Authors: George W. M. Reynolds,James Malcolm Rymer
"Ay,
ay, sir."
There
was a silence of some few moments after this extraordinary offer had been made,
and then they spoke, saying,—
"Admiral
Bell, your generous offer, and the feelings which dictated it, are by far too
transparent for us to affect not to understand them. Your actions,
Admiral—"
"Oh,
bother my actions! what are they to you? Come, now, I consider myself master of
the house, d—n you! I invite you all to dinner, or supper, or to whatever meal
comes next. Mrs. Bannerworth, will you oblige me, as I'm an old fool in family
affairs, by buying what's wanted for me and my guests? There's the money,
ma'am. Come along, Jack, we'll take a look over our new house. What do you
think of it?"
"Wants
some sheathing, sir, here and there."
"Very
like; but, however, it will do well enough for us; we're in port, you know.
Come along."
"Ay,
ay, sir."
And
off went the admiral and Jack, after leaving a twenty pound note in Mrs.
Bannerworth's lap.
SIR FRANCIS VARNEY'S SEPARATE OPPONENTS.—THE INTERPOSITION
OF FLORA.
The
old admiral so completely overcame the family of the Bannerworths by his
generosity and evident single-mindedness of his behaviour, that although not
one, except Flora, approved of his conduct towards Mr. Marchdale, yet they
could not help liking him; and had they been placed in a position to choose
which of the two they would have had remain with them, the admiral or
Marchdale, there can be no question they would have made choice of the former.
Still,
however, it was not pleasant to find a man like Marchdale virtually driven from
the house, because he presumed to differ in opinion upon a very doubtful matter
with another of its inmates. But as it was the nature of the Bannerworth family
always to incline to the most generous view of subjects, the frank, hearty
confidence of the old admiral in Charles Holland pleased them better than the
calm and serious doubting of Marchdale.
His
ruse of hiring the house of them, and paying the rent in advance, for the
purpose of placing ample funds in their hands for any contingency, was not the
less amiable because it was so easily seen through; and they could not make up
their minds to hurt the feelings of the old man by the rejection of his
generous offer.
When
he had left, this subject was canvassed among them, and it was agreed that he
should have his own way in the matter for the present, although they hoped to
hear something from Marchdale, which should make his departure appear less
abrupt and uncomfortable to the whole of the family.
During
the course of this conversation, it was made known to Flora with more
distinctness than under any other circumstances it would have been, that George
Holland had been on the eve of fighting a duel with Sir Francis Varney,
previous to his mysterious disappearance.
When
she became fully aware of this fact, to her mind it seemed materially to add to
the suspicions previously to then entertained, that foul means had been used in
order to put Charles out of the way.
"Who
knows," she said, "that this Varney may not shrink with the greatest
terror from a conflict with any human being, and feeling one was inevitable
with Charles Holland, unless interrupted by some vigorous act of his own, he or
some myrmidons of his may have taken Charles's life!"
"I
do not think, Flora," said Henry, "that he would have ventured upon
so desperate an act; I cannot well believe such a thing possible. But fear not;
he will find, if he have really committed any such atrocity, that it will not
save him."
These
words of Henry, though it made no impression at the time upon Flora, beyond
what they carried upon their surface, they really, however, as concerned Henry
himself, implied a settled resolution, which he immediately set about reducing
to practice.
When
the conference broke up, night, as it still was, he, without saying anything to
any one, took his hat and cloak, and left the Hall, proceeding by the nearest
practicable route to the residence of Sir Francis Varney, where he arrived
without any interruption of any character.
Varney
was at first denied to him, but before he could leave the house, a servant came
down the great staircase, to say it was a mistake; and that Sir Francis was at
home, and would be happy to see him.
He
was ushered into the same apartment where Sir Francis Varney had before
received his visitors; and there sat the now declared vampyre, looking pale and
ghastly by the dim light which burned in the apartment, and, indeed, more like
some spectre of the tomb, than one of the great family of man.
"Be
seated, sir," said Varney; "although my eyes have seldom the pleasure
of beholding you within these walls, be assured you are a honoured guest."
