Although every word of this story is as true as despair, I do not expect people to believe it. Nowadays a 'rational explanation' is required before belief is possible. Let me then, at once, offer the 'rational explanation' which finds most favour among those who have heard the tale of my life's tragedy. It is held that we were 'under a delusion', Laura and I, on that 31st of October; and that this supposition places the whole matter on a satisfactory and believable basis. The reader can judge, when he, too, has heard my story, how far this is an 'explanation' and in what sense it is 'rational'. There were three who took part in this: Laura and I and another man. The other man still lives, and can speak to the truth of the least credible part of my story.
A very well-chosen selection of ghost stories, most of them written between 1890 and 1940, the golden era of English ghost stories.
I had read "The Monkey's Paw", "Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad!" and "The Roll-Call of the Reef" before, but the rest were new to me. Between the covers of this book you will find malevolent ghosts, lost and lonely ghosts, and ghosts who needed to make amends. Haunted landscapes and haunted houses, and in some cases it seems to be the house itself that is doing the haunting. Omens of death, murderers haunted by the ghosts of their victims, as well as a couple of ghosts who don't seem to have a grudge against their murderers, and one well-meaning ghost whose well-meaning actions are thwarted by changes that have happened since his death.
Nottingham Round the World Reading Challenge - UNITED KINGDOM
A very well-chosen selection of ghost stories, most of them written between 1890 and 1940, the golden era of English ghost stories.
I had read "The Monkey's Paw", "Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad!" and "The Roll-Call of the Reef" before, but the rest were new to me. Between the covers of this book you will find malevolent ghosts, lost and lonely ghosts, and ghosts who needed to make amends. Haunted landscapes and haunted houses, and in some cases it seems to be the house itself that is doing the haunting. Omens of death, murderers haunted by the ghosts of their victims, as well as a couple of ghosts who don't seem to have a grudge against their murderers, and one well-meaning ghost whose well-meaning actions are thwarted by changes that have happened since his death.