Chambers of Horror | Six stories of sinister rooms | A Bitesized Audio Compilation

[Music] hello and welcome to bite-sized audio on YouTube I'm Simon stanh hope actor audiobook narrator and curator of this channel on the channel you can hear my narrations more than a 100 to date and more to come of classic short stories mostly from the Victorian and Edwardian eras including vintage ghost stories detective stories and other classic Tales of mystery and suspense to accompany the narrations I've put a short profile of the authors in the video description as well as some general background notes on the stories for those who'd like to know more if you enjoy this content please hit subscribe like share leave a comment if you'd like to and thank you for [Music] [Music] listening [Music] [Music] number 13 by Mr James among the towns of Jutland vorg justly holds a high place it is the seat of a Bishop Rick it has a handsome but almost entirely new cathedral a Charming Garden a lake of great Beauty and many stalks near it is Hal accounted one of the prettiest things in Denmark and hard by is fer up where mask Stig murdered King edic ging on St Cecilia's Day in the year 12 86 56 blows of square-headed iron maces were traced on Eric's skull when his tomb was opened in the 17th century but I am not writing a guide book there are good hotels in Borg prizers and the Phoenix are all that can be desired but my cousin whose experiences I have to tell you now went to the Golden Lion the first time that he visited vorg he has not been there since and the following pages will perhaps explain the reason of his abstention the Golden Lion is one of the very few houses in the town that were not destroyed in the Great Fire of 1726 which practically demolished the cathedral the Sonia kerka the radus and so much else that was old and interesting it is a great red brick house that is the front is of brick with Corby steps on the Gable and a text over the door but the courtyard into which the Omnibus drives is of black and white wood and plaster the sun was declining in the heavens when my cousin walked up to the door and the light SME full upon the imposing facade of the house he was delighted with the old-fashioned aspect of the place and promised himself a thoroughly satisfactory and amusing stay in an inn so typical of old jatland it was not business in the ordinary sense of the word that had brought Mr Anderson to vorg he was engaged upon some researches into the church history of Denmark and it had come to his knowledge that in the RS Archive of Viborg there were papers saved from the fire relating to the last days of Roman Catholicism in the country he proposed therefore to spend a considerable time perhaps as much as a fortnite or 3 weeks in examining and copying these and he hoped that the Golden Lion would be able to give him a room of sufficient size to serve alike as a bedroom and a study his wishes were explained to the landlord and after a certain amount of thought the latter suggested that perhaps it might be the best way for the gentleman to look at one or two of the larger rooms and pick one for himself it seemed a good idea the top floor was soon rejected as entailing too much getting upstairs after the day's work the second floor contained no room of exactly the dimensions required but on the first floor there was a choice of two or three rooms which would so far as size went suit admirably the landlord was strongly in favor of number 17 but Mr Anderson pointed out that its Windows commanded only the blank wall of the next house and that it would be very dark in the afternoon either number 12 or number 14 would be better for both of them looked on the street and the bright evening light and the pretty view would more than compensate him for the additional amount of noise eventually number 12 was selected like its neighbors it had three Windows all on one side of the room it was fairly high and unusually long there was of course no fireplace place but the stove was handsome and rather old a cast iron erection on the side of which was a representation of Abraham sacrificing Isaac and the inscription one bog mosa cap 22 above nothing else in the room was remarkable the only interesting picture was an old colored print of the Town date about 1820 supper time was approaching but when Anderson refreshed by the ordinary ablutions descended the staircase there were still a few minutes before the bell rang he devoted them to examining the list of his fellow Lodgers as is usual in Denmark their names were displayed on a large Blackboard divided into columns and lines the numbers of the rooms being painted in at the beginning of each line the list was not exciting there was an advocate or saur a German and some Bag men from copen Hagen the one and only point which suggested any food for thought was the absence of any number 13 from the tale of the rooms and even this was a thing which Anderson had already noticed half a dozen times in his experience of Danish hotels he could not help wondering whether the objection to that particular number common as it is was so widespread and so strong as to make it difficult to let a room so ticketed and he resolved to ask the landlord if he and his colleagues in the profession had actually met with many clients who refused to be accommodated in the 13th room he had nothing to tell me I am giving the story as I heard it from him about what passed at supper and the evening which was spent in unpacking and arranging his clothes books and papers was not more eventful towards 11:00 he resolved to go to bed but with him as with a good many other people nowadays an almost necessary preliminary to bed if he meant to sleep was the reading of a few pages of print and he now remembered that the particular book which he had been reading in the train and which alone would satisfy him at that present moment was in the pocket of his grap coat then hanging on a peg outside the dining room to run down and secure it was the work of a moment and as the passages were by no means dark it was not difficult for him to find his way back to his own door so at least he thought but when he arrived there and turned the handle the door entirely refused to open and he caught the sound of a hasty movement towards it from within he had tried the wrong door of course was his own room to the right or to the left he glanced at the number it was 13 his room would be on the left and so is it was and not before he had been in bed for some minutes had read his wed three or four pages of his book blown out his light and turned over to go to sleep did it occur to him that whereas on the Blackboard of the hotel there had been no number 13 there was undoubtedly a room number 13 in the hotel he felt rather sorry he had not chosen it for his own perhaps he might have done the landlord a little service by occupying it and given him the chance of saying that a well-born English gentleman had lived in it for 3 weeks and liked it very much but probably it was used as a servants room or something of the kind after all it was most likely not so large or good a room as his own and he looked drowsily about the room which was fairly perceptible in the halflight from the Street Lamp it was a curious effect he thought rooms usually looked larger in a dim light than a full one but this seemed to have contracted in length and grown proportionately higher well well sleep was more important than these vague ruminations and to sleep he went on the day after his arrival Anderson attacked the RS Archive of vorg he was as one might expect in Denmark kindly received and accessed to all that he wished to see was made as easy for him as possible the documents laid before him were far more numerous and interesting than he had at all anticipated besides official papers there was a large bundle of corresponden relating to Bishop Jurgen F the last Roman Catholic who held the sea and in these there cropped up many amusing and what are called intimate details of private life and individual character there was much talk of a house owned by the bishop but not inhabited by him in the town its tenant was apparently somewhat of a scandal and a stumbling block to the reforming party he was a disgrace they wrote to the city he practiced secret and wicked arts and had sold his soul to the enemy it was off a piece with a gross corruption and Superstition of the babylonish church that such a Viper and blood sing trolman should be patronized and harbored by the bishop the bishop met these reproaches boldly he protested his own abhorrence of all such things as secret arts and required his antagonists to bring the matter before the proper Court of course the spiritual court and sift it to the bottom no one could be more ready and willing than himself to condemn maest Nicholas Franken if the evidence showed him to have been guilty of any of the crimes informally alleged against him Anderson had not time to do more than glance at the next letter of the Protestant leader Rasmus neelen before the record office was closed for the day but he gathered its General tenor which was to the effect that Christian men were now no longer bound by the decisions of Bishops of Rome and that The Bishop's Court was not and could not be a fit or competent tribunal to judge so grave and weighty a cause on leaving the office Mr Anderson was accompanied by the Old Gentleman who presided over it and as they walked the conversation very naturally turned to the papers of which I have just been speaking har scavenius the archist of vorg though very well informed as to the general run of the documents under his charge was not a specialist in those of the reform period he was much interested in what Anderson had to tell him about them he looked forward with great pleasure he said to seeing the publication in which Mr Anderson spoke of embodying their contents this house of the bishop free he added it is a great puzzle to me where it can have stood I have studied carefully the Topography of old Vore but it is most unlucky of the old Terrier of The Bishop's property which was made in 1560 and of which we have the greater part in the archive just the piece which had the list of the Town property is missing never mind perhaps I shall someday succeed to find him after taking some exercise I forget exactly how or where Anderson went back to the Golden Lion his supper his game of patience and his bed on the way to his room it occurred to him that he had forgotten to talk to the landlord about the omission of number 13 from the hotel board and also that he might as well make sure that number 13 did actually exist before he made any reference to the matter the decision was not difficult to arrive at there was the door with its number as plain as could be and work of some kind was evidently going on inside it for as he neared the door he could hear footsteps and voices or a voice within during the few seconds in which he halted to make sure of the number the footsteps ceased seemingly very near the door and he was a little startled at hearing a quick hissing breathing as of a person in strong excitement he went on to his own room and again he was surprised to find how much smaller it seemed now than it had when he selected did it it was a slight disappointment but only slight if he found it really not large enough he could very easily shift to another in the meantime he wanted something as far as I remember it was a pocket handkerchief out of his portmanto which had been placed by the porter on a very inadequate Trestle or stool against the wall at the furthest end of the room from his bed here was a very curious thing the portmanto was not to be seen it had been moved by officious servants doubtless the contents had been put in the wardrobe no none of them were there this was vexatious the idea of a theft he dismissed at once such things rarely happen in Denmark but some piece of stupidity had certainly been performed which is not so uncommon and the sto must be severely spoken to to whatever it was that he wanted it was not so necessary to his comfort that he could not wait till the morning for it and he therefore settled not to ring the bell and disturb the servants he went to the window the rightand window it was and looked out on the quiet street there was a tall building opposite with large spaces of dead wall no passes by a dark night and very little to be seen of any kind the light was behind him and he could see his own shadow clearly cast on the opposite wall also the shadow of the bearded man in number 11 on the left who passed to and fro in shirt sleeves once or twice and was seen first brushing his hair and later on in a night gown also the shadow of the occupant of number 13 on the right this might be more interesting number 13 was like himself leaning on his elbows on the window sill looking out into the street he seemed to be a tall thin man or was it by any chance a woman at least it was someone who covered his or her head with some kind of drapery before going to bed and he thought must be possessed of a red lamp shade and the lamp must be flickering very much there was was a distinct playing up and down of a dull red light on the opposite wall he craned out a little to see if he could make any more of the figure but beyond the fold of some light perhaps white material on the window sill he could see nothing now came a distant step in the street and its approach seemed to recall number 13 to a sense of his exposed position for very swiftly and suddenly he swept aside from the window and his red light went out Anderson who had been smoking a cigarette laid the end of it on the window sill and went to bed next morning he was woken by the stoopy with hot water Etc he roused himself and after thinking out the correct Danish words said as distinctly as he could you must not move my portmanto where is it as is not uncommon the maid laughed and went away without making any distinct answer Anderson rather irritated sat up in bed intending to call her back but he remained sitting up staring straight in front of him there was his portmanto on its Trestle exactly where he had seen the porter put it when he first arrived this was a rude shock for a man who prided himself on on his accuracy of observation how it could possibly have escaped him the night before he did not pretend to understand at any rate there it was now the daylight showed more than the portmanto it let the true proportions of the room with its three Windows appear and satisfied its tenant that his choice after all had not been a bad one when he was almost dressed he walked to the middle one of the three Windows to look out at the weather another shock awaited him strangely unobservant he must have been last night he could have sworn 10 times over that he had been smoking at the right hand window the last thing before he went to bed and here was his cigarette end on the sill of the middle window he started to go down to breakfast rather late but number 13 was later here were his boots still outside his door a gentleman's boots so then number 13 was a man not a woman just then he caught sight of the number on the door it was 14 he thought he must have passed number 13 without noticing it three stupid mistakes in 12 hours were too much for a methodical accurate minded man so he turned back to make sure the next number to 14 was number 12 his own room there was no number 13 at all after some minutes devoted to a careful consideration of everything he had had to eat and drink during the last 24 hours Anderson decided to give the question up if his eyes or his brain were giving way he would have plenty of opportunities for for ascertaining that fact if not then he was evidently being treated to a very interesting experience in either case the development of events would certainly be worth watching during the day he continued his examination of the Episcopal correspondence which I have already summarized to his disappointment it was incomplete only one other letter could be found which referred to the affair of Magister Nicholas Franken it was from the bishop Jurgen F to Rasmus neelen he said although we are not in the least degree inclined to Ascent to your judgment concerning our court and shall be prepared if need be to withstand you to the uttermost in that behalf yet for as much as our trusty and wellbeloved magest Nicholas Franken against whom you have dared to allege certain false and mili ious charges hath been suddenly removed from Among Us it is apparent that the question for this term Falls but for as much as you further allege that the Apostle and evangelist St John in his Heavenly apocalypse describes the Holy Roman Church under the guise and symbol of the Scarlet woman be it known to you Etc search as he would Anderson could find no sequel to this letter nor any clue to the cause or manner of the removal of the cases belli he could only suppose that Franken had died suddenly and as there were only two days between the date of neilson's last letter when Franken was evidently still in being and that of The Bishop's letter the death must have been completely unexpected in the afternoon he he paid a short visit to Hal and took his tea at becklund nor could he notice though he was in a somewhat nervous frame of mind that there was any indication of such a failure of eye or brain as his experiences of the morning had led him to fear at supper he found himself next to the landlord what he asked him after some indifferent conversation is the reason why in most of the hotels one visits in this country the number 13 is left out of the list of rooms I see you have none here the landlord seemed amused to think that you should have noticed a thing like that I've thought about it once or twice myself to tell the truth an educated man I've said has no business with these superstitious Notions I was brought up myself here in the high school of Vore and our old master was always a man to set his face against anything of that kind he's been dead now this many years a fine upstanding man he was and ready with his hands as well as his head I recollect us boys one snowy day here he plunged into reminiscence then you don't think there is any particular objection to having a number 13 said Anderson ah to be sure well you stand I was brought up to the business by my poor old father he kept an hotel in our house first and then when we were born he moved to vibor here which was his native place and had the Phoenix here until he died that was in 1876 then I started business in silk bore and only the year before last I moved into this house Then followed more details as to the state of the house and business when first taken over and when you came here was there a number 13 no no I was going to tell you about that you see in a place like this the commercial class The Travelers are what we have to provide for in general and put them in number 13 why they'd as soon sleep in the street or sooner as far as I'm concerned myself it wouldn't make a penny difference to me what the number of my room was and so I've often said to them but they stick to it that it brings them bad luck quantities of stories they have among them of men that have slept in a number 13 and never been the same again or lost their best customers or one thing and another said the landlord after searching for a more graphic phrase then what do you use your number 13 for said Anderson conscious as as he said the words of a curious anxiety quite disproportionate to the importance of the question my number 13 why don't I tell you that there isn't such a thing in the house I thought you might have noticed that if there was it would be next door to your own room well yes only I happen to think that is I fancied last night that I had seen a door numbered 13 in that pass mess and really I am almost certain I must have been right for I saw it the night before as well of course her Christensen laughed this notion to scorn as Anderson had expected and emphasized with much iteration the fact that no number 13 existed or had existed before him in that hotel Anderson was in some ways relieved by his certainty but still puzzled and he began began to think that the best way to make sure whether he had indeed been subject to an illusion or not was to invite the landlord to his room to smoke a cigar later on in the evening some photographs of English towns which he had with him formed a sufficiently good excuse her Christensen was flattered by the invitation and most willingly accepted it at about 10:00 he was to make his appearance but before that Anderson had some letters to write and retired for the purpose of writing them he almost blushed to himself at confessing it but he could not deny that it was the fact that he was