"Sir
Francis Varney," said Henry, "I came not here to bandy compliments
with you; I have none to pay to you, nor do I wish to hear any of them from
your lips."
"An
excellent sentiment, young man," said Varney, "and well delivered.
May I presume, then, without infringing too far upon your extreme courtesy, to
inquire, to what circumstances I am indebted for your visit?"
"To
one, Sir Francis, that I believe you are better acquainted with than you will
have the candour to admit."
"Indeed,
sir," said Varney, coldly; "you measure my candour, probably, by a
standard of your own; in which case I fear, I may be no gainer; and yet that
may be of itself a circumstance that should afford little food for surprise,
but proceed, sir—since we have so few compliments to stand between us and our
purpose, we shall in all due time arrive at it."
"Yes,
in due time, Sir Francis Varney, and that due time has arrived. Know you
anything of my friend, Mr. Charles Holland?" said Henry, in marked
accents; and he gazed on Sir Francis Varney with earnestness, that seemed to
say not even a look should escape his observation.
Varney,
however, returned the gaze as steadily, but coldly, as he replied in his
measured accents,—
"I
have heard of the young gentleman."
"And
seen him?"
"And
seen him too, as you, Mr. Bannerworth, must be well aware. Surely you have not
come all this way, merely to make such an inquiry; but, sir, you are welcome to
the answer."
Henry
had something of a struggle to keep down the rising anger, at these cool taunts
of Varney; but he succeeded—and then he said,—
"I
suspect Charles Holland, Sir Francis Varney, has met with unfair treatment, and
that he has been unfairly dealt with, for an unworthy purpose."
"Undoubtedly,"
said Varney, "if the gentleman you allude to, has been unfairly dealt
with, it was for a foul purpose; for no good or generous object, my young sir,
could be so obtained—you acknowledge so much, I doubt not?"
"I
do, Sir Francis Varney; and hence the purpose of my visit here—for this reason
I apply to you—"
"A
singular object, supported by a singular reason. I cannot see the connection,
young sir; pray proceed to enlighten me upon this matter, and when you have
done that, may I presume upon your consideration, to inquire in what way I can
be of any service to you?"
"Sir
Francis," said Henry, his anger raising his tones—"this will not
serve you—I have come to exact an account of how you have disposed of my
friend; and I will have it."
"Gently,
my good sir; you are aware I know nothing of your friend; his motions are his
own; and as to what I have done with him; my only answer is, that he would
permit me to do nothing with him, had I been so inclined to have taken the
liberty."
"You
are suspected, Sir Francis Varney, of having made an attempt upon the life or
liberty of Charles Holland; you, in fact, are suspected of being his
murderer—and, so help me Heaven! if I have not justice, I will have
vengeance!"
"Young
sir, your words are of grave import, and ought to be coolly considered before
they are uttered. With regard to justice and vengeance, Mr. Bannerworth, you
may have both; but I tell you, of Charles Holland, or what has become of him, I
know nothing. But wherefore do you come to so unlikely a quarter to learn
something of an individual of whom I know nothing?"
"Because
Charles Holland was to have fought a duel with you: but before that had time to
take place, he has suddenly become missing. I suspect that you are the author
of his disappearance, because you fear an encounter with a mortal man."
"Mr.
Bannerworth, permit me to say, in my own defence, that I do not fear any man,
however foolish he may be; and wisdom is not an attribute I find, from
experience in all men, of your friend. However, you must be dreaming, sir—a
kind of vivid insanity has taken possession of your mind, which distorts—"
"Sir
Francis Varney!" exclaimed Henry, now perfectly uncontrollable.
"Sir,"
said Varney, as he filled up the pause, "proceed; I am all attention. You
do me honour."
"If,"
resumed Henry, "such was your object in putting Mr. Holland aside, by
becoming personally or by proxy an assassin, you are mistaken in supposing you
have accomplished your object."
"Go
on, sir," said Sir Francis Varney, in a bland and sweet tone; "I am
all attention; pray proceed."
"You
have failed; for I now here, on this spot, defy you to mortal combat. Coward,
assassin as you are, I challenge you to fight."
"You
don't mean on the carpet here?" said Varney, deliberately.
