How Fear Departed from the Long Gallery
The narrative unfolds in a haunted ancestral home, Church-Peveril, where the Peveril family is accustomed to the presence of various ghosts, treating them with a mix of familiarity and amusement. Among these spirits, the most serious and feared are the apparitions of twin children, victims of a gruesome crime committed by a family member, Dick Peveril. He murdered the twins and their nurse shortly after inheriting the estate, and his spirit, along with the twins', haunts the long gallery of the house. The twins' appearances are rare but deadly; those who see them often meet a swift and terrible fate. The family warns guests to avoid the long gallery after dark, where the twins are said to appear. The story shifts to a New Year's Eve gathering at Church-Peveril, where a young woman named Madge Dalrymple, despite knowing the legends, remains in the gallery after sunset due to a knee injury. As she dozes off on a sofa, she dreams of being transformed into the very fabric of the sofa, a metaphor for her growing dread. Upon awakening, she finds herself enveloped in darkness, realizing she is alone in the gallery. Panic sets in as she anticipates the appearance of the twins. In her frantic search for the exit, she encounters the door through which the twins enter, and her fear escalates. However, when the twins finally appear, Madge's initial terror transforms into compassion. Instead of fearing them, she empathizes with their tragic fate, expressing sorrow for their plight. This shift in perspective seems to break the curse, as the twins smile at her and fade away. Madge exits the gallery unharmed, and her experience alters the family's relationship with the haunting, suggesting that understanding and compassion can dispel fear and malevolence. The story concludes with a sense of resolution, as Madge's encounter with the twins leads to a newfound peace in the house, indicating that the haunting may have been lifted. The narrative explores themes of fear, empathy, and the power of understanding in the face of the supernatural.
By E.F. Benson · First published 1914 · Genre: Gothic Fiction, Horror, Mystery · 6,647 words
First lines
Church-Peveril is a house so beset and frequented by spectres, both visible and audible, that none of the family which it shelters under its acre and a half of green copper roofs takes psychical phenomena with any seriousness. For to the Peverils the appearance of a ghost is a matter of hardly greater significance than is the appearance of the post to those who live in more ordinary houses. It arrives, that is to say, practically every day, it knocks (or makes other noises), it is observed coming up the drive (or in other places). I myself, when staying there have seen the present Mrs. Peveril, who is rather shortsighted, peer into the dusk, while we were taking our coffee on the terrace after dinner, and say to her daughter:
What this Textopian page supports
How Fear Departed from the Long Gallery is listed on Textopian as a novella by E.F. Benson, dated 1914 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novella
- Author: E.F. Benson
- Date: 1914 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Gothic Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Literary Fiction, Supernatural Fiction
- Length: 6,647 words
- Structure: 1 section, 50 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
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- Work identity for How Fear Departed from the Long Gallery by E.F. Benson
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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- The Thing In The Hall by E. F. Benson
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Genres
- Gothic Fiction — The story features supernatural elements, a haunted house, and themes of fear and the macabre, typical of Gothic literature.
- Horror — The presence of ghosts and the ominous fate of those who encounter them create a sense of dread and terror.
- Mystery — The narrative revolves around the mystery of the twins' haunting and the dark history of the Peveril family.
- Literary Fiction — The writing style is rich and descriptive, focusing on character development and thematic depth.
Tags
Gothic Fiction · Mystery · Supernatural · Psychological Thriller · Short Story Collection · English Literature · 20th Century Literature · Horror · Suspense · Atmospheric Setting · Isolated Location · Family Secrets