Varney the Vampire. James Malcolm Rymer

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      "The plan takes," said the count to the countess, "give me the keys, and the worthy man will be in safety before daylight."

      "Is he not suspicious?"

      "Not at all."

      That night, about an hour before midnight—the Count Morven stole towards the philosopher's room. He tapped at the door.

      "Enter," said the philosopher.

      The count entered, and saw the philosopher seated, and by him a lamp of peculiar construction, and incased in gauze wire, and a cloak.

      "Are you ready?" inquired the count.

      "Quite," he replied.

      "Is that your lamp?"

      "It is."

      "Follow me, then, and hold the lamp tolerably high, as the way is strange, and the steps steep."

      "Lead on."

      "You have made up your mind, I dare say, as to what share of the undertaking you will accept of with me."

      "And what if I will not?" said the philosopher, coolly.

      "It falls to the ground, and I return the keys to their place."

      "I dare say I shall not refuse, if you have not deceived me as to the quantity and purity of the metal they have stored up."

      "I am no judge of these metals, doctor. I am no assayest; but I believe you will find what I have to show you will far exceed your expectations on that head."

      "'Tis well: proceed."

      They had now got to the first vault, in which stood the first door, and, with some difficulty, they opened the vault door.

      "It has not been opened for some time," said the philosopher.

      "I dare say not, they seldom used to go here, from what I can learn, though it is kept a great secret."

      "And we can keep it so, likewise."

      "True."

      They now entered the vault, and came to the second door, which opened into a kind of flight of steps, cut out of the solid rock, and then along a passage cut out of the mountain, of some kind of stone, but not so hard as the rock itself.

      "You see," said the count, "what care has been taken to isolate the place, and detach it from the castle, so that it should not be dependent upon the possessor of the castle. This is the last door but one, and now prepare yourself for a surprise, doctor, this will be an extraordinary one."

      So saying, the count opened the door, and stepped on one side, when the doctor approached the place, and was immediately thrust forward by the count and he rolled down some steps into the mine, and was immediately seized by some of the miners, who had been stationed there for that purpose, and carried to a distant part of the mine, there to work for the remainder of his life.

      The count, seeing all secure, refastened the doors, and returned to the castle. A few weeks after this the body of a youth, mangled and disfigured, was brought to the castle, which the countess said was her son's body.

      The count had immediately secured the real heir, and thrust him into the mines, there to pass a life of labour and hopeless misery.

      There was a high feast held. The castle gates were thrown open, and everybody who came were entertained without question.

      This was on the occasion of the count's and countess's marriage. It seemed many months after the death of her son, whom she affected to mourn for a long time.

      However, the marriage took place, and in all magnificence and splendour. The countess again appeared arrayed in splendour and beauty: she was proud and haughty, and the count was imperious.

      In the mean time, the young Count de Hugo de Verole was confined in the mines, and the doctor with him.

      By a strange coincidence, the doctor and the young count became companions, and the former, meditating projects of revenge, educated the young count as well as he was able for several years in the mines, and cherished in the young man a spirit of revenge. They finally escaped together, and proceeded to Leyden, where the doctor had friends, and where he placed his pupil at the university, and thus made him a most efficient means of revenge, because the education of the count gave him a means of appreciating the splendour and rank he had been deprived of. He, therefore, determined to remain at Leyden until he was of age, and then apply to his father's friends, and then to his sovereign, to dispossess and punish them both for their double crime.

      The count and countess lived on in a state of regal splendour. The immense revenue of his territory, and the treasure the late count had amassed, as well as the revenue that the mines brought in, would have supported a much larger expenditure than even their tastes disposed them to enjoy.

      They had heard nothing of the escape of the doctor and the young count. Indeed, those who knew of it held their peace and said nothing about it, for they feared the consequences of their negligence. The first intimation they received was at the hands of a state messenger, summoning them to deliver up the castle revenues and treasure of the late count.

      This was astounding to them, and they refused to do so, but were soon after seized upon by a regiment of cuirassiers sent to take them, and they were accused of the crime of murder at the instance of the doctor.

      They were arraigned and found guilty, and, as they were of the patrician order, their execution was delayed, and they were committed to exile. This was done out of favour to the young count, who did not wish to have his family name tainted by a public execution, or their being confined like convicts.

      The count and countess quitted Hungary, and settled in Italy, where they lived upon the remains of the Count of Morven's property, shorn of all their splendour but enough to keep them from being compelled to do any menial office.

      The young count took possession of his patrimony and his treasure at last, such as was left by his mother and her paramour.

      The doctor continued to hide his crime from the young count, and the perpetrators denying all knowledge of it, he escaped; but he returned to his native place, Leyden, with a reward for his services from the young count.

      Flora rose from her perusal of the manuscript, which here ended, and even as she did so, she heard a footstep approaching her chamber door.

      CHAPTER XX.

       Table of Contents

      THE DREADFUL MISTAKE.—THE TERRIFIC INTERVIEW IN THE CHAMBER.—THE ATTACK OF THE VAMPYRE.

      The footstep which Flora, upon the close of the tale she had been reading, heard approaching СКАЧАТЬ