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Fantasy Commentator, v. 1, issue 11, Summer 1946
Page 278
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273 FANTASY COMMENTATOR cause it skirts telepathy as a possible explanation for certain odd events that arise from an innocent parlor game; the encountering of such a topic, considered akin to spiritualism during the first decade of the century (when the story was composed), throws an interesting sidelight on Harvey's use of the latter in others of his works which will be cited later. "Mrs. Ormerod" deals with the influence of a strange housekeeper on her employers, and of the tales so far noted admits most easily of a purely mundane explanation. The climax of "Full Circle," where a practical joke turns out to have a sinister rather than a humerous denoument, is excellently contrived; indeed, this story, next to "August Heat," is is probably the outstanding in the group. Since none of these tales is poorly written, reader - reaction seems to be wholly a function of individual preference. If one enjoys fiction where the author does not suggest an explanation of the climax, he will experience pleasant entertainment; but, to those who dislike an amount of vagueness greater than that usually encountered in the average unequivocally supernatural tale, better fare can be found elsewhere in Professor Harvey's work. This critic is inclined to join the latter group, feeling that the object of an author in this genre should be the production of a definite shudder, and not merely a mild mental titillation. The shudder is lasting, but the titillation is not. III The next group of tales is characterized by the fact that while no reference to a supernatural agency as such is ever made, this agency seems so strongly hinted as to be inescapable. To admit that coincidence alone is responsible for the events which occur would be manifestly incorrect. Indeed, some of the very characters one meets are suspiciously of the ghostly variety, though they never assert their spectral nature in forthright terms. The four stories in this category are "Sambo," "Miss Avenal," "Peter Levisham" and "The Heart of the Fire." "Peter Levisham" is the least distinguished, but is interesting in that it bridges the gap between those and the ones of the first group; the element of coincidence is present, but the supernormal is accentuated, a mundane explanation being almost completely edged out of the picture. "Sambo" tells of a little English girl who is sent an African doll. Its influence causes her to neglect her other toys, although she loves them and hates the newcomer. Sambo's influence prevails, however, and she finally burns her other dolls. Her father witnesses this act, and learns that she fears Sambo and cannot help herself. After being taken to the British Museum in an effort to determine its nature and origin, the malevolent doll is mysteriously stolen, only to turn up later in an African expedition. Harvey handles the theme unusually well, turning the child-motif to his advantage with a deft avoidance of cloying sentiment. Even more effective is "The Heart of the Fire." The keeper of a lonely inn murders a chance night guest for the money he carries, burying the body beneath the hearthstone of the fireplace. As he grows older, he becomes more and more obsessed with the belief that his only safety from supernatural revenge lies in never allowing the flames there to die, and eventually, as old age is upon him, he remains always in the room, seldom stirring from his fireside chair. One day he overhears that it is intended, after his death, to take down the chimney and pull up the hearthstone; seized with fright, he sinks to the floor, unable to move or speak aloud. Gradually the fire dies, and as the last spark disappears there comes a sharp double knock on the door, even as when the murdered stranger first arrived. The guilty innkeeper cries out in mortal terror, and sinks back motionless upon the cold hearthstone.... Saturating this tale is a certain inexorable feeling of fate itself lying in wait, and the character of its luckless
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273 FANTASY COMMENTATOR cause it skirts telepathy as a possible explanation for certain odd events that arise from an innocent parlor game; the encountering of such a topic, considered akin to spiritualism during the first decade of the century (when the story was composed), throws an interesting sidelight on Harvey's use of the latter in others of his works which will be cited later. "Mrs. Ormerod" deals with the influence of a strange housekeeper on her employers, and of the tales so far noted admits most easily of a purely mundane explanation. The climax of "Full Circle," where a practical joke turns out to have a sinister rather than a humerous denoument, is excellently contrived; indeed, this story, next to "August Heat," is is probably the outstanding in the group. Since none of these tales is poorly written, reader - reaction seems to be wholly a function of individual preference. If one enjoys fiction where the author does not suggest an explanation of the climax, he will experience pleasant entertainment; but, to those who dislike an amount of vagueness greater than that usually encountered in the average unequivocally supernatural tale, better fare can be found elsewhere in Professor Harvey's work. This critic is inclined to join the latter group, feeling that the object of an author in this genre should be the production of a definite shudder, and not merely a mild mental titillation. The shudder is lasting, but the titillation is not. III The next group of tales is characterized by the fact that while no reference to a supernatural agency as such is ever made, this agency seems so strongly hinted as to be inescapable. To admit that coincidence alone is responsible for the events which occur would be manifestly incorrect. Indeed, some of the very characters one meets are suspiciously of the ghostly variety, though they never assert their spectral nature in forthright terms. The four stories in this category are "Sambo," "Miss Avenal," "Peter Levisham" and "The Heart of the Fire." "Peter Levisham" is the least distinguished, but is interesting in that it bridges the gap between those and the ones of the first group; the element of coincidence is present, but the supernormal is accentuated, a mundane explanation being almost completely edged out of the picture. "Sambo" tells of a little English girl who is sent an African doll. Its influence causes her to neglect her other toys, although she loves them and hates the newcomer. Sambo's influence prevails, however, and she finally burns her other dolls. Her father witnesses this act, and learns that she fears Sambo and cannot help herself. After being taken to the British Museum in an effort to determine its nature and origin, the malevolent doll is mysteriously stolen, only to turn up later in an African expedition. Harvey handles the theme unusually well, turning the child-motif to his advantage with a deft avoidance of cloying sentiment. Even more effective is "The Heart of the Fire." The keeper of a lonely inn murders a chance night guest for the money he carries, burying the body beneath the hearthstone of the fireplace. As he grows older, he becomes more and more obsessed with the belief that his only safety from supernatural revenge lies in never allowing the flames there to die, and eventually, as old age is upon him, he remains always in the room, seldom stirring from his fireside chair. One day he overhears that it is intended, after his death, to take down the chimney and pull up the hearthstone; seized with fright, he sinks to the floor, unable to move or speak aloud. Gradually the fire dies, and as the last spark disappears there comes a sharp double knock on the door, even as when the murdered stranger first arrived. The guilty innkeeper cries out in mortal terror, and sinks back motionless upon the cold hearthstone.... Saturating this tale is a certain inexorable feeling of fate itself lying in wait, and the character of its luckless
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