0:01

The

0:07

Vampire It

0:18

happened that in the midst of

0:21

the dissipation's attendant upon a London

0:23

winter, there appeared at the various

0:25

parties of the leaders of the tonne

0:28

a nobleman more remarkable for

0:30

his singularities than his rank.

0:33

He gazed upon the mirth around him, as

0:36

if he could not participate therein.

0:39

Apparently, the light laughter of the

0:42

fair only attracted his attention, that

0:44

he might by a look quell

0:46

it, and throw

0:48

fear into those breasts where

0:51

thoughtlessness reigned. Those

0:53

who felt this sensation of awe

0:56

could not explain whence it arose.

0:59

Some attributed it to the dead

1:01

grey eye which, fixing upon the

1:03

object's face, did not seem to

1:06

penetrate, and at one glance

1:08

to pierce through to the inward workings

1:10

of the heart, but fell upon the

1:12

cheek, with a leaden ray

1:14

that weighed upon the skin it could

1:16

not pass. His

1:19

peculiarities caused him to be invited

1:21

to every house, all

1:23

wished to see him, and

1:26

those who had been accustomed to

1:28

violent excitement, and now

1:30

felt the weight of ennui, were

1:32

pleased at having something in their

1:34

presence capable of engaging their attention.

1:38

In spite of the deadly hue of his

1:40

face which never gained a warmer tint, either

1:43

from the blush of modesty, or

1:46

from the strong emotion of passion, though

1:49

its form and outline were

1:51

beautiful, many of

1:53

the female hunters after notoriety

1:55

attempted to win his attentions,

1:58

and gain at least some marks. of

2:00

what they might term affection. Lady

2:03

Mercer, who had been the mockery

2:05

of every monster shown in drawing-room since

2:08

her marriage, threw herself in

2:10

his way, and it all but

2:12

put on the dress of a mountebank to

2:14

attract his notice, though in

2:16

vain. When she

2:18

stood before him, though his eyes were

2:21

apparently fixed upon hers, still

2:23

it seemed as if they were unperceived.

2:26

Then her unappalled impudence was

2:28

baffled, and she left

2:30

the field. But

2:32

though the common adulterous could not

2:34

influence even the guidance of his

2:36

eyes, it was not

2:39

that the female sex was indifferent to

2:41

him. Yet

2:43

such was the apparent caution with

2:45

which he spoke to the virtuous

2:47

wife and innocent daughter that few

2:49

knew he ever addressed himself to

2:51

females. He had, however,

2:53

the reputation of a winning tongue, and

2:56

whether it was that it even overcame

2:58

the dread of his singular character, or

3:01

that they were moved by his apparent

3:03

hatred of vice, he was

3:05

as often among those females who

3:07

formed the boast of their sex

3:09

from their domestic virtues as

3:12

among those who sully it by

3:15

their vices. At

3:18

the same time there came to

3:20

London a young gentleman of the

3:22

name of Aubrey. He

3:24

was an orphan left with an only

3:27

sister in the possession of great wealth

3:29

by parents who died while he was

3:31

yet in childhood, left also to himself

3:34

by guardians who thought it their duty

3:36

merely to take care of his fortune

3:39

while they relinquished the more

3:41

important charge of his mind

3:43

to the care of mercenary

3:45

subletons. He cultivated more his

3:47

imagination than his judgment. He

3:50

had hence that high

3:52

romantic feeling of honor

3:54

and candour which daily

3:56

ruins so many milliner's

3:58

apprentices. He believed

4:00

all to sympathize with virtue and

4:03

thought that vice was thrown in

4:05

by Providence merely for the

4:07

picturesque effect of the scene as

4:10

we see in romances. He

4:12

thought that the misery of a

4:14

cottage merely consisted in the vesting

4:16

of clothes, which were as warm,

4:18

but which were better adapted to

4:20

the painter's eye by their irregular

4:23

folds and various colored patches. He

4:25

thought in fine that

4:27

the dreams of poets were

4:30

the realities of life. He

4:33

was handsome, frank, and rich.

4:36

For these reasons, upon his

4:38

entering into the gay circles,

4:41

many mothers surrounded him, striving

4:43

which should describe with least

4:45

truth their languishing or romping

4:47

favorites. The daughters at the

4:49

same time, by their brightening

4:51

countenances when he approached, and by

4:54

their sparkling eyes, when he opened

4:56

his lips, soon led

4:58

him into false notions of his

5:00

talents. And he's married.

5:04

Attached as he was to the

5:06

romance of his solitary hours, he

5:08

was startled at finding that, except

5:10

in the tallow and wax candles

5:12

that flickered not from the presence

5:15

of a ghost, but from want

5:17

of snuffing, there was no foundation

5:19

in real life for any of

5:21

that congaries of pleasing pictures and

5:23

descriptions contained in those volumes from

5:26

which he had formed his study.

5:29

Finding however some compensation in

5:31

his gratified vanity, he was

5:33

about to relinquish his dreams

5:36

when the extraordinary being

5:38

we have above described

5:41

crossed him in his career.

5:45

He watched him, and the

5:47

very impossibility of forming an idea of

5:49

the character of a man entirely

5:51

absorbed in himself, who

5:54

gave few other signs of his observation

5:56

of external objects than the tacit assent

5:58

to their own. existence implied

6:01

by the avoidance of their contact, allowing

6:04

his imagination to picture

6:06

every thing that flattered

6:08

its propensity to extravagant

6:11

ideas. He soon

6:13

formed this object into

6:15

the hero of a romance, and

6:18

determined to observe the offspring of

6:20

his fancy rather than the person

6:22

before him. He

6:24

became acquainted with him, paid him

6:27

attentions, and so far

6:29

advanced upon his notice that his

6:31

presence was always recognized, he

6:33

gradually learned that Lord Ruffin's

6:36

affairs were embarrassed and

6:38

soon found, from denotes of preparation

6:40

in Street, that

6:43

he was about to travel. Desirous

6:45

of gaining some information respecting

6:48

this singular character, who, till

6:50

now, had only whetted

6:52

his curiosity, he hinted to his

6:54

guardians that it was time for

6:56

him to perform the tour, which

6:58

for many generations has been thought

7:01

necessary to enable the young to

7:03

take some rapid steps in the

7:05

career of vice towards putting themselves

7:07

upon an equality with the aged,

7:10

and not allowing them to appear as

7:12

if fallen from the skies, whenever

7:15

scandalous intrigues are mentioned as

7:17

the subjects of pleasantry or

7:19

of praise, according to the

7:21

degree of skill shown in carrying them

7:24

on. They consented,

7:26

and Aubrey, immediately mentioning his intentions

7:29

to Lord Ruffin, was surprised to

7:31

receive from him a proposal to

7:33

join him. Flatted

7:35

by such a mark of esteem from

7:37

him, who apparently had nothing in common

7:39

with other men, he gladly

7:42

accepted it, and in

7:44

a few days they had passed the circling

7:46

waters. Neither

7:48

two, Aubrey had had no opportunity

7:51

of studying Lord Ruffin's character, and

7:53

now he found that though many more of

7:55

his actions were exposed to his view, the

7:58

results offered a difference. conclusions from

8:01

the apparent motives to his conduct.

8:04

His companion was profuse in his

8:06

liberality, the idol, the

8:09

vagabond, and the beggar received from

8:11

his hand more than enough to

8:13

relieve their immediate wants. But

8:16

Aubrey could not avoid remarking that

8:19

it was not upon the virtuous

8:21

reduced to indigence by the misfortune's

8:23

attendant even upon virtue that he

8:26

bestowed his arms. These

8:28

were sent from the door with hardly

8:30

suppressed sneers, but when the

8:33

profligate came to ask something

8:35

not to relieve his wants,

8:37

but to allow him to wallow in

8:39

his lust, or to sink

8:42

him still deeper in his iniquity,

8:45

he was sent away with

8:47

rich charity. This

8:49

was, however, attributed by him to

8:51

the greater importunity of the vicious which

8:54

generally prevails over the retiring

8:56

bashfulness of the virtuous indigent.

9:00

There was one circumstance about the charity

9:02

of his lordship which was still more

9:04

impressed upon his mind, all

9:06

those upon whom it was bestowed,

9:09

inevitably found, that

9:11

there was a curse upon it, for

9:13

they were either all led to

9:15

the scaffold or sunk

9:17

to the lowest and the most

9:20

abject misery. At

9:22

Brussels and other towns through which they

9:24

passed, Aubrey was surprised at

9:27

the apparent eagerness with which his

9:29

companions sought for the centres of

9:31

all fashionable vice. There

9:34

he entered into all the spirit

9:36

of the faro table, he bettered

9:38

and always gambled with success, except

9:41

where the known sharper was his

9:43

antagonist, and then he lost

9:45

even more than he gained. It

9:49

was always with the same

9:51

unchanging face with which

9:53

he generally watched the society round. It

9:57

was not, however, so when he encountered

9:59

the round. bash, youthful novice,

10:02

or the luckless father of a

10:04

numerous family. Then

10:06

his very wish seemed fortune's

10:09

law. This

10:11

apparent abstractedness of mind was

10:13

laid aside, and

10:15

his eyes sparkled with more fire

10:17

than that of the cat, whilst

10:20

dallying with the half-dead mouse.

