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The Lady's Maid's Bell
The Lady's Maid's Bell is a short story written by Edith Wharton, an American novelist and short story writer. The story was first published in 1902 and is set in the Victorian era.The story revolves around a young woman named Alice Hartley, who is hired as a lady's maid for the wealthy Mrs. Brympton. Alice is initially excited about her new job, but she soon realizes that her duties are not as glamorous as she had imagined. Mrs. Brympton is a demanding and difficult employer, and Alice finds herself working long hours and struggling to meet her mistress's expectations.One night, Alice hears the sound of a bell ringing in the middle of the night. She assumes it is Mrs. Brympton's bell and rushes to her room, only to find that her mistress is fast asleep. The bell continues to ring, and Alice discovers that it is coming from the room of the previous lady's maid, who died under mysterious circumstances.As the story unfolds, Alice becomes increasingly obsessed with the bell and the secrets it holds. She begins to investigate the death of the previous lady's maid and uncovers a shocking truth about Mrs. Brympton and her family.The Lady's Maid's Bell is a haunting and suspenseful tale that explores themes of class, power, and the dark secrets that lurk beneath the surface of polite society. Wharton's vivid descriptions and masterful storytelling make this a must-read for fans of Gothic literature and Victorian-era fiction.After a while I slept; but suddenly a loud noise wakened me. My bell had rung. I sat up, terrified by the unusual sound, which seemed to go on jangling through the darkness. My hands shook so that I couldn't find the matches. At length I struck a light and jumped out of bed. I began to think I must have been dreaming; but I looked at the bell against the wall, and there was the little hammer still quivering.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
48 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1902
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187 people want to read
About the author
Edith Wharton
1,441 books5,274 followersEdith Wharton emerged as one of America’s most insightful novelists, deftly exposing the tensions between societal expectation and personal desire through her vivid portrayals of upper-class life. Drawing from her deep familiarity with New York’s privileged “aristocracy,” she offered readers a keenly observed and piercingly honest vision of Gilded Age society.
Her work reached a milestone when she became the first woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, awarded for The Age of Innocence. This novel highlights the constraining rituals of 1870s New York society and remains a defining portrait of elegance laced with regret.
Wharton’s literary achievements span a wide canvas. The House of Mirth presents a tragic, vividly drawn character study of Lily Bart, navigating social expectations and the perils of genteel poverty in 1890s New York. In Ethan Frome, she explores rural hardship and emotional repression, contrasting sharply with her urban social dramas.
Her novella collection Old New York revisits the moral terrain of upper-class society, spanning decades and combining character studies with social commentary. Through these stories, she inevitably points back to themes and settings familiar from The Age of Innocence. Continuing her exploration of class and desire, The Glimpses of the Moon addresses marriage and social mobility in early 20th-century America. And in Summer, Wharton challenges societal norms with its rural setting and themes of sexual awakening and social inequality.
Beyond fiction, Wharton contributed compelling nonfiction and travel writing. The Decoration of Houses reflects her eye for design and architecture; Fighting France: From Dunkerque to Belfort presents a compelling account of her wartime observations. As editor of The Book of the Homeless, she curated a moving, international collaboration in support of war refugees.
Wharton’s influence extended beyond writing. She designed her own country estate, The Mount, a testament to her architectural sensibility and aesthetic vision. The Mount now stands as an educational museum celebrating her legacy.
Throughout her career, Wharton maintained friendships and artistic exchanges with luminaries such as Henry James, Sinclair Lewis, Jean Cocteau, André Gide, and Theodore Roosevelt—reflecting her status as a respected and connected cultural figure.
Her literary legacy also includes multiple Nobel Prize nominations, underscoring her international recognition. She was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature more than once.
In sum, Edith Wharton remains celebrated for her unflinching, elegant prose, her psychological acuity, and her capacity to illuminate the unspoken constraints of society—from the glittering ballrooms of New York to quieter, more remote settings. Her wide-ranging work—novels, novellas, short stories, poetry, travel writing, essays—offers cultural insight, enduring emotional depth, and a piercing critique of the customs she both inhabited and dissected.
Her work reached a milestone when she became the first woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, awarded for The Age of Innocence. This novel highlights the constraining rituals of 1870s New York society and remains a defining portrait of elegance laced with regret.
Wharton’s literary achievements span a wide canvas. The House of Mirth presents a tragic, vividly drawn character study of Lily Bart, navigating social expectations and the perils of genteel poverty in 1890s New York. In Ethan Frome, she explores rural hardship and emotional repression, contrasting sharply with her urban social dramas.
Her novella collection Old New York revisits the moral terrain of upper-class society, spanning decades and combining character studies with social commentary. Through these stories, she inevitably points back to themes and settings familiar from The Age of Innocence. Continuing her exploration of class and desire, The Glimpses of the Moon addresses marriage and social mobility in early 20th-century America. And in Summer, Wharton challenges societal norms with its rural setting and themes of sexual awakening and social inequality.
Beyond fiction, Wharton contributed compelling nonfiction and travel writing. The Decoration of Houses reflects her eye for design and architecture; Fighting France: From Dunkerque to Belfort presents a compelling account of her wartime observations. As editor of The Book of the Homeless, she curated a moving, international collaboration in support of war refugees.
Wharton’s influence extended beyond writing. She designed her own country estate, The Mount, a testament to her architectural sensibility and aesthetic vision. The Mount now stands as an educational museum celebrating her legacy.
Throughout her career, Wharton maintained friendships and artistic exchanges with luminaries such as Henry James, Sinclair Lewis, Jean Cocteau, André Gide, and Theodore Roosevelt—reflecting her status as a respected and connected cultural figure.
Her literary legacy also includes multiple Nobel Prize nominations, underscoring her international recognition. She was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature more than once.
In sum, Edith Wharton remains celebrated for her unflinching, elegant prose, her psychological acuity, and her capacity to illuminate the unspoken constraints of society—from the glittering ballrooms of New York to quieter, more remote settings. Her wide-ranging work—novels, novellas, short stories, poetry, travel writing, essays—offers cultural insight, enduring emotional depth, and a piercing critique of the customs she both inhabited and dissected.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
October 14, 2020
SPOOKY SPOOKY SPOOKTOBER!
fulfilling my shortie Spooktober challenge to read one spooky short story a day.
Day one: The Magic Shop by H.G. Wells
Day two: Everything's Fine by Matthew Pridham
Day three: It Came From Hell and Smashed the Angels by Gregor Xane
Day four: Sometimes They Come Back by Stephen King
Day five: The Curse of Yig by H.P. Lovecraft
Day six: The Spook House by Ambrose Bierce
Day seven: An Account of Some Strange Disturbances in Aungier Street by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
Day eight: The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe
Day nine: Graveyard Shift by Stephen King
Day ten: Bitter Grounds by Neil Gaiman
Day eleven: Finding Emma by Matthew Iden
Day twelve: To Be Read at Dusk by Charles Dickens
Day thirteen: Children of the Corn by Stephen King
I think this is perhaps my favorite of the classic shorts I've read thus far this month.
I have only read Edith Wharton one other time, being The House of Mirth my first year of college. And I remembered really liking it but cannot really remember much about it. (As an aside, I realize that I do not remember much about most of the books I read in college, excepting possibly Shakespeare. And my first two years as a literature major is where I read most of what I read. My school and especially the English department was also very cutthroat and we were given usually two days to read complete novels for class. I am a slow reader, especially when it comes to classics and tougher works and I know this is why my 18 year old self probably never fully savored the plotlines to these books and my adult self never found the use to remember them) Anywho, I digress. I may not remember reading Edith Wharton’s novels, but I do in fact remember discussing the author herself. She came from a wealthy family of status and toured Europe extensively as a child. She married a wealthy man when she was very young and was very unhappy in her marriage. She also divorced at a time when divorce was not common and was very much a Jane Austen of her time, writing about feminism and social propriety and women caught in unhappy marriages as a matter of circumstance. Her writing could be very witty and no matter the subject matter always seemed to insert some type of social commentary. And she was also the first woman to ever win a Pulitzer Prize, for the book The Age of Innocence.
After reading The Lady Maid’s Bell, I have started to figure out what my eighteen year old self saw in her in the first place. Wharton’s prose is wonderful. It is straightforward with none of the pomp and flourishes that a lot of classics have. At the same time she very much has a way with words and with telling a story that is definitely ghosty and spooky, but just teeters the line of Gothic, really falling more on the side of not. Her writing is engaging and she uses her words to tell a story and suck the reader in, not necessary to disengage the reader by being too roundabout or purple in her prose. This is a story of Alice Hartley, a young woman who just spent months fighting typhoid and looking for work. She becomes a lady maid to a slightly invalid woman of status named Mrs. Brympton, a kindly youngish lady whose previous maid Emma recently died after twenty years of service and loyal friendship. Miss Hartley enjoys her mistress, her place of employment, and the other servants she finds there, but something about the house itself disturbs her and seems to suck the energy out of her. Mr. Brympton is also cold and harsh and fond of drink, but spends lengths of time away from home. When he does come home, his presence creates a feeling of unease among the staff and the disturbing presence of the house seems even more rattling to Miss Hartley. Things are not what they seem, however, as everyone seems to be keeping secrets about their mistress and the house, and who is that sullen pale woman that Miss Hartley sees occasionally in the empty room behind her?
This is an incredible story of friendship that transcends life and death, about the secrets that we keep to make life worthwhile, and also a little social commentary thrown in for good measure.
Also, ghosts.
4 stars.
Read this perfect little Spooktober treat on the web for free here:
http://www.online-literature.com/whar...
fulfilling my shortie Spooktober challenge to read one spooky short story a day.
