VARNEY, THE VAMPYRE; OR, THE FEAST OF BLOOD. CHAPTER CLX. [sic] [Chapter 168] THE NIGHT IN THE FISHERMAN'S HUT. -- THE MIDNIGHT FEAST OF BLOOD. -- THE CHASE, AND THE GUN-SHOT. The stranger, as he lay, listened to the sounds that were emitted by, and occasionally opened his eyes to gaze upon, the flames, as they ran upwards; he watched the forked tongues as they played about the faggots, and then turned his eyes towards the various parts of the apartment as it was now and then illuminated with its warm glare. What might have been his feelings after his esacpe it is difficult to conjecture, for he appeared not inclined to sleep, but to gaze about him and keep watch over the fire, which every now and then blazed up afresh; and his mind appeared to be intent upon something else than merely thinking of the past -- there was too much of inquiry and curiosity about it. "The time has come round again," he muttered; "my blood requires renewal, my strength renovation, and no aliment will do that but maiden's blood." A horrible expression of countenance came over him that must have caused a feeling of horror to have crept through the veins of any one who might have been near to see him; but, as it was, he was alone, and there was no one to be terrified. "Yes, yes; I must have that supply, else though the sea may give up its dead, and the earth refuse to cover me, yet I may sink into that sleep I would so willingly escape from; then, indeed, I should suffer what I cannot bear to think of. "Yet how near have I been to that death from which I have believed it impossible to return; but yet the moonbeams have found me, and I have again been re-animated, and the horrible appetite has returned which must have its periodical meal-- its terrible and disgusting repast. It must be done, aye, it must be done." As he muttered, his lips met, and his long tongue was occasionally thrust out, as if he were anticipating the pleasures of the feast. "Yes, yes; this very night must renew the life that has been this night restored to me. I must make a fresh attempt. I think he said his daughter lay in yonder chamber; in another hour I will adventure upon this scheme." His eyes were fixed upon the door, which he appeared to watch and examine with the utmost care and avidity. He watched, however, for some time, and the flames appeared to subside, and the embers gave out a dull, red glare, and some warmth. "Now is the moment," he muttered, as he rose softly from his bed; "now is the moment-- all are asleep, and stillness reigns around me. I will go and ascertain if all be quiet, and then to my midnight orgies-- a feast that shall restore me to my life-- my former self." He crawled out of the bed, and stood upright for a moment, and listened, and then, with a noiseless step, he crept to the door of the fisherman's bedroom, and then listened for some seconds, and muttered as if he were satisfied, -- "Yes, yes; they sleep sound enough, and will not readily awaken." He then took a small cord, and tied the handle of the door to a nail on the post, so as to offer an impediment to egress from the sleeping-room, and then he went towards the other which the fisherman had told him belonged to his daughter. He paused, and listened at the door for a few momemnts, and then he said, -- "Yes, yes; that is the maiden's chamber-- that is sure to be her chamber-- her father said so, and I have no reason to doubt he told the truth, since he had no cause to lie; here, then, is the casket that contains all my treasure-- the elixir vitae of my life-- the undefiled blood of a maiden's veins." He tried the door, but it was secured on the inside. This, for a moment, disconcerted him, and he took a moment or two to consider what best could be done; and at length he saw a small chink in the wall, which he approached; then, peeping in, he saw that if he could enlarge the hole, he might push his hand in, and open the door by undoing the fastenings. This was effected by means of a chisel which happened to be lying near at hand; then he opened it, and thrust in his hand and withdrew the bolt that held the door, and quietly opened it. With cat-like caution he approached the bed where the fisherman's daughter lay. She was a beautiful girl, scarce eighteen, and, by a consent of all, the queen of the place, in respect of beauty. With greedy eyes the vampyre approached the bed on which lay the form of the sleeping maiden, and gazed upon her fair white neck and bosom -- heaving with the sleeper's breath; and then, as if he could contain himself no longer, he eagerly bent down over her, and then, as her face was turned on one side, his lips and teeth approached the side exposed. * * * * * A scream ran through the fisherman's hut that awoke its inmates in an instant, and which, though it banished sleep, yet it gave not the power of thought. "Help! help! help!" screamed the maiden. "'Tis Mary!" said the fisherman; "surely----" "Hasten, and see what 'tis that ails her. She never would scream so, unless in utmost peril; hasten, and see." "Help! help! again screamed the maiden, as