Morisson exists in some form since Serge sees him. What are we to make of Morisson’s charm? An unfair gift of the gods (thereby hinting earlier at Morisson’s association with the supernatural) granted by the universe (assuming Morisson existed) just to foil Pownall? If Morisson does exist is he some kind of “double” for Pownall, Pownall’s better self? The idea of that is planted when Pownall tells us his life began when he met Morisson. How to explain no record of Pownall playing?ĭid Pownall slip over into that “dim borderland” through his maniacal chess studies? Was he especially susceptible because of his forsaking all human attachments? I'm rather surprised that Serge doesn't provide us proof that Morisson existed so even that may be in doubt. And how many stories feature haunting by the spirit of chess, a game whose study may draw you too far into the "dim borderland"? I liked this one a lot with what I took to be it's combination of a "standard" ghost story, sort of a frustrating doppelganger (shades of Poe's "William Wilson"), and sort of a Jungian shadow self.
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