diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'old/vampy10h.htm')
| -rw-r--r-- | old/vampy10h.htm | 1725 |
1 files changed, 1725 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/old/vampy10h.htm b/old/vampy10h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1186c2a --- /dev/null +++ b/old/vampy10h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1725 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"> +<html> +<head> +<title>John William Polidori - The Vampyre</title> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content= +"text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> +</head> +<body> +<h1>The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Vampyre, +<br>A Tale, by John +Polidori</h1> + +<pre> +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The Vampyre, a Tale + +Author: John Polidori + +Release Date: July, 2004 [EBook #6087] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on November 3, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE VAMPYRE, A TALE *** +</pre> + +<p align="center">THE</p> + +<h3 align="center">VAMPYRE;</h3> + +<h4 align="center">A Tale</h4> + +<hr> +<p align="center"><font size="-2">THE</font></p> + +<h3 align="center">VAMPYRE;</h3> + +<h3 align="center">A Tale.</h3> + +<h3 align="center">By John William Polidori</h3> + +<hr width="25%"> +<p align="center">LONDON:</p> + +<p align="center"><font size="-1">PRINTED FOR SHERWOOD, NEELY, +AND JONES,<br> +PATERNOSTER-ROW.</font></p> + +<hr width="5%"> +<p align="center">1819.</p> + +<p align="center"><font size="-2">[Entered at Stationers' Hall, +March 27, 1819.]</font></p> + +<hr> +<p align="center"><font size="-2">Gillet, Printer, Crown Court, +Fleet Street, London.</font></p> + +<hr> +<p align="center">EXTRACT</p> + +<p align="center"><font size="-2">OF A</font></p> + +<p align="center">LETTER TO THE EDITOR.</p> + +<hr> +<p align="center">EXTRACT OF A LETTER</p> + +<p align="center"><font size="-1">FROM GENEVA.</font></p> + +<hr width="20%"> +<p>" I breathe freely in the neighbourhood of this lake; the +ground upon which I tread has been subdued from the earliest +ages; the principal objects which immediately strike my eye, +bring to my recollection scenes, in which man acted the hero and +was the chief object of interest. Not to look back to earlier +times of battles and sieges, here is the bust of +Rousseau—here is a house with an inscription denoting that +the Genevan philosopher first drew breath under its roof. A +little out of the town is Ferney, the residence of Voltaire; +where that wonderful, though certainly in many respects +contemptible, character, received, like the hermits of old, the +visits of pilgrims, not only from his own nation, but from the +farthest boundaries of Europe. Here too is Bonnet's abode, and, a +few steps beyond, the house of that astonishing woman Madame de +Stael: perhaps the first of her sex, who has really proved its +often claimed equality with, the nobler man. We have before had +women who have written interesting-novels and poems, in which +their tact at observing drawing-room characters has availed them; +but never since the days of Heloise have those faculties which +arc peculiar to man, been developed as the possible inheritance +of woman. Though even here, as in the case of Heloise, our sex +have not been backward in alledging the existence of an Abeilard +in the person of M. Schlegel as the inspirer of her works. But to +proceed: upon the same side of the lake, Gibbon, Bonnivard, +Bradshaw, and others mark, as it were, the stages for our +progress; whilst upon the other side there is one house, built by +Diodati, the friend of Milton, which has contained within its +walls, for several months, that poet whom we have so often read +together, and who—if human passions remain the same, and +human feelings, like. chords, on being swept by nature's impulses +shall vibrate as before---will be placed by posterity in the +first rank of our English Poets. You must have heard, or the +Third Canto of Childe Harold will have informed you, that Lord +Byron resided many months in this neighbourhood. I went with some +friends a few days ago, after having seen Ferney, to view this +mansion. I trod the floors with the same feelings of awe and +respect as we did, together, those of Shakespeare's dwelling at +Stratford. I sat down in a chair of the saloon, and satisfied +myself that I was resting on what he had made his constant scat. +I found a servant there who had lived with him; she, however, +gave me but little information. She pointed out his bed-chamber +upon the same level as the saloon and dining-room, and informed +me that he retired to rest at three, got up at two, and employed +himself a long time over his toilette; that he never went to +sleep without a pair of pistols and a dagger by his side, and +that he never eat animal food. He apparently spent some part of +every day upon the lake in an English boat. There is a balcony +from the saloon which looks upon the lake and the mountain Jura; +and I imagine, that it must have been hence, he contemplated the +storm BO magnificently described in the Third Canto; for you have +from here a most extensive view of all the points he has therein +depicted. I can fancy him like the scathed pine, whilst all +around was sunk to repose, still waking to observe, what gave but +a weak image of the storms which had desolated his own +breast.</p> + +<table summary="vampy"> +<tr> +<td> +<p>The sky is changed!—and such a change; Oh, night!<br> +And storm and darkness, ye are wond'rous strong,<br> +Yet lovely in your strength, as is the light<br> +Of a dark eye in woman! Far along<br> +>From peak to peak, the rattling crags among,<br> +Leaps the lire thunder! Not from one lone cloud,<br> +But every mountain now hath found a tongue,<br> +And Jura answers thro' her misty shroud,<br> +Back to the joyous Alps who call to her aloud!</p> + +<p>And this is in the night:—Most glorious night!<br> +Thou wer't not sent for slumber! let me be<br> +A sharer in thy far and fierce delight,—<br> +A portion of the tempest and of me!<br> +How the lit lake shines a phosphoric sea,<br> +And the big rain comet dancing to the earth!<br> +And now again 'tis black,—and now the glee<br> +Of the loud hills shakes with its mountain mirth,<br> +As if they did rejoice o'er a young; earthquake's birth,</p> + +<p>Now where the swift Rhine cleaves his way between<br> +Heights which appear, as lovers who have parted<br> +In haste, whose mining depths so intervene,<br> +That they can meet no more, tho' broken hearted;<br> +Tho' in their souls which thus each other thwarted,<br> +Love was the very root of the fond rage<br> +Which blighted their life's bloom, and then departed—<br> +Itself expired, but leaving; them an age<br> +Of years all winter—war within themselves to wage.