"That is, indeed, a hard condition to man who feels, as you yourself
remark, that he can assert his freedom. It is one which I have still a
hope you will not persevere in. "Nay, young man, I think that I have treated you with generosity, to
make you feel that I am not the worst of foes you could have had. All I
require of you is, that you should wait here for about an hour. It is
now nearly one o'clock; will you wait until you hear it strike two
before you actually make a movement to leave this place?" Charles Holland hesitated for some moments, and then he said,--

"Do not fancy that I am not one who appreciates the singular trust you
have reposed in me; and, however repugnant to me it may be to remain
here, a voluntary prisoner, I am inclined to do so, if it be but to
convince you that the trust you have reposed in me is not in vain, and
that I can behave with equal generosity to you as you can to me." "Be it so," said Sir Francis Varney; "I shall leave you with a full
reliance that you will keep your word; and now, farewell. When you think
of me, fancy me rather one unfortunate than criminal, and tell yourself
that even Varney the vampyre had some traits in his character, which,
although they might not raise your esteem, at all events did not loudly
call for your reprobation." "I shall do so. Oh! Flora, Flora, I shall look upon you once again,
after believing and thinking that I had bidden you a long and last
adieu. My own beautiful Flora, it is joy indeed to think that I shall
look upon that face again, which, to my perception, is full of all the
majesty of loveliness." Sir Francis Varney looked coldly on while Charles uttered this
enthusiastic speech. "Remember," he said, "till two o'clock;" and he walked towards the door
of the dungeon. "You will have no difficulty in finding your way out
from this place. Doubtless you already perceive the entrance by which I
gained admission." "Had I been free," said Charles, "and had the use of my limbs, I should,
long ere this, have worked my way to life and liberty." "'Tis well. Goodnight." Varney walked from the place, and just closed the door behind him. With
a slow and stately step he left the ruins, and Charles Holland found
himself once more alone, but in a much more enviable condition than for
many weeks he could have called his. CHAPTER LXVI. FLORA BANNERWORTH'S APPARENT INCONSISTENCY.--THE ADMIRAL'S CIRCUMSTANCES
AND ADVICE.--MR. CHILLINGWORTH'S MYSTERIOUS ABSENCE. [Illustration]

For a brief space let us return to Flora Bannerworth, who had suffered
so much on account of her affections, as well as on account of the
mysterious attack that had been made upon her by the reputed vampyre. After leaving Bannerworth Hall for a short time, she seemed to recover
her spirits; but this was a state of things which did not last, and only
showed how fallacious it was to expect that, after the grievous things
that had happened, she would rapidly recover her equanimity. It is said, by learned physiologists, that two bodily pains cannot
endure at the same space of time in the system; and, whether it be so or
not, is a question concerning which it would be foreign to the nature of
our work, to enter into anything like an elaborate disquisition. Certainly, however, so far as Flora Bannerworth was concerned, she
seemed inclined to show that, mentally, the observation was a true one,
for that, now she became released from a continued dread of the visits
of the vampyre, her mind would, with more painful interest than ever,
recur to the melancholy condition, probably, of Charles Holland, if he
were alive, and to soul-harrowing reflections concerning him, if he were
dead. She could not, and she did not, believe, for one moment, that his
desertion of her had been of a voluntary character. She knew, or fancied
she knew, him by far too well for that; and she more than once expressed
her opinion, to the effect that she was perfectly convinced his
disappearance was a part and parcel of all that train of circumstances
which had so recently occurred, and produced such a world of unhappiness
to her, as well as to the whole of the Bannerworth family. "If he had never loved me," she said to her brother Henry, "he would
have been alive and well; but he has fallen a victim to the truth of a
passion, and to the constancy of an affection which, to my dying day, I
will believe in." Now that Mr. Marchdale had left the place there was no one to dispute
this proposition with Flora, for all, as well as she, were fully
inclined to think well of Charles Holland. It was on the very morning which preceded that evening when Sir Francis
Varney called upon Charles Holland in the manner we have related, with
the gratifying news that, upon certain conditions, he might be released,
that Flora Bannerworth, when the admiral came to see them, spoke to him
of Charles Holland, saying,--

"Now, sir, that I am away from Bannerworth Hall, I do not, and cannot
feel satisfied; for the thought that Charles may eventually come back,
and seek us there, still haunts me. Fancy him, sir, doing so, and seeing
the place completely deserted." "Well, there's something in that," said the admiral; "but, however, he's
hardly such a goose, if it were so to happen, to give up the chase--he'd
find us out somehow." "You think he would, sir? or, do you not think that despair would seize
upon him, and that, fancying we had all left the spot for ever, he might
likewise do so; so that we should lose him more effectually than we have
done at present?" "No; hardly," said the admiral; "he couldn't be such a goose as that. Why, when I was of his age, if I had secured the affections of a young
girl like you, I'd have gone over all the world, but I'd have found out
where she was; and what I mean to say is, if he's half such a goose as
you think him, he deserves to lose you." "Did you not tell me something, sir, of Mr. Chillingworth talking of
taking possession of the Hall for a brief space of time?" "Why, yes, I did; and I expect he is there now; in fact, I'm sure he's
there, for he said he would be." "No, he ain't," said Jack Pringle, at that moment entering the room;
"you're wrong again, as you always are, somehow or other." "What, you vagabond, are you here, you mutinous rascal?" --"Ay, ay, sir;
go on; don't mind me. I wonder what you'd do, sir, if you hadn't
somebody like me to go on talking about." "Why, you infernal rascal, I wonder what you'd do if you had not an
indulgent commander, who puts up even with real mutiny, and says nothing
about it. But where have you been? Did you go as I directed you, and
take some provisions to Bannerworth Hall?" "Yes, I did; but I brought them back again; there's nobody there, and
don't seem likely to be, except a dead body." "A dead body! Whose body can that be!" --"Tom somebody; for I'm d----d if
it ain't a great he cat." "You scoundrel, how dare you alarm me in such a way? But do you mean to
tell me that you did not see Dr. Chillingworth at the Hall?"