Cover of Green Tea; Mr. Justice Harbottle

Green Tea; Mr. Justice Harbottle

  • Free to read
  • 2 hours to read
  • 22 chapters
  • Reading level: 7th grade

"Green Tea; Mr. Justice Harbottle" by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu is a collection of supernatural tales written in the late 19th century. The stories delve into themes of psychological horror and the occult, presenting cases that intertwine spiritual phenomena with medical insights, as narrated by the character Dr. Martin Hesselius, who serves as the primary observer and chronicler of the events surrounding affected individuals, including figures like the Rev. Mr. Jennings and the titular Mr. Justice Harbottle. At the start of "Green Tea," we are introduced to Martin Hesselius, a physician who refrains from practicing medicine due to health issues. He recounts his admiration for Dr. Hesselius, presenting a case involving the Rev. Mr. Jennings—a man plagued by mysterious health episodes and an ominous presence in the form of a spectral monkey that seems tied to his feelings of dread. The narrative unfolds with Jennings's descent into despair as he grapples with his unwelcome companion, leading to serious spiritual dilemmas and a search for answers. The opening sets a chilling tone, highlighting the intersection of mental health, supernatural occurrences, and moral quandaries that Le Fanu expertly weaves throughout the work.

Read free now No app, no sign-up. Your place is saved automatically. Or download for your e-reader ↓
  • Ghost stories

Read the opening

Chapter I: Dr. Hesselius Relates How He Met the Rev. Mr. Jennings

The Rev. Mr. Jennings is tall and thin. He is middle-aged, and dresses with a natty, old-fashioned, high-church precision. He is naturally a little stately, but not at all stiff. His features, without being handsome, are well formed, and their expression extremely kind, but also shy.

I met him one evening at Lady Mary Heyduke's. The modesty and benevolence of his countenance are extremely prepossessing.

We were but a small party, and he joined agreeably enough in the conversation, He seems to enjoy listening very much more than contributing to the talk; but what he says is always to the purpose and well said. He is a great favourite of Lady Mary's, who it seems, consults him upon many things, and thinks him the most happy and blessed person on earth. Little knows she about him.

The Rev. Mr. Jennings is a bachelor, and has, they say sixty thousand pounds in the funds. He is a charitable man. He is most anxious to be actively employed in his sacred profession, and yet though always tolerably well elsewhere, when he goes down to his vicarage in Warwickshire, to engage in the actual duties of his sacred calling, his health soon fails him, and in a very strange way. So says Lady Mary.

Keep reading Green Tea; Mr. Justice Harbottle →

Contents

  1. Front Matter
  2. Chapter I: Dr. Hesselius Relates How He Met the Rev. Mr. Jennings
  3. Chapter II: The Doctor Questions Lady Mary and She Answers
  4. Chapter III: Dr. Hesselius Picks Up Something in Latin Books
  5. Chapter IV: Four Eyes Were Reading the Passage
  6. Chapter V: Dr. Hesselius is Summoned to Richmond
  7. Chapter VI: How Mr. Jennings Met His Companion
  8. Chapter VII: The Journey: First Stage
  9. Chapter VIII: The Second Stage
  10. Chapter IX: The Third Stage
  11. Chapter X: Home
  12. Conclusion
  13. Prologue
  14. Chapter I: The Judge's House
  15. Chapter II: Mr. Peters
  16. Chapter III: Lewis Pyneweck
  17. Chapter IV: Interruption in Court
  18. Chapter V: Caleb Searcher
  19. Chapter VI: Arrested
  20. Chapter VII: Chief-Justice Twofold
  21. Chapter VIII: Somebody Has Got Into the House
  22. Chapter IX: The Judge Leaves His House

Download for your e-reader

Files are provided by Project Gutenberg. On a Kindle, the simplest route is to send the EPUB with Amazon’s Send to Kindle. Downloaded copies don’t sync with your place on Classic Book Reader.

About this edition

This free edition of Green Tea; Mr. Justice Harbottle by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #11635, released 2004-03-01. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Science-Fiction & Fantasy, Crime, Thrillers and Mystery, Novels, British Literature.

Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).

More by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu