The Algernon Blackwood Collection Read online

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  The Algernon Blackwood Collection

  The Centaur

  I

  II

  III

  IV

  V

  VI

  VII

  VIII

  IX

  X

  XI

  XII

  XIII

  XIV

  XV

  XVI

  XVII

  XVIII

  XIX

  XX

  XXI

  XXII

  XXIII

  XXIV

  XXV

  XXVI

  XXVII

  XXVIII

  XXIX

  XXX

  XXXI

  XXXII

  XXXIII

  XXXIV

  XXXV

  XXXVI

  XXXVII

  XXXVIII

  XXXIX

  XL

  XLI

  XLII

  XLIII

  XLIV

  XLV

  XLVI

  Jimbo: A Fantasy

  CHAPTER I: “RABBITS”

  CHAPTER II: MISS LAKE COMES—AND GOES

  CHAPTER III: THE SHOCK

  CHAPTER IV: ON THE EDGE OF UNCONSCIOUSNESS

  CHAPTER V: INTO THE EMPTY HOUSE

  CHAPTER VI: HIS COMPANION IN PRISON

  CHAPTER VII: THE SPELL OF THE EMPTY HOUSE

  CHAPTER VIII: THE GALLERY OF ANCIENT MEMORIES

  CHAPTER IX: THE MEANS OF ESCAPE

  CHAPTER X: THE PLUNGE

  CHAPTER XI: THE FIRST FLIGHT

  CHAPTER XII: THE FOUR WINDS

  CHAPTER XIII: PLEASURES OF FLIGHT

  CHAPTER XIV: AN ADVENTURE

  CHAPTER XV: THE CALL OF THE BODY

  CHAPTER XVI: PREPARATION

  CHAPTER XVII: OFF!

  CHAPTER XVIII: HOME

  The Human Chord

  Chapter I

  Chapter II

  Chapter III

  Chapter IV

  Chapter V

  Chapter VI

  Chapter VII

  Chapter VIII

  Chapter IX

  Chapter X

  Chapter XI

  Chapter XII

  Chapter XIII

  Chapter XIV

  A Prisoner in Fairyland

  CHAPTER I

  CHAPTER II

  CHAPTER III

  CHAPTER IV

  CHAPTER V

  CHAPTER VI

  CHAPTER VII

  CHAPTER VIII

  CHAPTER IX

  CHAPTER X

  CHAPTER XI

  CHAPTER XII

  CHAPTER XIII

  CHAPTER XIV

  CHAPTER XV

  CHAPTER XVI

  CHAPTER XVII

  CHAPTER XVIII

  CHAPTER XIX

  CHAPTER XX

  CHAPTER XXI

  CHAPTER XXII

  CHAPTER XXII

  CHAPTER XXIV

  CHAPTER XXV

  CHAPTER XXVI

  CHAPTER XXVII

  CHAPTER XXVIII

  CHAPTER XXIX

  CHAPTER XXX

  CHAPTER XXXI

  CHAPTER XXXII

  CHAPTER XXXIII

  CHAPTER XXXIV

  The Extra Day

  CHAPTER I: THE MATERIAL

  CHAPTER II: FANCY—SEED OF WONDER

  CHAPTER III: DEATH OF A MERE FACT

  CHAPTER IV: FACT—EDGED WITH FANCY

  CHAPTER V: THE BIRTH OF WONDER

  CHAPTER VI: THE GROWTH OF WONDER

  CHAPTER VII: IMAGINATION WAKES

  CHAPTER VIII: WHERE WONDER HIDES

  CHAPTER IX: A PRIEST OF WONDER

  CHAPTER X: FACT AND WONDER—CLASH

  CHAPTER XI: JUDY’S PARTICULAR ADVENTURE

  CHAPTER XII: TIM’S PARTICULAR ADVENTURE

  CHAPTER XIII: TIME HESITATES

  CHAPTER XIV: MARIA STIRS

  CHAPTER XV: “A DAY WILL COME”

  CHAPTER XVI: TIME HALTS

  CHAPTER XVII: A DAY HAS COME, MARIA’S PARTICULAR ADVENTURE

  THE EXTRA DAY

  THE STRANGER WHO IS WONDER

  HIDE-AND-SEEK

  THE LEADER

  THE COMMON SIGNS

  COME-BACK STUMPER’S SIGN

  WEEDEN’S SIGN

  AUNT EMILY FINDS—HERSELF

  SIGNS EVERYWHERE!

