Lot No. 249
Encyclopedia
"Lot No. 249" is a short story
written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
. The story tells of an Oxford
college student who, through the use of Egypt
ian magic, manages to reanimate an ancient Egyptian mummy
(called "Lot 249" for its number in an auction
sale), which he then sends to attack all the people against whom he holds a grudge. Written in the wake of the late-19th-century fascination with Egyptology
, "Lot No. 249" was the first story to depict a reanimated mummy as a sinister, predatory figure and had a profound influence on the horror movie genre throughout the 20th century.
Not long afterwards, Monkhouse Lee issues a warning to Smith against Bellingham, explaining he has called off his sister's engagement to Bellingham, after Bellingham confided in him a terrible secret of which he has sworn to keep silent. Later, when passing Bellingham's room, Smith witnesses the mummy seemingly vanish and inexplicably reappear in its sarcophagus
within a mere few moments. After discovering that Lee has been attacked in a similar manner to Norton, Smith concludes that Bellingham has brought the mummy to life and is sending it after all the people whom he dislikes. Smith confronts Bellingham angrily about the attack on Lee, but Bellingham denies any involvement. The following evening, as Smith sets out on a stroll, he finds himself being pursued by the mummy along a dark country path. Fleeing in terror, he narrowly manages to escape the creature, but realizes that his own life is now in danger and he must take action to stop Bellingham's evil. The next day Smith enters Bellingham's room and forces Bellingham, at gunpoint, to burn the mummy and all items associated with the spell. Once everything has been destroyed Smith vows to pay Bellingham another visit if he returns to his evils. Bellingham quits the university immediately afterwards and flees to the Sudan
.
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL was a Scottish physician and writer, most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, generally considered a milestone in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger...
. The story tells of an Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
college student who, through the use of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian magic, manages to reanimate an ancient Egyptian mummy
Mummy
A mummy is a body, human or animal, whose skin and organs have been preserved by either intentional or incidental exposure to chemicals, extreme coldness , very low humidity, or lack of air when bodies are submerged in bogs, so that the recovered body will not decay further if kept in cool and dry...
(called "Lot 249" for its number in an auction
Auction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
sale), which he then sends to attack all the people against whom he holds a grudge. Written in the wake of the late-19th-century fascination with Egyptology
Egyptology
Egyptology is the study of ancient Egyptian history, language, literature, religion, and art from the 5th millennium BC until the end of its native religious practices in the AD 4th century. A practitioner of the discipline is an “Egyptologist”...
, "Lot No. 249" was the first story to depict a reanimated mummy as a sinister, predatory figure and had a profound influence on the horror movie genre throughout the 20th century.
Synopsis
Abercrombie Smith, a medical student at Old College, Oxford, is called to the rooms of his neighbour and fellow student Edward Bellingham, a fanatical Egyptology student, who has suffered a faint which seems to have resulted from a severe shock. As Smith uses his medical skills to bring Bellingham round, Bellingham's friend William Monkhouse Lee (to whose sister Bellingham is engaged) explains that Bellingham has a worrying obsession with the study of an Egyptian mummy, purchased from an auction sale, which he keeps in his room. Smith manages to bring Bellingham back to consciousness, but over the next few weeks is frequently disturbed by the sound of mumbling and muttering from Bellingham's room. The building's caretaker, Thomas Styles, later confides in Smith that he has heard something walking around Bellingham's room while Bellingham is out. Shortly afterwards, a student called Long Norton, against whom Bellingham bears a long-standing grudge, is violently attacked by a mysterious and seemingly inhuman figure. Suspecting Bellingham is connected with the assault, Smith vows to avoid his neighbour entirely.Not long afterwards, Monkhouse Lee issues a warning to Smith against Bellingham, explaining he has called off his sister's engagement to Bellingham, after Bellingham confided in him a terrible secret of which he has sworn to keep silent. Later, when passing Bellingham's room, Smith witnesses the mummy seemingly vanish and inexplicably reappear in its sarcophagus
Sarcophagus
A sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the Greek σαρξ sarx meaning "flesh", and φαγειν phagein meaning "to eat", hence sarkophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase lithos sarkophagos...
within a mere few moments. After discovering that Lee has been attacked in a similar manner to Norton, Smith concludes that Bellingham has brought the mummy to life and is sending it after all the people whom he dislikes. Smith confronts Bellingham angrily about the attack on Lee, but Bellingham denies any involvement. The following evening, as Smith sets out on a stroll, he finds himself being pursued by the mummy along a dark country path. Fleeing in terror, he narrowly manages to escape the creature, but realizes that his own life is now in danger and he must take action to stop Bellingham's evil. The next day Smith enters Bellingham's room and forces Bellingham, at gunpoint, to burn the mummy and all items associated with the spell. Once everything has been destroyed Smith vows to pay Bellingham another visit if he returns to his evils. Bellingham quits the university immediately afterwards and flees to the Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
.