VARNEY, THE VAMPYRE; OR, THE FEAST OF BLOOD. CHAPTER CLV. [sic] [Chapter 163] THE NUN'S ATTEMPTED ESCAPE FROM THE CONVENT OF ST. MARY MAGDALEN. -- THE PURSUIT AND THE DISCLOSURE. -- THE ESCAPE OF THE PRETENDED MONK. The next day all Naples was alive to the fact that a holy man had been murdered in the wood Del Notti -- a holy brother of teh order of St. Francis, who was much respected by the good people of Naples. Jose and Fiametta both attended before the municipal authorities to give the required information they had give the monk gold to remain by the side of the dead man whom Jose had killed. There was a general terror throughout Naples, for no one was aware of how the matter had fallen out, nor how the enormity would be punished, and who would be the sufferers in the present case. The officers of the state were in active search after the perpetrator of so wicked a deed -- as well as the officers of the inquisition. * * * * * The next time Father Francis called at the convent, he went straight to the lady abbess, and said to her with some earnestness, -- "I am sorry to tell you, the more I reflect upon the conversation I had with your neophite Juliet, I have some strong doubts about the course I originally thought of pursuing towards the young person." "In what respect, holy father?" "I thought of pursuing a mild course towards her." "I have done it, and failed." "The reason I think is not that she is hardened, but that she simply does not believe we will proceed to the extremity that we have threatened." "I think she is hardened, holy father." "Time alone will show; but I have altered my plans respecting her." "In what respect, holy father?" "I think I will begin to strike terror into her soul, and at once shew her the reality of my intentions, with respect to what I shall subject her by way of punishment for her resistance to her religious superiors." "Very good, holy brother; I think it the plan that will most likely succeed the best; if she be terrified, she will be obedient." "And to that end," said the monk, "I have ordered the alguazils of the inquisition to be here in half an hour's time, when she will be carried there, and subjected to the first process of torture." "You will not hurt her?" "Not much." "Just enough to teach what powers you can exert." "Yes, just so. Now, when they come, let me know, and, if she consents to go, all well and good; and, if she do not, we must use force." "And how long will you keep her at the inquisition?" inquired the abbess; "because, eventually, the parents will claim her of me." "About three weeks, at the farthest; but, if the parents are troublesome, name the inquisition, and say holy brother Francis, from Rome, will come and confess them, and make some inquiries concerning their belief and faith in the church." "I will, holy father." The monk now returned to the cell where the unfortunate Juliet was confined, and, on opening the door, he found her in tears. "Juliet," he said, "I come again." "You are here;" she replied, "I see." "And I am here with all the means of escape; you have but to say the word, and you are free and at liberty." "I cannot-- I cannot." "You cannot. Do you love life-- do you love liberty?" "I do." "And yet you choose the cold, bare walls of a cloister, to a life of happiness and love; to a life that is made for such as you." "I cannot love you." "I love you; that I have risked my life for you more than once, is true; my persecution is another proof of that." "It may be so." "Then why not consent? you have no alternative that can interest you more, or that will offer you more happiness." "I cannot so soon forget Jules." "Nay, we will not quarrel about that; I cannot expect you. I am not unreasonable, beause I know so well the circumstances of the case. All is haste and confusion; there is no time for thought or preparation-- all lies in self-preservation; say at once you will have me; I will endeavour to gain your love and esteem afterwards; our happiest days, our courting-time will come after our wedding." "It cannot come." "But will you choose the horrors of the inquisition rather than wed one who would give life and fortune to you?" "Who speaks of the inquisition?" inquired Juliet, terrified. "The abbess spoke to me about it when I came here last time, and said she had your father's commnds to deliver you over to them." "I'll not believe it." "I entreated her not to do so, but to leave it in my hands, and I would undertake to communicate with the inquisition, and bring their officers here to-day." "And have you?" "I have brought those who will counterfeit them, and carry you off. The plan is matured. Will you leave this place, wed me, and be a happy woman, or remain here to be tortured and disfigured by