10:24

In every town he left a

10:26

formerly affluent youth, torn from the

10:28

circle he adorned, cursing in

10:30

the solitude of a dungeon the

10:32

fate that had drawn him within

10:35

the reach of this fiend. Whilst

10:38

many a father sat frantic amidst

10:41

the speaking looks of mute,

10:43

hungry children without a

10:45

single farthing of his late immense

10:48

wealth, wherewith to buy

10:50

even sufficient to satisfy their

10:53

present craving. Yet

10:55

he took no money from the gambling table,

10:58

but immediately lost to

11:00

the ruinner of many, the

11:02

last gilder he had just snatched

11:04

from the convulsive grasp of the

11:07

innocent. This might

11:10

but be the result of a

11:12

certain degree of knowledge which was

11:14

not, however, capable of combating the

11:16

cunning of the more experienced.

11:21

Every often wished to represent this

11:23

to his friend, and

11:25

beg him to resign that charity

11:27

and pleasure which proved the

11:29

ruin of all, and

11:31

did not tend to his own profit. But

11:34

he delayed it, for each day

11:37

he hoped his friend would give him

11:39

some opportunity of speaking frankly and openly

11:41

to him, however

11:43

this never occurred. Lord

11:46

Ruthven in his carriage, and

11:49

amidst the various wild and rich

11:51

scenes of nature, was always

11:53

the same. His eye

11:55

spoke less than his lip, and

11:58

though Aubrey was near the ottoman, he was a man object

12:00

of his curiosity. He

12:02

obtained no greater gratification from

12:05

it than the constant excitement

12:07

of vainly wishing to break

12:09

that mystery which to

12:12

his exalted imagination began to

12:14

assume the appearance of

12:17

something supernatural. They

12:21

soon arrived at Rome, and

12:24

Aubrey for a time lost sight of his

12:26

companion. He left him

12:28

in daily attendance upon the morning circle

12:31

of an Italian countess whilst he went

12:33

in search of the memorials of another

12:35

almost deserted city. Whilst

12:37

he was thus engaged, letters arrived

12:39

from England, which he opened with

12:42

eager impatience. The first

12:44

was from his sister, breathing nothing

12:46

but affection. The others

12:48

were from his guardians. The latter

12:50

astonished him. If it

12:52

had been before entered into his

12:54

imagination that there was an evil

12:56

power resident in his companion, these

12:59

seemed to give him sufficient reason

13:01

for the belief. His

13:04

guardians insisted upon his immediately

13:06

leaving his friend, and

13:08

urged that his character was

13:11

dreadfully vicious, for

13:13

that the possession of irresistible

13:15

powers of seduction rendered

13:17

his licentious habits more

13:19

dangerous to society. It

13:22

had been discovered that his contempt

13:25

for the adulterous had not originated

13:27

in hatred of her character, but

13:30

that he had required to enhance

13:32

his gratification that his victim, the

13:35

partner of his guilt, should

13:37

be hurled from the pinnacle

13:39

of unvalid virtue down to

13:42

the lowest abyss of infamy

13:44

and degradation, in fine

13:47

that all those females whom

13:49

he had sought, apparently on

13:51

account of their virtue, had,

13:53

since his departure, thrown even

13:55

the mask aside, and

13:57

had not scrupled to expose the

13:59

whole default. enormity of their vices to

14:02

the public gaze. Aubrey

14:04

determined upon leaving one whose character

14:06

had not yet shown a single

14:09

bright point on which to rest

14:11

the eye. He

14:13

resolved to invent some plausible

14:15

pretext for abandoning him altogether,

14:18

purposing, in the meanwhile, to

14:20

watch him more closely, and

14:23

to let no slight circumstances

14:25

pass by unnoticed. He

14:28

entered into the same circle, and

14:30

soon perceived that his lordship was

14:32

endeavouring to work upon the inexperience

14:34

of the daughter of the lady,

14:37

whose house he chiefly frequented. In

14:40

Italy it is seldom that an

14:42

unmarried female is met with in

14:44

society. He was therefore

14:46

obliged to carry on his plans in

14:48

secret, but Aubrey's eye followed

14:51

him in all his windings, and

14:54

soon discovered that an assignation

14:56

had been appointed, which would

14:58

most likely end in the

15:00

ruin of an innocent though

15:02

thoughtless girl. Losing

15:05

no time, he entered the apartment

15:07

of Lord Ruffin, and abruptly asked

15:09

him his intentions with respect to

15:11

the lady, informing him at

15:14

the same time that he was aware of

15:16

his being about to meet her that very

15:18

night. Lord

15:20

Ruffin answered that his intentions

15:22

were such as he supposed all would

15:25

have upon such an occasion, and

15:27

upon being pressed whether he intend to

15:29

marry her. Merely

15:32

laughed. Aubrey

15:34

retired, and immediately writing a note

15:36

to say, from that

15:38

moment he must decline accompanying

15:40

his lordship in the remainder

15:43

of the proposed coup. He

15:46

ordered his servant to seek other apartments,

15:48

and calling upon the mother of the lady

15:50

informed her of all he knew, not only

15:52

with regard to her daughter, but

15:55

also concerning the character of

15:57

his lordship. The

15:59

assignation was prevented, Lord Rathvan

16:01

next day merely sent his

16:03

servant to notify his complete

16:05

assent to a separation, but

16:08

did not hint any suspicion of

16:10

his plans having been foiled by

16:13

Aubrey's interposition. Having

16:15

left Rome, Aubrey directed his

16:18

steps towards Greece, and

16:20

crossing the peninsula soon found himself

16:22

at Athens. He then

16:24

fixed his residence in the house

16:27

of a Greek, and soon occupied

16:29

himself in tracing the faded records

16:31

of ancient glory upon monuments that,

16:34

apparently, ashamed of chronicling the deeds

16:36

of free men only before slaves,

16:38

had hidden themselves beneath the sheltering

16:41

soil or many-coloured lichen. Under

16:44

the same roof as himself existed

16:46

a being so beautiful and delicate

16:49

that she might have formed a model

16:51

for a painter wishing to portray on

16:53

canvas the promised hope of the faithful

16:56

in Muhammad's paradise, save that

16:58

her eye spoke too much mine for

17:00

anyone to think that she could belong

17:02

to those who had no souls. As

17:05

she danced upon the plain or

17:07

tripped along the mountainside, one

17:09

would have sought to gazelle a poor type

17:12

of her beauties, for who would

17:14

have exchanged her eye, apparently the

17:16

eye of animated nature, for that

17:19

sleepy, luxurious look of the animal

17:21

suited but to the taste of

17:23

an epicure. The

17:26

light step of Ianthi often

17:28

accompanied Aubrey in his search

17:30

after antiquities, and often

17:32

would the unconscious girl, engaged in

17:34

the pursuit of a cashmere butterfly,

17:36

show the whole beauty

17:38

of her form floating, as it were,

17:41

upon the wind to the eager gaze

17:43

of him who had forgotten

17:45

the letters he had just deciphered

17:47

upon an almost effaced tablet in

17:50

the contemplation of her sylph-like figure.

17:53

Even with her tresses falling as she

17:55

flitted around, exhibits in the

17:58

sun's right such delicately brilliant

18:01

and swiftly fading hues. It

18:04

might well excuse the forgetfulness of

18:06

the antiquary who let escape from

18:08

his mind the very object he

18:10

had before thought of vital importance

18:13

to the proper interpretation of a

18:15

passage in Pausanias. But

18:18

why attempt to describe charms

18:20

which all feel but none

18:22

can appreciate? It

18:24

was innocence, youth, and

18:27

beauty, unaffected by

18:29

crowded drawing-rooms and stifling balls.

18:33

Whilst he drew those remains of which

18:35

he wished to preserve a memorial for

18:37

his future hours, she

18:39

would stand by and watch the magic

18:41

effects of his pencil in tracing the

18:43

scenes of her native place. She

18:46

would then describe to him the circling dance

18:48

upon the open plain, would paint

18:50

to him in all the glowing

18:52

colours of youthful memory the marriage

18:55

pomp she remembered viewing in her

18:57

infancy, and then, turning

18:59

to subjects that had evidently made a

19:01

greater impression upon her mind, would

19:04

tell him all the supernatural tales

19:06

of her nurse. Her

19:09

earnestness and apparent belief of what

19:11

she narrated excited the interest even

19:13

of Aubrey, and often as

19:15

she told him the tale of

19:17

the living vampire, who

19:20

had past years amidst his

19:22

friends and dearest ties, forced

19:24

every year by feeding upon

19:26

the life of a lovely

19:28

female to prolong his existence

19:30

for the ensuing months. His

19:33

blood would run cold, whilst

19:35

he attempted to lather out

19:37

of such idle and horrible

19:39

fantasies. But

19:42

Ianthe cited to him the names of old men,

19:45

who had at last detected one

19:47

living among themselves, after

19:49

several of their near relatives and

19:51

children had been found marked with

19:53

the stamp of the fiend's appetite.