</p> +</td> +</tr> +</table> + +<br> +<br> + + +<p>I went clown to the little port, if I may use the expression, +wherein his vessel used to lay, and conversed with the cottager, +who had the care of it. You may smile, but I have my pleasure in +thus helping my personification of the individual I admire, by +attaining to the knowledge of those circumstances which were +daily around him. I have made numerous enquiries in the town +concerning him, but can learn nothing. He only went into society +there once, when M. Pictet took him to the house of a lady to +spend the evening. They say he is a very singular man, and seem +to think him very uncivil. Amongst other things they relate, that +having invited M. Pictet and Bonstetten to dinner, he went on the +lake to Chillon, leaving a gentleman who travelled with him to +receive them and make his apologies. Another evening, being +invited to the house of Lady D------ H------, he promised to +attend, but upon approaching the windows of her ladyship's villa, +and perceiving the room to be full of company, he set down his +friend, desiring him to plead his excuse, and immediately +returned home. This will serve as a contradiction to the report +which yon tell me is current in England, of his having been +avoided by his countrymen on the continent. The case happens to +be directly the reverse, as he has been generally sought by them, +though on most occasions, apparently without success. It is said, +indeed, that upon paying his first visit at Coppet, following the +servant who had announced his name, he was surprised to meet a +lady carried oat fainting; but before he had been seated many +minutes, the same lady, who had been so affected at the sound of +his name, returned and conversed with him a considerable time--- +such is female curiosity and affectation! He visited Coppet +frequently, and of course associated there with several of his +countrymen, who evinced no reluctance to moot him whom his +enemies alone would represent as au outcast.</p> + +<p>Though I have been so unsuccessful in this town, 1 have been +more fortunate in my enquiries elsewhere. There is a society +three or four miles from Geneva, the centre of which is the +Countess of Breuss, a Russian lady, well acquainted with the +<i>agrémens de la Société</i>, and who has +collected them round herself at her mansion. It was chiefly here, +I find, that the gentleman who travelled with Lord Byron, as +physician, sought for society. He used almost every day to cross +the lake by himself, in one of their flat-bottomed boats, and +return after passing the evening with his friends, about eleven +or twelve at night, often whilst the storms were raging in the +circling summits of the mountains around. As he became intimate, +from long acquaintance, with several of the families in this +neighbourhood, I have gathered from their accounts some excellent +traits of his lordship's character, which I will relate to you at +some future opportunity. I must, however, free him from one +imputation attached to him--- of having in his house two sisters +as the partakers of his revels. This is, like many other charges +which have been brought against his lordship, entirely destitute +of truth. His only companion was the physician I have already +mentioned. The report originated from the following circumstance: +Mr. Percy Bysshe Shelly, a gentleman well known for extravagance +of doctrine, and for his daring, in their profession, even to +sign himself with the title of AΘεος +in the Album at Chamouny, having taken a house below, in which he +resided with Miss M. W. Godwin and Miss Clermont, (the daughters +of the celebrated Mr. Godwin) they were frequently visitors at +Diodati, and were often seen upon the lake with his Lordship, +which gave rise to the report, the truth of which is here +positively denied.</p> + +<p>Among other things which the lady, from whom I procured these +anecdotes, related to me, she mentioned tho outline of a ghost +story by Lord Byron. It appears that one evening Lord B., Mr. P. +B. Shelly, the two ladies and the gentleman before alluded to, +after having perused a German work, which was entitled +Phantasmagoriana, began relating ghost stories; when his lordship +having recited the beginning of Christabel, then unpublished, the +whole took so strong a hold of Mr. Shelly's mind, that he +suddenly started up and ran out of the room. The physician and +Lord Byron followed, and discovered him leaning against a +mantle-piece, with cold drops of perspiration trickling down his +face. After having given him something to refresh him, upon +enquiring into the cause of his alarm, they found that his wild +imagination having pictured to him the bosom of one of the ladies +with eyes (which was reported of a lady in the neighbourhood +where he lived) he was obliged to leave the room in order to +destroy the impression. It was afterwards proposed, in the course +of conversation, that each of the company present should write a +tale depending upon some supernatural agency, which was +undertaken by Lord B., the physician, and Miss M. W. Godwin.<b><a +href="#footnote1">*</a></b> My friend, the lady above referred +to, had in her possession the outline of each of these stories; I +obtained them as a great favour, and herewith Forward them to +you, as I was assured you would feel as much curiosity as myself, +to peruse the <i>ebauches</i> of so great a genius, and those +immediately under his influence. "</p> + +<hr width="60%"> +<a name="footnote1"></a> +<p><b>*</b> Since published under the title of "Frankenstein; or, +The Modern Prometheus."</p> + +<hr> +<h3 align="center">THE VAMPYRE.</h3> + +<hr> +<h3 align="center">INTRODUCTION.</h3> + +<hr width="15%"> +<p>THE superstition upon which this tale is founded is very +general in the East. Among the Arabians it appears to be common: +it did not, however, extend itself to the Greeks until after the +establishment of Christianity; and it has only assumed its +present form since the division of the Latin and Greek churches; +at which time, the idea becoming prevalent, that a Latin body +could not corrupt if buried in their territory, it gradually +increased, and formed the subject of many wonderful stories, +still extant, of the dead rising from their graves, and feeding +upon the blood of the young and beautiful. In the West it spread, +with some slight variation, all over Hungary, Poland, Austria, +and Lorraine, where the belief existed, that vampyres nightly +imbibed a certain portion of the blood of their victims, who +became emaciated, lost their strength, and speedily died of +consumptions; whilst these human blood-suckers fattened --- and +their veins became distended to such a state of repletion, as to +cause the blood to flow from all the passages of their bodies, +and even from the very pores of their skins.</p> + +<p>In the London Journal, of March, 1732, is a curious, and, of +course, <i>credible</i> account of a particular case of +vampyrism, which is stated to have occurred at Madreyga, in +Hungary. It appears, that upon an examination of the +commander-in-chief and magistrates of the place, they positively +and unanimously affirmed, that, about five years before, a +certain Heyduke, named Arnold Paul, had been heard to say, that, +at Cassovia, on the frontiers of the Turkish Servia, he had been +tormented by a vampyre, but had found a way to rid himself of the +evil, by eating some of the earth out of the vampyre's grave, and +rubbing himself with his blood. This precaution, however, did not +prevent him from becoming a vampyre<b><a href= +"#footnote1">*</a></b> himself; for, about twenty or thirty days +after his death and burial, many persons complained of having +been tormented by him, and a deposition was made, that four +persons had been deprived of life by his attacks. To prevent +further mischief, the inhabitants having consulted their +Hadagni,<b><a href="#footnote2">†</a></b> took up tho +body, and found it (as is supposed to be usual in cases of +vampyrism) fresh, and entirely free from corruption, and emitting +at the mouth, nose, and ears, pure and florid blood. Proof having +been thus obtained, they resorted to the accustomed remedy. A +stake was driven entirely through the heart and body of Arnold +Paul, at which he is reported to have cried out as dreadfully as +if he had been alive. This done, they cut off his head, burned +his body, and threw the ashes into his grave. The same measures +were adopted with the corses of those persons who had previously +died from vampyrism, lest they should, in their turn, become +agents upon others who survived them.