Penny Dreadful Multipack Vol. 1 (Illustrated. Annotated. 'Wagner The Wehr-Wolf,' 'Varney The Vampire,' 'The Mysteries of London Vol. 1' + Bonus Features) (Penny Dreadful Multipacks) (66 page)

Henry
had the weapon, and he pointed it full at the tall form with a steady aim. He
pulled the trigger—the explosion followed, and that the bullet did its office
there could be no manner of doubt, for the figure gave a howling shriek, and
fell headlong from the wall on the outside.

"I
have shot him," cried Henry, "I have shot him."

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE BODY.—FLORA'S RECOVERY AND
MADNESS.—THE OFFER OF ASSISTANCE FROM SIR FRANCIS VARNEY.

"He
is human!" cried Henry; "I have surely killed him."

"It
would seem so," said Mr. Marchdale. "Let us now hurry round to the
outside of the wall, and see where he lies."

This
was at once agreed to, and the whole three of them made what expedition they
could towards a gate which led into a paddock, across which they hurried, and
soon found themselves clear of the garden wall, so that they could make way
towards where they fully expected to find the body of him who had worn so
unearthly an aspect, but who it would be an excessive relief to find was human.

So
hurried was the progress they made, that it was scarcely possible to exchange
many words as they went; a kind of breathless anxiety was upon them, and in the
speed they disregarded every obstacle, which would, at any other time, have
probably prevented them from taking the direct road they sought.

It
was difficult on the outside of the wall to say exactly which was the precise
spot which it might be supposed the body had fallen on; but, by following the
wall in its entire length, surely they would come upon it.

They
did so; but, to their surprise, they got from its commencement to its further
extremity without finding any dead body, or even any symptoms of one having
lain there.

At
some parts close to the wall there grew a kind of heath, and, consequently, the
traces of blood would be lost among it, if it so happened that at the precise
spot at which the strange being had seemed to topple over, such vegetation had
existed. This was to be ascertained; but now, after traversing the whole length
of the wall twice, they came to a halt, and looked wonderingly in each other's
faces.

"There
is nothing here," said Harry.

"Nothing,"
added his brother.

"It
could not have been a delusion," at length said Mr. Marchdale, with a
shudder.

"A
delusion?" exclaimed the brother! "That is not possible; we all saw
it."

"Then
what terrible explanation can we give?"

"By
heavens! I know not," exclaimed Henry. "This adventure surpasses all
belief, and but for the great interest we have in it, I should regard it with a
world of curiosity."

"It
is too dreadful," said George; "for God's sake, Henry, let us return
to ascertain if poor Flora is killed."

"My
senses," said Henry, "were all so much absorbed in gazing at that
horrible form, that I never once looked towards her further than to see that
she was, to appearance, dead. God help her! poor—poor, beautiful Flora. This
is, indeed, a sad, sad fate for you to come to. Flora—Flora—"

"Do
not weep, Henry," said George. "Rather let us now hasten home, where
we may find that tears are premature. She may yet be living and restored to
us."

"And,"
said Mr. Marchdale, "she may be able to give us some account of this
dreadful visitation."

"True—true,"
exclaimed Henry; "we will hasten home."

They
now turned their steps homeward, and as they went they much blamed themselves
for all leaving home together, and with terror pictured what might occur in
their absence to those who were now totally unprotected.

"It
was a rash impulse of us all to come in pursuit of this dreadful figure,"
remarked Mr. Marchdale; "but do not torment yourself, Henry. There may be
no reason for your fears."

At
the pace they went, they very soon reached the ancient house, and when they
came in sight of it, they saw lights flashing from the windows, and the shadows
of faces moving to and fro, indicating that the whole household was up, and in
a state of alarm.

Henry,
after some trouble, got the hall door opened by a terrified servant, who was
trembling so much that she could scarcely hold the light she had with her.

"Speak
at once, Martha," said Henry. "Is Flora living?"

"Yes;
but—"

"Enough—enough!
Thank God she lives; where is she now?"

"In
her own room, Master Henry. Oh, dear—oh, dear, what will become of us
all?"

Henry
rushed up the staircase, followed by George and Mr. Marchdale, nor paused he
once until he reached the room of his sister.

"Mother,"
he said, before he crossed the threshold, "are you here?"

"I
am, my dear—I am. Come in, pray come in, and speak to poor Flora."

"Come
in, Mr. Marchdale," said Henry—"come in; we make no stranger of
you."

They
all then entered the room.

Several
lights had been now brought into that antique chamber, and, in addition to the
mother of the beautiful girl who had been so fearfully visited, there were two
female domestics, who appeared to be in the greatest possible fright, for they
could render no assistance whatever to anybody.

The
tears were streaming down the mother's face, and the moment she saw Mr.
Marchdale, she clung to his arm, evidently unconscious of what she was about,
and exclaimed,—

"Oh,
what is this that has happened—what is this? Tell me, Marchdale! Robert
Marchdale, you whom I have known even from my childhood, you will not deceive
me. Tell me the meaning of all this?"

"I
cannot," he said, in a tone of much emotion. "As God is my judge, I
am as much puzzled and amazed at the scene that has taken place here to-night
as you can be."

The
mother wrung her hands and wept.

"It
was the storm that first awakened me," added Marchdale; "and then I
heard a scream."

The
brothers tremblingly approached the bed. Flora was placed in a sitting,
half-reclining posture, propped up by pillows. She was quite insensible, and
her face was fearfully pale; while that she breathed at all could be but very
faintly seen. On some of her clothing, about the neck, were spots of blood, and
she looked more like one who had suffered some long and grievous illness, than
a young girl in the prime of life and in the most robust health, as she had
been on the day previous to the strange scene we have recorded.

"Does
she sleep?" said Henry, as a tear fell from his eyes upon her pallid
cheek.