becoming quite nervous about the question of the existence of number 13 so much so that he approached his room by way of number 11 in order that he might not be obliged to pass the door or the place where the door ought to be he he looked quickly and suspiciously about the room when he entered it but there was nothing beyond that indefinable air of being smaller than usual to Warrant any misgivings there was no question of the presence or absence of his portmanto tonight he had himself emptied it of its contents and lodged it under his bed with a certain effort he dismissed the thought of number 13 from his mind and sat down to his writing his neighbors were quiet enough occasionally a door opened in the passage and a pair of boots was thrown out or a bagman walked past humming to himself and outside from time to time a cart thundered over the atrocious cobblestones or a quick step hurried along the flags Anderson finished his letters ordered in whiskey and soda and then went to the windows and studied the dead wall opposite it and the Shadows upon it as far as he could remember number 14 had been occupied by the lawyer a stayed man who said little at meals being generally engaged in studying a small bundle of papers beside his plate apparently however he was in the habit of giving vent to his Animal Spirits when alone why else should he be dancing the Shadow from the Next Room evidently showed that he was again and again his thin form crossed the window his arms waved and a gaunt leg was kicked up with surprising agility he seemed to be barefooted and the floor must be well laid for no sound betrayed his movements saur her Anders yansen dancing at 10:00 at night in an Hotel bedroom seemed a fitting subject for a historical painting in the grand style and Anderson's thoughts like those of Emily in the mysteries of udalo began to arranged themselves in the following lines when I returned to my hotel at 10:00 p.m. the waiters think I am unwell I do not care for them but when I've locked my chamber door and put my boots outside I dance all night on the floor and even if my neighbors swore I'd go on dancing all the more for I am acquainted with the law and in despite of all their jaw their protests I deride had not the landlord at this moment knocked at the door it is probable that quite a long poem might have been laid before the reader to judge from his look of surprise when he found himself in the room her cliston was struck as Anderson had been by something unusual in its aspect but he made no remark Anderson's photographs interested him mightily and formed the text of many autobiographical discourses nor is it quite clear how the conversation could have been diverted into the desired channel of number 13 had not the lawyer at this moment began to sing and to sing in a manner which could leave no doubt in anyone's mind that he was either exceedingly drunk or raving mad it was a high thin voice that they heard and it seemed dry as if from long disuse of words or tune there was no question it went sailing up to a surprising height and was carried down with a despairing moan as of a winter wind in a hollow chimney or an organ whose wind fails suddenly it was a really horrible sound and Anderson felt that if he had been alone he must have fled for refuge and Society to some neighbor bagman's room the landlord sat open-mouthed I don't understand it he said at last wiping his forehead it is Dreadful I have heard it once before but I made sure but it was a cat is he mad said Anderson he must be and what a sad thing such a good customer too and so successful in his business by what I hear and a young family to bring up just then came an impatient knock at the door and the knocker entered without waiting to be asked it was the lawyer in Des ABI and very rough-haired and very angry he looked I beg pardon sir he said but I should be much obliged if you would kindly desist here he stopped for it was evident that neither of the persons before him was responsible for the disturbance and after a moment's lull it swelled forth again more wildly than before but what in the name of Heaven does it mean broke out the lawyer where is it who is it am I going out of my mind surely her yansen it comes from your room next door isn't there a cat or something stuck in the chimney this was the best that occurred to Anderson to say and he realized its futility as he spoke but anything was better than to stand and listen to that horrible voice and look at the broad white face of the landlord all perspiring and quivering as he clutched the arm arms of his chair impossible said the lawyer impossible there is no chimney I came here because I was convinced the noise was going on here it was certainly in the Next Room to mine was there no door between yours and mine said Anderson eagerly no sir said her Yensen rather sharply at least not this morning ah said Anderson nor tonight I am not sure said the lawyer with some hesitation suddenly the crying or singing voice in the Next Room died away and the singer was heard seemingly to laugh to himself in a croning manner the three men actually shivered at the sound then there was a silence come said the lawyer what have you to say here Christenson what does this mean good heaven said Christenson how should I tell I know no more than you gentlemen I pray I may never hear such a noise again so do I said her yansen and he added something under his breath Anderson thought it sounded like the last words of the sulter omnis spiritus loud at dominum but he could not be sure but we must do something said Anderson the three of us shall we go and investigate in the Next Room but that is her Jensen's room wailed the landlord it is no use he has come from there himself I am not so sure said Yensen I think this gentleman is right we must go and see the only weapons of defense that could be Mastered on the spot were a stick and umbrella the Expedition went out into the passage not without quaking there was a deadly quiet outside but a light sha from under the next door Anderson and Yensen approached it the latter turned the handle and gave a sudden vigorous push no use the door stood fast he Christensen said yansen will you go and fetch the strongest servant you have in the place we must see this through the landlord nodded and hurried off glad to be away from the scene of action Yensen and Anderson remained outside looking at the door it is number 13 you see said the latter yes there is your door and there is mine said yansen my room has three windows in the daytime said Anderson with difficulty suppressing a nervous laugh by George so has mine said the lawyer turning and looking at Anderson his back was now to the door in that moment the door opened and an arm came out and clawed at his shoulder if it was clad in ragged yellowish linen and the bare skin where it could be seen had long gray hair upon it Anderson was just in time to pull Yensen out of its reach with a cry of disgust and fright when the door shut again and a low laugh Was Heard Yensen had seen nothing but when Anderson hurriedly told him what a risk he had run he fell into a great state of at ation and suggested that they should retire from the Enterprise and lock themselves up in one or other of their rooms however while he was developing this plan the landlord and two able-bodied men arrived on the scene all looking rather serious and alarmed Yensen met them with a torrent of description and explanation which did not at all tend to encourage them for the fry the men dropped the crowbars they brought and said flatly that they were not going to risk their throats in that Devil's Den the landlord was miserably nervous and undecided conscious that if the danger were not faced his hotel was ruined and very loath to face it himself luckily Anderson Hit Upon a way of rallying the demoralized force is this he said the Danish Carriage I heard so much of it isn't a German in there and and if it was we are 5 to one the two servants and Yensen were stung into action by this and made a dash at the door stop said Anderson don't lose your heads you stay out here with the light landlord and one of you two men break in the door and don't go in when it gives way the men nodded and the younger stepped forward raised his crowbar and dealt a tremendous blow on the upper panel the result was not in the least what any of them anticipated there was no cracking or rending of wood only a dull sound as if the solid wall had been struck the man dropped his tool with a shout and began rubbing his elbow his cry Drew their eyes upon him for a moment then Anderson looked at the door again it was gone the plaster wall of the passage stared him in the face with a considerable gash in it where the Crowbar had Struck it number 13 had passed out of existence for a brief space they stood perfectly still gazing at the blank wall an early in the yard beneath Was Heard to Crow and as Anderson glanced in the direction of the sound he saw through the window at the end of the long passage that the Eastern sky was paling to the dawn perhaps said the landlord with hesitation you gentlemen would like another room for tonight a double beded one neither Yensen nor Anderson was averse to the suggestion they felt inclined to hunting coues after their late experience it was found convenient when each of them went to his room to collect the Articles he wanted for the night that the other should go with him and hold the candle they noticed that both number 12 and number 14 had three Windows next morning the same party reassembled in number 12 the landlord was naturally anxious to avoid engaging outside help and yet it was imperative that the mystery attaching to that part of the house should be clear up accordingly the two servants had been induced to take upon them the function of Carpenters the furniture was cleared away and at the cost of a good many irretrievably damaged planks that portion of the floor was taken up which lay nearest to number 14 you will naturally suppose that a skeleton say that of Magister Nicholas Franken was discovered that was not so what they did find lying between the beams which supported the flooring was a small copper box in it was a neatly folded Vellum document with about 20 lines of writing both Anderson and Yensen who proved to be something of a paleographer were much excited by this discovery which promised to afford the key to these extraordinary phenomena I possess a copy of an astrological work which I have never read it has by way of frontis piece a wood cut by Hans seal bam representing a number of sages seated around a table this detail may enable coniss to identify the book I cannot myself recollect its title and it is not at this moment Within Reach but the fly leaves of it are covered with writing and during the 10 years in which I have owned the volume I have not been able to determine which way up this writing ought to be read much less in what language it is not dissimilar was the position of Anderson and Yensen after the protracted examination to which they subjected the document in the copper box after 2 days contemplation of it Yensen who was the Bolder Spirit of the two hazarded the conjecture that the language was either Latin or old Danish Anderson ventured upon no surmises and was very willing to surrender the box and the parchment to the Historical Society of vorg to be placed in their Museum I had the whole story from him a few months later as we sat in a wood near Upsala after a visit to the library there where we or rather I had laughed over the contract by which Daniel salenius in later life professor of Hebrew at konigsburg sold himself to Satan Anderson was not really amused young idiot he said meaning salenius who was only an undergraduate when he committed that indiscretion how did he know what company he was cting and when I suggested the usual considerations he only grunted that same afternoon he told me what you have read but he refused to draw any inferences from it and to Ascent to any that I drew for [Music] [Music] him [Music] [Music] the sealed room by Arthur Conan Doyle a solicitor of an active habit and athletic tastes who is compelled by his hopes of business to remain within the four walls of his office from 10 till 5: must take what exercise can in the evenings hence it was that I was in the habit of indulging in very long nocturnal excursions in which I sought the heights of Hampstead and Highgate in order to cleanse my system from the impure air of ab Church Lane it was in the course of one of these aimless rambles that I first met Felix Staniford and so led up to what has been the most extraordinary adventure of my lifetime one evening it was in April or early May of the Year 1894 I made my way to the extreme Northern Fringe of London and was walking down one of those fine Avenues of high brick Villas which the huge city is forever pushing farther and farther out into the country it was a fine Clear Spring night the moon was shining out of an unclouded sky and I having already left many miles behind me was inclined to walk slowly and look about me in this contemplative mood my attention was arrested by one of the houses which I was passing it was a very large building standing in its own grounds a little back from the road it was Modern in appearance and yet it was far less so than its neighbors all of which were crudely and painfully new their symmetrical line was broken by the Gap caused by the Laurel studded lawn with the Great Dark gloomy house looming at the back of it evidently it had been the country Retreat of some wealthy Merchant built perhaps when the nearest Street was a mile off and now gradually overtaken and surrounded by the red brick tentacles of the London octopus the next stage I reflected would be its digestion and absorption so that the cheap Builder might rear a dozen 80 a year Villas upon the garden Frontage and then as all this passed vaguely through my mind an incident occurred which brought my thoughts into quite another Channel a four-wheeled cab that appr probium of London was coming jolting and creaking in One Direction while in the other there was a yellow glare from the lamp of a cyclist they were the only moving objects in the whole long moonlit Road and yet they crashed into each other with that malignant accuracy which brings two ocean liners together in the broad waist of the Atlantic it was the cyclist's fault he tried to cross in front of the cab miscalculated his distance and was knocked sprawling by the horse's shoulder he rose snarling the cabman swore back at him and then realizing that his number had not yet been taken lashed his horse and lumbered off the cyclist caught at the handles of his prostrate machine and then suddenly sat down with a groan oh Lord he he said I ran across the road to his side any harm done I asked it's my ankle said he only a Twist I think but it's pretty painful just give me your hand will you he lay in the yellow circle of the cycle lamp and I noted as I helped him to his feet that he was a gentlemanly young fellow with a slight dark mustache and large brown eyes sensitive and nervous in appearance with indications of of weak Health upon his sunken cheeks work or worry had left its traces upon his thin yellow face he stood up when I pulled his hand but he held one foot in the air and he groaned as he moved it I can't put it to the ground said he where do you live here he nodded his head towards the big dark house in the garden I was cutting across to the gate when that confounded cab ran into me could you help me so far it was easily done I put his cycle inside the gate and then I supported him down the drive and up the steps to the hall door there was not a light anywhere and the place was as black and Silent as if no one had ever lived in it that will do thank you very much said he fumbling with his key in the lock no you must allow me to see you you safe he made some feeble petulent protest and then realized that he could really do nothing without me the door had opened into a pitch dark Hall he lurched forward with my hand still on his arm this door to the right said he feeling about in the darkness I opened the door and at the same moment he managed to strike a light there was a lamp upon the table and we lit it between us now I'm all right you can leave me now goodbye said he and with the words he sat down in the armchair and fainted dead away it was a queer position for me the fellow looked so ghastly that really I was not sure that he was not dead presently his lips quivered and his breast heaved but his eyes were to White slits and his color was horrible the responsib ability was more than I could stand I pulled at the Bell rope and heard the bell ringing furiously far away but no one came in response the Bell tinkled away into silence which no murmur or movement came to break I waited and rang again with the same result there must be someone about this young gentleman could not live all alone in that huge house his people ought to know if his condition I if they would not answer the bell I must hunt them out myself I seized the lamp and rushed from the room what I saw outside amazed me the hall was empty the stairs were bare and yellow with dust there were three doors opening into spacious rooms and each was uncarpeted and UND draped save for the gray webs which drooped from the cornice and rosettes of lyen which had formed upon the walls my feet reverberated in those empty and Silent Chambers then I wandered on down the passage with the idea that the kitchens at least might be tenanted some caretaker might lurk in some secluded room no they were all equally desolate despairing of finding any help I ran down another Corridor and came on something which surprised me more than ever the p message ended in a large brown door and the door had a seal of red wax the size of a 5 Shilling piece over the keyhole this seal gave me the impression of having been there for a long time for it was Dusty and discolored I was still staring at it and wondering what that door might conceal when I heard a voice calling behind me and running back found my young man sitting up in his chair and very much astonished at finding himself in Darkness why on Earth did you take the lamp away he asked well I was looking for assistance you might look for some time said he I am alone in the house awkward if you get an illness it was foolish of me to faint I inherit a weak heart from my mother and pain or emotion has that effect upon me it will carry me off someday as it did her you're not a doctor are you no a lawyer Frank aler is my name mine is Felix Staniford funny that I should meet a lawyer for my friend Mr percal was saying that we should need one soon very happy I am sure well that will depend upon him you know did you say that you had run with that lamp all over the ground floor yes all over it he asked with emphasis and he looked at me very hard I think so I kept on hoping that I should find someone did you enter all the rooms he asked with the same intent gaze well all that I could enter oh then you did notice it said he and he Shrugged his shoulders with the air of a man who makes the best of a bad job notice what why the door with the seal on it yes I did weren't you curious to know what was in it well it did strike me as unusual do you think you could go on living alone in this house year after year just longing all the time to know what is at the other side of that door and yet not looking what do you mean to say I cried that you don't don't know yourself no more than you do then why don't you look I mustn't said he he spoke in a constrained way and I saw that I had blundered onto some delicate ground I don't know that I am more inquisitive than my neighbors but there certainly was something in the situation which appealed very strongly to my curiosity however my last excuse for remaining in the house was gone now that my companion had recovered his senses I Rose to go are you in a hurry he asked no I have nothing to do well I should be very glad if you would stay with me a little the fact is that I live a very retired and secluded life here I don't suppose that there's a man in London who leads such a life as I do it is quite unusual for me to have anyone to talk with I looked round at the little room scantily furnished with a sofa bed at one side then I thought of the great Bare House and the Sinister door with the discolored Red Seal upon it there was something queer and grotesque in the situation which made me long to know a little more perhaps I should if I waited I told him that I should be very happy you will find the spirits and a siphon upon the side table you must forgive me if I cannot act as host but I can't get across the room those are cigars in the tray