VARNEY, THE VAMPYRE; OR, THE FEAST OF BLOOD. CHAPTER CCXIX. [sic] [Chapter 236] AN ADVENTURE. - THE CARBINE SHOT. - THE DEATH. "Nay," I heard the king say, "they ought, and no doubt do, keep choice wine here; drink, fair one." The young girl shook her head. "Nay, now," said Charles with a laugh, as he finished off himself the glass that the young girl took so small a sip of, "I will convince you that I think it good." The lady with whom Rochester was conversing in a low tone, had no such scruples, for she tossed off a couple of glasses as fast as they were tendered to her, and talked quite at her ease, admiring the pavilion, the pictures, the hangings and furniture, and wondering whether the king ever came there himself. Rochester began mystifying her, talking to her in a low tone, while I turned my attention to the king, and the younger, and certainly more estimable female of the two. The king had been talking to her in a low tone, when she suddenly started to her feet, her face flushed with anger and alarm. "Louisa," she said, "I claim your protection; you were left in care of me. Take me home, or I will tell my uncle how you basely betrayed your trust, by pursuading me there was no harm in meeting those gentlemen." "Pho! he [sic] child's mad," said Louisa. "Quite mad," said the king, as he advanced towards her again; she fled to the door of the pavilion. I knew not what impluse it was that urged me on, but I left the window hastily, and met her, she fell into my arms, and the light fell strongly upon me as I confronted the king. "The guard. The guard," he shouted. "Louisa pretended to faint, and the ngyon grl [young girl] clung to me as her only protector, exclaiming, -- "Save me! save me; Oh save me!" The garden door is open," I whispered to her, "follow me quickly, not a moment is to be lost." We both fled together. I was about to pass through the doorway, when a shot from one of the guards struck me, and I fell to the ground as if the hand of a giant had struck me down. There was a rush of blood from my heart to my head, a burning sensation of pain for a moment or two, that was most horrible, and then a sea of yellow light seemed to be all around me. I remembered no more. It was afterwards that I found this was my second death, and that the favourite, Rochester, had actually directed that I should be shot rather than permitted to escape, for he dreaded more than the monarch did the exposure of his vices. I do not think that Charles, in like manner, had he been at hand, would have had my life taken, although it is hard to say what kings will do or what they will not when they are thwarted. -+- Next Time: The Total Destruction of Varney the Vampyre, and Conclusion. +=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+ | 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 236 Ver 1.00 07/04/1998 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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: 867-868 Sections: 1 Approximate number of characters: Number of paragraphs: Comments: Chapter appears mis-numbered as CCXIX. Varney watches through the window of the garden pavilion as the King, Charles II, and his favorite, Rochester, attempt to woo the two young ladies they have lured there. Rochester is having no trouble, it seems, getting the older of the two women to partake of wine and conversing. The younger, and more beautiful of the two, paired with the clandestine king, was being more reserved, drinking little of the wine, and being more shy. When the king whispers something to the young girl, she takes affront and then immediately requests the protection of the other girl, and asks to go home. The older girl does not immediately go to her aid, and the king makes another advance towards the younger girl. The girl flees to the door of the pavilion, and Varney, for some unexplained reason, leaves his window perch and meets her in the doorway. He is seen by the men, and the guard is called for. Varney tells the young girl that the door to the garden is still open and that she should follow him to escape. As they made their attempt, one of the guards shoots Varney and he falls. Varney says that this was his second death, and that it was ordered by Rochester, not the king. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Modification History Version Date Who What changes made -------- -------- ------------- ---------------------------------- 1.00 07/04/1998 H.Liu Initial gold version, rough proof read. ==================================End of File=================================