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The story had held us, round the fire, sufficiently…

“The story had held us, round the fire, sufficiently breathless, but except the obvious remark that it was gruesome, as, on Christmas Eve in an old house, a strange tale should essentially be, I remember no comment uttered till somebody happened to say that it was the only case he had met in which…” quote by Henry James
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““The story had held us, round the fire, sufficiently breathless, but except the obvious remark that it was gruesome, as, on Christmas Eve in an old house, a strange tale should essentially be, I remember no comment uttered till somebody happened to say that it was the only case he had met in which such a visitation had fallen on a child.””

Henry James

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A narrator describes a chilling Christmas Eve story that is unusually gruesome, noting its rarity.

In simple terms: A scary Christmas story is told, considered unique.

Key Takeaway

Be aware of how setting influences narrative tone.

Themes

gothic Christmas storytelling

Mood

eerie thoughtful

Type

literary gothic

When to use this quote

  • holiday gatherings
  • reading horror
  • writing fiction

Key Concepts

fear rarity atmosphere

Questions to Reflect On

  • What makes a story feel more terrifying?
  • How does setting affect fear?
A Different Perspective

The quote assumes the listener knows the story’s context.

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