 Chapter 72 of Varni the Vampire, Volume 2. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recorded by Shane Nolan. Varni the Vampire, Volume 2 by Thomas Prescott-Prest, Chapter 72. The strange story, the arrival of the mob at the hall and their dispersion. You will find that the time which elapsed since I last saw you in London to have been spent in an eventful very manner. You were in good circumstances then, said Mr. Chillingworth. I was, but many events happened after that which altered the prospect. Made it even more gloomy than you can well imagine. But I will tell you all candidly, and you can keep watch upon Bannerworth Hall at the same time. You are well aware that I was well to do, and had ample funds and inclination to spend them. I recollect, but you were married then, surely. I was, said the stranger sadly. I was married then. And now? I am a widower. The stranger seemed much moved, but after a moment or so he resumed. I am a widower now, but how that event came about is partly my purpose to tell you. I had not married long, that is very long, for I have but one child and she is not old, or of an age to know much more than what she may be taught. She is still in the course of education. I was early addicted to gamble. The dice had its charms, as all of those who have ever engaged in play but too well know. It is perfectly fascinating. So I have heard, said Mr. Chillingworth. Though for myself I found a wife in professional pursuits quite incompatible with any pleasure that took either time or resources. It is so. I would I had never entered one of those houses where men are deprived of their money and their own free will. For at the gambling table you have no liberty. Save that in gliding down the stream and company with others. How very few have ever escaped destruction. None, I believe. Men are perfectly fascinated. It is ruin alone that enables a man to see how he has been hurried onwards without thought or reflection. And how fallacious were all the hopes he ever entertained. Yes, ruin and ruin alone can do this. But alas, tis too late, the evil is done. Soon after my marriage I fell in with the Chevalier Saint John. He was the man of the world in every sense of the word and one that was well versed in all the ways of society. I never met with any man who was so perfectly master of himself and a perfect ease and self-confidence as he was. He was never at a loss and, come what would, never betrayed surprise or vexation. Two qualities he thought never ought to be shown by any man who moved in society. Indeed. He was a strange man, a very strange man. Did he gamble? It is difficult to give you a correct and direct answer. I should say he did and yet he never lost or won much. But I have often thought he was more connected with those who did than was believed. Was that a fact? inquired Mr. Chillingworth. You shall see as we go on and be able to judge for yourself. I have thought he was. Well, he first took me to a handsome saloon where gambling was carried on. We had been to the opera. As we came out he recommended that we should sup at a house where he was well known and where he was in the habit of spending his evenings after the opera. And before he retired I agreed to this. I saw no reason why I should not. We went there and bitterly have I repented of doing so for years since and due to this day. Your repentance has been sincere and lasting said Mr. Chillingworth. The one proves the other. It does. But I thought not so then. The place was glittering and the wine was good. It was a kind of earthly paradise. And when we had taken some wine the chivalier said to me, I am desirous of seeing a friend backwards. He is at the hazard table. Will you go with me? I hesitated. I feared to see the place where a vice was carried on. I knew myself inclined to prudential motives. I said to him, No, Saint John, I will wait for you here. It may be as well. The wine is good and it will content me. Do so, he said smiling. But remember, I seldom or never play myself. Nor is there any reason why you should. I'll go but I will not play. Certainly not. You are free, like to look on, play or quit the place at any moment you please. And not be noticed probably by a single soul. I arose and we walked backwards having called one of the men who were waiting about but who were watchers and doorkeepers of the hell. We were led along the passage and passed through the pair of doors which were well secured and rendered the possibility of a surprise almost impossible. After these dark places we were suddenly let into a place where we were dazzled by the light and brilliancy of the saloon. It was not so large as the one we left but it was superior to it in all its appointments. At first I could not well see who was or who was not in the room where we were. As soon however as I found the use of my eyes I noticed many well-dressed men who were busily engaged in play and took no notice of anyone who entered. We walked about for some minutes without speaking to anyone but merely looked on. We saw men engaged in play, some with earnestness others again with great nonchalance and many changed hands without the least remark. There were a few who spoke and only those in play. There was a hum of conversation but you could not distinguish what was said unless you paid some attention to and was in close vicinity with the individual who spoke. Well, said Saint John, what do you think of this place? Why? I replied, I had no notion of seeing a place fitted up as this. No, isn't it superb? It's beautifully done. They have many visitors, said I, many more than I could have believed. Yes, they are all bona fide players, men of stamp and rank, men of your seedy legs who have only what they can cheat you out of. And besides, he added, you may often form friendships here that lead into fortune hereafter. I do not mean in play because there is no necessity for your doing so or if you do, so, in going above a stake which you know won't hurt you. Exactly. Many men can never approach a table like this and sit down to an hour's play, but if they do, they must stake not only more than they can afford but all their property, leaving themselves beggars. They do, said I, but men who know themselves, their resources and choose to indulge for a long time, many often come and lay the foundation to a very pretty fortune. Do you see your friend, I inquired? No, I do not, but I will inquire if he has been here. If not, we will go. He left me for a moment or two to make some inquiry, and I stood looking at the table where there were four players and who seemed to be engaged at a friendly game. And when one party won, they looked grave and when the other party lost, they smiled and looked happy. I walked away as the Chevalier did not return immediately to me and then I saw a gentleman rise up from a table. He had evidently lost. I was standing by the seat, unconsciously holding the back of my hand. I sat down without thinking or without speaking and found myself at the hazard table. Do you play, sir? Yes, I said. I had hardly uttered the words when I was sorry for them, but I could not recall them. I sat down and play at once commenced. In about 10 or 15 minutes, often losing and then winning, I found myself about 120 pounds in pocket, clear gain by the play. Ah, said the Chevalier who came up at that moment. I thought you wouldn't play. I really don't know how it happened, said I, but I suddenly found myself here without any previous intention. You are not a loser, I hope. Indeed, I am not, I replied, but not much a gainer. Nor need you desire to be. Do you desire to give your adversary his revenge now or take another opportunity? At another time, I replied, you will find me here the day after tomorrow when I shall be at your service. Then bowing, he turned away. He is a very rich man whom you have been playing with, said the Chevalier. Indeed, yes. And I have known him to lose for three days together, but he may take his word for any amount. He is a perfect gentleman and a man of honor. His will to play was such, I replied, but I suppose you are about to leave. Yes, it grows late and I have some business to transact tomorrow, so I must leave. I will accompany you part of the way home, said I, and then I shall have finished the night. I did leave with him and accompanied him home and then walked to my own home. This was my first visit and I thought a propituous beginning, but it was the more dangerous. Perhaps a loss might have effectually deterred me, but it doubtful to tell how certain events might have been altered. It is just possible that I might have been urged on by my desire to retrieve any loss I might have incurred, and so made myself at once the miserable being it took months to accomplish in bringing me to. I went the day but one after this to meet the same individual at the gaming table in time with very success, until I left off with a trifling loss upon the night's play, which was nothing of any consequence. Thus matters went on. I sometimes won and sometimes lost until I won a few hundreds, and this determined me to play for higher stakes than any I had yet played for. It was no use going on in the peddling style I had been going on. I had won two hundred and fifty pounds in three months, and had I been less fearful, I might have had twenty five thousand pounds. I'll try my fortune at a higher gain. Having once made this resolution, I was anxious to begin my new plan, which I hoped would have the effect of placing me far above my then present position in society, which was good, and with a little attention it would have made me an independent man. But then it required patience and nothing more. However, the other method was so superior since it might all be done with good luck in a few months. Ah, good luck. How uncertain is good luck? How changeable is fortune? How soon is the best prospect blighted by the frost of adversity? In less than a month I had lost more than I could pay, and then I gambled on for a living. My wife had but one child, her first and only one, an infant at her breast. But there was a change came over her, for one had come over me, a fearful one it was too. One not only in matter, but in fortune too. She would beg me to come home early to attend other matters and leave the dreadful life I was then leading. Lizzie, said I, we are ruined. Ruined, she exclaimed, and staggered back until she fell into a seat. Ruined? I ruined. It is a short word but expressive. No, no, we are not ruined. I know what you mean. You would say we cannot live as we have lived. We must retrench, and so we will, right willingly. You much retrenched most wonderfully, I said with desperate calmness, for the murder must out. And so we will, but you will be with us. You will not go out night after night, ruining your health, our happiness, and destroying both peace and prospects. No, no Lizzie. We have no chance of recovering ourselves, house and home, all gone, all, all. My God, she exclaimed. I rail on, said I. You have caused enough, but no matter. We have lost all. How? How? It is useless to ask how I have done, and there is an end of the matter. You shall know more another day. We must leave this house for lodging. It matters little, she said. All may be one again. If you would say you will quit the society of those who have ruined you. No one said I has ruined me. I did it. It was no fault of anyone else's. I have not that excuse. I'm sure you can recover. I may someday fortune will shower her favors upon me, and I live on in that expectation. You cannot mean that you