CHAPTER V.

'O Love! O fire! once he drew

With one long kiss my whole soul through

My lips, as sunlight drinketh dew.'-TENNYSON.

'My darling Ralph!' said Birdie to him, after the excitement of the day had subsided, and they were quietly enjoying a chat together in Sir Manfred's library, 'how much the Undone Vortex is like me!'

Ralph did not say a word. He did not try to make out what she meant. All he did was to kiss her warm, pretty little hand, as it lay upon her lovely lap.

Yes, Ralph,' she said, all in a flutter, 'it is,' and sighed. Ralph would not say, 'Don't, darling Birdie! what ever do you mean?' for Ralph Osborne loved truly Lady Beatrice.

He did not stir, but kissed most fondly. Then she looked sad, and no longer let her pretty little hand recline so snugly. That moment all was changed! Ralph could not rest his head, nor speak-for Birdie's face looked grave.

He gazed into those eyes. 'I'm like the Undone Vortex,' Birdie said again. Ralph watched her changeful countenancehe knelt at Beauty's feet. She bade him rise.

E'en

No, no!' cried he, with upraised arms. 'Unsay those words;' adding confusedly, 'I know well what you mean! were it true, my lovely child, I'd crave your deep, pure love for evermore. Now let me lay my head, my hand, my heart again where none have been before!'

CHAPTER VI.

'But thou, false Infidel! shalt writhe
Beneath avenging Monkir's scythe;
And from its torment 'scape alone,
To wander round lost Eblis' throne;
And fire unquenched, unquenchable,
Around, within, thy heart shall dwell;
Nor ear can hear nor tongue can tell,
The tortures of that inward hell!
But first, on Earth as Vampyre sent,
Thy corse shall from its tomb be rent;
Then ghastly haunt thy native place,
And suck the blood of all thy race;
Then from thy daughter, sister, wife,

At midnight drain the stream of life;
Yet loathe the banquet which perforce
Must feed thy livid, living corse:
Thy victims, ere they yet expire,
Shall know the demon for their sire,
As cursing thee, thou cursing them,
Thy flowers are withered on the stem.
But one that for thy crime must fall,
The youngest, most beloved of all,
Shall bless thee with a father's name-
That word shall wrap thy heart in flame!
Yet must thou end thy task, and mark
Her cheek's last tinge, her eye's last spark,
And the last glassy glance must view,
Which freezes o'er its lifeless blue;
Then with unhallowed hand shall tear
The tresses of her yellow hair,

Of which in life a lock when shorn
Affection's fondest pledge was worn;
But now is borne away by thee,
Memorial of thine agony !

Wet with thine own best blood shall drip

Thy gnashing tooth and haggard lip;
Then stalking to thy sullen grave

Go-and with Ghouls and Afrits rave;

Till these in horror shrink away

From Spectre more accursed than they !'-BYRON.

EARLY the next morning Loud Park was filled again as on the previous day, for owing to the number of the speakers the meeting had been adjourned. After the usual preliminaries, Sir Manfred begged the leniency of the assembled host while he endeavoured briefly to inform them as to the real character and attributes of Vampyres. He was in excellent form; the wind, which had during the night veered to the south, having brought with it the balmy atmosphere which induces sleep. Like a giant refreshed he had risen therefore.

Disclaiming all personal intentions and motives he would, he said, still endeavour to be faithful and just. 'My friends,' said he, with the ponderous voice and manner for which he was so remarkable, and with that frowning attitude to which his prominent bushy eyebrows so largely contributed, 'I shall be short.' (Cries of Don't!' 'Go on!') 'Undone city yet smokes with unquenchable flames-still resounds with unearthly sounds which appal the heart of man! Yet Retribution dallies! If Backaway has slain its thousands, will not Fleasaway destroy its tens of thousands? You have threatened to uproot this Upas-tree. Threaten no longer! Act, and delay not! Decree, by the irresistible pressure of your opinion, the downfall of an Institation fraught with the Shipwreck and Shame of myriads of

Victims, each of whom began life ardent and enthusiastic, but by devilish arts has been encouraged and beckoned on in Gambling instead of deterred in the Path of Ruin. Then shall Retribution, long delayed, but swift and sure, borne aloft on the wings of Eternal Justice, henceforth have her sway!

'Vampyres,' continued he, reading from a pamphlet he held in his hand, approach by night, for the purpose of sucking human blood! Their bite is so subtle that the wounded do not feel it before the bed, covered with blood, gives token of the wound. So great a quantity of blood flows from the envenomed bite that it can only be stopped with difficulty, and the peril is imminent. Knowing by instinct that the person they intend to attack is in a sound slumber, they generally alight near the feet, when, while the creature continues fanning with its enormous wings, which keeps one cool, he bites a piece out of the tip of the great toe, so very small indeed that the head of a pin could scarcely be received into the wound, which is consequently not painful; yet through this orifice he continues to suck the blood, until he is obliged to disgorge. He then begins again, and thus continues sucking and disgorging till he is scarcely able to fly, and the sufferer has often been known to sleep from Time into Eternity. Those who are destroyed in this way become Vampyres Ladies screamed and young girls fainted.

