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D. H. Lawrence: Mercury

“Mercury” is a short story by D. H. Lawrence, first published in The Atlantic Monthly in February 1927. On a sweltering summer Sunday, crowds ascend the hill of Mercury, seeking to escape the heat that weighs upon the valleys. At the summit, amid the pine forest, time seems to stand still—no one is in a hurry, and no one has a purpose. Yet as the day wears on, the heat thickens and a silent tension takes hold of the air, as if nature itself were waiting for something imminent to happen.

Saki: The Saint and the Goblin

“The Saint and the Goblin” is a short story by Saki, published in 1910 in Reginald in Russia and Other Sketches. In an old cathedral, a little stone saint and a goblin carved into the opposite wall converse every night. The saint worries about the poor mice that live in the church, while the goblin teases him with irony and a pragmatic view of the world. Between them unfolds a sharp, satirical dialogue about charity and the limits of goodness. An unexpected event will put the sincerity of their ideals to the test.

H. G. Wells: The Story of the Late Mr. Elvesham

“The Story of the Late Mr. Elvesham” is a short story by H. G. Wells, first published in May 1896 in The Idler magazine. Edward Eden, a young medical student, is approached in the street by an elderly stranger who invites him to lunch and proposes making him his heir. Intrigued and tempted by the offer, Eden agrees to undergo a series of medical examinations the old man requires as a condition for sealing the deal. What seems like a providential opportunity soon turns into the threshold of a disturbing fate.

Robert Louis Stevenson: Thrawn Janet

“Thrawn Janet” is a short story by Robert Louis Stevenson, first published in October 1881 in The Cornhill Magazine. A young minister, Reverend Soulis, arrives in the Scottish village of Balweary to take charge of the parish. Ignoring the warnings of the locals, he hires Janet M’Clour as his housekeeper—a woman of ill repute, accused of witchcraft. After a tense confrontation with the village women, Janet publicly swears to renounce the devil. From that moment on, something disturbing begins to manifest around her, and the manse becomes shrouded in an atmosphere of growing fear and mystery.

William Hope Hodgson: The Voice in the Night

“The Voice in the Night” is a short story by William Hope Hodgson, first published in November 1907 in The Blue Book Magazine. On a starless, misty night in the North Pacific, a schooner lies motionless in the middle of the ocean. Suddenly, a disturbing voice emerges from the fog, repeatedly calling out to the ship. The speaker remains hidden in the shadows and refuses to come near the light. His tone is desperate, and his request, strange. The bewildered sailors try to understand who he is and what mystery lies behind this invisible figure who shuns being seen.

M. R. James: Lost Hearts

“Lost Hearts” is a gothic tale written by Montague Rhodes James (M. R. James), first published in The Pall Mall Magazine in 1895. The story follows Stephen Elliot, an orphaned boy who arrives at Aswarby Hall, the mansion of his enigmatic distant cousin, Mr. Abney. This solitary scholar, fascinated by ancient religions and esoteric practices, invites the boy to live in his austere residence in Lincolnshire. As Stephen adjusts to his new home, he grows increasingly intrigued by the mysterious atmosphere of the house and the strange sculptures and books that decorate it. Through conversations with the kind housekeeper, Mrs. Bunch, he uncovers unsettling stories about the mansion and begins to suspect that his cousin’s true intentions may be far darker than they seem.