</p> + +<a name="footnote1"></a> +<p><font size="-2">* The universal belief is, that a person +tucked by a vampyre becomes a vampyre himself, and sucks in his +turn.</font></p> + +<a name="footnote2"></a> +<p><font size="-2">† Chief bailiff.</font></p> + +<p>This monstrous rodomontade is here related, because it seems +better adapted to illustrate the subject of the present +observations than any other instance which could be adduced. In +many parts of Greece it is considered as a sort of punishment +after death, for some heinous crime committed whilst in +existence, that the deceased is not only doomed to vampyrise, but +compelled to confine his infernal visitations solely to those +beings he loved most while upon earth—those to whom he was +bound by ties of kindred and affection. ---A supposition alluded +to in the "Giaour."</p> + +<table summary="vampy2"> +<tr> +<td> +<p>But first on earth, as Vampyre sent,<br> +Thy corse shall from its tomb be rent;<br> +Then ghastly haunt the native place,<br> +And suck the blood of all thy race;<br> +There from thy <i>daughter, sister, wife</i>,<br> +At midnight drain the stream of life;<br> +<i>Yet loathe the banquet which perforce</i><br> +Must feed thy livid living corse,<br> +Thy victims, ere they yet expire,<br> +Shall know the demon for their sire;<br> +As cursing thee, thou cursing them,<br> +Thy flowers are withered on the stem.<br> +But one that for <i>thy crime</i> must fall,<br> +The youngest, best beloved of all,<br> +Shall bless thee with a <i>father's</i> name—<br> +That word shall wrap thy heart in flame!<br> +Yet thou must end thy task and mark<br> +Her cheek's last tinge—her eye's last spark,<br> +And the last glassy glance must view<br> +Which freezes o'er its lifeless blue;<br> +Then with unhallowed hand shall tear<br> +The tresses of her yellow hair,<br> +Of which, in life a lock when shorn<br> +Affection's fondest pledge was worn—<br> +But now is borne away by thee<br> +Memorial of thine agony!<br> +Yet with thine own best blood shall drip;<br> +Thy gnashing tooth, and haggard lip;<br> +Then stalking to thy sullen grave,<br> +Go—and with Gouls and Afrits rave,<br> +Till these in horror shrink away<br> +>From spectre more accursed than they.</p> +</td> +</tr> +</table> + +<p>Mr. Southey has also introduced in his wild but beautiful poem +of " Thalaba, " the vampyre corse of the Arabian maid Oneiza, who +is represented as having returned from the grave for the purpose +of tormenting him she best loved whilst in existence. But this +cannot be supposed to have resulted from the sinfulness of her +life, she being pourtrayed throughout the whole of the tale as a +complete type of purity and innocence. The veracious Tournefort +gives a long account in his travels of several astonishing cases +of vampyrism, to which he pretends to have been an eyewitness; +and Calmet, in his great work upon this subject, besides a +variety of anecdotes, and traditionary narratives illustrative of +its effects, has put forth some learned dissertations, tending to +prove it to be a classical, as well as barbarian error.</p> + +<p>Many curious and interesting notices on this singularly +horrible superstition might be added; though the present may +suffice for the limits of a note, necessarily devoted to +explanation, and which may now be concluded by merely remarking, +that though the term Vampyre is the one in most general +acceptation, there are several others synonimous with it, made +use of in various parts of the world: as Vroucolocha, +Vardoulacha, Goul, Broucoloka, &c.</p> + +<hr> +<h3 align="center">THE VAMPYRE.</h3> + +<hr width="15%"> +<p>IT happened that in the midst of the dissipations attendant +upon a London winter, there appeared at the various parties of +the leaders of the <i>ton</i> a nobleman, more remarkable for his +singularities, than his rank. He gazed upon the mirth around him, +as if he could not participate therein. Apparently, the light +laughter of the fair only attracted his attention, that he might +by a look quell it, and throw fear into those breasts where +thoughtlessness reigned. Those who felt this sensation of awe, +could not explain whence it arose: some attributed it to the dead +grey eye, which, fixing upon the object's face, did not seem to +penetrate, and at one glance to pierce through to the inward +workings of the heart; but fell upon the cheek with a leaden ray +that weighed upon the skin it could not pass. His peculiarities +caused him to be invited to every house; all wished to see him, +and those who had been accustomed to violent excitement, and now +felt the weight of <i>ennui</i>, were pleased at having something +in their presence capable of engaging their attention. In spite +of the deadly hue of his face, which never gained a warmer tint, +either from the blush of modesty, or from the strong emotion of +passion, though its form and outline were beautiful, many of the +female hunters after notoriety attempted to win his attentions, +and gain, at least, some marks of what they might term affection: +Lady Mercer, who had been the mockery of every monster shewn in +drawing-rooms since her marriage, threw herself in his way, and +did all but put on the dress of a mountebank, to attract his +notice:--- though in vain:--- when she stood before him, though +his eyes were apparently fixed upon her's, still it seemed as if +they were unperceived;---even her unappalled impudence was +baffled, and she left, the field. But though the common adultress +could not influence even the guidance of his eyes, it was not +that the female sex was indifferent to him: yet such was the +apparent caution with which he spoke to the virtuous wife and +innocent daughter, that few knew he ever addressed himself to +females. He had, however, the reputation of a winning tongue; and +whether it was that it even overcame the dread of his singular +character, or that they were moved by his apparent hatred of +vice, he was as often among those females who form the boast of +their sex from their domestic virtues, as among those who sully +it by their vices.