Arthur Machen

Vi satt kring sjuklingens bädd och såg den ohyggliga, pipande varelsen växa fram ur hans kropp, tills två vidriga, spindelbenssmala armar frigjorde sig. De diminutiva naglarna var perfekta, man kunde till och med urskilja de små halvmånarna vid nagelrötterna. Armarna gestikulerade och den högra handen famlade efter den döendes blonda skägg. -- Nej, jag står inte ut! skrek min vän och tog upp rakkniven... Från mörkrets mästare, en gedigen samling skräckhistorier som sällan eller aldrig bokpublicerats på svenska tidigare. Drypande djungelmysterier samsas med hemsökta herresäten, svinmonster från andra dimensioner och styggelser i urtida hålor under Gizas pyramider. Här finns också en bitterljuv spökhistoria om en blind kvinna, som i sin ensamhet fyller hemmet med spökande barn. Och därtill en essä där en av mästarna skildrar sina allt för livliga mardrömmar. Tretton skräckklassiker för finsmakaren, skrivna av H. P. Lovecraft, Gustav Meyrink, Rudyard Kipling med flera.

The Terror (1917) - Short novel. In wartime Britain, a series of unexplained murders occur with no sign of who or what is responsible.

The Heptameron - Tales and Novels of Marguerite, Queen of Navarre is an unchanged, high-quality reprint of the original edition of 1886. Hansebooks is editor of the literature on different topic areas such as research and science, travel and expeditions, cooking and nutrition, medicine, and other genres. As a publisher we focus on the preservation of historical literature. Many works of historical writers and scientists are available today as antiques only. Hansebooks newly publishes these books and contributes to the preservation of literature which has become rare and historical knowledge for the future.

"We owe a great deal to you," said Mr. Davies politely; "the doctor said so before he left. But have we not all three some farewells to make? I, for my part, propose to say good-by, here, before this picturesque but mouldy residence, to my friend Mr. Burton, dealer in the antique and curious," and the man lifted his hat with an exaggerated bow. "And I," said Richmond, "bid adieu to Mr. Wilkins, the private secretary, whose company has, I confess, become a little tedious." "Farewell to Miss Lally, and to Miss Leicester also," said the girl, making as she spoke a delicious courtesy. "Farewell to all occult adventure; the farce is played." Mr. Davies and the lady seemed full of grim enjoyment, but Richmond tugged at his whiskers nervously.

It has been pointed out to me by friends who have been good enough to read this record, that certain phrases I have used may give the impression that I ascribe all the delays of the war on the Western front to the extraordinary circumstances which occasioned the issue of the Secret Circular. Of course this is not the case, there were many reasons for the immobility of our lines from October 1914 to July 1916. These causes have been evident enough and have been openly discussed and deplored. But behind them was something of infinitely greater moment. We lacked men, but men were pouring into the new army; we were short of shells, but when the shortage was proclaimed the nation set itself to mend this matter with all its energy. We could undertake to supply the defects of our army both in men and munitions-if the new and incredible danger could be overcome. It has been overcome; rather, perhaps, it has ceased to exist; and the secret may now be told. I have said my attention was attracted by an account of the death of a well-known airman. I have not the habit of preserving cuttings, I am sorry to say, so that I cannot be precise as to the date of this event.

A discussion between two men on the nature of evil leads one of them to reveal a mysterious Green Book he possesses. It is a young girl's diary, in which she describes in ingenuous, evocative prose her strange impressions of the countryside in which she lives as well as conversations with her nurse, who initiates her into a secret world of folklore and ritual magic. Throughout, the girl makes cryptic allusions to such topics as "nymphs", "D ls", "voolas," "white, green, and scarlet ceremonies", "Aklo letters", the "Xu" and "Chian" languages, "Mao games", and a game called "Troy Town" (the last of which is a reference to actual practices involving labyrinths or labyrinthine dances). The girl's tale gradually develops a mounting atmosphere of suspense, with suggestions of witchcraft, only to break off abruptly just at the point where a supreme revelation seems imminent. In a return to the frame story, the diary's custodian reveals that the girl had "poisoned herself-in time", making the analogy of a child finding the key to a locked medicine cabinet.