19:56

And when she found him so incredulous, she

19:59

begged of him to believe. her, for it

20:01

had been remarked that those who had

20:03

dared to question their existence always

20:06

had some proof given, which

20:09

obliged them with grief

20:11

and heart-breaking, to confess

20:13

it was true. She

20:16

detailed to him the traditional appearance

20:18

of these monsters, and

20:21

his horror was increased by

20:23

hearing a pretty accurate description

20:27

of Lord Rathan. He,

20:29

however, still persisted in persuading her that

20:31

there could be no truth in her

20:33

fears, though at

20:35

the same time he wondered

20:37

at the many coincidences which

20:40

had all tended to excite

20:42

a belief in the

20:44

supernatural power of Lord

20:46

Rathan. Aubrey

20:49

began to attach himself more and more to

20:51

Anthe, her innocence so contrasted

20:53

with all the affected virtues of

20:55

the women among whom he had

20:57

sought for his vision of romance,

21:00

won his heart, and while he

21:02

ridiculed the idea of a young

21:04

man of English habits marrying an

21:06

uneducated Greek girl, still

21:08

he found himself more and more attached

21:11

to the almost fairy form before him.

21:14

He would tear himself at times from her,

21:17

and forming a plan for some

21:19

antiquarian research he would depart, determined

21:21

not to return until his object

21:23

was attained. But

21:26

he always found it impossible

21:29

to fix his attention upon the ruins

21:31

around him, whilst in

21:33

his mind he retained an

21:35

image that seemed alone the rightful

21:37

possessor of his thoughts. Anthe

21:41

was as unconscious of his love,

21:43

and was ever the same frank infantile

21:45

being he had first known. She

21:48

always seemed to part from him with

21:50

reluctance, but it was because she no

21:52

longer had anyone with whom she could

21:55

visit her favorite haunts, whilst her guardian

21:57

was occupied in sketching or uncovering some

21:59

frat. fragment, which had yet escaped

22:01

the destructive hand of time. She

22:05

had appealed to her parents on the subject

22:07

of vampires, and they both,

22:09

with several present, affirmed their

22:11

existence, pale with horror at the

22:13

very name. Soon

22:15

after Aubrey determined to proceed upon one

22:18

of his excursions, which was to detain

22:20

him for a few hours. When

22:22

they heard the name of the place, they all at

22:25

once begged of him not to return at night, as

22:27

he must certainly pass through a

22:30

wood where no Greek would ever

22:32

remain after the day had closed

22:34

upon any consideration. They

22:37

described it as the resort of

22:40

vampires in their nocturnal orges, and

22:42

denounced the most heavy evils as

22:44

impending upon him who dared to

22:47

cross their path. Aubrey

22:49

made light of their representations, and tried

22:52

to laugh them out of the idea.

22:55

But when he saw them

22:57

shudder at his daring thus

22:59

to mock a superior, infernal

23:01

power, the very name of

23:03

which apparently made their blood

23:05

freeze, he was silent.

23:09

Next morning Aubrey set off

23:11

upon his excursion unattended. He

23:14

was surprised to observe the melancholy face

23:16

of his host, and was

23:18

concerned to find that his words, mocking

23:20

the belief of those horrible fiends, had

23:23

inspired them with such terror. When

23:26

he was about to depart, Ianthe came to the

23:28

side of his horse, and earnestly

23:30

begged of him to return, ere night

23:32

allowed the power of these beings to

23:34

be put in action. He

23:36

promised. He was, however,

23:39

so occupied in his research, that

23:41

he did not perceive that daylight would

23:43

soon end, and that in

23:45

the horizon there was one of

23:48

those specks which in the warmer

23:50

climates so rapidly gather into a

23:52

tremendous mass and pour all their

23:54

rage upon the devoted country. He

23:57

at last, however, mounted his horse.

24:00

determined to make up by speed for

24:02

his delay. But it was

24:04

too late. Twilight in

24:06

these southern climates is almost unknown.

24:09

Immediately the sun sets, night

24:11

begins, and ere he had

24:13

advanced far, the power of the storm

24:16

was above. Its echoing

24:18

thunders had scarcely an interval of rest,

24:21

its thick heavy rain forced its

24:23

way through the canopying foliage, whilst

24:25

the blue-forked lightnings seemed to fall

24:27

and radiate at his very feet.

24:30

Suddenly his horse took fright, and

24:32

he was carried with dreadful rapidity

24:35

through the entangled forest. The

24:37

animal at last, through fatigue, stopped, and

24:40

he found, by the glare of lightning, that

24:43

he was in the neighborhood of a

24:45

hovel that hardly lifted itself up from

24:47

the masses of dead leaves and brushwood

24:49

which surrounded it. Dismounting,

24:52

he approached, hoping

24:54

to find someone to guide him to the

24:56

town, or at least trusting to

24:58

obtain shelter from the pelting of the storm.

25:02

As he approached, the thunders, for

25:04

a moment silent, allowed

25:06

him to hear the dreadful shrieks

25:09

of a woman mingling with the

25:11

stifled exultant mockery of a laugh,

25:13

continued in one almost unbroken sound.

25:17

He was startled, but roused by the

25:19

thunder which again rolled over his head,

25:21

he, with sudden effort, forced open the

25:23

door of the hut. He

25:26

found himself in utter darkness, the

25:28

sound, however, guided him. He

25:31

was apparently unperceived, for though he called,

25:34

still the sounds continued, and

25:36

no notice was taken of him. He

25:39

found himself in contact with someone

25:41

whom he immediately seized, when a

25:43

voice cried again, baffled, to

25:46

which a loud laugh succeeded, and

25:48

he felt himself grappled by one

25:51

whose strength seemed superhuman. Determined

25:54

to sell his life as dearly as

25:56

he could, he struggled, but it

25:58

was in vain. He was lifted from

26:00

his feet and hurled with enormous force

26:02

against the ground. His

26:04

enemy threw himself upon him, and

26:07

kneeling upon his breast, had

26:09

placed his hands upon his throat. When

26:12

the glare of many torches penetrating through

26:14

the hole that gave light in the

26:16

day disturbed him, he instantly

26:19

rose and, leaving his prey, rushed through

26:21

the door, and in a moment the

26:23

crashing of the branches as he broke

26:25

through the wood was no longer heard.

26:29

The storm was now still, and

26:31

Aubrey, incapable of moving, was soon

26:34

heard by those without. They

26:36

entered, the light of their torches

26:38

fell upon the mud walls, and

26:40

the thatch loaded on every individual

26:42

straw with heavy flakes of soot.

26:46

At the desire of Aubrey, they searched for

26:48

her who had attracted him by their cries.

26:51

He was again left in darkness. But

26:54

what was his horror, when

26:56

the light of the torches once more

26:58

burst upon him, to perceive

27:01

the airy form of his

27:03

fair conductress brought in

27:06

a lifeless course? He

27:08

shut his eyes, hoping that it was

27:11

but a vision arising from

27:13

his disturbed imagination. But

27:16

he again saw the same form when

27:18

he enclosed them. Fetch'd

27:20

by his side, and there

27:23

was no colour upon her cheek, not

27:25

even upon her lip, yet.

27:29

There was a stillness about her face

27:31

that seemed almost as attaching as

27:33

the life that once dwelt there. Upon

27:37

her neck and breast was

27:39

blood, and upon

27:42

her throat were the

27:44

marks of teeth having opened the

27:46

vein. To this

27:48

the men pointed, crying, simultaneously struck

27:50

with horror, a vampire, a vampire!

27:55

A litter was quickly formed, and Aubrey was laid

27:57

by the side of her who had lately been

27:59

to him. him, the object of so

28:01

many bright and fairy visions, now fallen

28:03

with the flower of life that

28:06

had died within her. He

28:08

knew not what his thoughts were. His

28:10

mind was be numbed and seemed to

28:12

shun reflection and take refuge

28:15

in vacancy. He

28:17

held almost unconsciously in his hand

28:19

a naked dagger of

28:21

a particular construction which had been

28:23

found in the hut. They

28:26

were soon met by different parties who had

28:29

been engaged in the search of her whom

28:31

a mother had missed. Their

28:33

lamentable cries as they approached

28:36

the city forewarned the parents

28:38

of some dreadful catastrophe. To

28:41

describe their grief would

28:43

be impossible, but when

28:45

they ascertained the cause of their child's

28:47

death, they looked at Aubrey and

28:50

pointed to the course. They

28:52

were inconsolable. Both

28:55

died broken-hearted. Aubrey

29:00

being put to bed was seized by

29:02

a most violent fever and was often

29:04

delirious. In these intervals

29:06

he would call upon Lord Ruthven

29:09

and upon Ianthi by some unaccountable

29:11

combination. He seemed to beg of

29:13

his former companion to spare the

29:16

being he loved. At

29:18

other times he would implicate maladdictions

29:21

upon his head and curse him

29:23

as her destroyer. Lord

29:26

Ruthven chanced at this time to

29:28

arrive at Athens and

29:31

from whatever motive upon

29:33

hearing the state of Aubrey immediately

29:35

placed himself in the same house

29:37

and became his constant attendant. When

29:41

the latter recovered from his delirium, he

29:43

was horrified and startled by the sight

29:45

of him whose image he had now

29:48

combined with that of a vampire. But

29:51

Lord Ruthven, by his kind words,

29:53

implying almost repentance for the fault

29:55

that had caused their separation and

29:57

still more by the attention and

30:00

anxiety and care which he showed,

30:02

soon reconciled him to his presence.

