Detective and mystery stories, English; Horror tales, English
"You devil, what do you mean?" roared Kennedy. He was running about in
little circles and clasping at the solid blackness with both hands.
"Good-bye," said the mocking voice, and it was already at some
distance. "I really do not think, Kennedy, even by your own showing
that you did the right thing by that girl. There was only one little
thing which you appeared not to know, and I can supply it. Miss
Saunderson was engaged to a poor ungainly devil of a student, and his
name was Julius Burger."
There was a rustle somewhere, the vague sound of a foot striking a
stone, and then there fell silence upon that old Christian church--a
stagnant, heavy silence which closed round Kennedy and shut him in like
water round a drowning man.
Some two months afterwards the following paragraph made the round of
the European Press:
"One of the most interesting discoveries of recent years is that of the
new catacomb in Rome, which lies some distance to the east of the
well-known vaults of St. Calixtus. The finding of this important
burial-place, which is exceeding rich in most interesting early
Christian remains, is due to the energy and sagacity of Dr. Julius
Burger, the young German specialist, who is rapidly taking the first
place as an authority upon ancient Rome. Although the first to publish
his discovery, it appears that a less fortunate adventurer had
anticipated Dr. Burger. Some months ago Mr. Kennedy, the well-known
English student, disappeared suddenly from his rooms in the Corso, and
it was conjectured that his association with a recent scandal had
driven him to leave Rome. It appears now that he had in reality fallen
a victim to that fervid love of archaeology which had raised him to a
distinguished place among living scholars. His body was discovered in
the heart of the new catacomb, and it was evident from the condition of
his feet and boots that he had tramped for days through the tortuous
corridors which make these subterranean tombs so dangerous to
explorers. The deceased gentleman had, with inexplicable rashness,
made his way into this labyrinth without, as far as can be discovered,
taking with him either candles or matches, so that his sad fate was the
natural result of his own temerity. What makes the matter more painful
is that Dr. Julius Burger was an intimate friend of the deceased. His
joy at the extraordinary find which he has been so fortunate as to make
has been greatly marred by the terrible fate of his comrade and
fellow-worker."
The Case of Lady Sannox
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account