there I'll take one myself I think and so you are a solicitor Mr aler yes and I am nothing I am that most helpless of living creatures the son of a millionaire I was brought up with the expectation of great wealth and here I am a poor man without any any profession at all and then on the top of it all I am left with this great mansion on my hands which I cannot possibly keep up isn't it an absurd situation for me to use this as my dwelling is like a Costa drawing his Barrow with a thorough bread a donkey would be more useful to him and a cottage to me but why not sell the house I asked I mustn't let it then no I mustn't do that either I looked puzzled and my companion smiled I'll tell you how it is if it won't bore you said he well on the contrary I should be exceedingly interested I think after your kind attention to me I cannot do less than relieve any curiosity that you may feel you must know that my father was Stanislas Staniford the banker Staniford the banker I remember the name at once his flight from the country some seven years before had been one of the scandals and sensations of the time I see that you remember said my companion my poor father left the country to avoid numerous friends whose savings he had invested in an unsuccessful speculation he was a nervous sensitive man and the responsibility quite upset his reason he had committed no legal offense it was purely a matter of sentiment he would not even face his own family and he died among strangers without ever letting us know where he was he died said I we could not prove his death but we know that it must be so because the speculations came right again and so there was no reason why he should not look any man in the face he would have returned if he were alive but he must have died in the last two years why in the last two years because we heard from him two years ago did he not tell you then where he was living the letter came from Paris but no address was given it was when my poor mother died he wrote to me then with some instructions and some advice and I have never heard from him since had you heard before oh yes we had heard before and that's where our mystery of the sealed door upon which you stumbled tonight has its origin pass me that desk if you please here I have my father's letters and you are the first man except Mr peral who has seen them who is Mr peral may I ask he was my father's confidential Clerk and he has continued to be the friend and adviser of my mother and then of my S I don't know what we should have done without peral he saw the letters but no one else this is the first one which came on the very day when my father fled 7 years ago read it to yourself This is the letter which I read my ever dearest wife since Sir William told me how weak your heart is and how harmful any shock might be I have never talked about my business of to you the time has come when at all risks I can no longer refrain from telling you that things have been going badly with me this will cause me to leave you for a little time but it is with the absolute assurance that we shall see each other very soon on this you can thoroughly rely our parting is only for a very short time my own darling so don't let it fret you and above all don't let it impair your health for that is what I want above all things to avoid now I have a request to make and I implore you by all that binds us together to fulfill it exactly as I tell you there are some things which I do not wish to be seen by anyone in my dark room the room which I use for photographic purposes at the end of the garden passage to prevent any painful thoughts I may assure you once for all dear that it is nothing of which I need be ashamed but still I do not wish you or Felix to enter that room it is locked and I implore you when you receive this to at once place a seal over the lock and leave it so do not sell or let the house for in either case my secret will be discovered as long as you or Felix are in the house I know that you will comply with my wishes when Felix is 21 he may enter the room not before and now goodbye my own best of wives during our short separation you can consult Mr perel on any matters which may arise he has my complete confidence I hate to leave Felix and you even for a time but there really is no choice ever and always your loving husband Stannis La Staniford June 4th 1887 these are very private family matters for me to inflict upon you said my companion apologetically you must look upon it as done in your professional capacity I have wanted to speak about it for years I am honored by your confidence I answered and exceedingly interested by the facts my father was a man who was noted for his almost morbid Love Of Truth he was always pedantically accurate when he said therefore that he hoped to see my mother very soon and when he said that he had nothing to be ashamed of in that dark room you may rely upon it that he meant it well then what can it be I ejaculated neither my mother nor I could imagine we carried out his wishes to the letter and placed the seal upon the door there it has been ever since my mother lived for 5 years after my father's disappearance although at the time all the doctors said that she could not survive long her heart was terribly diseased during the first few months she had two letters from my father both had the Paris postmark but no address they were short and to the same effect that they would soon be reunited and that she should not fret then there was a silence which lasted until her death and then came a letter to me of so private a nature that I cannot show it to you begging me never to think evil of him giving me much good advice and saying that the ceiling of the room was of less importance now than during the lifetime of my mother but that the opening might still cause pain to others and that therefore he thought it best that it should be postponed until my 21st year for the lapse of time would make things easier in the meantime he committed the care of the room to me so now you can understand how it is that although I am a very poor man I can neither let nor sell this great house you could mortgage it my father had already done so it is a most singular State of Affairs my mother and I were gradually compelled to sell the furniture and to dismiss the servants until now as you see I am living unattended in a single room but I have only two more months what do you mean why that in two months I come of age the first thing that I do will be to open that door the second to get rid of the house why should your father have continued to stay away when these Investments had recovered themselves he must be dead you say that he had not committed any legal offense when he fled the country none why should he not take your mother with him I do not know why should he conceal his address I do not know why should he allow your mother to die and be buried without coming back I do not know my dear sir said I if I if I may speak with the frankness of a professional adviser I should say that it is very clear that your father had the strongest reasons for keeping out of the country and that if nothing has been proved against him he at least thought that something might be and refused to put himself within the power of the law surely that must be obvious for in what other possible way can the facts be explained my companion did not take my suggestion in good part you had not the advantage of knowing my father Mr Alder he said coldly I was only a boy when he left us but I shall always look upon him as my ideal man his only fault was that he was too sensitive and too unselfish that anyone should lose money through him would cut him to the heart his sense of Honor was most acute any theory of his disappearance which conflicts with that is a mistaken one it pleased pleased me to hear the lad speak out so roundly and yet I knew that the facts were against him and that he was incapable of taking an unprejudiced view of the situation I only speak as an outsider said I and now I must leave you for I have a long walk before me your story has interested me so much that I should be glad if you could let me know the sequel leave me your card said he and so having B him good night I left him I heard nothing more of the matter for some time and had almost feared that it would prove to be one of those fleeting experiences which drift away from our direct observation and end only in a hope or a suspicion one afternoon however a card bearing the name of Mr JH peral was brought up to my office in AB Church Lane and its Bearer a small dry bright-eyed fellow of 50 was ushered in by the clerk I believe sir said he that my name has been mentioned to you by my young friend Mr Felix Staniford of course I answered I remember he spoke to you I understand about the circumstances in connection with The Disappearance of my former employer Mr Stannis Staniford and the existence of a sealed room in his former residence he did and you expressed an interest in the matter well it interested me extremely you are aware that we hold Mr Stanford's permission to open the door on the 21st birthday of his son I remember the 21st birthday is today have you opened it I asked eagerly not yet sir said he Gravely I have reason to believe that it would be well to have witnesses present when that door is opened you are a lawyer and you are acquainted with the facts will you be present on the occasion most certainly you are employed during the day and so am I shall we meet at 9:00 at the house I will come with pleasure then you will find us waiting for you goodbye for the present he bowed solemnly and took his leave I kept my appointment that evening with a brain which was weary with fruitless attempts to think out some plausible explanation of the mystery which we were about to solve Mr percel and my young acquaintance were waiting for me in the little room I was not surprised to see the young man looking pale and nervous but I was rather astonished to find the dry little city man in a state of intense though partially suppressed excitement his cheeks were flushed his hands twitching and he could not stand still for an instant Staniford greeted me warmly and thanked me many times for having come and now peral said he To His companion I suppose there is no obstacle to our putting the thing through without delay I shall be glad to get it over the Banker's clerk took up the lamp and led the way but he paused in the passage outside the door and his hand was shaking so that the light flickered up and down the high bare walls Mr Staniford said he in a cracking voice I hope you will prepare yourself in case any shock should be awaiting you when that seal is removed and the door is opened what could there be peral you are trying to frighten me no Mr Stanford but I should wish you to be ready to be braced up not to allow yourself he had to lick his dry lips between every jerky sentence and I suddenly realized as clearly as if he had told me that he knew what was behind that closed door and that it was something terrible here are the keys Mr Stanford but remember my warning he had a bunch of assorted keys in his hand and the young man snatched them from him then he thrust a knife under the discolored seal and jerked it off the lamp was rattling and shaking in peral's hands so I took it from him and held it near the keyhole while Staniford tried key after key at last one turned in the lock the door flew open he took one step into the room and then with a horrible cry the young man fell senseless at our feet if I had not given heed to the Clark's warning and braced myself for a shock I should certainly have dropped the lamp the room windowless and bare was fitted up as a photographic laboratory with a tap and sink at the side of it a shelf of bottles and measures stood at one side and a peculiar heavy smell partly chemical partly animal filled the air a single table and chair were in front of us and at this with his back turned towards us a man was seated in the act of writing his outline and attitude were as natural as life but as the light fell upon him it made my hair rise to see that the nape of his neck was black and wrinkled and no thicker than my wrist dust lay upon Him thick yellow dust upon his hair his shoulders his shriveled lemon colored hands his head had fallen forward upon his breast his pen still rested Upon A discolored sheet of paper my poor Master my poor poor Master cried the clerk and the tears were running down his cheeks what I cried Mr Stannis laow Staniford here he has sat for seven years oh why would he do it I begged him I implored him I went on my knees to him but he would have his way you see the key on the table he had locked the door upon the inside and he has written something we must take it yes yes take it and for God's sake let us get out of this I cried the air is poisonous come Stanford come taking an arm each we half LED and half carried the terrified man back to his own room it was my father he cried as he recovered his Consciousness he is sitting there dead in his chair you knew it peral this was what you meant when you warned me yes I knew it Mr Stanford I have acted for the best all along but my position has been a terribly difficult one for seven years I have known that your father was dead in that room you knew it and never told us don't be harsh with me Mr Staniford sir make allowance for a man who has had a hard part to play my head is swimming round I cannot grasp it he staggered up and helped himself from the brandy bottle these letters to my mother and to myself were they forgeries no sir your father wrote them and addressed them and left them in my keeping to be posted I have followed his instructions to the very letter in all things he was my master and I have obeyed him the Brandy had steadied the young man's shaken nerves tell me about it I can stand it now said he well Mr Staniford you know that at one time there came a period of great trouble upon your father and he thought that many poor people were about to lose their savings through his fault he was a man who was so tender-hearted that he could not bear the thought it worried him and tormented him until he determined to end his life oh Mr Stanford if you knew how I have prayed him and wrestled with him over it you would never blame me and he in turn prayed me as no man has ever prayed me before he had made up his mind and he would do it in any case he said but it rested with me whether his death should be happy and easy or whether it should be most miserable I read in his eyes that he meant what he said and At Last I yielded to his prayers and I consented to do his will what was troubling him was this he had been told by the first doctor in London that his wife's heart would fail at the slightest shock he had a horror of accelerating her end and yet his own existence had become unendurable to him how could he end himself without injuring her you know now the course that he took he wrote the letter which she received there was nothing in it which was not literally true when he spoke of seeing her again so soon he was referring to her own approaching death which he had been assured could not be delayed by more than a very few months so convinced was he of this that he only left two letters to be forwarded at intervals after his death she lived 5 years and I had no letters to send he left another letter with me to be sent to you sir upon the occasion of the death of your mother I posted all these in Paris to sustain the idea of his being abroad it was his wish that I should say nothing and I have said nothing I have been a faithful servant seven years after his death he thought no doubt that the shock to the feelings of his surviving friends would be lessened he was always always consider it for others there was a silence for some time it was broken by Young Staniford I cannot blame you peral you have spared my mother a shock which would certainly have broken her heart what is that paper it is what your father was writing sir shall I read it to you do so I have taken the poison and I feel it working in my veins it is strange but not painful when these words are read I shall if my wishes have been Faithfully carried out have been dead many years surely no one who has lost money through me will still bear me animosity and you Felix you will forgive me this family Scandal may God find rest for a sore holy weared spirit amen we cried all [Music] three [Music] the room in the tower by EF Benson it is probable that everybody who is at all a constant dreamer has had at least one experience of an event or a sequence of circumstances which have come to his mind in sleep being subsequently realized in the material world but in my opinion so far from this being a strange thing it would be far odder if this fulfillment did not occasionally happen since our dreams are as a rule concerned with people whom we know and places with which we are familiar such as might very naturally occur in the awake and dayit World true these dreams are often broken into by some absurd and fantastic incident which puts them out of court in regard to their subsequent ful fillment but on the mere calculation of chances it does not appear in the least unlikely that a dream imagined by anyone who dreams constantly should occasionally come true not long ago for instance I experienced such a fulfillment of a dream which seems to me in no way remarkable and to have no kind of psychical significance the manner of it was as follows a certain friend of mine living abroad is amiable enough to write to me about once in a fortnite thus when 14 days or thereabouts have elapsed since I last heard from him my mind probably either consciously or subconsciously is expectant of a letter from him one night last week I dreamed that as I was going upstairs to dress for dinner I heard as I often heard the sound of the postman's knock on my front door and diverted my direction downstairs instead there among other correspondents was a letter from him thereafter the Fantastic entered for on opening it I found inside the ace of diamonds and scribbled across it in his well-known handwriting I am sending you this for safe custody as you know it is running an unreasonable risk to keep aces in Italy the next evening I was was just preparing to go upstairs to dress when I heard the postman's knock and did precisely as I had done in my dream there among other letters was one from my friend only it did not contain the ace of diamonds had it done so I should have attached more weight to the matter which as it stands seems to me a perfectly ordinary coincidence no doubt I consciously or subconsciously expected a letter from him and this suggested to me my dream similarly the fact that my friend had not written to me for a fortnite suggested to him that he should do so but occasionally it is not so easy to find such an explanation and for the following story I can find no explanation at all it came out of the dark and into the dark it has gone again all my life I have been a habitual Dreamer the nights are few that is to say when I do not find on awaking in the morning that some mental experience has been mine and sometimes all night long apparently a series of the most dazzling Adventures Beall me almost without exception these Adventures are Pleasant though often merely trivial it is of an exception that I'm going to speak it was when I was about 16 that a a certain dream first came to me and this is how it befell it opened with my being sat down at the door of a big red brick house where I understood I was going to stay the servant who opened the door told me that tea was being served in the garden and led me through a low dark paneled Hall with a large open fireplace onto a cheerful Green Lawn set round with flower beds there were grouped about the tea table a small party of people but they were all strangers to me except one who was a school fellow called Jack Stone clearly the son of the house and he introduced me to his mother and father and a couple of sisters I was I remember somewhat astonished to find myself here for the boy in question was scarcely known to me and I rather disliked what I knew of him moreover he had left school nearly a year before the afternoon was very hot and an intolerable oppression rained on the far side of the lawn ran a red brick wall with an iron gate in its Center outside which stood a walnut tree we sat in the shadow of the house opposite a row of long windows inside which I could see a table with cloth laid glimmering with glass and silver this Garden front of the house was very long and at one end of it stood a tower of three stories which looked to me much older than the rest of the building before long Mrs Stone who like the rest of the party had sat in