Short Fiction · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for Short Fiction by M. R. James.
Chapter 1
Canon Alberic's Scrapbook
Dennistoun visits St. Bertrand de Comminges and acquires a remarkable scrapbook compiled by Canon Alberic de Mauléon, containing priceless illuminated manuscript leaves and a terrifying sepia drawing of a demonic figure before King Solomon. The sacristan and his daughter display intense fear, and the drawing is later photographed and burned by Dennistoun.
Chapter 2
Lost Hearts
In September 1811, orphan Stephen Elliott arrives at Aswarby Hall to live with his reclusive cousin, Mr. Abney, a scholar of pagan mysteries. Mr. Abney seems kindly but repeatedly asks Stephen's age, noting his birthday is nearly a year away. Stephen soon experiences unsettling dreams and sightings of ghostly children, a girl and a ragged boy with a gaping wound in his chest. On the night of March 24, 1812, Stephen hears strange cries and sees the spectral pair again. Rushing to Mr. Abney's study, he finds the door locked and hears a choked cry. After forcing entry, Mr. Abney is found dead with a lacerated wound exposing his heart. Papers reveal Abney had been murdering children to absorb their hearts for spiritual enlightenment, with Stephen intended as the final victim. The ghostly children are implied to have exacted vengeance.
Chapter 3
The Mezzotint
Mr. Williams, a museum curator, receives a mezzotint of a manor house from dealer Mr. Britnell. Initially unimpressed, he and his friend Professor Binks notice a small figure in the foreground. Later that night, Williams sees the figure has moved to the center of the lawn, crawling toward the house. He locks the picture away and plans to investigate further with his colleague Nisbet.
Chapter 4
The Ash-Tree
The chapter recounts the history of Castringham Hall in Suffolk, focusing on a great ash tree that stands near the house. In 1690, the area was rife with witch trials, and Sir Matthew Fell testified against a local woman, Mrs. Mothersole, who was executed for witchcraft. After her death, Sir Matthew dies mysteriously in his bed. Years later, his descendant Sir Richard Fell also dies in a similar manner. An investigation reveals that the ash tree harbors a nest of monstrous spiders and the skeleton of a woman, suggesting that Mrs. Mothersole's curse has been enacted through the tree.
Chapter 5
Number 13
Mr. Anderson, an English gentleman staying at the Golden Lion hotel in Viborg, Denmark, notices the absence of Room 13 from the hotel's board but later discovers it exists. He becomes intrigued by documents in the Rigsarkiv concerning Bishop Jörgen Friis and a tenant, Mag. Nicolas Francken, accused of secret arts. Strange occurrences in his room—including a door that won't open, a shrinking room, and a missing portmanteau—unsettle him. He later collaborates with Herr Jensen on a mysterious parchment from a copper box, but refuses to draw conclusions about the supernatural.
Chapter 6
Count Magnus
Mr. Wraxall, a middle-aged traveler and writer, journeys to Sweden in 1863 to research a book on Swedish families. He stays at an inn near the manor of Råbäck, home of the De la Gardie family, and becomes fascinated by the dark legacy of Count Magnus de la Gardie, a 17th-century nobleman rumored to have undertaken a 'Black Pilgrimage' and brought back something sinister. While examining old manuscripts, Wraxall discovers a fragment of Count Magnus's own writings about the pilgrimage, which promises long life and vengeance. His curiosity leads him to the Count's mausoleum, where he accidentally triggers the opening of the sarcophagus. Terrified, he flees back to England but is haunted by two mysterious cloaked figures that seem to follow him, culminating in a state of extreme fear and anticipation of their visit.
Chapter 7
Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad
Professor Parkins travels to Burnstow for a golfing holiday and stays at the Globe Inn, where he is given a double-bedded room. He discovers an old whistle with a Latin inscription, which he blows, summoning a mysterious and terrifying figure that appears in the empty bed beside his own. The chapter culminates in a harrowing nocturnal confrontation with the blind, groping entity.
Chapter 8
The Treasure of Abbot Thomas
Mr. Somerton deciphers a riddle left by Abbot Thomas von Eschenhausen of Steinfeld, leading him to a hidden treasure within the abbey's walls. His discovery, however, awakens a malevolent supernatural force that pursues him, forcing him to abandon the treasure and flee in terror.
