El milagro secreto (or The Secret Miracle) is a short story written by Jorge Luis Borges. Released in 1943, it is the thirteenth short story published in Borges' collection Ficciones and tells of an author being sentenced to death.
Characters[]
- Jaromir Hladík
- Julius Rothe - an official who sentences Hladík to death
Plot[]
In Prague on March 14th, 1939 an author named Jaromir Hladík watches as the soldiers of the Third Reich invade the city. Five days later, Hladík is brought before the same soldiers and sentenced to death due to his work. His execution by firing squad is set for ten days later, at exactly nine A.M.
Terrified at the notion of being executed by firing squad, Hladík spends these ten days imagining himself dying over and over again. Despite this, he is able to sleep by assuring himself that he is immortal until the day of his execution.
On the twenty-eighth, Hladík begins to think of his unfinished play The Enemies. He asks God to give him another year in which to finish his play. That night, he has a dream in which a voice tells him that "The time of your labor has been granted".
The next morning, Hladík is brought before the firing squad. Right before he is shot, time freezes for Hladík. Though his body is frozen his mind continues to work. Though initially panicked, Hladík realizes that God has answered his prayers and given him a year to finish his work, at least within his mind. Throughout the year, Hladík works over his play within his own mind. Once Hladík finishes writing the play, time resumes and he is shot to death.
See also[]
- An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce
Sources[]
- Wikipedia