The Warder of the Door | L. T. Meade and Robert Eustace | A Bitesized Audiobook
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- Опубликовано: 28 июн 2024
- The Clinton family is cursed, according to an old legend which describes a terrible fate awaiting each heir in the afterlife. Paranormal investigator John Bell returns in this ripping yarn involving secret tunnels, underground chambers and a door which apparently opens or closes according to an "infernal witchcraft"... Story begins at 00:01:20
**Note for returning listeners: This is a new recording of one of my earliest stories for the channel, a re-upload to mark the completion of the series in October 2023. It will also be available to listen shortly as a complete video with re-mastered audio of all six stories.
Narrated/performed by Simon Stanhope, aka Bitesized Audio. If you enjoy this content and would like to help me keep creating, there are a few ways you can support me (and get access to exclusive content):
* Occasional/one-off support via Buy Me a Coffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/bitesize...
* Monthly support on Patreon: / bitesizedaudio
* Visit my Bandcamp page to hear more of my performances of classic stories, and you can purchase and download high quality audio files to listen offline: bitesizedaudio.bandcamp.com/
* Become a Bitesized Audio Classics member on RUclips, from $1 / £1 / €1 per month:
/ bitesizedaudioclassics
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:20 The Warder of the Door
00:48:38 Credits, thanks and further listening
L. T. Meade (Elizabeth Thomasina Meade Smith, 1844-1914) was born in County Cork, Ireland. She began writing fiction at the age of 17, and had a highly prolific career, publishing almost 300 books in her lifetime. She married Alfred Toulmin Smith in London, in 1879, when she was in her mid-30s. She was an advocate of feminist causes, and as a solo writer became most associated with adventure stories for girls and young people, of which the most famous was ‘A World of Girls’, published in 1886.
However, she was also well known for her many mystery and suspense stories, and her name appeared frequently in the periodicals of the 1890s and early 1900s. Interestingly, in this genre she often wrote in collaboration with medical practitioners; first with Dr. Clifford Halifax, with whom she produced a series entitled ‘Stories from the Diaries of a Doctor’ in 1893, and later with Robert Eustace, who collaborated with her on several successful series from the mid-1890s onwards. It’s not fully known how the collaborations worked, but it seems likely that she did the majority of the actual writing while the doctors supplied the ideas and scientific details which underpin many of the plots.
Robert Eustace is something of a shadowy figure. It's obviously a pen name, but the identity of the person behind the name is very uncertain. The most often cited candidate is Dr. Eustace Robert Barton, although there’s no certainty or consensus about that, not least because his given birth date varies wildly between sources (1854, 1869 or 1871, depending on the source), and he’s recorded as having died in both 1932 and 1943, and also as still living (but retired) in 1947. This confusion suggests to me that two different people may have used the same pseudonym. Whoever he was, aside from his work with L. T. Meade, the pen name of Robert Eustace is probably best remembered today for a much later work of crime fiction, collaborating with Dorothy L. Sayers on her 1930 novel 'The Documents of the Case'.
Together Meade and Eustace created a number of recurring characters, including John Bell, who describes himself in the introduction to his collected stories as "a professional exposer of ghosts, and one who can clear away the mysteries of most haunted houses" - making him in effect a more sceptical counterpart to William Hope Hodgson's Carnacki, the Ghost Finder (who first appeared in print a decade or so later). Bell featured in a series of stories in Cassell’s Magazine in 1897, which were later published in book form under the title 'A Master of Mysteries' in 1898.
'The Warder of the Door' was the second story in the series, and originally appeared in the July 1897 issue of Cassell's Magazine. Other stories from this series are available to listen via this playlist:
• A Master of Mysteries ...
Recording © Bitesized Audio 2023 
Развлечения
The Clinton family is cursed, according to an old legend which describes a terrible fate awaiting each heir in the afterlife. Paranormal investigator John Bell returns in this ripping yarn involving secret tunnels, underground chambers and a door which apparently opens or closes according to an "infernal witchcraft"... Story begins at 00:01:20
Note for returning listeners: This is a new recording of one of my earliest stories for the channel, a re-upload to mark the completion of the series in October 2023. It is also available to listen in the full video of all six stories: ruclips.net/video/dLacvjNP_WU/видео.html
Narrated/performed by Simon Stanhope, aka Bitesized Audio. If you enjoy this content and would like to help me keep creating, there are a few ways you can support me (and get access to exclusive content):
* Occasional/one-off support via Buy Me a Coffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/bitesizedaudio
* Monthly support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bitesizedaudio
* Visit my Bandcamp page to hear more of my performances of classic stories, and you can purchase and download high quality audio files to listen offline: bitesizedaudio.bandcamp.com/
* Become a Bitesized Audio Classics member on RUclips, from $1 / £1 / €1 per month:
ruclips.net/user/BitesizedAudioClassicsjoin
Yes, I luv these Thank You *Simon*
I have insomnia , I can't sleep unless I'm listening to you ❤❤❤❤. I wonder how many others feel this way. You have saved my sanity. Thank you so much.