the tortures of the inquisition-- perhaps to die in their hands?" "Horrible!" said Juliet, with a shudder. "Think on this and on that." At that moment a tremendous uproar occurred in the convent, and a ringing of bells. The pretended monk started, and listened attentively. "They come," he muttered -- "they come!" "Have they discovered you?" inquired Juliet. "I know not-- I care not if they have. Will you quit the convent, and leave Naples with me? Will you become my wife? You see what I have risked for you. I wait but your answer: they are coming." Before any answer could be given, the door was thrown open, and the abbess, followed by a troop of soldiers, entered the cell, and, among them, the vampire monk saw his late adversary, Jose, and his love, Fiametta. "There is the murderer," said Jose, pointing to the monk, whose cowl had fallen off; "and he is the man whom I believed I had killed." "Oh, yes, it is the same horrid face!" said Fiametta. "The murderer of Father Francis?" said the abbess. "I know not how it was done; but I told Father Francis to watch and pray by the dead body, and see it decently buried, and he said he would do so. I gave him gold, and left him at his watch and his devotions." "And he is dead now-- his cassock and papers torn from him." "Seize him, comrades!" said the officer. At the sound of the officer's voice, Juliet looked up, and beheld her lover, Jules di Maestro, whom she was told had been killed. She sprang up, saying, -- "It is all false, then. You are not slain-- you are still living-- and you did not send this man to marry me?" "I-- who-- Oh! Juliet, have I found you?" "I am here, dear Jules. Take me hence-- take me hence!" "I will not do so now; but I have their majesties' favour, and will take care you shall be released from this vile durance." "And that man----" "Ay, look to your prisoner," said the officer. But there was no prisoner to look to. He had slipped off his cowl and cassock, and left the convent, leaving all present immersed in their own affairs. The abbess was indignant at the imposture, and would not risk Jules's appeal, on behalf of Juliet, to the king, and at once consented to her release and immediate marriage; and at the same time Fiametta consented to wed Jose, so that all was forgotten, save the murder of the holy Father Francis, and the resurrection of the vampire monk, who was, in reality, no other than Sir Francis Varney, who was no more heard of in Naples, but supposed to roam about the world at large. -+- Next Time: The Storm. -- A Shipwreck at Sea. -- The Hapless Fate of the Mariners. +=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+ | This Varney the Vampyre e-text was entered by members of the | | Science Fiction Round Table #1 (SFRT1) on the Genie online | | service. | | The Varney Project, a reincarnation of this "penny dreadful" bit | | of fiction, was begun in November of 1993 by James Macdonald and | | should take about four years for re-serialization. | | These chapters are being posted once a week to the Round Table | | Bulletin Board and are also being placed in the Round Table File | | Library. | | For further information concerning Varney e-texts, please send | | email to: | | h.liu@juno.com | +=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+ ============================================================================== The Varney Project Chapter 163 Ver 1.00 02/09/1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ General notes on this chapter Source: H.Liu entry from the Arno edition, 1970, text is reprint of 1847 edition Drop capital: No Figures in source: 1 Page numbers in source: 695-698 Sections: 1 Approximate number of characters: Number of paragraphs: Comments: Chapter appears mis-numbered as CLV. The body of the slain monk is discovered in the wood Del Notti. Meanwhile, the supposed Father Francis calls upon abbess and tells her he has called upon an inquisition to discipline Juliet. He then tells Juliet that her father has ordered the inquisition but there is a plan to rescue her and that all she must do is marry the false monk. She rebels at the thought, but at that moment Jose, Fiametta, and Juliet's suitor, Jules arrive and identify the monk as the one who must have killed the real Father Francis. This tale ends happily for Jose and Fiametta, and likewise for Juliet and Jules, but the evil stranger who turns out to be noneother than Sir Francis Varney, escapes. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Modification History Version Date Who What changes made -------- -------- ------------- ---------------------------------- 1.00 02/09/1997 H.Liu Initial gold version, rough proof read. ==================================End of File=================================