absolute silence said to me Jack will show you your room I have given you the room in the tower quite inexplicably my heart sank at her words I felt felt as if I had known that I should have the room in the tower and that it contains something Dreadful and significant Jack instantly got up and I understood that I had to follow him in silence we passed through the hall and mounted a Great Oak staircase with many corners and arrived at a small Landing with two doors set in it he pushed one of these open for me to enter and without coming in himself closed it after me then I knew that my conjecture had been right there was something awful in the room and with the terror of nightmare growing swiftly and enveloping me I awoke in a spasm of Terror now that dream or variations on it occurred to me intermittently for 15 years most often it came in exactly this form the arrival the tea laid out on the lawn the deadly silence succeeded by that one deadly sentence the mounting with Jack Stone up to the room in the tower where horror dwelt and it always came to a close in the nightmare of Terror at that which was in the room though I never saw what it was at other times I exper experienced variations on this same theme occasionally for instance we would be sitting at dinner in the dining room into the windows of which I had looked on the first night when the dream of this house visited me but wherever we were there was the same silence the same sense of dreadful oppression and forboding and the silence I knew would always be broken by Mrs Stone saying to me Jack will show you your room I have given you the room in the tower upon which this was invariable I had to follow him up the oak staircase with many corners and enter the place that I dreaded more and more each time that I visited it in sleep or again I would find myself playing cards still in silence in a drawing room lit with a IM M men chandeliers that gave a blinding illumination what the game was I have no idea what I remember with a sense of miserable anticipation was that soon Mrs Stone would get up and say to me Jack will show you your room I have given you the room in the tower this drawing room where we played cards was next to the dining room and as I have said was always brilliantly illuminated whereas the rest of the house was full of Dusk and shadows and yet how often in spite of those bouquets of Lights have I not poured over the cards that were dealt me scarcely able for some reason to see them their designs too were strange there were no red suits but all were black and among them there were certain cards which were black all over I hated and dreaded those as this dream continued to recur I got to know the greater part of the house there was a smoking room beyond the drawing room at the end of a passage with a green baz door it was always very dark there and as often as I went there I passed somebody whom I could not see in the doorway coming out curious developments too took place in the characters that peopled the dream as might happen to living persons Mrs Stone for instance who when I first saw her had been blackhaired became gray and instead of rising briskly as she had done at first when she said Jack will show you your room I have given you the room in the tower got up very feebly as if the strength was leaving her limbs Jack also grew up and became a rather ill-looking young man with a brown mustache while one of the sisters ceased to appear and I understood she was married then it so happened that I was not visited by this dream for 6 months or more and I began to Hope in such inexplicable dread did I hold it that it had passed away for good but one night after this interval I again found myself being shown out onto the lawn for tea and Mrs Stone was not there while the others were all dressed in black at once I guessed the reason and my heart leaped at the thought that perhaps this time I should not have to sleep in the room in the tower and though we usually usually all sat in silence on this occasion the sense of relief made me talk and laugh as I had never yet done but even then matters were not altogether comfortable for no one else spoke but they all looked secretly at each other and soon the foolish stream of my talk ran dry and gradually an apprehension worse than anything I had previously known gained on me as the light slowly faded suddenly a voice which I knew well broke the Stillness the voice of Mrs Stone saying Jack will show you your room I have given you the room in the tower it seemed to come from near the gate in the red brick wall that bounded the lawn and looking up I saw that the grass outside was sewn thick with gravestones a curious grayish light Shone from them and I could read the lettering on the grave nearest me and it was in evil memory of Julia Stone and as usual Jack got up and again I followed him through the hall and up the staircase with many corners on this occasion it was darker than usual and when I passed into the room in the tower I could only just see the furniture the position of which was already familiar to me also there was a dreadful odor of decay in the room and I woke screaming this dream with such variations and developments as I have mentioned went on at intervals for 15 years sometimes I would dream it two or three nights in succession once as I have said there was an intermission of 6 months but taking a reasonable average I should say that I dreamed it quite as often as once in a month it had as his plain something of nightmare about it since it always ended in the same appall Terror which so far from getting less seemed to me to gather fresh fear every time that I experienced it there was too a strange and Dreadful consistency about it the characters in it as I have mentioned got regularly older death and marriage visited this silent family and I never in the dream after Mrs Stone had died set I on her again but it was always her voice that told me that the room in the tower was prepared for me and whether we had tea out on the lawn or the scene was laid in one of the rooms overlooking it I could always see her gravestone standing just outside the Iron Gate it was the same too with the married daughter usually she was not present but once or twice she returned again in company with a man whom I took to be her husband he too like the rest of them was always silent but owing to the constant repetition of the dream I had ceased to attach in my waking hours any significance to it I never met Jack Stone again during all those years nor did I ever see a house that resembled this dark house of my dream and then something happened I had been in London in this year up till the end of the July and during the first week in August went down to stay with a friend in a house he had taken for the summer months in the Ashdown forest district of Sussex I left London early for John Clinton was to meet me at Forest row station and we were going to spend the day golfing and go to his house in the evening he had his motor with him and we set off about 5: in the afternoon after a thoroughly delightful day for the drive the distance being some 10 miles as it was still so early we did not have tea at the clubhouse but waited till we should get home as we drove the weather which up till then had been though hot deliciously fresh seemed to me to alter in quality and become very stagnant and oppressive and I felt that indefinable sense of ominous apprehension that I am accustomed to before Thunder John however did not share my views attributing my loss of lightness to the fact that I had lost both my matches events proved however that I was right though I do not think that the thunderstorm that broke that night was the sole cause of my depression our way lay through deep High banked lanes and before we had gone very far I fell asleep and was only awakened by the stopping of the motor and with a sudden thrill partly of fear but chiefly of curiosity I found myself standing in the doorway of my house of dream we went I half wondering whether or not I was dreaming still through a low Oak panel Hall and out onto the lawn where tea was laid in the shadow of the house it was set in flower beds a red brick wall with a gate in it bounded one side and out beyond that was a space of rough grass and a walnut tree the facade of the house was very long and at one end stood a three stored Tower markedly older than the rest here for the moment all resemblance to the repeated dream ceased there was no silent and somehow terrible family but a large assembly of exceedingly cheerful persons all of whom were known to me and in spite of the horror with which the dream itself had always filled me I felt nothing of it now that the scene of it was thus reproduced before me but I felt intensest curiosity as to what was going to happen T pursued its cheerful course and before long Mrs Clinton got up and at that moment I think I knew what she was going to say she spoke to me and what she said was Jack will show you your room I have given you the room in the tower at that for half a second the horror of the dream took hold of me again but it quickly passed and and again I felt nothing more than the most intense curiosity it was not very long before it was amply satisfied John turned to me right up at the top of the house he said but I think Youk be comfortable we're absolutely full up would you like to go and see it now by Jo I believe that you are right and that we are going to have a thunderstorm how dark it has become I got up and followed him we passed through the hall and up the perfectly familiar staircase then he opened the door and I went in and at that moment sheer unreasoning Terror again possessed me I did not know what I feared I simply feared then like a sudden recollection when one remembers a name which has long escaped the memory I knew what I feared I feared Mrs Stone whose grave with the Sinister inscription in evil memory I had so often seen in my dream just beyond the lawn which lay below my window and then once more the fear passed so completely that I wondered what there was to fear and I found myself sober and quiet and sane in the room in the tower the name of which I had so often heard in my dream and the scene of which was so familiar I looked around it with a certain sense of proprietorship and found that nothing had been changed from the dreaming nights in which I knew it so well just to the left of the door was the bed lengthways along the wall with the head of it in the angle in align with it was the fireplace and a small book bookcase opposite the door the outer wall was pierced by two ltis pained Windows between which stood the dressing table while ranged along the fourth wall was the washing stand and a big cabbo my luggage had already been unpacked for the furniture of dressing and undressing lay orderly on the wash standand and toilet table while my dinner clothes were spread out on the cavalet of the bed and then with a sudden start of unexplained dismay I saw that there were two rather conspicuous objects which I had not seen before in my dreams one a life-sized oil painting of Mrs Stone the other a blacken white sketch of jackstone representing him as he had appeared to me only a week before in the last of the series of these repeated dreams a rather secret and evil looking man of about 30 his picture hung between the windows looking straight across the room to the other portrait which hung at the side of the bed at that I looked next and as I looked I felt once more the horror of nightmare sees me it represented Mrs Stone as I had seen her last in my dreams old and withered and white haired but in spite of the evident feebleness of body a dreadful exuberance and vitality Shone through the envelope of Flesh an exuberance wholly malign a Vitality that foamed and frothed with unimaginable evil evil beamed from the narrow learing eyes it laughed in the demon-like mouth the whole face was Instinct with some secret and appalling mirth the hands clasped together on thee seemed shaking with suppressed and nameless Glee then I saw also that it was signed in the leftand bottom corner and wondering who the artist could be I looked more closely and read the inscription Julia Stone by Julia Stone there came a tap at the door and John Clinton entered got everything you want he asked rather more than I want said I pointing to the picture he laughed hard featured old lady he said by herself too I remember anyhow she can't have flattered herself much but don't you see said I it's scarcely a human face at all it's the face of some witch of some devil he looked at it more closely yes it isn't very pleasant he said scarcely a bedside manner eh yes I can imagine getting the nightmare if I went to sleep with that close by my bed I'll have it taken down if you like I really wish you would I said he rang the bell and with the help of a servant we detached the picture and carried it out onto the landing and put it with its face to the wall by Jo the old lady is a waight said JN mopping his forehead I wonder if she had something on her mind the extraordinary weight of the picture had struck me too I was about to reply when I caught sight of my own hand there was blood on it in considerable quantities covering the whole Palm I've cut myself somehow said I John gave a little startled exclamation why I have two he said simultaneously the footman took out his handkerchief and wiped his hand with it I saw that there was blood also on his handkerchief John and I went back into the tower room and washed the blood off but neither on his hand nor on mine was there the slightest trace of a scratch or cut it seemed to me that having ascertained this we both by a sort of tacit consent did not allude to it again something in my case had dimly occurred to me that I did not wish to think about it was but a conjecture but I fancied that I knew the same thing had occurred to him the Heat and oppression of the air for the storm we had expected was still undischarged increased very much after dinner and for some time most of the party among whom were John Clinton and myself sat outside on the path bounding the lawn where we had had tea the night was absolutely dark and no twinkle of star or moonray could penetrate the PA of cloud that overset the Sky by degrees our assembly thinned the women went up to bed men dispersed to the smoking or billiard room and by 11:00 my host and I were the only two left all the evening I thought that he had had something on his mind and as soon as we were alone he spoke the man who helped us with the picture had blood on his hand too did you notice he said I asked him just now if he had cut himself and he said he supposed he had but that he could find no Mark of it now where did that blood come from by Dent of telling myself that I was not going to think about it I had succeeded in not doing so and I did not want especially just at bedtime to be reminded of it I don't know said I and I don't really care so long as the picture of Mrs Stone is is not by my bed he got up but it's odd he said H now you'll see another odd thing a dog of his an Irish Terrier by breed had come out of the house as we talked the door behind us into the Hall was open and a bright oblong of light sha across the lawn to the Iron Gate which led onto the rough grass outside where the wallness tree stood I saw that the dog had all his hackles up bristling with rage and fright his lips were curled back from his teeth as if he was ready to spring at something and he was growling to himself he took not the slightest notice of his master or me but stiffly and tensely walked across the grass to the Iron Gate there he stood for a moment looking through the bars and still GR owling then of a sudden his courage seemed to Desert him he gave one long howl and scuttled back to the house with a curious crouching sort of movement he does that half a dozen times a day said JN he sees something which he both hates and fears I walked to the gate and looked over it something was moving on the grass outside and soon a sound which I could not instantly identify came to my ears then I remembered what it was it was the purring of a cat I lit a match and saw the purer a big blue Persian walking round and round in a little circle just outside the gate stepping high and ecstatically with tail carried a loft like a banner its eyes were bright and shining and every now and then it put its head down and sniffed at the grass I laughed the end of that mystery I afraid I said here's a large cat having valgus night all alone yes that's Darius said JN he spends half the day and all night there but that's not the end of the dog mystery for Toby and he are the best of friends but the beginning of the cat mystery what's the cat doing there and why is Darius pleased while Toby is Terror stricken at that moment I remembered the rather horrible detail of my dreams when I saw through the gate just where the cat was now the white Tombstone with a Sinister inscription but before I could answer the rain began as suddenly and heavily as if a tap had been turned on and simultaneously the big cat squeezed through the bars of the gate and came leaping across the lawn to the house for shelter then it sat in the doorway looking out eagerly into the dark it spat and struck at JN with its paw as he pushed it in in order to close the door somehow with the portrait of Julia Stone in the passage outside the room in the tower had abs absolutely no alarm for me and as I went to bed feeling very sleepy and heavy I had nothing more than interest for the Curious incident about our bleeding hands and the conduct of the cat and dog the last thing I looked at before I put out my light was the square empty space by my bed where the portrait had been here the paper was of its original full tint of dark red over the rest of the walls it had faded then I blew out my candle and instantly fell asleep my awaking was equally instantaneous and I sat bolt upright in bed under the impression that some bright light had been flashed in my face though it was now absolutely pitch dark I knew exactly where I was in the room which I had dreaded in dreams but no horror that I ever felt when asleep approached the fear that now invaded and froze my brain immediately after a peel of Thunder crackled just above the house but the probability that it was only a flash of lightning which awoke me gave no reassurance to my Galloping heart something I knew was in the room with me and instinctively I put out my right hand which was nearest the wall to keep it away and my hand touched the edge of a picture frame hanging close to me I sprang out of bed upsetting the small table that stood by it and I heard my watch candle and matches clatter onto the floor but for the moment there was no need of light for a blinding flash leaped out of the clouds and showed me that by my bed again hung the picture of Mrs Stone and instantly the room went into Blackness again but in that flash I saw another thing also namely a figure that leaned over the end of my bed watching me it was dressed in some close clinging white garment spotted and stain with mold and the face was that of the portrait overhead the Thunder cracked and roared and when it ceased and the Deathly Stillness succeeded I heard the rustle of movement coming near to me and more horrible yet perceived an odor of corruption and decay and then a hand was laid on the side of my neck and close beside my ear I heard quick taken eager breathing yet I knew that this thing though it could be perceived by Touch by smell by eye and by ear was still not of this Earth but something that had passed out of the body and had power to make itself manifest then a voice already familiar to me spoke I knew you would come to the room in the tower it said I have been long waiting for you at last you have come tonight I shall Feast before long we will Feast together and the quick breathing came closer to me I could feel it on my neck at that the terror which I think had paralyzed me for the moment gave way to the wild Instinct of self-preservation I hit wildly with both arms kicking out at the same moment and heard a little animal squeal and something soft dropped with a thud beside me I took a couple of steps forward nearly Tri ripping up over whatever it was that lay there and by the meest good luck found the handle of the door in another second I ran out on the landing and had banged the door behind me almost at the same moment I heard a door open somewhere below and John Clinton candle in hand came running upstairs what is it he said I sleep just below you and heard a noise as if good Heavens there's blood on your shoulder ER I stood there so he told me afterwards swaying from side to side white as a sheet with the mark