will chance the gaming table, for I'm sure you must have lost all there. I have. God help me, she said. You have done your child wrong, but you may repair it yet. Never. It is a long day. Let me implore you on my knees to leave this place and adopt some other mode of life. We can be careful. A little will do, and we shall in time be equal to and better than what we have been. We never can save by chance, and by chance we never shall, she replied. If you will exert yourself, we may yet retrieve ourselves and exert myself, I will, and quit the gaming table. Ask me to make no promises, said I. I may not be able to keep them. Therefore ask me to make none. I do ask you, beg of, entreat of you to promise and solemnly promise me that you will leave that fearful place where men not only lose all their goods, but the feelings of nature also. Say no more, Lizzie. If I can get a living elsewhere, I will, but if not, I must get it there. She seemed to be cast down at this, and she shed tears. I left the room, and again went into the gambling house, and there, that night, I won a few pounds which enabled me to take my wife and child away from the house they had so long lived in, and took them afterwards to a miserable place. One room where, indeed, there were a few articles of furniture that I'd saved from the general wreck of my property. She took things much less to heart than I could have anticipated. She seemed cheerful and happy. She endeavored to make my home as comfortable as she could. Her whole endeavor was to make me as much as possible forget the past. She wanted as much as possible to wane me away from my gambling pursuits, but that was impossible. I had no hope, no other prospect. Thus she strove, but I could see each day she was getting paler and more pale. Her figure more round was more thin and betrayed signs of emaciation. This preyed upon me, and when fortune denied me the means of carrying home that which she so much wanted, I could never return for two days at a time. Then I would find her shedding tears and sighing. What could I say? If I had anything to take her, then I used to endeavor to make her forget that I had been away. Ah, she would exclaim, you will find me dead one of these days. What do you do now for one or two days? You will do by and by for many days, perhaps weeks. Do not anticipate evil. I cannot do otherwise. Were you in any other kind of employment but that of gambling, she said. I should have some hope of you, but as it is, there is none. Speak not of it. My chances may turn out favorable yet, and you may again be as you were. Never. But fortune is inconsistent and may change in my favor as much as she has done in others. Fortune is indeed consistent, but misfortune is an inconsistent. You are prophetic of evil. Ah, I would too have and I could predict good. But whoever yet heard of a ruined gambler being able to retrieve himself by the same means that he was ruined, thus we used to converse. But our conversation was usually of little comfort to either of us, for we could give neither any comfort to the other. And as that was usually the case, our interviews became less frequent and of less duration. My answer was always the same. I have no other chance. My prospects are limited to that one place. Deprive me of that and I never more should be able to bring you a mouthful of bread. Day after day, day after day, the same result followed. And I was as far from success as I ever was and ever should be. I was yet a beggar. The time flew by. My little girl was nearly four years old, but she knew not the misery her father and mother had to endure. The poor little thing sometimes went without more than a meal a day. And while I was thus upon the town, upon the chances of the gaming table, many a paying that she caused me and so did her mother. My constant consolation was this. It is bad luck now, I would say, but it will be better by and by. Things cannot always continue thus. It is all for them. All for them. I thought that by continuing constantly in one course, I must be at land at the ebb of the tide. It cannot always flow one way, I thought. I had often heard people say that if you could have but the resolution to play on, you must in the end seize the turn of fortune. If I could but once do that, I would never enter a hell again as long as I drew breath. This was resolved I could not only make but keep because I had suffered so much that I would never run through the same misery again that I had already gone through. However, fortune never seemed inclined to take the turn I had hoped for. Fortune was as far off as ever and had in no case given me any opportunity of recovering myself. A few pounds were the utmost I could at any time muster and I had to keep up something of an appearance and seem as if I had a thousand a year when God knows I could not have mustered a thousandth of a part of that sum were all done and paid for. Day after day passed on and yet no change. I had almost given myself up to despair. When one night, when I went home I saw my wife was more than usually melancholy and sad and perhaps ill. I didn't look at her. I seldom did because her looks were always a reproach to me. I could not help feeling them so. Well said hi. I have come home to you because I have something to bring you. Not what I ought, but what I can. You must be satisfied. I am, said she. I know also you want it. How was the child? Is she quite well? Yes, quite. Where is she? I inquired, looking around the room. But I didn't see her. She used to be up. She has gone too bad, she said. It is very early, yes. But she cried so for food that I was obliged to get her to sleep to forget her hunger. Poor thing. She has wanted bread very badly. Poor thing, I said. Let her be awakened in partake of what I have brought home. With that my wife waked her up. And the moment she opened her eyes she again began to cry for food which I immediately gave her and saw her devour with the utmost hasten hunger. The sight smote my heart and my wife sat by watching and endeavoring to prevent her from eating so fast. This is bad, I said. Yes, but I hope it may be the worst. She replied in a deep and hollow voice. Lizzie, I exclaimed. What is the matter? Are you ill? Yes, very ill. What is the matter with you? For God's sake, tell me, I said. For I was alarmed. I'm very ill, she said. Very ill indeed. I feel my strength decreasing every day. I must drink. You too want food? I have and perhaps do though the desire to eat seems almost to have left me. For heaven's sake, eat, said I. I will bring you home something more by tomorrow. Eat and drink, Lizzie. I have suffered, but for you and your child's sake I will do my best. You are best, she said. We'll kill us both, but alas there is no other aid at hand. You may one day, however, come here too late to find us living. Say no more, Lizzie. You know not my feelings when you speak thus. Alas, I have no hope, no aid, no friend. No, she replied. Your love of gaming drove them from you because they would not aid a gambler. Say no more, Lizzie, I said. If there be not an end to this life soon there will be an end to me. In two days more I shall return to you. God bless you. Keep up your heart in the child. Goodbye, she said sorrowfully. She shed tears and wrung her hands bitterly. I hastened away. My heart was ready to burst and I could not speak. I walked about to recover my serenity but could not do so sufficiently well to secure anything like an appearance that would render me fit to go to the gaming house. That night I remained away but I could not avoid falling into such a debauch to drown my misfortune and shift the scene of misery that was continually before my eyes. The next night I was at the gaming house. I went there in better than usual spirits. I saw, I thought, a change in fortune and held that as the perpetuous moment of my life when I was to rise above my present misfortunes. I played and won, played and lost, played and won and then lost again. Thus I went on, fluctuating more and more until I found I was getting money in my pocket. I had at one moment more than 300 pounds in my pocket and I felt that then was my happy moment. Then the tide of fortune was going in my favor. I ought to have left off with that. To have been satisfied was such an amount of money but the demon of avarice seemed to have possessed me and I went on and on with fluctuating fortune until I lost the whole of it. I was mad, desperate and could have destroyed myself but I thought the state of my wife and my child were in. I thought that that night they would want food but they could not hurt for one day. They must have some or would procure some. I was too far gone to be able to go to them. Even if I were a possessed of means but I had none and daylight saw me in a deep sleep in which I awoke not until the next evening set in and then I once more determined that I would make a desperate attempt to get a little money. I had always paid and thought my word would be taken for once and if I won all well and good if not then I was no worse off than before. This was easy to plan but not to execute. I went there but there were none present in whom I had sufficient interest to dare make the attempt. I walked about and felt in a most uncomfortable state. I feared I should not succeed at all than what was to become of me, my wife and child. This rendered me almost mad. I could not understand what I was to do, what to attempt or to go. One or two persons came up and asked me if I were ill. My answers were that I was well enough. Good God how far from the truth that was but I found I must place more control on my feelings else I should cause much conversation and then I should lose all hope of recovering myself and all prospect of living even. At length someone did come in and I remarked I had been there all evening and had not played. I had an invitation to play with him which ended by a little sleight of hand in my favor and on that I had calculated as much as on any good fortune I might meet. The person I played with observed it not and when we left off playing I had some six or seven pounds in pocket. This to me was a very great sum and the moment I could decently withdraw myself I ran off home. I was fearful of the scene that awaited me. I expected something worse than I had seen yet. Possibly Lizzie might be angry and scold as well as complain. Therefore I tapped at the door gently but heard no one answer. But of this I took no notice as I believed that they might be and were most probably fast asleep. I had provided myself with a light and I therefore opened the door which was not fastened. Lizzie said I Lizzie there was no answer given and I paused. The room was as still as death. I looked on the bed there lay my wife with her clothes on. Lizzie Lizzie said I but still she did not answer me. Well said I she sleeps sound and I walked toward the bed and placed my hand upon her shoulder and began to shake her seeing as I did so. Lizzie Lizzie I come home but still no answer or signs of waking. I went on the other side of the bed to look at her face and some misgiving overtook me. I trembled much. She lay on the bed with her back toward the spot where I stood. I came toward her face. My hand shook violently as I endeavored to look at her. She had had her eyes wide open as if staring at me. Lizzie said I no answer was returned. I then placed my hand upon her cheek. It was enough and I started back in great horror. She was dead. This was horror itself. I staggered back and fell into a chair. The light I placed down heaven knows how or