How Fear Departed The Long Gallery by E F Benson

How Fear Departed the Long Gallery by E F Benson is one of this master's best loved and most requested stories. A tender story with classic E F Benson comic observations of the idle rich, a horrific ghost story and a true story of redemption.
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[@anneh4940]

That was very enjoyable. Made me want a lichen green velvet sofa and a grand country house to put it in.

[@creativepearl9843]

A wonderful reading of a wonderful story. The heights of fear, and the heights of compassion.

[@ReginaApple007]

I'm a police officer and I listen to your stories as I drive around various neighborhoods.

[@ClassicGhost]

Ha! Stay safe

[@hillaryclinton1232]

Oh, a Screaming Toad! And you mentioned it! I love Toads.

[@Story-Voracious66]

Hi Tony, (... oh my... There are some very strange things showing up in the comments here. I think it ill advised for anyone to click on the bait ). But back to the point, thank you! I have long applauded this dire and charming tale, and am an avid reader of the Mapp and Lucia series. Today I particularly enjoyed your talk at the end, because you talk to us as friends, and sometimes we just need to hear a friendly voice. Take care, and all the best to your Mum.

[@Story-Voracious66]

I see that a couple of strange comments have disappeared now. Hmmm... some kind of 'bot? I wonder.

[@creative2716]

What a lovely ending to a curse brought on by horrific evil. I enjoyed this savory story. Ah, you're a good son. 👍

[@katrinamitchell0112]

Enjoyed the story thanks heaps. I recently went to Trial Bay Gaol in NSW Australia. Did an audio recording and managed to capture a voice. I sent it to a local paranormal investigation team. After converting it to MP3 they believed it to be a female and she said "you are filming us". Needless to say I'm going back there again.😁

[@EMB238]

Thank you Tony! Listening to you as a thunderstorm sounds off. Perfect! ⛈⛈⛈

[@WWZenaDo]

I'm only 4 minutes into this story, and already it's a delight!

[@Hazel_Fox22]

Lovely! Needed something to keep me company while I throw dinner together. Thanks, Mr. Tony!

[@nsob8897]

I've never heard an E.F. Benson story that I didn't like. This one passes the test like all the rest.

[@hillaryclinton1232]

Excellent Story! Thank you again.

[@tekelupharsin4426]

I thought I was familiar with all of EF Benson's stories but had never heard of this one. I loved the humor in it, and the ending was unexpected and refreshing. Excellent narration!

[@billybatchelor2863]

Shocked me too.

[@yt8co]

It's my favourite of his that I've read

[@barbiedahl]

Me, too. I think its because it is so different.

[@anneinnes5691]

Great story… thoroughly enjoyed it. Sometimes ,though, I don’t know what I enjoy most- the actual story or your rambling narrative! Keep up the good work.👍🏻👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@Boogie_the_cat]

Hadn't heard of this E.F. Benson tale before. Great reading too!

[@kaquinn8971]

The description in this one is delicious, and the suspense is so well done.

[@lauraJP76]

Wonderful, thank you very much! 💙

[@Cat_festation]

I like ve EF Benson. Wonderful narration as always.

[@susanmercurio1060]

A new story from Tony Walker! Thanks for the good work, Tony.

[@marywiegand2050]

Ditto!! 🥳

[@carolmikolj5134]

I am a great fan of E F Benson - he was an associate of M R James - and I particularly like this story, which was very well read here. Despite the humour in this story, Benson still manages to introduce the visceral horror he was quietly so good at. 'Caterpillars' is another great example of Benson's ability to use the gross out moment without losing the chill of classic horror writing.

[@donaldmccleary9015]

Great story and narration! Thanks! Kindess can serve us well. This story holds true for the saying, "you get more with honey than vinegar."

[@johnnicholas1488]

Very well read. Thank you.

[@iantrafford9472]

Thank you for another great reading!

[@markheatherington8367]

Have not heard this one in many years. One of my favorite ghost stories. Thank for a wonderful reading!

