Number Thirteen

This is a review of the short story Number Thirteen, written by M.R. James and published in his collection Ghost Stories of an Antiquary. You can read my reviews of The Treasure of Abbot Thomas, Canon Alberic’s Scrap Book, and ‘Oh, Whistle, and I’ll Come to You, My Lad’ here, here, and here. M.R. James was a Cambridge scholar who wrote ghost stories in the early 20^th century; if you like ghosts in horror literature, you should read him.

Anderson is a scholar and gentleman-of-means who travels to Denmark in order to study the last days of Roman Catholicism in that country. James tries to make Danish history interesting and fun by telling us about the holes in the murdered King Erik Glippling’s head. It’s a trap, just like when they told you reading is fun or eating broccoli is good for you. Don’t fall for it!

Since this story isn’t about the history of the church in Denmark, you should read it. Anderson retains Room 12 in The Golden Lion. There is no Room 13. That evening, Anderson peeks out his window and sees the shadow of his neighbor, who favors red lamps and wears a hood. Oh, and the Room 13 phases into existence after the sun falls.

Anderson, doubting his own sanity, invites the inn’s garrulous landlord to his room that night to smoke a cigar and perhaps be an eyewitness. In the interim, he peeks out his window again and sees the shadow of his next-door neighbor dancing quite vigorously. When the landlord arrives, that selfsame next-door neighbor starts to sing in a cracked, cackling voice. Unfortunately, the shenanigans end when the cock cries dawn. There’s some nonsense about a corrupt archbishop and his hidden dwelling place, but don’t be fooled. This story exists because James wanted to make a ghost dance.

This is one of my favorite M.R. James’s stories. In a normal ghost story of that era, the hero/heroine would be awakened in the middle of the night by an apparition, and then swoon. James has his ghost auditioning for America’s Got Talent. Its actions are so bizarre and unexpected and funny, and that only adds to the story.

Highly recommended for lovers of ghost stories and Victorian/Edwardian literature!