Day one: The Magic Shop by H.G. Wells
Day two: Everything's Fine by Matthew Pridham
Day three: It Came From Hell and Smashed the Angels by Gregor Xane
Day four: Sometimes They Come Back by Stephen King
Day five: The Curse of Yig by H.P. Lovecraft
Day six: The Spook House by Ambrose Bierce
Day seven: An Account of Some Strange Disturbances in Aungier Street by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
Day eight: The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe
Day nine: Graveyard Shift by Stephen King
Day ten: Bitter Grounds by Neil Gaiman
Day eleven: Finding Emma by Matthew Iden
Day twelve: To Be Read at Dusk by Charles Dickens
Day thirteen: Children of the Corn by Stephen King
I think this is perhaps my favorite of the classic shorts I've read thus far this month.
I have only read Edith Wharton one other time, being The House of Mirth my first year of college. And I remembered really liking it but cannot really remember much about it. (As an aside, I realize that I do not remember much about most of the books I read in college, excepting possibly Shakespeare. And my first two years as a literature major is where I read most of what I read. My school and especially the English department was also very cutthroat and we were given usually two days to read complete novels for class. I am a slow reader, especially when it comes to classics and tougher works and I know this is why my 18 year old self probably never fully savored the plotlines to these books and my adult self never found the use to remember them) Anywho, I digress. I may not remember reading Edith Wharton’s novels, but I do in fact remember discussing the author herself. She came from a wealthy family of status and toured Europe extensively as a child. She married a wealthy man when she was very young and was very unhappy in her marriage. She also divorced at a time when divorce was not common and was very much a Jane Austen of her time, writing about feminism and social propriety and women caught in unhappy marriages as a matter of circumstance. Her writing could be very witty and no matter the subject matter always seemed to insert some type of social commentary. And she was also the first woman to ever win a Pulitzer Prize, for the book The Age of Innocence.
After reading The Lady Maid’s Bell, I have started to figure out what my eighteen year old self saw in her in the first place. Wharton’s prose is wonderful. It is straightforward with none of the pomp and flourishes that a lot of classics have. At the same time she very much has a way with words and with telling a story that is definitely ghosty and spooky, but just teeters the line of Gothic, really falling more on the side of not. Her writing is engaging and she uses her words to tell a story and suck the reader in, not necessary to disengage the reader by being too roundabout or purple in her prose. This is a story of Alice Hartley, a young woman who just spent months fighting typhoid and looking for work. She becomes a lady maid to a slightly invalid woman of status named Mrs. Brympton, a kindly youngish lady whose previous maid Emma recently died after twenty years of service and loyal friendship. Miss Hartley enjoys her mistress, her place of employment, and the other servants she finds there, but something about the house itself disturbs her and seems to suck the energy out of her. Mr. Brympton is also cold and harsh and fond of drink, but spends lengths of time away from home. When he does come home, his presence creates a feeling of unease among the staff and the disturbing presence of the house seems even more rattling to Miss Hartley. Things are not what they seem, however, as everyone seems to be keeping secrets about their mistress and the house, and who is that sullen pale woman that Miss Hartley sees occasionally in the empty room behind her?
This is an incredible story of friendship that transcends life and death, about the secrets that we keep to make life worthwhile, and also a little social commentary thrown in for good measure.
Also, ghosts.
4 stars.
Read this perfect little Spooktober treat on the web for free here:
http://www.online-literature.com/whar...
July 5, 2020
This is an ambiguous story which manages to be spooky without going out of its way to lay on the Gothic. Wharton basically declares at the beginning that this is a ghost story, but then just lets her tale unfold without trying to give people goosebumps. For me this gave the piece a solidity, which made it more believable, which made it spookier. Probably this is a school of ghost-storytelling, but I don’t know.
I’m not sure what Wharton is getting at. Perhaps there is a parallel between the ‘unnaturalness’ of the ghost’s return, and the ‘immorality’ of the woman’s infidelity -- That both are justified by the woman’s situation. To truly crack this thematic riddle I would need more hints. All I’m left with is the story’s ambiguousness; and the neat feeling that I’ve witnessed something important which I don’t fully understand. The story is like a ghost.
I’m not sure what Wharton is getting at. Perhaps there is a parallel between the ‘unnaturalness’ of the ghost’s return, and the ‘immorality’ of the woman’s infidelity -- That both are justified by the woman’s situation. To truly crack this thematic riddle I would need more hints. All I’m left with is the story’s ambiguousness; and the neat feeling that I’ve witnessed something important which I don’t fully understand. The story is like a ghost.
June 2, 2025
A ghost story told by a lady's Maid. Starts well but ends rather abruptly and wasn't really scary. I had hoped for more from Wharton. It is the first story in Woollcott's Second Reader, a collection of short pieces by literary stars. Will be traveling through these pages slowly, story by story.