30:05

His lordship seemed quite changed. He

30:08

no longer appeared that apathetic being

30:10

who had so astonished Aubrey, but

30:13

as soon as his convalescence began to

30:15

be rapid, he again gradually retired into

30:17

the same state of mind, and

30:19

Aubrey perceived no difference from the former

30:22

man, except that at

30:24

times he was surprised to meet

30:26

his gaze fixed intently upon him,

30:29

with a smile of malicious exaltation

30:31

playing upon his lips. He

30:33

knew not why, but this

30:36

smile haunted him. During

30:39

the last stages of the

30:41

invalid's recovery, Lord Ruffin was

30:43

apparently engaged in watching the

30:45

tideless waves raised by the

30:47

cooling breeze, or in

30:49

marking the progress of those orbs

30:52

circling like our world, the

30:54

moveless sun. Indeed

30:56

he appeared to wish to avoid the eyes of

30:58

all. Aubrey's

31:01

mind by this shock was much weakened,

31:04

and that elasticity of spirit which had

31:06

once so distinguished him now seemed to

31:09

have fled forever. He

31:11

was now as much a lover of solitude

31:13

and silence as Lord Ruffin, but

31:15

much as he wished for solitude, his mind

31:17

could not find it in the neighborhood of

31:19

Athens. If he sought it

31:22

amidst the ruins he had formerly frequented, Ianthe's

31:25

form stood by his side. If

31:27

he sought it in the woods, her light

31:30

step would appear wandering amidst the underwood,

31:33

in quest of the modest violet, and

31:36

then suddenly turning round would

31:38

show to his wild imagination

31:40

her pale face and

31:42

wounded throat, with a meek

31:44

smile upon her lips. He

31:46

determined to fly scenes every

31:49

feature of which created such

31:51

bitter associations in his mind.

31:53

He proposed to Lord Ruffin to whom he

31:56

held himself bound by the tender care he

31:58

had taken of him during his illness. that

32:00

they should visit those parts of Greece neither

32:02

had yet seen. They

32:04

travelled in every direction, and sought

32:06

every spot to which a recollection could be

32:09

attached. But though they thus

32:11

hastened from place to place, yet they

32:13

seemed not to heed what they gazed

32:15

upon. They heard much of

32:17

robbers, but they gradually began

32:19

to slight these reports which they

32:22

imagined were only the invention of

32:24

individuals whose interest it was to

32:26

excite the generosity of those whom

32:29

they defended from pretended dangers. In

32:32

consequence of thus neglecting the advice

32:34

of the inhabitants, on one

32:36

occasion they travelled with only

32:38

a few guards more to serve as guides

32:41

than as a defence. Upon

32:43

entering, however, a narrow defile,

32:46

at the bottom of which was the bed of a torrent, with

32:49

large masses of rock brought down from

32:51

the neighbouring precipices, they had

32:53

reason to repent their negligence, for

32:56

scarcely were the whole of the party engaged

32:58

in the narrow pass, when there was startled

33:00

by the whistling of bullets close to their

33:03

heads, and by the echoed report

33:05

of several guns. In

33:07

an instant their guards had left them,

33:09

and placing themselves behind rocks, had begun

33:11

to fire in a direction whence the

33:13

report came. Lord

33:16

Ruthven and Aubrey, imitating their example, retired

33:18

for a moment behind the sheltering turn

33:20

of the defile, but ashamed

33:23

of being thus detained by a

33:25

foe, who, with insulting shouts, bade

33:27

them advance, and being exposed

33:29

to unresisting slaughter, if any of the robbers

33:31

should climb above and take them in the

33:33

rear, they determined at once to rush forward

33:36

in search of the enemy. Hardly

33:39

had they lost the shelter of the rock when

33:41

Lord Ruthven received a shot in the shoulder,

33:44

which brought him to the ground. He

33:47

hastened his assistance, and no longer

33:49

heeding the contest or his own

33:51

peril, was soon surprised by seeing

33:53

the robbers' faces around him, his

33:55

guards having, upon Lord Ruthven's being

33:57

wounded, immediately thrown up their arms.

34:00

and surrendered. By

34:02

promises of great reward, Aubrey soon

34:04

induced them to convey his wounded

34:06

friend to a neighbouring cabin, and

34:09

having agreed upon a ransom, he

34:11

was no more disturbed by their presence,

34:13

they, being content merely to guard the

34:15

entrance to their comrade, should return with

34:17

the promised sum for which he had

34:19

an order. Lord

34:22

Ruffin's strength rapidly decreased. In

34:25

two days, mortification ensued, and

34:27

death seemed advancing with hasty

34:29

steps. His conduct

34:32

and appearance had not changed. He seemed

34:34

as unconscious of pain as he had

34:36

been of the objects around him, but

34:39

towards the close of the last evening his

34:41

mind became apparently uneasy,

34:44

and his eye often fixed upon

34:46

Aubrey, who was induced to offer

34:48

his assistance with more than usual earnestness.

34:51

Assist me, you may save me, you may

34:54

do more than that. I mean not my

34:56

life. I heed the death of

34:58

my existence as little as that of the

35:00

passing day. But you may save

35:02

my honour, your friend's honour. How?

35:06

Tell me how. I would do anything, replied

35:08

Aubrey. I need but little. My

35:11

life ebbs apace. I cannot explain the

35:13

whole, but if you would conceal all

35:15

you know of me, my honour were

35:18

free from stain in the world's mouth,

35:20

and if my death were unknown for

35:22

some time in England, I would life.

35:28

It shall not be known. Swear, cried

35:30

the dying man, raising

35:32

himself with exultant violence.

35:34

Swear by all your

35:36

soul reveres, by all your

35:39

nature fears. Swear that

35:41

for a year and a day

35:43

you will not impart your knowledge

35:45

of my crimes or death

35:48

to any living being in

35:50

any way, whatever may happen,

35:54

or whatever you

35:57

may see. His

35:59

eyes sing, burning. bursting from their sockets.

36:01

I swear, said Aubrey. He

36:03

sank, laughing upon his pillow,

36:06

and breathed no more. Aubrey

36:10

retired to rest, but did not

36:12

sleep. The many circumstances

36:14

attending his acquaintance with this man

36:16

rose upon his mind, and

36:18

he knew not why. When

36:20

he remembered his oath, a cold shivering came

36:22

over him, as if

36:24

from the presentiment of something horrible awaiting

36:27

him. Starting early

36:29

in the morning, he was about to enter the

36:31

hovel in which he had left the corpse, when

36:33

a robber met him, and informed him

36:36

that it was no longer there, having

36:38

been conveyed by himself and

36:40

comrades, upon his retiring, to

36:42

the pinnacle of a neighboring mount according

36:45

to a promise they had given his

36:47

lordship, that it should be exposed to

36:49

the first cold ray of the moon

36:51

that rose after his death. Aubrey

36:55

astonished, and taking several of the men,

36:57

determined to go and bury it upon

36:59

the spot where it lay. But

37:02

when he had mounted to the summit, he

37:04

found no trace of either the corpse or

37:06

the clothes, though the robbers swore

37:08

they pointed out the identical rock on which

37:10

they had laid the body. For

37:13

a time his mind was bewildered

37:15

in conjectures, but he had

37:17

last returned, convinced that they had buried

37:20

the corpse for the sake of the

37:22

clothes. Every

37:24

of a country in which he had met

37:26

with such terrible misfortunes, and

37:28

in which all apparently conspired to

37:30

heighten the superstitious melancholy that had

37:33

seized upon his mind, he

37:35

resolved to leave it, and

37:37

soon arrived at Smyrna. While

37:39

waiting for a vessel to convey him to

37:42

a tranto or to Naples, he

37:44

occupied himself in arranging those effects he

37:46

had with him belonging to Lord Ruffin.

