Varney the Vampire

ors opened; voices called one to the other. There was

oung man, half-dressed, as he walked into

where w

dressed myse

s stil

I was dreaming th

m there was. Where did

nly upon my ears t

of the room where these young me

's sake,

d both the young

hear an

a sc

rch the house; where did

e cannot,

y. He was a man of middle age, and

what is t

hom one of the young men had called mother, fainted, and would have fallen to the floor of the corridor in which they all stood, had she not been promptly supported

pport your mother. Can you doubt that

n who had just spoken darted back to his own bed-room, from when

r in the direction of the antique apartment, from w

le thickness. Unhappily, they had fastenings within, so that when the man reached t

!" he cried;

was

added; "we must

ithin," said the young ma

What does it

est resembles some animal eat

no weapon that will force the door?

e young man. "Wai

presently returned with a sma

ll do,"

t will.-Giv

e not s

me that something very dread

at odd

it curdles the very blood

ucing it between the door and the side of the wall-still it required gr

as using the bar, "push t

sisted. Then, suddenly, something gave way with a loud snap-i

events which happen within a given space

ra, each moment was swelled into an hour of agony; but, in reality, from the first moment of the alarm to that when the l

opens," cried

l plied the crowbar-"another moment, and we sha

spoke, he succeeded in throwing the massive door

apartment prevented him from observing accurately what it contained, for the wind that came in from the open window caught the flame of

lora!" h

st him was so sudden and so utterly unexpected, as well as so tremendously viole

arly consumed mill in the immediate vicinity, came into the room. But by that light

ng. The other young man, George, saw it, and Mr. Marchdale likewise saw it, as did the lady who had spoken to the two young me

dow which led to a kind of balcony, from wh

e lower part of it and the lips were dabbled in blood. They saw, too, one of those fearful-lo

all, which paralysed any exertions they might

ign lands; and he, although astonished to the extent of being frightened, was much more likely

enry," he crie

ired at the figure, which then occupied the windo

pon, but one made for actual service, and of sufficient length and bore

" said Mr. Marchdale, "I'll

and made a clutch at the figure

ance of the lady returning at the instant with a light she had been to her own chamber to procure, even he, Marchdale, with all

lustre; whereas, before, they had looked like polished tin-they now wore a ten times brighter aspect, and flashes of light seemed to dart fr

ddenly, then, as if some impulse had seized upon it, it uttered a wild and terrible shrieking kind of laugh; and then turning, dashed

us!" ejacu

amp on the floor, as if to recover himself from the sta

who it may, I

not," crie

will come with me-I fol

d it took, and dashed throug

will follow Mr. Marchdale. This dreadful aff

irl who had been so awfully visited, screamed aloud, and implored of t

e it; it makes

nce rushed into the balcony, and f

urdered girl; she saw her, to all appearance, weltering in blood, a

y approaching, but the mill was still burning, and those mingled lights made almost every object plainly visible, except when deep shadows were

e wall. There-there-God

nce his voice sounded, and then they found him looking wild and terrifie

way?" they both

rge, as he pointed along a vista o

ot human. Look there-look

that point it was full twelve feet in height, and as they looked, they saw the hideous, monstrous f

ck again into the garden with such a dull, heavy sound, that the earth seemed to shake again with the concussion. They tre

Henry, in hoarse accents. "

"I did seize it. It was cold and clam

hum

w. It will sur

n above us. Come on, and, for dear Flora's sake, let

dale. "It is the fellow of the

tempts and fearful falls, the figure reached the top of the wall, and then hu

s the two young men, ran forward towards the wall. They got so close to the figure before it sprang down on the outer side

trigger-the explosion followed, and that the bullet did its office there could be no manner o

," cried Henry,