Learn English Through Stories Level 3 Simple English Short Stories In English For Beginners

was born in the United States but lived in Hong Kong for many years my business in Asia was successful and became Rich after 20 years decided to visit my home in New York on my way from Hong Kong to New York stayed one week in California had friend who lived in the city of San Francisco and wanted to see him again his name was mun dampier and he had been my friend for many years we had written many letters to each other but recently have not received any news from him dumpier had never had job his father gave him little money so dampier had never worked dampier was superstitious man he believed that luck or magic could make things happen in his life he spent most of his time reading strange books most of the books were about Occult Philosophy called them books about magic and as soon as arrived in San Francisco sent message to dampier's house the message said am staying in San Francisco for 3 Days may visit you dampierre surprised me an hour later he sent servant to my hotel with reply come to my house at once my dear friend he wrote come this evening you'll remember the house I'm sure it was my father's home live in tower at one end of the house you don't have to ring the bell or knock on the door I'll tell the servants to go to bed and I'll leave the front door of the tower open come up the stairs immediately I'll be waiting for you please come soon rode in cab to dampier's house that evening the weather was stormy strong wind was blowing and cold rain was falling had forgotten that California is cold and wet in Winter only remembered the sunshine not the wind and the rain rain dampier's house was near the Pacific Ocean it was an ugly twostory building that was made of bricks there was tower at one end the house was surrounded by garden of many trees and beautiful plants but now it was Winter and there were no leaves on the trees or flowers on the plants the driver stopped his cab near the tower although the front door was only 5 yards away became soaked with rain as soon as stepped out of the cab ran to the door of the Tower and turned the handle the door was unlocked and opened it one small lamp burned on the stairway and it did not give much light the hall was full of Shadows and could not see clearly climbed the stairs slowly touching the wall with my fingers at the top of the stairs there was another door opened it and went into room that was lit with another small lamp dumpier came forward held my hand and shook it he was wearing long silk coat and soft leather slippers on his feet his clothes were old-fashioned and strange we looked at each other and was shocked had not seen dumpier for many years my friend has changed lot he had been handsome man but now his hair was gray and his face was very pale there were many lines around his eyes and mouth dumpier looked like thin old man but he was not older than 50 his large and bright eyes Shone strangely in the shadowy room welcome my friend please sit down he said dpia offered me some wine and cigar and we talked little but am afraid that our conversation was not very interesting meeting friends after many years can be difficult and it can make you sad maybe dampier guessed my thoughts nonm qualis arum I'm not as was he said tried to make joke your Latin hasn't improved replied my friend smiled Latin is dead language and I'm dead man he said then his smile disappeared and he said I'll die very soon did not know what to say smoked my cigar and drank my wine we were both silent for several minutes outside the wind had stopped blowing wanted to leave the house suddenly heard strange noise tap tap tap it was the sound of someone or something knocking was the sound coming from one wall of the Tower tap tap tap the sound was not quick or loud it was not the sound of someone knocking loudly on door the soft taing sounded like someone sending signal message dampier had forgotten me he was staring at the wall there was strange expression on his face my friend looked excited and Afraid his eyes Shone brightly did not know what to do should go or stay stood up see that you are very tired said I'll leave may visit you tomorrow dampier turned his head and looked at me please stay he said there's no problem nobody is there he walked to small window and opened it had not noticed the window earlier look he said walked across the room and looked out of the window could see nothing except the light of Street Lamp and rain falling no one was standing outside there was no one near the wall of the tower please don't leave me said dumpier must tell you story you're the only man that can tell it to will you listen to my story wanted to go back to my hotel hell dampier his house and the strange noise made me feel uncomfortable think that am sensible and intelligent man but felt unhappy and frightened in that Old Tower room however did not want to upset my old friend very well said I'll stay and listen dumpier poured me another drink and offered me another cigar then he began to tell his story didn't move into this house until my father died dampierre said that was 10 years ago when was about 40 years old when my father died got his business his property and his money before his death lived in large apartment building on ringcon Hill said dampier maybe you know that area of San Francisco rencon hill was fashionable area 50 years ago but now it is run down and neglected the owner of the apartment building rented out many of its small rooms the walls of the rooms were thin you could almost put your hand through them was lucky dumpier went on the rent was cheap and had large room in the building no one visited me and no one Disturbed me could study my books quietly lived happily on ringcon Hill one morning as was leaving the apartment saw young girl dumpier continued it was warm day in June she was wearing white dress and straw hat there were brightly colored flowers and ribbons around the brim of the Hat then saw the girl's face it's difficult to find words to describe it her face was strange and beautiful had never seen such beautiful face before without thinking lifted my hat and bowed she looked at me with shining brown eyes but she didn't speak knew that she was pleased to see me but she didn't smile she went into the house and shut the door stood and stared at the closed door would see her again should speak to her would she speak to me maybe you think that these are the thoughts of much younger man said dumpier and maybe you're right but these feelings were new to me I'd never