37:50

Most other things, there was a case

37:52

containing several weapons of offence, more

37:54

or less adapted, to ensure the death of

37:56

the victim. There were several

37:58

daggers and ataguns. Whilst

38:00

turning them over and examining their

38:03

curious forms, what was

38:05

his surprise at finding a

38:07

sheath apparently ornamented in

38:10

the same style as the dagger discovered

38:12

in the fatal hut? He

38:14

shuddered, hastening to gain further

38:17

proof. He found the weapon, and

38:19

his horror may be imagined when

38:22

he discovered that it fitted, though

38:24

peculiarly shaped, the sheath he held

38:26

in his hand. His

38:29

eyes seemed to need no further certainty.

38:31

They seemed gazing to be bound

38:33

to the dagger, and yet

38:36

still he wished to disbelieve.

38:39

But the particular form, the same varying

38:41

tints upon the haft and sheath,

38:43

were alike in splendor on both,

38:46

and left no room for doubt. There

38:49

were also drops of blood on each. He

38:52

left Smyrna, and on his way

38:54

home at Rome his first inquiries

38:56

were concerning the lady he had

38:59

attempted to snatch from Lord Ruthven's

39:01

seductive arts. Her parents

39:03

were in distress, their fortune ruined, and

39:05

she had not been heard of since

39:07

the departure of his lordship. Aubrey's

39:10

mind became almost broken under so

39:12

many repeated horrors. He was

39:15

afraid that this lady had fallen a victim

39:17

to the destroyer of Ianthi. He

39:19

became morose and silent, and his

39:22

only occupation consisted in urging the

39:24

speed of the postilians, as

39:26

if he were going to save the life of someone

39:28

he held dear. He

39:30

arrived at Calais, a breeze which seemed obedient

39:33

to his will, soon wafted

39:35

him to the English shores, and

39:37

he hastened to the mansion of his fathers,

39:39

and there for a moment appeared to lose

39:41

in the embraces and caresses of his sister

39:44

all memory of the past. If

39:47

she before by her infantine caresses

39:49

had gained his affection, now that

39:51

the woman began to appear, she

39:53

was still more attaching as a

39:55

companion. Miss Aubrey

39:57

had not that winning grace which

39:59

retains the gaze and applause of the

40:02

drawing-room assemblies. There was

40:04

none of that light brilliancy which

40:06

only exists in the heated atmosphere

40:08

of a crowded apartment. Her

40:10

blue eye was never lit up by the

40:12

levity of the mind beneath. There

40:15

was a melancholy charm about it which

40:17

did not seem to arise from misfortune,

40:20

but from some feeling within that

40:22

appeared to indicate a sole conscious

40:25

of a brighter realm. Her

40:27

step was not that light-footing which strays

40:29

where air, a butterfly, or a colour

40:32

may attract. It was sedate

40:34

and pensive. When alone,

40:36

her face was never brightened by the

40:38

smile of joy, but when her brother

40:41

breathed to her his affection and would

40:43

in her presence forget those griefs she

40:45

knew destroyed his rest, who would have

40:47

exchanged her smile for that of the

40:50

voluptuary. It seemed as

40:52

if those eyes, that face, were then

40:54

playing in the light of their own

40:56

native sphere. She was yet

40:58

only eighteen, and had not been

41:00

presented to the world, it having

41:02

been thought by her guardians more fit

41:04

that her presentation should be delayed until

41:07

her brother's return from the continent, when

41:09

he might be her protector. It

41:11

was now, therefore, resolved that the next

41:14

drawing-room, which was fast approaching, should

41:16

be the epoch of her entry into the

41:18

busy scene. She would

41:20

rather have remained in the mansion of his father's

41:23

and feed upon the melancholy which overpowered

41:25

him. He could not

41:27

feel interest about the frivolities

41:30

of fashionable strangers when

41:32

his mind had been so torn by

41:34

the events he had witnessed, but

41:37

he determined to sacrifice his own comfort to

41:39

the protection of his sister. They

41:41

soon arrived in town and prepared for the

41:43

next day, which had been announced

41:46

as a drawing-room. The

41:48

crowd was excessive. A drawing-room had not

41:50

been held for a long time, and

41:53

all who were anxious to bask in the

41:55

smile of royalty hastened thither. Aubrey

41:57

was there with his sister while he was there. He

42:00

was standing in a corner by himself,

42:02

heedless of all around him, engaged in

42:04

the remembrance that the first time he

42:06

had seen Lord Ruffin was in that

42:08

very place. He felt

42:10

himself suddenly seized by the arm,

42:13

and a voice he recognized

42:16

too well sounded in

42:18

his ear. Remember

42:20

your oath. He

42:23

had hardly courage to turn, fearful of

42:25

seeing a spectre that would blast him.

42:28

When he perceived, at a little distance,

42:31

the same figure which had attracted

42:33

his notice on this spot on

42:35

his first entry into society. He

42:38

gazed till his limbs almost refusing to

42:41

bear their weight. He was obliged to

42:43

take the arm of a friend, and

42:46

forcing a passage through the crowd, he threw

42:48

himself into his carriage and was driven home.

42:51

He paced the room with hurried steps and

42:53

fixed his hands upon his head, as

42:56

if he were afraid his thoughts were bursting

42:58

from his brain. Lord

43:01

Ruffin again before him.

43:05

Circumstances started up in dreadful

43:07

array, the dagger. His

43:10

oath. He

43:12

roused himself. He could not believe

43:14

it possible. The dead rise again.

43:18

He thought his imagination had conjured up

43:20

the image his mind was resting upon.

43:23

It was impossible that it could be real. He

43:26

determined therefore to go again into society,

43:29

for though he attempted to ask concerning

43:31

Lord Ruffin, the name hung upon

43:33

his lips and he could

43:35

not succeed in gaining information. He

43:39

went a few nights after this with his sister

43:41

to the assembly of a near relation. Leaving

43:44

her under the protection of a matron,

43:46

he retired into a recess, and

43:49

there gave himself up to his

43:51

own devouring thoughts. Looking

43:54

at last that many were leaving, he roused

43:56

himself, and entering another room, found his sister

43:59

surrounded by a surrounded by several, apparently

44:01

in earnest conversation, he attempted to

44:03

pass and get near her, when

44:06

one, whom he requested to

44:08

move, turned round, and

44:10

revealed to him those features

44:12

he most abhorred. He

44:15

sprang forward, seized his sister's arm,

44:17

and with hurried step, forced her

44:19

towards the street. At

44:21

the door he found himself impeded by

44:24

the crowd of servants who were waiting

44:26

for their lords, and while he was

44:28

engaged in passing them, he again heard

44:31

that voice whisper close to him, Remember

44:35

your love. He

44:38

did not dare to turn, but

44:41

hurrying his sister soon reached

44:43

home. Aubrey

44:45

became almost distracted. If

44:49

before his mind had been absorbed by

44:51

one subject, how much more

44:53

completely was it engrossed, now

44:55

that the certainty of the monsters living

44:58

again pressed upon his thoughts? His

45:01

sister's attentions were now unheeded, and

45:03

it was in vain that she entreated him

45:06

to explain to her what had caused his

45:08

abrupt conduct. He only uttered

45:10

a few words, and those terrified her.

45:13

The more he thought, the more he was

45:15

bewildered. His oath startled him.

45:18

Was he then to allow this

45:20

monster to roam, bearing ruin upon

45:23

his breath, amidst all he held

45:25

dear and not avert its progress?

45:29

His very sister might have been touched by

45:31

him, but even if he

45:33

were to break his oath and disclose

45:35

his suspicions, who would

45:37

believe him? He thought of employing his own

45:39

hand to free the world from such a

45:41

wretch, but death, he remembered,

45:44

had already been mocked. For

45:46

days he remained in this state, shut up

45:48

in his room. He saw

45:50

no one, and ate only when

45:52

his sister came, who, with eyes

45:55

streaming with tears, besought him for

45:57

her sake to support nature. At

46:00

last, no longer capable of bearing

46:02

stillness and solitude, he left his

46:04

house, roamed from street to street,

46:07

anxious to fly that image which haunted him.

46:10

His dress became neglected, and he

46:12

wandered as often exposed to the

46:14

noonday sun as to the midnight

46:17

damps. He was no

46:19

longer to be recognized. At first he returned

46:21

with the evening to the house, but

46:24

at last he laid him down to

46:26

rest wherever fatigue overtook him. His

46:29

sister, anxious for his safety, employed

46:31

people to follow him, but they

46:33

were soon distanced by him who

46:35

fled from a pursuer swifter than

46:37

any from thought. His

46:40

conduct, however, suddenly changed. Struck

46:43

with the idea that he had left by

46:45

his absence the whole of his friends with

46:47

a fiend amongst them, of whose presence they

46:50

were unconscious, he determined to

46:52

enter again into society and watch

46:54

him closely, anxious to

46:56

forewarn, in spite of his oath,

46:59

all whom Lord Ruffin approached

47:01

with intimacy. But

47:03

when he entered into a room, his

47:05

haggard and suspicious looks were so

47:07

striking, his inward shuddering

47:10

so visible, that his sister

47:12

was at last obliged to beg of

47:14

him to abstain from seeking for her

47:16

sake a society which affected him so

47:18

strongly. Then,

47:20

however, remonstrance proved unavailing,

47:23

the guardians thought proper to interpose,

47:26

and fearing that his mind was

47:28

becoming alienated, they thought it high

47:30

time to resume again that trust

47:32

which had been before imposed upon

47:34

them by Aubrey's parents. Desirous

47:38

of saving him from the injuries and

47:40

sufferings he had daily encountered in his

47:42

wanderings, and of preventing him from

47:44

exposing to the general eye those marks

47:46

of what they considered folly, they engaged

47:48

a physician to reside in the house

47:50

and take constant care of him. He

47:53

Hardly appeared to notice it, so

47:56

completely was his mind absorbed by

47:58

one terrible subject. His.

