There was a pause of some seconds' duration, and then Henry
said,--

"It does, indeed, seem singular, to surrender one's house to such a
being." "Especially," said Charles, "after what has occurred." "True." "Well," said Mr. Marchdale, "if any better plan of proceeding, taking
the whole case into consideration, can be devised, I shall be most
happy." "Will you consent to put off all proceedings for three days?" said
Charles Holland, suddenly. "Have you any plan, my dear sir?" said Mr. Marchdale. "I have, but it is one which I would rather say nothing about for the
present." "I have no objection," said Henry, "I do not know that three days can
make any difference in the state of affairs. Let it be so, if you wish,
Charles." "Then I am satisfied," said Charles. "I cannot but feel that, situated
as I am regarding Flora, this is almost more my affair than even yours,
Henry." "I cannot see that," said Henry. "Why should you take upon yourself more
of the responsibility of these affairs than I, Charles? You induce in my
mind a suspicion that you have some desperate project in your
imagination, which by such a proposition you would seek to reconcile me
to." Charles was silent, and Henry then added,--

"Now, Charles, I am quite convinced that what I have hinted at is the
fact. You have conceived some scheme which you fancy would be much
opposed by us?" "I will not deny that I have," said Charles. "It is one, however, which
you must allow me for the present to keep locked in my own breast." "Why will you not trust us?" "For two reasons." "Indeed!" "The one is, that I have not yet thoroughly determined upon the course I
project; and the other is, that it is one in which I am not justified in
involving any one else." "Charles, Charles," said Henry, despondingly; "only consider for a
moment into what new misery you may plunge poor Flora, who is, Heaven
knows, already sufficiently afflicted, by attempting an enterprise which
even we, who are your friends, may unwittingly cross you in the
performance of." "This is one in which I fear no such result. It cannot so happen. Do not
urge me." "Can't you say at once what you think of doing?" said the old admiral. "What do you mean by turning your sails in all sorts of directions so
oddly? You sneak, why don't you be what do you call it--explicit?" "I cannot, uncle." "What, are you tongue-tied?" "All here know well," said Charles, "that if I do not unfold my mind
fully, it is not that I fear to trust any one present, but from some
other most special reason." "Charles, I forbear to urge you further," said Henry, "and only implore
you to be careful." At this moment the room door opened, and George Bannerworth, accompanied
by Mr. Chillingworth, came in. "Do not let me intrude," said the surgeon; "I fear, as I see you seated,
gentlemen, that my presence must be a rudeness and a disturbance to some
family consultation among yourselves?" "Not at all, Mr. Chillingworth," said Henry. "Pray be seated; we are
very glad indeed to see you. Admiral Bell, this is a friend on whom we
can rely--Mr. Chillingworth." "And one of the right sort, I can see," said the admiral, as he shook
Mr. Chillingworth by the hand. "Sir, you do me much honour," said the doctor. "None at all, none at all; I suppose you know all about this infernal
odd vampyre business?" "I believe I do, sir." "And what do you think of it?" "I think time will develop the circumstances sufficiently to convince us
all that such things cannot be." "D--n me, you are the most sensible fellow, then, that I have yet met
with since I have been in this neighbourhood; for everybody else is so
convinced about the vampyre, that they are ready to swear by him." "It would take much more to convince me. I was coming over here when I
met Mr. George Bannerworth coming to my house." "Yes," said George, "and Mr. Chillingworth has something to tell us of a
nature confirmatory of our own suspicions." "It is strange," said Henry; "but any piece of news, come it from what
quarter it may, seems to be confirmatory, in some degree or another, of
that dreadful belief in vampyres." "Why," said the doctor, "when Mr. George says that my news is of such a
character, I think he goes a little too far. What I have to tell you, I
do not conceive has anything whatever to do with the fact, or one fact
of there being vampyres." "Let us hear it," said Henry. "It is simply this, that I was sent for by Sir Francis Varney myself." "You sent for?" "Yes; he sent for me by a special messenger to come to him, and when I
went, which, under the circumstances, you may well guess, I did with all
the celerity possible, I found it was to consult me about a flesh wound
in his arm, which was showing some angry symptoms." "Indeed." "Yes, it was so. When I was introduced to him I found him lying on a
couch, and looking pale and unwell. In the most respectful manner, he
asked me to be seated, and when I had taken a chair, he added,--

"'Mr. Chillingworth, I have sent for you in consequence of a slight
accident which has happened to my arm. I was incautiously loading some
fire-arms, and discharged a pistol so close to me that the bullet
inflicted a wound on my arm.' "'If you will allow me," said I, 'to see the wound, I will give you my
opinion.' "He then showed me a jagged wound, which had evidently been caused by
the passage of a bullet, which, had it gone a little deeper, must have
inflicted serious injury. As it was, the wound was but trifling. "He had evidently been attempting to dress it himself, but finding some
considerable inflammation, he very likely got a little alarmed." "You dressed the wound?" "I did." "And what do you think of Sir Francis Varney, now that you have had so
capital an opportunity," said Henry, "of a close examination of him?" "Why, there is certainly something odd about him which I cannot well
define, but, take him altogether, he can be a very gentlemanly man
indeed." "So he can." "His manners are easy and polished; he has evidently mixed in good
society, and I never, in all my life, heard such a sweet, soft, winning
voice." "That is strictly him. You noticed, I presume, his great likeness to the
portrait on the panel?" "I did. At some moments, and viewing his face in some particular lights,
it showed much more strongly than at others. My impression was that he
could, when he liked, look much more like the portrait on the panel than
when he allowed his face to assume its ordinary appearance." "Probably such an impression would be produced upon your mind," said
Charles, "by some accidental expression of the countenance which even he
was not aware of, and which often occurs in families." "It may be so." "Of course you did not hint, sir, at what has passed here with regard to
him?" said Henry. "I did not. Being, you see, called in professionally, I had no right to
take advantage of that circumstance to make any remarks to him about his
private affairs." "Certainly not."