The Hound of the baskervilles, because their was a jovial man who was evil and wanted to inherit and his wife who was affraid of him (and was latin american), tried to hint of a danger to a stranger (stranger danger/danger stranger) but was so vague that they didn't get it and than afterwards they got the entire story. Kinda of similar.

I really really enjoyed this though. I liked the narrator and the writing. It was nice to confirm that I like actually READING Doyle, since this is the first book of his I havn't listen to. I look forward both to continuing with Sherlock, getting a nice copy of sherlock so I can read it with my eyes, and reading more of Doyles stories! I'm especially interested in reading something by him that ins't a mystery, since he was so keen to get rid of Sherlock to write porper litterature, and since my brain apparently CANNOT COMPUTE a non mystery Arthur Conan Doyle story. The "This is a mystery" signals in my brain was so strong. I've never recogniced someones writing in that weird subconseious was before. Maybe He's just very good at making it clear early, in a subtle way, that the story is a mystery. It was pretty cool either way.

I really enjoyed the ending (even though the narrator is a spoiled bratt) and would read a sequel. I haven't read a ton of short stories, but I feel like this was a real good one. I was SO invested. So quickly.

[Benjamin Stahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of Doyle's most memorable non-Sherlock Holmes stories, in my opinion. Terrifying, endlessly gripping, comical and immensely satisfying.

[Tati Lopatiuk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Legalzinho.

[Camila Machado · Rating 3 out of 5]

É uma boa leitura :)

[Ruby · Rating 3 out of 5]

The drama! The real villains were people

[Paulo Vinicius Figueiredo dos Santos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Para quem está costumado com as histórias de Sherlock Holmes, ver uma narrativa de terror do autor é diferente. Conan Doyle tem uma escrita bastante descritiva o que pode não agradar tanto ao leitor moderno. Ele tende a descrever as cenas detalhadamente, posicionando personagens e objetos e as situações que se sucedem. Isso é um ponto positivo e negativo ao mesmo tempo. Outro autor que se utiliza da mesma estratégia é Stephen King. Ao te dar todas as informações necessárias para a montagem da cena, ele dá pouca espaço à imaginação. Por outro lado ele consegue ser claro e cobrir todas as bases, sem deixar furos na sua narrativa.

A narrativa se foca em Marshall King, um homem cuja segurança financeira caiu por terra. Seus investimentos fracassaram e ele vai em busca de seu tio, o exótico Everard King, para conseguir algum tipo de apoio nesse momento de necessidade. Ele é o herdeiro de uma fortuna em títulos, mas o velho parece duro na queda e não há tempo para simplesmente esperar seu falecimento. Ao chegar na casa de seu tio, ele se depara com uma série de animais exóticos que ele trouxe de suas viagens ao Brasil. Sua esposa é pouco receptiva a ele, por algum motivo que ele não sabe. A estadia na casa de seu tio se revela ser agradável até que ele decide mostrar o animal mais querido de sua coleção: um puma preto, oriundo das selvas brasileiras. Um animal tão selvagem que dá medo ao mais corajoso dos homens. Mas, Marshall não pode sair sem uma resposta positiva de seu tio.

Conan Doyle vai fazendo um crescendo no terror da trama. Ele entrega ao leitor uma série de informações que serão usadas apenas mais à frente na história. Nada do que está sendo descrito está sendo feito à toa. Tudo vai ter alguma utilidade eventualmente. É o que a gente chama de payoff. Nesse ponto a narrativa é recompensadora ao leitor atento. Quando o clímax acontece, o autor não é tímido em descrever cenas tensas e incríveis. Se a narrativa é lenta no começo, depois ela ganha em ritmo e tensão. Eu gostei de como ele foi capaz de me enganar e achar que tudo acabaria bem, quando na verdade não. As coisas acontecem de uma forma tão surpreendente que não dá tempo de respirar. Repito: quem está acostumado com a narrativa detetivesca do autor, ver uma faceta de terror dele pode ser chocante. E revelador quanto à qualidade de sua escrita.