on my shoulder as if a hand covered with blood had been laid there it's in there I said pointing she you know the portrait is in there too hanging up on the place we took it from at that he laughed my dear fellow this is mere nightmare he said he pushed by me and opened the door I standing there simply a nert with Terror unable to stop him unable to move what an awful smell he said then there was silence he had passed out of my sight behind the open door next moment he came out again as white as myself and instantly shut it yes the portraits there he said and on the floor is a thing a thing spotted with Earth like what they bury people in Come Away quick Come Away how I got downstairs I hardly know an awful shuddering and nause of the spirit rather than of the flesh had seized me and more than once he had to place my feet upon the steps while every now and then he cast glances of Terror and apprehension up the stairs but in time we came to his dressing room on the floor below and there I told him what I have here described the sequel can be made short indeed some of my readers have perhaps already guessed what it was if they remember that inexplicable Affair of the churchyard at West forley some 8 years ago where an attempt was made three times to bury the body of a certain woman who had committed suicide on each occasion the coffin was found in the course of a few days again protruding from the ground after the third attempt in order that the thing should not be talked about the body was buried elsewhere in unconsecrated ground where it was buried was just outside the Iron Gate of the garden belonging to the house where this woman had lived she had committed suicide in a room at the top of the tower in that house her name was Julia Stone subsequently the body was again secretly dug up and the coffin was found to be full of [Music] [Music] blood [Music] [Music] the Red Room by HG Wells I can assure you said I that it will take a very tangible ghost to frighten me and I stood up before the fire with my glass in my hand it is your own choosing said the man with a withered arm and glanced at me as scans 8 and 20 years said I have I lived and never a ghost have I seen as yet the old woman sat staring hard into the fire her pale eyes wide open I she broke in and eight and 20 years you have lived and never seen the likes of this house I reckon there's so many things to see when one's still but eight and 20 she swayed her head slowly from side to side a many things to see and sorrow for I half suspected the old people were trying to enhance the spiritual Terrors of their house by their droning insistence I put down my Empty Glass on the table and looked about the room and caught a glimpse of myself abbreviated and broadened to an impossible sturdiness in the queer old mirror at the end of the room well I said if I see anything tonight I shall be so much the wiser for I come to the business with an open mind it's your own choosing said the man with a withered arm once more I heard the faint sound of a stick and a shambling step on the flags in the passage outside the door creaked on its hinges as as a second old man entered more bent more wrinkled more aged even than the first he supported himself by the help of a crutch his eyes were covered by a shade and his lower lip half averted hung pale and pink from his decaying yellow teeth he made straight for an armchair on the opposite side of the table sat down clumsily and began to cough the man with a withered hand gave the newcomer a short glance of positive dislike the old woman took no notice of his arrival but remained with her eyes fixed steadily on the fire I said it's your own choosing said the man with a withered hand when the coughing had ceased for a while it's my own choosing I answered the man with the shade became aware of my presence for the first time and threw his head back for a moment and sidewise to see me I caught a momentary glimpse of his eyes small and bright and inflamed then he began to cough and splatter again why don't you drink said the man with a withered arm pushing the beer toward him the man with the shade poured out a glassful with a shaking hand that splashed half as much again on the deal table a monstrous shadow of him crouched upon the wall and mocked his action as he poured and drank I must confess I had scarcely expected these grotesque custodians there is to my mind something inhuman in cility something crouching and atavistic the human qualities seem to drop from old people insensibly day by day the three of them made me feel uncomfortable with their gaunt silences their bent Carriage their evident friendliness to me and to one another and that night perhaps I was in the mood for uncomfortable Impressions I resolved to get away from their vague foreshadowings of the evil things upstairs if said I you will show me to this haunted room of yours I will make myself comfortable there the old man with the cough jerked his head back so suddenly that it startled me and shot another glance of his red eyes at me from out of the darkness under the shade but no one answered me I waited a minute glancing from one to the other the old woman stared like a dead body glaring into the fire with lackluster eyes if I said a little louder if you will show me to this haunted room of yours I will relieve you from the task of entertaining me there's a candle on the slab outside the door said the man with the withered hand looking at my feet as he addressed me but if you go to the Red Room tonight this night of all nights said the old woman softly you go alone very well I answered shortly and which way do I go you go along the passage for a bit said he nodding his head on his shoulder at the door until you come to a spiral staircase and on the second Landing is a door covered with Green Bays go through that and down the long Corridor to the end and the Red Room is on your left up the steps have I got that right I said and repeated his directions he corrected me in one particular and you are really going said the man with the shade looking at at me again for the third time with that queer unnatural tilting of the face this night of all nights whispered the old woman it is what I came for I said and moved toward the door as I did so the old man with the shade Rose and staggered around the table so as to be closer to the others and to the fire at the door I turned and looked at them and saw they were all close together dark against the firelight staring at me over their shoulders with an intent expression on their ancient faces good night I said setting the door open it's your own choosing said the man with the withered arm I left the door wide open until the candle was well Al light and then I shut them in and walked down the chilly echoing Passage I must confess that the oddness of these three old pensioners in whose charge her ladyship had left the castle and the Deep ton old-fashioned Furniture of the housekeeper's room in which they for gathered had affected me curiously in spite of my effort to keep myself at a matter of fact phase they seemed to belong to another age an older age an age when things spiritual were indeed to be feared when Common Sense was UN common an age when Omens and witches were credible and ghosts Beyond denying their very existence thought I is spectral the cut of their clothing Fashions born in dead brains the ornaments and conveniences in the rooms about them even are ghostly the thoughts of vanished men which still haunt rather than participate in the world of today and the passage I was in long and shadowy with a film of moisture glistening on the wall was as gaunt and cold as a thing that is dead and rigid but with an effort I sent such thoughts to the right about the long drafty Subterranean passage was chilly and Dusty and my candle flared and made the Shadows cower and quiver The Echoes rang up and down the spiral staircase and a shadow came sweeping up after me and another fled before me into the darkness overhead I came to the wide landing and stopped there for a moment listening to a rustling that I fancied I heard creeping behind me and then satisfied of the absolute silence pushed open the unwilling baz covered door and stood in the silent Corridor the effect was scarcely what I expected for the Moonlight coming in by the great window on the grand staircase picked out everything in Vivid black shadow or reticulated silvery illumination everything seemed in its proper position the house might have been deserted on the yesterday instead of 12 months ago there were candles in the sockets of the scones and whatever dust had gathered on the carpets or upon the polished flooring was distributed so evenly as to be invisible in my candle light a waiting Stillness was over everything I was about to advance and stopped abruptly a bronze group stood upon the landing hidden from me by a corner of the wall but its shadow fell with marvelous distinctness upon the white paneling and gave me the impression of someone crouching to We Lay me the thing jumped upon my attention suddenly I stood rigid for half a moment perhaps then with my hand in the pocket that held a revolver I Advanced only to discover a gany me and Eagle glistening in the Moonlight that incident for a Time restored my nerve and a dim porcelain on a bed table whose head rocked as I passed scarcely startled me the door of the Red Room and the steps up to it were in a shadowy corner I moved my candle from side to side in order to see clearly the nature of the recess in which I stood before opening the door here it was thought I that my predecessor was found and the memory of that story gave me a sudden twinge of apprehension I glanced over my shoulder at the black ganye in the Moonlight and opened the door of the Red Room rather hastily with my face half turned to The palid Silence of the corridor I entered closed the door behind me at once turned the key I found in the lock within and stood with the candle held Aloft surveying the scene of my vigil the Great Red Room of Lorraine Castle in which the young Juke had died or rather in which he had begun his dying for he had opened the door and Fallen headlong down the steps I had just ascended that had been the end of his vigil of his Gallant attempt to conquer the ghostly tradition of the place and never I thought had apoplexy better served the ends of superstition there were other and older stories that clung to the room back to the half incredible beginning of it all the tale of a timid wife and the tragic end that came to her husband's Gest of frightening her and looking round that huge shadowy room with its black window Bays its recesses and alcoves its Dusty brown red hangings and dark gigantic Furniture one could well understand the legends that had sprouted in its black Corners its germinating darknesses my candle was a little tongue of light in the vastness of the chamber its Rays failed to pierce to the opposite end of the room and left an ocean of dull red mystery and suggestion Sentinel shadows and watching darknesses Beyond its Island of light and the Stillness of desolation brooded over it all I must confess some impalpable quality of that ancient room Disturbed me I tried to fight the feeling down I resolved to make a systematic examination of the place and so by leaving nothing to the imagination dispel the fanciful suggestions of the obscurity before they obtained a hold upon me after satisfying myself of the fastening of the door I began to walk around the room peering around each article of furniture tucking up the valances of the bed and opening its curtains wide in one place there was a distinct Echo to my footsteps the noises I made seemed so little that they enhanced rather than broke the Silence of the place I pulled up the blinds and examined the fastenings of the veral Windows attracted by the fall of a particle of dust I leaned forward and looked up the Blackness of the wide chimney then trying to preserve my scientific attitude of mind I walked round and began tapping the oak paneling for any secret opening but I desisted before reaching the AL Cove I saw my face in a mirror white there were two big mirrors in the room each with a pair of scones bearing candles and on the mantle shelf too were candles in China candlesticks all these I lit one after the other the fire was laid an unexpected consideration from the old housekeeper and I lit it to keep down any disposition to shiver and when it was burning well I stood round with my back to it and regarded the room again I had pulled up a chint covered armchair and a table to form a kind of barricade before me on this Lay My Revolver ready to hand my precise examination had done me a little good but I still found the remoter darkness of the place and its perfect Stillness too stimulating for the imagination the echoing of the stir and crackling of the fire was no sort of comfort to me the shadow in the AL Cove at the end of the room began to display that undefinable quality of a presence that odd suggestion of a lurking living thing that comes so easily in silence and Solitude and to reassure myself I walked with a candle into it and satisfied myself that there was nothing tangible there I stood that candle upon the floor of the AL Cove and left it in that position by this time I was in a state of considerable nervous tension although to my reason there was no adequate cause for my condition my mind however was perfectly clear I postulated quite unreservedly that nothing Supernatural could happen and to pass the time I began stringing some Rhymes together in goldby fashion concerning the original Legend of the place a few I spoke aloud but the Echoes were not pleasant for the same reason I also abandoned after a time a conversation with myself upon the impossibility of ghosts and haunting my mind reverted to the three old and distorted people downstairs and I tried to keep it upon that topic the somber Reds and Grays of the room troubled me even with its seven candles the place was merely dim the light in the AL Cove flaring in a draft and the fire flickering kept the shadows and penumbra perpetually shifting and stirring in a noisess flighty dance casting about for a remedy I recalled the wax candles I had seen in the corridor and with a slight effort carrying a candle and leaving the door open I walked out into the Moonlight and presently returned with as many as 10 these I put in the various knickknacks of China with which the room was sparsely adorned and lit and placed them where the Shadows had Lain deepest some on the floor some in the window recesses arranging and rearranging them until at last my 17 candles were so placed that not an inch of the room but had the direct light of at least one of them it occurred to me that when the Ghost came I could warn him not to trip over them the room was now quite brightly illuminated then was something very cheering and reassuring in these little silent streaming flames and to notice their steady diminution of length offered me an occupation and gave me a reassuring sense of the passage of time even with that however the brooding expectation of the vigil weighed heavily enough upon me I stood watching the minute hand of my watch creep towards midnight then something happened in the ALCO Cove I did not see the candle go out I simply turned and saw that the darkness was there as one might start and see the unexpected presence of a stranger the black shadow had sprung back to its place by jove said I aloud recovering from my surprise that draft's a strong one and taking the matchbox from the table I walked across the room in a leisurely manner to relight the corner again my first match would not strike and as I succeeded with the second something seemed to Blink on the wall before me I turned my head involuntarily and saw that the two candles on the little table by the fireplace were extinguished I Rose at once to my feet odd I said did I do that myself in a flash of absent-mindedness I walked back relit one and as I did so I saw the candle in the right scon of one of the mirrors wink and go right out and almost immediately its companion followed it the Flames vanished as if the wick had been suddenly nipped between a finger and thumb leaving the wick neither glowing nor smoking but black while I stood gaping the candle at the foot of the bed went out and the Shadows seemed to take another step toward me this won't do said I and first one and then another candle on the mantle shelf followed what's up I cried with a queer high note getting into my voice somehow at that the candle on the corner of the Wardrobe went out and the one I had relit in the AL Cove followed steady on I said those candles are wanted speaking with a half hysterical factious and scratching away to match the while for the mantle candlesticks my hands trembled so much that twice I missed the rough paper of the matchbox as the mantle emerged from Darkness again two candles in the remoter end of the room were eclipsed but with the same match I also relit the larger mirror candles and those on the floor near the doorway so that for the moment I seemed to gain on the extinctions but then in a noiseless volley there vanished four lights at once in different corners of the room and I struck another match in quivering haste and stood hesitating whether to take it as I stood undecided an invisible hand seemed to sweep out the two candles on the table with a Cry Of Terror I dashed at the AL Cove then into the corner and then into the window relighting three as two more vanished by the fireplace and then perceiving a better way I dropped the matches on the Ironbound deed box in the corner and caught up the bedroom Candlestick with this I avoided the delay of striking matches but for all that the steady process of Extinction went on and the Shadows I feared and fought against returned and crept in upon me first a step gained on this side of me then on that I was now almost frantic with the horror of the coming darkness and my self-possession deserted me I leaped panting from candle to Candle in a vain struggle against that remorseless advance I bruised myself in the thigh against the table I sent a chair headlong I stumbled and fell and whisked the cloth from the the table in my fall my candle rolled away from me and I snatched another as I Rose abruptly this was blown out as I swung it off the table by the wind of my sudden movement and immediately the two remaining candles followed but there was light still in the room a red light that streamed across the ceiling and staved off the Shadows from me the fire of course I could still thrust my candle Between the Bars and relight it I turned to where the Flames were still dancing between the glowing coals and splashing red Reflections upon the furniture made two steps toward the Great and incontinently the Flames dwindled and vanished the glow vanished the reflections rushed together and disappeared and as I thrust the candle Between the Bars Darkness closed upon me like the shutting of an eye wrapped about me in a stifling Embrace sealed my vision and crushed the last vestages of self-possession from my brain and it was not only palpable Darkness but intolerable Terror the candle fell from my hands I flung out my arms in a vain effort to thrust that ponderous Blackness away from me and lifting up my voice screamed with all my might once twice Thrice then I think I must have staggered to my feet I know I thought suddenly of the moonlit Corridor and with my head bowed and my arms over my face made a stumbling Run for the door but I had forgotten the exact position of the door and I struck myself heavily against the corner of the bed I staggered back turned and was either struck or struck myself against some other bulky Furnishing I have a vague memory of battering myself thus to and fro in the darkness of a heavy blow at last upon my forehead of a horrible sensation of falling that lasted an age of my last frantic effort to keep my footing and then I remember no more I opened my eyes in daylight my head was roughly bandaged and the man with the withered hand was watching my face I looked about me trying to remember what had happened and for a space I could not recollect I rolled my eyes into the corner and saw the old woman no longer abstracted no longer terrible pouring out some drops of medicine from a little blue file in into a glass where am I I said I seem to remember you and yet I cannot remember who you are they told me then and I heard of The Haunted Red Room as one who hears a tale we found you at dawn said he and there was blood on your forehead and lips I wondered that I had ever disliked him the three of them in the daylight seemed commonplace old folk enough the man with the green shade had his