</p> + +<p>About the same time, there came to London a young gentleman of +the name of Aubrey: he was an orphan left with an only sister in +the possession of great wealth, by parent» who died while +he was yet in childhood. Left also to himself by guardians, who +thought it their duty merely to take care of his fortune, while +they relinquished the more important charge of his mind to the +care of mercenary subalterns, he cultivated more his imagination +than his judgment. He had, hence, that high romantic feeling of +honour and candour, which daily ruins so many milliners' +apprentices. He believed all to sympathise with virtue, and +thought that vice was thrown in by Providence merely for the +picturesque effect of the scene, as we see in romances: he +thought that the misery of a cottage merely consisted in the +vesting of clothes, which were as warm, but which were better +adapted to the painter's eye by their irregular folds and various +coloured patches. Me thought, in fine, that the dreams of poets +were the realities of life. He was handsome, frank, and rich: for +these reasons, upon his entering into the gay circles, many +mothers surrounded him, striving which should describe with least +truth their languishing or romping favourites: the daughters at +the same time, by their brightening countenances when he +approached, and by their sparkling eyes, when he opened his lips, +soon led him into false notions of his talents and his merit. +Attached as lie was to the romance of his solitary hours, he was +startled at finding, that, except in the tallow and wax candles +that flickered, not from the presence of a ghost, but from want +of snuffing, there was no foundation in real life for any of that +congeries of pleasing pictures and descriptions contained in +those volumes, from which he had formed his study. Finding, +however, some compensation in his gratified vanity, he was about +to relinquish his dreams, when the extraordinary being we have +above described, crossed him in his career.</p> + +<p>He watched him; and the very impossibility of forming an idea +of the character of a man entirely absorbed in himself, who gave +few other signs of his observation of external objects, than the +tacit assent to their existence, implied by the avoidance of +their contact: allowing his imagination to picture every thing +that flattered its propensity to extravagant ideas, he soon +formed this object into the hero of a romance, and determined to +observe the offspring of his fancy, rather than the person before +him. He became acquainted with him, paid him attentions, and so +far advanced upon his notice, that his presence was always +recognised. He gradually learnt that Lord Ruthven's affairs were +embarrassed, and soon found, from the notes of preparation in +— Street, that he was about to travel. Desirous of gaining +some information respecting this singular character, who, till +now, had only whetted his curiosity, he hinted to his guardians, +that it was time for him to perform the tour, which for many +generations has been thought necessary to enable the young to +take some rapid steps in the career of vice towards putting +themselves upon an equality with the aged, and not allowing them +to appear as if fallen from the skies, whenever scandalous +intrigues are mentioned as the subjects of pleasantry or of +praise, according to the degree of skill shewn in carrying them +on. They consented: and Aubrey immediately mentioning his +intentions to Lord Ruthven, was surprised to receive from him a +proposal to join him. Flattered by such a mark of esteem from +him, who, apparently, had nothing in common with other men, he +gladly accepted it, and in a few days they hail passed the +circling waters.</p> + +<p>Hitherto, Aubrey had had no opportunity of studying Lord +Ruthven's character, and now he found, that, though many more of +his actions were exposed to his view, the results offered +different conclusions from (lie apparent motives to his conduct. +His companion was profuse in his liberality; ---the idle, the +vagabond, and the beggar, received from his hand more than enough +to relieve their immediate wants. But Aubrey could not avoid +remarking, that it was not upon the virtuous, reduced to +indigence by the misfortunes attendant even upon virtue, that he +bestowed his alms; ---these were sent from the door with hardly +suppressed sneers; but when the profligate came to ask something, +not to relieve his wants, but to allow him to wallow in his lust, +or to sink him still deeper in his iniquity, he was sent away +with rich charity. This was, however, attributed by him to the +greater importunity of the vicious, which generally prevails over +the retiring bashfulness of the virtuous indigent. There was one +circumstance about the charity of his Lordship, which was still +more impressed upon his mind: all those upon whom it was +bestowed, inevitably found that there was a curse upon it, for +they were all either led to the scaffold, or sunk to the lowest +and the most abject misery. At Brussels and other towns through +which they passed, Aubrey was surprized at the apparent eagerness +with which his companion sought for the centres of all +fashionable vice; there he entered into all the spirit of the +faro table: he betted, and always gambled with success, except +where the known sharper was his antagonist, and then he lost even +more than he gained; but it was always with the same unchanging +face, with which he generally watched the society around: it was +not, however, so when he encountered the rash youthful novice, or +the luckless father of a numerous family; then his very wish +seemed fortune's law---this apparent abstractedness of mind was +laid aside, and his eyes sparkled with more fire than that of the +cat whilst dallying with lire half-dead mouse. In every town, he +left the formerly affluent youth, torn from the circle he +adorned, cursing, in the solitude of a dungeon, the fate that had +drawn him within the reach of this fiend; whilst many a father +sat frantic, amidst the speaking looks of mute hungry children, +without a single farthing of his late immense wealth, wherewith +to buy even sufficient to satisfy their present craving. Yet he +took no money from tho gambling table; but immediately lost, to +the ruiner of many, the last gilder he had just snatched from the +convulsive grasp of the innocent: this might but be the result of +a certain degree of knowledge, which was not, however, capable of +combating the cunning of the more experienced. Aubrey often +wished to represent this to his friend, and beg him to resign +that charity and pleasure which proved the ruin of all, and did +not tend to his own profit; ---but he delayed it---for each day +ho hoped his friend would give him some opportunity of speaking +frankly and openly to him; however, this never occurred. Lord +Ruthven in his carriage, and amidst the various wild and rich +scenes of nature, was always the same: his eye spoke less than +his lip; and though Aubrey was near the object of his curiosity, +he obtained no greater gratification from it than the constant +excitement of vainly wishing to break that mystery, which to his +exalted imagination began to assume the appearance of something +supernatural.</p> + +<p>They soon arrived at Rome, and Aubrey for a time lost sight of +his companion; he left him in daily attendance upon the morning +circle of an Italian countess, whilst he went in search of the +memorials of another almost deserted city. Whilst he was thus +engaged, letters arrived from England, which he opened with eager +impatience; the first was from his sister, breathing nothing but +affection; the others were from his guardians, the latter +astonished him; if it had before entered into his imagination +that there was an evil power resident in his companion, these +seemed to give him sufficient reason for the belief. His +guardians insisted upon his immediately leaving his friend, and +urged, that his character was dreadfully vicious, for that the +possession of irresistible powers of seduction, rendered his +licentious habits more dangerous to society. It had been +discovered, that his contempt for the adultress had not +originated in hatred of her character; but that he had required, +to enhance his gratification, that his victim, the partner of his +guilt, should be hurled from the pinnacle of unsullied virtue, +down to the lowest abyss of infamy and degradation: in fine, that +all those females whom he had sought, apparently on account of +their virtue, had, since his departure, thrown even the mask +aside, and had not scrupled to expose the whole deformity of +their vices to the public gaze.