Is "The Landlady" Enchanted?

The Mystery of Billy's Encounter

Answer:

The house is not enchanted nor does the landlady possess magical powers.

Explanation:

Roald Dahl's short story "The Landlady" revolves around the story of Billy Weaver and his encounter with a strange landlady in whose "Bed and Breakfast" he was staying. The story ends unresolved, leading the readers to imagine for themselves what really happened in the end.

Billy Weaver had arrived at Bath for the first time to start his job. As he doesn't know anyone, he decided to stay in a hotel for the time being. While looking for a reasonable place to stay, he came upon a small sign that says "Bed and Breakfast". And he was hooked as if some strange spell was pulling him towards the place. Even the landlady seemed to have been expecting him, for she opened the door right after it rang.

There seems to be no indication that the place was enchanted. But at the same time, there are certain elements that seem to suggest that. The narrator reveals "his eye was caught and held in the most peculiar manner by the small notice that was there. BED AND BREAKFAST." He continues, "Each word was like a large black eye staring at him through the glass, holding him, compelling him, forcing him to stay where he was and not to walk away from that house." But this doesn't prove that the place is enchanted.

Moreover, the landlady doesn't have any magical powers, rather she was a killer.