CHAPTER XXII.
THE CONSULTATION.--THE DETERMINATION TO LEAVE THE HALL.
This was certainly the most seriously reasonable meeting which had beenheld at Bannerworth Hall on the subject of the much dreaded vampyre. Theabsolute necessity for doing something of a decisive character wasabundantly apparent, and when Henry promised Flora that her earnest wishto leave the house should not be forgotten as an element in thediscussion which was about to ensue, it was with a rapidly growingfeeling on his own part, to the effect that that house, associated evenas it was with many endearing recollections, was no home for him.
Hence he was the more inclined to propose a departure from the Hall ifit could possibly be arranged satisfactorily in a pecuniary point ofview. The pecuniary point of view, however, in which Henry was compelledto look at the subject, was an important and a troublesome one.
We have already hinted at the very peculiar state of the finances of thefamily; and, in fact, although the income derivable from various sourcesought to have been amply sufficient to provide Henry, and those who weredependent upon him, with a respectable livelihood, yet it was nearly allswallowed up by the payment of regular instalments upon family debtsincurred by his father. And the creditors took great credit tothemselves that they allowed of such an arrangement, instead of sweepingoff all before them, and leaving the family to starve.
The question, therefore, or, at all events, one of the questions, nowwas, how far would a departure from the Hall of him, Henry, and theother branches of the family, act upon that arrangement?
During a very few minutes' consideration, Henry, with the frank andcandid disposition which was so strong a characteristic of hischaracter, made up his mind to explain all this fully to Charles Hollandand his uncle.
When once he formed such a determination he was not likely to be slow incarrying it into effect, and no sooner, then, were the whole of themseated in the small oaken parlour than he made an explicit statement ofhis circumstances.
"But," said Mr. Marchdale, when he had done, "I cannot see what rightyour creditors have to complain of where you live, so long as youperform your contract to them."
"True; but they always expected me, I knew, to remain at the Hall, andif they chose, why, of course, at any time, they could sell off thewhole property for what it would fetch, and pay themselves as far as theproceeds would go. At all events, I am quite certain there could benothing at all left for me."
"I cannot imagine," added Mr. Marchdale, "that any men could be sounreasonable."
"It is scarcely to be borne," remarked Charles Holland, with moreimpatience than he usually displayed, "that a whole family are to be putto the necessity of leaving their home for no other reason than thebeing pestered by such a neighbour as Sir Francis Varney. It makes oneimpatient and angry to reflect upon such a state of things."
"And yet they are lamentably true," said Henry. "What can we do?"
"Surely there must be some sort of remedy."
"There is but one that I can imagine, and that is one we all alikerevolt from. We might kill him."
"That is out of the question."
"Of course my impression is that he bears the same name really asmyself, and that he is my ancestor, from whom was painted the portraiton the panel."
"Have circumstances really so far pressed upon you," said CharlesHolland, "as at length to convince you that this man is really thehorrible creature we surmise he may be?"
"Dare we longer doubt it?" cried Henry, in a tone of excitement. "He isthe vampyre."
"I'll be hanged if I believe it," said Admiral Bell! "Stuff andnonsense! Vampyre, indeed! Bother the vampyre."
"Sir," said Henry, "you have not had brought before you, painfully, aswe have, all the circumstances upon which we, in a manner, feelcompelled to found this horrible belief. At first incredulity was anatural thing. We had no idea that ever we could be brought to believein such a thing."
"That is the case," added Marchdale. "But, step by step, we have beendriven from utter disbelief in this phenomenon to a trembling convictionthat it must be true."
"Unless we admit that, simultaneously, the senses of a number of personshave been deceived."
"That is scarcely possible."
"Then do you mean really to say there are such fish?" said the admiral.
"We think so."
"Well, I'm d----d! I have heard all sorts of yarns about what fellowshave seen in one ocean and another; but this does beat them all tonothing."
"It is monstrous," exclaimed Charles.
There was a pause of some few moments' duration, and then Mr. Marchdalesaid, in a low voice,--
"Perhaps I ought not to propose any course of action until you, Henry,have yourself done so; but even at the risk of being presumptuous, Iwill say that I am firmly of opinion you ought to leave the Hall."
"I am inclined to think so, too," said Henry.
"But the creditors?" interposed Charles.
"I think they might be consulted on the matter beforehand," addedMarchdale, "when no doubt they would acquiesce in an arrangement whichcould do them no harm."