</p> + +<p>Aubrey determined upon leaving one, whose character had not +yet shown a single bright point on which to rest the eye. He +resolved to invent some plausible pretext for abandoning him +altogether, purposing, in the mean while, to watch him more +closely, and to let no slight circumstances pass by unnoticed. He +entered into the same circle, and soon perceived, that his +Lordship was endeavouring to work upon the inexperience of the +daughter of the lady whose house he chiefly frequented. In Italy, +it is seldom that an unmarried female is met with in society; he +was therefore obliged to carry on his plans in secret; but +Aubrey's eye followed him in all his windings, and soon +discovered that an assignation had been appointed, which would +most likely end in the ruin of an innocent, though thoughtless +girl. Losing no time, he entered the apartment of Lord Ruthven, +and abruptly asked him his intentions with respect to the lady, +informing him at the same time that he was aware of his being +about to meet her that very night. Lord Ruthven answered, that +his intentions were such as he supposed all would have upon such +an occasion; and upon being pressed whether he intended to marry +her, merely laughed. Aubrey retired; and, immediately writing a +note, to say, that from that moment he must decline accompanying +his Lordship in the remainder of their proposed tour, ho ordered +his servant to seek other apartments, and calling upon tho mother +of the lady, informed her of all he knew, not only with regard to +her daughter, but also concerning the character of his Lordship. +The assignation was prevented. Lord Ruthven next day merely sent +his servant to notify his complete assent to a separation; but +did not hint any suspicion of his plans having been foiled by +Aubrey's interposition.</p> + +<p>Having left Rome, Aubrey directed his steps towards Greece, +and crossing the Peninsula, soon found himself at Athens. He then +fixed his residence in the house of a Greek; and soon occupied +himself in tracing the faded records of ancient glory upon +monuments that apparently, ashamed of chronicling the deeds of +freemen only before slaves, had hidden themselves beneath the +sheltering soil or many coloured lichen. Under the same roof as +himself, existed a being, so beautiful and delicate, that she +might have formed the model for a painter, wishing; to pourtray +oil canvass the promised hope of the faithful in Mahomet's +paradise, save that her eyes spoke too much mind for any one to +think she could belong to those who had no souls. As she danced +upon the plain, or tripped along the mountain's side, one would +have thought the gazelle a poor type of her beauties; for who +would have exchanged her eye, apparently the eye of animated +nature, for that sleepy luxurious look of the animal suited but +to the taste of an epicure. The light step of Ianthe often +accompanied Aubrey in his search after antiquities, and often +would the unconscious girl, engaged in the pursuit of a Kashmere +butterfly, show the whole beauty of her form, floating as it were +upon the wind, to the eager gaze of him, who forgot the letters +he had just decyphered upon an almost effaced tablet, in tho +contemplation of her sylph-like figure. Often would her tresses +falling, as she flitted around, exhibit in the sun's ray such +delicately brilliant and swiftly fading hues, its might well +excuse the forgetfulness of the antiquary, who let escape from +his mind the very object he had before thought of vital +importance to the proper interpretation of a passage in +Pausanias. But why attempt to describe charms which all feel, but +none can appreciate?---It was innocence, youth, and beauty, +unaffected by crowded drawing-rooms and stifling- balls. Whilst +he drew those remains of which lie wished to preserve a memorial +for his future hours, she would stand by, and watch the magic +effects of his pencil, in tracing the scenes of her native place; +she would then describe to him the circling dance upon the open +plain, would paint, to him in all the glowing colours of youthful +memory, the marriage pomp she remembered viewing in her infancy; +and then, turning to subjects that had evidently made a greater +impression upon her mind, would tell him all the supernatural +tales of her nurse. Her earnestness and apparent belief of what +she narrated, excited the interest even of Aubrey; and often as +she told him the tale of the living vampyre, who had passed years +amidst his friends, and dearest ties, forced every year, by +feeding upon the life of a lovely female to prolong his existence +for the ensuing months, his blood would run cold, whilst he +attempted to laugh her out of such idle and horrible fantasies; +> but lathe cited to him the names of old men, who had at last +detected one living among themselves, after several of their near +relatives and children had been found marked with the stamp of +the fiend's appetite,; and when she found him so incredulous, she +begged of him to believe her, for it had been, remarked, that +those who had dared to question their existence, always had some +proof given, which obliged them, with grief and heartbreaking, to +confess it was true. She detailed to him the traditional +appearance of these monsters, and his horror was increased, by +hearing a pretty accurate description of Lord Ruthven; he, +however, still persisted in persuading her, that there could be +no truth in her fears, though at the same time he wondered at the +many coincidences which had all tended to excite a belief in the +supernatural power of Lord Ruthven.</p> + +<p>Aubrey began to attach himself more and more to Ianthe; her +innocence, so contrasted with all the affected virtues of the +women among whom he had sought for his vision of romance, won his +heart; and while he ridiculed the idea of a young man of English +habits, marrying an uneducated Greek girl, still he found himself +more and more attached to the almost fairy form before him. He +would tear himself at times from her, and, forming a plan for +some antiquarian research, he would depart, determined not to +return until his object was attained; but he always found it +impossible to fix his attention upon the ruins around him, whilst +in his mind he retained an image that seemed alone the rightful +possessor of his thoughts. Ianthe was unconscious of his love, +and was ever the same frank infantile being he had find: known. +She always seemed to part from him with reluctance; but it was +because she had no longer any one with whom she could visit her +favourite haunts, whilst her guardian was occupied in sketching +or uncovering some fragment which had yet escaped the destructive +hand of time. She had appealed to her parents on the subject of +Vampyres, and they both, with several present, affirmed their +existence, pale with horror at the very name. Soon after, Aubrey +determined to proceed upon one of his excursions, which was to +detain him for a few hours; when they heard the name of the +place, they all at once begged of him not to return at night, as +he must necessarily pass through a wood, where no Greek would +ever remain, after the day had closed, upon any consideration. +They described it as the resort of the vampyres in their +nocturnal orgies, and denounced the most heavy evils as impending +upon him who dared to cross their path. Aubrey made light of +their representations, and tried to laugh them out of the idea; +but when he saw them shudder at his daring thus to mock a +superior, infernal power, the very name of which apparently made +their blood freeze, he was silent.