why but there I sat staring at the corpse of my unfortunate wife. I can hardly tell you the tremendous effect this had upon me. I could not move. I was fascinated to the spot. I could not move and could not turn. It was morning and the rays of the sun illuminated the apartment but there sat I still gazing upon the face of my unfortunate wife. I saw I knew she was dead but yet I had not spoken but sat looking at her. I believed my heart was as cold as she was but extreme horror and dread had dried up all the warm blood in my body and I hardly think there was a pulsation left. The thoughts of my child never once seemed to cross my mind. I had, however, sat there long some hours before I was discovered and this was by the landlady. I had left the door open behind me and she, in passing down, had the curiosity to peep and saw me sitting in what she thought to be a very strange attitude and could hear no sounds. After some time she discovered my wife was dead and for some time she thought me so too. However she was convinced to the contrary and then began to call for assistance. This awoke the child which was nearly famished the landlady to become useful and to awaken me from my lethargy placed the child in my hands telling me I was the best person now to take care of it and so I was. There was no doubt of the truth of that and I was compelled to acknowledge it. I felt much pride and pleasure in my daughter and she would, if I starved, have the benefit of all I could do for her in the way of care. The funeral over I took my child and carried it to a school where I left her and paid in advance promising to do so as often as the quarter came round. My wife I had seen buried by the hands of man and swore I would do the best for my child and to keep this oath was a work of pleasure. I determined also I would never more enter a gambling house be the extremity what it might I would suffer even death before I would permit myself to enter the house in which it took place. I will I thought obtain some employment of some kind or other I could surely obtain that I have only to ask and I have it surely something however menial that would keep me and my child yes, yes she ought she must have her charges paid at once the effect of my wife's death was a very great shock to me and such a one I could not forget one I shall ever remember and one that at least made a lasting impression upon me strange but true I never entered a gambling house it was my horror and my aversion and yet I could obtain no employment I took my daughter in place to at a boarding school and tried hard to obtain bread by labor but do what I would none could be had if my soul depended upon it I could find none I cared not what it was anything that was honest I was reduced low very low gaunt starvation showed itself in my cheeks but I wondered about to find employment none could be found and the world seemed to have conspired together to throw me back to the gaming table but this I would not at last employment was offered but what was it the situation of common hangman was offered to me the employment was disgusting and horrible but at the same time it was all I could get and that was a sufficient inducement for me to accept it I was therefore the common executioner and in that employment for some time earned a living it was terrible but necessity compelled me to accept the only thing I could obtain you now know the reason why it became what I have told you End of Chapter 72 Recording by Shane Nolan Chapter 73 of Varni the Vampire Volume 2 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Varni the Vampire Volume 2 by Thomas Prescott Prest Chapter 73 The Visit of the Vampire The General Meeting The mysterious friend of Mr. Chillingworth finished his narrative and then the doctor said to him and that then is the real cause of why you a man evidently far above the position in life which is usually that of those who occupy the dreadful post of executioner came to accept of it The real reason sir I considered too that in holding such a humiliating situation that I was justly served for the barbarity of which I had been guilty for what can be a greater act of cruelty than to squander as I did in the pursuit of mad excitement those means which should have rendered my home happy and conduced to the welfare of those who were dependent upon me I do not mean to say that yourself approaches are unjust altogether but what noise is that? Do you hear anything? Yes, yes What do you take it to be? It seems like the footsteps of a number of persons and it evidently approaches nearer and nearer I know not what to think Shall I tell you, said a deep-toned voice and someone through the orifice in the back of the summer house which it will be recollected sustained some damage at the time that Varney escaped from it laid a hand upon Mr. Chillingworth's shoulder God bless me, exclaimed the doctor, who's that? and he sprang from his seat with the greatest perturbation in the world Varney the Vampire added the voice and then both the doctor and his companion recognized it and saw the strange haggard features that now they knew so well confronting them there was a pause of surprise for a moment or two on the part of the doctor and then he said Sir Francis Varney, what brings you here? I conjure you to tell me in the name of common justice and common feeling what brings you to this house so frequently you have dispossessed the family whose property it is of it and you have caused a great confusion and dismay over a whole county I implore you now, not in the language of menace or as an enemy but as the advocate of the oppressed and one who desires to see justice done to all to tell me what it is you require There is no time now for explanations, said Varney if explanations were my full and free intent you wish to know what noise was that you heard I did, can you inform me? I can the wild and lawless mob which you and your friends first induced to interfere in affairs far beyond there or your control are now flushed with the desire of riot and of plunder the noise you hear is that of their advancing footsteps they come to destroy Bannerworth Hall can that be possible? the Bannerworth family are the sufferers from all that has happened and not the afflictors of suffering I be it so but he who once raises a mob has raised an evil spirit which in the majority of cases it requires a far more potent spell than he is master of to quell again it is so that is a melancholy truth but you address me, Sir Francis Varney as if I let on the mob when in reality I have done all that lay in my power from the very first moment of their rising on account of this affair which in the first instance was your work to prevent them from proceeding to acts of violence it may be so but if you have now any regard for your own safety you will quit this place it will too soon become the scene of a bloody contention a large party of dragoons are even now by another route coming towards it and it will be their duty to resist the aggressions of the mob then should the rioters persevere you can guess the result I can indeed retire then while you may and against the bad deeds of Sir Francis Varney at all events play some of his good ones that he may not seem holy without one redeeming trait I am not accustomed said the doctor to paint the devil blacker than he really is but yet the cruel persecutions that the Bannerworth family have endured call aloud for justice you still with a perseverance which shows you regardless of what others suffer so that you compass your own ends hover round a spot which you have rendered desolate Hark sir do you not hear the tramp of horses feet I do the noise made by the feet of the insurgents was now almost drowned in the louder and more rapid tramp of the horses feet of the advancing dragoons and in a few moments more Sir Francis Varney waved his arm exclaiming they are here will you not consult your safety by flight no said Mr. Chillingworth's companion we prefer remaining here even at the risk of whatever danger may accrue to us fools would you die in a chance may lay between an infuriated populace and soldiery do not leave whispered the ex-hangman to Mr. Chillingworth do not leave I pray you he only wants to have the hall to himself there could be no doubt now of the immediate appearance of the cavalry and before Sir Francis Varney could utter another word a couple of the foremost of the soldiers cleared the garden fence at a part where it was low and the lighted not many feet from the summer house in which this short colloquy was taking place Sir Francis Varney uttered a bitter oath and immediately disappeared in the gloom what shall we do said the hangman you can do what you like but I shall avow my presence to the military and claim to be on their side in the approaching contest if it should come to one which I sincerely hope it will not the military detachment consisted of about twenty five dragoons who now were all in the gardens an order was given by the officer in command for them to dismount which was at once obeyed and the horses were fastened by their bridles to the various trees with which the place abounded they are going to oppose the mob on foot with their carbines said the hangman there will be sad work here I am afraid well at all events said Mr. Chillingworth I shall decline acting the part of a spy here any longer so here goes hello a friend a friend here in the summer house make it to friends cried the hangman if you please while you are about it a couple of the dragoons immediately appeared and the doctor with his companion were marched as prisoners before the officer in command what do you do here he said I was informed that the hall was deserted here orderly where is Mr. Adamson the magistrate who came with us close at hand sir and he says he's not well well or ill he must come here and do something with these people a magistrate of the district who had accompanied the troops and been accommodated with a seat behind one of the dragoons which seemed very much to have disagreed with him for he was as pale as death now stepped forward you know me Mr. Adamson said the doctor I am Mr. Chillingworth oh yes Lord bless you how came you here never mind that just now you can vouch for my having no connection with the rioters oh dear yes certainly this is a respectable gentleman captain Richardson and a personal friend of mine oh very good and I said the doctor's companion I'm likewise a respectable and useful member of society and a great friend of Mr. Chillingworth well gentlemen said the captain in command you may remain here if you like and take the chances or you may leave they intimated that they preferred remaining and almost at the moment that they did so allowed shout from many throats announced the near approach of the mob now Mr. Magistrate if you please said the officer you will be so good as to tell the mob that I am here with my troop under your orders and strongly advise them to be off while they can with whole skins for if they persevere in attacking the place we must persevere in defending it and if they have half a grain of sense among them they can surely guess what the result of that will be I will do the best I can as heaven is my judge said the Magistrate to produce a peaceable result more no man can do hurrah hurrah shouted the mob down with the vampire down with the hall and then one more candid than his fellow shouted down with everything in everybody ah remarked the officer that fellow now knows what he came about a great number of torches and links were lighted by the mob but