Basil Copper - The Curse of The Fleers

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Basil Copper - The Curse of The Fleers ( P. S. Publishing, September 2012)

Stephen E. Fabian

Stephen Jones - Introduction: The Curse Of The Curse Of The Fleers

Basil Copper - The Curse Of The Fleers

Basil Copper - Story Ideas for The Curse Of The Fleers
Basil Copper - The Curse Of The Fleers: Synopsis of Chapters
Basil Copper - The Curse Of The Fleers: Character Traits
Basil Copper - The Curse Of The Fleers: Topiography
Basil Copper - Rough Plot Outline For Projected Gothic Novel.

Among the glut of books receiving their official launch at FantasyCon this weekend, Bail Copper's great 'lost' Gothic novel, first published by the doomed Harwood-Smart (Dorset) in 1976 and picked up by St. Martins in the US the following year. According to the bibliography in Stephen Jones' Basil Copper: A Life In Books (PS, February 2008), "although a bowdlerised version of this novel appeared on both sides of the Atlantic in 1977, Basil Copper does not consider that this book has been properly published yet." Until now, that is! From Mr. Jones' introduction, "bowdlerised* is putting it mildly. The "amateurs" responsible jettisoned half the book and rewrote entire passages of what little remained, which couldn't have been much (even in this restored edition, it runs to a Vault-friendly 200 pages).

Set in Victoria's reign, the story begins with Captain Guy Harwood, forty, recuperating from injuries sustained in the Afghan conflict, wondering how he's going to make his living now a gammy leg has all but put paid to his active military career. A message from old pal, Cedric Fleer, has him travel to Dorset to investigate the latest manifestation of the family curse ....

Many thanks to Peter Crowther & Stephen Jones

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Cecil is concerned that his father, Sir John Fleer, is going insane, though he's vague as to the details. Pressed by Captain Harwood, who has been boning up on the history of the Fleers, he admits it involves the ancient family curse. "I regarded it as a complete nonsense. Something about a creeping man. My father is convinced it is true."

Captain Harwood agrees to set out from London the following day. On his friend's recommendation, he packs his service revolver but leaves behind his walking stick in case Cecil's sister, Prudence, is as attractive as he's heard tell. Fleer Manor House lies on the outskirts of Sar Maina, a tiny Dorset coastal village. He's met at the station by Fennell, Sir John's trusty bailiff. As they make their way to the Manor House, a surley, bearded figure steps out from the trees to glare at their dog-cart as it rides past. He is Sir Jeffrey Darnley, Old Sir John's bitter enemy and an all-round bad 'un in the opinion of the Fleers. He and Sir John have long been in dispute over land rights.
Captain Harwood arrives at the Fleers' vast estate where he's warmly welcomed by Cecil, his sister Prudence, the regulation slightly sinister servants - everyone bar Sir John, who fails to put in an appearance. Prudence mischievously lets on that her brother has bigged the Captain up as he who can solve all their problems, putting both men on the spot. Harwood remains supremely unfazed and plays down Cedric's claims on his behalf. There's evidently some friction between brother and sister which he'll have to get to the bottom of. Hammond settles down to bed for the night, only to be awoken at 2. AM by a strange, grinding noise. It sounds as though a portcullis were being raised. Has the creeping man emerged from his lair?

Hammond's first meeting with Sir John seems to confirm Cecil's worst fears that the old boy is barking. He spends his days holed up in the tower of the West Wing, ever gazing out at the ancient battlements. Wearied and haggard, Sir John begs Hammond's forgiveness for any apparent rudeness on his part, but he is not one to trust a fellow on first acquaintance. A noise from below stairs and Sir John shoots out of his chair, pulls the most extraordinary face as if he were about to metamorphosise into a werewolf, and rushes to the window. On this occasion, it's a false a alarm, but "all my troubles stem from that wall, Captain Hammond."

This holiday is already making Hammond depressed: how is he going to tell Cedric "actually, you're right. He needs locking up?" While he's walking the fields planning his strategy, a spooked horse comes thundering his way, its young blonde rider clearly in danger of being unseated. The Captain gallantly whisks her from the saddle and, gammy leg be damned!, allows her to fall on top of him. As he drives home the blushing Miss Claire Ainsley (that will be her on the cover) in Fennell's dog-cart, Hammond manages his first cheerful smile of the entire miserable experience.

Which brings us painlessly to page 50 and Chapter seven: The Creeping Man ....

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It's a slow burner, but with a dash of romance and the introduction of the creeping man we're well up and running.

Ashamed at his conduct of the previous day, Sir John takes the Captain into his confidence, and finally spills the slime on this "creeping man" business. It all harks back to the sixteenth century when a young woman chose the then Sir Darnley over Montacute 'Redbeard' Fleer ("he was a sadist, adventurer and pirate among other things"). Not one to suffer a snub lightly, Redbeard first ravished the woman - who flung herself to her death - then tortured her husband before allowing him to think he'd escaped. In the subsequent crawl across the battlements, Darney fell to his doom but not before uttering a curse on the Fleers. It is his blood-splattered phantom who has recently taken to tormenting Sir John to the brink of lunacy, as his appearance is a portent of impending death!

Ghosts are, of course, tosh, and Hammond suspects some very agile human agency is behind the "haunting", though he keeps this to himself.

Sir John gives Hammond a pile of relevant documents to mull over when he's not too busy thinking about Miss Ainsley and her twisted ankle. He'd not turn his nose up at Prudence Fleer either if push came to shove.

Fleer Manor is full of surprises. To the catacombs and Roman ruins, add a private Menagerie. Stars of the show include a puma, Rex the Bengal tiger, Konga the Orang-utan, and lions. Warren the zoo-keeper is deference itself, but Hammond suspects him to be as shifty as Collins the scar-faced butler, and, for that matter, everyone else he's met to date.

