The Story of the Late Mr. Elvesham | H. G. Wells | A Bitesized Audio Production
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 เม.ย. 2021
- Mr. Egbert Elvesham is very rich, very old, and childless. When he chooses an impoverished medical student to be his heir, the young man is delighted at his good fortune. But the bequest comes with significant strings attached...
A new, original recording of a classic public domain text, read and performed by Simon Stanhope for Bitesized Audio.
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H.G. (Herbert George) Wells (1866-1946) was an English writer prolific in many genres. He was born in Bromley, Kent, the fourth and youngest child of former domestic servants turned shopkeepers. When the shop struggled financially, Wells was apprenticed as a draper - an unhappy experience, which he later used in novels such as 'The History of Mr. Polly' and 'Kipps'. He was released from apprenticeship to become a pupil-teacher at Midhurst Grammar School, which allowed him to self-educate and work his way via a scholarship to the Normal School of Science in London. He began writing by contributing short articles to periodicals such as The Pall Mall Gazette. As an author, Wells is perhaps best remembered today for his science fiction - he is regarded as one of the founders of the genre, and many of his works have achieved the status of classics, including The Time Machine (1895), The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897) and The War of the Worlds (1898). From a young age Wells was an active socialist, and his later writing moved away from science fiction and tackled wider social and political themes, in novels such as 'Tono-Bungay' (1909) and 'The History of Mr. Polly' (1910). He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature several times.
'The Story of the Late Mr. Elvesham' first appeared in the May 1896 edition of The Idler magazine. It was later reprinted (with minor variations in the text) in three short story collections: 'The Plattner Story and Others' (1897), 'The Country of the Blind and Other Stories' (1913) and 'Tales of the Unexpected' (1924). The text read here is taken from the original 1896 magazine printing.
Recording © Bitesized Audio 2021. - บันเทิง
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Thanks for listening.
Simon Stanhope (narrator)
Thank you for listening? It is my absolute pleasure! So in the zone you are as you recount this story, I feel I am listening to a very old moment caught in time. Truly as if listening to the very man who lived it.
Omg, it is you!
thank you for putting the adress to go to,saved my fingers and vision a lot.
As an old guy myself, I recently had a dream/nightmare during which I was fully immersed in the sheer joy and zest of my youth and awoke to the crushing disappointment of reality. I also had a very similar dream when I was still young where the situations were reversed and remember vividly the wondrous relief I experienced at waking up to that happy realisation. This story resonates so much with both of those dreamscape interludes. I wasn't familiar with this piece before but feel (subjectively) that it was perhaps one of H.G. Wells' most sparkling gems. Thank you.
Thanks for your comment Steven. Yes, I think this story really resonates at different ends of the age spectrum, it's one of Wells' minor masterpieces. Best wishes
I have dreams that I have a full head of hair only to wake and find a shiny bald pate. Sigh...
“I’m a young man locked in an old man’s body!” How many can relate to that! Wonderfully read as always.
Thanks Greg, appreciated
I'm always telling my son I feel no more than 30 inside. Shame the body is pushing 70...
At 64 still act as if half my age mind set if lucky
@@susanhepburn6040 I'm only 41(ONLY??!!?🤔)... But it always struck me as inherently unfair, in fact the absolutely most terribly unfair thing that anyone could ever conceive of... that you put in all this life, you put in your time, you don't skip a day ( unless you were in a coma or otherwise rendered consciousless).... obviously, you see it through the ups and downs, the good and the bad, the painful and the exhilarating, the suffering and the joy.... And in my mind, we've done all of it, satisfied all the requirements, ticked all the boxes.... AND YOU END UP LOOKING LIKE THIS??!? Wait a minute, WHAT??!? HUH??? I mean, how is that even the slightest bit fair?!?!?
I mean, shouldn't it be the other way around??! We should all of us, after putting in whatever it was that we put in, day after day, year after year, decade after decade...... Wake up maybe on our 70th birthdays looking 21, or whatever we felt our best age was in terms of looks, health, fitness, happiness etc.
Because the way it is, what, we do all of that ~ and the grand prize is wrinkles, sagging skin, arthritis and six different medications?? I mean I just pick those things at random because I suspect they might represent some sort of average, unfortunately. I think I'm going to be like, THIS IS PATENTLY UNFAIR! WHERE'S MY REWARD FOR EVERYTHING I WENT THROUGH, ALL THE GOOD I DID, ALL THE BAD I DIDN'T DO, REALLY, LIKE....
W T A F ??!?!?!?!?
I’m 62. I’ve been all my life.