"Certainly, no harm," said Henry, "for I cannot take the estate with me,as they well know."
"Precisely. If you do not like to sell it, you can let it."
"To whom?"
"Why, under the existing circumstances, it is not likely you would getany tenant for it than the one who has offered himself."
"Sir Francis Varney?"
"Yes. It seems to be a great object with him to live here, and itappears to me, that notwithstanding all that has occurred, it is mostdecidedly the best policy to let him."
Nobody could really deny the reasonableness of this advice, although itseemed strange, and was repugnant to the feelings of them all, as theyheard it. There was a pause of some seconds' duration, and then Henrysaid,--
"It does, indeed, seem singular, to surrender one's house to such abeing."
"Especially," said Charles, "after what has occurred."
"True."
"Well," said Mr. Marchdale, "if any better plan of proceeding, takingthe whole case into consideration, can be devised, I shall be mosthappy."
"Will you consent to put off all proceedings for three days?" saidCharles Holland, suddenly.
"Have you any plan, my dear sir?" said Mr. Marchdale.
"I have, but it is one which I would rather say nothing about for thepresent."
"I have no objection," said Henry, "I do not know that three days canmake any difference in the state of affairs. Let it be so, if you wish,Charles."
"Then I am satisfied," said Charles. "I cannot but feel that, situatedas I am regarding Flora, this is almost more my affair than even yours,Henry."
"I cannot see that," said Henry. "Why should you take upon yourself moreof the responsibility of these affairs than I, Charles? You induce in mymind a suspicion that you have some desperate project in yourimagination, which by such a proposition you would seek to reconcile meto."
Charles was silent, and Henry then added,--
"Now, Charles, I am quite convinced that what I have hinted at is thefact. You have conceived some scheme which you fancy would be muchopposed by us?"
"I will not deny that I have," said Charles. "It is one, however, whichyou must allow me for the present to keep locked in my own breast."
"Why will you not trust us?"
"For two reasons."
"Indeed!"
"The one is, that I have not yet thoroughly determined upon the course Iproject; and the other is, that it is one in which I am not justified ininvolving any one else."
"Charles, Charles," said Henry, despondingly; "only consider for amoment into what new misery you may plunge poor Flora, who is, Heavenknows, already sufficiently afflicted, by attempting an enterprise whicheven we, who are your friends, may unwittingly cross you in theperformance of."
"This is one in which I fear no such result. It cannot so happen. Do noturge me."
"Can't you say at once what y
ou think of doing?" said the old admiral."What do you mean by turning your sails in all sorts of directions sooddly? You sneak, why don't you be what do you call it--explicit?"
"I cannot, uncle."
"What, are you tongue-tied?"
"All here know well," said Charles, "that if I do not unfold my mindfully, it is not that I fear to trust any one present, but from someother most special reason."
"Charles, I forbear to urge you further," said Henry, "and only imploreyou to be careful."
At this moment the room door opened, and George Bannerworth, accompaniedby Mr. Chillingworth, came in.
"Do not let me intrude," said the surgeon; "I fear, as I see you seated,gentlemen, that my presence must be a rudeness and a disturbance to somefamily consultation among yourselves?"
"Not at all, Mr. Chillingworth," said Henry. "Pray be seated; we arevery glad indeed to see you. Admiral Bell, this is a friend on whom wecan rely--Mr. Chillingworth."
"And one of the right sort, I can see," said the admiral, as he shookMr. Chillingworth by the hand.
"Sir, you do me much honour," said the doctor.
"None at all, none at all; I suppose you know all about this infernalodd vampyre business?"
"I believe I do, sir."
"And what do you think of it?"
"I think time will develop the circumstances sufficiently to convince usall that such things cannot be."
"D--n me, you are the most sensible fellow, then, that I have yet metwith since I have been in this neighbourhood; for everybody else is soconvinced about the vampyre, that they are ready to swear by him."
"It would take much more to convince me. I was coming over here when Imet Mr. George Bannerworth coming to my house."
"Yes," said George, "and Mr. Chillingworth has something to tell us of anature confirmatory of our own suspicions."
"It is strange," said Henry; "but any piece of news, come it from whatquarter it may, seems to be confirmatory, in some degree or another, ofthat dreadful belief in vampyres."
"Why," said the doctor, "when Mr. George says that my news is of such acharacter, I think he goes a little too far. What I have to tell you, Ido not conceive has anything whatever to do with the fact, or one factof there being vampyres."