  REALITY

  CHAPTER XVIII: TIME GOES ON AGAIN—-

  CHAPTER XIX: —AS USUAL

  CHAPTER XX: —BUT DIFFERENTLY!

  Julius Levallon: An Episode

  Book 1: Schooldays

  Chapter i

  Chapter ii

  Chapter iii

  Chapter iv

  Chapter v

  Chapter vi

  Chapter vii

  Chapter viii

  Book 2: Edinburgh

  Chapter ix

  Chapter x

  Chapter xi

  Chapter xii

  Chapter xiii

  Chapter xiv

  Book 3: The Chalet in the Jura Mountains

  Chapter xv

  Chapter xvi

  Chapter xvii

  Chapter xviii

  Chapter xix

  Chapter xx

  Chapter xxi

  Chapter xxii

  Chapter xxiii

  Chapter xxiv

  Book 4: The Attempted Restitution

  Chapter xxv

  Chapter xxvi

  Chapter xxvii

  Chapter xxviii

  Chapter xxix

  Chapter xxx

  Chapter xxxi

  Chapter xxxii

  The Bright Messenger

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  The Wave: An Egyptian Aftermath

  Part I

  CHAPTER I.

  CHAPTER II.

  CHAPTER III.

  CHAPTER IV.

  CHAPTER V.

  CHAPTER VI.

  CHAPTER VII.

  PART II

  CHAPTER VIII.

  CHAPTER IX.

  CHAPTER X.

  CHAPTER XI.

  CHAPTER XII.

  PART III

  CHAPTER XIII.

  CHAPTER XIV.

  CHAPTER XV.

  CHAPTER XVI.

  CHAPTER XVII.

  CHAPTER XVIII.

  CHAPTER XIX.

  CHAPTER XX.

  CHAPTER XXI.

  CHAPTER XXII.

  CHAPTER XXIII.

  CHAPTER XXIV.

  CHAPTER XXV.

  CHAPTER XXVI.

  CHAPTER XXVII.

  PART IV

  CHAPTER XXVIII.

  CHAPTER XXIX.

  CHAPTER XXX.

  CHAPTER XXXI.

  CHAPTER XXXII.

  CHAPTER XXXIII.

  The Promise of Air

  CHAPTER I.

  CHAPTER II.

  CHAPTER III.

  CHAPTER IV.

  CHAPTER V. r />
  CHAPTER VI.

  CHAPTER VII.

  CHAPTER VIII.

  CHAPTER IX.

  CHAPTER X.

  CHAPTER XI.

  CHAPTER XII.

  CHAPTER XIII.

  CHAPTER XIV.

  CHAPTER XV.

  CHAPTER XVI.

  CHAPTER XVII.

  CHAPTER XVIII.

  CHAPTER XIX.

