"It was all one to me whether he was a vampyre or not, professionally,
and however deeply I might feel, personally, interested in the matter, I
said nothing to him about it, because, you see, if I had, he would have
had a fair opportunity of saying at once, 'Pray, sir, what is that to
you?' and I should have been at a loss what to reply." "Can we doubt," said Henry, "but that this very wound has been inflicted
upon Sir Francis Varney, by the pistol-bullet which was discharged at
him by Flora?" "Everything leads to such an assumption certainly," said Charles
Holland. "And yet you cannot even deduce from that the absolute fact of Sir
Francis Varney being a vampyre?" "I do not think, Mr. Chillingworth," said Marchdale, "anything would
convince you but a visit from him, and an actual attempt to fasten upon
some of your own veins." "That would not convince me," said Chillingworth. "Then you will not be convinced?" "I certainly will not. I mean to hold out to the last. I said at the
first, and I say so still, that I never will give way to this most
outrageous superstition." "I wish I could think with you," said Marchdale, with a shudder; "but
there may be something in the very atmosphere of this house which has
been rendered hideous by the awful visits that have been made to it,
which forbids me to disbelieve in those things which others more happily
situated can hold at arm's length, and utterly repudiate." "There may be," said Henry; "but as to that, I think, after the very
strongly expressed wish of Flora, I will decide upon leaving the house." "Will you sell it or let it?" "The latter I should much prefer," was the reply. "But who will take it now, except Sir Francis Varney? Why not at once
let him have it? I am well aware that this does sound odd advice, but
remember, we are all the creatures of circumstances, and that, in some
cases where we least like it, we must swim with the stream." "That you will not decide upon, however, at present," said Charles
Holland, as he rose. "Certainly not; a few days can make no difference." "None for the worse, certainly, and possibly much for the better." "Be it so; we will wait." "Uncle," said Charles, "will you spare me half an hour of your company?" "An hour, my boy, if you want it," said the admiral, rising from his
chair. "Then this consultation is over," said Henry, "and we quite understand
that to leave the Hall is a matter determined on, and that in a few days
a decision shall be come to as to whether Varney the Vampyre shall be
its tenant or not." CHAPTER XXIII. THE ADMIRAL'S ADVICE TO CHARLES HOLLAND.--THE CHALLENGE TO THE VAMPYRE. [Illustration]

When Charles Holland got his uncle into a room by themselves, he said,--

"Uncle, you are a seaman, and accustomed to decide upon matters of
honour. I look upon myself as having been most grievously insulted by
this Sir Francis Varney. All accounts agree in representing him as a
gentleman. He goes openly by a title, which, if it were not his, could
easily be contradicted; therefore, on the score of position in life,
there is no fault to find with him. What would you do if you were
insulted by a gentleman?" The old admiral's eyes sparkled, and he looked comically in the face of
Charles, as he said,--

"I know now where you are steering." "What would you do, uncle?" "Fight him!" "I knew you would say so, and that's just what I want to do as regards
Sir Francis Varney." "Well, my boy, I don't know that you can do better. He must be a
thundering rascal, whether he is a vampyre or not; so if you feel that
he has insulted you, fight him by all means, Charles." "I am much pleased, uncle, to find that you take my view of the
subject," said Charles. "I knew that if I mentioned such a thing to the
Bannerworths, they would endeavour all in their power to pursuade me
against it." "Yes, no doubt; because they are all impressed with a strange fear of
this fellow's vampyre powers. Besides, if a man is going to fight, the
fewer people he mentions it to most decidedly the better, Charles." "I believe that is the fact, uncle. Should I overcome Varney, there will
most likely be at once an end to the numerous and uncomfortable
perplexities of the Bannerworths as regards him; and if he overcome me,
why, then, at all events, I shall have made an effort to rescue Flora
from the dread of this man." "And then he shall fight me," added the admiral, "so he shall have two
chances, at all events, Charles." "Nay, uncle, that would, you know, scarcely be fair. Besides, if I
should fall, I solemnly bequeath Flora Bannerworth to your good offices. I much fear that the pecuniary affairs of poor Henry,--from no fault of
his, Heaven knows,--are in a very bad state, and that Flora may yet live
to want some kind and able friend." "Never fear, Charles. The young creature shall never want while the old
admiral has got a shot in the locker." "Thank you, uncle, thank you. I have ample cause to know, and to be able
to rely upon your kind and generous nature. And now about the
challenge?" "You write it, boy, and I'll take it." "Will you second me, uncle?" "To be sure I will. I wouldn't trust anybody else to do so on any
account. You leave all the arrangements with me, and I'll second you as
you ought to be seconded." "Then I will write it at once, for I have received injuries at the hands
of that man, or devil, be he what he may, that I cannot put up with. His
visit to the chamber of her whom I love would alone constitute ample
ground of action." "I should say it rather would, my boy." "And after this corroborative story of the wound, I cannot for a moment
doubt that Sir Francis Varney is the vampyre, or the personifier of the
vampyre." "That's clear enough, Charles. Come, just you write your challenge, my
boy, at once, and let me have it." "I will, uncle." Charles was a little astonished, although pleased, at his uncle's ready
acquiescence in his fighting a vampyre, but that circumstance he
ascribed to the old man's habits of life, which made him so familiar
with strife and personal contentions of all sorts, that he did not
ascribe to it that amount of importance which more peaceable people did. Had he, while he was writing the note to Sir Francis Varney, seen the
old admiral's face, and the exceedingly cunning look it wore, he might
have suspected that the acquiescence in the duel was but a seeming
acquiescence. This, however, escaped him, and in a few moments he read
to his uncle the following note:--

     "To SIR FRANCIS VARNEY. "Sir,--The expressions made use of towards me by you, as well as
     general circumstances, which I need not further allude to here,
     induce me to demand of you that satisfaction due from one
     gentleman to another. My uncle, Admiral Bell, is the bearer of
     this note, and will arrange preliminaries with any friend you may
     choose to appoint to act in your behalf. I am, sir, yours, &c.

     "CHARLES HOLLAND." "Will that do?" said Charles. "Capital!" said the admiral.