The Vampyre; a Tale

by John William Polidori

himself impeded by the crowdof servants who were waiting for their lords; and while he was engagedin passing them, he again heard that voice whisper close tohim--"Remember your oath!"--He did not dare to turn, but, hurrying hissister, soon reached home.

  Aubrey became almost distracted. If before his mind had been absorbedby one subject, how much more completely was it engrossed, now thatthe certainty of the monster's living again pressed upon his thoughts.His sister's attentions were now unheeded, and it was in vain that sheintreated him to explain to her what had caused his abrupt conduct. Heonly uttered a few words, and those terrified her. The more hethought, the more he was bewildered. His oath startled him;--was hethen to allow this monster to roam, bearing ruin upon his breath,amidst all he held dear, and not avert its progress? His very sistermight have been touched by him. But even if he were to break his oath,and disclose his suspicions, who would believe him? He thought ofemploying his own hand to free the world from such a wretch; butdeath, he remembered, had been already mocked. For days he remained inthis state; shut up in his room, he saw no one, and ate only when hissister came, who, with eyes streaming with tears, besought him, forher sake, to support nature. At last, no longer capable of bearingstillness and solitude, he left his house, roamed from street tostreet, anxious to fly that image which haunted him. His dress becameneglected, and he wandered, as often exposed to the noon-day sun as tothe midnight damps. He was no longer to be recognized; at first hereturned with the evening to the house; but at last he laid him downto rest wherever fatigue overtook him. His sister, anxious for hissafety, employed people to follow him; but they were soon distanced byhim who fled from a pursuer swifter than any--from thought. Hisconduct, however, suddenly changed. Struck with the idea that he leftby his absence the whole of his friends, with a fiend amongst them, ofwhose presence they were unconscious, he determined to enter againinto society, and watch him closely, anxious to forewarn, in spite ofhis oath, all whom Lord Ruthven approached with intimacy. But when heentered into a room, his haggard and suspicious looks were sostriking, his inward shudderings so visible, that his sister was atlast obliged to beg of him to abstain from seeking, for her sake, asociety which affected him so strongly. When, however, remonstranceproved unavailing, the guardians thought proper to interpose, and,fearing that his mind was becoming alienated, they thought it hightime to resume again that trust which had been before imposed uponthem by Aubrey's parents.

  Desirous of saving him from the injuries and sufferings he had dailyencountered in his wanderings, and of preventing him from exposing tothe general eye those marks of what they considered folly, theyengaged a physician to reside in the house, and take constant care ofhim. He hardly appeared to notice it, so completely was his mindabsorbed by one terrible subject. His incoherence became at last sogreat, that he was confined to his chamber. There he would often liefor days, incapable of being roused. He had become emaciated, his eyeshad attained a glassy lustre;--the only sign of affection andrecollection remaining displayed itself upon the entry of his sister;then he would sometimes start, and, seizing her hands, with looks thatseverely afflicted her, he would desire her not to touch him. "Oh, donot touch him--if your love for me is aught, do not go near him!"When, however, she inquired to whom he referred, his only answer was,"True! true!" and again he sank into a state, whence not even she couldrouse him. This lasted many months: gradually, however, as the yearwas passing, his incoherences became less frequent, and his mind threwoff a portion of its gloom, whilst his guardians observed, thatseveral times in the day he would count upon his fingers a definitenumber, and then smile.