head bent as one who sleeps it was very slowly I recovered the memory of my experience you believe now said the old man with the withered hand that the room is haunted he spoke no longer as one who greets an intruder but as one who condoles with a friend yes said I the room is haunted and you have seen it and we who have been here all our lives have never set eyes upon it because we have never dared tell us is it truly the old Earl who no said I it is not I Told You So said the old lady with the glass in her hand it is his poor young Countess who was frightened it is not I said there is neither ghost of Earl nor ghost of Countess in that room there is no ghost there at all but worse far worse something impalpable well they said the worst of all the things that haunt poor mortal men said I and that is in all its nakedness fear fear that will not have light nor sound that will not bear with reason that deafens and darkens and overwhelms it followed me through the corridor it fought against me in the room I stopped abruptly there was an interval of silence my hand went up to my my bandages the candles went out one after another and I fled then the man with the shade lifted his face sideways to see me and spoke that is it said he I knew that was it a power of Darkness to put such a curse upon a home it lurks there always you can feel it even in the daytime even of a bright Summer's Day in the hangings in the curtains keeping behind you however you face about in The Dusk it creeps in the corridor and follows you so that you dare not turn it is even as you say fear itself is in that room Black fear and there it will be so long as this house of sin [Music] endures [Music] The Mystery of the circular chamber by ltme and Robert Eustace one day in late September I received the following letter from my lawyer my dear Bell I shall esteem it a favor if you can make it convenient to call upon me at 10:00 tomorrow morning on a matter of extreme privacy at the appointed hour I was shown into Mr edom's private room I had known him for years we were in fact old friends and I was startled now by the look of worry not to say anxiety on his usually Serene features you are the very man I want Bell he cried sit down I have a great deal to say to you there is a mystery of a very grave nature which I hope you may solve for me it is in connection with a house said to be haunted he fixed his Bright Eyes on my face as he spoke I sat perfectly silent waiting for him to continue in the first place he resumed I must ask you to regard the matter as confidential certainly I answered you know he went on that I have often laughed at your special hobby but it occurred to me yesterday that the experiences you have lived through may enable you to give me valuable assistance in this difficulty I will do my best for you edcom I replied he lay back in his chair folding his hands the case is briefly as follows he began it is connected with the family of the wentworths the only son archal the artist has just died under most extraordinary circumstances he was as you probably know one of the most promising watercolor painters of the younger school and his pictures in this year's Academy met with universal praise he was the heir to the Wentworth Estates and his death has caused a complication of claims from a member of a collateral branch of the family who when the present Squire dies is entitled to the money this man has spent the greater part of his life in Australia is badly off and evidently belongs to a Rowdy set he has been to see me two or three times and I must say frankly that I am not taken with his appearance had he anything to do with the death I interrupted nothing whatever as you will quickly perceive Wentworth has been accustomed from time to time to go alone on sketching tours to different parts of the country he has tramped about on foot and visited odd outof the way Nooks searching for subjects he never took much money with him and always traveled as an apparently poor man a month ago he started off alone on one of these tours he had a handsome commission from Barlo and Co picture dealers in the Strand he was to paint certain parts of the river Marin and although he certainly did not need money he seemed glad of an object for a good ramble he parted with his family in the best of health and spirits and wrote to them from time to time but a week ago they heard the news that he had died suddenly at an inn on the Marin there was of course an inquest and an autopsy Dr Miles Gordon the wentworth's Consulting physician was telegraphed for and was present at the postmortem examination he is absolutely puzzled to account for the death the medical examination showed Wentworth to be in apparently perfect health at the time there was no lesion to be discovered upon which to base a different opinion all the organs being healthy neither was there any trace of poison nor marks of violence the coroner's verdict was that Wentworth died of Syncopy which as you know perhaps is a synonym for an unknown cause the Inn where he died is a very lonely one and has the reputation of being haunted the landlord seems to Bear a bad character although nothing has ever been proved against him but a young girl who lives at the Inn gave evidence which at first startled everyone she said at the inquest that she had earnestly warned went withth not to sleep in the haunted room she had scarcely told the coroner so before she fell to the floor in an epileptic fit when she came to herself she was Sullen and silent and nothing more could be extracted from her the old man the inkeeper explained that the girl was half-witted but he did not attempt to deny that the house had the reputation of being haunted and said that he had himself begged went withth not to put up there well that is about the whole of the story the coroner's inquest seems to deny the evidence of Foul Play but I have my very strong suspicions what I want you to do is to ascertain if they are correct will you undertake the case I will certainly do so I replied please let me have any further particulars and a written document to show in case of need that I am acting under your directions edcom agreed to this and I soon afterwards took my leave the case had the features of an interesting problem and I hoped that I should prove successful in solving it that evening I made my plans carefully I would go into blankshire early on the following morning assuming for my purpose the character of an amator photographer having got all necessary particulars from edcom I made a careful mental map of my operations first of all I would visit a little village of the name of hark Hurst and put up at the Inn the crown and thistle here Wentworth had spent a fortnite when he first started on his commission to make drawings of the river Marin I thought it likely that I should obtain some information there circumstances must guide me as to to my further steps but my intention was to proceed from hark Hurst to the castle Inn which was situated about 6 mil further up the river this was the Inn where the tragedy had occurred towards evening on the following day I arrived at hark Hurst when my Carriage Drew up at the crown and thistle the land lady was standing in the doorway she was a buxom looking Dame with a kindly face I asked for a bed certainly sir she answered she turned with me into the little Inn and taking me upstairs showed me a small room quite clean and comfortable looking out on the yard I said it would do capitally and she hurried downstairs to prepare my supper after this Meal which proved to be excellent I determined to visit the landlord in the bar I found him chatty and communicative this is a lonely place he said we don't often have a soul staying with us for a month at a time as he spoke he walked to the door and I followed him the shades of night were beginning to fall but the picturesqueness of the little Hamlet could not but commend itself to me and yet it is a lovely spot I said I should have thought tourists would have thronged to it it is at least an ideal place for photographers you were right there sir replied the man and although we don't often have company to stay in the Inn now and then we have a stray artist it's not three weeks back he continued that we had a gentleman like you sir only a bit younger to stay with us for a week or two he was an artist and Drew from morning till night ah poor fellow why do you say that I asked I have good cause sir here wife continued the landlord looking over his shoulder at Mrs Johnson the land lady who now appeared on the scene this gentleman has been asking me questions about our visitor Mr wwith but perhaps we ought not to inflict such a dismal Story upon him tonight pray do I said what you have already hinted at arouses my curiosity why should you pity Mr Wentworth he is dead sir said the land lady in a solemn voice I gave a pretended start and she continued and it was all his own fault oh dear it makes me almost cry to think of it he was As Nice a gentleman as I ever set eyes on and so strong hearty and pleasant well sir everything went well until one day he said to me I am about to leave you Mrs Johnson I am going to a little place called The Castle in further up the Marin the castle in I cried no Mr Wentworth that you won't not if you value your life and why not he said looking at me with as merry blue eyes as you ever saw in anybody said why should I not visit the castle in I have a commission to make some drawings of that special Bend of the river well then sir I answered if that is the case you'll just have a horse and trap from here and drive over as often as you want to for the castle in ain't a fit place for a Christian to put up at what do you mean he asked of me it is said to be haunted sir and what does happen in that house the Lord only knows but there's not been a visitor at the Inn for some years not since Bay Holt came by his death came by his death he asked and how was that God knows but I don't I answered at the coroner's inquest it was said that he died from Syncopy whatever that means but the folks around here said it was fright Mr Wentworth just laughed at me he didn't mind a word I said and the next day sir he was off carrying his belongings with him well and what happened I asked seeing that she paused what happened sir just what I expected two days afterwards came the news of his death poor young gentleman he died in The Very Room where halt had breathed his last and oh if there wasn't a fussen to do for it turned out that although he seemed quite poor to us with little or no money he was no end of a swell and had Rich relations and big Estates coming to him and of course there was a Coroner's inquest and all the rest and great doctors come down from London and our doct stanmore who lives down the street was sent for and though they did all they could and examined him as it were with a microscope they could find no cause for death and so they give it out that it was Syncopy just as they did in the case of poor halt but sir it wasn't it was fright sheer fright the place is haunted it's a mysterious Dreadful house and I only hope you won't have nothing to do with it she added a few more words and presently left us that's a strange story I said turning to Johnson your wife has excited my curiosity I should much like to get further particulars there don'tk seem to be anything more to tell sir replied Johnson it's true what the wife says that the castle in has a bad name it's not the first no nor the second death that has occurred there you mentioned your village doctor do you think he could enlighten me on the subject I am sure he would do his best sir he lives only six doors away in a red house maybe you wouldn't mind stepping down the street and speaking to him you are sure he would not think it a liberty noty sir he'll be only too pleased to exchange a word with someone outside this sleepy little place then I'll call on him I answered and taking up my hat I strolled down the street I was lucky in finding Dr stanmore at home and the moment I saw his face I determined to take him into my confidence the fact is this I said when he had shaken hands with me I should not dream of taking this Liberty did I not feel s certain that you could help me and in what way he asked not stiffly but with a keen inquiring interested glance I have been sent down from London to inquire into the Wentworth mystery I said is that so he said with a start then he continued Gravely I fear you have come in a wild goose chase there was nothing discovered at the autopsy to account for the death there were no marks on the body and all the organs were healthy I met Wentworth often while he was staying here and he was as hearty and strongl looking a young man as I ever come across but the castle in has a bad reputation I said well that is true the people here are afraid of it it is said to be haunted but really sir you and I need not trouble ourselves about stupid reports of that sort old bindloss the landlord has lived there for years and there has never been anything proved against him is he alone no his wife and grandchild lived there also a grandchild I said did not this girl give some startling evidence at the inquest nothing of any consequence replied Dr stanmore she only repeated what bindloss had already said himself that the house was haunted and that she had asked Wentworth not to sleep in the room has anything ever been done to explain the reason why this room is said to be haunted I continued not that I know of rats are probably at the bottom of it but have not there been other deaths in the house that is true how many well I have myself attended no less than three similar inquests and what was the verdict of the jury in each case the verdict was death from sing incopy which means cause unknown I said jumping impatiently to my feet I wonder Dr stanmore that you are satisfied to leave the matter in such a state well then pray what can I do he inquired I am asked to examine a body I find all the organs in perfect health I cannot trace the least appearance of violence nor can I detect poison what other evidence can I honestly give I can only say that I should not be satisfied I replied I now wish to add that I have come down from London determined to solve this mystery I shall myself put up at the castle in well said Dr stanmore and sleep in the haunted room of course you don't believe in the ghost no but I believe in Foul Play Now Dr stanmore will you help me most certainly if I can can what do you wish me to do this I shall go to the castle in tomorrow if at the end of 3 days I do not return here will you go in search of me and at the same time post this letter to Mr edcom my London loyer if you do not appear in 3 days I'll kick up no end of a row said Dr stanmore and of course post your letter soon afterwards I shook hands with the doctor and left him after an early dinner on the following day I parted with my good-natured landlord and his wife and with my napsack and codak strapped over my shoulders started on my way I took care to tell no one that I was going to the castle in and for this purpose doubled back through a wood and so found the right Road the sun was nearly setting when At Last I approached a broken down signpost on which the in half obliterated characters I could read the words to the castle in I found myself now at the entrance of a small Lane which was evidently little frequented as it was considerably grass grown from Where I Stood I could catch no sight of any habitation but just at that moment a low somewhat inconsequent laugh fell upon my ears I turned quickly and saw a pretty girl with bright eyes and a childish face gazing at me with interest I had little doubt that she was old bind loss's granddaughter will you kindly tell me I asked if this is the way to the castle Inn my remark evidently startled her she made a bound forward seized me by my hand and tried to push me away from the entrance to the Lane into the high road go away she cried we have no beds fit for gentlemen at the castle in go go she continued and she pointed up the winding road her eyes were now blazing in her head but I noticed that her lips trembled and that very little would cause her to burst into tears but I am tired and foot sore I answered I should like to put up at the in for the night don't she repeated they'll put you into a room with a ghost don't go taint a place for gentlemen here she burst not into tears but into a fit of high shrill almost idiotic laughter she suddenly clapped one of her hands to her forehead and turning flew almost as fast as the wind down the Narrow Lane and out of sight I followed her quickly I did not believe that the girl was quite as mad as she seemed but I had little doubt that she had something extraordinary Weighing on her mind at the next turn I came in view of the Inn it was a queer looking old place and I stopped for a moment to look at it the house was entirely built of stone there were two stories to the center part which was square and at the Four Corners stood four round Towers the house was built right on the river just below a large Mill Pond I walked up to the door and pounded on it with my stick it was shut and looked as inhospitable as the rest of the place after a moment's delay it was opened 2 or 3 Ines and the sirly face of an old woman peeped out and what may you be wanting she asked a bed for the night I replied can you accommodate me she glanced suspiciously first at me and then at my camera you are an artist I make no doubt she said and we don't want no more of them here she was about to slam the door in my face but I pushed my foot between it and the lentil I am easily pleased I said can you not give me some sort of bed for the night you had best have nothing to do with us she answered you go off to harur they can put you up at the crown and thistle I have just come from there I answered as a matter of fact I could not walk another mile we don't want visitors at the castle in she continued here she peered forward and looked into my face you had best be off she repeated they say the place is haunted I uttered a laugh you don't expect me to believe that I said she glanced at me from head to foot her face was ominously grave you would best know all sir she said after a pause something happens in this house and no living Soul knows what it is for they who have seen it have never yet survived to tell the tale it's not more than a week back that a young gentleman came here he was like you bold as brass and he too wanted a bed would take no denial I told him plain and so did my man that the place was haunted he didn't mind no more than you mind well he slept in the only room we have got for guests and he he died there what did he die of I asked fright was the answer brief and laconic now do you want to come or not yes I don't believe in ghosts I want the bed and I am determined to have it the woman flung the door wide open don't say as I ain't warned you she cried come in if you must she led me into the kitchen where a fire burned sullenly on the Heth sit you down and I'll send for bindloss she said I can only promise to give you a bed if bindloss agrees Liz come along here this minute a quick young step was heard in the passage and the pretty girl whom I had seen at the top of the lane entered her eyes sought my face her lips moved as if to say something but no sound issued from them go and find your granddad said the old woman tell him there is a gentleman here that wants a bed ask him what's to be done the girl favored me with a long and peculiar glance then turning on her heel she left the room as soon as she did so the old woman peered forward and looked curiously at me I'm sorry you are staying she said don't forget as I warned you remember this ain't a proper in at all once it was a mill but that was a four bind loss's day and mine gents would come in the summer and put up for the fishing but then the story of the ghost got abroad and lately we have had no visitors to speak of only an odd one now and then who ain't wanted no he ain't wanted you see there was three deaths here yes she held up one of her skinny hands and began to count on her fingers yes three up to the present three that's it ah Here Comes Bend loss A shuffling step was heard in the passage and an old man bent with age and wearing a Long White Beard entered the room we has no beds for strangers he said speaking in an aggressive and Loud tone hasn't the wife said so we don't let out beds here as that is the case you have no right to have that signpost at the end of the lane I retorted I am not in a mood to walk 8 miles for a shelter in a country I know nothing about cannot you put me up somehow I have told the gentleman everything Sam said the wife he is just for