Facts Concerning the Late Arthur Jermyn and His Family by H. P. Lovecraft. Short summary

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Ethnologist Arthur Jermyn, distinguished by his unusual appearance, begins to study the history of his family. As a result, he discovers something about his ancestors that leads him to suicide.

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Ethnologist Arthur Jermyn was the last of his ancient lineage and was notable for his unusual appearance, which he inherited from his great-great-grandfather, Wade Jermyn. Wade was one of the first explorers of the Congo region and said that he found a mysterious civilization in the jungles of Africa. Wade returned from Africa with his wife, whom he showed no one.

After the birth of his son Philip, Wade and his wife traveled again to Africa, from which she did not return and the man ended up in an insane asylum.

Philip had a son, Robert, who in turn produced three offspring. Two of them were distinguished by their ugliness. Arthur Jermyn became a scientist and visited the Congo on a research expedition, where he heard tales of a stone city of white apes and a stuffed white «goddess» who has since gone missing.

A few months later, the mummy is delivered to Jermyn’s house. Arthur begins to examine the mummy, but suddenly runs out of the room and commits suicide. It turns out that he discovered a gold medallion with the Jermyns’ coat of arms around the mummy’s neck.