rse never been in that vault at all, and the brothers, although they had descended into it upon the occasion, nearly a year before

knows around him lie, in the calmness of death, those in whose veins have flowed kindred blood to him-who bore the same name, and who preceded him in the b

ons. Both were reflective, imaginative, educated young men, and, as the light from the wax candle fl

o much delicacy to interrupt a train of thought which, although from having no affinity with the dead who lay around, they

rge," he said, "and not for rom

nd he advanced a step towa

for there seem to be nearly twenty," said M

know, were made of marble, and others of metal, both of which materials, I

amine," sa

ich the coffins were placed, so that there could not be much diffi

s" had been more busy than they could have imagined, and that whatever they

the plates that had borne them had fallen on to the floor of the va

they did not examine, because they could not have any

have rotted away among those coffins where we might expect to

e," said Marchdale, ta

h, who, upon an inspection of it

elonged to the

says

duke Bannerworth, Yeoman. Go

his coffin," said Henry, "an

ow can we tell to which of the coffins that

was once fond of, entered many vaults, and I have always observed that an inner coffin of metal was sound and good, w

" said Henry, "how does that assist

ngraved upon the lid of the inner coffin, as well as being set forth in a m

thought of that. If your ancestor was buried in a leaden c

ins, which seemed to be a mass of decay, he pulled away s

aden coffin within, which, although quite blac

scription on th

s deciphered, but it was found not to

ning those leaden coffins which have lost the plates from off th

at Henry now carried, commenced actively assisting in the sea

dale cried, in a t

und it. It

ointed to the lid of a coffin, which he had been rubbing with his ha

It is

ht of the candles t

annerworth,

ere," said Henry. "This is the

"It is an old friend of mine, and I am accusto

o so," s

with much care, proceeded to open the coffin, whi

coffin than it otherwise would have been, but certain it was that the top came away remarkably easily. Indeed, so easily di

t; and it would, indeed, be quite sure to assert, that all the world was for the time f

ere so held as to cast a full and clear light upon the coffin.

ly there, and an audible "T

there!" exc

"here it is. There is somethi

ingworth; "hold the lights, some

ds at once into the coffin, and took up some fragments of rags which were there. They

some few moments, and then Mr. Ch

least vestige of

deep groan,

self to say that no corpse has undergone t

pon myself to say any such thing; but this I can say, namely, that in this coffin there are no animal remains, and that i

wered," s

ning proof, to those we have already on our minds, of one of the

so," said Mar

, why are these things? Oh, if I were but dead, and so

ngworth; I pray you thin

," he replied, "I could come to no other conclusion.

ry, "that the dead body of Marmadu

tly discoloured; it looks tolerably clean and fresh; there

nd the most casual glance was suffi

ace; and all I can now ask of you, my friends, is to

pass my lips,"

s that this night's work would have had the effect of dissipatin

rge, "can you call them f

, ind

ou yet

yre; and I tell you now, that if one was to come and lay hold of me by the throat,

ncredulity to the v

d it, if y

be convinced?"

dly, on this p

d doubt a miracle, if you

me scientific means of accounting for the phenomenon, and that's the very reason why we have no

observations in such a plac

lingworth, "to make your opinions, or the express

said Henry; "I am bewildered

the little party moved towards the staircase. Henry tur

had been some mistake, some error of judgme

strenuously advised this expedition. I did hop

and I tell you that its result perfectly astonishes me, although I will not allow

advised me for the best. The curse of Heaven

said Chillingw

I kno

e first place, Heaven don't curse anybody; and, in the second, i

at their thoughts were by far too busy to enable them to enter into any conversation. They did not, and particularly George, seem to hear all t

must find some remains of Marmaduke Bannerworth, which would render the supposition, even in th

at had become of it? Where, how, and under what circumstances had it been removed? Had it itself burst the bands that held it, and hideously stalked forth into the world again to make one of i

essed themselves upon the consideration of Hen

hich they had been subjected, and say if human reason, and all the arguments that the subtlest brain could back it

nly plan. He would not argue

ng-upon this point I will yi

who could so dispose of it, and not one so much interested in it as were the

l to the task, so it was done by Marchdale, who took pains to replace everything in the same s

rts, they all walked towards the window, to leave the

the pane of glas

"nothing matters now. I care not what becomes of me-I am gett

a state of mind as this," said the doctor, "or

not he

rious evils affecting you, fight out

can

ot, I think, trouble ourselves abou

d walked on with him a litt

obstinate feeling of defiance against them. Now, when anything occurs which is uncomfortable to me, I end

dee

half so much mental misery as would be my portion, if I were to succumb to the evil, a

f mine transcends anything th

of the subject which, if I were you

can

things, make themselves obnoxious to living people; if there are, d-n them! There may be vampyres; and if there are, I defy them.' Let the imagination paint

t like defy

mind which is given to us by Heaven itself. If Heaven creates an intellect and a mind of

opinions. I have heard

urge upon you is, not to allow yourself to be mentally prostrated, even if a vampyre has paid a visit to your house. Defy h

ould have me. I thought more than o

hat is r

dee

All that we read about religion that does not seem expr

nsible; they may be inconsistent; and some of them may look ridiculous; but still they are sacred and sublime,

ld most dreadful opinions, and who would destroy religious beliefs, and all the different sects in the world,

se his opponent says no more upon the subject, he does so because he is disgusted with the s

ry good man, notwithstanding his disbelief in certain things of course paved the way for him to hell, took

wards. It was evident that the scene in the vault had made a deep and saddeni