Would be interested in comparing the PS with the earlier version to see what exactly was cut, though think i can guess. From what i've read up to now, The Curse Of The Fleers certainly isn't deserving of the awful reviews it received in butchered form.

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Thirty-six years later ...

Will be returning to The Curse Of The Fleers when I can give it my full attention but in the meantime -

Basil Copper, Sevenoaks, September 25th 2012 Photograph © Stephen Jones.

As mentioned above, Basil Copper disowns the Harwood-Smart/ St. Martins editions of the novel, so it's heartening to see the author looking so proud of the P.S.

Many thanks to Mr. Jones for providing the exclusive photograph.

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Back with the Curse and - dastardly developments.

Captain Hammond surprises Jorgen, the shifty-looking general factotum, sneaking around in the small hours, but contrary to appearances the old boy is fiercely loyal to Sir John and has made it his business to watch for the Creeping Man. His devotion costs him his life. Come the morning, his broken body is found at the foot of the tower, face contorted in shock and terror, brains leaking out all over the flagstones. What could he have seen up there on the battlements? Hammond remains certain of one thing; whatever is going on at Fleer, there is no supernatural agency involved.

Inspector Cobbett, the man with three chins, is a rising star of the force, his reputation cemented by his sterling work on the Torbury Murder case. Hammond immediately takes to the corpulent crime fighter as a shrewd fellow purpose built for the most challenging cases. The pair strike an alliance.

At Hammond's request, Cedric Fleer gives him a guided tour of the catacombs beneath the Manor house. A small area has been put to use as a wine-cellar, the vast bulk unlit and neglected. The catacombs date back to the Romans. A huge cage, added centuries later by nobody knows who, served as a prison during the Napoleonic wars. Hammond doesn't much care for the atmosphere and is not surprised to learn the servants avoid it.

Sir John sheepish admission, that certain documents relating to the family history have gone missing from under his nose, sends Hammond to Ancaster Museum to consult the originals. The chief librarian smells a rat. Hammond is the second stranger to ask after the same volume in as many days. His predecessor, a tall chap with a false beard, deliberately creased several pages and removed two sheets from the back. As Hammond makes his way to the main doors who should slip in but Miss Claire Ansley. Claire, looking delectable in a tight grey dress, seems awful eager to know what business brought him here, but Hammond deflects the interrogation by asking the same of her. There's no mystery, she explains. Her brother Clive is the assistant archivist and they've tickets for tonight's performance at Ancaster's Royal Theatre. Hammond admits to himself that he's perhaps been unfair to Clive in dismissing him as a bit of a nancy boy (it's the girly manicured hands that do it) and resolves to give him a fair chance. His estimation of Master Ansley shoots into the stratosphere when the young man apologises to his sister that, alas, due to urgent museum business, he will have to cancell the engagement - perhaps Captain Hammond would be so good as to chaperone Claire to the Royal in his place?

Much to his surprise, Hammond finds himself enjoying the night's entertainment, notably the performance of the headline act, 'The Great Waldo', master of disguises, whose hideous Quasimodo has Claire snuggling against her escort in delicious "terror." Of course, a reasonably agile man with a talent for convincing make-up would be just the fellow to pull off 'The Creeping Man' stunt - but that way lies madness. Hammond will be suspecting Claire next!

Seventy pages to go, and if Basil's been dispensing clues than, true to form, i've not been picking up on them and am still no wiser as to who is behind the persecution of Sir John and for what reason. Sworn enemy Sir Jeffrey Darnley hasn't figured since given us the benefit of his moody stare repertoire several chapters back ....

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Made much harder work of it than would normally be the case - no fault of Bail Copper's, i hasten to add - but finally found a quiet hour to finish The Curse Of The Fleers

After his night at the Theatre, Hammond is surprised by a hideously wrinkled face as he makes his way back to the Manor House via the shadowy Yew Walk and is fortunate to escape with his life. Now at least he is certain that "someone very close to the household and familiar with the movements of its members is behind this business", but who? Everybody bar Sir John is a legitimate suspect, though the finger points to the more lugubrious servants, Collins in particular on account of his scarred face and shifty persona. Hammond requests the keys to the tower and sets out to explore it's many concealed rooms after everyone is in bed. A secret panel opens onto a small chamber and there on the floor - a box containing a wig, full make-up kit and a 'The Creeping Man' costume! Hammond and Detective Cobbett agree that it's time to interrogate the Great Waldo, nee Arthur Everard Alton, one-time convicted swindler. They find him in his dressing room, but his talent for escapology has deserted him when it is most required - he's been lynched in his wardrobe. Hammond thinks he's finally cracked it. The conspiracy versus Sir John was hatched by the mystery "bearded man" using Collins and the Great Waldo to do his dirty work. When the attempt on Hammond's life failed, Collins murdered Waldo and made it look like suicide! Except Collins has also joined the list of fatalities, seemingly beaten to a pulp by Konga, the gentle Orang-Utan after inexplicably straying into his cage after dark. What Devilry is afoot? Which - if either - of the lovely ladies is in it up to her neck?

Basil's great lost Gothic novel is pitched somewhere between The Hound Of The Baskervilles (tellingly referenced by the author in his working notes) and a particularly hectic episode of Midsomer Murders, with a climax straight from Poe's The Pit And The Pendulum as a sadistically booby-trapped altar stone plays its part in exposing the criminal mastermind. When Sir John remarks: "A smooth and cunning rascal, as you well surmised Captain Hammond. Though how you got on to him beats me." he is not alone in his bewilderment, hence Chapter 24, "Explanations", to spell out just how this Tommy-rotter we barely heard of established that there was a horde of Royalist treasure buried in the Fleers' vault!