The House by the Church-Yard

Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

Description

The House by the Church-Yard (1863) is a novel by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. An important source for James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake, The House by the Church-Yard is a hybrid of the mystery and historical genres of fiction. With its complex use of side plots and extensive frame narrative, the novel is central to Le Fanu’s legacy as an innovator whose literary works inspired Bram Stoker and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

During a routine interment at a churchyard in the historic village of Chapelizod, a grave is disturbed revealing a skull buried a century earlier. Upon examination, a gruesome discovery is made—not only does the skull show signs of severe head trauma, it contains a hole from an emergency trepanning procedure. Stirred by the discovery, an old man named Charles de Cresseron pieces together the story of a time the village had nearly forgotten. In the eighteenth century, a coffin was secretly buried in the churchyard, with no defining characteristics except for the initials “R.D.” As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that this burial is somehow related to a series of mysterious events—a love triangle between a general’s daughter, a local official, and a man who has taken residence in a home rumored to be haunted; the suicide of a disgraced prisoner; and a rivalry between a deeply indebted doctor and the agent of a local lord whose home has been infiltrated by a dubious imposter. As these plots swirl and converge, The House by the Church-Yard emerges as a masterpiece of suspense, a thriller that delights its reader just as much as it demands their attention.

With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s The House by the Church-Yard is a classic of Irish literature reimagined for modern readers.

Sujets

• Policier & Thriller
• Policier
• Chapelizod
• Ireland
• 18th century
• Stephen Ireland
• Classics
• Fiction

Informations

• Publié par: Mint Editions
• Date de parution: 23 février 2021
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781513276656
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

The House by the Church-Yard
Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
 
The House by the Church-Yard was first published in 1863.
This edition published by Mint Editions 2021.
ISBN 9781513271651 | E-ISBN 9781513276656
Published by Mint Editions®
minteditionbooks.com
Publishing Director: Jennifer Newens
Design & Production: Rachel Lopez Metzger
Project Manager: Micaela Clark
Typesetting: Westchester Publishing Services
 
