Some asserted, that at that moment an audible groan came from the dead
man, and that this arose from the extinguishment of that remnant of life
which remained in him, on account of his being a vampyre, and which
would have been brought into full existence, if the body had been placed
in the rays of the moon, when at its full, according to the popular
superstition upon that subject. Others, again, were quite ready to swear that at the moment the stake
was used there was a visible convulsion of all the limbs, and that the
countenance, before so placid and so calm, became immediately distorted,
as if with agony. But we have done with these horrible surmises; the dreadful deed has
been committed, and wild, ungovernable superstition has had, for a time,
its sway over the ignorant and debased. CHAPTER XLIX. THE MOB'S ARRIVAL AT SIR FRANCIS VARNEY'S.--THE ATTEMPT TO GAIN
ADMISSION. [Illustration]

The soldiery had been sent for from their principal station near the
churchyard, and had advanced with some degree of reluctance to quell
what they considered as nothing better nor worse than a drunken brawl at
a public-house, which they really considered they ought not to be called
to interfere with. When, however, the party reached the spot, and heard what a confusion
there was, and saw in what numbers the rioters were assembling, it
became evident to them that the case was of a more serious complexion
than they had at first imagined, and consequently they felt that their
professional dignity was not so much compromised with their interference
with the lawless proceedings. Some of the constabulary of the town were there, and to them the
soldiers promised they would hand what prisoners they took, at the same
time that they made a distinct condition that they were not to be
troubled with their custody, nor in any way further annoyed in the
business beyond taking care that they did not absolutely escape, after
being once secured. This was all that the civil authorities of the town required, and, in
fact, they hoped that, after making prisoners of a few of the
ringleaders of the riotous proceedings, the rest would disperse, and
prevent the necessity of capturing them. Be it known, however, that both military and civil authorities were
completely ignorant of the dreadful outrage against all common decency,
which had been committed within the public-house. The door was well guarded, and the question now was how the rioters were
to be made to come down stairs, and be captured; and this was likely to
remain a question, so long as no means were adopted to make them
descend. So that, after a time, it was agreed that a couple of troopers
should march up stairs with a constable, to enable him to secure any one
who seemed a principal in the riot. But this only had the effect of driving those who were in the
second-floor, and saw the approach of the two soldiers, whom they
thought were backed by the whole of their comrades, up a narrow
staircase, to a third-floor, rather consisting of lofts than of actual
rooms; but still, for the time, it was a refuge; and owing to the
extreme narrowness of the approach to it, which consisted of nearly a
perpendicular staircase, with any degree of tact or method, it might
have been admirably defended. In the hurry and scramble, all the lights were left behind; and when the
two soldiers and constables entered the room where the corpse had lain,
they became, for the first time, aware of what a horrible purpose had
been carried out by the infuriated mob. The sight was one of perfect horror, and hardened to scenes which might
strike other people as being somewhat of the terrific as these soldiers
might be supposed to be by their very profession, they actually sickened
at the sight which the mutilated corpse presented, and turned aside with
horror. These feelings soon gave way to anger and animosity against the crowd
who could be guilty of such an atrocious outrage; and, for the first
time, a strong and interested vengeance against the mob pervaded the
breasts of those who were brought to act against it. One of the soldiers ran down stairs to the door, and reported the scene
which was to be seen above. A determination was instantly come to, to
capture as many as possible of those who had been concerned in so
diabolical an outrage, and leaving a guard of five men at the door, the
remainder of the party ascended the staircase, determined upon storming
the last refuge of the rioters, and dragging them to justice. The report, however, of these proceedings that were taking place at the
inn, spread quickly over the whole town; and soon as large a mob of the
disorderly and the idle as the place could at all afford was assembled
outside the inn. This mob appeared, for a time, inertly to watch the proceedings. It
seemed rather a hazardous thing to interfere with the soldiers, whose
carbines look formidable and troublesome weapons. With true mob courage, therefore, they left the minority of their
comrades, who were within the house, to their fate; and after a
whispered conference from one to the other, they suddenly turned in a
body, and began to make for the outskirts of the town. They then separated, as if by common consent, and straggled out into the
open country by twos and threes, consolidating again into a mass when
they had got some distance off, and clear of any exertions that could be
made by the soldiery to stay them. The cry then rose of "Down with Sir Francis Varney--slay him--burn his
house--death to all vampyres!" and, at a rapid pace, they proceeded in
the direction of his mansion. We will leave this mob, however, for the present, and turn our attention
to those who are at the inn, and are certainly in a position of some
jeopardy. Their numbers were not great, and they were unarmed;
certainly, their best chance would have been to have surrendered at
discretion; but that was a measure which, if the sober ones had felt
inclined to, those who were infuriated and half maddened with drink
would not have acceded to on any account. A furious resistance was, therefore, fairly to be expected; and what
means the soldiery were likely to use for the purpose of storming this
last retreat was a matter of rather anxious conjecture. In the case of a regular enemy, there would not, perhaps, have been much
difficulty; but here the capture of certain persons, and not their
destruction, was the object; and how that was to be accomplished by fair
means, certainly was a question which nobody felt very competent to
solve. Determination, however, will do wonders; and although the rioters
numbered over forty, notwithstanding all their desertions, and not above
seventeen or eighteen soldiers marched into the inn, we shall perceive
that they succeeded in accomplishing their object without any
manoeuvring at all. The space in which the rioters were confined was low, narrow, and
inconvenient, as well as dark, for the lights on the staircase cast up
that height but very insufficient rays.