April 26, 2023
I read this first in February, and determined I need to read all of Edith Wharton's ghost tales. On first read, I was primarily struck by the fright (plenty), and the unpleasant character of the lady's husband. On second read, I gleaned more and differently: I noticed how the Narrator's physique and description, following her recovery from the dread Typhoid, make her appearance similar to that of her employer, who seems to fulfill the typical description of a Victorian "Fainting Lady." (The Narrator assumes Heart Failure, but I deduce Consumption. ) Nonetheless, the Narrator and the Lady both exude an ethereal appearance and, I think, are or were closer to Death and so are unintentionally open to seeing across the Veil separating Life from Death.
Also on reread, I am more disgruntled at the lack of closure of the puzzle. Why had the Lady's Maid of twenty years' duration passed? What did she hold against the Lady's unpleasant alcoholic husband? Why wasn't he frightened to death? What secret did the ghost attempt to impart to the Narrator?
All in all, a fine rendering in the classic 19th century Ghost Story tradition!
Also on reread, I am more disgruntled at the lack of closure of the puzzle. Why had the Lady's Maid of twenty years' duration passed? What did she hold against the Lady's unpleasant alcoholic husband? Why wasn't he frightened to death? What secret did the ghost attempt to impart to the Narrator?
All in all, a fine rendering in the classic 19th century Ghost Story tradition!
July 11, 2020
Atmospheric, gothic and moody. Beautiful, attentive prose. Completely ambiguous and provoking. I enjoyed Wharton's ghost story very much even though I am unsure what actually occurred on its pages.
September 15, 2024
So… who killed Emma Saxon ??? I can’t believe we readers are still asking this a century later… a testament to Wharton’s writing. The characters and plot build-up are subtle, meticulous, and marvelous… and what a mystery the ending is. I was still thinking about it an hour after I finished the story.
Since we are all giving our takes, here’s mine (which admittedly is horrifying, but I think air-tight) :
1. Mr. Brympton and Mr. Ranford both jointly raped then murdered Saxon, explaining why her ghost had Hartley venture all the way to the latter’s house.
2. Mrs. Brympton knew her roving-eye husband had killed Saxon the entire time. Ranford, not wanting her to suspect him, purposely initiated a romance with the neglected wife.
3. Mr. Brympton only pieced together the affair at the funeral… causing him to wonder if Ranford would have later violated the wife as well.
Since we are all giving our takes, here’s mine (which admittedly is horrifying, but I think air-tight) :
1. Mr. Brympton and Mr. Ranford both jointly raped then murdered Saxon, explaining why her ghost had Hartley venture all the way to the latter’s house.
2. Mrs. Brympton knew her roving-eye husband had killed Saxon the entire time. Ranford, not wanting her to suspect him, purposely initiated a romance with the neglected wife.
3. Mr. Brympton only pieced together the affair at the funeral… causing him to wonder if Ranford would have later violated the wife as well.
February 3, 2021
Moody, atmospheric, tantalizing...and ultimately indecipherable. I have a hard time with stories where the author decides, ultimately, that she doesn't need to spell out the central question (looking at you, Tana French, In the Woods).
I'm fine with stories like The Turn of the Screw (masterpiece) where two very different conclusions are possible, but that's not what happens here.
This short story has all the trappings of an intriguing supernatural gothic tale, but Wharton apparently decided that, rather than explain or solve anything, she'd go with...ambiguity!
Ambiguity is overrated. 3.5 stars.
I'm fine with stories like The Turn of the Screw (masterpiece) where two very different conclusions are possible, but that's not what happens here.
This short story has all the trappings of an intriguing supernatural gothic tale, but Wharton apparently decided that, rather than explain or solve anything, she'd go with...ambiguity!
Ambiguity is overrated. 3.5 stars.
December 8, 2017
El libro contiene tres relatos: la campana de la doncella, después y kerfol. Son relatos de fantasmas al más puro estilo de finales del XIX principios del XX, pero destaca en los tres la perspectiva femenina y feminista, lo cual no es muy habitual. No sólo los personajes principales en los tres relatos son mujeres, sino que las historias se tratan desde su cotidianidad, sus miedos, su falta de libertad, de acceso a privilegios por tema de género. De los tres destacaría el de la campana de la doncella, en el cuál Edith Wharton muestra una crítica hacia la sociedad de la época. El fantasma y el final del relato son geniales, y no puedo decir más que si no destripo el libro.
January 22, 2018
I keep saying my top three - Marcel Proust, George Eliot, and Edith Wharton - but at some point, I'm thinking Edith is going to take a hold of the #2 spot and it is going to be: #1 Marcel Proust, #2 Edith Wharton, and #3 George Eliot (with the exception of Dorothea in Eliot's Middlemarch constantly throwing Eliot back into #2 territory - oh, the turmoil! All three, amazing.
