The Mystery of Edwin Drood

By: Dickens, Charles

An ancient English Cathedral Tower? How can the ancient English Cathedral tower be here Thewell-known massive gray square tower of its old Cathedral? How can that be here There is nospike of rusty iron in the air, between the eye and it, from any point of the real prospect. What isthe spike that intervenes, and who has set it up? Maybe it is set up by the Sultan's orders for theimpaling of a horde of Turkish robbers, one by one. It is so, for cymbals clash, and the Sultan goesby to his palace in long procession. Ten thousand scimitars flash in the sunlight, and thrice tenthousand dancing-girls strew flowers. Then, follow white elephants caparisoned in countlessgorgeous colours, and infinite in number and attendants. Still the Cathedral Tower rises in thebackground, where it cannot be, and still no writhing figure is on the grim spike. Stay Is the spikeso low a thing as the rusty spike on the top of a post of an old bedstead that has tumbled allawry? Some vague period of drowsy laughter must be devoted to the consideration of thispossibility.Shaking from head to foot, the man whose scattered consciousness has thus fantastically pieceditself together, at length rises, supports his trembling frame upon his arms, and looks around. He isin the meanest and closest of small rooms. Through the ragged window-curtain, the light of earlyday steals in from a miserable court. He lies, dressed, across a large unseemly bed, upon a bedsteadthat has indeed given way under the weight upon it. Lying, also dressed and also across the bed, notlongwise, are a Chinaman, a Lascar, and a haggard woman. The two first are in a sleep or stupor;the last is blowing at a kind of pipe, to kindle it. And as she blows, and shading it with her leanhand, concentrates its red spark of light, it serves in the dim morning as a lamp to show him what hesees of her.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B08RRCRWM1
• ISBN13: 9798588257138
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 214 Pages
• Weight: 0.84 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 7.0" x 10.0"