H.G. Wells had such a creatively dark mind and fortunately for us, the ability to pen his tales in a way that transports the reader into them. But such a tale, then spoken aloud by a skilled narrator like Simon, takes the tale to an entirely new level! Thank you for this story and the remarkable performance! ❤
This was extremely chilling and poignant too. A living nightmare. HG Wells was such a fine writer, he makes the story sound possible, even plausible, to me. Your reading of this story is excellent and really adds to the enjoyment of this story.
Your reading, as usual, gets it just right! The voice switches are distinct but natural - the ‘cough’ a masterpiece!, and the whole grisly pantomime proceeds with a dreadful ‘look behind you!’ flair that does both you and Wells complete credit!
What a lovely comment, thank you Hugh!
Simon Stanhope is the narrator- an excellent voice for the 'hard of hearing' such as myself,
Thank you, glad to know you enjoy the stories
I love this man! Thank you for the name to put to the voice! I hope your hearing gets better. Miracles happen all the time, blessings!🙏
i totally agree. found this channel 26th May 2022 @ 21.00 hrs and just love his voice
What a story: and leaving the poor guy helpless amidst his riches, surrounded by suspicion and grandeur, is the final horrible twist. Very very well read too. One feels the (senile) panic....
It's certainly a fiendish plot! Thank you for your kind comments, glad you enjoyed the story
I love the descriptions of gas, oil and candle lighting in these Victorian era stories. I'm always intrigued by the gas lamps and sconces when I visit the Venetian Resort in Vegas, but I'd really love to go back in time for a night out like the scene beginning with the taxi ride. Dinner on a gas lit patio among the people walking on their night out, followed by some laughs with the "night prowlers" would be perfect!
* Assuming night prowlers are just the late night/after hours crowd on the streets, not criminals lol
Yes indeed, there's something wonderfully evocative about gaslight...
Now that’s a nightmare! But consider: It is also a journey we are all on, this thing called aging. All on different squares around the game board. Thank you, Simon. Good job as always!
It's worse than simply being old. It's not knowing where you are or where anything is or who the other people are who surround you. Like coming suddenly to old age and later-stage Alzheimer's all in one hit.
HOLY MACARONI! What a trip! I always believed that no reader's performance of a book could match the voices I heard in my head when I read silently. Wow 👏 Notable exception. The voices in my head could never put on a show like this. I actually read this story once upon a time. But it didn't grab me by the throat and drag me along the way this reading did. Mr. Stanhope found meaningful nuances a mere mortal wouldn't be aware of. And matched his voice to the degree of interest or curiosity of the narrator and the intensity of his emotions. I was there seeing and feeling the whole horrifying experience when the young man realized the terrible trap he had fallen 😢 into. Thank you, Mr. Stanhope
I have new respect for Mr. H. G. Wells too. I guess I had forgotten how good he was.
Edited to eliminate spoiler.
Thank you so much for your very kind comments Donya! So glad to know you enjoyed it. Also, I see you've recently joined as a channel member: many thanks indeed for your support, I really appreciate it.
An excellent study of greed and its comeuppance. Marvelous reading, thank you!
It's a great story, isn't it? Thanks for your support and kind wishes
Well put!
Well said
Yahoo, I am lying down with a migraine and Bitesized comes through for me with new content and his soothingly even voice.
As a (thankfully only occasionally) migraine sufferer myself, I'm glad if the narrations help (not sure about this particular story though?!). Best wishes
Same! I love these for migraines. I use these, an ice pack, take my imitrex, turn off the lights, put a pillow over my head. It’s a migraine ritual sort of thing.
Poor mister Eden. Temptation, as in the parable for an apple/or money in this case, resulted in him being thrown out of the Garden of Eden. Superb utterly scary story.
This one was the stuff of a nightmare! The description of the transformation progress in his mind was truly chilling and scary. Doggie and I kept exchanging looks....
I'm not surprised! Yes, the stuff of nightmares indeed....
I could listen to you recite alphabet soup and be entertained but fortunately you’re here to recite another classic chilling story.
Simon could have a 'talk off' with the ghost of Mark E Smith. That would be entertaining!
Thanks Chris! I'll keep the alphabet soup in mind in case I run out of stories! (But luckily I've still got lots more on my to-do list...)
LOL!
Whew!
I always enjoy the readings on this channel, and here, the performance of the narrator's panic near the end of this story really went above and beyond.
It was exquisite.
