VARNEY, THE VAMPYRE; OR, THE FEAST OF BLOOD. CHAPTER CCIX. [sic] [Chapter 226] THE STRANGE GUEST. -- THE LITTLE CHAPEL. -- VARNEY'S NARRATIVE. Mr. Bevan could not but see that he had made some impression, even upon the obdurate heart of Varney, and he was determined to follow that impression up by [e]very means in his power. "Always have in mind," he said, that by trusting me, you trust one who is not in the habit of condemning his fellows. You will be safe from anything like sanctified reproach, for to my thinking, religion should be a principle of love and tenderness, and not a subject upon which people who, perhaps are themselves liable and obnoxious to all sorts of reproach, should deal forth denunciations against their neighbours." "Is that indeed your faith?" "It is; and it is the real faith, taught by my Great Master." "You are as one among many thousands." "Nay, you may have been unfortunate in meeting with bad specimens of those who are devoted in the priesthood. Do not condemn hastily." "Hastily! I have been some hundreds of years in condemning." "You will come with me." "I will for once again put faith in human nature." "Tell me then, before we leave this spot, if you know aught of what has happened to, or become of the body of Clara Croton." "I can tell you; it was left here buried, but uncovered." "Indeed-- the ground is level, and I see no trace of a grave." "No; I have obliterated all such traces, I have placed the earth upon her-- may she now rest in peace. Oh, that such a flower should have been so rudely plucked, and I the cause. Is not that enough to make Heaven's angels mutiny if I should essay to pass the golden gates." "Say no more of that. I thank God that the body is so disposed of, and that it will not come in the way of any of the Crofton family. This affair had far better now be let sink into oblivion-- alas! poor Sir George is now the most pitiable sufferer." "Indeed!" "Yes; madness has seized upon him. He only sits and smiles to himself, weaving in his imagination strange fancies." "And call you that unhappy?" "It is called, and considered so." "Oh, fatal error-- he is happy. Reason! boasted, God-like reason-- what are you but the curse of poor humanity. The maniac, who will in his cell, fancy it a gorgeous hall, and of the damp straw that is his couch make up a glittering coronet, is a king indeed, and most happy." "This is poetical," said Mr. Bevan, "if not true[.]" "It is true." "Well, well; we will talk on that as well as other themes at our leisure. Come on, and I will at once take you to my home, where you wil be safe, and I hope more happy." "Are you not afraid?" "I am not." "You are right, confidence is safety-- lead on, sir, I'll follow you, although I little thought to make any human companionship to-night." Mr. Bevan walked only about a step in advance as they proceeded towards the parsonage house, and on the way he conversed with Varney with calmness which considering the very perculiar circumstances, few men could have brought to bear upon the occasion. But Mr. Bevan was no common man. He looked upon nature, and all the living creatures that make up its vital portion with peculiar eyes, and if the bishop of his diocese had known one half of what Mr. Bevan thought, he would not have suffered him to remain in his religious situation. But he kept the mass of his liberal opinions to himself, although he alwasys acted upon them, and a man more completely free from sectarian dogmas, and illiberal fancies of superstition, which are nicknamed faith, could not be. There was still, notwithstanding all the circumstances, a hope lingering in his mind that Varney might after all not be even what he thought himself to be, but some enthusiast who had dreamt himself into a belief of his own horrible powers. We know that such was not the case. But it was natural enough for Mr. Bevan to hold as long as he could by such an idea. And so those two most strangly assorted beings, the clergyman and the vampyre, walked together towards the pretty and picturesque dwelling of the former. "The distance is short," said Mr. Bevan. "Nay, that matters not," replied Varney. "I spoke because I thought you seemed fatigued." "No, my frame is of iron. My heart is bowed down with many griefs, but the physical structure knows no feeling of dejection. The life I possess is no common one. Oh! would that it were so, that I might shuffle it off as any ordinary men can do." "Do not say that. Who knows but that after all your living accomplishes better things?" "I cannot say that it accomplishes aught completely but one thing." "And that?" "That is my most exquisite misery." "Even that may pass away. But here we are at my little garden gate. Come in, and fear nothing; for if you will seek Heaven, as I would wish you, you will find this place such a haven of peace, and such a refuge against the storms of life, as you hardly fancied existed, I dare say, in this world." "Not for me. I did not fancy that there existed a spot on earth on which I could lie down in peace, and yet it may be here." -+- Next Time: Varney Opens the Vast Store-house of his Memory. +=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+ | 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 226 Ver 1.00 04/25/1998 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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: 845-846 Sections: 1 Approximate number of characters: Number of paragraphs: Comments: Chapter appears mis-numbered as CCIX. Mr. Bevan, the clergyman, is persuasive, and is determined to use all his skills in convincing Varney, an admitted vampyre, to accompany him. He tells Varney that his religious beliefs encompass principles of love and tenderness, and not that of condemnation and denunciation. These statements impress Varney, and he decides to once again put faith in human nature and accompany the clergyman. As they begin the walk to the house of Mr. Bevan, Varney is asked if he knows what happened to Clara Crofton's body. Varney tells what he knows and Mr. Bevan is relieved that she is finally at rest. He tells Varney that Sir George suffers now of madness. To this Varney protests, contending that the madman may be the most happy of those on this earth. The two strange companions journey on, talking some, but thinking mostly. Varney confesses that he believes that the only purpose of his life is to torment himself and keep him in misery. Mr. Bevan disagrees, but any debate is ended as they reach the clergyman's cottage. Varney comments that he did not think that he would ever find a sanctury here on earth. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Modification History Version Date Who What changes made -------- -------- ------------- ---------------------------------- 1.00 04/25/1998 H.Liu Initial gold version, rough proof read. ==================================End of File=================================