Not a big GHOST STORY fan, but love my Edith, so......The Lady's Maid's Bell, a hit! And I know the Mount - www.edithwharton.org - soooooooooooooo, spooky, spooky! :) Go visit!
Not a big GHOST STORY fan, but love my Edith, so......The Lady's Maid's Bell, a hit! And I know the Mount - www.edithwharton.org - soooooooooooooo, spooky, spooky! :) Go visit!
March 6, 2020
Well this is certainly a story that is perfect for discussion and interpretation. The story is told from the maids view and is suspenseful. You have no doubt that she is worried and afraid, but why, and most important, WHAT HAPPENED!!
A reread is in order, surely I missed something, or maybe I didn’t. Perhaps Ms. Wharton just wanted to drive the reader a little nuts. If so, for me at least, she succeeded.
A reread is in order, surely I missed something, or maybe I didn’t. Perhaps Ms. Wharton just wanted to drive the reader a little nuts. If so, for me at least, she succeeded.
February 8, 2016
captivating.
October 24, 2025
⭐️3.5
I had to go on Reddit to understand wtf I was even reading. Turns out, once you find out, it does make sense. The vibes were vibing and the ghost was hella scary.
Toodles 🖖🏾
I had to go on Reddit to understand wtf I was even reading. Turns out, once you find out, it does make sense. The vibes were vibing and the ghost was hella scary.
Toodles 🖖🏾
August 11, 2012
I read Wharton's supposedly horror story at 3 o'clock after midnight and at some point I felt kind of scared, then disappointed with the vague ending. The first half of the story when the protagonist describes the solitary house and its strange residents is really well written that makes you think something shocking will happen at the end. but no, this is not the type of the story that gets the creeps out of you and makes you hear unusual voices in your kitchen. But of course, I still love Edith Wharton.
October 29, 2019
One of those ambiguous horror story where you're not even sure what happened. The horror comes less from supernatural beings and more from the social environment of women of that era. It's a refreshing story among the collection, with its mild social critique of the place of women in society.
February 12, 2020
I really loved this one and quite enjoyed it! It is very vague and things are open to interetation - very open to interpreatation! Which drives me a little crazy, but reading the theories is a lot of fun! I'd just love to have someone to talk about this!
October 30, 2025
"Saya tidak dapat memikirkan apa yang telah terjadi, tapi saya paham sekarang. Saat itu dia berusaha datang, tapi dia , dia tidak dapat mencapai kami. Dia harus menunggu dua bulan, kemudian dia kembali, dan Ned pergi dengannya." M.B, Ch. Setelahnya
Literal chills
Kumpulan cerita pendek horor yg ditulis Wharton dari 1904 sampe 1916, ini banyak elemen gotik, horornya tipe yg subtle, safe to say I'm quite satisfied, setiap cerita kerasa lambat, terutama klo diawal, tp klo udh ke inti plot bener2 buat page turner, karna saking penasarannya haha, disini cuma nampilin 5 cerita aja, yg jadi cover itu dari chapter pertama, Lonceng sang Pelayan
1. Lonceng Sang Pelayan, diantara semuanya ini yg gaya ceritanya paling straight forward, diiringi sama aura kelam kehantuannya, bener2 nge-set mood untuk mulai baca cerita horor, banyak scene yg ngangkat bulu kuduk, terutama pas Hartley kebangun sama lonceng yg dibunyiin ny. Brimpton trus pintu kamar sebrang kebuka sendiri... minusnya banyak misteri yg gak terungkap ttg apa yg terjadi di rumah itu sebelumnya :(
2. Sepasang Mata, ini lebih ke psychological horror, seorang pria berumur menceritakan pengalaman mistisnya saat masih muda, kayaknya banyak tema tentang rasa malu? gt, kek aku ngerasa sepasang mata itu dateng setiap kali dia buat keputusan yg dia tau deep down dia bener2 gak mau ambil keputusan itu, cuma karna itu expected aja dr bangsawan kyk dia, kyk pas dia ngelamar sepupunya, ato pas dia gak jujur sama kekurangan bakatnya Gilbert, ini banyak nyentil social commentary, tp horrornya kurang kerasa si
3. Setelahnya, this may be my favorite, the feeling of uncanny valley of something not being alright but you don't what it is... bercerita tentang sepasang suami istri yg menetap di London untuk pensiun setelah meraup keuntungan investasi, sang istri Mary merasakan hidupnya sudah mulai sempurna karna menjalani hidup tenang dengan rutinitas teratur setelah 14 thn banting tulang, tp dia memperhatikan gejala aneh pada suaminya Ned. Nyentuh fenomena ttg minimnya pengetahuan istri ttg kehidupan suami, walau sudah bersama2 belasan tahun...
4. Kerfol, ini yg awal2 ngebosenin tp bener2 buat page turner di tengah2, Kerfol nama daerah, yg disitu ada kastel yg udh runtuh bangunannya, abis survey tempat itu si narator baca buku ttg sejarahnya... sedih parah kisahnya, nyeritain pernikahan yg walaupun dari luar keliatan baik baik aj tp kekerasan tetep eksis walau gak terlihat, bener2 pengen nyumpahin suaminya itu, orang gila.
