The Landlady
Encyclopedia
The Landlady is a short story by Roald Dahl.
sign which advertises a cheap room and board, and due to his intense curiosity he goes to check it out. He presses the doorbell, and the door opens immediately as if the and a middle-aged landlady who opened the door had been waiting for him. She treats him generously, giving him a whole floor of his own to stay on, and charging him much less than he expected. However, she also emits a sense of spookiness, which, though apparently Billy does not notice, appears quite evident to the reader.
The old landlady gives him tea with a ginger biscuit. In the inn's guest book, he sees that only two other guests have stayed there—one older, the other younger, and both having arrived earlier than 2 years prior. Billy finds the names vaguely familiar. On further reflection recalls that they "were both famous for the same thing" (going missing). The landlady makes a comment about one of the two boys in past tense
, to which Billy replies that they must have only left recently. The landlady replies that both of the guests are still residing at the inn. Billy then notices that the dog by the fireplace and the parrot he had noticed earlier were stuffed as he looks closer and touches the dog to examine it. She then tells him, "I stuff all my pets myself," and offers him more tea. Billy refuses because the tea "tasted faintly of bitter almonds" (a characteristic of cyanide
). The story ends with Billy asking if there have been any other guests or visitors in the past few years, to which the landlady replies, "No my dear, Only you."
In the televised version, however, Billy then becomes paralyzed and the landlady takes him up to one of her rooms where he finds two dead men whom he recognizes as the missing men from the newspaper. But by this point he cannot fight back and becomes one of the landlady's taxidermied collection. And in the last scene the landlady tucks him into a bed and then says, "Good Night Billy".
", with the protagonist as a mysterious young man rather than a 17-year-old boy.
It was also an episode of the series "Tales of the Unexpected
". The screen adaptation was also written by Roald Dahl
.
Plot summary
The story focuses on a young and bright man named Billy Weaver who has just stepped into the world of work. Arriving in Bath for a business trip, he looks for a place to stay, and is recommended to the Bell and Dragon. While headed there, he comes upon a bed and breakfastBed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
sign which advertises a cheap room and board, and due to his intense curiosity he goes to check it out. He presses the doorbell, and the door opens immediately as if the and a middle-aged landlady who opened the door had been waiting for him. She treats him generously, giving him a whole floor of his own to stay on, and charging him much less than he expected. However, she also emits a sense of spookiness, which, though apparently Billy does not notice, appears quite evident to the reader.
The old landlady gives him tea with a ginger biscuit. In the inn's guest book, he sees that only two other guests have stayed there—one older, the other younger, and both having arrived earlier than 2 years prior. Billy finds the names vaguely familiar. On further reflection recalls that they "were both famous for the same thing" (going missing). The landlady makes a comment about one of the two boys in past tense
Past tense
The past tense is a grammatical tense that places an action or situation in the past of the current moment , or prior to some specified time that may be in the speaker's past, present, or future...
, to which Billy replies that they must have only left recently. The landlady replies that both of the guests are still residing at the inn. Billy then notices that the dog by the fireplace and the parrot he had noticed earlier were stuffed as he looks closer and touches the dog to examine it. She then tells him, "I stuff all my pets myself," and offers him more tea. Billy refuses because the tea "tasted faintly of bitter almonds" (a characteristic of cyanide
Cyanide
A cyanide is a chemical compound that contains the cyano group, -C≡N, which consists of a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom. Cyanides most commonly refer to salts of the anion CN−. Most cyanides are highly toxic....
). The story ends with Billy asking if there have been any other guests or visitors in the past few years, to which the landlady replies, "No my dear, Only you."
In the televised version, however, Billy then becomes paralyzed and the landlady takes him up to one of her rooms where he finds two dead men whom he recognizes as the missing men from the newspaper. But by this point he cannot fight back and becomes one of the landlady's taxidermied collection. And in the last scene the landlady tucks him into a bed and then says, "Good Night Billy".
Adaptations
The story was dramatized in an episode of "Alfred Hitchcock PresentsAlfred Hitchcock Presents
Alfred Hitchcock Presents is an American television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock. The series featured dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. By the premiere of the show on October 2, 1955, Hitchcock had been directing films for over three decades...
", with the protagonist as a mysterious young man rather than a 17-year-old boy.
It was also an episode of the series "Tales of the Unexpected
Tales of the Unexpected
Tales of the Unexpected may refer to:*Tales of the Unexpected , a 1950s-1960s comic book*Tales of the Unexpected , a collection of short stories by Roald Dahl...
". The screen adaptation was also written by Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer, fighter pilot and screenwriter.Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, he served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, in which he became a flying ace and intelligence agent, rising to the rank of Wing Commander...
.