Learn English Through Stories Level-3🔥|| Simple English | Short Stories In English For Beginners

Summary

The story follows the narrator's visit to an old friend, Mun Dampier, in San Francisco. Dampier, a man obsessed with occult philosophy, reveals his tragic tale of love, loss, and supernatural consequences. He recounts his obsession with a beautiful servant girl, whom he inadvertently killed through a series of occult actions. The tale culminates in a fatal 'Triad' of events, with Dampier's death marking the completion of a curse. The eerie and tragic narrative explores themes of magic, fate, and the consequences of meddling with forces beyond human control.

Takeaways

• 😀 The narrator was born in the United States but lived in Hong Kong for many years, achieving success in business in Asia.
• 😀 After 20 years, the narrator visited New York but stopped in California to meet an old friend, Mun Dampier, in San Francisco.
• 😀 Mun Dampier was a superstitious man who believed in magic and the occult, spending much of his time reading strange books about these subjects.
• 😀 The narrator arrives at Dampier's house during a stormy evening and is greeted by a much-changed, pale, and older-looking friend.
• 😀 Dampier expresses a morbid belief that he will die soon, hinting at strange, supernatural events he believes are occurring.
• 😀 While at Dampier's house, the narrator hears a strange tapping sound that Dampier believes is part of a supernatural occurrence tied to a 'fatal triad.'
• 😀 Dampier recounts his past, explaining how he fell in love with a beautiful servant girl living in the building next door, whom he observed for some time.
• 😀 Dampier explains how he used the occult to send a signal to the girl by tapping on the wall, and she responded with a tapping of her own.
• 😀 After a series of mysterious tapping incidents, Dampier learns that the girl had died, with the tragic implication that his occult actions led to her death.
• 😀 The story ends with the narrator realizing that Dampier had been waiting for a visitor for 10 years, as foretold by the occult books he studied, leading to Dampier's eventual death.
• 😀 The tale leaves the narrator (and the audience) pondering the consequences of supernatural beliefs and the concept of fate, as Dampier's life seemed to follow a fatal pattern foretold by the occult philosophy he studied.

Q & A

What was the protagonist's background before visiting San Francisco?

The protagonist was born in the United States and lived in Hong Kong for many years, where he had a successful business and became wealthy. After 20 years, he decided to visit his home in New York, stopping in California to visit his friend, Mun Dampier.

How did the protagonist feel about Dampier upon first seeing him again?

The protagonist was shocked by Dampier's appearance. Despite not having seen him for many years, Dampier had changed significantly, looking like a thin, old man even though he was only about 50 years old. His hair had turned gray, and his face was pale with many lines.

What was the mysterious noise that the protagonist heard at Dampier's house?

The protagonist heard a strange tapping sound coming from one of the walls in the tower. The sound was soft and rhythmic, almost like a signal or a message, and it made both the protagonist and Dampier uneasy.

What does Dampier reveal about the house he lives in?

Dampier lives in a large house near the Pacific Ocean, which was once his father's. The house has a tower at one end, and the surrounding garden, though beautiful in summer, is bleak and barren in winter. Dampier's room is located in the tower, where the protagonist visits him.

What story does Dampier share with the protagonist?

Dampier tells the protagonist about a young girl he once saw in a nearby apartment building. He became obsessed with her, but his feelings were complicated by her being a servant. His attempts to communicate with her, through tapping on the wall, lead to a tragic outcome, as the girl eventually died after requesting her bed be placed next to the wall where Dampier had sent his signals.

How did Dampier interpret the events surrounding the girl?

Dampier believes that his signals to the girl were part of a supernatural sequence known as the 'fatal triad' from a book of Occult Philosophy he had been reading. He feels that his thoughts and signals contributed to her death, as the tapping sounds he heard in the wall seemed to come from her.

What is the significance of the 'fatal triad' in the story?

The 'fatal triad' refers to a concept from the occult philosophy book that Dampier was reading, where certain events occurring three times in succession signify impending death. Dampier believes that the tapping noise he heard, along with the girl’s death and his father's passing, complete the fatal triad.

What does Dampier believe is the cause of the strange events in his life?

Dampier believes that his obsession with occult practices and the signals he sent to the girl are linked to the strange occurrences in his life, culminating in what he sees as a supernatural 'fatal triad.' He feels cursed by these events and has been waiting for death ever since.

How does the protagonist react to Dampier’s story?

The protagonist is initially uncomfortable but agrees to stay and listen to Dampier's story. Although skeptical, he begins to understand the tragedy Dampier has lived through and the possible connection between the occult practices and the events that unfolded. He leaves the house after Dampier’s death, feeling a sense of finality.

What happens to Dampier at the end of the story?

The next morning, the protagonist learns that Dampier has died during the night. This confirms the completion of the 'fatal triad,' and the protagonist is left to reflect on the tragic chain of events that led to Dampier’s death.