Chapter 9
I
Mr. Davidson, spending a solitary week in a country town, decides to take a train to Kingsbourne Junction and walk back to Longbridge via the Tent Valley. On the train, he meets an old man who tells him about Brockstone Court and its disused Chapel. The old man's daughter, Mrs. Porter, is the keeper's wife and lives at the Court. Mr. Davidson arranges to visit the Court and Chapel, and they walk together across the fields to Brockstone.
Chapter 10
Chapter II
Mr. Davidson tours Brockstone Court and its chapel, where Mrs. Porter reveals that the Prayer Books repeatedly open to Psalm 109, despite locked doors and barred windows. Mr. Davidson examines the books and notes a strange rubric for April 25, while Mrs. Porter confesses a persistent feeling of being watched.
Chapter 11
Chapter III
Mr. Davidson returns to Brockstone with his friend Mr. Witham on St. Mark's Day, only to discover that the rare Prayerbooks have been stolen and replaced with forgeries by a man calling himself Henderson, who is later identified as the dealer Homberger. Davidson pieces together the historical significance of the date and resolves to investigate further.
Chapter 12
A School Story
Two men in a smoking-room discuss private-school ghost stories, leading one to recount a strange experience from his schooldays. A new master, Sampson, arrives and a boy named McLeod writes an inexplicable Latin sentence: 'Remember the well among the four yews.' McLeod falls ill, and later claims to have seen a thin, wet figure on Sampson's windowsill. Sampson disappears without trace. Years later, a gold coin with Sampson's initials and a date is found in a well containing two bodies.
Chapter 13
The Rose Garden
Mr. and Mrs. Anstruther discuss a shared nightmare about a trial and execution for high treason, which Mrs. Anstruther attributes to thought-reading from a story she heard. After a walk, Mrs. Anstruther sees a terrifying face in a bush, leading to a severe shock. Later, a letter from the Essex Archaeological Society reveals that the face may be connected to a Lord Chief Justice buried with a stake through his heart in Westfield.
Chapter 14
The Tractate Middoth
Mr. John Eldred visits a library seeking a rare book, the Talmud: Tractate Middoth, but is told it is already checked out. The librarian, Mr. Garrett, later learns from Mrs. Simpson that the book holds the key to a hidden will that disinherited her and her daughter. Garrett deciphers a clue of numbers (11334) as the press mark and races to intercept the book before Eldred can destroy the crucial page.
Chapter 15
Casting the Runes
Mr. Karswell is discussed at a dinner party, revealing his malevolent character and his history of frightening village children with a magic-lantern show. The conversation turns to his book on witchcraft and the mysterious death of John Harrington, who had written a scathing review. Later, Mr. Edward Dunning, who had anonymously rejected Karswell's paper, returns home unaware that Karswell has discovered his involvement.
Chapter 16
The Stalls of Barchester Cathedral
The narrator discovers a box of papers belonging to the Ven. Archdeacon Haynes, who died mysteriously at Barchester. Through his diaries and letters, we learn of his growing unease and supernatural experiences after taking up his post, including strange occurrences in the cathedral and his home, culminating in a descent into fear and paranoia.
Chapter 17
Martin's Close
The narrator, staying with a rector in the West, learns from estate carpenter John Hill about a small hedged enclosure called Martin's Close, where a murderer named George Martin is buried. Martin was hanged on Holy Innocents' Day by the 'bloody judge' Jeffreys for cutting a young woman's throat and casting her body into a pond. The narrator later discovers a manuscript of the trial, which includes testimony about the ghost of Ann Clark appearing after her death, and the trial before Judge Jeffreys at the Old Bailey.
Chapter 18
Mr. Humphreys and His Inheritance
Mr. Humphreys arrives at his late uncle's estate and begins to explore the property. He learns about the maze from Mr. Cooper and his daughter, and spends the evening examining the library, where he discovers a curious old book containing a parable about a labyrinth and a jewel that brings a curse upon its finder.