[@maryeckel9682]

What a lovely story

[@4444marla]

Loved this one. Many thanks1

[@split-wb7bg]

Again, another story that I loved. Thank you!

[@DestinyKiller]

As a child of the 80s I had a touch lamp as well and your story reminded me of an incident when I had a friend over when I was about 13 or 14. We had the touch lamp on low and watched it cycle through low to high to off then back through ending with it leaving us in the dark. Needless to say we spent the night in the living room rather than my room lol

[@barbiedahl]

Such a great story, one of my favorites! Thank you for bringing it to... Life, lol.

[@bluegreenglue6565]

So happy to have spent time with you this evening. Quite an enjoyable story. Thank you.

[@ClassicGhost]

I’m glad you did too

[@Josephinejefferies]

Second time hearing this and enjoyed for the second time

[@martiwilliams4592]

Delightful tale, enhanced by your narration,Tony. Love your "posh" accent--learn from all your stories and entertaining, informative commentaries. Thank you!

[@mariameere5807]

I missed this because of the jubilee and too much 🍾…… finally feel better enough to listen and I saw this! Quite By accident and I am so happy, thank you Tony great job as usual! Love this writer too! 💎

[@itgetter9]

My tale for this evening . . . thank you - I eagerly await!

[@itgetter9]

Oh, I do love it when there's a room that's perfectly fine during the day but is not to be entered under any circumstance once night falls!

[@moonspath1598]

I wouldn't know where to start, although I was told by a sweet woman that it wasn't the house but the people who were haunted. I've moved many times and they move with us. I have a little boy who adopted me when my children were little who has been seen by all and many houseguest. He's the most active and plays tricks when he thinks a laugh is needed. I've also recorded him answering my daughter when she was teasing him. It's in a way comforting, you do tend to say "it's just Michael trying to make you laugh".

[@rosiemcnaughton9933]

Refreshing account of a haunting. It's good that you enjoy it.

[@sandrarickards886]

Really enjoyed that, thanks.

[@boosqueezy2418]

my favorite one!

[@rosiemcnaughton9933]

Have heard this before. Might have even read it. Still very enjoyable to listen to. Thanks!

[@sleethmitchell]

properly fantastic!

[@thisisdavid2]

superb reading and yet again an excellent reading all round, and? this is probably my favourite E.F. Benson story so double thanks :)

[@boburnhamsguitar]

Thankyou for your efforts tony! I love it if you covered more works of shirley jackson, such as we have always lived in the castle. Your voice is perfect for these eerie stories. Love your art!

[@ClassicGhost]

I will do more Shirley Jackson

[@mzeewatk846]

I was sure the story wasn’t going to end badly, as soon as the protagonist was characterized. Still, it’s a sweet story. : )

[@e.t.h.559]

thank you very much, this is one of my favorite ghost stories, excellent narration as always Mr. Walker

[@waltercook4868]

Loved the story. Thank you for sharing. If you ever have cause to look for a story to read, there is one I'd like to hear. I do not remember the title or name of the author. It is a short story and, as best as I can recall, the story came from a book of short stories from Scotland. The story took place in a great old house or castle. There was one room that was haunted by a forsaken lover. The lover, many years ago, had fallen in love with the patriarch's daughter. Deemed unsuitable, the lover was murdered. He had apparently been a nice fellow, but his ghost had grown mean over the years. He manifested himself as lips on a carpet which sounds a bit comical. And, that's all I remember.

[@carolmikolj5134]

You could be thinking of 'The Whistling Room' which is a Carnacki story by William Hope Hodgson.

[@violetfemme411]

You mentioned being partial to your patrons. I'm a member, and am curious as to the difference and why there are 2 different ways of supporting the channel. If being a patron is better than donating as a member I'll gladly switch to Patreon.

[@ClassicGhost]

It’s just because Patreon came first then KZbin offer this when you get so many subs

[@ClassicGhost]

Maybe the other ?

