CHAPTER XIII.
THE OFFER FOR THE HALL.--THE VISIT TO SIR FRANCIS VARNEY.--THE STRANGERESEMBLANCE.--A DREADFUL SUGGESTION.
The party made a strict search through every nook and corner of thegarden, but it proved to be a fruitless one: not the least trace of anyone could be found. There was only one circumstance, which was ponderedover deeply by them all, and that was that, beneath the window of theroom in which Flora and her mother sat while the brothers were on theirvisit to the vault of their ancestors, were visible marks of blood to aconsiderable extent.
It will be remembered that Flora had fired a pistol at the spectralappearance, and that immediately upon that it had disappeared, afteruttering a sound which might well be construed into a cry of pain from awound.
That a wound then had been inflicted upon some one, the blood beneaththe window now abundantly testified; and when it was discovered, Henryand Charles made a very close examination indeed of the garden, todiscover what direction the wounded figure, be it man or vampyre, hadtaken.
But the closest scrutiny did not reveal to them a single spot of blood,beyond the space immediately beneath the window;--there the apparitionseemed to have received its wound, and then, by some mysterious means,to have disappeared.
At length, wearied with the continued excitement, combined with want ofsleep, to which they had been subjected, they returned to the hall.
Flora, with the exception of the alarm she experienced from the firingof the pistol, had met with no disturbance, and that, in order to spareher painful reflections, they told her was merely done as aprecautionary measure, to proclaim to any one who might be lurking inthe garden that the inmates of the house were ready to defend themselvesagainst any aggression.
Whether or not she believed this kind deceit they knew not. She onlysighed deeply, and wept. The probability is, that she more thansuspected the vampyre had made another visit, but they forbore to pressthe point; and, leaving her with her mother, Henry and George went fromher chamber again--the former to endeavour to seek some repose, as itwould be his turn to watch on the succeeding night, and the latter toresume his station in a small room close to Flora's chamber, where ithad been agreed watch and ward should be kept by turns while the alarmlasted.
At length, the morning again dawned upon that unhappy family, and tonone were its beams more welcome.
The birds sang their pleasant carols beneath the window. The sweet,deep-coloured autumnal sun shone upon all objects with a golden luster;and to look abroad, upon the beaming face of nature, no one could for amoment suppose, except from sad experience, that there were such thingsas gloom, misery, and crime, upon the earth.
"And must I," said Henry, as he gazed from a window of the hall upon theundulating park, the majestic trees, the flowers, the shrubs, and themany natural beauties with which the place was full,--"must I be chasedfrom this spot, the home of my self and of my kindred, by aphantom--must I indeed seek refuge elsewhere, because my own home hasbecome hideous?"
It was indeed a cruel and a painful thought! It was one he yet wouldnot, could not be convinced was absolutely necessary. But now the sunwas shining: it was morning; and the feelings, which found a home in hisbreast amid the darkness, the stillness, and the uncertainty of night,were chased away by those glorious beams of sunlight, that fell uponhill, valley, and stream, and the thousand sweet sounds of life andanimation that filled that sunny air!
Such a revulsion of feeling was natural enough. Many of the distressesand mental anxieties of night vanish with the night, and those whichoppressed the heart of Henry Bannerworth were considerably modified.
He was engaged in these reflections when he heard the sound of the lodgebell, and as a visitor was now somewhat rare at this establishment, hewaited with some anxiety to see to whom he was indebted for so early acall.
In the course of a few minutes, one of the servants came to him with aletter in her hand.
It bore a large handsome seal, and, from its appearance, would seem tohave come from some personage of consequence. A second glance at itshewed him the name of "Varney" in the corner, and, with some degree ofvexation, he muttered to himself,
"Another condoling epistle from the troublesome neighbour whom I havenot yet seen."
"If you please, sir," said the servant who had brought him the letter,"as I'm here, and you are here, perhaps you'll have no objection to giveme what I'm to have for the day and two nights as I've been here, cos Ican't stay in a family as is so familiar with all sorts o' ghostesses: Iain't used to such company."
"What do you mean?" said Henry.