"Let us hear it," said Henry.
"It is simply this, that I was sent for by Sir Francis Varney myself."
"You sent for?"
"Yes; he sent for me by a special messenger to come to him, and when Iwent, which, under the circumstances, you may well guess, I did with allthe celerity possible, I found it was to consult me about a flesh woundin his arm, which was showing some angry symptoms."
"Indeed."
"Yes, it was so. When I was introduced to him I found him lying on acouch, and looking pale and unwell. In the most respectful manner, heasked me to be seated, and when I had taken a chair, he added,--
"'Mr. Chillingworth, I have sent for you in consequence of a slightaccident which has happened to my arm. I was incautiously loading somefire-arms, and discharged a pistol so close to me that the bulletinflicted a wound on my arm.'
"'If you will allow me," said I, 'to see the wound, I will give you myopinion.'
"He then showed me a jagged wound, which had evidently been caused bythe passage of a bullet, which, had it gone a little deeper, must haveinflicted serious injury. As it was, the wound was but trifling.
"He had evidently been attempting to dress it himself, but finding someconsiderable inflammation, he very likely got a little alarmed."
"You dressed the wound?"
"I did."
"And what do you think of Sir Francis Varney, now that you have had socapital an opportunity," said Henry, "of a close examination of him?"
"Why, there is certainly something odd about him which I cannot welldefine, but, take him altogether, he can be a very gentlemanly manindeed."
"So he can."
"His manners are easy and polished; he has evidently mixed in goodsociety, and I never, in all my life, heard such a sweet, soft, winningvoice."
"That is strictly him. You noticed, I presume, his great likeness to theportrait on the panel?"
"I did. At some moments, and viewing his face in some particular lights,it showed much more strongly than at others. My impression was that hecould, when he liked, look much more like the portrait on the panel thanwhen he allowed his face to assume its ordinary appearance."
"Probably such an impression would be produced upon your mind," saidCharles, "by some accidental expression of the countenance which even hewas not aware of, and which often occurs in families."
"It may be so."
"Of course you did not hint, sir, at what has passed here with regard tohim?" said Henry.
"I did not. Being, you see, called in professionally, I had no right totake advantage of that circumstance to make any remarks to him about hisprivate affairs."
"Certainly not."
"It was all one to me whether he was a vampyre or not, professionally,and however deeply I might feel, personally, interested in the matter, Isaid nothing to him about it, because, you see, if I had, he would havehad a fair opportunity of saying at once, 'Pray, sir, what is that toyou?' and I should have been at a loss what to reply."
"Can we doubt," said Henry, "but that this very wound has been inflictedupon Sir Francis Varney, by the pistol-bullet which was discharged athim by Flora?"
"Everything leads to such an assumption certainly," said CharlesHolland.
"And yet you cannot even deduce from that the absolute fact of SirFrancis Varney being a vampyre?"
"I do not think, Mr. Chillingworth," said Marchdale, "anything wouldconvince you but a visit from him, and an actual attempt to fasten uponsome of your own veins."
"That would not convince me," said Chillingworth.
"Then you will not be convinced?"
"I certainly will not. I mean to hold out to the last. I said at thefirst, and I say so still, that I never will give way to this mostoutrageous superstition."
"I wish I could think with you," said Marchdale, with a shudder; "butthere may be something in the very atmosphere of this house which hasbeen rendered hideous by the awful visits that have been made to it,which forbids me to disbelieve in those things which others more happilysituated can hold at arm's length, and utterly repudiate."
"There may be," said Henry; "but as to that, I think, after the verystrongly expressed wish of Flora, I will decide upon leaving the house."
"Will you sell it or let it?"
"The latter I should much prefer," was the reply.
"But who will take it now, except Sir Francis Varney? Why not at oncelet him have it? I am well aware that this does sound odd advice, butremember, we are all the creatures of circumstances, and that, in somecases where we least like it, we must swim with the stream."
"That you will not decide upon, however, at present," said CharlesHolland, as he rose.
"Certainly not; a few days can make no difference."
"None for the worse, certainly, and possibly much for the better."
"Be it so; we will wait."
"Uncle," said Charles, "will you spare me half an hour of your company?"
"An hour, my boy, if you want it," said the admiral, rising from hischair.
"Then this consultation is over," said Henry, "and we quite understandthat to leave the Hall is a matter determined on, and that in a few daysa decision shall be come to as to whether Varney the Vampyre shall beits tenant or not."