A. T. Quiller-Couch

Name: John and the Ghosts
Author: A. T. Quiller-Couch

John and the Ghosts (1901)

Summary

“John and the Ghosts”, published in 1901, is a work by A. T. Quiller-Couch. It explores elements such as John, coffin and Illyria.

Quotes from John and the Ghosts (A. T. Quiller-Couch)

A. T. Quiller-Couch, John and the Ghosts (1901)

“ If you're in the swindle too, my mind is easier,” said John, and signed his name with a flourish. “But a bargain is a bargain, and what security have I for your part in it?”
“Our signature!” said the priest terribly, at the same moment pressing his branding-iron into John's ankle. A smell of burnt cork arose as John stooped and clapped his hand over the scorched stocking. When he looked up again his visitors had vanished; and a moment later the strange light, too, died away.
But the coffin remained for evidence that he had not been dreaming. John lit a candle and examined it. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. T. Quiller-Couch, John and the Ghosts (1901)

“ The bridegroom followed; and so did the wedding-guests, since no one opposed them.
The hall and staircase were decorated with palms and pot-plants, flags and emblems of Illyria; and in the great drawing-room—which they entered while John persuaded the King to a seat—they found many rows of morocco-covered chairs, a miniature stage with a drop representing the play-scene in Hamlet, a row of footlights, a boudoir-grand piano, and a man seated at the keyboard whom they recognised as a performer in much demand at suburban dances. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. T. Quiller-Couch, John and the Ghosts (1901)

“ The Princess was pale. John, on the contrary, who sat facing her father in the State Coach, smiled with a cheerfulness which, in the circumstances, seemed a trifle under-bred. The wedding-guests followed in twenty-four chariots. Their cards of invitation had said “Two to five-thirty p.m.,” and it was now eight o'clock; but they could not resist the temptation to see the last of “the poor dear thing,” as they agreed to call the bride. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. T. Quiller-Couch, John and the Ghosts (1901)

“ The girl cast herself forward on the old man's body, but the two scoundrels dragged her from it by force. “The money!” demanded the dark one; and she drew from her bosom a small key and cast it at his feet. “My promise!” demanded the other, and seized her by the wrist as the priest stepped forward. “Quick! over this coffin—man and wife!” She wrenched her hand away and thrust him backward. The priest retreated to the brazier and drew out a red-hot iron.
John thought it about time to interfere. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. T. Quiller-Couch, John and the Ghosts (1901)

“ The eldest had become a lawyer and the second a merchant, and each of these had won riches and friends; but John, the youngest, who had enlisted in the army, could only show a cork leg and a medal.
“You have made a bad business of it,” said his brothers. “Your medal is worthless except to a collector of such things, and your leg a positive disadvantage. Fortunately we have influence, and since you are our brother we must see what we can do for you.”
Now the King of Illyria lived at that time in his capital, in a brick palace at the end of the great park. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. T. Quiller-Couch, John and the Ghosts (1901)

“ That frightening of the bull-dog out of his wits has always been our most effective bit of business.”
Hereupon the dark ghost took another tone.
“Our fair but unfortunate victim has a sore throat to-night,” he announced. “The performance is consequently postponed.” And he seated himself sulkily upon the coffin, where the limelight-man from the wings promptly bathed him in a flood of the most beautiful rose-colour. “Oh, this is intolerable!” he exclaimed, starting to his feet.
“It is not first-rate, I agree,” said John; “but such as it is, we had better go through with it. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. T. Quiller-Couch, John and the Ghosts (1901)

“ The King sighed again.
“Unhappily none survives. One hundred and fifty-five have undertaken the adventure, and not a man of them but has either lost his wits or run for it.”
“Well,” said John, “I've been afraid of a great many men——”
“That's a poor confession for a soldier,” put in the King.
“——when they all happened to come at me together. But I've never yet met the ghost that could frighten me ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. T. Quiller-Couch, John and the Ghosts (1901)

“ But the richest citizens, who were so fond of their ruler that they could not live out of his sight, had their houses just beyond the park, in the rear of the palace, on a piece of ground which they called Palace Gardens. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. T. Quiller-Couch, John and the Ghosts (1901)

“ The longest-living author of this work died in 1944, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 79 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works. ”

A. T. Quiller-Couch

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