"No,"
replied Mr. Marchdale. "This is a swoon, from which we must recover
her."

Active
measures were now adopted to restore the languid circulation, and, after
persevering in them for some time, they had the satisfaction of seeing her open
her eyes.

Her
first act upon consciousness returning, however, was to utter a loud shriek,
and it was not until Henry implored her to look around her, and see that she
was surrounded by none but friendly faces, that she would venture again to open
her eyes, and look timidly from one to the other. Then she shuddered, and burst
into tears as she said,—

"Oh,
Heaven, have mercy upon me—Heaven, have mercy upon me, and save me from that
dreadful form."

"There
is no one here, Flora," said Mr. Marchdale, "but those who love you,
and who, in defence of you, if needs were would lay down their lives."

"Oh,
God! Oh, God!"

"You
have been terrified. But tell us distinctly what has happened? You are quite
safe now."

She
trembled so violently that Mr. Marchdale recommended that some stimulant should
be given to her, and she was persuaded, although not without considerable
difficulty, to swallow a small portion of some wine from a cup. There could be
no doubt but that the stimulating effect of the wine was beneficial, for a
slight accession of colour visited her cheeks, and she spoke in a firmer tone
as she said,—

"Do
not leave me. Oh, do not leave me, any of you. I shall die if left alone now.
Oh, save me—save me. That horrible form! That fearful face!"

"Tell
us how it happened, dear Flora?" said Henry.

"Or
would you rather endeavour to get some sleep first?" suggested Mr.
Marchdale.

"No—no—no,"
she said, "I do not think I shall ever sleep again."

"Say
not so; you will be more composed in a few hours, and then you can tell us what
has occurred."

"I
will tell you now. I will tell you now."

She
placed her hands over her face for a moment, as if to collect her scattered,
thoughts, and then she added,—

"I
was awakened by the storm, and I saw that terrible apparition at the window. I
think I screamed, but I could not fly. Oh, God! I could not fly. It came—it
seized me by the hair. I know no more. I know no more."

She
passed her hand across her neck several times, and Mr. Marchdale said, in an
anxious voice,—

"You
seem, Flora, to have hurt your neck—there is a wound."

"A
wound!" said the mother, and she brought a light close to the bed, where
all saw on the side of Flora's neck a small punctured wound; or, rather two,
for there was one a little distance from the other.

It
was from these wounds the blood had come which was observable upon her night
clothing.

"How
came these wounds?" said Henry.

"I
do not know," she replied. "I feel very faint and weak, as if I had
almost bled to death."

"You
cannot have done so, dear Flora, for there are not above half-a-dozen spots of
blood to be seen at all."

Mr.
Marchdale leaned against the carved head of the bed for support, and he uttered
a deep groan. All eyes were turned upon him, and Henry said, in a voice of the
most anxious inquiry,—

"You
have something to say, Mr. Marchdale, which will throw some light upon this
affair."

"No,
no, no, nothing!" cried Mr. Marchdale, rousing himself at once from the
appearance of depression that had come over him. "I have nothing to say,
but that I think Flora had better get some sleep if she can."

"No
sleep-no sleep for me," again screamed Flora. "Dare I be alone to
sleep?"

"But
you shall not be alone, dear Flora," said Henry. "I will sit by your
bedside and watch you."

She
took his hand in both hers, and while the tears chased each other down her
cheeks, she said,—

"Promise
me, Henry, by all your hopes of Heaven, you will not leave me."

"I
promise!"

She
gently laid herself down, with a deep sigh, and closed her eyes.

"She
is weak, and will sleep long," said Mr. Marchdale.

"You
sigh," said Henry. "Some fearful thoughts, I feel certain, oppress
your heart."

"Hush-hush!"
said Mr. Marchdale, as he pointed to Flora. "Hush! not here—not
here."

"I
understand," said Henry.

"Let
her sleep."

There
was a silence of some few minutes duration. Flora had dropped into a deep
slumber. That silence was first broken by George, who said,—

"Mr.
Marchdale, look at that portrait."

He
pointed to the portrait in the frame to which we have alluded, and the moment
Marchdale looked at it he sunk into a chair as he exclaimed,—

"Gracious
Heaven, how like!"

"It
is—it is," said Henry. "Those eyes—"

"And
see the contour of the countenance, and the strange shape of the mouth."

"Exact—exact."

"That
picture shall be moved from here. The sight of it is at once sufficient to
awaken all her former terrors in poor Flora's brain if she should chance to
awaken and cast her eyes suddenly upon it."

"And
is it so like him who came here?" said the mother.

"It
is the very man himself," said Mr. Marchdale. "I have not been in
this house long enough to ask any of you whose portrait that may be?"

"It
is," said Henry, "the portrait of Sir Runnagate Bannerworth, an
ancestor of ours, who first, by his vices, gave the great blow to the family
prosperity."

"Indeed.
How long ago?"

"About
ninety years."

"Ninety
years. 'Tis a long while—ninety years."

"You
muse upon it."

"No,
no. I do wish, and yet I dread—"

"What?"

"To
say something to you all. But not here—not here. We will hold a consultation on
this matter to-morrow. Not now—not now."

"The
daylight is coming quickly on," said Henry; "I shall keep my sacred
promise of not moving from this room until Flora awakens; but there can be no
occasion for the detention of any of you. One is sufficient here. Go all of
you, and endeavour to procure what rest you can."

"I
will fetch you my powder-flask and bullets," said Mr. Marchdale; "and
you can, if you please, reload the pistols. In about two hours more it will be
broad daylight."

This
arrangement was adopted. Henry did reload the pistols, and placed them on a
table by the side of the bed, ready for immediate action, and then, as Flora
was sleeping soundly, all left the room but himself.