Chapter 19
The Residence at Whitminster
Dr. Ashton, a prebendary at Whitminster, is disturbed by his wife about their son Frank's worsening condition. Meanwhile, Mr. Spearman recounts a terrifying experience at the residence involving a mysterious locked press and a giant insect-like entity. Uncle Oldys, after hearing local folklore about a ghostly lord named Saul, decides to seal the room rather than investigate further.
Chapter 20
The Diary of Mr. Poynter
Mr. James Denton, a Warwickshire gentleman rebuilding his manor after a fire, acquires the diary of Squire William Poynter at a London book auction. Upon returning home, his aunt discovers a curious patterned fabric pinned inside the diary, which she admires and wishes to have copied for curtains. The diary entry reveals the fabric came from the hangings of a deceased man's chambers, said to be designed as a memorial of his hair, with a hidden subtlety in the drawing.
Chapter 21
An Episode of Cathedral History
Mr. Lake, a learned gentleman, arrives in Southminster to examine the cathedral archives and lodges with Mr. Worby, the head verger. One evening, Worby takes Lake on a nighttime tour of the cathedral. Worby recounts the history of the cathedral's Gothic revival restoration in 1840, which involved stripping the choir of its old oak furnishings. He also tells of strange occurrences following the alterations: a widow's dream of a shape with red eyes, a lady's dress being torn by an unseen force, and his dog's fearful behavior before the onset of a mysterious 'crying' that plagued the city.
Chapter 22
The Story of a Disappearance and an Appearance
A collection of letters, recently sent to a ghost story enthusiast, details a mysterious disappearance and appearance. The letters are authenticated by their physical characteristics, though the writer's identity remains unknown, signing only with initials. The recipient is a married brother, and the first letter sets the scene for the narrative.
Chapter 23
Letter I
W. R. writes to his brother Robert, regretfully declining a Christmas invitation because he has received news that their Uncle Henry has mysteriously disappeared. He plans to travel to B— to join the search and will stay at the King's Head.
Chapter 24
Letter II
The narrator writes to Robert from the King's Head, reporting no news of Uncle H. He recounts the events of December 19th: Uncle H. read evening prayers, visited a sick parishioner, and disappeared on his return. Searches have found nothing. The narrator interviews Mrs. Hunt, the parish clerk, and the sick man's family, finding no suspicion of foul play. He describes the misty, eerie landscape and his own unease. Later, Mr. Lucas the curate offers little new, and the innkeeper Mr. Bowman reveals a past quarrel with Uncle H. but is quickly embarrassed. The narrator resolves to search the fields tomorrow.
Chapter 25
Letter III
The narrator writes on Christmas Day about the ongoing investigation into Uncle Henry's disappearance, which has yielded no clues. He recounts a disturbing dream in which a sinister Punch and Judy show becomes a live horror, with Punch pursued by a figure in a whitish bag. The dream ends with a scream and the narrator waking to see an owl at his window.
Chapter 26
Letter IV
On Christmas Day, the narrator experiences a series of unsettling events, including a malfunctioning church service, a disturbing Punch and Judy show, and the discovery of his Uncle Henry's body in a chalk pit. The show's performers, Kidman and Gallop, are found dead, and the narrator is left bewildered by the tragedy.
Chapter 27
Two Doctors
The narrator discovers a bundle of papers in an old ledger, containing the incomplete case of Dr. Abell and Dr. Quinn. The story unfolds through statements: Dr. Abell's servant Luke Jennett leaves his service after witnessing strange occurrences involving a bedstaff. The Rector of Islington, Jonathan Pratt, describes Dr. Abell's interest in supernatural beings and his strained relationship with Dr. Quinn. Dr. Quinn is found dead, suffocated by his own pillow, with his door bolted from the inside. The case remains unresolved, with hints of supernatural involvement.
Chapter 28
The Haunted Dolls’ House
Mr. Dillet purchases a highly detailed antique dolls' house from Mr. Chittenden, despite the dealer's wife's relief to be rid of it. After setting it up in his room, Dillet discovers a miniature old man in the bed and later witnesses a series of ghostly, horrific scenes within the house at night, including a funeral procession and a monstrous figure attacking children. The experience leaves him severely shaken, and he meets Chittenden at a seaside resort, where the dealer admits he knew the house was haunted.
