The Mystery of the Sea
by Bram Stoker
'The Mystery of the Sea ' Summary
Archibald Hunter, a young Englishman, is passing his leisure time near Cruden Bay in the small Scottish village of Whinnyfold when he has a vision of a couple walking past him, carrying a tiny coffin. Archibald also notices a strange old woman watching him. Later, he finds out that his vision has come true, and a child in town has died. Archibald encounters the bizarre old woman again on the seashore; this woman, who introduces herself as Gormala MacNeil, knows that Archibald saw something out of the ordinary. She proceeds to explain that she has "Second Sight"—a sort of psychic ability for premonition that comes and goes at random—and that she can tell that Archibald, too, is a Seer. Fluctuating between skepticism and uneasiness over his newfound abilities, Archibald listens to Gormala's insights and sees one of his visions fulfilled at Lammas-tide, when he and Gormala witness Lauchlane Macleod, a local fisherman, wreck his boat on a chain of sharp rocks known as the Skares. Archibald sees a procession of dead spirits emerge from the water near the Skares and make its way up the cliffs.
About a year later, Archibald has returned to Cruden Bay and is preparing a permanent residence there. He buys a trunk from an auctioneer on the street (where he again encounters Gormala) and finds that the trunk contains letters from the late 16th and early 17th centuries. While near the seashore, Archibald notices two ladies stranded on a rock out in the ocean. He helps them get back to shore, and learns that one of the ladies is an elderly woman named Mrs. Jack, and the other a young, beautiful woman named Marjory, an American who has a strong aversion to Spaniards. Archibald feels himself falling in love with Marjory instantly. Later, Marjory helps Archibald decode the letters that he found in the trunk, which are written in a complicated cipher (Bacon's cipher). Archibald soon proposes marriage to Marjory, but she declines with the excuse that she does not know him well enough.
Book Details
Author
Bram Stoker
Ireland
Abraham "Bram" Stoker (8 November 1847 – 20 April 1912) was an Irish author, best known today for his 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula. During his lifetime, he was better known as the personal a...
More on Bram StokerDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books
Sentimental Education by Gustave Flaubert
The novel describes the life of a young man living through the revolution of 1848 and the founding of the Second French Empire, and his love for an ol...
Silver Blaze by Arthur Conan Doyle
The novel revolves around a racehorse named Silver Blaze, who goes missing on the eve of an important race, and the subsequent murder of its trainer....
The Man Without a Conscience by Nicholas Carter
In this story, Nick has been contacted by his old friend, Chief Weston, of the Boston Police Department. When he arrives, he is shown a photograph, d...
The Strength of Gideon and Other Stories by Paul Laurence Dunbar
In the vibrant tapestry of African American literature, Paul Laurence Dunbar's "The Strength of Gideon and Other Stories" stands as a testament to the...
A Mirror Of Shalott by Robert Hugh Benson
The book follows the life of a young woman named Shalott, who resides in a quaint village. Shalott possesses a mysterious mirror that reflects not onl...
The Millionaire Mystery by Fergus Hume
It is a classic mystery novel that follows the investigation of a wealthy man's murder. The story is set in 19th century England and is full of twists...
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists by Robert Tressell
The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists is a semi-autobiographical novel by the Irish house painter and sign writer Robert Noonan, who wrote the book in...
The Fox That Wanted Nine Golden Tails by Kathleen Gray Nelson
In the enchanting world of "The Fox That Wanted Nine Golden Tails" by Kathleen Gray Nelson, prepare to embark on an extraordinary journey that defies...
The Wailing Octopus by Harold L. Goodwin
It follows the journey of a marine biologist, Dr. Terry Kent, as he investigates a mysterious and deadly creature terrorizing a small island in the Pa...
The Masquerader by Katherine Cecil Thurston
The Masquerader is a novel by the Irish writer Katherine Cecil Thurston which was first published in 1904. It was the third most popular book in the U...
Reviews for The Mystery of the Sea
No reviews posted or approved, yet...