CHAPTER CLXXXIV.
[Chapter 201]
THE NIGHT ALARM. —THE VAMPYRE'S ATTACK UPON THE BRIDE.
The particulars concerning the bringing in of the body that had been
picked up at sea by the brothers Edwin and Charles Crofton, were to be learnt
from many mouths so soon as the sexton evinced a disposition to know them, and
in a very short time, and as the daylight was making the fainter and more
spiritual light of the moon fade away, he again reached his own abode, where
he had left a guest of whom the reader knows much, but of whom Will Stephens
knew but little.
He found the self-christened Mr. Smith waiting for him rather
impatiently.
"Well," he cried, "your news? your news?"
"May be told, sir, in a few words," replied the sexton, and then he made
his new fried acquainted with the whole story, just as he had heard it of the
fishermen on the coast.
Mr. Smith, or as we may as well call him at once the vampyre, hesitated
for a few moments as if he had not exactly and accurately made up his mind
what to do, and then he said, —
"You will go to the Grange-house and tell the story that I have before
informed you I would have told. Be sure that you expatiate upon my gentility
and respectability, for I want to be upon good terms with the Crofton family."
"Well, but sir, I'm a tenant of Sir George Crofton's and so you see—"
"What," said the vampyre, his eyes flashing with indignation as he spoke
"dare you dispute my positive commands?"
"No, sir, I—I only-—"
"Peace caitiff, and know that I hold thy life in my hands for your
attempted robbery of me."
The sexton trembled. That was indeed the weak point now of all his
defences against whatever commands might be put upon him by his master, as we
may now call the vampyre, although after all it was but the usual dominion of
a strong mind over a weak one, for there was not so much in reality for the
sexton to be afraid of as his own guilty conscience dictated to him.
It were easy enough for the vampyre to charge him with robbery, but not
at all so easy for him to prove such a charge, and at the same time to
substantiate, as by some inquisitive counsel he might be called upon to do,
his own position in society.
But it is most true
"Conscience doth make cowards of us all."
And feeling that his intention regarding the rings of the supposed drowned man
had been of a dishonest character, he could not summon courage sufficient to
defy him now.
"I will go," he said, "I am going."
"'Tis well."
In far from the pleasantest train of thought the sexton went to the
Grange, and asked to see Mr. Charles Crofton, and to him he related the
version of the resuscitating of the supposed drowned man. It was heard with,
as might be expected, the most profound astonishment, and the sexton soon
found himself confrounted with the whole assembled family, and force to repeat
the wonderful facts over again.
It seemed, as indeed it might well do, a something quite beyond belief.
"Why, Edwin," said Charles, "he must have been in the water far beyond
the length of time that it mostly takes to drown any one before we saw him."
"I think so too."
"It must be so, for this reason, that he was a considerable distance from
land, and there was no vessel near enough for him to have come from."
"Hold!" said Sir George Crofton, "my dear boys, you are forgetting the
most important fact of all."
"Are we, father?"
"Yes, and that is that the gentleman is alive. You cannot get over that,
you know, and as I have often heard that whatever is is natural, why there's
no use in disputing any more about it; and besides how do we know but that he
was in some boat which was swamped a few minutes before you saw him."
"That is a most rational suppositon," said Edwin.
"And that we can say nothing against," added Charles; "what is to be done
father?"
"Why, do not let us do good by inches, we know that this is the only
decent house within a considerable distance for a gentleman to remain in, if
he have the habits of comfort about him. So Master Stephen, if you will
go and give our compliments to the stranger, and ask him to come here, I shall
be much obliged to you."
"I will, Sir George."
"And you can tell him that we are plain folks, but assure him of a hearty
welcome."
Will Stephens made his bow and exit.
"Well," said Edwin, "it's very odd, although of course, it must be all
right, and I am the last person who would wish to make anything out of a
common-place event, but to all appearances dead he was when we took him into
the boat, and I never before heard of a spontaneous recovery like this from
such a state."
"Then you have added to your stock of experience," said his father,
laughing, "and I must own, for my own part, that I am rather curious to see
this person, who was a curiosity in appearance, according to your accounts
when he was dead or supposed to be dead."
"He was so," remarked Charles, "for I am certain you might travel the
world over without meeting a more singular looking man than he was; in the
first place, he looked particularly tall, but that might have arisen from the
fact that we only saw him in a horizontal position, and then there was a
something about the expression of his face which was perfectly indescribable,
and yet at the same time filled you with feelings of curiosity and dread."
The sisters heard this account of the mysterious stranger with feelings
of great interest.
"Why," said Emma, "we have all of us often complained of being dull here,
but such an animal as this will be quite an acquisition."
"And just as Clara is going, too, what a pity," laughed Edwin.
"I shall endeavour to survive the horrid disappointment," said Clara, for
she was to be married on that day, to one who had been the chosen companion of
her heart for many a day, and was to leave the home of her childhood to
proceed far away to his house in Wales, where she was to be the light of joy
to another admiring and loving circle.
"Ah, well, I pity you," said Emma.
"Then you had better at once," remarked Clara, forbid the occasional
visits here of a certain young officer who, I'm afraid, has some audacious
intentions."
The ready colour flushed to the cheek of the younger sister, who had
scarcely expected such a retort, although she had fairly provoked it.
"Come, girls," said the father, "we will have no more lance breaking
between you about your lovers."
"Certainly not, father," said Clara, "but then, you know, unless Emma is
made to see that she is vulnerable, she will go on tormenting me."
"In other words, Emma," said Edwin, "you see that people who live in
glass houses should not throw stones—a most useful maxim."
"I don't care for any of you," said Emma, half crying, as she ran out of
the room.
Clara followed here, for there was really the very best understanding and
the kindest feeling between the two young girls, although occasionally a smart
repartee would be uttered upon some such occasion as the present, but all that
was soon forgotten.
The sexton who was getting each moment more and more uneasy about the
share he had in the affair of the resuscitated man of the bone-house, went
back to the cottage, and there informed the self-named Mr. Smith of the
success of his mission to the Grange-house.
"You think they will welcome me," said the vampyre.
"I am sure of it, sir. They are the frankest, freest family I ever knew,
and they would not have asked you to got to the Grange if they did not mean to
use you well."
"And there are two daughters?"
"Yes, sir."
"And young and fair, you tell me."
"They are two as handsome girls as you will find in this part of the
country, sir. They have always been much admired. One of them, as I before
mentioned, is going to be married and taken away, but the other stays at
home.["]
"'Tis well, not you will not fail to remember the awkward situation in
which you are. Keep the ring which you took from my finger, and with it keep
your own counsel, for any babbling upon your part will most assuredly lead to
your destruction."
"Yes, sir, I know."
"And although that destruction might not be immediate, you would lead a
life of trembling terror until your doom was accomplished, and that doom
should be a dreadful one in its manner. Now farewell! farewell! and remember
me."
"I shall never forget you the longest day I have got to live," said the
sexton, with a shudder, as he saw the tall, angular, gaunt-looking form of his
most mysterious new acquaintance leave his cottage, and make his way towards
the Grange.
—
