If I advise you to be peaceful, and to endeavour by the gentlest
means possible to accomplish your aims, it is not that I would counsel
you cowardice; but having seen so much more of the world than either of
you have had time or opportunity of seeing, I do not look so
enthusiastically upon matters, but, with a cooler, calmer judgment, I do
not say a better, I proffer to you my counsel." "We thank you," said Henry; "but this is a matter in which action seems
specially called for. It is not to be borne that a whole family is to be
oppressed by such a fiend in human shape as that Varney." "Let me," said Marchdale, "counsel you to submit to Flora's decision in
this business; let her wishes constitute the rules of action. She is the
greatest sufferer, and the one most deeply interested in the termination
of this fearful business. Moreover she has judgment and decision of
character--she will advise you rightly, be assured." "That she would advise us honourably," said Henry, "and that we should
feel every disposition in the world to defer to her wishes our
proposition, is not to be doubted; but little shall be done without her
counsel and sanction. Let us now proceed homeward, for I am most anxious
to ascertain how it came about that she and Sir Francis Varney were
together in that summer-house at so strange an hour." They all three walked together towards the house, conversing in a
similar strain as they went. CHAPTER XXXVI. THE CONSULTATION.--THE DUEL AND ITS RESULTS. [Illustration]

Independent of this interview which Flora had had with the much dreaded
Sir Francis Varney, the circumstances in which she and all who were dear
to her, happened at that moment to be placed, certainly required an
amount of consideration, which could not be too soon bestowed. By a combination of disagreeables, everything that could possibly occur
to disturb the peace of the family seemed to have taken place at once;
like Macbeth's, their troubles had truly come in battalions, and now
that the serenity of their domestic position was destroyed, minor evils
and annoyances which that very serenity had enabled them to hold at
arm's-length became gigantic, and added much to their distress. The small income, which, when all was happiness, health and peace, was
made to constitute a comfortable household, was now totally inadequate
to do so--the power to economise and to make the most of a little, had
flown along with that contentedness of spirit which the harmony of
circumstances alone could produce. It was not to be supposed that poor Mrs. Bannerworth could now, as she
had formerly done, when her mind was free from anxiety, attend to those
domestic matters which make up the comforts of a family--distracted at
the situation of her daughter, and bewildered by the rapid succession of
troublesome events which so short a period of time had given birth to,
she fell into an inert state of mind as different as anything could
possibly be, from her former active existence. It has likewise been seen how the very domestics fled from Bannerworth
Hall in dismay, rather than remain beneath the same roof with a family
believed to be subject to the visitations of so awful a being as a
vampyre. Among the class who occupy positions of servitude, certainly there might
have been found some, who, with feelings and understandings above such
considerations, would have clung sympathetically to that family in
distress, which they had known under a happier aspect; but it had not
been the good fortune of the Bannerworths to have such as these about
them; hence selfishness had its way, and they were deserted. It was not
likely, then, that strangers would willingly accept service in a family
so situated, without some powerful impulse in the shape of a higher
pecuniary consideration, as was completely out of the power of the
Bannerworths to offer. Thus was it, then, that most cruelly, at the very time that they had
most need of assistance and of sympathy, this unfortunate family almost
became isolated from their kind; and, apart from every other
consideration, it would have been almost impossible for them to continue
inhabitants of the Hall, with anything like comfort, or advantage. And then, although the disappearance of Charles Holland no longer
awakened those feelings of indignation at his supposed perfidy which
were first produced by that event; still, view it in which way they
might, it was a severe blow of fate, and after it, they one and all
found themselves still less able to contend against the sea of troubles
that surrounded them. The reader, too, will not have failed to remark that there was about the
whole of the family that pride of independence which induced them to
shrink from living upon extraneous aid; and hence, although they felt
and felt truly, that when Admiral Bell, in his frank manner, offered
them pecuniary assistance, that it was no idle compliment, yet with a
sensitiveness such as they might well be expected to feel, they held
back, and asked each other what prospect there was of emerging from such
a state of things, and if it were justifiable to commence a life of
dependence, the end of which was not evident or tangible. Notwithstanding, too, the noble confidence of Flora in her lover, and
notwithstanding that confidence had been echoed by her brothers, there
would at times obtrude into the minds of the latter, a feeling of the
possibility, that after all they might be mistaken; and Charles Holland
might, from some sudden impulse, fancying his future happiness was all
at stake, have withdrawn himself from the Hall, and really written the
letters attributed to him. We say this only obtruded itself occasionally, for all their real
feelings and aspirations were the other way, although Mr. Marchdale,
they could perceive, had his doubts, and they could not but confess that
he was more likely to view the matter calmly and dispassionately than
they. In fact, the very hesitation with which he spoke upon the subject,
convinced them of his doubt; for they attributed that hesitation to a
fear of giving them pain, or of wounding the prejudices of Admiral Bell,
with whom he had already had words so nearly approaching to a quarrel. Henry's visit to Mr. Chillingworth was not likely to be productive of
any results beyond those of a conjectural character. All that that
gentleman could do was to express a willingness to be directed by them
in any way, rather than suggest any course of conduct himself upon
circumstances which he could not be expected to judge of as they who
were on the spot, and had witnessed their actual occurrence. And now we will suppose that the reader is enabled with us to look into
one of the principal rooms of Bannerworth Hall. It is evening, and some
candles are shedding a sickly light on the ample proportions of the once
handsome apartment. At solemn consultation the whole of the family are
assembled.