The question was a superfluous one--: too well he knew what the womanmeant, and the conviction came across his mind strongly that no domesticwould consent to live long in a house which was subject to such dreadfulvisitations.
"What does I mean!" said the woman,--"why, sir, if it's all the same toyou, I don't myself come of a wampyre family, and I don't choose toremain in a house where there is sich things encouraged. That's what Imeans, sir."
"What wages are owing to you?" said Henry.
"Why, as to wages, I only comed here by the day."
"Go, then, and settle with my mother. The sooner you leave this house,the better."
"Oh, indeed. I'm sure I don't want to stay."
This woman was one of those who were always armed at all points for arow, and she had no notion of concluding any engagement, of anycharacter whatever, without some disturbance; therefore, to see Henrytake what she said with such provoking calmness was aggravating in theextreme; but there was no help for such a source of vexation. She couldfind no other ground of quarrel than what was connected with thevampyre, and, as Henry would not quarrel with her on such a score, shewas compelled to give it up in despair.
When Henry found himself alone, and free from the annoyance of thiswoman, he turned his attention to the letter he held in his hand, andwhich, from the autograph in the corner, he knew came from his newneighbour, Sir Francis Varney, whom, by some chance or another, he hadnever yet seen.
To his great surprise, he found that the letter contained the followingwords:--
Dear Sir,--"As a neighbour, by purchase of an estate contiguous to your own, I am quite sure you have excused, and taken in good part, the cordial offer I made to you of friendship and service some short time since; but now, in addressing to you a distinct proposition, I trust I shall meet with an indulgent consideration, whether such proposition be accordant with your views or not.
"What I have heard from common report induces me to believe that Bannerworth Hall cannot be a desirable residence for yourself, or your amiable sister. If I am right in that conjecture, and you have any serious thought of leaving the place, I would earnestly recommend you, as one having some experience in such descriptions of property, to sell it at once.
"Now, the proposition with which I conclude this letter is, I know, of a character to make you doubt the disinterestedness of such advice; but that it is disinterested, nevertheless, is a fact of which I can assure my own heart, and of which I beg to assure you. I propose, then, should you, upon consideration, decide upon such a course of proceeding, to purchase of you the Hall. I do not ask for a bargain on account of any extraneous circumstances which may at the present time depreciate the value of the property, but I am willing to give a fair price for it. Under these circumstances, I trust, sir, that you will give a kindly consideration to my offer, and even if you reject it, I hope that, as neighbours, we may live long in peace and amity, and in the interchange of those good offices which should subsist between us. Awaiting your reply,
"Believe me to be, dear sir,
"Your very obedient servant,
"FRANCIS VARNEY.
"To Henry Bannerworth, Esq."
Henry, after having read this most unobjectionable letter through,folded it up again, and placed it in his pocket. Clasping his hands,then
, behind his back, a favourite attitude of his when he was in deepcontemplation, he paced to and fro in the garden for some time in deepthought.
"How strange," he muttered. "It seems that every circumstance combinesto induce me to leave my old ancestral home. It appears as if everythingnow that happened had that direct tendency. What can be the meaning ofall this? 'Tis very strange--amazingly strange. Here arise circumstanceswhich are enough to induce any man to leave a particular place. Then afriend, in whose single-mindedness and judgment I know I can rely,advises the step, and immediately upon the back of that comes a fair andcandid offer."
There was an apparent connexion between all these circumstances whichmuch puzzled Henry. He walked to and fro for nearly an hour, until heheard a hasty footstep approaching him, and upon looking in thedirection from whence it came, he saw Mr. Marchdale.
"I will seek Marchdale's advice," he said, "upon this matter. I willhear what he says concerning it."
"Henry," said Marchdale, when he came sufficiently near to him forconversation, "why do you remain here alone?"
"I have received a communication from our neighbour, Sir FrancisVarney," said Henry.
"Indeed!"
"It is here. Peruse it for yourself, and then tell me, Marchdale,candidly what you think of it."
"I suppose," said Marchdale, as he opened the letter, "it is anotherfriendly note of condolence on the state of your domestic affairs,which, I grieve to say, from the prattling of domestics, whose tonguesit is quite impossible to silence, have become food for gossip all overthe neighbouring villages and estates."
