The Angel of the West Window

a shaggy red beard in an old-fashioned leather jerkin who digs up the blackened ground, cursing and swearing. Then – people will see what they want to see – he kneels before the naked female shaking his head miserably, as if he feared some punishment. Did it not all take place in the dark, we would be tempted to ascribe it to the activities of some pornographic film-maker. Finally, an old lady was recently accosted by an elderly gentleman with a red scarf who said, with a leer, that he was very interested in antiques. Another feature that popular rumour associates with the supernatural phenomena is the countless black cats that appear on the site of the burnt-down house when the moon is shining. A more likely explanation is the new cat licence the city has introduced; the economic difficulties we are going through mean that many hard-up citizens have been forced to turn their pets out onto the streets.

It was recently announced that two eminent scientists in the field of mass hysteria, Professor Rosenburg and Doctor Goliath Wellenbusch, are planning to visit the district to conduct a research project into the widespread hallucinations. It is to be hoped they will finally lay the ghost of the victim of the conflagration. Baron Müller was a well-known local eccentric; many remember how he used to call himself Lord of the Manor of Gladhill – may his ashes rest in peace.

Stop Press: An announcement has just been made by Police Headquarters of a find which miraculously survived the fire at the house in the Elisabethstrasse: inside a silver casket, which had melted to a shapeless lump, was a perfectly preserved miniature portrait on ivory. It is of Dr. John Dee, who played an important role in the political life of England at the time of Queen Elizabeth. The late Baron Müller claimed to have been a descendent of Dr. Dee. Those who knew the Baron will not be able to deny a distinct family resemblance in the portrait which gives some support to his claim.

Books by Gustav Meyrink published by Dedalus

The Golem

Walpurgisnacht

The Green Face

The White Dominican

The Angel of the West Window

The Opal (and other stories)

The Dedalus Meyrink Reader

Dedalus has also published the first English language biography of Gustav Meyrink:

Vivo: The Life of Gustav Meyrink by Mike Mitchell

COPYRIGHT

Published in the UK by Dedalus Limited,

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ISBN printed book 978 1 903517 81 9

ISBN e-book    978 1 907650 61 1

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Publishing History

First published in Germany in 1927

First published by Dedalus in 1991, reprinted in 1999

New edition with minor corrections in 2010

First ebook edition in 2012

Translation & Introduction copyright © Dedalus Limited and Mike Mitchell in 1991/2010

The right of Mike Mitchell to be identified as the translator of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.

Printed in Finland by Bookwell

Typeset by Refine Catch

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A C.I.P. Listing for this book is available on request.