been in love before I'd spent too many years with books and too little time with people now believe that you're my only friend soon none of this will matter don't feel foolish when talk to you dampo stopped speaking for few moments then he went on with his story the next day waited in my apartment for many hours stared out of the window watched the street but the girl didn't come out of the building didn't know her name so couldn't ask anyone about her that night couldn't sleep the next morning sat by the window again and waited then suddenly she came out of the apartment building and went out too but when reached the street she had disappeared didn't see where she had gone so walked around the neighborhood at last saw her in narrow Street we smiled at each other she recognized me I'm sure of that from that time often went out when the girl went out she always wore the straw hat with the brightly colored flowers and ribbons on its brim didn't follow her simply walked around the neighborhood and hoped to see her again at last went to the land lady of the apartment who is the girl with the pretty face and the straw hat asked her she's my niece sir the land lady replied she's servant in this house she lives here because her parents are dead she works for me she cooks and cleans the building also sent her to buy our food she lives at the top of the house her room is next to yours but at the top of the other staircase my friend wish that I'd never heard that piece of information dumpier said to me the girl's room was next to mine she was on the other side of the thin wall at night put my hand on the wall and thought of her was her bed by the wall was she sleeping only few inches from my hand couldn't study because of the girl said dumpier my mind wasn't clear only thought about the girl couldn't study my books about the occult I'd never wanted to marry dumpier went on I'd never wanted wife and children was only interested in learning and could never marry Mar poor uneducated servant girl my father would never have given his permission all my money came from my father if he had stopped giving me money well what happened next asked my friend looked at me sadly stopped waiting for her and stopped watching her only studied spent all my time reading my books but one hot night couldn't sleep thoughts were racing around and around in my mind thought again and again about the beautiful girl wanted to be with her she was only on the other side of the wall tapped on the wall tapped very gently three times tap tap tap tapped again tap tap tap then felt foolish was behaving like boy who was in love for the first time got out of my bed and began to study my books was reading strange book dampier said it was book of Occult Philosophy by necromantia you would call it book of magic and Superstition in his book necromantia describes how to be fortun teller necromantia also wrote about strange and terrible things that happen three times when these things happened three times death would come necromantia called this fatal Triad believe that fatal Triad has happened to me why asked what happened while was alone reading that strange book by necromantia said dampier heard sound it was soft tapping sound it came from Beyond the Wall it was the answer to my own signal tap tap tap knew that the pretty servant girl was sending message to me she wanted me to come to her ran to the wall and tapped my signal again tap tap tap tap but after that there was silence she didn't reply to any of my other signals listened for many hours but heard nothing more for many days after this looked for the girl dumpier said but never saw her again tried to forget her then one evening went to to bed early because was very tired in the middle of the night awoke suddenly heard soft sound opened my eyes and sat up heard soft tapping on the wall beside the bed in few moments it was repeated tap tap tap was going to reply to the signal then stopped the girl hadn't replied to my last messages would not reply to her now dampier drank little wine and then continued lay in bed listening he said but didn't reply at last must have slept when awoke it was late and felt tired needed some fresh air so left my apartment the land lady was outside my door Mr dampier she said have you heard the terrible news my heart began to beat quickly my voice shook when answered what what news asked her my my poor niece was sick for week the land lady replied didn't you know I've seen you watching her didn't you know that she was ill was shocked said dumpier didn't know what to say yes had looked at the girl but I'd never spoken to her my mind was always full of thoughts of my books and thoughts of her how much time had passed since had seen the girl few days week couldn't remember and how is your niece now asked the land lady I'm sorry sir the land lady replied she was very ill last night and took care of her the poor girl made only one request she wanted her bed to be moved she wanted her bed to be beside the wall the wall next to your room so we moved her bed this made her feel happier poor thing then she touched the wall and smiled few hours later she died the expression on dampier's face was terrible there were tears in his eyes as he continued his story when heard this news nearly died too said my friend didn't know what to say what had done had sent my thoughts to the girl and she had answered had not called out in words had used cult philosophy magic to send her message dampier was silent for few minutes then he went on few days later heard of my father's death said dumpier sadly left the apartment on Ranon Hill and came to his house this house it's been my home since then I've been waiting here in this tower for years I've been waiting for visitor wasn't expecting to see you but your visit wasn't surprise necromantia tells us how signs are repeated three times you've heard my story you must decide if my story has happened because of fatal Triad heard the tapping twice before the first time tried to find the person who made the noise the second time many signals were sent to me but didn't reply now you've heard the tapping too that was the third time the Fatal Triad is complete stood up and shook dampier's hand my friend knew that understood his sadness and pain he pressed my hand with his fingers and smiled said good night there was nothing more to say the next morning servant came from dampier's house he brought sad message for me my friend mun dampier had died in the night the voice over in this video is given by English 5 days copying or re-uploading is totally forbidden