"If anything could add another pang to those I have already been made tosuffer," said Henry, "it would certainly arise from being made the foodof vulgar gossip. But read the letter, Marchdale. You will find itscontents of a more important character than you anticipate."
"Indeed!" said Marchdale, as he ran his eyes eagerly over the note.
When he had finished it he glanced at Henry, who then said,--
"Well, what is your opinion?"
"I know not what to say, Henry. You know that my own advice to you hasbeen to get rid of this place."
"It has."
"With the hope that the disagreeable affair connected with it now mayremain connected with it as a house, and not with you and yours as afamily."
"It may be so."
"There appears to me every likelihood of it."
"I do not know," said Henry, with a shudder. "I must confess, Marchdale,that to my own perceptions it seems more probable that the infliction wehave experienced from the strange visitor, who seems now resolved topester us with visits, will rather attach to a family than to a house.The vampyre may follow us."
"If so, of course the parting with the Hall would be a great pity, andno gain."
"None in the least."
"Henry, a thought has struck me."
"Let's hear it, Marchdale."
"It is this:--Suppose you were to try the experiment of leaving the Hallwithout selling it. Suppose for one year you were to let it to some one,Henry."
"It might be done."
"Ay, and it might, with very great promise and candour, be proposed tothis very gentleman, Sir Francis Varney, to take it for one year, to seehow he liked it before becoming the possessor of it. Then if he foundhimself tormented by the vampyre, he need not complete the purchase, orif you found that the apparition followed you from hence, you mightyourself return, feeling that perhaps here, in the spots familiar toyour youth, you might be most happy, even under such circumstances as atpresent oppress you."
"Most happy!" ejaculated Henry.
"Perhaps I should not have used that word."
"I am sure you should not," said Henry, "when you speak of me."
"Well--well; let us hope that the time may not be very far distant whenI may use the term happy, as applied to you, in the most conclusive andthe strongest manner it can be used."
"Oh," said Henry, "I will hope; but do not mock me with it now,Marchdale, I pray you."
"Heaven forbid that I should mock you!"
"Well--well; I do not believe you are the man to do so to any one. Butabout this affair of the house."
"Distinctly, then, if I were you, I would call upon Sir Francis Varney,and make him an offer to become a tenant of the Hall for twelve months,during which time you could go where you please, and test the fact ofabsence ridding you or not ridding you of the dreadful visitant whomakes the night here truly hideous."
"I will speak to my mother, to George, and to my sister of the matter.They shall decide."
Mr. Marchdale now strove in every possible manner to raise the spiritsof Henry Bannerworth, by painting to him the future in far more radiantcolours than the present, and endeavouring to induce a belief in hismind that a short period of time might after all replace in his mind,and in the minds of those who were naturally so dear to him, all theirwonted serenity.
Henry, although he felt not much comfort from these kindly efforts, yetcould feel gratitude to him who made them; and after expressing such afeeling to Marchdale, in strong terms, he repaired to the house, inorder to hold a solemn consultation with those whom he felt ought to beconsulted as well as himself as to what steps should be taken withregard to the Hall.
The proposition, or rather the suggestion, which had been made byMarchdale upon the proposition of Sir Francis Varney, was in everyrespect so reasonable and just, that it met, as was to be expected, withthe concurrence of every member of the family.
Flora's cheeks almost resumed some of their wonted colour at the merethought now of leaving that home to which she had been at one time somuch attached.
"Yes, dear Henry," she said, "let us leave here if you are agreeable soto do, and in leaving this house, we will believe that we leave behindus a world of terror."
"Flora," remarked Henry, in a tone of slight reproach, "if you were soanxious to leave Bannerworth Hall, why did you not say so before thisproposition came from other mouths? You know your feelings upon such asubject would have been laws to me."
"I knew you were attached to the old house," said Flora; "and, besides,events have come upon us all with such fearful rapidity, there hasscarcely been time to think."
"True--true."
"And you will leave, Henry?"
"I will call upon Sir Francis Varney myself, and speak to him upon thesubject."
