Spider Mansion

By Fritz Leiber

“So the last fly has obligingly walked into the spider’s parlor,” he murmured, with a laugh.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Start Publishing LLC
• Release date: Oct 19, 2016
• ISBN: 9781682995297

Fritz Leiber

Fritz Leiber (1910–1992) was the highly acclaimed author of numerous science fiction stories and novels, many of which were made into films. He is best known as creator of the classic Lankhmar fantasy series. Leiber has won many awards, including the coveted Hugo and Nebula, and was honored as a lifetime Grand Master by the Science Fiction Writers of America.

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Spider Mansion

by Fritz Leiber

Start Publishing LLC

Copyright © 2015 by Start Publishing LLC

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

First Start Publishing eBook edition July 2015

Start Publishing is a registered trademark of Start Publishing LLC

Manufactured in the United States of America

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ISBN 13: 978-1-68299-529-7

Spider Mansion

by Fritz Leiber

A tremendous splash of lightning gave us our first glimpse of the pillared front of the Old Orne House—a pale Colonial mask framed by wildly whipping leaves. Then, even before the lightning faded, it was blotted out by a solid sheet of muddy water sloshing up against the windshield.

But I still don’t like midgets, Helen said for the third time, and besides—

Close thunder, like thick metal ripping, drowned out the rest.

It’s gotten beyond a question of your or my personal taste in heights, I argued, squinting for a sight of the road between mud splashes. Sure Malcolm Orne’s a midget, but you don’t know how slippery the road is ahead or how deep those Jersey salt marshes are on either side of it. And no garages or even houses for miles. Too risky, in this storm. Anyway, we figured all along we might visit him on the way. That’s why we took this road.

Yes, this lonely, god-forsaken road. Helen’s voice was as strained and uneasy as her face, pallidly revealed by another lightning flash. Oh, I know it’s silly of me, but I still feel that—

Again cracking thunder blanketed het words. Our coupe was progressing by heaves, as if through a gelatinous sea. I spotted the high white posts a little ahead, and swung out for the turn-in.

Still really want to go on? I asked.

Maybe it was the third blast of thunder, loudest of the lot that decided her against further argument. She gave me a You win look, and even grinned a little, being a much better sport than I probably deserve for a wife.

The coupe slithered between the posts, lurched around squishily on a sharp slippery rise, made it