In the first story of Unit Two, the theme or idea of choice and consequence doesn't appear until the last few pages of Bierce's story.
"The Coup de Grace" is a foreshadowing title which literally means:
" An action or even that finally ends or destroys something that has been getting weaker or worse; a hit or shot that kills a person or animal that is suffering."
Merriam-WebsterWe see three important characters in this short story. Two brothers Creede and Caffal Halcrow and Captain Madwell. Sergeant Caffal Halcrow and Captain Madwell are friends. Creede Halcrow and Captain Madwell are enemies.
The first major choice is made by Creede Halcrow. He says:
"Captain, the colonel directs that you push your company to the head of this ravine and hold your place there until recalled. I need hardly apprise you of the dangerous character of the movement, but if you wish, you can, I suppose, turn over the command to your first-lieutenant. I was not, however, directed to authorize the substitution; it is merely a suggestion of my own, unofficially made."
To this deadly insult Captain Madwell coolly replied:
"Sir, I invite you to accompany the movement. A mounted officer would be a conspicuous mark, and I have long held the opinion that it would be better if you were dead."
A half-hour later Captain Madwell's company was driven from its position at the head of the ravine, with a loss of one-third its number. Among the fallen was Sergeant Halcrow.Creede insisted that Madwell's group take the head of the ravine. This was a choice that Creede Halcrow made and the consequence was that his brother, in Madwell's group, is injured severely.
Madwell finds Caffal's injured body. He is in agony and very near death. Madwell makes the next choice.
"To the earth and the sky alike, to the trees, to the man, to whatever took form in sense or consciousness, this incarnate suffering addressed that silent plea.
For what, indeed? For that which we accord to even the means creature without sense to to demand it, denying it only to the wretched of our own race: for the blessed release, the rite of uttermost compassion, the coup de grace."Madwell has made a decision, a choice, that he would relieve his friend Caffal of his pain.
Before he helps his friend, however, he is distracted by an injured horse.
"Madwell stepped forward, drew his revolver and shot the poor beast between the eyes, narrowly observing its death-struggle, which, contrary to his expectation, was violent and long; but at last it lay still."Shooting the horse first was a choice...
Presently he lifted his face, turned it toward his dying friend and walked rapidly back to his side. He knelt upon one knew, cocked the weapon, placed the muzzle against the man's forehead, and turning away his eyes pulled the trigger. There was no report. He had used his last cartridge for the horse."This was his consequence for shooting the horse first.
Madwell's next choice:
"He passed the fingers of his left hand along the edge from hilt to point. He held it out straight before him, as if to test his nerves....grasping the hilt with both hands, he thrust downward with all his strength and weight. The blade sank into the man's body-through his body into the earth...the dying man drew up his knees and at the same time threw his right arm across his breast and grasped the steel so tightly that the knuckles of the hand visibly whitened."
"At that moment three men stepped silently forward from behind the clump of young trees which had concealed their approach. Two were hospital attendants and carried a stretcher.
The third was Major Creede Halcrow."The irony in the story and Madwell's consequence for killing Caffal with his sword was first, help was coming to his aid and secondly, Caffal's brother and Madwell's enemy, Creede Halcrow, witnessed Madwell killing his brother. Although, his choice was to take away his friends pain, the action to Caffal's brother would look like murder.