Chapter 29
The Uncommon Prayerbook
A man discovers an unusual prayerbook with mysterious properties, leading to unsettling encounters and a growing sense of dread as the book's secrets begin to unfold.
Chapter 30
I
Mr. Davidson, spending a solitary week in a country town, decides to take a train to Kingsbourne Junction and walk back to Longbridge via the Tent Valley. On the train, he meets an old man who tells him about Brockstone Court and its disused Chapel. The old man's daughter, Mrs. Porter, is the keeper's wife and lives at the Court. Mr. Davidson arranges to visit the Court and Chapel, and they walk together across the fields to Brockstone.
Chapter 31
Chapter II
Mr. Davidson tours Brockstone Court and its chapel, where Mrs. Porter reveals that the Prayer Books repeatedly open to Psalm 109, despite locked doors and barred windows. Mr. Davidson examines the books and notes a strange rubric for April 25, while Mrs. Porter confesses a persistent feeling of being watched.
Chapter 32
Chapter III
Mr. Davidson returns to Brockstone with his friend Mr. Witham on St. Mark's Day, only to discover that the rare Prayerbooks have been stolen and replaced with forgeries by a man calling himself Henderson, who is later identified as the dealer Homberger. Davidson pieces together the historical significance of the date and resolves to investigate further.
Chapter 33
IV
Police inspectors question a commissionaire and a clerk about the mysterious death of Mr. Poschwitz, who had recently returned from a trip with a package of books. The commissionaire describes seeing a roll of flannel with a face fall from the safe onto Poschwitz, causing his instantaneous death. The package is found to contain old-fashioned prayer books, and the case is eventually connected to Scotland Yard, with the books removed from Brockstone Chapel.
Chapter 34
A Neighbour's Landmark
The narrator, a bookish Victorian, visits Betton Court and while sorting through old tracts discovers a mysterious verse in an 18th-century pamphlet about 'that which walks in Betton Wood.' Intrigued, he questions his host Philipson, who recalls that the wood was stubbed up by his father. Philipson visits old Mitchell to learn more, while the narrator takes a walk and hears an eerie, unidentifiable cry on the hill near where Betton Wood once stood. The chapter blends antiquarian research with a growing sense of supernatural dread.
Chapter 35
A View from a Hill
Mr. Fanshawe travels to stay with Squire Richards at the Hall. After tea, they take a walk and Fanshawe borrows a pair of heavy binoculars from the Squire. The binoculars are later dropped and shatter, revealing a black, foul-smelling liquid. Fanshawe recounts his disturbing experiences while using the binoculars, including seeing a gallows and a hanged man, and later encountering a sinister wood with stone blocks that felt like an unholy graveyard. The Squire and his servant Patten connect these events to the deceased Mr. Baxter, who had a reputation for dark practices involving dead men's eyes and boiling bones.
Chapter 36
A Warning to the Curious
The narrator recounts his fateful encounter with a man named Paxton, who tells him the legend of the three holy crowns buried along the coast to ward off invaders. Paxton learns from a rector that the last crown is guarded by the Ager family, but the last guardian, William Ager, has died. Driven by curiosity, Paxton locates the burial site, digs up the crown, and soon finds himself haunted by a spectral figure he believes is William Ager's ghost. Despite attempts to return the crown, Paxton is pursued and ultimately killed on the beach. The narrator and a friend, unable to reveal the secret, allow the inquest to return a verdict of murder by person or persons unknown.
Chapter 37
An Evening’s Entertainment
The chapter contrasts the rational, scientific education of children in enlightened households with the traditional, superstitious storytelling of a grandmother. The grandmother recounts a grim local tale of murder, suicide, idolatry, and a clandestine burial at a crossroads, illustrating the persistence of folklore and supernatural belief.
Chapter 38
Endnotes
The endnotes provide scholarly references and clarifications for the preceding narrative, including details about a canon's death, a misattribution regarding Mr. Rogers, and sources on the Premonstratensian abbey of Steinfeld, as well as Latin quotations and a note on entomology.
Chapter 39
List of Illustrations
A brief listing of two engravings: one depicting the phrase 'FLA FUR BIS FLE' and another depicting 'QUIS EST ISTE QUI VENIT'.