A new impetus to existence appeared now to come over the whole family,at the idea of leaving a place which always would be now associated intheir minds with so much terror. Each member of the family felt happier,and breathed more freely than before, so that the change which had comeover them seemed almost magical. And Charles Holland, too, was muchbetter pleased, and he whispered to Flora,--
"Dear Flora, you will now surely no longer talk of driving from you thehonest heart that loves you?"
"Hush, Charles, hush!" she said; "meet me an hour hence in the garden,and we will talk of this."
"That hour will seem an age," he said.
Henry, now, having made a determination to see Sir Francis Varney, lostno time in putting it into execution. At Mr. Marchdale's own request, hetook him with him, as it was desirable to have a third person present inthe sort of business negotiation which was going on. The estate whichhad been so recently entered upon by the person calling himself SirFrancis Varney, and which common report said he had purchased, was asmall, but complete property, and situated so close to the groundsconnected with Bannerworth Hall, that a short walk soon placed Henry andMr. Marchdale before the residence of this gentleman, who had shown sokindly a feeling towards the Bannerworth family.
"Have you seen Sir Francis Varney?" asked Henry of Mr. Marchdale, as herung the gate-bell.
"I have not. Have you?"
"No; I never saw him. It is rather awkward our both being absolutestrangers to his person."
"We can but send in our names, however; and, from the great vein ofcourtesy that runs through his letter, I have no doubt but we shallreceive the most gentl
emanly reception from him."
A servant in handsome livery appeared at the iron-gates, which openedupon a lawn in the front of Sir Francis Varney's house, and to thisdomestic Henry Bannerworth handed his card, on which he had written, inpencil, likewise the name of Mr. Marchdale.
"If your master," he said, "is within, we shall be glad to see him."
"Sir Francis is at home, sir," was the reply, "although not very well.If you will be pleased to walk in, I will announce you to him."
Henry and Marchdale followed the man into a handsome enoughreception-room, where they were desired to wait while their names wereannounced.
"Do you know if this gentleman be a baronet," said Henry, "or a knightmerely?"
"I really do not; I never saw him in my life, or heard of him before hecame into this neighbourhood."
"And I have been too much occupied with the painful occurrences of thishall to know anything of our neighbours. I dare say Mr. Chillingworth,if we had thought to ask him, would have known something concerninghim."
"No doubt."
This brief colloquy was put an end to by the servant, who said,--
"My master, gentlemen, is not very well; but he begs me to present hisbest compliments, and to say he is much gratified with your visit, andwill be happy to see you in his study."
Henry and Marchdale followed the man up a flight of stone stairs, andthen they were conducted through a large apartment into a smaller one.There was very little light in this small room; but at the moment oftheir entrance a tall man, who was seated, rose, and, touching thespring of a blind that was to the window, it was up in a moment,admitting a broad glare of light. A cry of surprise, mingled withterror, came from Henry Bannerworth's lip. _The original of the portraiton the panel stood before him!_ There was the lofty stature, the long,sallow face, the slightly projecting teeth, the dark, lustrous, althoughsomewhat sombre eyes; the expression of the features--all were alike.
"Are you unwell, sir?" said Sir Francis Varney, in soft, mellow accents,as he handed a chair to the bewildered Henry.
"God of Heaven!" said Henry; "how like!"
"You seem surprised, sir. Have you ever seen me before?"
Sir Francis drew himself up to his full height, and cast a strangeglance upon Henry, whose eyes were rivetted upon his face, as if with aspecies of fascination which he could not resist.
"Marchdale," Henry gasped; "Marchdale, my friend, Marchdale. I--I amsurely mad."
"Hush! be calm," whispered Marchdale.
"Calm--calm--can you not see? Marchdale, is this a dream?Look--look--oh! look."
"For God's sake, Henry, compose yourself."
"Is your friend often thus?" said Sir Francis Varney, with the samemellifluous tone which seemed habitual to him.
"No, sir, he is not; but recent circumstances have shattered his nerves;and, to tell the truth, you bear so strong a resemblance to an oldportrait, in his house, that I do not wonder so much as I otherwiseshould at his agitation."
"Indeed."
"A resemblance!" said Henry; "a resemblance! God of Heaven! it is theface itself."
"You much surprise me," said Sir Francis.
