The Beast in the Jungle

Henry James' Greatest Short Fiction Achievement. Like a beast in the jungle, protagonist John Marcher waits for some catastrophic event to happen letting life and love pass by. Eventually, he discovers that tragedy has already occurred, nobody can give his wasted time back. The other two stories, 'The Jolly Corner' and 'The Altar of the Dead' are another great examples of Henry James' wonderful craft and knowledge of the human soul.