the moment the glare of light fell upon the helmets and accoutrements of the military there was a pause of consternation on the part of the multitude and Mr. Adamson urged on by the officer who it was evident by no means liked the service he was on took advantage of the opportunity and stepping forward he said my good people and fellow townsmen let me implore you to listen to reason and go to your homes in peace if you do not but on the contrary in defiance of law and good order persist in attacking this house it will become my painful duty to read the riot act and then the military and you will have to fight it out together which I beg you will avoid for you know that some of you will be killed and a lot more of you receive painful wounds now disperse let me beg of you at once they're seen for a moment a disposition among the mob to give up the contest but there were others among them who were infuriated with drink and so regardless of all consequences those set up a shout of down with the red coats we are Englishmen and we will do what we like someone then through a heavy stone which struck one of the soldiers and brought blood from his cheek the officer sought but he said it once stand firm now stand firm no anger steady twenty pounds for the man who threw that stone said the magistrate twenty pound ten for old Adamson the magistrate cried a voice in the crowd which no doubt came from him who had cast the missile then at least fifty stones were thrown some of which hit the magistrate and the remainder came rattling upon the helmets of the dragoons like a hail shower I warn you and I beg of you to go said Mr. Adamson for the sake of your wives and families I beg of you not to pursue this desperate game loud cries now arose of down with the soldiers down with the vampire he's in Bennerworth Hall smoke him out and then one or two links were hurled among the dismounted dragoons all this was put up with patiently and then again the mob were implored to leave which being answered by fresh taunts the magistrate proceeded to read the riot act not one word of which was audible amid the tumult that prevailed put out all the lights cried a voice among the mob the order was obeyed and the same voice added they dare not fire on us come on and a rush was made at the garden wall make ready present cried the officer and then he added in an undertone above their heads now fire there was a blaze of light for a moment a stunning noise a shout of dismay from the mob and in another moment all was still I hope said Dr. Chillingworth that this is at all events a bloodless victory you may depend upon that said his companion but is not there someone yet remaining look there do you not see a figure clambering over the fence yes I do indeed they have him a prisoner at all events those two dragoons have him fast enough we shall now perhaps hear from this fellow who is the actual ringleader in such an affair which but for the pusillanimity of the mob might have turned out to be really most disastrous it was strange how one man should think it expedient to attack the military post after the mob had been so completely routed at the first discharge of firearms but so it was one man did make an attempt to enter the garden and it was so rapid and so desperate and one that he rather seemed to throw himself bodily at the fence which separated it from the meadows without then to clamber over it as anyone under ordinary circumstances who might wish to effect an entrance by that means would have done he was no sooner however perceived than a couple of the dismounted soldiers stepped forward and made a prisoner of him good God exclaimed Mr. Chillingworth as they approached nearer with him good God what is the meaning of that do my eyes deceive me or are they indeed so blessed blessed by what exclaimed the hangman by a sight of the long lost deeply regretted Charles Holland Charles Charles is that indeed you or some unsubstantial form in your likeness Charles Holland for it was indeed himself heard the friendly voice of the doctor and he called out to him speak to me of flora oh speak to me of flora if you would not have me die at once of suspense and all the torture of apprehension she lives and is well thank heaven do with me what you please doctor Chillingworth spring forward and addressing the magistrate he said sir I know this gentleman he is not one of the rioters but a dear friend of the family of the Bannerworths Charles Holland what in the name of heaven had become of you so long and what brought you here at such a juncture as this I am faint said Charles I only arrived as the crowd did I had not the strength to fight my way through them and was compelled to pause until they had dispersed can you give me water here's something better said one of the soldiers as he handed a flash to Charles who partook of some of the contents which greatly revived him indeed I am better now he said thank you kindly take me into the house good God why is it made a point of attack where are flora and Henry are they all well in my uncle oh what must you all have thought of my absence but you cannot have endured a hundred part of what I have suffered let me look once again upon the face of flora take me into the house release him said the officer as he pointed to his head and looked significantly as much to say some mad patient of yours I suppose you are much mistaken sir said doctor Chillingworth this gentleman has been cruelly used I have no doubt he has I am inclined to believe been made the victim for a time of the intrigues of that very Sir Francis Varney whose conduct has been the real cause of all the serious disturbances that have taken place in the country confound Sir Francis Varney muttered the officer he is enough to set a whole nation by the ears however Mr. Magistrate if you are satisfied that this young man is not one of the rioters I have of course no wish to hold him a prisoner I can take Mr. Chillingworth's word for more than that said the Magistrate Charles Holland was accordingly released and then the doctor in hurried accents told him the principal outlines of what had occurred oh take me to flora he said let me not delay another moment in seeking her and convincing her that I could not have been guilty of the baseness of deserting her Hark you Mr. Holland I have quite made up my mind that I will not leave Bannerworth Hall yet but you can go alone and easily find them by the directions which I will give you only let me beg of you not to go abruptly into the presence of flora she is in an extremely delicate state of health and although I do not take upon myself to say that a shock of a pleasurable nature would prove of any paramount bad consequence to her yet it is as well not to risk it I will be most careful you may depend at this moment there was a loud ringing at the Garden Bell and when it was answered by one of the Dragoons who was ordered to do so by his officer he came back escorting no other than Jack Pringle who had been sent by the Admiral to the Hall but who had solaced himself so much on the road with diverse potations that he did not reach it till now which was a full hour after the reasonable time in which he ought to have gone the distance Jack was not to say dumb but he had had enough to give him a very jolly sort of feeling of independence and so he came along quarreling with the soldier all the way the latter only laughing and keeping his temper admirably well under a great deal of provocation why you land lepers cry Jack what do you do here all of you I wonder you are all vampires I'll be bound every one of you you mind me of Marines you do and that's quite enough to turn a proper seamen's stomach any day in the week the soldier only laughed and brought Jack up to the little group of persons consisting of Dr. Chillingworth the hangman Charles Holland and the officer why Jack Pringle said Dr. Chillingworth stepping before Charles so that Jack should not see him why Jack Pringle what brings you here a slight squall sir to the northwest brought you something to eat Jack produced a bottle to drink you mean well it's all one only in this ear shape you see it goes down better I'm thinking which does make a little different somehow how is the Admiral always as stupid as ever Lord bless you he'd be like a ship without a rudder without me and would go swaying about at the mercy of winds and waves poor old man he's bad enough as it is but if so be I wasn't to give the eye to him as I does bless my art if I think he'd be above atches long here's to you all Jack took the court from the bottle he had with him and there came from it a strong odor of rum then he placed it to his lips and was enjoying the pleasant gurgle of the liquor down his throat when Charles stepped up to him and laying hold of the lower end of the bottle he dragged it from his mouth saying how dare you talk in the way you have of my uncle you drunken mutinous rascal and behind his back to the voice of Charles Holland was as well known to Jack Pringle as that of the Admiral and his intense astonishment at hearing himself so suddenly addressed by one of whose proximity he had not the least idea made some of the rum go what is popularly termed the wrong way and nearly choked him he reeled back till he fell over some obstruction and then down he sat on a flower bed while his eyes seemed ready to come out of his head a vast heaving he cried who's that come come said Charles Holland don't pretend you don't know me I will not have my uncle spoken of in a disrespectful manner by you well shiver my timbers if that ain't our nevy why Charlie my boy how are you here we are in port at last won't the old Commodore pipe his eye now whoo here's a go I found our nevy after all you found him said Dr. Chillingworth now that is as great a piece of impudence as ever I heard in all my life you mean that he has found you and found you out to you drunken fellow Jack you get worse and worse every day aye aye sir what you admit it aye aye sir now Mr. Charlie I tell you what it is I shall take you off to your old uncle you sure going sneak and you'll have to report what cruise you've been upon all this while leaving the ship to look after itself Lord love you all if it hadn't been for me I don't know what anybody would have done I only know of the results said Dr. Chillingworth that would ensue if it were not for you and that would consist in a great injury to the revenue in consequence of the much less consumption of rum and other strong liquors I'll be hanged up at the yard if I understand what you mean said Jack as if I ever drunk anything aye of all people in the world I am ashamed of you you are drunk several of the dragoons had to turn aside to keep themselves from laughing and the officer himself could not forbear from a smile as he said to the doctor sir you seem to have many acquaintances and by some means or another they all have an inclination to come here tonight if however you consider that you are bound to remain here from a feeling that the hall is threatened with any danger you may dismiss that fear for I shall leave a PK here all night no replied Dr. Chillingworth it is not that I fear now after the manner in which they have been repulsed any danger to the hall from the mob but I have reasons for wishing to be in it or near it for some time to come as you please Charles do not wait for or accept the guidance of that drunken fellow but go yourself with the direction which I will write down to you in a leaf of my pocketbook drunken fellow exclaimed Jack who had now scrambled to his feet who do you