[@violetfemme411]

@@ClassicGhost So you prefer Patreon? I'll switch if you do.

[@ClassicGhost]

@@violetfemme411 I can’t say that here

[@robynmarler1951]

So beautiful🌹

[@mihaela.929]

Thanks!

[@ClassicGhost]

Thank you very much Miant

[@nativevirginian8344]

This story and “Four Ghosts in Hamlet” by Fritz Leiber are my top two favorite ghost stories. Sorry MR James!

[@bethcastagnoli2911]

York!

[@ClassicGhost]

All the way. I’m a floating voter though. It would depend on Lancaster’s policies

[@JimBagby74]

You thought of Richard III, where I thought of The Shining. And because my last name is Bagby, and there's a tiny little village of Bagby in North Yorkshire, I'll go ahead and be a Yorkist too. I'm an American so I'm not risking anything really.

[@ClassicGhost]

I’d keep it quiet though

[@ClassicGhost]

Me, I never mention it

[@melfreemans]

Wait ...so a family member kills babies and y'all still have his portrait hanging in the gallery? My mom threw pictures of her cousin in the trash because he got arrested for shoplifting lol! She'd have done an Amber Heard dookie on that painting then burned it.

[@grannykiminalaska]

❤️

[@soundsilence2604]

I enjoyed the narration as much as the story. The blasé description of the resident ghosts was the aural equivalent of an eye roll and a bored sigh.

[@OssamabinKenny]

Mercurial (of a person) subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind. "his mercurial temperament"

[@marywiegand2050]

Thank you for that information! 🤗

[@pinstripesuitandheels]

The moment the twins came into the story, I felt they just needed to be held and loved. Their fate was most horrendous! I really enjoyed this story, and liked the happy end very much. Why do you get angry at people asking you to read something you've already done? It takes just as much energy to get angry than it does to say "I've already done that and you can find it here." You talk about prejudice, which is ironic, because you seem to be prejudiced into thinking the worst of your readers. I've noticed you get offended quite easily, like when you discovered that people like to listen to you while trying to fall asleep. It's as if you see everything as a personal attack. I used to feel it was because you had an inflated ego, but now I think it might because you are very uncertain about yourself. I sincerely hope you find peace , because it kind be a nice feeling to get offended and angry so easily.

[@ClassicGhost]

I don't get angry when people ask me to do something that I've already done. Why would I? I no longer get angry when people tell me they fall asleep when I'm reading to them. When people tell me how bad I am, or how I'm a narcissist or how my mic is cheap and I have no low end (apparently), or how I am a Nazi (for real someone said that) or how I'm a supporter of the Great Replacement (they said that too), or how dare I make comments about stories, or how my voice is the most boring they've ever heard or how I'm a traitor to men, I do get quite upset. You see, all I do is read out stories that people listen supposedly for fun. And though I'd like to be supported, I do it for you for free. Most people are lovely, but I have had an undending (apparently) succession of random people coming to drop a nasty little personal criticism which is totally unsolicited and totally unpleasant. If anyone could have that experience and not become a little uncertain of themselves, they're better than I am because it has upset me time and again. I thank you for your wishing me to find peace. I am seriously considering switching off comments on my videos now so I don't have to have the snide comments and digs time and again. Do you understand where I'm coming from?

[@pinstripesuitandheels]

​@@ClassicGhost Yes, I do understand now. It would be very hurtful to read so many nasty comments. I sincerely hope I didn't hurt you. Sometimes I can be very blunt, even when all I want to do is offer support. I really enjoy your stories! The most important thing is that you enjoy making them, though. Your well-being is more important than your subscribers. Whatever you choose to do, your loyal subscribers will understand, because they want what's best for you.

[@andromeda232]

Glad to find the story. When I was a kid I had a book in the Top Ten series of books . This story appeared in Top Ten Ghost Stories. It's great to hear the story as the kid's book only gave a outline and a condensed version

[@JennyLane8666]

What a lovely story

[@Bebecat477]

Great story. Thank you.