Varney the Vampire. James Malcolm Rymer

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      The violent ringing of the bell continued uninterruptedly until at length George volunteered to answer it. The fact was, that now there was no servant at all in the place for, after the one who had recently demanded of Henry her dismissal had left, the other was terrified to remain alone, and had precipitately gone from the house, without even going through the ceremony of announcing her intention to. To be sure, she sent a boy for her money afterwards, which may be considered a great act of condescension.

      Suspecting, then, this state of things, George himself hastened to the gate, and, being not over well pleased at the continuous and unnecessary ringing which was kept up at it, he opened it quickly, and cried, with more impatience, by a vast amount, than was usual with him.

      "Who is so impatient that he cannot wait a seasonable time for the door to be opened?"

      "And who the d——l are you?" cried one who was immediately outside.

      "Who do you want?" cried George.

      "Shiver my timbers!" cried Admiral Bell, for it was no other than that personage. "What's that to you?"

      "Ay, ay," added Jack, "answer that if you can, you shore-going-looking swab."

      "Two madmen, I suppose," ejaculated George, and he would have closed the gate upon them; but Jack introduced between it and the post the end of a thick stick, saying—

      "Avast there! None of that; we have had trouble enough to get in. If you are the family lawyer, or the chaplain, perhaps you'll tell us where Mister Charley is."

      "Once more I demand of you who you want?" said George, who was now perhaps a little amused at the conduct of the impatient visitors.

      "We want the admiral's nevey" said Jack.

      "But how do I know who is the admiral's nevey as you call him."

      "Why, Charles Holland, to be sure. Have you got him aboard or not?"

      "Mr. Charles Holland is certainly here; and, if you had said at once, and explicitly, that you wished to see him, I could have given you a direct answer."

      "He is here?" cried the admiral.

      "Most certainly."

      "Come along, then; yet, stop a bit. I say, young fellow, just before we go any further, tell us if he has maimed the vampyre?"

      "The what?

      "The wamphigher," said Jack, by way of being, as he considered, a little more explanatory than the admiral.

      "I do not know what you mean," said George; "if you wish to see Mr. Charles Holland walk in and see him. He is in this house; but, for myself, as you are strangers to me, I decline answering any questions, let their import be what they may."

      "Hilloa! who are they?" suddenly cried Jack, as he pointed to two figures some distance off in the meadows, who appeared to be angrily conversing.

      George glanced in the direction towards which Jack pointed, and there he saw Sir Francis Varney and Mr. Marchdale standing within a few paces of each other, and apparently engaged in some angry discussion.

      His first impulse was to go immediately towards them; but, before he could execute even that suggestion of his mind, he saw Varney strike Marchdale, and the latter fell to the ground.

      "Allow me to pass," cried George, as he endeavoured to get by the rather unwieldy form of the admiral. But, before he could accomplish this, for the gate was narrow, he saw Varney, with great swiftness, make off, and Marchdale, rising to his feet, came towards the Hall.

      When Marchdale got near enough to the garden-gate to see George, he motioned to him to remain where he was, and then, quickening his pace, he soon came up to the spot.

      "Marchdale," cried George, "you have had an encounter with Sir Francis Varney."

      "I have," said Marchdale, in an excited manner. "I threatened to follow him, but he struck me to the earth as easily as I could a child. His strength is superhuman."

      "I saw you fall."

      "I believe, but that he was observed, he would have murdered me."

      "Indeed!"

      "What, do you mean to say that lankey, horse-marine looking fellow is as bad as that!" said the admiral.

      Marchdale now turned his attention to the two new comers, upon whom he looked with some surprise, and then, turning to George, he said—

      "Is this gentleman a visitor?"

      "To Mr. Holland, I believe he is," said George; "but I have not the pleasure of knowing his name."

      "Oh, you may know my name as soon as you like," cried the admiral. "The enemies of old England know it, and I don't care if all the world knows it. I'm old Admiral Bell, something of a hulk now, but still able to head a quarter-deck if there was any need to do so."

      "Ay, ay," cried Jack, and taking from his pocket a boatswain's whistle, he blew a blast so long, and loud, and shrill, that George was fain to cover his ears with his hands to shut out the brain-piercing, and, to him unusual sound.

      "And are you, then, a relative," said Marchdale, "of Mr. Holland's, sir, may I ask?"

      "I'm his uncle, and be d——d to him, if you must know, and some one has told me that the young scamp thinks of marrying a mermaid, or a ghost, or a vampyre, or some such thing, so, for the sake of the memory of his poor mother, I've come to say no to the bargain, and d—n me, who cares."

      "Come in, sir," said George, "I will conduct you to Mr. Holland. I presume this is your servant?"

      "Why, not exactly. That's Jack Pringle, he was my boatswain, you see, and now he's a kind o' something betwixt and between. Not exactly a servant."

      "Ay, ay, sir," said Jack. "Have it all your own way, though we is paid off."

      "Hold your tongue, you audacious scoundrel, will you."

      "Oh, I forgot, you don't like anything said about paying off, cos it puts you in mind of—"

      "Now, d—n you, I'll have you strung up to the yard-arm, you dog, if you don't belay there."

      "I'm done. All's right."

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