48:00

Incoherence became at last so

48:02

great. That. He was confined to

48:04

his chamber. That. He

48:07

would often life for days in capable

48:09

of being roused. He. Had

48:11

become emaciated, His. Eyes had

48:13

attained a classic last. The

48:16

only sign of affection and recollection

48:18

remaining displayed itself upon the nc

48:20

of his sister. Then he would

48:22

sometimes start and seizing her hands

48:24

with looks at severely afflicted her.

48:26

He would desire not to touch.

48:28

and oh, do not Touch him.

48:31

If your love for me is ought to

48:33

not go near him. When. However,

48:35

she inquired to whom he referred.

48:38

He's only answer was true

48:40

true, And. Again, he

48:42

sank into a state when not even she

48:44

could ramps him. This.

48:47

Lasted many months gradually. However,

48:49

as the year was passing

48:51

is incoherence became less frequent.

48:54

And is mine through of a portion

48:56

of it's gloom. Whilst he's guardians observed

48:58

at several times in the day, it

49:00

would count upon his fingers a definite

49:02

number. And then smile. The.

49:06

Time had nearly elapsed when upon the

49:08

last day of the year one of

49:11

his guardians entering the room began to

49:13

converse with his physicians. Upon the melancholy

49:15

circumstances or breeze being and so awful

49:17

a situation when his sister was going

49:20

next day to be married. Instantly

49:22

ovaries attention was attracted. He

49:25

asked anxiously to whom. Glad

49:28

of this mark of returning intellect of which

49:30

they feared he had been deprived. They.

49:32

Mentioned the name of the Earl of

49:34

Marsden, thinking this was a young girl

49:37

whom he had met with society. Aubrey

49:39

seemed pleased and astonished. I'm still more

49:41

by his expressing his intention to be

49:44

present at the nuptials. And. Desiring

49:46

to see his sister. Day. Answered

49:48

not. But. In a few minutes,

49:50

his sister was with him. He. Was

49:52

apparently again capable of being affected by

49:55

the influence of had lovely smile. Press

49:58

that his breast and kissed it's. What

50:00

with tears flowing at the thought of

50:03

her brothers being once more alive to

50:05

the feelings of affection. He.

50:07

Began to speak with all his wanted warmth.

50:10

And to congratulate her upon a

50:12

marriage with a person so distinguished

50:14

for rank and every accomplishment. When.

50:16

He suddenly perceived a locket upon

50:18

her breast. Opening it.

50:21

What was his surprise at be

50:23

the features of the monster. But.

50:26

So long influenced his life.

50:28

He. Sees the portrayed in a

50:30

paroxysms of rage and trampled underfoot.

50:34

Upon her asking him why he does

50:36

destroyed the resemblance of her future husband.

50:38

He looked as if he did not understand

50:41

her. Then. Seizing her

50:43

hands and gazing on her

50:45

with frantic expression of countenance

50:47

he beta swear that he

50:49

would never wear this monster

50:51

boy He. But he

50:53

could not advance. It seemed

50:55

as if that voice again paid

50:57

him. remember his both. He

51:00

turns suddenly round, thinking Lord Ruthven

51:02

was near him. But. So no

51:04

one. In the meantime

51:06

the guardians and physician who had heard

51:09

the whole and thought this was but

51:11

a return of his disorder entered and

51:13

forcing him from miss or break decide

51:15

her to leave him. He. Fell

51:17

upon his nice to them he implored.

51:20

He begged him to delay but for

51:22

one day. They. Attributing this

51:24

to the insanity they imagined had

51:27

taken possession of his mind endeavored

51:29

to pacify him. And

51:31

retired. Load.

51:33

Ruthven had called the morning after the

51:35

Drawing Room and have been refused with

51:37

everyone else. When. He heard of

51:40

or Brazil Health He readily understood himself to

51:42

be the cause of it. But.

51:44

When he learned that he was

51:46

deemed insane, he's exaltation and pleasure

51:48

could hardly be concealed from those

51:50

among whom he had gained this

51:52

information. he hastened to

51:54

the house of his former companion and

51:57

by constant attendance and by the pretense

51:59

of affection for the brother and

52:01

interest in his fate, he gradually won

52:03

the ear of Miss Aubrey. Who

52:06

could resist his power? His

52:09

tongue had dangers and toils to

52:11

recount, could speak of himself as

52:13

of an individual having no sympathy

52:15

with any being on the crowded

52:17

earth, save with her to whom

52:19

he addressed himself, could tell how,

52:21

since he knew her, his existence

52:24

had begun to seem worthy of preservation.

52:27

If it were merely that he might listen

52:29

to her soothing accents, in

52:31

fine he knew so well how

52:34

to use the serpent's art, or

52:36

such was the will of fate that

52:39

he gained her affections. The

52:41

title of the elder branch falling at

52:43

length to him he obtained an important

52:45

embassy, which served as an excuse for

52:48

hastening to marriage, in spite of her

52:50

brother's deranged state, which was

52:52

to take place the very day before his

52:54

departure for the continent. Aubrey,

52:57

when he was left by the

52:59

physician and his guardians, attempted to

53:01

bribe the servants, but in vain. He

53:04

asked for pen and paper, it was given

53:06

him. He wrote a letter

53:08

to his sister, conjuring her as

53:10

she valued her own happiness, her

53:13

own honour, and the honour of

53:15

those now in the grave who

53:17

once held her in their arms

53:19

as their hope and the hope

53:21

of their house, to delay but

53:23

for a few hours that marriage

53:25

on which he denounced the most

53:27

heavy curses. The

53:29

servants promised they would deliver it, but

53:31

giving it to the physician, he thought

53:34

it better not to harass any more the

53:36

mind of Miss Aubrey by what he

53:38

considered the deravings of a maniac. Night

53:41

passed on without rest to the

53:43

busy inmates of the house, and

53:46

Aubrey heard, with a

53:48

horror that may more easily be

53:50

conceived than described, the

53:53

notes of busy preparation. Morning

53:56

came, And the sound of carriages

53:58

broke upon his ear. Aubrey.

54:00

Grew almost frantic. The.

54:03

Curiosity of the servants at last

54:05

overcame their vigilance. They gradually stole

54:07

away, leaving him in the custody

54:09

of a helpless old woman. He.

54:12

Seized the opportunity with one bound,

54:14

was out of the room and

54:16

in a moment found himself in

54:18

the apartments were all my name.

54:21

He assembled. Lord Ruthven

54:23

was the first to perceive him.

54:26

He. Immediately approached and taking his

54:28

arm by force hurried him

54:30

from the rooms speechless with

54:33

rage. When. On the

54:35

staircase, Lord Rough and whispered in

54:37

his ear. Remember.

54:39

Your oath and know

54:41

if not my bride

54:44

to day your sister

54:46

is dishonored. Women:

54:48

Are. So.

54:51

Saying he pushed him towards his attendance

54:53

who aroused by the old woman had

54:55

come in search of him. Aubrey.

54:57

Could no longer support himself. His.

55:00

Rage not finding vent had broken a

55:02

blood vessels and he was conveyed to

55:04

bed. This. Was not mentioned

55:06

to his sister who was not present

55:09

when he entered as the physician was

55:11

afraid of agitating her. The

55:14

marriage was solemn, nice, And.

55:16

The bride and bridegroom left

55:19

London. Or. Breeze

55:21

weakness increased. The. A fusion

55:23

of blood produced symptoms of the

55:25

near approach of death. He.

55:28

Desired his sister's guardians might be

55:30

cold. And. When the midnight

55:32

ah had struck. He. Related

55:34

composedly what the reader

55:37

has perused. He

55:39

died immediately asked. The.

55:43

Guardians haste in to protect

55:45

me celebrate. But.

55:47

When they arrived. It

55:50

was too late. Lord.

55:52

Ruff and. Had. Disappeared.

55:55

And. Aubrey sister. Had.

55:58

Glutted the first. So

56:18

that was the Vampire by Dr.

56:21

John Paul Ii. Dory I'm. Published.