  The Garden of Survival

  I

  II

  III

  IV

  V

  VI

  VII

  VIII

  IX

  X

  XI

  The Willows

  I

  II

  III

  The Wendigo

  I

  II

  III

  IV

  V

  VI

  VII

  VIII

  IX

  The Damned

  Chapter I

  Chapter II

  Chapter III

  Chapter IV

  Chapter V

  Chapter VI

  Chapter VII

  Chapter VIII

  Chapter IX

  The Man Whom the Trees Loved

  I

  II

  III

  IV

  V

  VI

  VII

  VIII

  IX

  The Insanity of Jones

  The Man Who Found Out

  The Glamour of the Snow

  Sand

  CASE I: A PSYCHICAL INVASION

  CASE II: ANCIENT SORCERIES

  CASE III: THE NEMESIS OF FIRE

  Three More John Silence Stories

  CASE I: SECRET WORSHIP

  CASE II: THE CAMP OF THE DOG

  CASE III: A VICTIM OF HIGHER SPACE

  The Empty House and Other Ghost Stories

  THE EMPTY HOUSE

  A HAUNTED ISLAND

  A CASE OF EAVESDROPPING

  KEEPING HIS PROMISE

  WITH INTENT TO STEAL

  THE WOOD OF THE DEAD

  SMITH: AN EPISODE IN A LODGING-HOUSE

  A SUSPICIOUS GIFT

  THE STRANGE ADVENTURES OF A PRIVATE SECRETARY IN NEW YORK

  SKELETON LAKE: AN EPISODE IN CAMP

  The Empty House and Other Ghost Stories

  THE EMPTY HOUSE

  A HAUNTED ISLAND

  A CASE OF EAVESDROPPING

  KEEPING HIS PROMISE

  WITH INTENT TO STEAL

  THE WOOD OF THE DEAD

  SMITH: AN EPISODE IN A LODGING-HOUSE

  A SUSPICIOUS GIFT

  THE STRANGE ADVENTURES OF A PRIVATE SECRETARY IN NEW YORK

  SKELETON LAKE: AN EPISODE IN CAMP

  THE TRYST

  THE TOUCH OF PAN

  THE WINGS OF HORUS

  INITIATION

  A DESERT EPISODE

  THE OTHER WING

  THE OCCUPANT OF THE ROOM

  CAIN’S ATONEMENT

  AN EGYPTIAN HORNET

  BY WATER

  H. S. H.

  A BIT OF WOOD

  TRANSITION

  THE TRADITION

  THE WOLVES OF GOD

  CHINESE MAGIC

  RUNNING WOLF

  FIRST HATE

  THE TARN OF SACRIFICE

  THE VALLEY OF THE BEASTS

  THE CALL

  EGYPTIAN SORCERY

  THE DECOY

  THE MAN WHO FOUND OUT

  THE EMPTY SLEEVE

  WIRELESS CONFUSION

  CONFESSION

  THE LANE THAT RAN EAST AND WEST

  “VENGEANCE IS MINE”

  THE ALGERNON BLACKWOOD COLLECTION

  ..................

  THE CENTAUR

  ..................

  I

  ..................

  “WE MAY BE IN THE Universe as dogs and cats are in our libraries, seeing the books and hearing the conversation, but having no inkling of the meaning of it all.”

  —WILLIAM JAMES, A Pluralistic Universe

  “… A man’s vision is the great fact about him. Who cares for Carlyle’s reasons, or Schopenhauer’s, or Spencer’s? A philosophy is the expression of a man’s intimate character, and all definitions of the Universe are but the deliberately adopted reactions of human characters upon it.”

  —Ibid

  “There are certain persons who, independently of sex or comeliness, arouse an instant curiosity concerning themselves. The tribe is small, but its members unmistakable. They may possess neither fortune, good looks, nor that adroitness of advance-vision which the stupid name good luck; yet there is about them this inciting quality which proclaims that they have overtaken Fate, set a harness about its neck of violence, and hold bit and bridle in steady hands.

  “Most of us, arrested a moment by their presence to snatch the definition their peculiarity exacts, are aware that on the heels of curiosity follows—envy. They know the very things that we forever seek in vain. And this diagnosis, achieved as it were en passant, comes near to the truth, for the hallmark of such persons is that they have found, and come into, their own. There is a sign upon the face and in the eyes. Having somehow discovered the ‘piece’ that makes them free of the whole amazing puzzle, they know where they belong and, therefore, whither they are bound: more, they are definitely en route. The littlenesses of existence that plague the majority pass them by.

  “For this reason, if for no other,” continued O’Malley, “I count my experience with that man as memorable beyond ordinary. ‘If for no other,’ because from the very beginning there was another. Indeed, it was probably his air of unusual bigness, massiveness rather,—head, face, eyes, shoulders, especially back and shoulders,—that struck me first when I caught sight of him lounging there hugely upon my steamer deck at Marseilles, winning my instant attention before he turned and the expression on his great face woke more—woke curiosity, interest, envy. He wore this very look of certainty that knows, yet with a tinge of mild surprise as though he had only recently known. It was less than perplexity. A faint astonishment as of a happy child—almost of an animal—shone in the large brown eyes—”

  “You mean that the physical quality caught you first, then the psychical?” I asked, keeping him to the point, for his Irish imagination was ever apt to race away at a tangent.