call a drunken fellow why you unquestionably well now that is hard come along Nevy I'll show you where they all are I could walk a plank on any deck with any man in the service I could come along my boy come along you can accept of him as a guide if you like of course said the doctor he may be sober enough to conduct you I think he can said Charles lead on Jack but mark me I shall inform my uncle of this intemperance as well as of the manner in which you let your tongue wag about him behind his back unless you promise to reform his long past all reformation remarked Dr. Chillingworth it is out of the question and I am afraid my uncle will not have courage to attempt such an ungrateful task when there are so little chance of success replied Charles Holland shaking the doctor by the hand farewell for the present sir the next time I see you I hope we shall both be more pleasantly situated come along Nevy interrupted Jack Pringle now you've found your way back the first thing you ought to do is to report yourself as having come aboard follow me and I'll soon show you the port where the old Hulk's laid his self up Jack walked on first tolerably steady if one may take into account his diverse deep rotations and Charles Holland anticipating with delight again looking upon the face of his much loved flora followed closely behind him we can well imagine the world of delightful thoughts that came crowding upon him when Jack after a rather long walk announced that they were now very near the residence of the object of his soul's adoration we trust that there is not one of our readers who for one moment will suppose that Charles Holland was the sort of man to leave even such a villain placed hypocrite as Marchdale to starve amid the gloomy ruins where he was immured far from Charles's intentions was any such thing but he did think that a night passed there with no other company than his own reflections would do him a world of good and was at all events no very great modicum of punishment for the rascality with which he had behaved besides even during that night there were refreshments in the shape of bread and water such as had been Charles himself within Marchdale's reach as they had been within his that individual now Charles thought would have a good opportunity of testing the quality of that kind of food into finding out what an extremely light diet it was for a strong man to live upon but in the morning it was Charles's intention to take Henry Bannerworth and the Admiral with him to the ruins and then and there released the wretch from his confinement on condition that he made a full confession of his villainies before those persons oh how gladly would Marchdale have exchanged the fate which actually befell him for any amount of personal humiliation always provided that it brought with it a commensurate amount of personal safety but that fate was one altogether undreamt of by Charles Holland and wholly without his control it was a fate which would have been his but for the murderous purpose which had brought Marchdale to the dungeon and those happy accidents which had enabled Charles to change places with him and breathe the free cool fresh air while he left his enemy loaded with the same chains that had encumbered his limbs so cruelly and lying on that same damp dungeon floor which he thought would be his grave we mentioned that as Charles left the ruins the storm which had been giving various indications of its coming seemed to be rapidly approaching it was one of these extremely local tempests which expend all of their principal fury over a small space of country and in this instance the space seemed to include little more than the river and the few meadows which immediately surrounded it and lent it so much of its beauty. Marchdale soon found that his cries were drowned by the louder voices of the elements the wailing of the wind among the ancient ruins was much more full of sound than his cries and now and then the full mouthed thunder filled the air with such a volume of roaring and awakened so many echoes among the ruins that had he possessed the voices of fifty men he could not have hoped to wage war with it and then although we know that Charles Holland would have encountered death himself rather than he would have willingly left anything human to expire of hunger in that dungeon yet Marchdale judging of others by himself felt by no means sure of any such thing and in his horror of apprehension fancied that this was just a sort of easy and pleasant and complete revenge that it was in Charles Holland's power to take and just the one which would suggest itself under the circumstances to his mind could anything be possibly more full of horror than such a thought death let it come in any shape it may is yet a most repulsive and unwelcome guest but when it comes so united with all that can add to its terrors it is enough to drive reason from its throne and fill the mind with images of absolute horror tired of shrieking for his parched lips and clogged tongue would scarcely now permit him to utter a sound higher than a whisper Marchdale lay listening to the furious storm without in the last abandonment of despair oh what a death is this he groaned here alone all alone and starvation to creep on me by degrees sapping life's energies one by one already do I feel the dreadful sickening weakness growing on me help oh help me have no no dare I call on heaven to help me is there no fiend of darkness who now will bid me a price for a human soul is there not one who will do so not one who will rescue me from the horror that surrounds me for heaven will not I dare not ask mercy there the storm continued louder and louder the wind it is true was nearly hushed but the roar and the rattle of the echo awakening thunder fully made up for its cessation while now and then even there in that underground abode some sudden reflection of the vivid lightning's light would find its way lending for a fleeting moment sufficient light to Marchdale wherewith he could see the gloomy place in which he was at times he wept and at times he raved while ever and on he made such frantic efforts to free himself from the chains that were around him that had they not been strong he must have succeeded but as it was he only made deep indentations into his flesh and gave himself much pain Charles Holland he shouted oh release me Varney Varney why do you not come to save me I have toiled for you most unrequitedly I have not had my reward let it all consist in my release from this dreadful bondage help help oh help there was no one to hear him the storm continued and now suddenly a sudden and sharper sound than any awakened by the thunder's roar came upon his startled ear and in increased agony he shouted what is that oh what is that God of heaven do my fears translate that sound to right can it be oh can it be that the ruins which have stood for so many a year are now crumbling down before the storm of tonight the sound came again and he felt the walls of the dungeon in which he was shake now there could be no doubt but that the lightning had struck some part of the building and so endangered the safety of all that was above ground for a moment there came across his brain such a rush of agony that he neither spoke nor moved had that dreadful feeling continued much longer he must have lapsed into insanity but that amount of mercy for mercy it would have been was not shown to him he still felt all the accumulating horrors of his situation and then with such shrieks as nothing but a full appreciation of such horrors could have given him to utter he called upon earth upon heaven and upon all that was infernal to save him from his impending doom all was in vain it was an impending doom which nothing but the direct interposition of heaven could have that all averted and it was not likely that any such perversion of the regular laws of nature would take place to save such a man as Marchdale again came the crashing sound of falling stones and he was certain that the old ruins which had stood for so many hundred years the storm and the utmost wrath of the elements was at length yielding and crumbling down what else could he expect but to be engulfed among the fragments fragments still way too indestructive although in decay how fearfully now did his horrified imagination take in at one glance as it were a panoramic view of all his past life and how absolutely contemptible at that moment appeared all that he had been striving for but the walls shake again and this time the vibration is more fearful than before there is a tremendous uproar above him the roof yields to some super incumbent pressure there is one shriek and Marchdale lies crushed beneath a mass of masonry that it would take men and machinery days to remove from off him all is over now that bold bad man that accomplished hypocrite that mendacious would be murderer was no more he lies but a mangled crushed and festering corpse may his soul find mercy with his God the storm from this moment seemed to relax in its violence as if it had accomplished a great purpose and consequently now need no longer vex the air with its boisterous presence gradually the thunder died away in the distance the wind no longer blew in blustrous gusts but with a gentle murmuring swept around the ancient pile as if singing the requiem of the dead that lay beneath that dead which mortal eyes were never to look upon end of chapter seventy three of Varney the vampire read by Richard Wallace Liberty Missouri twenty three March two thousand nine chapter seventy four of Varney the vampire volume two this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox dot org recording by Nick number Varney the vampire by Thomas Prescott pressed chapter seventy four the meeting of Charles and Flora Charles Holland followed Jack Pringle for some time in silence from Bannerworth Hall his mind was too full of thought concerning the past to allow him to indulge in much of that kind of conversation in which Jack Pringle might be fully considered to be a proficient as for Jack somehow or another he had felt as dignity offended in the garden of Bannerworth Hall and he had made up his mind as he afterwards stated in his own phraseology not to speak to nobody till somebody spoke to him a growing anxiety however to ascertain from one who had seen her lately how Flora had borne his absence at length induced Charles Holland to break his self imposed silence Jack he said you have had the happiness of seeing her lately tell me does Flora Bannerworth look as she was want to look or have all the roses faded from her cheeks why is for the roses said Jack I'm blowed if I can tell and seeing as how she don't look at me much I doesn't know nothing about her I can tell you something though about the old admiral that will make you open your eyes indeed Jack and what may that be why he's took to drink and gets groggy about every day of his life and the most singular thing is that when that's the case with the old man he says it's me indeed Jack taken to drinking as my poor old uncle from grief I suppose Jack at my disappearance no I don't think it's grief said Jack it strikes me it's rum and water alas alas I could never have imagined he could have fallen into that habit of yours he always seemed so far from anything of this kind I I sir said Jack I knowed you'd be astonished it will be the death of him that's my opinion and the idea you know master Charles of accusing me when he gets drunk himself I believe that is a common delusion of intemperate person said Charles it is sir well it's a very