56:24

In Eighteen Nineteen. First of all,

56:27

And. Considered the first. Vampire

56:29

Story although the had been references to bumpers

56:32

in European literature before that. but this is

56:34

the first kind of snow on Novel is

56:36

too short. It's a short story really any.

56:39

Well let me say something about John William

56:41

Poly Dory. An Italian, English position

56:43

and writer Born in Seventy Nine to

56:45

five. He. Was a note will figure

56:47

associated with the romantic movement. As

56:50

the eldest son of Gaetano Poly

56:52

Dorian Italian scholar and Anna Maria

56:54

Pierce a governess call it already

56:56

was exposed intellectual pursuits from young

56:58

age. he received his medical degree

57:00

from the University of Edinburgh in

57:02

eighteen sixteen. At the remarkably young

57:04

age of nineteen. As

57:06

own think he's only four years

57:09

older when And The Vampire is

57:11

produced Published. And Polydor

57:13

is literally. talents and connections led

57:15

him to service personal physician to

57:17

the renowned eccentric. How

57:19

it. Lord Byron embarking on the

57:22

European to with him and eighteen sixteen.

57:25

During their travels poly Door he found himself

57:27

in the company of other literary luminaries. including.

57:30

Mary Shelley and Percy Be Shelley. The.

57:32

Permit and Mary Koss is a

57:34

writer Frankenstein. He was during

57:36

this time at the Villa dear.e by Lake

57:39

Geneva that the idea of the bumper he

57:41

took took shape. inspired by a fragment of

57:43

a story by Lord Byron. Well.

57:45

Apparently the story goes it was. It was

57:47

a very bad winter and something to do.

57:49

I was looking at the sit there with

57:51

them and an eruption of I a volcano

57:53

in Iceland. That cast. Volcanic

57:56

ash into the sky and made them

57:58

that winter That summer. The

58:00

dismal in Europe: Cold and

58:02

wet. So. An

58:05

Advil A D A Dirty This

58:07

Lord Byron of as John Paul

58:09

Dory am married to Shelley. And

58:11

Mary Shelley, well as craft.

58:15

The writer of spying Son's

58:17

Already Said and Percy Best,

58:19

the famous dramatic poet. They're

58:21

all saying that And day

58:23

at were reading a German

58:25

book of macabre stories. Called.

58:27

The Phantasmagoria. And cannot

58:30

phantasmagoria Phantasmagoria. I think

58:32

it was. And. This apparently.

58:34

Yeah, At some point Shelley rushes out

58:36

the room and the got to find

58:38

him undies kind of crying by the

58:41

window and he's been so overwhelmed by

58:43

the grotesque stories. Any way, the that

58:45

doesn't put them off and they decide

58:47

to reach gonna write a story in.

58:49

Byron did a bit but never finished.

58:52

It was just a fragment polydor he

58:54

wrote the Vampire and a merry when

58:56

often wrote Frankenstein. My opinion,

58:58

The both published and send published eighteen

59:00

nineteen. Am The Vampire

59:03

published and Eighteen Nineteen. And

59:05

then I saw. A

59:07

better Story. Anyway, let's

59:09

go on. To that the having

59:12

this party and it turns out they're

59:14

all gonna write the so. Later on

59:16

in April eighteen nineteen in a new

59:19

monthly magazine, The Vampire was published but

59:21

falsely attributed to Lord Byron. Know Mary

59:23

Shelley in her introduction to M. Frankenstein

59:26

alludes to this famous poet by a

59:28

who she did mentions clearly Byron's and

59:30

says he the story would probably be

59:33

better received it it was in his

59:35

name but it wasn't an obsolete poly

59:37

Dory has the same idea or his

59:40

publisher. And this miss

59:42

attribution persisted for years. confusing confusion

59:44

of the true authorship of the

59:46

story. It. He said that Poly

59:48

Dorries a lot worse than. He

59:51

can say different ways, but apparently

59:53

a of. On the internet.

59:56

In. Glasgow they caught they say respond.

59:58

So. They don't say ruff. like Miseo,

1:00:01

Raufan, Raufan, rolling

1:00:03

their eyes very heroically. So

1:00:11

remember, let's talk about the poetry that

1:00:13

existed before. This is the first vampire

1:00:15

story, but what existed before? So

1:00:18

what we have is Byron's Own, 1813, the giào,

1:00:20

I don't know how to say that,

1:00:24

the giào, it's not a word we use around

1:00:26

here. And then in 1810, there was the vampire

1:00:30

by John Stagg and their

1:00:33

vampir in 1748 by

1:00:35

Heinrich August Ostenfelder. So,

1:00:38

you know, there were poems about

1:00:40

vampires, but Polydores was the first.

1:00:44

And Byron was a famous womanizer.

1:00:46

I mean, if you read, there's a

1:00:48

lot of stuff said about Byron. People

1:00:50

either loved him or they hated him, but

1:00:53

certainly his life was beset by scandals,

1:00:56

lots of sexual escapades, liaisons with

1:00:58

both men and women, allegations of cruelty

1:01:01

and immorality and speculations about his

1:01:03

involvement in other scandals of the

1:01:05

time. Even accusations of

1:01:07

a relationship with his half sister,

1:01:09

Augusta Lee, he had a very

1:01:11

flamboyant lifestyle. He was a bit of a recluse

1:01:13

at one point, he lived on the island of

1:01:15

Mitalini for a while and would sail around the

1:01:17

islands in his falukka. In

1:01:20

one of the books I was reading, there was a

1:01:22

little reference to some British sea captains

1:01:24

who'd gone there looking for him. They

1:01:26

didn't know, they hadn't, of course, child

1:01:28

Harold was his big success. And

1:01:30

they didn't know about him because they'd been at sea

1:01:33

for many years away from England. And

1:01:35

it turned out that this guy,

1:01:37

Byron, was locally thought to

1:01:40

be very generous. He bought a boat for

1:01:42

a Greek fisherman who'd lost his boat. He

1:01:44

used to give New

1:01:46

Testaments in Greek to the

1:01:49

locals. He paid people very

1:01:51

generously. He was well

1:01:53

thought of. So there

1:01:56

we are. A Marmite figure, as I say, you either love him or

1:01:58

you hate him, I was going to... comparing to certain

1:02:00

political figures these days and I thought,

1:02:02

you know what Tony, it ain't worth

1:02:05

it the amount of problems

1:02:08

that will cause you. So we won't do that

1:02:10

and we won't do that. But

1:02:13

either way, you know, some people think he

1:02:15

was great, some people think he was not.

1:02:17

The character of Ruthven in the story is

1:02:20

not very flattering at all, is it? It's

1:02:22

also pretty one dimensional. We don't learn much

1:02:24

about Ruthven. So if we come to look

1:02:26

at the story itself, the

1:02:29

best bits are the

1:02:31

more dramatised bits of Aubrey's madness

1:02:33

towards the end. And that's

1:02:36

because we have some for the first time

1:02:38

reported speech. That is for

1:02:40

me the most alive part of it. I

1:02:42

thought the ending these days you wouldn't, they

1:02:45

wouldn't like that ending. Your publisher wouldn't want

1:02:47

that ending at all. It would have to

1:02:49

resolve in some way. But the

1:02:54

story also, so it has failings. But remember,

1:02:56

this is early days in

1:02:58

the history of fiction

1:03:01

writing. So, you know, fair

1:03:03

play to John Polidori really.

1:03:06

He introduces, I mean, so

1:03:09

yeah, just the Byron thing,

1:03:11

this seductive, immoral nobleman

1:03:13

is that Lord Byron. Well, Polidori should know

1:03:15

because he spent a lot of time with

1:03:18

him and it's very interesting that he appears

1:03:20

to be the Aubrey character doesn't he? In

1:03:22

some ways, I'm not saying, you know, he

1:03:24

had a tragic life. He actually is

1:03:28

thought to have killed himself, you know, in

1:03:31

the end. Apparently,

1:03:35

Lady Caroline Lamb had written a novel called

1:03:37

Glen Arvin and she had a character called

1:03:40

Lord Ruthven based on

1:03:43

Byron. So those reading it

1:03:46

in the know might have realized that he was talking about Byron.

1:03:49

Turns out that on the tour,

1:03:52

Byron dismissed Polidori and after that Polidori

1:03:54

travelled to Italy, of course, where his

1:03:56

dad was from and then returned to

1:03:58

England. And we know that

1:04:00

the Van Poet was published in the

1:04:02

April 1819 edition of the new monthly

1:04:04

magazine without his permission apparently.