C ONTENTS A P ROLOGUE — BEING A DISH OF VILLAGE CHAT I. T HE RECTOR’S NIGHT-WALK TO HIS CHURCH II. T HE NAMELESS COFFIN III. M R . M ERVYN IN HIS INN IV. T HE F AIR-GREEN OF P ALMERSTOWN V. H OW THE R OYAL I RISH A RTILLERY ENTERTAINED SOME OF THE NEIGHBOURS AT DINNER VI. I N WHICH THE MINSTRELSY PROCEEDS VII. S HOWING HOW TWO GENTLEMEN MAY MISUNDERSTAND ONE ANOTHER, WITHOUT ENABLING THE COMPANY TO UNDERSTAND THEIR QUARREL VIII. R ELATING HOW D OCTOR T OOLE AND C APTAIN D EVEREUX WENT ON A MOONLIGHT ERRAND IX. H OW A SQUIRE WAS FOUND FOR THE KNIGHT OF THE RUEFUL COUNTENANCE X. T HE DEAD SECRET, SHOWING HOW THE FIREWORKER PROVED TO P UDDOCK THAT N UTTER HAD SPIED OUT THE NAKEDNESS OF THE LAND XI. S OME TALK ABOUT THE HAUNTED HOUSE — BEING, AS I SUPPOSE, ONLY OLD WOMAN’S TALES XII. S OME ODD FACTS ABOUT THE T ILED H OUSE — BEING AN AUTHENTIC NARRATIVE OF THE GHOST OF A HAND XIII. I N WHICH THE RECTOR VISITS THE T ILED H OUSE, AND D OCTOR T OOLE LOOKS AFTER THE B RASS C ASTLE XIV. R ELATING HOW P UDDOCK PURGED O ’ F LAHERTY’S HEAD — A CHAPTER WHICH, IT IS HOPED, NO GENTEEL PERSON WILL READ XV. Æ SCULAPIUS TO THE RESCUE XVI. T HE ORDEAL BY BATTLE XVII. L IEUTENANT P UDDOCK RECEIVES AN INVITATION AND A RAP OVER THE KNUCKLES XVIII. R ELATING HOW THE GENTLEMEN SAT OVER THEIR CLARET, AND HOW D R . S TURK SAW A FACE XIX. I N WHICH THE GENTLEMEN FOLLOW THE LADIES XX. I N WHICH M R . D ANGERFIELD VISITS THE CHURCH OF C HAPELIZOD, AND Z EKIEL I RONS GOES A FISHING XXI. R ELATING AMONG OTHER THINGS HOW D OCTOR T OOLE WALKED UP TO THE T ILED H OUSE ; AND OF HIS PLEASANT DISCOURSE WITH M R . M ERVYN XXII. T ELLING HOW M R . M ERVYN FARED AT B ELMONT, AND OF A PLEASANT LITTLE DEJEUNER BY THE MARGIN OF THE L IFFEY XXIII. W HICH CONCERNS THE GRAND DINNER AT THE K ING’S H OUSE, AND WHO WERE THERE, AND SOMETHING OF THEIR TALK, REVERIES, DISPUTES, AND GENERAL JOLLITY XXIV. I N WHICH TWO YOUNG PERSONS UNDERSTAND ONE ANOTHER BETTER, PERHAPS, THAN EVER THEY DID BEFORE, WITHOUT SAYING SO XXV. I N WHICH THE SUN SETS, AND THE MERRY-MAKING IS KEPT UP BY CANDLE-LIGHT IN THE K ING’S H OUSE, AND L ILY RECEIVES A WARNING WHICH SHE DOES NOT COMPREHEND XXVI. R ELATING HOW THE BAND OF THE R OYAL I RISH A RTILLERY PLAYED, AND, WHILE THE MUSIC WAS GOING ON, HOW VARIOUSLY DIFFERENT PEOPLE WERE MOVED XXVII. C ONCERNING THE TROUBLES AND THE SHAPES THAT BEGAN TO GATHER ABOUT D OCTOR S TURK XXVIII. I N WHICH M R . I RONS RECOUNTS SOME OLD RECOLLECTIONS ABOUT THE P IED HORSE AND THE F LOWER DE L UCE XXIX. S HOWING HOW POOR M RS . M ACNAMARA WAS TROUBLED AND HAUNTED TOO, AND OPENING A BUDGET OF GOSSIP XXX. C ONCERNING A CERTAIN WOMAN IN BLACK XXXI. B EING A SHORT HISTORY OF THE GREAT BATTLE OF B ELMONT THAT LASTED FOR SO MANY DAYS, WHEREIN THE BELLIGERENTS SHOWED SO MUCH CONSTANCY AND VALOUR, AND SOMETIMES ONE SIDE AND SOMETIMES T’OTHER WAS VICTORIOUS XXXII. N ARRATING HOW L IEUTENANT P UDDOCK AND C APTAIN D EVEREUX BREWED A BOWL OF PUNCH, AND HOW THEY SANG AND DISCOURSED TOGETHER XXXIII. I N WHICH C APTAIN D EVEREUX’S FIDDLE PLAYS A PRELUDE TO ‘ O VER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY’ XXXIV. I N WHICH L ILIAS HEARS A STAVE OF AN OLD SONG AND THERE IS A LEAVE-TAKING BESIDE THE RIVER XXXV. I