awkward thing because you know sir as well as most people that I'm not the fellow to take a drop too much I cannot say Jack that I know so much for I've certainly heard my uncle accuse you of intoxication Laura sir that was all just on account of his trying it himself he was thinking on it then and wanted to see how I'd take it but tell me a flora are you quite certain that she has had no more alarms from Varney what that our vampire fellow not a bit of it your honor Lord bless you he must have found out by some means or another that I was on the lookout and that did the business he'll never come near Ms. Flora again I'll be bound though to be sure we moved away from the hall on account of him but not that I saw the good of cruising out of one's own latitude but somehow or another you see the doctor and the admiral got it into their heads to establish a sort of blockade and the idea of the thing was to sail away in the night quite quiet and after that take up a position that would come across the enemy on the larbor tech if so be as he made his appearance oh you allude to watching the hall I presume aye aye sir just so but would you believe it master Charlie the admiral and the doctor got so blessed drunk that I could do nothing with him indeed yes they did indeed and made all kinds of queer mistakes so that the end of all that was that the vampire did come but he got away again he did come then Sir Francis Varney came again after the house was presumed to be deserted he did sir that is very strange what on earth could have been his object this affair is most inexplicably mysterious I hope the distance Jack is not far that you're taking me for I'm incapable of enduring much fatigue not a great way your honor keep two points to the westward and sail straight on we'll soon come to port my eye won't there be a squall when you get in I expect as Miss Flora will drop down as dead as a herring for she doesn't think you're above the hatches a good thought Jack my sudden appearance may produce alarm when we reach the place of a bow to the Bannerworth's usual proceed me and prepare them in some measure for my reception very good sir do you see that their little white cottage ahead there in the offing yes yes is that the place yes your honor that's the port to which we are bound well then Jack you hasten ahead and see Miss Flora and be sure you prepare her gently and by degrees you know Jack for my appearance so that she shall not be alarmed I I sir I understand you wait here and I'll go and do it there would be a squall if you were to make your appearance sir all at once she looks upon you was safely lodged in Davies locker she binds me all the world of a girl I knew at Portsmouth called Bette Bumplush she was one of your delicate little creatures as don't live long in this here world no blow me when I came home from an 18 months cruise once I see her drinking rum out of a court pot so I says hello what's here and only to think now with a wonderful effect that there had upon her with that very pot she gives the fellow as a standing treat and nobber on the head has lasted him three weeks she was too good for this here world she was and too romantic go to blazes she says to him here's Jack Pringle come home very romantic indeed said Charles yes I believe you sir and that puts me in mind of Miss Flora in you an extremely flattering comparison of course I feel much obliged oh don't name it sir the British Taurus can't oblige a fellow creature is unworthy to tread the quarter deck or to bear a hand to the distress of a woman very well said Charles now as we are here proceed me if you please and let me beg of you to be especially cautious in your manner of announcing me I I sir said Jack in a way he walked towards the cottage leaving Charles some distance behind Flora and the Admiral were sitting together conversing the old man who loved her as if she had been a child of his own was endeavoring to the extent of his ability to assuage the anguish of her thoughts which at that moment chance to be bent upon Charles Holland never mind my dear he said he'll turn up some of these days and when he does I shan't forget to tell him that it was you who stood out for his honesty and truth when everyone else was against him including myself an old wretch that I was oh sir how could you for one moment believe that those letters could have been written by your nephew Charles they carried sir upon the face of them their own refutation and I'm only surprised that for one instant you or anyone who knew him could have believed him capable of writing them a vast little do I own you got the better of the old sailor there I think you and Jack Pringle were the only two persons who stood out from the first then I honored Jack for doing so and here he is said the Admiral and you'd better tell him the muteness rascal he wants all the honor he can get as a set off against his drunkenness and other bad habits Jack walked into the room looked about him in silence for a moment thrust his hands in his breeches pockets and gave a long whistle said the admiral if Charles Holland ain't outside and I've come to prepare you for the blessed shock said Jack don't faint either of you because I'm only going to let you know it by degrees you know a shriek burst from Flora's lips and she sprung to the door of the apartment what cried the admiral my nephew my nephew Charles Jack you rascal if you're joking it's the last joke you shall make in this world and if it's true I I I'm an old fool I I sir said Jack didn't you know that a four Charles Charles cried Flora he heard the voice her name escaped his lips and rang with a pleasant echo through the house and another moment he was in the room and it clasped her to his breast my own my beautiful my true Charles dear Charles oh Flora what have I not endured since we last met but this repays me more than repays me for all what is the past now I cried Flora what are all its miseries placed against this happy happy moment they made nobody thinks of me said the admiral my dear uncle said Charles looking over Flora's shoulder is he still held her in his arms is that you yes yes swab it is me and you know it but give us your five you mutinous vagabond and I tell you what I'll do you the greatest favor I've had an opportunity of doing you some time I'll leave you alone you dog come along Jack I I sir said Jack and away they went out of the apartment and now those two loving hearts were alone they who had been so long separated by malignant destiny once again were heart to heart looking into each other's faces with all the beaming tenderness of an affection of the truest holiest character the admiral had done a favor to them both to leave them alone although we much doubt whether his presence or the presence of the whole world would have had the effect of controlling one generous sentiment of noble feeling they would have forgotten everything but that fear and that once again each looked into the other's eyes with all the tenderness of a love pure and higher than ordinarily belongs to mortal affections language was weak to give utterance to the full gust of happy feelings that now were theirs it was ecstasy enough to feel to know that the evil fortune which had so long separated them depriving each existence of its sunniest aspect was over it was enough for Charles Holland to feel that she loved him still it was enough for Flora Bannerworth to know as she looked into his beaming sentence that that love was not misplaced but was met by feelings such as she yourself would have dictated to be the inhabitants of the heart of him whom she would have chosen from the mass of mankind as her own Flora dear Flora said Charles and you have never doubted me I've never doubted Charles heaven or you to doubt one would have been to doubt both generous and best of girls what must you have thought of my enforced absence oh Flora I was unjust enough to your truth to make my greatest pang the thought that you might doubt me and cast me from your heart forever ah Charles you ought to have known me better I stood amid sore temptation to do so much there were those who would have urged me on to think that you would cast me from your heart forever there were those ready and willing to place the worst construction upon your conduct and with a devilish ingenuity to strive to make me participate in such a feeling but no Charles no I loved you and I trusted you and I could not so far belie my own judgment as to tell you other than what you always had in your young fancy and you are right my Flora right and is it not a glorious triumph to see that love that sentiment of passion has enabled you to have so enduring and so noble a confidence and odd human I Charles it is a sentiment of passion for our love has been more a sentiment than a passion I would faint think that we had loved each other with an affection not usually known appreciated or understood and so in the vanity of my best affections I would strive to think them something of feelings of humanity and you are right my Flora such love is yours is the exception there may be preferences there may be passions and there may be sentiments but never never surely was there a heart like yours Nate Charles now you speak from a two poetical fancy but is it possible that I've had you here so long with your hand clasped in mine and asked you not the causes of your absence oh Flora I have suffered much much physically but more mentally it was the thought of you once the bane in the antidote of my existence indeed Charles did I present myself in such contradictory colors to you yes dearest as thus when I thought of you sometimes in the deep seclusion of a dungeon that thought almost goaded me to madness because it brought with it the conviction a conviction peculiar to a lover that none could so effectually stand between you and all evil as myself yes yes Charles most true it seemed to me as if all the world in arms could not have protected you so well as this one heart clad in the triple steel of its affections could have shielded you from evil I Charles and then I was the bane of your existence because I filled you with apprehension for a time dearest and then came the antidote for when exhausted alike in mind and body when lying helpless with chains upon my limbs when expecting death at every visit of those who had dragged me from light and from liberty and from love it was but the thought of thy beauty and thy affection that nerve me and gave me a hope even the most foolish disasters and then and then Charles you are my blessing as you have ever been as you are and as you will ever be my own flora my beautiful my true we won't go so far as to say it is the fact but from a series of singular sounds which reached even to the passage of the cottage we have our own private opinion to the effect that Charles began kissing flora at the top of her forehead and never stopped somehow or another till he got down to her chin no not her chin her sweet lips he could not get past them perhaps it was wrong but we can't help it we are faithful chroniclers reader if you be of the sterner sex what would you have done if of the gentler what would you have permitted end of chapter 74 recording by nick number chapter 75 of Varney the vampire volume 2 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by nick number Varney the vampire volume 2 by Thomas Prescott Prest chapter 75 mutual explanations and the visit to the ruins during the next hour Charles informed flora of the whole particulars of his forcible abduction and to a surprise he heard of