The Great God Pan E-Book

ARTHUR MACHEN

• Herausgeber: DigiCat
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

In Arthur Machen's 'The Great God Pan', readers are taken on a haunting journey into the realm of the supernatural and the unknown. Machen's lyrical prose and vivid descriptions create an atmosphere of mystery and suspense throughout the narrative. This book can be seen as a pioneering work in the genre of cosmic horror, influencing later writers such as H.P. Lovecraft. The themes of ancient gods, forbidden knowledge, and the blurred line between reality and the supernatural make 'The Great God Pan' a compelling and unsettling read. Arthur Machen, a Welsh author known for his contributions to the genre of horror fiction, drew inspiration from folklore and his own experiences to craft this chilling tale. Machen's background in journalism and his interest in mysticism and the occult shine through in his writing, adding layers of depth and complexity to the narrative. I highly recommend 'The Great God Pan' to readers who enjoy atmospheric and thought-provoking horror fiction. Machen's unique blend of mysticism and terror will keep you captivated until the very last page.

Leseprobe

Arthur Machen

The Great God Pan

 

EAN 8596547390282

DigiCat, 2022 Contact: [email protected]

Table of Contents

I. The Experiment

II. Mr. Clarke's Memoirs

III. The City of Resurrections

IV. The Discovery in Paul Street

V. The Letter of Advice

VI. The Suicides

VII. The Encounter in Soho

VIII. The Fragments

I The Experiment

Table of Contents

'I am glad you came, Clarke; very glad indeed. I was not sure you could spare the time.'

'I was able to make arrangements for a few days; things are not very lively just now. But have you no misgivings, Raymond? Is it absolutely safe?'

The two men were slowly pacing the terrace in front of Dr. Raymond's house. The sun still hung above the western mountain-line, but it shone with a dull red glow that cast no shadows, and all the air was quiet; a sweet breath came from the great wood on the hillside above, and with it, at intervals, the soft murmuring call of the wild doves. Below, in the long lovely valley, the river wound in and out between the lonely hills, and, as the sun hovered and vanished into the west, a faint mist, pure white, began to rise from the banks. Dr. Raymond turned sharply to his friend.

'Safe? Of course it is. In itself the operation is a perfectly simple one; any surgeon could do it.'

'And there is no danger at any other stage?'

'None; absolutely no physical danger whatever, I give you my word. You are always timid, Clarke, always; but you know my history. I have devoted myself to transcendental medicine for the last twenty years. I have heard myself called quack and charlatan and impostor, but all the while I knew I was on the right path. Five years ago I reached the goal, and since then every day has been a preparation for what we shall do to-night.'

'I should like to believe it is all true.' Clarke knit his brows, and looked doubtfully at Dr. Raymond. 'Are you perfectly sure, Raymond, that your theory is not a phantasmagoria—a splendid vision, certainly, but a mere vision after all?'

Dr. Raymond stopped in his walk and turned sharply. He was a middle-aged man, gaunt and thin, of a pale yellow complexion, but as he answered Clarke and faced him, there was a flush on his cheek.

'Look about you, Clarke. You see the mountain, and hill following after hill, as wave on wave, you see the woods and orchards, the fields of ripe corn, and the meadows reaching to the reed-beds by the river. You see me standing here beside you, and hear my voice; but I tell you that all these things—yes, from that star that has just shone out in the sky to the solid ground beneath our feet—I say that all these are but dreams and shadows: the shadows that hide the real world from our eyes. There is a real world, but it is beyond this glamour and this vision, beyond these "chases in Arras, dreams in a career," beyond them all as beyond a veil. I do not know whether any human being has ever lifted that veil; but I do know, Clarke, that you and I shall see it lifted this very night from before another's eyes. You may think all this strange nonsense; it may be strange, but it is true, and the ancients knew what lifting the veil means. They called it seeing the god Pan.'

Clarke shivered; the white mist gathering over the river was chilly.

'It is wonderful indeed,' he said. 'We are standing on the brink of a strange world, Raymond, if what you say is true. I suppose the knife is absolutely necessary?'