</p> + +<p>Next morning Aubrey set off upon his excursion unattended; he +was surprised to observe the melancholy face of his host, and was +concerned to find that his words, mocking the belief of those +horrible fiends, had inspired them with such terror. When he was +about to depart, Ianthe came to the side of his horse, and +earnestly begged of him to return, ore night allowed the power of +these beings to be put in action;---he promised. He was, however, +so occupied in his research, that lie did not perceive that +day-light would soon end, and that in the horizon there was one +of those specks which, in the warmer climates, so rapidly gather +into a tremendous mass, and pour all their rage upon the devoted +country. ---He at last, however, mounted his horse, determined to +make up by speed for his delay: but it was too late. Twilight, in +these southern climates, is almost unknown; immediately the sun +sets, night begins: and ere he had advanced far, the power of the +storm was above---its echoing thunders had scarcely an interval +of rest---its thick heavy rain forced its way through the +canopying foliage, whilst the blue forked lightning seemed to +fall and radiate at his very feet. Suddenly his horse took +fright, and he was carried with dreadful rapidity through the +entangled forest. The animal at last, through fatigue, stopped, +and he found, by the glare of lightning, that he was in the +neighbourhood of a hovel that hardly lifted itself up from the +masses of dead leaves and brushwood which surrounded it. +Dismounting, he approached, hoping to find some one to guide him +to the town, or at least trusting to obtain shelter from the +pelting of the storm. As he approached, the thunders, for a +moment silent, allowed him to hear the dreadful shrieks of a +woman mingling with the stifled, exultant mockery of a laugh, +continued in one almost unbroken sound;---he was startled: but, +roused by the thunder which again rolled over his head, he, with +a sudden effort, forced open the door of the hut. He found +himself in utter darkness: the sound, however, guided him. He was +apparently unperceived; for, though he called, still the sounds +continued, and no notice was taken of him. He found himself in +contact with some one, whom he immediately seized; when a voice +cried, "Again baffled!" to which a loud laugh succeeded; and he +felt himself grappled by one whose strength seemed superhuman: +determined to sell his life as dearly as he could, he struggled; +but it was in vain: he was lifted from his feet and hurled with +enormous force against the ground: ---his enemy threw himself +upon him, and kneeling upon his breast, had placed his hands upon +his throat --- when the glare of many torches penetrating through +the hole that gave light in the day, disturbed him;---he +instantly rose, and, leaving his prey, rushed through the door, +and in a moment the crashing of the brandies, as he broke through +the wood, was no longer heard. The storm was now still; and +Aubrey, incapable of moving, was soon heard by those without. +They entered; the light of their torches fell upon the mud walls, +and the thatch loaded on every individual straw with heavy flakes +of soot. At the desire of Aubrey they searched for her who had +attracted him by her cries; he was again left in darkness; but +what was his horror, when the light of the torches once more +burs; upon him, to perceive the airy form of his fair conductress +brought in a lifeless corse. He shut his eyes, hoping that it was +but a vision arising from his disturbed imagination; but he again +saw the same form, when he unclosed them, stretched by his side. +There was no colour upon her cheek, not even upon her lip; yet +there was a stillness about her face that seemed almost as +attaching as the life that once dwelt there:--- upon her neck and +breast was blood, and upon her throat were the marks of teeth +having opened the vein:---to this the men pointed, crying, +simultaneously struck with horror, " A Vampyre! a Vampyre!" A +litter was quickly formed, and Aubrey was laid by the side of her +who had lately been to him the object of so many bright and fairy +visions, now fallen with the flower of life that had died within +her. He knew not what his thoughts were---his mind was benumbed +and seemed to shun reflection, and take refuge in vacancy---he +held almost unconsciously in his hand a naked dagger of a +particular construction, which had been found in the hut. They +were soon met by different parties who had been engaged in the +search of her whom a mother had missed. Their lamentable cries, +as they approached the city, forewarned the parents of some +dreadful catastrophe. ---To describe their grief would be +impossible; but when they ascertained the cause of their child's +death, they looked at Aubrey, and pointed to the corse. They were +inconsolable; both died broken-hearted.</p> + +<p>Aubrey being put to bed was seized with a most violent fever, +and was often delirious; in these intervals he would call upon +Lord Ruthven and upon Ianthe---by some unaccountable combination +he seemed to beg of his former companion to spare the being he +loved. At other times he would imprecate maledictions upon his +head, and curse him as her destroyer. Lord Ruthven, chanced at +this time to arrive at Athens, and, from whatever motive, upon +hearing of the state of Aubrey, immediately placed himself in the +same house, and became his constant attendant. When the latter +recovered from his delirium, he was horrified and startled at the +sight of him whose image he had now combined with that of a +Vampyre; but Lord Ruthven, by his kind words, implying almost +repentance for the fault that had caused their separation, and +still more by the attention, anxiety, and care which he showed, +soon reconciled him to his presence. His lordship seemed quite +changed; he no longer appeared that apathetic being who had so +astonished Aubrey; but as soon as his convalescence began to be +rapid, he again gradually retired into the same state of mind, +and Aubrey perceived no difference from the former man, except +that at times he was surprised to meet his gaze fixed intently +upon him, with a smile of malicious exultation playing upon his +lips: he knew not why, but this smile haunted him. During the +last stage of the invalid's recovery, Lord Ruthven was apparently +engaged in watching the tideless waves raised by the cooling +breeze, or in marking the progress of those orbs, circling, like +our world, the moveless sun;---indeed, he appeared to wish to +avoid the eyes of all.