Henry sunk into the chair which was near him, and he trembled violently.The rush of painful thoughts and conjectures that came through his mindwas enough to make any one tremble. "Is this the vampyre?" was thehorrible question that seemed impressed upon his very brain, in lettersof flame. "Is this the vampyre?"
"Are you better, sir?" said Sir Francis Varney, in his bland, musicalvoice. "Shall I order any refreshment for you?"
"No--no," gasped Henry; "for the love of truth tell me! Is--is your namereally Varney!"
"Sir?"
"Have you no other name to which, perhaps, a better title you couldurge?"
"Mr. Bannerworth, I can assure you that I am too proud of the name ofthe family to which I belong to exchange it for any other, be it what itmay."
"How wonderfully like!"
"I grieve to see you so much distressed. Mr. Bannerworth. I presume illhealth has thus shattered your nerves?"
"No; ill health has not done the work. I know not what to say, SirFrancis Varney, to you; but recent events in my family have made thesight of you full of horrible conjectures."
"What mean you, sir?"
"You know, from common report, that we have had a fearful visitor at ourhouse."
"A vampyre, I have heard," said Sir Francis Varney, with a bland, andalmost beautiful smile, which displayed his white glistening teeth toperfection.
"Yes; a vampyre, and--and--"
"I pray you go on, sir; you surely are far above the vulgar superstitionof believing in such matters?"
"My judgment is assailed in too many ways and shapes for it to hold outprobably as it ought to do against so hideous a belief, but never was itso much bewildered as now."
"Why so?"
"Because--"
"Nay, Henry," whispered Mr. Marchdale, "it is scarcely civil to tell SirFrancis to his face, that he resembles a vampyre."
"I must, I must."
"Pray, sir," interrupted Varney to Marchdale, "permit Mr. Bannerworth tospeak here freely. There is nothing in the whole world I so much admireas candour."
"Then you so much resemble the vampyre," added Henry, "that--that I knownot what to think."
"Is it possible?" said Varney.
"It is a damning fact."
"Well, it's unfortunate for me, I presume? Ah!"
Varney gave a twinge of pain, as if some sudden bodily ailment hadattacked him severely.
"You are unwell, sir?" said Marchdale.
"No, no--no," he said; "I--hurt my arm, and happened accidentally totouch the arm of this chair with it."
"A hurt?" said Henry.
"Yes, Mr. Bannerworth."
"A--a wound?"
"Yes, a wound, but not much more than skin deep. In fact, little beyondan abrasion of the skin."
"May I inquire how you came by it?"
"Oh, yes. A slight fall."
"Indeed."
"Remarkable, is it not? Very remarkable. We never know a moment when,from same most trifling cause, we may receive really some serious bodilyharm. How true it is, Mr. Bannerworth, that in the midst of life we arein death."
"And equally true, perhaps," said Henry, "that in the midst of deaththere may be found a horrible life."
"Well, I should not wonder. There are really so many strange things inthis world, that I have left off wondering at anything now."
"There are strange things," said Henry. "You wish to purchase of me theHall, sir?"
"If you wish to sell."
"You--you are perhaps attached to the place? Perhaps you recollected it,sir, long ago?"
"Not very long," smiled Sir Francis Varney. "It seems a nice comfortableold house; and the grounds, too, appear to be amazingly well wooded,which, to one of rather a romantic temperament like myself, is always anadditional charm to a place. I was extremely pleased with it the firsttime I beheld it, and a desire to call myself the owner of it tookpossession of my mind. The scenery is remarkable for its beauty, and,from what I have seen of it, it is rarely to be excelled. No doubt youare greatly attached to it."
"It has been my home from infancy," returned Henry, "and being also theresidence of my ancestors for centuries, it is natural that I should beso."
"True--true."
"The house, no doubt, has suffered much," said Henry, "within the lasthundred years."
"No doubt it has. A hundred years is a tolerable long space of time, youknow."
"It is, indeed. Oh, how any human life which is spun out to such anextent, must lose its charms, by losing all its fondest and dearestassociations."
"Ah, how true," said Sir Francis Varney. He had some minutes previouslytouched a bell, and at this moment a servant brought in on a tray somewine and refreshments.