Wilkie Collins

Little Novels

Warsaw 2022

Contents

Mrs. Zant and the Ghost

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Chapter XI

Chapter XII

Chapter XIII

Chapter XIV

Miss Morris and the Stranger

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Mr. Cosway and the Landlady

Chapter I

Chapter II

Mr. Medhurst and the Princess

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Chapter XI

Mr. Lismore and the Widow

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Chapter XI

Miss Jeromette and the Clergyman

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Miss Mina and the Groom

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Chapter XI

Mr. Lepel and the Housekeeper

FIRST EPOCH

SECOND EPOCH

THIRD EPOCH

FOURTH EPOCH

FIFTH EPOCH

SIXTH EPOCH

SEVENTH EPOCH

EIGHTH EPOCH

Mr. Captain and the Nymph

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Mr. Marmaduke and the Minister

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Mr. Percy and the Prophet

PART 1.–THE PREDICTION

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

PART II. THE FULFILLMENT

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Chapter XI

Miss Bertha and the Yankee

No. 1.–Miss Bertha Laroche, of Nettlegrove Hall, testifies and says:–

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

No. 2.–Julius Bender, fencing-master, testifies and says:–

No. 3.–Thomas Outwater, servant to Captain Stanwick, testifies and says:–

No. 4.–The Reverend Alfred Loring, Rector of Nettlegrove, testifies and says:–

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

No 5.–Mr. Frederic Darnel, Member of the College of Surgeons, testifies and says:–

No. 6.–Mr. Lionel Varleigh, of Boston, U. S. A., testifies and says:–

Miss Dulane and My Lord

Part I

Chapter I

Chapter II

Part II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Part III

Chapter VI

Part IV

Chapter VII

Mr. Policeman and the Cook

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Mrs. Zant and the Ghost

I

THE course of this narrative describes the return of a disembodied spirit to earth, and leads the reader on new and strange ground.

Not in the obscurity of midnight, but in the searching light of day, did the supernatural influence assert itself. Neither revealed by a vision, nor announced by a voice, it reached mortal knowledge through the sense which is least easily self-deceived: the sense that feels.

The record of this event will of necessity produce conflicting impressions. It will raise, in some minds, the doubt which reason asserts; it will invigorate, in other minds, the hope which faith justifies; and it will leave the terrible question of the destinies of man, where centuries of vain investigation have left it–in the dark.

Having only undertaken in the present narrative to lead the way along a succession of events, the writer declines to follow modern examples by thrusting himself and his opinions on the public view. He returns to the shadow from which he has emerged, and leaves the opposing forces of incredulity and belief to fight the old battle over again, on the old ground.

II

THE events happened soon after the first thirty years of the present century had come to an end.

On a fine morning, early in the month of April, a gentleman of middle age (named Rayburn) took his little daughter Lucy out for a walk in the woodland pleasure-ground of Western London, called Kensington Gardens.

The few friends whom he possessed reported of Mr. Rayburn (not unkindly) that he was a reserved and solitary man. He might have been more accurately described as a widower devoted to his only surviving child. Although he was not more than forty years of age, the one pleasure which made life enjoyable to Lucy’s father was offered by Lucy herself.

Playing with her ball, the child ran on to the southern limit of the Gardens, at that part of it which still remains nearest to the old Palace of Kensington. Observing close at hand one of those spacious covered seats, called in England “alcoves,” Mr. Rayburn was reminded that he had the morning’s newspaper in his pocket, and that he might do well to rest and read. At that early hour the place was a solitude.

“Go on playing, my dear,” he said; “but take care to keep where I can see you.”

Lucy tossed up her ball; and Lucy’s father opened his newspaper. He had not been reading for more than ten minutes, when he felt a familiar little hand laid on his knee.

“Tired of playing?” he inquired–with his eyes still on the newspaper.

“I’m frightened, papa.”

He looked up directly. The child’s pale face startled him. He took her on his knee and kissed her.

“You oughtn’t to be frightened, Lucy, when I am with you,” he said, gently. “What is it?” He looked out of the alcove as he spoke, and saw a little dog among the trees. “Is it the dog?” he asked.

Lucy answered:

“It’s not the dog–it’s the lady.”

The lady was not visible from the alcove.

“Has she said anything to you?” Mr. Rayburn inquired.

“No.”

“What has she done to frighten you?”

The child put her arms round her father’s neck.

“Whisper, papa,” she said; “I’m afraid of her hearing us. I think she’s mad.”

“Why do you think so, Lucy?”

“She came near to me. I thought she was going to say something. She seemed to be ill.”

“Well? And what then?”

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