all the world like young Mr Wentworth and not a bit frightened the old landlord came up and faced me look you here he said you stay on at your peril I don't want you nor do the wife now is it yes or no it is yes I said there's only one room you can sleep in one room is sufficient it's the one Mr Wentworth died in hadn't you best take up your traps and be off no I shall stay then there's no more to be said run Liz said the woman and light the fire in The Parlor the girl left the room and the woman taking up a candle said she would take me to the chamber where I was to sleep she led me down a long and narrow passage and then opening a door down two steps into the most extraordinary looking room I had ever seen the walls were completely circular covered with a paper of a staring grotesque pattern a small iron bedstead projected into the middle of the floor which was uncared it except for the slip of matting beside it a cheap deal wash handstand a couple of chairs and a small table with a blurred Looking Glass stood against the wall beneath a deep Embraer in which there was a window this was evidently a room in one of the circular Towers I had never seen less inviting quarters your supper will be ready directly sir said the woman and placing the candle on the little table she left me the place felt damp and drafty and the flame of the candle flickered about causing the Tallow to gatter to one side there was no fireplace in the room and above the walls converged to a point giving the whole place the appearance of an enormous extinguisher I made a hurried and necessarily limited toilet and went into the Parlor I was standing by the fire which was burning badly when the door opened and the girl Liz came in bearing a tray in her hand she laid the tray on the table and came up softly to me fools come to this house she said and you are one pray let me have my supper and don't talk I replied I am tired and hungry and want to go to bed Liz stood perfectly still for a moment ain't worth it she said then in a meditative voice voice said no it ain't worth it but I'll say no more folks will never be warned her grandmother's voice calling her caused her to bound from the room my supper proved better than I had expected and having finished it I strolled into the kitchen anxious to have a further talk with the old man he was seated Alone by the fire a great Mastiff lying at his feet can you tell me why the house is supposed to be haunted I asked suddenly stooping down to speak to him how should I know he cried hely the wife and me have been here 20 years and never seen nor heard anything but for certain folks do die in the house it's mortal unpleasant for me for the doctors come along and the coroner and there's an inquest and no end of fuss the folks die although no one has ever laid a finger on them the doctors can't prove why they are dead but dead they be well there ain't no use saying more you are here and maybe you'll pass the one night all right I shall go to bed at once I said but I should like some candles can you supply me the man turned and looked at his wife who at that moment entered the kitchen she went to the dresser opened a wooden box and taking out three or four tallow candles put them into my hand I Rose simulating a yawn good night Sir said the old man good night I wish you well a moment later I had entered my bedroom and having shut the door proceeded to give it a careful examination as far as I could make out there was no entrance to the room except by the door which was shaped to fit the circular walls I noticed however that there was an unaccountable draft and this I at last discovered Came From Below the oak Wayne scotting of the wall I could not in any way account for the draft but it existed to an unpleasant extent the bed I further saw was somewhat peculiar it had no casters on the four legs which were let down about half an inch into sockets provided for them in the wooden floor this discovery excited my suspicions still further it was evident that the bed was intended to remain in a particular position I saw that it directly faced the little window sunk deep into the thick wall so that anyone in bed would look directly at the window I examined my watch found that it was past 11: and placing both the candles on a tiny table near the bed I laid down without undressing I was on the alert to catch the slightest noise but the hours dragged on and nothing occurred in the house all was silence and outside the splashing and churning of the water falling over the wheel came distinctly to my ears I lay awake all night but as morning dawned fell into an uneasy sleep I awoke to see the broad daylight streaming in at the small window making a hasty toilet I went out for a walk and presently came in to breakfast it had been laid for me in the big kitchen and the old man was seated by The Hearth well said the woman I hope you slept comfortable sir I answered in the affirmative and now perceived that old bindloss and his wife were in the humor to be agreeable they said that if I was satisfied with the room I might spend another night at the Inn I told them that I had a great many f photographs to take and would be much obliged for the permission as I spoke I looked round for the girl Liz she was nowhere to be seen where is your granddaughter I asked of the old woman she has gone away for the day was the reply it's too much for Liz to see strangers she gets excited and then the fits come on what sort of fits I can't tell what they are called but they bad and weaken her poor thing Liz ought never to be excited here bindloss gave his wife a warning glance she lowered her eyes and going across to the range began to stir the contents of something in a saucepan that afternoon I borrowed some lines from bindloss and taking an old boat which was mured to the bank of the mil Pond set off under the pretense of fishing for pike the weather was perfect for the time of year waiting my opportunity I brought the boat up to land on the bank that damned up the stream and getting out walked along it in the direction of the mill wheel over which the water was now rushing as I observed it from this side of the bank I saw that the tower in which my room was placed must at one time have been part of the mill itself and I further noticed that the masonry was comparatively new showing that alteration must have taken place when the house was abandoned as a Mill and was turned into an inn I clambered down the side of the wheel holding on to the beams which were green and slippery and peered through the paddles as I was making my examination a voice suddenly startled me what are you doing down there I looked up old bindloss was standing on the bank looking down at me he was alone and his face face was contorted with a queer mixture of fear and passion I hastily hoisted myself up and Stood Beside him what are you poking about down there for he said pushing his ugly old face into mine as he spoke you fool if you had fallen you would have been drowned no one could swim a stroke in that Mill Race and then there would have been another death and all the old fuss over again look here sir will you have the goodness to get out of the place I don't want you here anymore I intend to leave tomorrow morning I answered in a pacifying voice and I am really very much obliged to you for warning me about the mill you would best not go near it again he said in a menacing voice and then he turned hastily away I watched him as he climbed up a steep bank and disappeared from view he was going in the opposite direction from the the house seizing the opportunity of his absence I once more approached the mill was it possible that Wentworth had been held into it but had this been the case there would have been signs and marks on the body having reached the wheel I clambered boldly down it was now getting dusk but I could see that a prolongation of the axle entered the wall of the tower the fittings were also in wonderfully good order and the bolt that held the Great Wheel only required to be drawn out to set it in motion that evening during supper I thought very hard I perceived that bindloss was angry also that he was suspicious and alarmed I saw plainly that the only way to really discover what had been done to went with was to cause the old Ruffian to try similar means to get rid of me this was a dangerous experience obedient but I felt desperate and my curiosity as well as interest were keenly aroused having finished my supper I went into the passage Preparatory to going into the kitchen I had on felt slippers and my footfall made no noise as I approached the door I heard bindloss saying to his wife he's been poking about the mill wheel I wish he would make himself scarce oh we can't find out out anything was the reply you keep quiet bindloss HEK be off in the morning that's as may be was the answer and then there came a harsh and very disagreeable laugh I waited for a moment and then entered the kitchen bindloss was alone now he was bending over the fire smoking I shall leave early in the morning I said so please have my bill ready for me I then seated myself near him drawing up my chair close to the blaze he looked as if he resented this but said nothing I am very curious about the deaths which occur in this house I said after a pause how many did you say there were that is nothing to you he answered we never wanted you here you can go when you please I shall go tomorrow morning but I wish to say something now and what may that be I don't believe in that story about the place being haunted oh you don't don't you he dropped his pipe and his glittering eyes gazed at me with a mixture of anger and ill-concealed alarm no I paused then I said slowly and emphatically I went back to the mill even after your warning and what he cried starting to his feet nothing I answered only I don't believe in the ghost his face turned not only white but livid I left him without another word I saw that his suspicions had been much strengthened by my words this I intended to induce the Ruffian to do his worst was the only way to ring his secret from him my hideous room looked exactly as it had done on the previous evening the grotesque pattern on the walls seemed to start out in bold relief some of the ugly lines seemed at that moment to my imagination almost to take human shape to convert themselves into ogre-like faces and to grin at me was I too daring was it wrong of me to risk my life in this manner I was terribly tired and curious as it may seem my greatest fear at that crucial moment was the dread that I might fall asleep I had spent two nights with scarcely any Repose and felt that at any moment not withstanding all my efforts Slumber might visit me in order to give B Lost full opportunity for carrying out his scheme it was necessary for me to get into bed and even to Fain sleep in my present exhausted condition the pretense of Slumber would easily lapse into the reality this risk however which really was a very grave one must be run without undressing I got into bed pulling the bed clothes well over me in my hand I held my revolver I deliberately put out the candles and then lay motionless waiting for events the house was quiet as the grave there was not a stir and gradually my nerves excited as they were began to calm down as I had fully expected overpowering sleepiness seized me and not withstanding every effort I found myself drifting away into the land of dreams I began to wish that whatever Apparition was to appear would do so at once and get it over gradually but surely I seemed to pass from all memory of my present world and to live in a strange and terrible fantasmagoria in that state I slept in that state also I dreamt and dreamt horribly I thought that I was dancing a waltz with an enormously tall woman she towered above me clasping me in her arms and began to WHL me round and round at a giddy speed I could hear the crashing music of a distant band faster and faster round and round some great empty Hall was I Whirled I knew that I was losing my senses and screamed to her to stop and let me go suddenly the there was a terrible crash close to me good God I found myself awake but I was still moving where was I where was I going I leapt up on the bed only to reel and fall heavily backwards upon the floor what was the matter why was I sliding sliding had I suddenly gone mad or was I still suffering from some hideous nightmare I tried to move to stagger to my feet then by slow degrees my senses began to return and I knew where I was I was in the circular room the room where Wentworth had died but what was happening to me I could not Divine I only knew that I was being well round and round at a velocity that was every moment increasing by the Moonlight that struggled in through the window I saw that the floor and the bed upon it was revolving but the table was lying on its side and its fall must have awakened me I could not see any other Furniture in the room by what mysterious manner had it been removed making a great effort I cwed to the center of this awful chamber and seizing the foot of the bed struggled L to my feet here I knew there would be less motion and I could just manage to see the outline of the door I had taken the precaution to slip the revolver into my pocket and I still felt that if human agency appeared I had a chance of selling my life dearly but surely the horror I was passing through was invented by no living man as the floor of the room revolved in the direction of the door I made a dash for it but was carried swiftly past and again fell heavily when I came round again I made a frantic effort to cling to one of the steps but in vain the head of the bedstead caught me as it flew round and tore my arms away in another moment I believe I should have gone raving mad with Terror my head felt as if it would burst I found it impossible to think think consecutively the only idea which really possessed me was a mad wish to escape from this hideous place I struggled to the bedstead and dragging the legs from their sockets pulled it into the middle of the room away from the wall with this out of the way I managed at last to reach the door in safety the moment my hand grasped the handle I leapt upon the little step and tried to wrench the door open it was locked locked from without it defied my every effort I had only just standing room for my feet below me the floor of the room was still racing round with terrible speed I dared scarcely look at it for the giddiness in my head increased each moment the next instant a soft footstep was distinctly Audible and I saw a gleam of light through a tink of the door I heard a hand fumbling at the lock the door was slowly opened outwards and I saw the face of bindloss for a moment he did not perceive me for I was crouching down on the step and the next instant with all my Force I flung myself upon him he uttered a yell of Terror the lantern he carried dropped and went out but I had G ripped him round the neck with my fingers driving them deep down into his lean siney throat with frantic speed I pulled him along the passage up to a window through which the Moonlight was shining here I released my hold of his throat but immediately covered him with My Revolver down on your knees or you are a dead man I cried confess everything or I shoot you through the heart his courage had evidently forsaken him he began to whimper and cry bitterly spare my life he screamed I will tell everything I only spare my life be quick about it I said I am in no humor to be merciful out with the truth I was listening anxiously for the wife's step but except for the low hum of machinery and the splashing of the water I heard nothing speak I said giving the old man a shake his lips trembled his words came out falteringly it was wentworth's doing he panted Wentworth not the murdered man I cried no no his cousin the Ruffian who has been the curse of my life oh into that last death he inherits the property he is the real owner of the mill and he invented the revolving floor there were deaths oh yes oh yes it was so easy and I wanted the money the police never suspected nor did the doctors Wentworth was bitter hard on me and I got into his power here he choked and sobbed I am a miserable old man sir he gasped so you killed your victims for the sake of money I said grasping him by the shoulder yes he said yes the baliff had2 all in Gold no one ever knew I took it and was able to satisfy wwith for a bit and what about archal went withth that was his doing and I was to be paid and now finally you wanted to get rid of me yes for you suspected as I spoke I perceived by the ghastly light of the Moon another door near I opened it and saw that it was the entrance to a small dark Lumber room I pushed the old man in turned the key in the lock and ran downstairs the wife was still unaccountably absent I opened the front door and trembling exhausted drenched in perspiration found myself in the open air every nerve was shaken and at that terrible moment I was not in the least master of myself my one desire was to fly from the Hideous place I had just reached the little gate when a hand light as a feather touched my arm I looked up the girl Liz stood before me you are saved she said thank God I tried all I could to stop the wheel see I am drenched to the skin I could could not manage it but at least I locked granny up she's in the kitchen sound asleep she drank a lot of gin where were you all day yesterday I asked locked up in a room in the further Tower but I managed to squeeze through the window though it half killed me I knew if you stayed that they would try it on tonight thank God you are saved well don't keep me now I said I have been saved as by a medical you are a good girl I am much obliged to you you must tell me another time how you managed to live through all these Horrors ain't I all but mad was her pathetic reply oh my God what I suffer she pressed her hand to her face the look in her eyes was terrible but I could not wait now to talk to her further I hastily left the place how I reached Hurst I can never tell but early in the morning I found myself there I went straight to doctor store's house and having got him up I communicated my story he and I together immediately visited the superintendent of police having told my exciting tale we took a trap and all three returned to the castle in we were back there before 8:00 on the following morning but as the police officer expected the place was empty bindloss had been rescued from the dark closet and he and his wife and the girl Liz had all flown the doctor the police officer and I all went up to the circular room we then descended to the basement and after a careful examination we discovered a low door through which we crept we then found ourselves in a dark vault which was full of machinery by the light of a lantern We examined it here we saw an explanation of the whole trick the shaft of the mill wheel which was let through the wall of the tower was continuous as the axle of a vertical cogged wheel and by a multiplication action turned a large horizontal wheel into which a vertical shaft descended this shaft was let into the center of four cross beams supporting the floor of the room in which I had slept all around the circular edge of the floor was a steel rim which turned in a circular socket it needed but a touch to set this hideous apparatus in motion the police immediately started in pursuit of bindloss and I returned to London that evening edcom and I visited Dr Miles Gordon hard-headed old physician that he was he was literally a ghast when I told him my story he explained to me that a man placed in the position in which I was when the floor began to move would by means of centrifugal force suffer from enormous congestion of the brain in fact the revolving flaw would induce an artificial condition of apoplexy if the victim were drugged or even only sleeping heavily and the floor began to move slowly insensibility would almost immediately be induced which would soon pass into coma and death and a postmortem examination some hours afterwards would show no cause for death as the brain would appear perfectly healthy the blood having again left it from the presence of Dr Miles Gordon Edam and I went to Scotland Yard and the whole Affair was put into the hands of the London detective force with the clue which I had almost sacrificed my life to furnish they quickly did the rest Wentworth was arrested and under pressure was induced to make a full confession but old bindloss had already told me the gist of the story wentworth's father had owned the mill had got into trouble with the law and changed his name in fact he had spent 5 years in Penal servitude he then went to Australia and made money he died when his son