Curious Warnings - The Great Ghost Stories Of M.R. James by M.R. James
Authors: M.R. James
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Horror, Short Stories, Genre Fiction, Ghosts, Occult, Single Author, Single Authors
Ads: Link
art for the museum at Cambridge.
He did not publish his experiences very widely upon his return to England, but they could not fail to become known to a good many of his friends, and among others to the gentleman who at that time presided over an art museum at another University.
It was to be expected that the story should make a considerable impression on the mind of a man whose vocation lay in lines similar to Dennistoun’s, and that he should be eager to catch at any explanation of the matter which tended to make it seem improbable that he should ever be called upon to deal with so agitating an emergency.
It was, indeed, somewhat consoling to him to reflect that he was not expected to acquire ancient MSS. for his institution; that was the business of the Shelburnian Library. The authorities of that might, if they pleased, ransack obscure corners of the Continent for such matters.
He was glad to be obliged at the moment to confine his attention to enlarging the already unsurpassed collection of English topographical drawings and engravings possessed by his museum.
Yet, as it turned out, even a department so homely and familiar as this may have its dark corners, and to one of these Mr. Williams was unexpectedly introduced.
Those who have taken even the most limited interest in the acquisitionof topographical pictures are aware that there is one London dealer whose aid is indispensable to their researches. Mr. J.W. Britnell publishes at short intervals very admirable catalogs of a large and constantly changing stock of engravings, plans, and old sketches of mansions, churches, and towns in England and Wales.
These catalogs were, of course, the ABC of his subject to Mr. Williams: but as his museum already contained an enormous accumulation of topographical pictures, he was a regular, rather than a copious, buyer; and he rather looked to Mr. Britnell to fill up gaps in the rank and file of his collection than to supply him with rarities.
Now, in February of last year there appeared upon Mr. Williams’ desk at the museum a catalog from Mr. Britnell’s emporium, and accompanying it was a typewritten communication from the dealer himself. This latter ran as follows:
DEAR SIR—
We beg to call your attention to No. 978 in our accompanying catalog, which we shall be glad to send on approval.
Yours faithfully,
J.W. BRITNELL
To turn to No. 978 in the accompanying catalog was with Mr. Williams (as he observed to himself) the work of a moment, and in the place indicated he found the following entry:
978.—
Unknown
. Interesting mezzotint: View of a manor-house, early part of the century. 15 by 10 inches; black frame. £2 2s.
It was not especially exciting, and the price seemed high. However, as Mr. Britnell, who knew his business and his customer, seemed to set store by it, Mr. Williams wrote a postcard asking for the article to be sent on approval, along with some other engravings and sketches which appeared in the same catalog.
And so he passed without much excitement of anticipation to the ordinary labors of the day.
A parcel of any kind always arrives a day later than you expect it, and that of Mr. Britnell proved, as I believe the right phrase goes, no exception to the rule.
It was delivered at the museum by the afternoon post of Saturday, after Mr. Williams had left his work, and it was accordingly brought over to his rooms in college by the attendant, in order that he might not have to wait over Sunday before looking through it and returning such of the contents as he did not propose to keep.
And here he found it when he came in to tea, with a friend.
The only item with which I am concerned was the rather large, black-framed mezzotint of which I have already quoted the short description given in Mr. Britnell’s catalog. Some more details of it will have to be given, though I cannot hope to put before you the look of the picture as clearly as it is present to my own eye.
Very nearly the exact duplicate of
He did not publish his experiences very widely upon his return to England, but they could not fail to become known to a good many of his friends, and among others to the gentleman who at that time presided over an art museum at another University.
It was to be expected that the story should make a considerable impression on the mind of a man whose vocation lay in lines similar to Dennistoun’s, and that he should be eager to catch at any explanation of the matter which tended to make it seem improbable that he should ever be called upon to deal with so agitating an emergency.
It was, indeed, somewhat consoling to him to reflect that he was not expected to acquire ancient MSS. for his institution; that was the business of the Shelburnian Library. The authorities of that might, if they pleased, ransack obscure corners of the Continent for such matters.
He was glad to be obliged at the moment to confine his attention to enlarging the already unsurpassed collection of English topographical drawings and engravings possessed by his museum.
Yet, as it turned out, even a department so homely and familiar as this may have its dark corners, and to one of these Mr. Williams was unexpectedly introduced.
Those who have taken even the most limited interest in the acquisitionof topographical pictures are aware that there is one London dealer whose aid is indispensable to their researches. Mr. J.W. Britnell publishes at short intervals very admirable catalogs of a large and constantly changing stock of engravings, plans, and old sketches of mansions, churches, and towns in England and Wales.
These catalogs were, of course, the ABC of his subject to Mr. Williams: but as his museum already contained an enormous accumulation of topographical pictures, he was a regular, rather than a copious, buyer; and he rather looked to Mr. Britnell to fill up gaps in the rank and file of his collection than to supply him with rarities.
Now, in February of last year there appeared upon Mr. Williams’ desk at the museum a catalog from Mr. Britnell’s emporium, and accompanying it was a typewritten communication from the dealer himself. This latter ran as follows:
DEAR SIR—
We beg to call your attention to No. 978 in our accompanying catalog, which we shall be glad to send on approval.
Yours faithfully,
J.W. BRITNELL
To turn to No. 978 in the accompanying catalog was with Mr. Williams (as he observed to himself) the work of a moment, and in the place indicated he found the following entry:
978.—
Unknown
. Interesting mezzotint: View of a manor-house, early part of the century. 15 by 10 inches; black frame. £2 2s.
It was not especially exciting, and the price seemed high. However, as Mr. Britnell, who knew his business and his customer, seemed to set store by it, Mr. Williams wrote a postcard asking for the article to be sent on approval, along with some other engravings and sketches which appeared in the same catalog.
And so he passed without much excitement of anticipation to the ordinary labors of the day.
A parcel of any kind always arrives a day later than you expect it, and that of Mr. Britnell proved, as I believe the right phrase goes, no exception to the rule.
It was delivered at the museum by the afternoon post of Saturday, after Mr. Williams had left his work, and it was accordingly brought over to his rooms in college by the attendant, in order that he might not have to wait over Sunday before looking through it and returning such of the contents as he did not propose to keep.
And here he found it when he came in to tea, with a friend.
The only item with which I am concerned was the rather large, black-framed mezzotint of which I have already quoted the short description given in Mr. Britnell’s catalog. Some more details of it will have to be given, though I cannot hope to put before you the look of the picture as clearly as it is present to my own eye.
Very nearly the exact duplicate of
Similar Books
