ek, and expected to be beaten down to two, to be then told
that he would not have cared if it had been eight. It is enough to
aggravate a saint."

"Well, I agree with you there," said another; "that's just what it is,
and I only wonder that a man of your sagacity has not quite understood
it before."

"Understood what?"

"Why, that he is a vampyre. He has heard of Sir Francis Varney, that's
the fact, and he's come to see him. Birds of a feather, you know, flock
together, and now we shall have two vampyres in the town instead of
one."

[Illustration]

The party looked rather blank at this suggestion, which, indeed, seemed
rather uncomfortable probably. The landlord had just opened his mouth to
make some remark, when he was stopped by the violent ringing of what he
now called the vampyre's bell, since it proceeded from the room where
the Hungarian nobleman was.

"Have you an almanack in the house?" was the question of the mysterious
guest.

"An almanack, sir? well, I really don't know. Let me see, an almanack."

"But, perhaps, you can tell me. I was to know the moon's age."

"The devil!" thought the landlord; "he's a vampyre, and no mistake. Why,
sir, as to the moon's age, it was a full moon last night, very bright
and beautiful, only you could not see it for the clouds."

"A full moon last night," said the mysterious guest, thoughtfully; "it
may shine, then, brightly, to-night, and if so, all will be well. I
thank you,--leave the room."

"Do you mean to say, sir, you don't want anything to eat now?"

"What I want I'll order."

"But you have ordered nothing."

"Then presume that I want nothing."

The discomfited landlord was obliged to leave the room, for there was no
such a thing as making any answer to this, and so, still further
confirmed in his opinion that the stranger was a vampyre that came to
see Sir Francis Varney from a sympathetic feeling towards him, he again
reached the bar-parlour.

"You may depend," he said, "as sure as eggs is eggs, that he is a
vampyre. Hilloa! he's going off,--after him--after him; he thinks we
suspect him. There he goes--down the High-street."

The landlord ran out, and so did those who were with him, one of whom
carried his brandy and water in his hand, which, being too hot for him
to swallow all at once, he still could not think of leaving behind.

It was now gelling rapidly dark, and the mysterious stranger was
actually proceeding towards the lane to keep his a