[Delanie Dooms · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good story. It's about an enormous and ferocious cat whose owner invites out protagonist, a indebted man poor with money and wishing for his cousins (the owner's) help, to his place for a visit. We later learn that he was probably invited there in hopes of killing him with the Tommy, the huge black cat; both were heirs to the Southerton estate, but our protagonist was the one to inherit upon said Lord's death.
Some of it didn't make sense to me, but, as a matter of fact, I suppose it doesn't matter too much. Like, for example, Everard King's wife is pretty powerless throughout the story. She is horribly afraid of her husband, to the point that she views his death as not only good, but freeing, and yet she does nothing about this. She does not contemplate killing him, nor -- and one cannot blame her, considering the setting of the story -- does she divorce him; instead, she does what she can within limit, trying to help our protagonist escape without telling him directly, for fear of being found out and killed. I excuse this only in thinking that she was moral enough not to contemplate murder and was not too courageous, especially after being abused (which our protagonist brushes off rather easily, showing us the mores of Conan's time, perhaps, while clearly showing his distaste for Everard King himself).
I wonder why King didn't attempt to kill the protagonist sooner. He was constantly getting telegrams from a valet of the dying Lord Southerton , so I know that he might've thought to wait until there was some form of confirmation, but, still, his ruthlessness belies to me a turn of ruthlessness, not just a dude who waits until he must to commit a murder. Perhaps he was worried about being found out? Or, our protagonist gave him an easy out -- the money-meeting at night is an easy way to set up a plan? Or, he was attempting to ingratiate himself unto the protagonist, so when news of the coming death of Sourtherton were to be finalized, he would invite the protag. over for a game of murder? He might not want to change the Lord's mind accidently, perhaps, by having the inheritance messed up? -- who knows. I don't really know; we do not know enough about it to be conclusive; all I can say is, that, despite these little quibbles of mine, this was a fantastic story.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐

The Story of the Brazilian Cat


The story is about a hard luck young man named Marshall King who upon an invitation visits Greylands Park an estate owned by his wealthy cousin in an effort to find some relief from his financial difficulties. While visiting, his cousin, Everard King, he is shown a number of animals he has brought with him from Brazil consisting of birds and a variety of beasts which he is endeavoring to rear in England including his "Brazilian Cat", a monster sized black puma. Upon meeting him Marshall found Everard to be a short and stout man with a round, good-humored face who wore white linen clothes, in true planter style and a large Panama hat upon his head.

“HE PATTED AND FONDLED IT.”

From the time the man gets to his cousin's house, there is a feeling that something isn't quite right. His cousin's wife seems to be a frigid and rude person who wants him to leave immediately; a request that Marshall ignores due to his pressing financial debts and the need for his cousin's help. His cousin is quite busy receiving telegrams at all hours of the day and, even though he seems interested in helping his cousin out with his financial problems; does very little in actually providing actual relief. Then one night before his departure Everard says "I must see my cat before I go to bed. A high wind excites him. Will you come?" "Certainly" Marshall answered. Only to find his diabolical cousin had something very sinister in mind.

Illustrations by Sidney Paget in The Strand Magazine (1898)

[Jaqueline · Rating 3 out of 5]

"É falta de sorte para um jovem rapaz ter gostos caros, grandes expectativas, ligações aristocráticas, mas não ter dinheiro no bolso e nenhuma profissão por meio da qual se sustentar. A verdade é que meu pai, um homem bom, disposto e fácil de lidar, tinha tanta confiança na riqueza e bondade de seu irmão mais velho solteirão, Lorde Southerton, que não pensou que eu, seu único filho, tivesse que ganhar meu próprio sustento. Ele imaginou que se não houvesse uma vaga para mim nas grandes propriedades dos Southerton, pelo menos uma vaga seria encontrada naquele serviço diplomático que continua sendo o domínio especial de nossas classes privilegiadas. Ele morreu cedo demais para se dar conta de como tinha se enganado."

Marshall está falido e visita seu primo rico em busca de ajuda. Na casa dele ele encontra muitos bichos exóticos, uma hospitalidade afetada de seu primo e a má vontade da esposa dele. É uma história curta, com um suspense que vai crescendo, culmina com o encontro com a fera, belamente descrita, e uma lição de moral.

[Sol Belenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

No me esperaba esta historia. A diferencia del resto de lo que vengo leyendo, el narrador es otro protagonista: Marshall King. Un noble que se encuentra endeudado y que depende de una herencia para poder solucionar su situación.

Cuando parece que no tiene respuestas a su problema, un primo lejano lo invita a su propiedad para "entablar una mejor relación". Desde el comienzo de su estadía en su residencia se encuentra con la aversión de la esposa y con su muy simpático primo, quien le muestra su criadero de animales exóticos. Inclusive su favorito, el gato negro -o como mas bien lo llamaría yo, el conocido puma-.

La estadía se convierte en un infierno cuando Marshall se ve encerrado en la misma habitación que el animal.

Me encantó. A medida que iba leyendo no sospechaba lo que podía pasar. El trasfondo lo justificó todo.

[Douglas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was prepared to hate the non-Holmesian short stories of Conan Doyle, but I don't. He clearly has a talent at telling stories.

This one was fairly predictable, but with a nice little twist at the end, yet it was very entertaining. It took me two months to read because I interrupted it to read two other full length books.

The story starts out with a broke young English lad being invited to visit his cousin. His cousin has a black panther as a pet, well at least in captivity. Bad things ensue.

I enjoy reading these old stories from a time gone by, it's the closest thing to time travel we can get.