1:04:08

Yeah, so I don't know the details of that

1:04:10

honestly. Whilst in London he lived

1:04:12

and died in Great Pulteney Street in Soho. Well,

1:04:16

they say he's chagrin. Apparently Byron had

1:04:18

said when they said, did you write the Van

1:04:21

Poet? He said, I desire the rights to nobody's

1:04:23

dullness other than my own. He

1:04:25

later wrote a poem,

1:04:28

a theological poem called The

1:04:30

Fall of Angels published anonymously

1:04:32

in 1821. He

1:04:35

died in August 1821, still a

1:04:37

very young man, weighed down by depression

1:04:39

and gambling deaths. Despite

1:04:41

the strong evidence that he committed suicide

1:04:43

by means of rustic acid, the coroner

1:04:45

gave a verdict of death by natural

1:04:49

causes. His sister, Francis

1:04:51

Polidori, married exiled Italian scholar

1:04:53

Gabriela Rossetti and so John

1:04:55

is the uncle of Maria

1:04:57

Francesco Rossetti, Dante Gabriel Rossetti,

1:04:59

William Michael Rossetti and Christina

1:05:01

Rossetti. Christina Rossetti, all

1:05:04

those poems, Dante Gabriel,

1:05:06

of course, the pre-Raph night

1:05:08

dude. His sister Charlotte

1:05:10

made a transcription of his diaries but

1:05:12

censored pecan't passages and destroyed the original

1:05:15

so we'll never know. The

1:05:18

diary John Polidori was published in 1911. So

1:05:22

he had the dirt on Lord

1:05:24

Byron but Byron

1:05:28

had the advantage over him.

1:05:31

So what I said, I was kind of talking about

1:05:33

the structure of the story. A lot

1:05:35

of its exposition to begin with, it

1:05:37

would have been much better if it was dramatized. It

1:05:39

would have much more lively and grabbed your attention more

1:05:42

but they hadn't learned to do that then,

1:05:44

you know? And

1:05:47

the best bit, I think, I quite

1:05:49

like the dramatic scene where

1:05:52

he finds A anthe dead murdered

1:05:55

by this monstrous Lord

1:05:58

Ruffin in the wood. And

1:06:00

then, I mean, I say I like it, don't get me

1:06:02

wrong, I think that was quite gripping. And

1:06:04

then towards the end, as I said, he's

1:06:06

madness when he finds out, you

1:06:09

know, this Earl of Marsden,

1:06:11

whatever his name was, he's in for Lord Ruthman. What's

1:06:14

interesting is there's certain features like a year and

1:06:16

a day. He's bound by the oath for a

1:06:18

year and a day. That is very much reminiscent

1:06:20

of fairy and folk

1:06:22

tales. That is the bargain. It's always a year and a day.

1:06:25

And the other thing to remember

1:06:28

about this, until this, the vampire

1:06:30

is a horrid, bloodsucking, undead monster

1:06:32

that lives, it's corrupt, it's filthy,

1:06:34

it stinks, it's not an aristocratic

1:06:37

lord. So, the whole

1:06:39

idea of the vampire being

1:06:41

cool and sexy, it goes

1:06:43

from through Dracula, you know, at the

1:06:46

end of the 19th century, nearly,

1:06:49

not quite 100, but 70 odd years later, and then

1:06:53

sort of the Twilight series, where

1:06:56

you have Edward, the sexy vampire,

1:06:58

and even, and Rice's sexy vampires,

1:07:00

you know. This

1:07:03

is Poledori. This is Ozita Poledori.

1:07:05

So that's a really important thing

1:07:07

that he introduced, which we've

1:07:10

never, that actually caught the

1:07:12

imagination, the 1820s in

1:07:15

the Western world, the English-speaking

1:07:17

world. There was an absolute

1:07:19

explosion of stories and plays

1:07:21

and everything. There was even an unauthorized

1:07:26

sequel to the vampire produced in

1:07:28

French. And of

1:07:30

course, then we have Vani

1:07:32

the Vampire of the Penny

1:07:35

Dreadfuls. So the Penny Dreadfuls were

1:07:37

the mid-century, very cheap,

1:07:40

very low-quality stories produced

1:07:42

for the newly literate

1:07:44

working class. And

1:07:46

they would just plagiarize the writers. They

1:07:48

had to produce tons of

1:07:50

material. But I've got a copy of Vani the Vampire. It's 700

1:07:52

pages long. And

1:07:55

the plot loses itself along the way,

1:07:58

because it was like a modern soap

1:08:00

opera. remember Dynasty, Dynasty, how

1:08:02

they would, you know, it turned

1:08:04

out it was all a dream, people died, it was all a dream,

1:08:06

it was that kind of nonsense, you know, they had to, in Vani

1:08:09

the Vampire and the Penny Dreadfuls, and

1:08:11

Polidori appears in that, and the

1:08:13

story is plagiarised. So I think the great,

1:08:16

but there was something about that

1:08:19

sexy, seductive aristocrat tagged

1:08:21

on to the monster. The

1:08:23

vampire itself, I don't think

1:08:25

without Polidori would have caught on, it was just

1:08:27

another ghoul type thing, you know, it would have

1:08:29

been the preserve of

1:08:31

people who love that kind

1:08:33

of horror, gravy, undead,

1:08:36

smelly, horrible things, smelly,

1:08:38

don't wash, urgh, you

1:08:40

know, whereas the vampire

1:08:43

after that became a sexy dude. The

1:08:45

thing about other

1:08:47

things that don't appear, he's

1:08:49

revived from his death so he can be

1:08:52

killed, but he is

1:08:54

revived by the moon. Vani the Vampire is exactly

1:08:56

the same, so of course, that

1:08:58

never picked up really, that one, Vani has

1:09:00

it, 1845, Polidori has it, 1819, but the

1:09:02

revived by Moonlight

1:09:09

doesn't really pick up, of course the moon

1:09:11

is always associated with Hecate and black magic

1:09:14

and all of those things, I think, you're

1:09:17

wrong Lee, you know, the poor old moon, but

1:09:21

obviously to the sun of course, but oh

1:09:23

yeah, that's obvious, isn't it?

1:09:26

So yes, that's it, he's

1:09:29

basically alive, he's not frightened of

1:09:31

sunlight, that actually only

1:09:33

comes in in Nosferatu in the

1:09:35

black and white Murnau

1:09:38

film, German expressionist film from the

1:09:40

1920s that he

1:09:42

can't live in sunlight, we think that's obvious

1:09:44

now, if you ever have a vampire, what

1:09:46

was that watching? Oh, that's doing, it was

1:09:48

playing at Baldur's Gate, the D&D

1:09:51

video game and Astarian in that

1:09:54

as a vampire and all

1:09:56

the vampires burn in the sunlight, not him, but

1:09:58

I'm not going to spoil the game for you. you, but all

1:10:01

the spawn burn in the sunlight. And

1:10:03

it rides through, isn't it? They all

1:10:05

burn in the sunlight, but that didn't

1:10:07

come in with Polidori. That was Nosferatu

1:10:10

from the 1920s. The

1:10:12

idea that you need an invitation to come into a

1:10:14

house is Bram Stoker. The idea that

1:10:16

he doesn't cast, the vampire doesn't cast

1:10:18

a reflection, I think is also Bram

1:10:21

Stoker, somebody may point me out. So

1:10:23

this one, Lord Ruffin, doesn't have those

1:10:25

things. He is physical, he can die,

1:10:27

he's not frightened of sunshine, he doesn't

1:10:30

need to be invited, he doesn't

1:10:32

need, he leaves, it's not said

1:10:34

that he leaves a

1:10:37

reflection, but it's not said that he doesn't either.

1:10:39

So I think we presume he does.

1:10:41

So this is the

1:10:44

story of the vampire. But I think

1:10:46

Polidori's key gift to

1:10:48

the world, if you like, or gift to lots of people

1:10:50

making a lot of money. Bram

1:10:52

Stoker didn't make a lot of money out of vampire. People

1:10:54

have made a ton of money afterwards, but he

1:10:57

didn't. For copyright

1:10:59

reasons, I think, or, you know, deals with

1:11:01

these publishers, say copyright, but contract reasons is

1:11:03

what I mean. So there we go. So,

1:11:06

you know, forgive it, it's a very

1:11:08

early story, 1819. We've done early stuff

1:11:10

like this before. It is an acquired

1:11:12

taste, I think. But if

1:11:15

you want to understand Gothic

1:11:18

literature and vampire literature,

1:11:21

it's a must, must read or must listen

1:11:23

to it. I hope you enjoyed it. I'm not

1:11:27

going to say how naughty the dogs have

1:11:29

been today, but they have been. So we'll

1:11:31

leave that for another

1:11:33

time. Okay, I hope you're all well. Spread

1:11:36

the word, tell your

1:11:38

friends. And

1:11:41

if you want ad-free, I think I said at

1:11:43

some point, you want ad-free stories, you can

1:11:45

become a patron. And if you become

1:11:47

a patron, I've got a link to my Google Drive,

1:11:49

and I have all the stories with no ads, and

1:11:51

you can download them, and you can do what you

1:11:53

want with them. You can listen to them, you can

1:11:55

copy them, whatever. So consider

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becoming a patron. you

1:12:00

can then listen to all the stories at

1:12:03

free, at your leisure, many times

1:12:07

if you wanted to. you

1:13:30

you Thank

1:14:06

you.