In May 1886, the narrator arrives in Paris and seeks out an old friend, Eugene Marie d'Ardeche, who has inherited a mysterious property from his late aunt, Mlle. Blaye de Tartas. The aunt was rumored to have engaged in occult practices, and her estate is coveted by a notorious sorcerer, Sar Torrevieja. The house at 252 Rue M. le Prince is described as sinister and uninhabitable, with a reputation for driving tenants away due to unexplained horrors. Eugene reveals that the house is haunted, though no one knows how. Despite the fear surrounding it, he plans to spend a night there with the narrator and two doctors, Fargeau and Duchesne, to uncover the mystery. They discuss the house's dark history, including the annual gatherings that occur on Walpurgisnacht, which are marked by strange music and veiled figures. On the night of their investigation, the group enters the house, which is eerily quiet and filled with an unsettling atmosphere. They explore various rooms, including those that were once used for occult rituals, revealing bizarre and terrifying decor. As the night progresses, the narrator begins to feel an overwhelming sense of dread and fatigue, leading to a terrifying experience where he becomes paralyzed by an unseen force. In a state of near-death, he perceives a horrifying entity with glowing eyes that suffocates him. Just as he succumbs to this terror, he is rescued by his friends, who break down the door and find him in a state of distress. They rush him to the hospital, where he learns that the house has burned down, erasing the source of the haunting. The story concludes with the narrator reflecting on the events and the lingering legends of the now-destroyed house, suggesting that the tales of its dark past will endure in the memories of the Latin Quarter.
By Ralph Adams Cram · First published 1910 · Genre: Horror, Gothic Fiction, Occult Fiction