5. Kejayaan Malam, lebih ke psychological horror juga, banyak pergolakan batin dalam si tokoh utama, pada akhirnya keinginan dia untuk gak terlibat malah memberi kemenangan pada kejahatan, kurang pinter si tokoh utama ini.
Cerita ke-dua sama lima kayaknya juga nyentuh ke tepi ranah hubungan queer atau sesama jenis, lebih nyaru di bab dua karna awal setting jg mirip bagian awal Turn of the Screw yg ditulis Henry James, temen wharton yg juga diketahui gay, which is a nice homage.
Aku jg baru ngeh ternyata di tahun 1910-an pun udah mulai masuk revolusi industri ya, di bab lima ada nyinggung soal elektronik dan kabel.
Overall okelah, cocok untuk dibaca di bulan Halloween ini hehe, berkat ini aku jd minat baca horor gotik lainnya, terutama reread turn of the screw yg sempet dnf, soalnya katanya lebih merinding dari ini, mungkin harus baca dr penerjemah yg beda biar lebih ngerti ya.
Literal chills
Kumpulan cerita pendek horor yg ditulis Wharton dari 1904 sampe 1916, ini banyak elemen gotik, horornya tipe yg subtle, safe to say I'm quite satisfied, setiap cerita kerasa lambat, terutama klo diawal, tp klo udh ke inti plot bener2 buat page turner, karna saking penasarannya haha, disini cuma nampilin 5 cerita aja, yg jadi cover itu dari chapter pertama, Lonceng sang Pelayan
1. Lonceng Sang Pelayan, diantara semuanya ini yg gaya ceritanya paling straight forward, diiringi sama aura kelam kehantuannya, bener2 nge-set mood untuk mulai baca cerita horor, banyak scene yg ngangkat bulu kuduk, terutama pas Hartley kebangun sama lonceng yg dibunyiin ny. Brimpton trus pintu kamar sebrang kebuka sendiri... minusnya banyak misteri yg gak terungkap ttg apa yg terjadi di rumah itu sebelumnya :(
2. Sepasang Mata, ini lebih ke psychological horror, seorang pria berumur menceritakan pengalaman mistisnya saat masih muda, kayaknya banyak tema tentang rasa malu? gt, kek aku ngerasa sepasang mata itu dateng setiap kali dia buat keputusan yg dia tau deep down dia bener2 gak mau ambil keputusan itu, cuma karna itu expected aja dr bangsawan kyk dia, kyk pas dia ngelamar sepupunya, ato pas dia gak jujur sama kekurangan bakatnya Gilbert, ini banyak nyentil social commentary, tp horrornya kurang kerasa si
3. Setelahnya, this may be my favorite, the feeling of uncanny valley of something not being alright but you don't what it is... bercerita tentang sepasang suami istri yg menetap di London untuk pensiun setelah meraup keuntungan investasi, sang istri Mary merasakan hidupnya sudah mulai sempurna karna menjalani hidup tenang dengan rutinitas teratur setelah 14 thn banting tulang, tp dia memperhatikan gejala aneh pada suaminya Ned. Nyentuh fenomena ttg minimnya pengetahuan istri ttg kehidupan suami, walau sudah bersama2 belasan tahun...
4. Kerfol, ini yg awal2 ngebosenin tp bener2 buat page turner di tengah2, Kerfol nama daerah, yg disitu ada kastel yg udh runtuh bangunannya, abis survey tempat itu si narator baca buku ttg sejarahnya... sedih parah kisahnya, nyeritain pernikahan yg walaupun dari luar keliatan baik baik aj tp kekerasan tetep eksis walau gak terlihat, bener2 pengen nyumpahin suaminya itu, orang gila.
5. Kejayaan Malam, lebih ke psychological horror juga, banyak pergolakan batin dalam si tokoh utama, pada akhirnya keinginan dia untuk gak terlibat malah memberi kemenangan pada kejahatan, kurang pinter si tokoh utama ini.
Cerita ke-dua sama lima kayaknya juga nyentuh ke tepi ranah hubungan queer atau sesama jenis, lebih nyaru di bab dua karna awal setting jg mirip bagian awal Turn of the Screw yg ditulis Henry James, temen wharton yg juga diketahui gay, which is a nice homage.
Aku jg baru ngeh ternyata di tahun 1910-an pun udah mulai masuk revolusi industri ya, di bab lima ada nyinggung soal elektronik dan kabel.
Overall okelah, cocok untuk dibaca di bulan Halloween ini hehe, berkat ini aku jd minat baca horor gotik lainnya, terutama reread turn of the screw yg sempet dnf, soalnya katanya lebih merinding dari ini, mungkin harus baca dr penerjemah yg beda biar lebih ngerti ya.