N WHICH A UNT B ECKY AND D OCTOR T OOLE, IN FULL BLOW, WITH D OMINICK, THE FOOTMAN, BEHIND THEM, VISIT M ISS L ILY AT THE E LMS XXXVI. N ARRATING HOW M ISS L ILIAS VISITED B ELMONT, AND SAW A STRANGE COCKED-HAT IN THE SHADOW BY THE WINDOW XXXVII. S HOWING HOW SOME OF THE FEUDS IN C HAPELIZOD WAXED FIERCER, AND OTHERS WERE SOLEMNLY CONDONED XXXVIII. D REAMS AND TROUBLES, AND A DARK LOOK-OUT XXXIX. T ELLING HOW L ILIAS W ALSINGHAM FOUND TWO LADIES AWAITING HER ARRIVAL AT THE E LMS XL. O F A MESSENGER FROM C HAPELIZOD VAULT WHO WAITED IN THE T YLED H OUSE FOR M R . M ERVYN XLI. I N WHICH THE RECTOR COMES HOME, AND L ILY SPEAKS HER MIND, AND TIME GLIDES ON, AND A UNT R EBECCA CALLS AT THE E LMS XLII. I N WHICH D R . S TURK TRIES THIS WAY AND THAT FOR A REPRIEVE ON THE EVE OF EXECUTION XLIII. S HOWING HOW C HARLES N UTTER’S BLOW DESCENDED, AND WHAT PART THE SILVER SPECTACLES BORE IN THE CRISIS XLIV. R ELATING HOW, IN THE WATCHES OF THE NIGHT, A VISION CAME TO S TURK, AND HIS EYES WERE OPENED XLV. C ONCERNING A LITTLE REHEARSAL IN C APTAIN C LUFFE’S, LODGING, AND A CERTAIN CONFIDENCE BETWEEN D R . S TURK AND M R . D ANGERFIELD XLVI. T HE CLOSET SCENE, WITH THE PART OF P OLONIUS OMITTED XLVII. I N WHICH PALE H ECATE VISITS THE M ILLS, AND C HARLES N UTTER, E SQ . , ORDERS TEA XLVIII. S WANS ON THE WATER XLIX. S WANS IN THE WATER L. T REATING OF SOME CONFUSION, IN CONSEQUENCE, IN THE CLUB-ROOM OF THE PHOENIX AND ELSEWHERE, AND OF A HAT THAT WAS PICKED UP LI. H OW C HARLES N UTTER’S TEA, PIPE, AND TOBACCO-BOX WERE ALL SET OUT FOR HIM IN THE SMALL PARLOUR AT THE M ILLS ; AND HOW THAT NIGHT WAS PASSED IN THE HOUSE BY THE CHURCH-YARD LII. C ONCERNING A ROULEAU OF GUINEAS AND THE CRACK OF A PISTOL LIII. R ELATING AFTER WHAT FASHION D R . S TURK CAME HOME LIV. I N WHICH M ISS M AGNOLIA M ACNAMARA AND D R . T OOLE, IN DIFFERENT SCENES, PROVE THEMSELVES G OOD S AMARITANS ; AND THE GREAT D OCTOR P ELL MOUNTS THE STAIRS OF THE H OUSE BY THE C HURCH-YARD LV. I N WHICH D R . T OOLE, IN FULL COSTUME, STANDS UPON THE HEARTH-STONE OF THE CLUB, AND ILLUMINATES THE COMPANY WITH HIS BACK TO THE FIRE LVI. D OCTOR W ALSINGHAM AND THE C HAPELIZOD C HRISTIANS MEET TO THE SOUND OF THE HOLY BELL, AND A VAMPIRE SITS IN THE CHURCH LVII. I N WHICH D R . T OOLE AND M R . L OWE MAKE A VISIT AT THE M ILLS, AND RECOGNISE SOMETHING REMARKABLE WHILE THERE LVIII. I N WHICH ONE OF LITTLE B OPEEP’S SHEEP COMES HOME AGAIN, AND VARIOUS THEORIES ARE ENTERTAINED RESPECTING C HARLES N UTTER AND L IEUTENANT P UDDOCK LIX. T ELLING HOW A C OACH DREW UP AT THE E LMS, AND TWO FINE LADIES, DRESSED FOR THE BALL, STEPPED IN LX. B EING A CHAPTER OF HOOPS, FEATHERS, AND B RILLIANTS, AND B UCKS AND F IDDLERS LXI. I N WHICH THE GHOSTS OF A BY-GONE SIN KEEP TRYST LXII. O F A S OLEMN RESOLUTION WHICH C APTAIN D EVEREUX REGISTERED AMONG HIS HOUSEHOLD GODS, WITH A LIBATION LXIII. I N WHICH A L IBERTY IS TAKEN WITH M R . N UTTER’S NAME, AND M R . D ANGERFIELD STANDS AT THE ALTAR LXIV. B EING A NIGHT SCENE, IN WHICH M ISS G ERTRUDE C HATTESWORTH, BEING ADJURED BY A UNT B ECKY, MAKES ANSWER LXV. R ELATING SOME AWFUL NEWS THAT REACHED THE VILLAGE, AND HOW D R . W ALSINGHAM VISITED C APTAIN R ICHARD D EVEREUX AT HIS LODGINGS LXVI. O