"No,
sir; but beneath the canopy of heaven, in the light of the day. And then, Sir
Francis, we shall see who will shrink from the conflict."
"It
is remarkably good, Mr. Bannerworth, and, begging your pardon, for I do not
wish to give any offence, my honoured sir, it would rehearse before an
audience; in short, sir, it is highly dramatic."
"You
shrink from the combat, do you? Now, indeed, I know you."
"Young
man—young man," said Sir Francis, calmly, and shaking his head very
deliberately, and the shadows passed across his pale face, "you know me
not, if you think Sir Francis Varney shrinks from any man, much less one like
yourself."
"You
are a coward, and worse, if you refuse my challenge."
"I
do not refuse it; I accept it," said Varney, calmly, and in a dignified
manner; and then, with a sneer, he added,—"You are well acquainted with
the mode in which gentlemen generally manage these matters, Mr. Bannerworth,
and perhaps I am somewhat confined in my knowledge in the ways of the world,
because you are your own principal and second. In all my experience, I never
met with a similar case."
"The
circumstances under which it is given are as unexampled, and will excuse the
mode of the challenge," said Henry, with much warmth.
"Singular
coincidence—the challenge and mode of it is most singular! They are well
matched in that respect. Singular, did I say? The more I think of it, Mr.
Bannerworth, the more I am inclined to think this positively odd."
"Early
to-morrow, Sir Francis, you shall hear from me."
"In
that case, you will not arrange preliminaries now? Well, well; it is very
unusual for the principals themselves to do so; and yet, excuse my freedom, I
presumed, as you had so far deserted the beaten track, that I had no idea how
far you might be disposed to lead the same route."
"I
have said all I intended to say, Sir Francis Varney; we shall see each other
again."
"I
may not detain you, I presume, to taste aught in the way of refreshment?"
Henry
made no reply, but turned towards the door, without even making an attempt to
return the grave and formal bow that Sir Francis Varney made as he saw him
about to quit the apartment; for Henry saw that his pale features were lighted
up with a sarcastic smile, most disagreeable to look upon as well as irritating
to Henry Bannerworth.
He
now quitted Sir Francis Varney's abode, being let out by a servant who had been
rung for for that purpose by his master.
Henry
walked homeward, satisfied that he had now done all that he could under the
circumstances.
"I
will send Chillingworth to him in the morning, and then I shall see what all
this will end in. He must meet me, and then Charles Holland, if not discovered,
shall be, at least, revenged."
There
was another person in Bannerworth Hall who had formed a similar resolution.
That person was a very different sort of person to Henry Bannerworth, though
quite as estimable in his way.
This
was no other than the old admiral. It was singular that two such very different
persons should deem the same steps necessary, and both keep the secret from
each other; but so it was, and, after some internal swearing, he determined
upon challenging Varney in person.
"I'd
send Jack Pringle, but the swab would settle the matter as shortly as if a
youngster was making an entry in a log, and heard the boatswain's whistle
summoning the hands to a mess, and feared he would lose his grog.
"D—n
my quarters! but Sir Francis Varney, as he styles himself, sha'n't make any way
against old Admiral Bell. He's as tough as a hawser, and just the sort of blade
for a vampyre to come athwart. I'll pitch him end-long, and make a plank of him
afore long. Cus my windpipe! what a long, lanky swab he is, with teeth fit to
unpick a splice; but let me alone, I'll see if I can't make a hull of his
carcass, vampyre or no vampyre.
"My
nevy, Charles Holland, can't be allowed to cut away without nobody's leave or
licence. No, no; I'll not stand that anyhow. 'Never desert a messmate in the
time of need,' is the first maxim of a seaman, and I ain't the one as 'll do
so."
Thus
self-communing, the old admiral marched along until he came to Sir Francis
Varney's house, at the gate of which he gave the bell what he called a long
pull, a strong pull, and a pull altogether, that set it ringing with a fury,
the like of which had never certainly been heard by the household.
A
minute or two scarcely elapsed before the domestics hurried to answer so urgent
a summons; and when the gate was opened, the servant who answered it inquired
his business.