I had been observing a gray-headed old man, who, during the last few words of Sir Manfred's speech, had appeared very uneasy in his mind, look, as I thought, up at me; but this could not be. Then he took out his watch (it was 'account' day), and placing it quite close to his eyes, and regarding it for a second, returned it to his pocket. Every now and then he shook his head with a nervous twitch. Up went his eyeglass again, and straight at me he bent his gaze. I was not a clock !-what could be the meaning of it? Shaking his head now faster than ever, and raising and depressing his eyebrows, and turning up the corners of his mouth with great rapidity, he all at once made a spasmodic attempt to move from where he stood, and fell down a corpse! It was afterwards found he had died from heart disease. He stood to lose four thousand pounds that 'account,' and had nothing to meet it with but a drained brandyflask in one pocket, a loaded pistol in a second, and a bottle of poison in a third !

Sir Manfred went on: The only manner of getting rid of such unwholesome visitors is to disinter their bodies, to pierce them with a stake cut from a green tree, to cut off their heads, and to burn their hearts. Lying in their graves they suck and

chew their winding-sheets.' (Intense sensation.) 'It is therefore necessary to place under their chins a piece of green turf, in order that they may not be able to reach the sheets with their teeth, and to bind their hands that they may not turn about in their coffins. Yet, notwithstanding all means used to destroy their bodies, they resume their shapes and recommence their mischievous wanderings as soon as the rays of moonlight fall on their graves! (Shrieks of horror and despair were heard to proceed from a phalanx of Vortex brokers.) And yet,' added Sir Manfred plaintively, turning to the Vortex-brokers' wives, who sat all together, 'you call such creatures by the endearing name of husband, brother, son! If husband, you ride side by side in your well-appointed carriage, which travels on the wheels of Death, whose axles are greased with the marrow of his victims ! You never give one moment's consideration to them! They feed your table! Yes,' repeated Sir Manfred in his most ponderous tones, victims feed you! Perhaps you glory in it!' (Here seventeen Vortex-brokers' wives and daughters fainted.) 'I don't say you do,' said he, softening at the sight, 'but the fact remains. Victims clothe those innocent children, the delights of your eyes! Innocent did I say? What, with their father a Vampyre their mother a Vampyre's consort! An innocent brood of Vampyres! A Vampyre babe-born from a Vampyre wife grown to a Vampyre child-developed into A VAMPYRE GIRL!'

6

That laugh, sir, was not Sir Manfred's-it was Spectral, it was hollow,—it was mine. No one else dared to laugh. At the ghastly picture he had drawn the whole of that vast assemblage shuddered as one mass. Everybody looked dreadful in their big emotion; handkerchiefs and salts were in great request. I thought I saw-but in the excitement it was impossible to be certain several hundreds of young girls in convulsions. Fortyfive old men— -God bless 'em!—were bent double. Brandy, which the thoughtful Sir Manfred had ordered to be upon the spot, was freely administered. Sir Manfred had certainly risen to the occasion; I had to rise to mine. His knee-cap was nowhere, and the first burst of sensational applause carried him with it a long way down the platform. He fell at Birdie's feet, and would very soon have made a fool of himself, I make no doubt, had not a pretty little girl tripped up on to the platform, and, kissing a button-hole, presented it to him. Before he could make his acknowledgments she had darted off again, and given

Ralph a rose. Lady Beatrice kissed little Grace Goodheart, as she said, 'Papa's on your side, dear Ralph; but, oh, don't let us hear any more of those dreadful horrid things again! You won't, will you now?' Ralph kissed her little hand ten times, and Lady Beatrice blushed and kissed the little thing over and over again; but she was only ten, and Ralph was nearly forty.

CHAPTER VII.

'There was but one beloved face on earth,
And that was shining on him; he had looked
Upon it till it could not pass away;

He had no breath, no being, but in hers.
She was his voice; he did not speak to her,
But trembled on her words;

she was his life,

The ocean to the river of his thoughts,
which terminated all.'-BYRON.

I MUST have been absent half an hour.

listened to Ralph's speech.

When I returned I

She says, and her voice is sweetest music to the ear, "You're but a stripling, Ralph, only a ruddy-faced youth; but aim at that Goliath !"'

The silence grew impressive. Nothing now was heard but the faint click of the telegraphs.

'My friends,' said Ralph with deep emotion, while a profound movement agitated the vast assemblage.

6

Hush, hush!' all cried; the rising cheer was stayed. His frame was quivering as he proceeded.

She's by my side!'

'You've heard of Birdie! And if ever mortal looked immortal, Birdie did just then. Her lips trembled, and her wondrous features paled as he proceeded :

'Birdie has given me a sling; it's in my hand. The pebble's from the brook-its aim is sure; while SHE has another and yet another waiting to destroy the hydra-headed monster!'

In vain now they called, 'Hush! order!' &c. When they had had their say, Ralph pointed to the skies.

'The things she heard up there,' he said, ' about the "bulls" and "bears" astonished even me-a Veteran Victim! But she is down again, and she will help you, if you will only help yourselves.' Again I left to view the scene. On my return the passion was full upon him. Gentle creatures were sobbing and hiding their As I advanced, he said,

lovely faces too.