A mirror of Shalott : Being a collection of tales told at an unprofessional symposium

Set in the stone‑walled sala of a Roman presbytery, a handful of priests and a curious layman gather around an English fireplace. Over wine and arguments, they pit agnosticism against fervent belief, debating levitation, family curses, and ghostly banshees. The scene crackles with wit, cultural clash, and a promise that each voice will soon recount a personal encounter with the uncanny.

What follows is a night‑by‑night tapestry of strange testimonies: a French canon’s eerie vision, an English cleric’s inexplicable levitation, an Italian skeptic’s baffling denial, and a Canadian’s brush with a restless spirit. The stories balance scholarly debate with humor, offering listeners a modest glimpse into the shadowy margins of faith without ever resolving the mysteries. Their shared curiosity makes the collection a thoughtful, slightly mischievous exploration of what lies just beyond ordinary belief.