Blavatsky's Nightmare Tales

by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky

It was a dark, chilly night in September, 1884. A heavy gloom had descended over the streets of A., a small town on the Rhine, and was hanging like a black funeral-pall over the dull factory burgh. The greater number of its inhabitants, wearied by their long day's work, had hours before retired to stretch their tired limbs, and lay their aching heads upon their pillows. All was quiet in the large house; all was quiet in the deserted streets.I too was lying in my bed; alas, not one of rest, but of pain and sickness, to which I had been confined for some days. So still was everything in the house, that, as Longfellow has it, its stillness seemed almost audible. I could plainly hear the murmur of the blood, as it rushed through my aching body, producing that monotonous singing so familiar to one who lends a watchful ear to silence. I had listened to it until, in my nervous imagination, it had grown into the sound of a distant cataract, the fall of mighty waters ... when, suddenly changing its character, the ever growing "singing" merged into other and far more welcome sounds. It was the low, and at first scarce audible, whisper of a human voice. It approached, and gradually strengthening seemed to speak in my very ear. Thus sounds a voice speaking across a blue quiescent lake, in one of those wondrously acoustic gorges of the snow-capped mountains, where the air is so pure that a word pronounced half a mile off seems almost at the elbow. Yes; it was the voice of one whom to know is to reverence; of one, to me, owing to many mystic associations, most dear and holy; a voice familiar for long years and ever welcome: doubly so in hours of mental or physical suffering, for it always brings with it a ray of hope and consolation..

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Short Stories, Spirituality

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1892

About the author

Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (Russian: Еле́на Петро́вна Блава́тская, Yelena Petrovna Blavatskaya, often known as Madame Blavatsky; 12 August [O.S. 31 July] 1831 – 8 May 1891) was a Russian occultist, philosopher, and author who co-founded the Theosophical Society in 1875. She gained an international following as the leading theoretician of Theosophy, the esoteric religion that the society promoted.

Source: Wikipedia

Reviews

[Paul Snowdon]

Apparently this is Blavatsky in one of her lighter moments, some of it I found pretty difficult to grasp. A really great selection of mysterious stories, often set in far-off lands, not what I would call Nightmare Tales though. Recommended

[Darren]

Disappointingly flat/uninspiring tales (9 thereof) mostly involving mesmerism/reincarnation etc. Poe-esque "Ensouled Violin" half-decent, and "Karmic Visions" probably best written/entertaining. 2.5 Stars, rounding down.

[SyringaVulgariska]

Jak zawsze w przypadku wydawnictwa IX świetne tłumaczenie i wstęp. Same opowieści przyjemne i typowe dla literatury okresu.

[Jamie]

A variable but overall solid collection of strange stories of the occult and supernatural, with a dash of Victorian melodrama. 'The Ensouled Violin' was the standout tale for me.

[Irene]

3,5
Una lettura piacevole, anche se non particolarmente spaventosa e gotica come piace a me. Mi ha colpito solo l'ultimo racconto, "Il violino umano".