I denied myself as long as was humanly possible, Simon, but you know I cannot resist your ample charms. And, wow! That one is the most creepy and disturbing tale I've ever heard you perform! Delivered with charachteristic aplomb, as ever. Put the willies up me good and proper!! ❤
It's a great story, I think - a disturbing idea, as you say, but what an imagination Mr Wells had.... Thanks Bob
Thank God! Sitting here bored saying hasn't anyone uploaded anything I can listen to? Then I look you up and find you have uploaded 7 hours ago. Wonderful!
@wmnoffaith1 Excellent! Glad to be of help... thanks so much for listening and taking the time to comment
So happy to have found Simon. 💕💕💕💕 Thank you again. Each story is better than the last.
Oh , how wonderful, our Favourite Hero is here to tell us a story. ☕️🫖🍪 ❤️ TGIF to all .....
I think you need to become babysitter for my grandchildren as they sit still while you narrate.. As for myself I just plain love the way you narrate these and think your voice is awesome :-}
Glad to help! Thank you for your lovely comment Julia
Excellent... Thank you!
Such an excellent job of reading this as always, Simon. The terrifying plot reminds me of Anne Rice's, "The Tale of the Body Thief". Thank you again.
Thanks Rosie. I've never read any Anne Rice (though I have seen the film of perhaps her most famous work...) - I'll have to check it out
What a frightening story - I guessed what that old man was up to early on.
Very perceptive! It's quite a plot!
Thank you for not giving away the plot.
I sort of did too. But you really have to watch it play out.
A belated but nevertheless sincere thank you for yet another perfect Sunday evening (I always save your you wonderful readings until Sunday ) .. The shock of old age is always a shock, even as in my case it sort of crept up unnoticed but its amazing what one gets used to, and life can still be wonderful ......it just takes a bit more time ! and for those who worry about it there are significant compensations !
I do hope the teeth are being dealt with and you are well Regards RNK
A superb story from H G Wells and you conveyed the horror of it so well Simon that my heart was racing towards the end as he slowly discovered his fate in that strange dim bedroom
At least Elvesham had his comeuppance in the end, by not living long enough to benefit from his scheme.
No! No! I shall resist the urge until I can contain my excitement no longer!! Deep, deep joy awaits, I know it. ❤
Go on, Bob, you know you want to.... Thanks for your support, I hope you're keeping well
@@BitesizedAudio Supporting you is the easiest thing in the world, Simon. I gravitate towards talent. 😉 And it genuinely is a thrill every time I see you post. ❤
I've always enjoyed H.G. Wells brilliant mind. It was almost as if he lingered on the fringe of fact and fiction making his works that much more believable.
Wonderfully read as usual!
That's a lovely way to put it. Yes, his grounding in the science of the day, combined with his creative vision of future possibilities, really distinguish him as a remarkable writer. Thanks for your kind words, much appreciated
Wells had a knack for capturing dread, hopelessness and despair in his writing. You could perhaps try recording 'The Country of the Blind' too.
What a horrible story! I believed the young man, trapped in this terrible old used body. One of your most frightening stories Simon! Your reading almost convenience me, I'm trying to be myself again after hearing this. I was in that body to!! A flower to you for scary me so much, I simply love it when it happens 🌹My judgement are, that the old philosopher never again will steel a young body to live in, his chain of evilness stopped in the second that the body he stole, died after being hit by this cab. That pleases me.
Excellent! Such a riveting narrative, great twist at the end as well.
the desperation in your voice as Elvesham realizes what happened is so striking. H.G.’s descriptions as Elvesham discovers these incredible changes in his young body are so dramatic and real that one can feel his grief.
and it is such a vibrant reading of this tale. thank you much and have great day cause you give us such engaging stories :) 🌷🌼
I listen to tons of audiobooks, private and public. I find you to be the best on youtube.
Your wording and emotional content is on point and very enjoyable with excellent pacing and silky smooth voice/delivery.
Thank you so much for gracing us with your presence. 👍😁
Please carry on.
Thank you for your very kind comment Dee, I really appreciate it. I certainly hope to carry on! Thanks for listening, best wishes to you
Im sure that anyone over their fifth decade has experienced at least a little of what our protagonist suffered. The bewilderment of looking in the mirror and seeing a face that does not resemble our inner view of ourselves!
Excellent story and reading, as always!! Thank you for sharing these outstanding tales into the macabre and your talent!!
You're most welcome. Thanks for your kind words Tina, appreciated
So many lessons in this "dreadful" story. Your narration is impeccable, evoking strong feelings of the experience. Thank you, Simon, for gracing us with your talents.
