Howard Phillips Lovecraft

The Thing on the Doorstep Howard Phillips Lovecraft

Daniel Upton, the story's narrator, explains that he has killed his best friend, Edward Derby, and that he hopes his account will prove that he is not a murderer. He begins by describing Derby's life and career. Derby had been interested in the occult even as a very young boy. This is what caused him to befriend Upton. The two would chat about dark mythology in their spare time. Whenever Derby came over to chat he always used the same knocking pattern of three strokes, a pause, and then two additional strokes on the knocker. Upton had always been able to identify Derby this way. Derby's parents had always doted on him and he had a particular reliance on them, especially his mother. Her death had sent him into a depression, and it took him quite a long time to recover. Upton then tells of Asenath Waite, a female classmate of Derby's at Miskatonic University, daughter of Ephraim. Edward and Asenath soon wed after bonding over their love of the occult. Despite his qualms Derby moves into the old Crowninshield House, with three servants from Innsmouth.