The Old Ladies

by Hugh Walpole

This vintage book contains Hugh Walpole's 1924 novel, "The Old Ladies." This book was written whilst Walpole was staying with his parents in Switzerland. It was begun without much prior thought, and served as a welcome break from another book he had been writing by which he had been utterly absorbed. Inspired by a peculiar old lady encountered by Walpole in Switzerland, this sinister and engrossing tale will appeal to fans of eerie literature, and will be of special interest to collectors of Walpole's masterful work. The chapters of this book Mrs. Amorest Pays a Visit, Evening in the House Agatha Payne, Life of May Beringer, Red Amber, Christmas Eve Polchester Winter Piece, Agatha Secretly, Death of Hopes, May Beringer Tries to Escape, etcetera. Many texts such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive, and it is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now, in an affordable, high-quality, modern edition. It comes complete with a specially commissioned biography of the author."

Genres: Fiction, British Literature, Mystery

Hardback

First published January 1, 1924

About the author

Sir Hugh Seymour Walpole was an English novelist. A prolific writer, he published thirty-six novels, five volumes of short stories, two plays and three volumes of memoirs. His skill at scene-setting, his vivid plots, his high profile as a lecturer and his driving ambition brought him a large readership in the United Kingdom and North America. A best-selling author in the 1920s and 1930s, his works have been neglected since his death.

Reviews

[writer...]

Audio listening enjoyment of this BBC Radio story broadcast from 1968. Unique characterization of 3 elderly housemates and dramatization of early 1900s life kept me involved.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

From BBC Radio 4:
A play by Rodney Ackland adapted from the novel by Hugh Walpole
Quite a few years ago there was an old rickety building on the rock above Polchester in an old, grass-grown square. And in this house at one time or another lived three old ladies - Mrs. Lucy Amorest, Miss May Beringer and Mrs. Agatha Payne. It was a windy, creaky. rain-bitten place ...

Narrated by Peter Williams
Mrs Agatha Payne: Edith Evans
Mrs Lucy Amorest: Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies
Miss May Beringer: Sylvia Coleridge
Produced by Charles Lefeaux

https://archive.org/details/TheOldLad...

[Mary Elizabeth Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fascinating look at what Hugh Walpole thought about old age, in 1885. These old ladies are just 70, but in Walpole's story, written in 1924, they are seriously ancient, poor, downtrodden, pitiable creatures. If you have any doubts about the progress women have made in the last 100 years, this will reassure you that we are very much better off in every respect, in our western societies.

[Steve Payne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Atmospheric novel about three old women living in a house, one of whom is a rather cold, ruthless, sinister character. A straightforward and enjoyable read.

[António · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obra de intriga com poucos incidentes, poucas personagens (praticamente três com conteúdo) e poucas páginas. Os dramas das três idosas parecem pequenos, e nas suas vidas, talvez não haja nada merecedor de registo. Mas com a sua caracterização directa e a sua frieza para descobrir os recantos mais despercebidos da psique e os pormenores mais importantes do quotidiano, Walpole consegue traçar um quadro psicológico tão perturbador quanto merecedor de atenção.
A sra. Barrenger é medrosa, fraca de espírito e frágil de ânimo. Sem outra companhia que não a do cão devoto, sem perspectivas que não a de morrer sem sobressaltos nem miséria, e sem bens de significado para lá de uma pedra de âmbar oferecida por uma antiga (e a única) amiga, o seu perfil patético desafia a comiseração que não podemos deixar de sentir ao vê-la cair nas mãos da sra. Payne. Verdadeira vilã de histórias de crianças, a sra. Payne é quase demasiado egoísta para o ser. Preocupada apenas com os seus prazeres e conveniências, e vendo nos outros somente meios ou obstáculos para ter o que pretende, não conhece fronteiras que a impeçam de invadir habitações ou pensar como seus objectos alheios. As emoções dos demais não lhe ocupam o espírito, exceptuando o prazer que sente em causar temor. Por fim, a sra. Amorest não é heroína nem excepcional, mas tem empatia, bons instintos e disponibilidade para ser correcta – é uma pessoa decente.
O final do livro (mais concretamente, o último capítulo), por um lado, não convence, tanto porque o filho da sra. Amorest é um salvador de moral ou sentimentos muito duvidosos, como porque a alegria da sra. Amorest suscita o mesmo desapontamento causado pela revelação, tão habitualmente condenada noutras histórias, que tudo havia sido um sonho. Neste caso, depois de um ambiente progressivamente mais tenso e sinistro construído ao longo do livro, a libertação final parece sugerir que tudo foi afinal um pesadelo. Por outro lado, é essa inversão de perspectivas que propõe quiçá a orientação de leitura mais interessante do livro: a de lembrar que a linha entre o isolamento desesperante e a integração feliz no mundo é ténue ao ponto de poder depender de um só rosto próximo; que é igualmente ténue a que separa a sensatez ou perspicácia da loucura alucinada; e que pode nem haver linha a separar a maldade mesquinha da fragilidade, pois, como descobre a sra. Amorest, o monstro grande que rugia no escuro pode, uma vez acendida a luz, revelar-se um bicho de garras pequenas a arranhar para se defender de um mundo demasiado grande para reparar nele.

[Jim Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sadly, Hugh Walpole has been all but forgotten. One hundred years ago, he was a prolific, popular writer, but his mixture of humor and horror has somehow gone out of style. I’m not sure why, as many of his novels, like this one, are hard to put down once you start them. This is a story about three poor women forced to rent rooms in a creepy old house. Each has a distinct personality—Miss Beringer is a timid rabbit, terrified of the world. Mrs. Amorest is a lady in reduced circumstances, loving at heart, but a snob. Finally there is Agatha Payne, a slothful gypsy Catholic with a greedy heart, skilled in the dark arts. She begins a reign terror on Miss Beringer to take her prized possession, a piece of colored glass given to her by her best friend. While the plot may seem paper thin, Walpole makes all of the characters come alive and what happens to each member of the household riveting. This is a small masterpiece!

[Janis Barrs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strangely sad

I had to keep reading until the end. Felt cold and weary just reading the prose. Ending came as a relief

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

First couple of chapters read as if they were along the lines of Louisa May Alcott.
But then that changed, dramatically.

A different read.

[Maurisa Mayerle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly enjoyable despite its dark nature. It seemed to me a study in capital vices personified in three old ladies.

[George Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is most likely the most disturbing novel I've ever read. The author lays bare many fears of people who are growing old with little or no safety net.

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book opens just before Christmas, many years ago. In the city of Polchester there was an old rickety building on the rock above an old grass-grown square. The house was a windy, creaky, rain-bitten place where three old ladies lived as tenants, including Miss Beringer, who moved in the day before.

Although Miss Beringer has a rather nervous personality, she is befriended by a kindly neighbour named Mrs. Amorest. Soon, however, she meets the third tenant, a strange woman who takes an interest in her one treasured possession, an amber figurine. Although it is the morning of Christmas Eve, the mood in the house soon turns ominous, despite Mrs Amorest's best efforts to foster a festive spirit...

Creepy and sinister stuff for its time.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

A strange story. I thought any book titled "The Old Ladies" would be heartwarming and lovely but this was quite the opposite. It was a bit disturbing and odd and somewhat fantastic. Three women figure in the novel, Mrs. Amorest, Miss Beringer, and Mrs. Payne. Mrs. Payne is quite disturbed. Miss Beringer is weak-minded. Mrs. Amorest is the nicest of the bunch. Very strange novel indeed.

[Penelope · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gentle look at old age as it was nearly a century ago

[Martin18]

Read this as a play.