</p> + +<p>Aubrey's mind, by this shock, was much weakened, and that +elasticity of spirit which had once so distinguished him now +seemed to have fled for ever. He was now as much a lover of +solitude and silence as Lord Ruthven; but much as he wished for +solitude, his mind could not find it in the neighbourhood of +Athens; if he sought it amidst the ruins he had formerly +frequented, Ianthe's form stood by his side---if he sought it in +the woods, her light step would appear wandering amidst the +underwood, in quest of the modest violet; then suddenly turning +round, would show, to his wild imagination, her pale face and +wounded throat, with a meek smile upon her lips. He determined to +fly scenes, every feature of which created such bitter +associations in his mind. He proposed to Lord Ruthven, to whom he +held himself bound by the tender care he-had taken of him during +his illness, that they should visit those parts of Greece neither +had yet seen. They travelled in every direction, and sought every +spot to which a recollection could be attached: but though they +thus hastened from place to place, yet they seemed not to heed +what they gazed upon. They heard much of robbers, but they +gradually began to slight these reports, which they imagined were +only the invention of individuals, whose interest it was to +excite the generosity of those whom they defended from pretended +dangers. In consequence of thus neglecting the advice of the +inhabitants, on one occasion they travelled with only a few +guards, more to serve as guides than as a defence. Upon entering, +however, a narrow defile, at the bottom of which was the bed of a +torrent, with large masses of rock brought down from the +neighbouring precipices, they had reason to repent their +negligence; for scarcely were tho whole of the party engaged in +the narrow pass, when they were startled by the whistling of +bullets close to their heads, and by the echoed report of several +guns. In an instant their guards had left them, and, placing +themselves behind rocks, had begun to fire in the direction +whence the report came. Lord Ruthven and Aubrey, imitating their +example, retired for a moment behind the sheltering turn of the +defile: but ashamed of being thus detained by a foe, who with +insulting shouts bade them advance, and being exposed to +unresisting slaughter, if any of the robbers should climb above +and take them in the rear, they determined at once to rush +forward in search of the enemy. Hardly had they lost the shelter +of the rock, when Lord Ruthven received a shot in the shoulder, +which brought him to the ground. Aubrey hastened to his +assistance; and, no longer heeding the contest or his own peril, +was soon surprised by seeing the robbers' faces around him---his +guards having, upon Lord Ruthven's being wounded, immediately +thrown up their arms and surrendered.</p> + +<p>By promises of great reward, Aubrey soon induced them to +convey his wounded friend to a neighbouring cabin; and having +agreed upon a ransom, he was no more disturbed by their +presence---they being content merely to guard the entrance till +their comrade should return with the promised sum, for which he +had an order. Lord Ruthven's strength rapidly decreased; in two +days mortification ensued, and death seemed advancing with hasty +steps. His conduct and appearance had not changed; he seemed as +unconscious of pain as he had been of the objects about him: but +towards the close of the last evening, his mind became apparently +uneasy, and his eye often fixed upon Aubrey, who was induced to +offer his assistance with more than usual +earnestness—"Assist me! you may save me---you may do more +than that---I mean not my life, I heed the death of my existence +as little as that of the passing day; but you may save my honour, +your friend's honour."---"How? tell me how? I would do any +thing," replied Aubrey. ---"I need but little---my life ebbs +apace---I cannot explain the whole---but if you would conceal all +you know of me, my honour were free from stain in the world's +mouth---and if my death were unknown for some time in +England---I---I---but life."---" It shall not be known."---"Swear +!" cried the dying man, raising himself with exultant violence, " +Swear by all your soul reveres, by all your nature fears, swear +that, for a year and a day you will not impart your knowledge of +my crimes or death to any living being in any way, whatever may +happen, or whatever you may see. "---His eyes seemed bursting +from their sockets: " I swear !" said Aubrey; he sunk laughing +upon his pillow, and breathed no more.</p> + +<p>Aubrey retired to rest, but did not sleep; the many +circumstances attending his acquaintance with this man rose upon +his mind, and he knew not why; when he remembered his oath a cold +shivering came over him, as if from the presentiment of something +horrible awaiting him. Rising early in the morning, he was about +to enter the hovel in which he had left the corpse, when a robber +met him, and informed him that it was no longer there, having +been conveyed by himself and comrades, upon his retiring, to the +pinnacle of a neighbouring mount, according to a promise they had +given his lordship, that it should be exposed to the first cold +ray of the moon that rose after his death. Aubrey astonished, and +taking several of the men, determined to go and bury it upon the +spot where it lay. But, when he had mounted to the summit he +found no trace of either the corpse or the clothes, though the +robbers swore they pointed out the identical rock: on which they +had laid the body. For a time his mind was bewildered in +conjectures, but he at last returned, convinced that they had +buried the corpse for the sake of the clothes.</p> + +<p>Weary of a country in which he had met with such terrible +misfortunes, and in which all apparently conspired to heighten +that superstitious melancholy that had seized upon his mind, he +resolved to leave it, and soon arrived at Smyrna. While waiting +for a vessel to convey him to Otranto, or to Naples, he occupied +himself in arranging those effects be had with him belonging to +Lord Ruthven. Amongst other things there was a case containing +several weapons of offence, more or less adapted to ensure the +death of the victim. There were several daggers and ataghans. +Whilst turning them over, and examining their curious forms, what +was his surprise at finding a sheath apparently ornamented in the +same style as the dagger discovered in the fatal hut---he +shuddered---hastening to gain further proof, he found the weapon, +and his horror may be imagined when he discovered that it fitted, +though peculiarly shaped, the sheath he held in his hand. His +eyes seemed to need no further certainty---they seemed gazing to +be bound to the dagger; yet still he wished to disbelieve; but +the particular form, the same varying tints upon the haft and +sheath were alike in splendour on both, and left no room for +doubt; there were also drops of blood on each.</p> + +<p>He left Smyrna, and on his way home, at Rome, his first +inquiries were concerning the lady he had attempted to snatch +from Lord Ruthven's seductive arts. Her parents were in distress, +their fortune ruined, and she had not been heard of since the +departure of his lordship. Aubrey's mind became almost broken +under so many repeated horrors; he was afraid that this lady had +fallen a victim to the destroyer of Ianthe. He became morose and +silent; and his only occupation consisted in urging the speed of +the postilions, as if he were going to save the life of some one +he held dear. He arrived at Calais; a breeze, which seemed +obedient to his will, soon wafted him to the English shores; and +he hastened to the mansion of his fathers, and there, for a +moment, appeared to lose, in the embraces and caresses of his +sister, all memory of the past. If she before, by her infantine +caresses, had gained his affection, now that the woman began to +appear, she was still more attaching as a companion.