The Ghost of Charlotte Cray by Florence Marryat
Sigismund Braggett, a successful publisher, is haunted by his past relationship with Charlotte Cray, an author who had hoped to marry him. After marrying Emily Primrose, Braggett is plagued by guilt and fear of Charlotte's persistent threats to reveal their past to his wife. Despite Charlotte's death, Braggett is tormented by sightings of her ghost at his office and home. His clerks and even his wife, Emily, witness these apparitions, leading to tension and fear. Ultimately, Braggett decides to retire from his business to focus on his marriage, acknowledging the ghostly presence as Charlotte's fulfillment of her vow to confront his wife.
By Florence Marryat · First published 1872 · Genre: Gothic Horror, Supernatural Fiction, Mystery Thriller · 8,115 words
First lines
Mr Sigismund Braggett was sitting in the little room he called his study, wrapped in a profound-not to say a mournful-reverie. Now, there was nothing in the present life nor surroundings of Mr Braggett to account for such a demonstration. He was a publisher and bookseller; a man well to do, with a thriving business in the city, and the prettiest of all pretty villas at Streatham. And he was only just turned forty; had not a grey hair in his head nor a false tooth in his mouth; and had been married but three short months to one of the fairest and most affectionate specimens of English womanhood that ever transformed a bachelor's quarters into Paradise.
What this Textopian page supports
The Ghost of Charlotte Cray is listed on Textopian as a short story by Florence Marryat, dated 1872 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Florence Marryat
- Date: 1872 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Gothic Horror, Supernatural Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Psychological Drama, Victorian Domestic Drama
- Length: 8,115 words
- Structure: 1 section, 144 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Ghost of Charlotte Cray by Florence Marryat
- 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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Genres
- Gothic Horror — The narrative is built around eerie, supernatural elements and a foreboding atmosphere that is emblematic of gothic horror, with ghostly apparitions and unsettling settings.
- Supernatural Fiction — Central to the plot is the inexplicable return of Charlotte Cray, whose defiance of death and presence as a spectral figure drive the narrative's paranormal intrigue.
- Mystery Thriller — The story unfolds as a puzzling investigation into contradictory evidence and unexplained events, maintaining a suspenseful and enigmatic tone.
- Psychological Drama — The internal turmoil, guilt, and emotional tensions of the characters, especially Mr. Braggett, add a layer of psychological complexity to the narrative.
Tags
Gothic · Victorian · Supernatural · Ghost · Mystery · Haunted · Thriller · Paranormal · Horror · Suspense · Otherworldly · Macabre