Simon's stories are extremely helpful!
Just wanted to say how much I appreciate the biographical information on the author s and publication dates. It helps to place the stories in their place in time. So thank you for taking the time to include this helpful information.
Glad to know it's useful/interesting, thanks Linn
Each & every story you narrate is always excellent quality & so entertaining.
You really are a brilliant narrater, can’t understand why you don’t have at least a million followers!✊♥️
Much appreciated, thanks Julie! We're getting there, slowly... it's good to have a target!
Your bite sized stories are astounding. I love the language that the writers of old use. Marvellous ❤
I read this story about 6 years & had totally forgotten about it! Once again beautifully narrated & I love the method that Bell uses to expose ghostly frauds!
Thanks Anthony. Yes, I think this is one of the best in the series, glad to know you enjoyed it
"...and I believe that they are as happy as they deserve." What a BACKHANDED benediction!!! It appears the author has something of a mean streak!
LOL Bell never forgave Clinton for all the stress he put them both through
I have to admit, I did wonder about that... he does get very annoyed with young Clinton!
Mean streak...or... snappily spoken truth? 🧐😂 reminds me of Biblo Baggin's birthday speech haha
That sounds like something I would say🤣🤣
Stanhope is a great voice actor.
Oh, wow - first to upvote - first to comment.
This is going to be so good.
👍🏻❤️
Thanks Chris. You may well have heard this before, it's a re-release to celebrate the fact that I finally finished the whole series! Hope you enjoyed anyway. More coming soon
I did but it’s such a good one - one of the best of its type - I can listen to it again - and again.
:)
Thank you Simon, much appreciated. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Excellent story and reading! 😁 You always do a fantastic job!
Thank you!
Excellent Narrator
Another one of my favorites. I'm a John Bell fan ❤
YAY!!! A new story! Thank you❣
Some very evil minds on the Earth, perfect as always Simon. Many thanks xxx
There are indeed... Thanks as ever for listening Lynda
Your voice is so calming; I'll buy a coffee when I can.❤
Appreciated, thank you!
I love this one Simon! I don't know how you could possibly improve on the first recording as each one is perfection. As always, an exceptional performance! ❤ Thank you!
Thanks Susan, appreciated
You must be psychic Simon. You seem to know when I need to hear your dulcet tones. Thanks x
I’d love to see you on the Exploring the Cotswalds channel. You’d make a great guest story teller.😌
Your recordings have inspired to record my own for fun. I am doing it completely on the fly and improvised. Was just strolling the beach today, Whistle and I’ll come to you style and recorded a ghostly tale.
How wonderful. I presume the wind was suitably howling on the beach! Are you going to upload them anywhere or is this for private enjoyment?
I think with some refinement, I may upload them one day. Right now it’s for personal though
Thank you, Simon. I have loved your readings since I found my first audio offering.
I don't think that one dollar a month will do much for your coffee, or tea, but I will sign up for that soon.
Thanks so much Patricia, much appreciated
Thanks!!! How wonderful
👍to all the above; and I love the music 🎶 introduction theme.
Thanks so much for sharing these spooky stories, Simon. You really make these tales come alive. Happy Holidays to all! 😊🌲
Sometimes I consider purchasing books by the authors of the stories on here, but I don't-because it would spoil the surprise! 😅🥰
Thanks!
This was a good one, among all the good ones.
Love this… I’m new to your channel… now a big fan as well!
Wonderful! Welcome to the channel, thanks for listening
Beautifully read. Thank you
It speaks volumes about the superstitious and how it can make a home in your brain and pass it on to the next generation. That explains a lot about Europe!
☺
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
😀👍👍👍👍
Thanks for listening!
I think it's physiological fact that good narrators all have either fine taste in piano music or are accomplished pianists themselves. Strange...
I'm unfortunately a mediocre pianist and a rotten narrator at best.
I have to admit it's not me playing the intro music! That's the very talented Esther Abrami. I do play the piano a little, but more for my own amusement than in public
Thanks!
Thank you for the super thanks! 🙏