October 1, 2023
I wasn't expecting a ghost story to be so calmly told, sparse and concealing like a blanket of snow. Like the spectre, this book only hints at its secrets.
Left with questions I came on here to find out if anyone had "cracked" the ambiguous ending. For the record, here's my version of what happened. All spoilers and speculation ahead.
The Brymptons have an unhappy marriage. Mr B is sanguine, selfish, abusive to his wife and staff. Mrs B is quiet, kind, enjoys reading. At the time we encounter her, she's ill. Where would an unhappy husband turn to satisfy his appetite? Perhaps Mr B made a pass at Emma Saxon, Mrs B's maid and beloved friend. Perhaps she resisted and, he killed her in the struggle.
Mr. Ranford, Mrs. B's close friend, seems to harbour a romantic interest as he conspicuously comes to visit her when Mr B is out traveling. He lives on the outskirts of the village, away from the bustle. My theory is that he and Mrs B were having an affair, and Mr B found out.
Mr. B might have then cajoled Mr. R into burying Emma's body underneath the elm in his front yard. In return, he wouldn't expose or interfere with the affair, and both families would avoid scandal.
However, Mr B's volatility made the agreement unstable. He was a physical threat to his wife and his temper getting out of hand.
Emma's ghost was trying to tell our protagonist of all this as a last act of protection of her beloved Mrs B. And our protagonist, having recently been near death herself, was just the right person to receive a message from beyond the veil.
Left with questions I came on here to find out if anyone had "cracked" the ambiguous ending. For the record, here's my version of what happened. All spoilers and speculation ahead.
The Brymptons have an unhappy marriage. Mr B is sanguine, selfish, abusive to his wife and staff. Mrs B is quiet, kind, enjoys reading. At the time we encounter her, she's ill. Where would an unhappy husband turn to satisfy his appetite? Perhaps Mr B made a pass at Emma Saxon, Mrs B's maid and beloved friend. Perhaps she resisted and, he killed her in the struggle.
Mr. Ranford, Mrs. B's close friend, seems to harbour a romantic interest as he conspicuously comes to visit her when Mr B is out traveling. He lives on the outskirts of the village, away from the bustle. My theory is that he and Mrs B were having an affair, and Mr B found out.
Mr. B might have then cajoled Mr. R into burying Emma's body underneath the elm in his front yard. In return, he wouldn't expose or interfere with the affair, and both families would avoid scandal.
However, Mr B's volatility made the agreement unstable. He was a physical threat to his wife and his temper getting out of hand.
Emma's ghost was trying to tell our protagonist of all this as a last act of protection of her beloved Mrs B. And our protagonist, having recently been near death herself, was just the right person to receive a message from beyond the veil.
July 31, 2024
This was well-written and definitely spooky. I love a good old fashioned Gothic haunted house story. The ending was very ambiguous and if this was a modern writer, I’d say it was a cop-out. I personally would interpret it as the writer not knowing how to end their own story and leaving it “open ended” and open to interpretation *insert eye roll here*
However, I’ve read other Wharton texts. To me, she always has a point. There is always something left to unravel and I want to believe it is the same with this text.
We have a narrator that seems reliable enough, a mistress who is kind but burdened, a husband who is either absent or abusive, a friend who could be innocent or playing both sides, and house staff who are all in on the secret but won’t share. In addition to this, what happened to Emma? Specifically?Also, what happened to the other maids? Why were the rooms rearranged? What was the symbolism of the bell? I definitely feel this is the kind of story that warrants multiple readings and possibly some group discussion.
However, I’ve read other Wharton texts. To me, she always has a point. There is always something left to unravel and I want to believe it is the same with this text.
We have a narrator that seems reliable enough, a mistress who is kind but burdened, a husband who is either absent or abusive, a friend who could be innocent or playing both sides, and house staff who are all in on the secret but won’t share. In addition to this, what happened to Emma? Specifically?Also, what happened to the other maids? Why were the rooms rearranged? What was the symbolism of the bell? I definitely feel this is the kind of story that warrants multiple readings and possibly some group discussion.
December 6, 2025
༘ ೀ⋆｡˚
A tight, chilling study in loyalty from beyond the grave.
Alice Hartley arrives as Mrs. Brympton’s new maid, stepping into a household still warped by the absence of her predecessor, Emma Saxon.
𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆🌷͙⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ
Mrs. Brympton is all fragility and stifled breath, her husband’s shadow tightening around her like a corset. ⚝
But it is Emma-dead and still not done-whose presence clings to the house like damp wallpaper.
Mrs. Brympton dies of a sudden, stress-induced collapse-framed as the final consequence of her husband’s oppressive presence-while the ghost of Emma tries, unsuccessfully, to prevent it.
The supernatural may murmur warnings, but it cannot unmake the wounds carved by power.
A tight, chilling study in loyalty from beyond the grave.
