Uncle Abraham's Romance by Edith Nesbit
This is a beautiful and haunting short story by Rudyard Kipling. The narrator's uncle tells him about his youthful romance with a mysterious woman who would meet him in the churchyard every night at twilight. She never revealed her name, but they shared a deep connection. When the uncle was forced to leave for Bath, she made him promise to return before the new moon, threatening that if he didn't, he would never see her again. The story takes a supernatural turn when the uncle discovers a miniature portrait of his beloved in his aunt's parlour, only to learn that she had died many years ago. The uncle is left heartbroken and ill, having missed their appointed meeting under the new moon. The tale raises questions about the nature of love, mortality, and the possibility of communication with the dead. The uncle's experience blurs the lines between reality and fantasy, leaving the reader to ponder the truth behind his haunting narrative. Kipling's masterful storytelling weaves a spellbinding atmosphere, evoking the eerie and romantic settings of the churchyard and the marshes. The story's themes of love, loss, and the supernatural continue to captivate readers to this day.
By Edith Nesbit · First published 1909 · Genre: Romance, Historical Fiction, Adventure · 1,578 words
First lines
"No, my dear," my Uncle Abraham answered me, "no -- nothing romantic ever happened to me -- unless -- but no: that wasn't romantic either -- -- "
I was. To me, I being eighteen, romance was the world. My Uncle Abraham was old and lame. I followed the gaze of his faded eyes, and my own rested on a miniature that hung at his elbow-chair's right hand, a portrait of a woman, whose loveliness even the miniature-painter's art had been powerless to disguise -- a woman with large lustrous eyes and perfect oval face.
Similar titles
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- Sylvias Lovers Volume I by Elizabeth Gaskell
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- Love In June by Edith Nesbit
- Bridal Eve by Edith Nesbit
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Genres
- Romance — The narrative revolves around a love story, which is a central theme.
- Historical Fiction — The story is set in a specific historical period and includes references to historical events.
- Adventure — The plot involves a journey and various challenges, typical of adventure narratives.
- Fantasy — The narrative includes elements of the supernatural and the fantastical.
Tags
Romance · Family · Uncle-Niece Relationship · Victorian Era · Social Class · Wealth · Inheritance · Love Triangle · Marriage · Society · Etiquette · Manners
What this Textopian page supports
Uncle Abraham's Romance is listed on Textopian as a novella by Edith Nesbit, dated 1909 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novella
- Author: Edith Nesbit
- Date: 1909 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Romance, Historical Fiction, Adventure, Fantasy
- Length: 1,578 words
- Structure: 1 section, 45 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Uncle Abraham's Romance by Edith Nesbit
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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