  He laughed good-naturedly, acknowledging the check. “I believe that to be the truth,” he replied, his face instantly grave again. “It was the impression of uncommon bulk that heated my intuition—blessed if I know how—leading me to the other. The size of his body did not smother, as so often is the case with big people: rather, it revealed. At the moment I could conceive no possible connection, of course. Only this overwhelming attraction of the man’s personality caught me and I longed to make friends. That’s the way with me, as you know,” he added, tossing the hair back from his forehead impatiently,"—pretty often. First impressions. Old man, I tell you, it was like a possession.”

  “I believe you,” I said. For Terence O’Malley all his life had never understood half measures.

  II

  ..................

  “THE FRIENDLY AND FLOWING SAVAGE, who is he? Is he waiting for civilization, or is he past it, and mastering it?”

  —WHITMAN

  “We find ourselves today in the midst of a somewhat peculiar state of society, which we call Civilization, but which even to the most optimistic among us does not seem altogether desirable. Some of us, indeed, are inclined to think that it is a kind of disease which the various races of man have to pass through….

  “While History tells us of many nations that have been attacked by it, of many that have succumbed to it, and of some that are still in the throes of it, we know of no single case in which a nation has fairly recovered from and passed through it to a more normal and healthy condition. In other words, the development of human society has never yet (that we know of) passed
beyond a certain definite and apparently final stage in the process we call Civilization; at that stage it has always succumbed or been arrested.”

  —EDWARD CARPENTER, Civilization: Its Cause and Cure

  O’Malley himself is an individuality that invites consideration from the ruck of commonplace men. Of mingled Irish, Scotch, and English blood, the first predominated, and the Celtic element in him was strong. A man of vigorous health, careless of gain, a wanderer, and by his own choice something of an outcast, he led to the end the existence of a rolling stone. He lived from hand to mouth, never quite growing up. It seemed, indeed, that he never could grow up in the accepted sense of the term, for his motto was the reverse of nil admirari, and he found himself in a state of perpetual astonishment at the mystery of things. He was forever deciphering the huge horoscope of Life, yet getting no further than the House of Wonder, on whose cusp surely he had been born. Civilization, he loved to say, had blinded the eyes of men, filling them with dust instead of vision.

  An ardent lover of wild outdoor life, he knew at times a high, passionate searching for things of the spirit, when the outer world fell away like dross and he seemed to pass into a state resembling ecstasy. Never in cities or among his fellow men, struggling and herded, did these times come to him, but when he was abroad with the winds and stars in desolate places. Then, sometimes, he would be rapt away, caught up to see the tail-end of the great procession of the gods that had come near. He surprised Eternity in a running Moment.

  For the moods of Nature flamed through him—in him—like presences, potently evocative as the presences of persons, and with meanings equally various: the woods with love and tenderness; the sea with reverence and magic; plains and wide horizons with the melancholy peace and silence as of wise and old companions; and mountains with a splendid terror due to some want of comprehension in himself, caused probably by a spiritual remoteness from their mood.

  The Cosmos, in a word, for him was psychical, and Nature’s moods were transcendental cosmic activities that induced in him these singular states of exaltation and expansion. She pushed wide the gateways of his deeper life. She entered, took possession, dipped his smaller self into her own enormous and enveloping personality.

  He possessed a full experience, and at times a keen judgment, of modern life; while underneath, all the time, lay the moving sea of curiously wild primitive instincts. An insatiable longing for the wilderness was in his blood, a craving vehement, unappeasable. Yet for something far greater than the wilderness alone—the wilderness was merely a symbol, a first step, indication of a way of escape. The hurry and invention of modern life were to him a fever and a torment. He loathed the million tricks of civilization. At the same time, being a man of some discrimination at least, he rarely let himself go completely. Of these wilder, simpler instincts he was afraid. They might flood all else. If he yielded entirely, something he dreaded, without being able to define, would happen; the structure of his being would suffer a nameless violence, so that he would have to break with the world. These cravings stood for that loot of the soul which he must deny himself. Complete surrender would involve somehow a disintegration, a dissociation of his personality that carried with it the loss of personal identity.