The Lost Stradivarius

An old Italian score brings an unsettling disturbance into John Maltravers's rooms at Oxford. A skilled violinist, John shares his enthusiasm for music with William Gaskell, a student at New College who plays the piano. After Gaskell returns from Italy with pieces for the two instruments, John tries a suite by Graziani alone at night. Behind him, a wicker chair creaks as though someone is sitting down. When he turns towards it, the candlelight reveals an empty seat.

Told as a family account addressed to John's child, the story connects everyday college surroundings with uncertainty about the supernatural. John initially seeks a physical explanation for the sounds, while Gaskell later suggests that a melody might summon a spirit through its association with the past. Their discussion gives music a troubling double power: it can elevate thought, but it may also carry an unhappy history. Readers interested in ghost stories can follow a mystery shaped by musical performance, close observation and competing explanations.