Alice Hartley arrives as Mrs. Brympton’s new maid, stepping into a household still warped by the absence of her predecessor, Emma Saxon.
𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆🌷͙⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ
Mrs. Brympton is all fragility and stifled breath, her husband’s shadow tightening around her like a corset. ⚝
But it is Emma-dead and still not done-whose presence clings to the house like damp wallpaper.
Mrs. Brympton dies of a sudden, stress-induced collapse-framed as the final consequence of her husband’s oppressive presence-while the ghost of Emma tries, unsuccessfully, to prevent it.
The supernatural may murmur warnings, but it cannot unmake the wounds carved by power.
June 2, 2025
Un final sin final. Me deja la sensación de que el esposo tuvo algo que ver con la muerte de Emma. Y es por eso que el fantasma se muestra feliz con la presencia del otro hombre pero desaprueba la violencia del señor Brympton y cada que llega no solo los trabajadores cambian sus formas, sino también el propio fantasma. Creo que al final Emma [fantasma] quería ayudar a la señora a que se librara de su marido, y como vio que no era posible, y que aparte guardaba el secreto sin hacerle a ella justicia, fue que provocó su muerte como último acto de amor. No sé. Es un cuento difícil de explicar. Aún así, muy bonito para leer una tarde de lluvia, en Octubre. Regresaré a él.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2023
Alice is a lady maid to a sickly woman. She is haunted by the pervious lady maid, Emma, who worked for the mistress for 20 years before her death. The husband is a vile man who scares his wife and the staff but he travels a lot and is rarely home. The mistress seems to be having a physical or emotional affair with a neighbor and her husband sneaks back one night to catch them but is haunted by the former maid and his wife dies. I’m still confused because it seems that perhaps her death wasn’t natural but it was never explained.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2026
Most of Edith Wharton's writings are short but I like them because of the way they flow. Her writing is much like poetry; it is very relaxing to read and sometimes as in this audible version listen to.
For example, I admired the verse; "It was a very still night, earth and air all muffled in snow. Once in bed I felt easier, and lay quiet, listening to the strange noises that come out in a house after dark."
It was worth the 53 minutes of my day to listen to this story and I also got a sewing project at the same time.
For example, I admired the verse; "It was a very still night, earth and air all muffled in snow. Once in bed I felt easier, and lay quiet, listening to the strange noises that come out in a house after dark."
It was worth the 53 minutes of my day to listen to this story and I also got a sewing project at the same time.
July 21, 2020
This book was short and sweet.
House that makes you feel down and alone, a husband with issues, a dead maid. This has all the makings for a good story and Edith Wharton didn't disappoint. There was a lot that was unsaid, and some things that you are left to speculate, but this was a good short story. I wish that there was more because I love this author's works and know she would have done something fabulous with it. All in all this was a great ghost story.
House that makes you feel down and alone, a husband with issues, a dead maid. This has all the makings for a good story and Edith Wharton didn't disappoint. There was a lot that was unsaid, and some things that you are left to speculate, but this was a good short story. I wish that there was more because I love this author's works and know she would have done something fabulous with it. All in all this was a great ghost story.
January 25, 2024
As someone who does not imagine images when they read, which is something I feel this ghost story would typically play on, I was rather fascinated as to where this would go. Overall a good read that I would absolutely read again to get back from a slump as it is short and sweet as far as a spooky story can be sweet that is.
March 16, 2019
A tragic, gloomy, mysterious tale written by Edith Wharton that echoed the atmospheres of Henry James' "The turn of the screenshot".
Nothing strange considering that the two writers were friend.
Nothing strange considering that the two writers were friend.
October 26, 2019
31 Classic Horror Stories Every Fan Should Read in October: A Literary Advent Calender for Halloween: Day 23:
https://www.oldstyletales.com/single-...
https://www.oldstyletales.com/single-...
October 6, 2021
3.5 stars. A ghost story that unapologetically explains nothing. The ending is rather unsatisfying with its abruptness, and leaves the reader with ambiguity. The weird atmosphere's portrayal is first rate. This can be found in The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton. It is also on youtube.
September 25, 2023
Entertaining horror listening🎧
I listened to this as part of Classic Tales of Horror - 500+ Stories. This story is very interesting with will developed characters.
I would recommed this individual story and box set to readers of horror stories. 2023
I listened to this as part of Classic Tales of Horror - 500+ Stories. This story is very interesting with will developed characters.
I would recommed this individual story and box set to readers of horror stories. 2023
September 17, 2024
This was short and entertaining until the ending which was shit. I had to read what other people thought happened and think about their ideas and my own to come up with a idea of what the author was trying to get at in the ending
January 6, 2026
A woman in service who is in dire straits after recovering from typhoid gets a position with an acquaintance's invalid married niece. A ghost is in a room where no one is supposed to enter. The maid sees the ghost of the former housemaid, the wife dies, the husband doesn't seem very sad.
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