For one the same supposed "age" as the narrator, this story takes on an extra element of terror. As always superbly read and acted. It's no mystery why for a time at the turn of the 20th century H G Wells was one of the best known and highest paid writers in the world. I've been reading him, thanks to the gift of a collection I was given as a gift when I was 10 years old with as yet no diminished enthusiasm. But listening to a reading voice of Simon's caliber and quality is a unique pleasure.
Chilling, gripping, elegant presentation. Thank you.
I suppose everyone has their price, how many have been bought only to regret it.....brilliantly narrated, thoroughly gripping, thank you.
Wow! That was fantastic! I’m surprised I never heard of this story before, but then I haven’t read much by H G Wells. A truly creepy tale! Thank you.
Yes indeed, I think it's a great story. I'd read it years ago but had forgotten about it until a listener reminded me quite recently, and was delighted to revisit it. I'd like to read more Wells, he's such a great writer, superb imagination. Thanks GradKat
The best performance of all the stories I have heard so far.
There was a book called Vice Versa a bit like this but both parties wanted to swap! There have been about four movies loosely based on the idea, wonderfully and thrillingly read as usual, thank you Simon!👍💕
Anyone remember The Avengers body-swap episode? Steed and Emma did well to wriggle out of that predicament.
I do so appreciate your reading of these stories. I enjoy immensely your characterization. Thank you. I am now binge-listening to you.
Thanks so much for listening, and for your kind comments. I hope you enjoy some of my other readings... more coming soon!
Absolutely perfect! Have an amazing weekend! You deserve it!💜☯️💜
Thank you! You too!
Futuristic Victorian Transformers !!! have to be careful what you say & wish for especially when tipsy, gives a whole new meaning to stolen identity
Yes indeed! H. G. Wells was so ahead of his time with many of his ideas. Thanks Irena
@@BitesizedAudio the same can be said for Jules Verne when you look at both their works it's amazing what has become reality
The only preface I love more than this is the “I’m a skeptic..believe what you will… once you’ve heard the tale” preface.
Excellent reading, thank you. H.P. Lovecraft played with this theme, so I guess he probably knew this story and borrowed the idea.
I'm sure he must have done. Thanks for listening, and for your kind feedback
Thanks again for another bedtime story :)
You're most welcome. Not sure the climax of this one is the most restful for bedtime listening... but hope you enjoy it whenever you listen!
@@BitesizedAudio I take an age to get to the land of nod so will have listened to it a couple of times and be well acquainted with the ending before I finally arrive... but thanks for the warning haha.
End of the week in bed and listening 💐💐Thank you.
Wonderful, thanks Stella - sleep well!
This was surprisingly nightmarish! It's going to haunt me the same way that Lovecraft's 'In the Walls of Eryx' did 😅
One of your very best. Many Thanks!
Sir, you are without doubt the best narrator ever. At times I catch a slight inflection reminiscent of the revered Alan Bennett. I am so delighted to have found your channel. 😀
What a lovely comment, thank you so much Pippa. I'm glad you found your way here too!
Dear sir, your interpretation of the voice of the old man reminded me very much of another interpretation of another old man by the great Jeremy Brett in the Granada tv episode of Sherlock Holmes namely The Adventure of the Empty House where Mr. Holmes disguises himself as an old man selling books. That's how good you are! Thank you.
Just wonderful thank you!
That was fabulous, great ending. Thank you
FANTASTIC
! STORY !
YOU. MUST. LISTEN
TO. THIS. STORY !
Another triumph Mr. Stanhope! A great story and your delivery is so entertaining. Thanks once again!
Thank you loved it, it was great
Thank you so much for uploading this story. Your narration is wonderful!
What a great story. Thank you.
Flocculation: an excellent word to employ in evoking a grey dawn, a word no doubt taken from Wells' chemical knowledge and employed in this new context to define something so difficult to capture on the page. His short stories are up to the best of novels.
@ericfaragh I concur. Yes, "through the flocculent grey of the heaped clouds" is a wonderful line
Yep, only time I've ever heard the word used was during a biology lesson in Year 8 (but in those days we called it the second form), when we were learning about different soil types.
Don't do drugs.
Or at least not drugs creepy old men give you.
Very sound advice!
I guess it is kinda off topic but does anyone know a good site to watch new series online ?
@Royce Eliseo thank you, I signed up and it seems to work =) I appreciate it!!
@Will Cassius Happy to help :)
I'd always associated old H G with sci-fi, but this wonderfully created and written story proves what a versatile writer he was.
The terror as the knowledge of what had happened to Eden was very well voiced by the narrator.
