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"Two Black Bottles" is a short story written by American horror writer H. P. Lovecraft. It was first published in the August 1927 issue of Weird Tales.
Synopsis[]
The narrator is called into the town of Daalbergen after the death of his uncle, Dominie Johannes Vanderhoof, to inherit his estate. The locals recount the strange behavior of the Dominie, and his Sexton Abel Foster, which led them to suspect he was in league with unseen spirits. Though warned against going up at night, the narrator is unperturbed and crosses a swamp to reach the church so he can confront Foster.
Passing the fresh grave of his uncle, he enters the church at sundown, before finding Foster sitting catatonic in a room lined with ancient symbols, occult manuscripts, and jarred animals. Despite having his eyes open, Foster was heavily intoxicated and only sensed the narrator's presence when he was tapped on the shoulder. Initially mistaking the narrator for the risen corpse of Dominie Vanderhoof, he begins babbling about how the Reverend isn't truly dead and will return for revenge. Initially unconvinced, the narrator realises that his uncle's cross has begun to topple.
After further interrogation, Foster reveals how he learned the secrets of demonology and occult rites from the long dead Dominie Slott. Using his newfound power, he cursed the townsfolk and manipulated Dominie Vanderhoof before trapping his soul inside a black bottle and burying the body. Convinced by the reality of the coming threat, the narrator demands that Foster return the Dominie's soul but without the formula the old Sexton explains that they'll both be killed. To prevent the narrator from getting the bottle, Foster attempts to extract his soul with a low chant but the Narrator manages to tackle him before breaking the bottle that held his uncle's soul, killing Foster.
Fleeing the church, the narrator makes it back to Daalbergen where the locals seem not to believe him at first. However, an old man accompanies him back to refill the now abandoned grave and burn the cursed documents. To this day, a gigantic figure roams the graveyard clutching its bottle.
Characters[]
Dominie Johannes Vanderhoof[]
The narrator's uncle is described as a large and imposing man with a weak heart. After the arrival of Foster (who'd stare at the Reverend through the eyes of a painting of the devil in the church) he quickly fell under his dark influence giving bizarre sermons about "region of hideous, unseen spirits" that scared off his congregation. Despite the efforts of the local deacons they couldn't afford to replace him and he continued to preach to an empty hall.
Mark Haines[]
The cautious Grocery store owner who called the narrator into town and explained his uncle's demise.
Abel Foster[]
Initially believed to have arrived 10 years before the death of Dominie Vanderhoof, he was in fact ancient and had served under Dominie Slott 200 years before during which time he found and read the Dominie's collection of occult materials, becoming a practitioner himself. Upon his return he he quickly became close to the new Reverend and he was reemployed as the church sexton. Foster's arrival unsettled the townsfolk and brought a wave of misfortune to the local area. After Dominie Vanderhoof went into isolation he was responsible for collecting provisions and only dropped his hateful demeanor when he buried the Dominie. Though it doesn't keep him from becoming bent and shriveled his life was unnaturally and indefinitely extended when Dominie Slott placed his soul in a bottle. However when the bottle was broken he was almost instantly reduced to a pile of yellow dust.
Sam Pryor[]
A villager who saw Foster talking to Dominie Slott's grave.
Dominie Guilliam Slott[]
The first pastor of the church who took the position in 1701. Despite this, he was obsessed with the occult.
Setting[]
Daalbergen is a likely Dutch community (given their names and the use of "Hoffman" and "Dominie") in the Ramapo Chain of the Appalachian Mountains. Leading out of the town is a main road that winds through a great swamp before a path splits up off past an impoverished collection of huts. Following the path takes you under a tunnel of drooping willows towards the isolated church. Once a thriving mining town Foster's curses caused the iron vein to give out leaving only those with large land holdings to scrape by on farming the rocky hills.
Behind the Mythos[]
Unusually for Lovecraft, the Christian god has influence in this story as Foster admitted that it limited his power over the town. This makes it one of the only cosmic horror tales by Lovecraft that actually incorporates Judeo-Christian concepts alongside "The Dreams in the Witch-House".