was a young man this youth inherited all the father's vices he came home visited the mill and being of a mechanical Turn of Mind invented the revolving floor he changed the mill into an inn put bindloss one of his Pals into possession with the full intention of murdering andwar travelers from time to time for their money the police however wanted him for a forged Bill and he thought it best to fly bindloss was left in full possession worried by Wentworth who had him in his power for a grave crime committed years ago he himself on two occasions murdered a victim in the circular room meanwhile several unexpected deaths had taken place in the older branch of the Wentworth family and archal Wentworth alone stood between his cousin and the greater States Wentworth came home and with the aid of bindloss got archal into his power the young artist slept in the Fatal room and his death was the result at this moment Wentworth and bindloss are committed for trial at the Old Bailey and there is no doubt what the result will be the ghost mystery in connection with the castle in has of course been explained away forever [Music] [Music] the thing in the upper room by Arthur Morrison a shadow hung ever over the door which stood black in the depth of its arched recess like an unfathomable eye under a frowning brow The Landing was wide and paneled and a heavy rail supported by a carved ballustrade stretched away in alternate slopes and levels down the dark staircase past other doors and so to the courtyard and the street the other doors were dark also but it was with a difference that top Landing was lightest of all because of the Skylight and perhaps it was largely by reason of contrast that its one doorway gloomed so black and forbidding the doors below opened and shut slammed stood a jar men and women passed in and out with talk and human sounds sometimes even with laughter or a snatch of song but the door on the top Landing remained shut and Silent through weeks and months for in truth the logon had an ill name and had been untenanted for years long even before the Last Tenant had occupied it the room had been regarded with fear and aversion and the end of that last tenant had in no way lightened the Gloom that hung about the place the house was so old that its weatherwash face May well have looked down on the Bloodshed of St Bartholomew's and the haunted room may even have earned its ill name on that same day of death but Paris is a city of cruel history and since the old mansion Rose proud and new the hotel of some powerful Noble almost any year of the centuries might have seen the blot fall on that upper room that had left it a place of loathing and Shadows the occasion was long forgotten but the fact remained whether or not some horror of the onong regime or some enormity of the terror was enacted in that room was no longer to be discovered but nobody would live there nor stay beyond that gloomy door one second longer than he could help it might be supposed that the fate of the solitary tenant within living memory had something to do with the matter and indeed his end was Sinister enough but long before his time the room had stood shunned and empty he greatly daring had taken no more heed of the common Terror of the room than to use it to his advantage in abating the rent and he had shot himself a little later while the police were beating at his door to arrest him on a charge of murder as I have said his fate may have added to the general aversion from the place though it had in no way originated it and now 10 years had pass and more since his few articles of furniture had been carried away and sold and nothing had been carried in to replace them when one is 25 healthy hungry and poor one is less likely to be frightened from a cheap lodging by mere head shakings than might be expected in other circumstances Atwater was 25 commonly healthy often hungry and always poor he came to live in Paris because from his remembrance of his student days he believed he could live cheaper there than in London while it was quite certain that he would not sell fewer pictures since he had never yet sold one it was the concierge of a neighboring house who showed at Water of the room the house of the room itself maintained no such functionary though its main door stood open day and night the man said little but his surprise at atwater's application was plain to see Miss was English yes the lon was convenient though high and probably now a little dirty since it had not been occupied recently plainly the man felt it to be no business of his to Enlighten an unsuspecting Foreigner as to the reputation of the place and if he could let it there would be some small gratification from the landlord though at such a rent of course a very small one indeed but Atwater was better informed than the concierge supposed he had heard the tale of the Haunted room vaguely and incoherently it is true from The Little Old engraver of watches on the floor below by whom he had been directed to the concierge the old man had been valuable and friendly and reported that the room had a good light facing Northeast indeed a much better light than he engraver of watches enjoyed on the floor below so much so that considering this advantage and the much lower rent he himself would have taken the room long ago except well except for other things mure was a stranger and perhaps had no fear to inhabit a haunted chamber but that was its reputation as everybody in the quarter knew it would be a misfortune however to a stranger to take the room without suspicion and to undergo unexpected experiences here however the old man checked himself possibly reflecting that too much information to inquirers after the upper room might offend his landlord he hinted as much in fact hoping that his friendly warning would not be allowed to travel farther as to the precise nature of the disagreeable manifestations in the room who could say perhaps there were really none at all people said this and that certainly the place had been untenanted for many years and he would not like to stand it himself but it might be the good fortune of missure to break the spell and if missor was resolved to defy the Revenant he wished mure the highest success and happiness so much for the engraver of watches and now the concierge of the neighboring house LED the way up the stately old panel staircase swinging his keys in his hand and halted at last before the Dark Door in the frowning recess he turned the key with some difficulty pushed open the door and stood back with an action of something not holy deference to allow Atwater to enter first a sort of small Lobby had been partitioned off at some time though except for this the logon was of one large room only there was something unpleasant in the air of the place not a smell when one came to analyze one's Sensations though at first it might seem so Atwater walked across to the wide window and threw it open the chimneys and roofs of many houses of all ages straggled before him and out of the Welter Rose the Twin Towers of sansul pce scar and Grim air the room as one might it was unpleasant a sickly even a cow feeling invaded one through all the senses or perhaps through none of them the feeling was there though it was not easy to say by what channel it penetrated Atwater was resolved to admit none but a common sense explanation and blamed the long closing of door and window and and the concierge standing uneasily near the door agreed that that must be it for a moment at Water wavered despite himself but the rent was very low and low as it was he could not afford a sue more the light was good though it was not a top light and the place was big enough for his simple requirements Atwater reflected that he should despise himself ever after if he shrank from the opportunity it would be one of those secret humiliations that will rise again and again in a man's memory and make him blush in solitude he told the concierge to leave door and window wide open for the rest of the day and he clinched the bargain it was with something of amused bravado that he reported to his few friends in Paris his acquisition of a haunted room for once out of the place he readily convinced himself that his disgust and dislike while in the room were the result of imagination and nothing more certainly there was no rational reason to account for the unpleasantness consequently what could it be but a matter of fancy he resolved to face the matter from the beginning and clear his mind from any foolish prejudices that the hints of the old engraver might have inspired by forcing himself through whatever Adventures he might encounter in fact as he walked the streets about his business and arranged for the purchase and delivery of the few simple articles of furniture that would be necessary his Enterprise assumed the guise of a pleasing Adventure he remembered that he had made an attempt only a year or two ago to spend a night in a house reputed haunted in England but had failed to find the landlord here was the adventure to hand with promise of a tale to tell in in future times and a welcome idea struck him that he might look out the ancient history of the room and work the whole thing into a magazine article which would bring a little money so simple were his needs that by the afternoon of the day following his first examination of the room it was ready for use he took his bag from the cheap hotel in a little Street of M Paras where he had been lodging and carried it to his new home the key was now in his pocket and for the first time he entered the place alone the window remained wide open but it was still there that depressing choking something that entered the Consciousness he knew not by what gate again he accused his fancy he stamped and whistled and set about unpacking a few canvases and a case of old oriental weapons that were were part of his professional properties but he could give no proper attention to the work and detected himself more than once yielding to a childish impulse to look over his shoulder he laughed at himself with some effort and sat determinedly to smoke a pipe and grow used to his surroundings but presently he found himself pushing his chair farther and farther back till it touched the wall he would take the whole room into view he said to himself in excuse and stare it out of countenance so he sat and smoked and as he sat his eye fell on a Malay dagger that lay on the table between him and the window it was a murderous Twisted thing and its pommel was fashioned into the semblance of a bird's head with curved beak and an eye of some dull red stone he found himself gazing on this red eye with an odd mindless Fascination the dagger in its Wicked curves seemed now a creature of some outlandish fantasy a snake with a beaked head a thing of nightmare in some new way dominant overruling the center of his perceptions the rest of the room grew dim but the red stone glowed with a fuller light nothing more was present to his Consciousness then with a sudden clang the heavy Bell of sansul pce aroused him and he started up in some surprise there lay the dagger on the table strange and murderous enough but merely as he had always known it he observed with more surprise however that his chair which had been back against the wall was now some 6 feet forward close by the table clearly he must have drawn It Forward in his abstraction towards the dagger on which his eyes had been fixed the great Bell of sansul pce went clanging on repeating its monotonous call to the angulus he was cold almost shivering he flung the dagger into a drawer and turned to go out he saw by his watch that it was later than he had supposed his fit of abstraction must have lasted some time perhaps he had even been dozing he went slowly downstairs and out into the streets as he went he grew more and more ashamed of himself for he had to confess that in some inexplicable way he feared that room he had seen nothing how heard nothing of the kind that one might have expected or had heard of in any room reputed haunted he could not help thinking that it would have been some sort of relief if he had but there was an all pervading overpowering sense of another presence something abhorent not human something almost physically nauseous with all it was something more than presence it was power domination so he seemed to remember it and yet the remembrance grew weaker as he walked in the Gathering dusk he thought of a story he had once read of A Haunted House wherein it was shown that the house actually was haunted by the spirit of fear and nothing else that he persuaded himself was the case with his room he felt angry at the growing conviction that he had allowed himself to be overborne by Fancy by the spirit of fear he returned that night with the resolve to allow himself no foolish Indulgence he had heard nothing and had seen nothing when something palpable to the senses occurred it would be time enough to deal with it he took off his clothes and got into bed deliberately leaving candle and matches at hand in case of need he had expected to find some difficulty in sleeping or at least some delay but he was scarce well in bed a he fell into a heavy sleep dazzling sunlight through the window woke him in the morning and he sat up staring sleepily about him he must have slept like a log but he had been dreaming the dreams were horrible his head achd beyond anything he had experienced before and he was far more tired than when he went to bed he sank back on the pillow but the mere contact made his head ring with pain he got out of bed and found himself staggering it was all as though he had been drunk unspeakably drunk with bad liquor his dreams they had been HED dreams he could remember that they had been bad but what they actually were was now gone from him entirely he rubbed his eyes and stared amazedly down at the table where the Crooked dagger lay with its bird's head and red stone eye it lay just as it had Lain when he sat gazing at it yesterday and yet he would have sworn that he had plung that same dagger into a drawer perhaps he had dreamed it at any rate he put the thing carefully into the drawer now and still with his ringing headache dressed himself and went out as he reached the next Landing the old engraver greeted him from his door with an inquiring good day mure has not slept well I fear in some doubt Atwater protested that he had slept quite soundly and as yet I have neither seen nor heard heard anything of the ghost he added nothing replied the old man with a lift of the eyebrows nothing at all it is fortunate it seemed to me here below that M was moving about very restlessly in the night but no doubt I was mistaken no doubt also I may felicitate M on Breaking the evil tradition we shall ear no more of it mure has the Good Fortune of a brave art he smiled and bowed pleasantly but it was with something of a puzzled look that his eyes followed Atwater descending the staircase Atwater took his coffee and roll after an hour's walk and fell asleep in his seat not for long however and presently he rose and left the cafe he felt better though still unaccountably fatigued he caught sight of his face in a mirror beside a shop window and saw an improvement since he had looked in his own glass that indeed had brought him a shock worn and drawn Beyond What Might Have Been expected of so bad a night there was even something more what was it how should it remind him of that old Legend was it Japanese which he had tried to recollect when he had wondered confusedly at the Haggard Apparition that confronted him some tale of a demon possessed person who in any mirror saw never his own face but the face of the demon work he felt to be impossible and he spent the day on Garden seats at Cafe tables and for a while in the luxemborg and in the evening he met an English friend who took him by the shoulders and looked into his eyes shook him and declared that he had been overworking and needed Above All Things a good dinner which he should have instantly you'll dine with me he said at laparo and we'll get a cab to take us there I'm hungry as they stood and looked for the passing cab a man ran shouting with newspapers we'll have a cab atwater's friend repeated and we'll take the new murder with us for conversation sake hi joural he bought a paper and followed at water into the cab I have a strong idea I knew the poor old boy by sight he said I believe he'd seen better days who the old man who was murdered in the rub brocka last night the description fits exactly he used to hang about the cafes and ran messages it isn't easy to read in this cab but there's probably nothing fresh in this addition they haven't caught the murderer anyhow Atwater took the paper and struggled to read it in the changing light a poor old man had been found dead on the footpath of the ru brocka torn with a scor of stabs he had been identified an old man not known to have a friend in the world also because he was so old and so poor probably not an enemy there was no robbery the few sue the old man possessed remained in his pocket he must have been attacked on his way home in the early hours of the morning possibly by a homicidal maniac and stabbed again and again with inconceivable Fury no arrest had been made Atwater pushed the paper away P he said I don't like it I'm a bit off color and I was dreaming horribly all last night though why this should remind me of it I can't guess but it's no cure for the blues this no replied his friend heartily we'll get that upstairs for here we are on the key a bottle of the best burgundy on the list and the best dinner they can do that's your physic come it was a good prescription indeed atwater's friend was cheerful and assiduous and nothing could have bettered the dinner Atwater found himself reflecting that Indulgence in the Blues was a poor Pastime with no better excuse than a bad night's rest and last night's dinner in comparison with this well it was enough to have spoiled his sleep that 1 Frank 50 dinner Atwater left laparo as gay as his friend they had sat late and now there was nothing to do but cross the water and walk a little in the boulevard this they did and finished the evening at a cafe table with half a dozen acquaintances Atwater walked home with a light step feeling less drowsy than at any time during the day he was well enough he felt he should soon get used to the room he had been a little too much alone lately and that had got on his nerves it was simply stupid again he slept quickly and heavily and dreamed but he had an Awakening of another sort no bright Sun blazed in at the open window to lift his heavy lids and no Morning Bell from sansul pie opened his ears to the cheerful noise of the city he awoke gasping and staring in the dark rolling face downward on the floor catching his breath in agonized sobs while through the window from the streets came a clamor of horse cries cries of pursuit and the noise of running men a shouting and clatter wherein here and there a voice was clear among the rest he Dr dragged himself to his feet in the dark gasping still what was this all this again a dream his legs trembled under him and he sweated with fear he made for the window panting and feeble and then as he supported himself by the sill he realized wonderingly that he was fully dressed that he wore even his hat the running crowd straggled through the outer Street and Away the shouts growing fainter what had awakened him why had he dressed he remembered his matches and turned to grope for them but something was already in his hand something wet sticky he dropped it on the table and even as he struck the light before he saw it he knew the match spattered and flared and there on the table lay the Crooked dagger smeared and dripping and horrible blood was on his hands the match stuck in his fingers caught at the Heart by the first grip of an awful surise he looked up and saw in the mirror before him in the last flare of the match the face of the thing in the [Music] room [Music] you've been listening to a bite-sized audio book read by me Simon stanh hope if you enjoy these stories and would like to help me to keep producing new content you can find links in the video description to my patreon page or to buy me a coffee another way to support me is through my band camp page bit-sized audio. bandcamp.com where you can hear my narrations of many more classic short stories and you can also purchase and download them to keep this recording is copyright bite-sized audio 2024 thank you for listening

Channel: Bitesized Audio Classics

Views: 182,639

Keywords: M. R. James, E. F. Benson, H. G. Wells, Arthur Morrison, Arthur Conan Doyle, L. T. Meade

Id: j3sZppbtiy0

Length: 229min 28sec (13768 seconds)

Published: Sat Jan 27 2024