course for the first time of those letters purporting to be written by him which endeavored to give so bad an aspect to the fact of his sudden disappearance for Bannerworth Hall flora would insist upon the admiral Henry and the rest of the family hearing all that Charles had to relate concerning Mr. Marchdale for well she knew that her mother from early associations was so far impressed in the favor of that hypocritical personage that nothing but damning facts much to his prejudice would suffice to convince her of the character he really was but she was open to conviction and when she really found what a villain she had cherished and given her confidence to she shed abundance of tears and blamed herself exceedingly as a cause of some of the misfortunes which had fallen upon her children very good said the admiral I ain't surprised a bit I knew he was a vagabond from the first time I clapped eyes upon him there was a down look about the fellow's figure head that I didn't like and be hanged to him but I never thought he would have gone the length he has done and so you say you've got him safe in the ruins Charles I have indeed uncle and then there let him remain and a good place too for him no uncle no I'm sure you speak without thought I intend to release him in a few hours when I've rested from my fatigues he could not come to any harm if he were to go without food entirely for the time that I leave him but even that he will not do for there is bread and water in the dungeon bread and water that's too good for him but however Charles when you go to let him out I'll go with you just to tell him what I think of him the vagabond he must suffer amazingly for no doubt knowing well as he does his own infamous intentions he will consider that if I were to leave him to starve to death I should be but retailing upon him the injuries he would have inflicted upon me the worst of it is said the admiral I can't think what to do with him do nothing uncle but just let him go it will be a sufficient punishment for such a man to feel that instead of succeeding in his designs he has only brought upon himself the bitterest contempt of those whom he would feign have injured I can have no desire for revenge on such a man as Marchdale you're right Charles said flora let him go and let him go with a feeling that he has acquired the contempt of those whose best opinions might have been his for a far less amount of trouble than he has taken to acquire their worst excitement had kept up Charles to this point but now when he arose and expressed his intention of going to the ruins for the purpose of releasing Marchdale he exhibited such unequivocal symptoms of fatigue that neither his uncle nor flora would permit him to go so in deference to them he gave up the point and commissioned the admiral and Jack with Henry to proceed to the place and give the villain his freedom little suspecting what had occurred since he had himself left the neighborhood of those ruins of course Charles Holland couldn't be at all accountable for the work of the elements and it was not for him to imagine that when he left Marchdale in the dungeon that's so awful a catastrophe as that we have recorded to the reader was to ensue the distance to the ruins was not so great from this cottage even as it was from Bannerworth Hall provided those who went knew the most direct and best road to take so that the admiral was not gone above a couple of hours and when he returned he sat down and looked at Charles with such a peculiar expression that the latter could not for the life of him tell what to make of it something has happened uncle he said I'm certain tell me at once what it is oh nothing nothing said the admiral of any importance is that what you call your feelings said Jack Pringle can't you tell him as there came on a squall last night and the ruins have come in with a dab upon old Marchdale crushing his guts so that we smelt him as soon as we got not at hand good God said Charles has such a catastrophe occurred yes Charles that's just about the catastrophe that has occurred he's dead and rum enough it is that it should happen on the very night that you escaped rum said Jack suddenly my eye who mentions rum what a singular sort of liquor rum must be I heard of a chap is used to be fond of it once on board a ship I wonder if there's any in the house no said the admiral but there's a fine pump of spring water outside if you feel a little thirsty Jack and all engage it should do you more good than all the rum in the world uncle said Charles I'm glad to hear you make that observation what for why to deal candidly with you uncle Jack informed me that you would lately taken quite a predilection for drinking me cried the admiral why the infernal rascal I've had to threaten him with his discharge a dozen times at least on that very ground and no other there's somebody calling me said Jack I'm a coming I'm a coming and so he bolted out of the room just in time to escape an ink stand which the admiral caught up and flung after him I'll strike that rascal off the ships books this very day muttered admiral bell the drunken vagabond to pretend that I take anything when all the while it's himself well well I out certainly to have suspected the quarter from whence the intelligence came but he told it to me so circumstantially and with such an apparent feeling of regret for the weakness into which he said you had fallen that I really thought there might be some truth in it the rascal I've done with him from this moment I've put up with too much from him for years past I think now that you have given him a great deal of liberty and that with a great deal more he has taken makes up an amount which you find it difficult to endure and I won't endure it let me talk to him and I dare say I shall be able to convince him that he goes too far and when he finds it such as the case he will mend speak to him if you like but I have done with such a mutinous rascal I have you can take him into your service if you like till you get tired of him and that won't be very long well well we shall see Jack will apologize to you I have no doubt and then I shall intercede for him and advise you to give him another trial if you get him into the apology then there's no doubt about me giving him another trial but I know him too well for that he's as obstinate as a mule he is and you won't get a civil word out of him but never mind that now I tell you what master charlie it will take a good lot of roast beef to get up your good looks again it will indeed uncle and I require now rest for I am thoroughly exhausted the great privations I have undergone and the amount of mental excitement which I have experienced in consequence of the sudden and unexpected release from a fearful confinement have greatly weakened all my energies a few hours sleep will make quite a different being of me well my boy you know best return the admiral and I'll take care if you sleep till tomorrow that you shan't be disturbed so now be off to bed at once the young man shook his uncle's hand in a cordial manner and then repaired to the apartment which had been provided for him Charles Holland did indeed stand in need of repose and for the first time now for many days he laid down with serenity at his heart and slept for many hours and was there not now a great and happy change in flora bannerworth as if by magic in a few short hours much of the bloom of her before fading beauty returned to her her step again recovered its springy lightness again she smiled upon her mother and suffered herself to talk of a happy future for the dread even of the vampire's visitations had faded into comparative insignificance against the heart's deep dejection which had come over her at the time that Charles Holland must surely be murdered or he would have contrived to come to her and what a glorious recompense she had now for the trusting confidence with which she had clung to a conviction of his truth was it not great now to feel that when he was condemned by others and when strong and unimpeachable evidence seemed to be against him she had clung to him and declared her faith in his honor and wept for him instead of condemning yes flora you are of that order of noble minds that where once confidence is given give it fully and completely and will not harbor a suspicion of the faith of the loved one a happy disposition when verified as in this instance by an answering truthfulness but when such a heart trusts not with judgment when that pure exalted and noble confidence is given to an object unworthy of it then comes indeed the most fearful of all mental struggles and if the fond heart that is hugged to its inmost core so worthless a treasure do not break in the effort to discard it we may well be surprised at the amount of fortitude and dirt so much although the admiral had said but little concerning the fearful end Marchdale had come to it really did make some impression upon him and much as he held in importance the villainy of Marchdale's conduct he would gladly in his heart have avert the fate from him that he had brought upon himself on the road to the ruins he calculated upon taking a different kind of vengeance when they had got some distance from the cottage admiral Bell made a proposal to Henry to be his second while he fought Marchdale but Henry would not hear of it for a moment my dear sir he said could I do you think stand by and see a valuable a revered in a respected life like yours exposed to any hazard merely upon the chance of punishing a villain no no Marchdale is too based now to be met an honorable encounter if he has dealt with in any way let it be by the laws this was reasonable enough and after some argument the admiral coincided in it and then they began to wonder how without Charles they should be able to get an entrance to the dungeons for it had been his intention originally had he not felt so fatigued to go with them a soon however as they got tolerably near to the ruins they saw what had happened neither spoke but they quickened their pace and soon stood close to the massive stonework which now it assumed so different a shape to what it had a few short hours before it needed little examination to let them feel certain that whoever might have been in any of the underground dungeons must have been crushed to death heaven have mercy upon his soul said Henry amen said the admiral they both turned away and for some time they neither of them spoke for their thoughts were full of reflection upon the horrible death which Marchdale must have endured at length the admiral said shall we tell this or not tell it at once said Henry let us have no secrets good then I will not make one you may depend I only wish that while he was about it Charlie could have popped that rascal Varney as well in the dungeon and then there would have been a good rinse of them both end of chapter 75 recording by nick number chapter 76 of Varney the Vampire volume 2 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Roger Maline Varney The Vampire volume 2 by Thomas Prescott Prest chapter 76 the second night watch of Mr. Chillingworth at the Hall the military party in the morning left Bannerworth Hall and the old place resumed its wanted quiet but Dr. Chillingworth found it difficult to get rid of his old friend the hangman who seemed quite disposed to share his watch with him the doctor without being at all accused of being a prejudiced man might well object to the continued companionship of one who according to his own account was decidedly no better than he should be if he were half so