The Secret Ally

The theme of duality in literature has arisen in folklore and mythology (for example, in the "Poetic Edda"). Authors introduce doubles into their works for various purposes: exploring identity, symbolizing internal conflict, critique and self-reflection, creating tension and intrigue. The image of the double gained popularity during the Romantic era. This collection features both popular stories such as "William Wilson" by E. A. Poe, "The Secret Ally" by J. Conrad, as well as lesser-known stories by H. James, J. K. Bangs, W. J. Wintle, E. Blackwood, J. Conrad, A. Beers, F. M. Crawford, E. J. Bulwer-Lytton, and B. Stoker. Splitting of personality, terrifying tales of twins; a sudden encounter with a person who looks exactly like the protagonist, leading to a dreadful conclusion—such variations on the doppelgänger plot can be found within the pages of this book. The stories "Private Life," "The Horror of Twins," and "The Trap" are translated into Russian for the first time.