Wow, what a story! Brilliantly read Simon
Thank you 😊
fantastic story very well read
Brilliant story and wonderfully read thank you as always.
Thanks Richie
Brilliant.👏👏👏
Wow, that ended unexpected from what I was thinking.
Excellent in every way! Wonderful narration...
Excellent!
I remember reading this somewhere years ago. I'm sososo glad to have found the audio version, and your narration is perfect, it puts me in the MC's mind, so terrifying, then a great ending. Such a great story matched up with superb narrator, thanks much for entertainment-Shae in Cadillac, Michigan, US
Thank you! I'm always interested to hear where listeners are from. So glad you enjoyed the story
That was amazing!!!
Watched a documentary on Wells on a channel called Write Like. It’s a must see for all H.G. Wells fans. (See link in the replies below.)
Sounds interesting, I'll look it up! Thanks Rachel
Could you link it?
Dean Winchester yes, I’ll try.
I’ll have a link to it by tomorrow afternoon. Check back then.
@@rattyrachel4316 Thank you :)
What a story! I caught on fast and was screaming inwardly “DON’T!” when.. but I won’t give it away 😉. I am surprised that people read the comments first, though.
Excellent narration: clever story...thank you.
Wonderful reading. Chilling
A real horror story! If the offer sounds to good to be true, it is, foolish boy. Thank you for reading this fantastic switcheroo with style.
Hg wells .and your voice prefect thank u
Doggie and I were as chilled by this story as by The Parasite. Well done but very unsettling.
Superbly read. Excellent
Brilliant my friend
What an absolutely fabulous story - well narrated . Makes me wish to investigate HG Wells further . From young to old - the blink of an eye . I am sure Mr Wells was being metaphorical here .
Thanks Michael, glad you enjoyed it. I do like this story, it's very thought provoking!
Спасибі велике ❤❤❤!!! Thank Your for creating!)
Excellent my writer
Thank you for this one, it really made me think. I’m glad I found your channel.
I'm glad you found your way here too. Thanks for listening!
Wow this isn’t my first time listening to this video, but I think it’s one of the scariest on this channel. Well done Simon, as always.
Thank you, appreciated! I agree, it is a scary idea, a true nightmare scenario...
great story!!
Great story and narration, as always.
Well done. Scary
This is so well acted! I’m so glad I found this channel
I'm very glad you found your way here too! Thanks so much for listening, and subscribing
All your narrations are a treat for the ears! Thanx so much!
You're very welcome, thanks Elaine!
That is quite a horror story. Thank you.
great story
Thank you. That was the best yet. Perfectly performed in my opinion. Enjoyed it so much I will be listening to it again.
Thanks Emma, appreciated! Glad to know you enjoyed it
That was amazing!
Thanks Julia!
Now that was a story, brilliant stuff. I really enjoyed that.
Excellent, thank you!
That was outstanding!
Thank you!
Thank you for these marvelous stories. Sir if ever there was perfection you have reached it. Bravo Bravo
Thank you so much for your very kind comment, truly appreciated! I also appreciate your username very much... Mr. Sherlock Holmes was largely responsible for initiating my enduring fondness for these stories, and the classic literature of this era more generally, when I began reading his adventures aged about 10 after seeing some of the old Basil Rathbone films etc. Thanks for your support
@@BitesizedAudio i have Basil Rathbone and Sir Arthur conan Doyle autographed pictures. I collect sherlock holmes! I also have Jeremy Brett Autograph and I love each one of them
@@BitesizedAudio your Amazing and im so proud to be a part of this . I will move up soon to show more support for you. You have brought the stories to life. So so Beautiful no words can describe what your doing. I know they are all looking down on you and smiling. Thank you for everything . Totally amazing and your should be on the Radio 📻
@Mr. Sherlock Holmes How wonderful. I have Jeremy Brett's autograph too, and Edward Hardwicke's, although sadly I didn't meet them. I grew up in Cheshire, where much of the Granada series was filmed, and they were filming an episode ('Wisteria Lodge' I think, though I'm not absolutely certain about that) in a nearby village. My brother went to watch them filming - I think I must have still been at school and couldn't go - and he managed to speak to them both and got them to sign a photograph, and inscribe it to me! Slightly awkwardly, the photograph was a publicity shot of Jeremy in character with David Burke rather than Edward, but Edward very kindly signed his autograph anyway (on another piece of paper). They were both very charming apparently, as I've also heard since having worked with one or two people over the years who knew or worked with them. I don't have many autographs - in fact I'm not sure I have any others off the top of my head - but I'm very pleased to have those ones.