good moreover it materially interfered with the proceedings of our medical friend whose object was to watch the vampire with all imaginable quietness and secrecy in the event of his again visiting Bannerworth Hall Sir, he said to the hangman now that you have so obligingly related to me your melancholy history I will not detain you oh, you're not detaining me yes but I shall probably remain here for a considerable time I have nothing to do and one place is about the same as another to me well then if I must speak plainly allow me to say that as I came here upon a very important and special errand I desire most particularly to be left alone do you understand me now oh, ah I understand you want me to go just so well then, Dr. Chillingworth allow me to tell you that I have come here in a very special errand likewise you have I have I have been putting one circumstance to another and drawing a variety of conclusions from a variety of facts so that I have come to what I consider an important resolve namely to have a good look at Bannerworth Hall and if I continue to like it as well as I do now I shall offer for the purchase of it the devil you would why all the world seems mad upon the project of buying this old building which really is getting into such a state of dilapidation that it cannot last many years longer it is my fancy no, no, there is something more in this than meets the eye the same reason be it what may the varni, the vampire to become so desirous of possessing the hall actuates you possibly and what is that reason you may as well be candid with me yes I will and am I like the picturesque aspect of the place no you know that that is a disingenuous answer that you know well it is not the aspect of the old hall that as charms for you but I feel only from your conduct more than ever convinced that some plot is going on having the accomplishment of some great object as its climax a something of which you have guessed how much you are mistaken no, I am certain I am right and I shall immediately advise the Bannerworth family to return but there abode again here in order to put an end to the hopes which you or varni or anyone else may have of getting possession of the place if you were a man, said the Hangman who cared a little more for yourself and a little less for others I would make a confidant of you what do you mean why I mean candidly that you are not selfish enough to be entitled to my confidence that is a strange reason for withholding confidence from any man it is a strange reason but in this case a most abundantly true one I cannot tell you what I would tell you because I cannot make the agreement with you that I would fain make you talk in riddles to explain which then would be to tell my secret Dr. Chillingworth was evidently much annoyed and yet he was in an extremely helpless condition for as to forcing the Hangman to leave the hall if he did not feel disposed to do so that was completely out of the question and could not be done in the first place he was a much more powerful man than the doctor and in the second it was quite contrary to all Mr. Chillingworth's habits to engage in anything like personal warfare he could only therefore look his vexation and say if you are determined upon remaining I cannot help it but when someone as there assuredly will comes from the Bannerworths here to me or I shall be under the necessity of stating candidly that you are intruding very good as the morning air is keen as we now are not likely to be as good company to each other as we were I shall go inside the house this was a proposition which the doctor did not like but he was compelled to submit to it and he saw with feelings of uneasiness the Hangman make his way into the hall by one of the windows then Dr. Chillingworth sat down to think much he wondered what could be the secret of the great desire which Varney, Marchdale and even this man had all of them to be possessors of the old hall that there was some powerful incentive he felt convinced for he longed for some conversation with the Bannerworths or with Admiral Bell in order that he might state what had now taken place that someone would soon come to him in order to bring fresh provisions for the day he was certain and all he could do in the interim was to listen to what the Hangman was about in the hall not a sound for a considerable time disturbed the intense stillness of the place but now suddenly Mr. Chillingworth thought he heard a hammering as if someone was at work in one of the rooms in the hall what can be the meaning of that he said and he was about to proceed at once to the interior of the building through the same window which had enabled the Hangman to gain admittance when he heard his own name pronounced by someone at the back of the garden fence and upon casting his eyes in that direction he, to his great grief saw the Admiral and Henry Bannerworth come round to the gate said the doctor I am more glad to see you than I can tell you just now do not make more noise but come round to the gate at once they obeyed the injunction with alacrity and when the doctor had admitted them the Admiral said eagerly you don't mean to tell us that he is here no no, not Varney but he is not the only one who has taken a great affection for Bannerworth Hall you may have another tenant for it and I believe at any price you like to name indeed hush creep along close to the house and then you will not be seen there do you hear that noise in the hall why it sounds said the Admiral like the ship's carpenter at work it does indeed sound like a carpenter it's only the new tenant making I dare say some repairs damn his impudence why it certainly does look like a very cool proceeding I must admit who and what is he who he is now I cannot tell you but he was once the hangman of London at a time when I was practicing in the metropolis and so I became acquainted with him he knows Sir Francis Varney and if I mistake not has found out the cause of that mysterious personage's great attachment to Bannerworth Hall and has found the reasons so cogent that he has got up an affection for it himself to me said Henry all this is as incomprehensible as anything can possibly be what on earth does it all mean my dear Henry said the doctor will you be ruled by me I will be ruled by anyone whom I know I can trust or I am like a man groping his way in the dark then allow this gentleman who is carpentering away so pleasantly within the house to do so to his heart's content but don't let him leave it show yourselves now in the garden he has sufficient prudence to know that three constitute rather fearful odds against one and so he will be careful and remain where he is if he should come out let him go until we thoroughly ascertain what he has been about you shall command the squadron doctor said the admiral and have it all your own way you know so here goes come along Henry and let's show ourselves we are both armed too they walked out into the center of the garden and they were soon convinced that the hangman saw them for a face appeared at the window and he was withdrawn again there said the doctor now he knows he is a prisoner and we may as well place ourselves in some position which commands a good view of the house as well as of the garden gate and so see if we cannot starve him out although we may be starved out ourselves not at all said admiral bell producing from his ample pockets various parcels we came to bring you ample supplies indeed yes we have been as far as the ruins oh to release Marchdale Charles told me how the villain had fallen into the trap he had laid for him he has indeed fallen into the trap and it's one he won't easily get out of again he's dead dead dead yes in the storm of last night the ruins have fallen and he is by this time as flat as a pancake good god and yet it is but a just retribution upon him he would have assassinated poor Charles Holland in the cruelest and most cold-blooded manner and however we may shudder at the manner of his death we cannot regret it accept that he has escaped your friend the hangman said the admiral don't call him my friend if you please but hark how he is working away as if he really intended to carry the house away piece by piece as opportunity may serve if you will not let it to him altogether just as it stands confound him he is evidently working on his own account said the admiral industrious there was indeed a tremendous amount of hammering and noise of one sort and another from the house and it was quite clear that the hangman was too heart and soul in his work whatever may have been the object of it to care who was listening to him or to what conjecture he gave her eyes he thought probably that he could but be stopped in what he was about and until he was so that he might as well go on and on he went with a vengeance vexing the admiral terribly who proposed so repeatedly to go into the house and insist upon knowing what he was about that his wishes were upon the point of being conceded to by Henry although they were combated by the doctor when from the window at which he had entered out stepped the hangman good morning gentlemen good morning he said and he moved towards the garden gate I will not trouble you any longer good morning not so fast said the admiral oh we may bring you up with a round turn and I never miss my mark when I can see it and I shall not let it get out of sight you may depend he drew a pistol from his pocket as he spoke and pointed it at the hangman who thereupon paused and said what am I not to be permitted to go in peace why it was but a short time since the doctor was quarreling with me because I did not go and now it seems that I am to be shot if I do yes said the admiral that's it well but you dare said he stir another inch towards the gate and you are a dead man the hangman hesitated a moment and looked at admiral bill apparently the result of the scrutiny was that he would keep his word for he suddenly turned and dived in at the window again without saying another word well you have certainly stopped him from leaving said Henry but what's to be done now let him be let him be he must come out again for there are no provisions in the place and he will be starved out hush what is that said Henry there was a very gentle ring at the bell which hung over the garden gate that's an experiment now I'll be bound said the doctor to ascertain if anyone is here let us hide ourselves and take no notice of what was repeated and the three confederates hid themselves effectually behind some thick laurel bushes and awaited with expectation what might next ensue not long had they occupied their place of concealment before they heard a heavy fall upon the graveled pathway immediately within the gate as if someone had clambered to the top from the outside and then jumped down but this was the case the sound of footsteps soon convinced them and to their surprise as well as satisfaction they saw through the interstices of the laurel bush behind which they were concealed no less a personage than Sir Francis Varney himself it is Varney said Henry yes yes whispered the doctor let him be for the first time let him do just what he likes damn the fellow said the admiral there are some points about him that I like after all and he's quite an angel compared to that rascal Marchdale he is he saved Charles he did and not if I know it shall any harm come to him unless he were terribly to provoke it by becoming himself the assailant how sad he looks hush he comes nearer it is not safe to talk look at him end of chapter 76 recording by Roger Maline