  The time had nearly elapsed, when, upon the last day of the year, oneof his guardians entering his room, began to converse with hisphysician upon the melancholy circumstance of Aubrey's being in soawful a situation, when his sister was going next day to be married.Instantly Aubrey's attention was attracted; he asked anxiously towhom. Glad of this mark of returning intellect, of which they fearedhe had been deprived, they mentioned the name of the Earl of Marsden.Thinking this was a young Earl whom he had met with in society, Aubreyseemed pleased, and astonished them still more by his expressing hisintention to be present at the nuptials, and desiring to see hissister. They answered not, but in a few minutes his sister was withhim. He was apparently again capable of being affected by theinfluence of her lovely smile; for he pressed her to his breast, andkissed her cheek, wet with tears, flowing at the thought of herbrother's being once more alive to the feelings of affection. He beganto speak with all his wonted warmth, and to congratulate her upon hermarriage with a person so distinguished for rank and everyaccomplishment; when he suddenly perceived a locket upon her breast;opening it, what was his surprise at beholding the features of themonster who had so long influenced his life. He seized the portrait ina paroxysm of rage, and trampled it under foot. Upon her asking himwhy he thus destroyed the resemblance of her future husband, he lookedas if he did not understand her--then seizing her hands, and gazingon her with a frantic expression of countenance, he bade her swearthat she would never wed this monster, for he---- But he could notadvance--it seemed as if that voice again bade him remember hisoath--he turned suddenly round, thinking Lord Ruthven was near himbut saw no one. In the meantime the guardians and physician, who hadheard the whole, and thought this was but a return of his disorder,entered, and forcing him from Miss Aubrey, desired her to leave him.He fell upon his knees to them, he implored, he begged of them todelay but for one day. They, attributing this to the insanity theyimagined had taken possession of his mind, endeavoured to pacify him,and retired.

  Lord Ruthven had called the morning after the drawing-room, and hadbeen refused with every one else. When he heard of Aubrey's illhealth, he readily understood himself to be the cause of it; but whenhe learned that he was deemed insane, his exultation and pleasurecould hardly be concealed from those among whom he had gained thisinformation. He hastened to the house of his former companion, and, byconstant attendance, and the pretence of great affection for thebrother and interest in his fate, he gradually won the ear of MissAubrey. Who could resist his power? His tongue had dangers and toilsto recount--could speak of himself as of an individual having nosympathy with any being on the crowded earth, save with her to whom headdressed himself;--could tell how, since he knew her, his existence,had begun to seem worthy of preservation, if it were merely that hemight listen to her soothing accents;--in fine, he knew so well how touse the serpent's art, or such was the will of fate, that he gainedher affections. The title of the elder branch falling at length tohim, he obtained an important embassy, which served as an excuse forhastening the marriage, (in spite of her brother's deranged state,)which was to take place the very day before his departure for thecontinent.

  Aubrey, when he was left by the physician and his guardians, attemptedto bribe the servants, but in vain. He asked for pen and paper; it wasgiven him; he wrote a letter to his sister, conjuring her, as shevalued her own happiness, her own honour, and the honour of those nowin the grave, who once held her in their arms as their hope and thehope of their house, to delay but for a few hours that marriage, onwhich he denounced the most heavy curses. The servants promised theywould deliver it; but giving it to the physician, he thought it betternot to harass any more the mind of Miss Aubrey by, what he considered,the ravings of a maniac. Night passed on without rest to the busyinmates of the house; and Aubrey heard, with a horror that may moreeasily be conceived than described, the notes of busy preparation.Morning came, and the sound of carriages broke upon his ear. Aubreygrew almost frantic. The curiosity of the servants at last overcametheir vigilance, they gradually stole away, leaving him in the custodyof an helpless old woman. He seized the opportunity, with one boundwas out of the room, and in a moment found himself in the apartmentwhere all were nearly assembled. Lord Ruthven was the first toperceive him: he immediately approached, and, taking his arm byforce, hurried him from the room, speechless with rage. When on thestaircase, Lord Ruthven whispered in his ear--"Remember your oath,a
nd know, if not my bride to day, your sister is dishonoured. Womenare frail!" So saying, he pushed him towards his attendants, who,roused by the old woman, had come in search of him. Aubrey could nolonger support himself; his rage not finding vent, had broken ablood-vessel, and he was conveyed to bed. This was not mentioned tohis sister, who was not present when he entered, as the physician wasafraid of agitating her. The marriage was solemnized, and the brideand bridegroom left London.

  Aubrey's weakness increased; the effusion of blood produced symptomsof the near approach of death. He desired his sister's guardians mightbe called, and when the midnight hour had struck, he relatedcomposedly what the reader has perused--he died immediately after.

  The guardians hastened to protect Miss Aubrey; but when they arrived,it was too late. Lord Ruthven had disappeared, and Aubrey's sister hadglutted