t
is just this, that Sir Francis Varney, whoever he is and whatever he is,
is after Bannerworth Hall, and not the Bannerworth family. If you
recollect, Mr. Chillingworth, in our conversation, I have always
insisted upon that fact."

"You have; and it seems to me to be completely verified by the
proceedings of the night. There, then, admiral, is the great
mystery--what can he want at Bannerworth Hall that makes him take such a
world of trouble, and run so many fearful risks in trying to get at it?"

"That is, indeed, the mystery; and if he really means this invitation to
breakfast, I shall ask him plumply, and tell him, at the same time, that
possibly his very best way to secure his object will be to be candid,
vampyre as he is."

"But really, admiral, you do not still cling to that foolish
superstition of believing that Sir Francis Varney is in reality a
vampyre?"

"I don't know, and I can't say; if anybody was to give me a description
of a strange sort of fish that I had never seen, I wouldn't take upon
myself to say there wasn't such a thing; nor would you, doctor, if you
had really seen the many odd ones that I have encountered at various
times."

"Well, well, admiral, I'm certainly not belonging to that school of
philosophy which declares the impossible to be what it don't understand;
there may be vampyres, and there may be apparitions, for all I know to
the contrary; I only doubt these things, because I think, if they were
true, that, as a phenomena of nature, they would have been by this time
established by repeated instances without the possibility of doubt or
cavil."

"Well, there's something in that; but how far have we got to go now?"

"No further than to yon enclosure where you see those park-like looking
gates, and that cedar-tree stretching its dark-green foliage so far into
the road; that is Walmesley Lodge, whither you have been invited."

"And you, my learned friend, recollect that you were invited too; so
that you are no intruder upon the hospitality of Varney the vampyre."

"I say, admiral," said Mr. Chillingworth, when they reached the gates,
"you know it is not quite the thing to call a man a vampyre at his own
breakfast-table, so just oblige me by promising not to make any such
remark to Sir Francis."

"A likely thing!" said the admiral; "he knows I know what he is, and he
knows I'm a plain man and a blunt speaker; however, I'll be civil to
him, and more than that I can't promise. I mus