she struggled in the arms of the monster, who kept her in his powerful grasp while he sought the life current that crimsoned her veins with horrible desire. "The door is secured; d---n!" muttered the fisherman. "What does this mean? Give me my gun down, while I force the door." The old woman handed down the gun, while the fisherman put his strength to the door, which quickly gave way and flew open. "Here is your gun. Be quick; but do not be too hasty in its use. See to Mary and the shipwrecked voyager." "Who secured my door, dame, but he?" "The door! Ay, I remember-- hasten!" "Help-- help!" again shouted or screamed Mary, but not in so loud a voice as before; she was getting weaker, and just as the fisherman emerged into the large room, the faggots fell together and gave forth a sudden blaze, and in an instant the whole place was lighted up, and the fisherman's eye sought the couch of the stranger whom he had lodged, but the bed was empty. "Gone!" he muttered -- "gone!" He turned his head in the direction of his daughter's bedchamber, and saw the door was open, and he heard a struggle and a sucking noise. "Ha!" he muttered, and rushed in exclaiming -- "What means this noise? Who calls for help?" The appearance of the fisherman was so opportune and so sudden, and so intent was the vampyre upon the hideous meal, that he did not hear the approach of the fisherman, and it was not until the latter shouted that he turned and saw him. "Treacherous and ungrateful villain!" said the fisherman, who was almost powerless from terror and astonishment. The vampyre turned and dropped his victim on the bed, while he endeavoured to pass the fisherman; but the act recalled him to himself, and he made a blow at him with the but-end of the gun; but the vampyre jumped back, and the blow missed its intended object, and they both closed for a struggle. The fisherman, however, found that he had one to do with whose strength was even greater than his own, however great that might be; and in a moment more he was thrown down, and the monster rushed across the outer room, oversetting the fisherman's wife; and forcing open the outer door, he fled. "I am thrown," said the fisherman, rising; "but not done for. Mary, are you hurt?" "Oh, my God-- my God!" exclaimed the poor girl. "He had begun to eat me and suck my blood! I have the marks of his teeth in me." "I'll have revenge upon him yet." "Nay, father. He is some monster-- do not go!" "No, no," said his wife -- "no, husband, do not attempt it! [ ] strong he is; he may do you a mischief." "I know," said the fisherman. "He has thrown me, and he has abused my hospitality; he is not fit to live. He has not, however, any means of fighting against the contents of my gun. I have got that loaded, and will punish him. Be he man or devil, I will make the experiment of following him." All this took place in less time than it takes to relate it, and the fisherman rushed out of his hut to follow the stranger who had acted so badly. It was now early dawn; and, though the waves still lashed the shore in angry violence, and kept up a ceaseless roar, yet the sky betrayed none of the the signs of yesterday's storm, but was serene and calm, and not a cloud was to be seen -- nothing but a dim, grey night pervaded all space. There was just light enough to see objects moving about, and when the fisherman got outside the hut, he saw, about a hundred yards or better before him, the form of the stranger, making for the woodland at the height of his speed. The fisherman hastened to intercept him which, however, was unnecessary, for another, coming from that quarter, turned him, and he fled towards the sea, whither he was followed, and, when upon the cliffs, the fisherman fired, and the vampyre fell over and was supposed to have been drowned. -+- Next Time: The Assassins on the Rialto. -- The Attack and Defeat. -- The Stranger. +=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+ | 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 168 Ver 1.00 03/15/1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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: 0 Page numbers in source: 708-710 Sections: 2 Approximate number of characters: Number of paragraphs: Comments: Chapter appears mis-numbered as CLX. Note: part of one paragraph missing in text. During the night spent in the fisherman's hut, the mysterious stranger, rescued from the storm and sea, reveals his true nature as a vampyre, and breaks into the daughter's room and attacks her. Her screams awaken all, and much commotion ensues. The vampyre escapes, and is chased by the fisherman with his gun. Chased to the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean, a shot is fired, and the vampyre falls, and is presumed drowned. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Modification History Version Date Who What changes made -------- -------- ------------- ---------------------------------- 1.00 03/15/1997 H.Liu Initial gold version, rough proof read. ==================================End of File=================================