The Lady of the Barge

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

—

Title

The Lady of the Barge

Language

en

Book source

Global Grey

Description max 80 words

W. W. Jacobs weaves a compelling mix of suspenseful, supernatural, and darkly comic tales exploring fate, morality, and the unexpected turns of everyday life. From a bargee's romantic mishap to a haunted library and a man's confrontation with a ghostly shipmate, these stories offer a rich tapestry of Victorian-era mystery and humor.

Summary up to 500 words

W. W. Jacobs' collection *The Lady of the Barge* presents a unique blend of domestic comedy, supernatural horror, and suspenseful adventure. The title story introduces Lucy, a young woman who joins a bargee and his skipper, Captain Gibbs, on a river voyage. While the skipper and his brother-in-law, Ted, engage in heated arguments regarding religion and domestic propriety, Lucy's affection shifts toward the skipper. This development sparks jealousy in Ted, leading to comedic squabbles aboard the vessel as the couple navigates the cramped quarters and the skipper's traditional refusal to carry passengers. The narrative balances the absurdity of their domestic friction with the genuine charm of the river setting. The collection then shifts tone dramatically in the story of Fletcher. A protagonist discovers his friend, Fletcher, locked inside a library with a mysterious, unseen presence. Terrified, the protagonist locks the door and flees, only to hear frantic pleas for help from within. Believing his friend is dead, he prepares to face the consequences of a potential murder charge. However, upon the arrival of police, the protagonist realizes Fletcher is merely unconscious, not dead, saving him from a false accusation. The story plays with the reader's expectations, revealing that the terrifying presence was likely a hallucination or a trick, subverting the horror genre conventions. In the final tale, 'Captain Rogers,' a ragged stranger seeks refuge in a tavern, only to be mistaken for the notorious pirate Captain Rogers, who was supposedly hanged years prior. The innkeeper, initially hostile and aware of the bounty on the pirate's head, warms to the stranger after a tense confrontation involving a pistol. The encounter resolves humorously, revealing the stranger is not the infamous pirate but a man who has simply been mistaken for him. Throughout the collection, Jacobs masterfully balances the eerie with the absurd, creating an atmosphere that keeps readers engaged through a distinctive mix of horror and comedy.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.globalgreyebooks.com/ebooks/w-w-jacobs_lady-of-the-barge.epub

Local file path

data/epubs/url-9f652a0e89a59da0.epub

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Downloaded at

2026-06-29 22:36 UTC

Categories

• Fiction
• Horror
• Humor