F A CERTAIN TEMPEST THAT AROSE AND SHOOK THE C APTAIN’S SPOONS AND TEA-CUPS ; AND HOW THE WIND SUDDENLY WENT DOWN LXVII. I N WHICH A CERTAIN TROUBLED SPIRIT WALKS LXVIII. H OW AN EVENING PASSES AT THE E LMS, AND D R . T OOLE MAKES A LITTLE EXCURSION ; AND TWO CHOICE SPIRITS DISCOURSE, AND H EBE TRIPS IN WITH THE NECTAR LXIX. C ONCERNING A SECOND HURRICANE THAT RAGED IN C APTAIN D EVEREUX’S DRAWING-ROOM, AND RELATING HOW M RS . I RONS WAS ATTACKED WITH A SORT OF CHOKING IN HER BED LXX. I N WHICH AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR IS SEEN IN THE CEDAR-PARLOUR OF THE T ILED H OUSE, AND THE STORY OF M R . B EAUCLERC AND THE ‘FLOWER DE LUCE’ BEGINS TO BE UNFOLDED LXXI. I N WHICH M R . I RONS’S NARRATIVE REACHES M ERTON M OOR LXXII. I N WHICH THE APPARITION OF M R . I RONS IS SWALLOWED IN DARKNESS LXXIII. C ONCERNING A CERTAIN GENTLEMAN, WITH A BLACK PATCH OVER HIS EYE, WHO MADE SOME VISITS WITH A LADY, IN C HAPELIZOD AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD LXXIV. I N WHICH D OCTOR T OOLE, IN HIS BOOTS, VISITS M R . G AMBLE, AND SEES AN UGLY CLIENT OF THAT GENTLEMAN’S ; AND SOMETHING CROSSES AN EMPTY ROOM LXXV. H OW A GENTLEMAN PAID A VISIT AT THE B RASS C ASTLE, AND THERE READ A PARAGRAPH IN AN OLD NEWSPAPER LXXVI. R ELATING HOW THE C ASTLE WAS TAKEN, AND HOW M ISTRESS M OGGY TOOK HEART OF GRACE LXXVII. I N WHICH I RISH MELODY PREVAILS LXXVIII. I N WHICH, WHILE THE H ARMONY CONTINUES IN F ATHER R OACH’S FRONT PARLOUR, A FEW DISCORDS ARE INTRODUCED ELSEWHERE ; AND D OCTOR T OOLE ARRIVES IN THE MORNING WITH A MARVELLOUS BUDGET OF NEWS LXXIX. S HOWING HOW LITTLE L ILY’S LIFE BEGAN TO CHANGE INTO A RETROSPECT ; AND HOW ON A SUDDEN SHE BEGAN TO FEEL BETTER LXXX. I N WHICH TWO ACQUAINTANCES BECOME, ON A SUDDEN, MARVELLOUSLY FRIENDLY IN THE CHURCH-YARD ; AND M R . D ANGERFIELD SMOKES A PIPE IN THE B RASS C ASTLE, AND RESOLVES THAT THE DUMB SHALL SPEAK LXXXI. I N WHICH M R . D ANGERFIELD RECEIVES A VISITOR, AND MAKES A CALL LXXXII. I N WHICH M R . P AUL D ANGERFIELD PAYS HIS RESPECTS AND COMPLIMENTS AT B ELMONT ; WHERE OTHER VISITORS ALSO PRESENT THEMSELVES LXXXIII. I N WHICH THE KNIGHT OF THE SILVER SPECTACLES MAKES THE ACQUAINTANCE OF THE SAGE ‘ B LACK D ILLON,’ AND CONFERS WITH HIM IN HIS RETREAT LXXXIV. I N WHICH C HRISTIANA GOES OVER ; AND D AN L OFTUS COMES HOME LXXXV. I N WHICH C APTAIN D EVEREUX HEARS THE NEWS ; AND M R . D ANGERFIELD MEETS AN OLD FRIEND AFTER DINNER LXXXVI. I N WHICH M R . P AUL D ANGERFIELD M OUNTS THE STAIRS OF THE HOUSE BY THE CHURCH-YARD, AND MAKES SOME ARRANGEMENTS LXXXVII. I N WHICH TWO COMRADES ARE TETE-A-TETE IN THEIR OLD QUARTERS, AND D OCTOR S TURK’S C UE IS CUT OFF, AND A CONSULTATION COMMENCES LXXXVIII. I N WHICH M R . M OORE THE BARBER ARRIVES, AND THE MEDICAL GENTLEMEN LOCK THE DOOR LXXXIX. I N WHICH A CERTAIN SONGSTER TREATS THE COMPANY TO A D OLOROUS B ALLAD WHEREBY M R . I RONS IS SOMEWHAT MOVED XC. M R . P AUL D ANGERFIELD HAS SOMETHING ON HIS MIND, AND C APTAIN D EVEREUX RECEIVES A MESSAGE XCI. C ONCERNING CERTAIN DOCUMENTS WHICH REACHED M R . M ERVYN, AND THE WITCHES’ REVELS AT THE MILLS XCII. T HE WHER-WOLF XCIII. I N WHICH D OCTOR T OOLE AND D IRTY D AVY CONFER IN THE BLUE-ROOM XCIV. W HAT D