Short Fiction · Chapters

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Chapter companions for Short Fiction by J. Sheridan Le Fanu.

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Chapter 1
The Ghost and the Bonesetter
Terry Neil, a bonesetter and farmer, is compelled to sit up overnight in the old castle as a tribute to the family. Despite his fear of the resident ghost—the old squire who haunts the castle—he and the steward Lawrence Connor attempt to keep watch. After drinking and a terrifying encounter, Terry finds himself on the floor at dawn, having broken a chair leg, and the ghost is never seen again.
Chapter 2
The Fortunes of Sir Robert Ardagh
Sir Robert Ardagh, the last heir of an ancient Irish family, returns from foreign service with a mysterious and malevolent valet named Jacque. Lady Ardagh develops a deep antipathy toward Jacque, but Sir Robert refuses to dismiss him. One night, Sir Robert's bell rings violently; a servant discovers Jacque lounging defiantly while Sir Robert appears terrified and submissive. Jacque orders the carriage prepared, and Sir Robert complies. Later, Sir Robert calmly predicts his own death that night, despite being in perfect health, and gives funeral directions. His sisters-in-law arrive to find Lady Ardagh in despair, and Sir Robert reiterates his prophecy with chilling certainty.
Chapter 3
The Last Heir of Castle Connor
The narrator, Mr. Purcell, recounts his friendship with young O'Connor, the last heir of an ancient Irish Catholic family. He describes O'Connor's return from abroad, the joyous welcome from the local community, and his mother's deep love for him. The chapter ends with Purcell's later visit to the now-desolate Castle Connor, where he finds O'Connor's mother still grieving her lost son.
Chapter 4
The Drunkard's Dream
A clergyman recounts the story of Pat Connell, a reformed drunkard who, after a terrifying dream of damnation, resolves to change his ways. Despite his reformation, Connell dies from a fall down the stairs, mirroring the fate foreshadowed in his dream, leaving the narrator to ponder the mysterious connection between dreams and divine warning.
Chapter 5
Passage in the Secret History of an Irish Countess
The narrator, Lady Margaret, recounts her early life under her reclusive father and her uncle Sir Arthur T⸺n, who was suspected of murder. After her father's death, she is forced to live with her uncle, who pressures her to marry her cousin Edward. She refuses, leading to a plot to murder her, which is accidentally thwarted when the assassins kill her friend instead. The Frenchwoman involved is captured and confesses, implicating Sir Arthur. The chapter ends with Lady Margaret's grief and reflection on divine retribution.

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The Ghost and the Bonesetter

The Fortunes of Sir Robert Ardagh

The Last Heir of Castle Connor

The Drunkard's Dream

Passage in the Secret History of an Irish Countess