</p> + +<p>Miss Aubrey had not that winning grace which gains the gaze +and applause of the drawing-room assemblies. There was none of +that light brilliancy which only exists in the heated atmosphere +of a crowded apartment. Her blue eye was never lit up by the +levity of the mind beneath. There was a melancholy charm about it +which did not seem to arise from misfortune, but from some +feeling within, that appeared to indicate a soul conscious of a +brighter realm. Her step was not that light footing, which strays +where'er a butterfly or a colour may attract---it was sedate and +pensive. When alone, her face was never brightened by the smile +of joy; but when her brother breathed to her his affection, and +would in her presence forget those griefs she knew destroyed his +rest, who would have exchanged her smile for that of the +voluptuary? It seemed as if those eyes,---that face were then +playing in the light of their own native sphere. She was yet only +eighteen, and had not been presented to the world, it having been +thought by her guardians more fit that her presentation should be +delayed until her brother's return from the continent, when he +might be her protector. It was now, therefore, resolved that the +next drawing-room, which was fast approaching, should be the +epoch of her entry into the "busy scene. " Aubrey would rather +have remained in the mansion of his fathers, and fed upon the +melancholy which overpowered him. He could not fed interest about +the frivolities of fashionable strangers, when his mind had been +so torn by the events he had witnessed; but he determined to +sacrifice his own comfort to the protection of his sister. They +soon arrived in town, and prepared for the next day, which had +been announced as a drawing-room.</p> + +<p>The crowd was excessive---a drawing-room had not been held for +a long time, and all who were anxious to bask in the smile of +royalty, hastened thither. Aubrey was there with his sister. +While he was standing in a corner by himself, heedless of all +around him, engaged in the remembrance that the first time he had +seen Lord Ruthven was in that very place---he felt himself +suddenly seized by the arm, and a voice he recognized too well, +sounded in his ear---" Remember your oath. " He had hardly +courage to turn, fearful of seeing a spectre that would blast +him, when he perceived, at a little distance, the same figure +which had attracted his notice on this spot upon his first entry +into society. He gazed till his limbs almost refusing to bear +their weight, he was obliged to take the arm of a friend, and +forcing a passage through the crowd, he threw himself into his +carriage, and was driven home. He paced the room with hurried +steps, and fixed his hands upon his head, as if he were afraid +his thoughts were bursting from his brain. Lord Ruthven again +before him---circumstances started up in dreadful array---the +dagger---his oath.---He roused himself, he could not believe it +possible---the dead rise again!---He thought his imagination had +conjured up the image, his mind was resting upon. It was +impossible that it could be real— ---he determined, +therefore, to go again into society; for though he attempted to +ask concerning Lord Ruthven, the name hung upon his lips, and he +could not succeed in gaining information. He went a few nights +after with lib sister to the assembly of a near relation. Leaving +her under the protection of a matron, ho retired into a recess, +and there gave himself up to his own devouring thoughts. +Perceiving, at last, that many were leaving, he roused himself, +and entering another room, found his sister surrounded by +several, apparently in earnest conversation; he attempted to pass +and get near her, when one, whom he requested to move, turned +round, and revealed to him those features he most abhorred. He +sprang forward, seized his sister's arm, and, with hurried step, +forced her towards the street: at the door he found himself +impeded by the crowd of servants who were waiting for their +lords; and while he was engaged in passing them, he again heard +that voice whisper close to him—"Remember your +oath!"—He did not dare to turn, but, hurrying his sister, +soon reached home.</p> + +<p>Aubrey became almost distracted. If before his mind had been +absorbed by one subject, how much more completely was it +engrossed, now that the certainty of the monster's living again +pressed upon his thoughts. His sister's attentions were now +unheeded, and it was in vain that she intreated him to explain to +her what had caused his abrupt conduct. He only uttered a few +words, and those terrified her. The more he thought, the more he +was bewildered. His oath startled him;—was he then to allow +this monster to roam, bearing ruin upon his breath, amidst all he +held dear, and not avert its progress? His very sister might have +been touched by him. But even if he were to break his oath, and +disclose his suspicions, who would believe him? He thought of +employing his own hand to free the world from such a wretch; but +death, he remembered, had been already mocked. For days he +remained in this state; shut up in his room, he saw no one, and +eat only when his sister came, who, with eyes streaming with +tears, besought him, for her sake, to support nature. At last, no +longer capable of bearing stillness and solitude, he left his +house, roamed from street to street, anxious to fly that image +which haunted him. His dress became neglected, and he wandered, +as often exposed to the noon-day sun as to the midnight damps. He +was no longer to be recognized; at first he returned with the +evening to the house; but at last he laid him down to rest +wherever fatigue overtook him. His sister, anxious for his +safety, employed people to follow him; but they were soon +distanced by him who fled from a pursuer swifter than any---from +thought. His conduct, however, suddenly changed. Struck with the +idea that he left by his absence the whole of his friends, with a +fiend amongst them, of whose presence they were unconscious, he +determined to enter again into society, and watch him closely, +anxious to forewarn, in spite of his oath, all whom Lord Ruthven +approached with intimacy. But when he entered into a room, his +haggard and suspicious looks were so striking, his inward +shudderings so visible, that his sister was at last obliged to +beg of him to abstain from seeking, for her sake, a society which +affected him so strongly. When, however, remonstrance proved +unavailing, the guardians thought proper to interpose, and, +fearing that his mind was becoming alienated, they thought it +high time to resume again that trust which had been before +imposed upon them by Aubrey's parents.</p> + +<p>Desirous of saving him from the injuries and sufferings he had +daily encountered in his wanderings, and of preventing him from +exposing to the general eye those marks of what they considered +folly, they engaged a physician to reside in the house, and take +constant care of him. He hardly appeared to notice it, so +completely was his mind absorbed by one terrible subject. His +incoherence became at last so great, that he was confined to his +chamber. There he would often lie for days, incapable of being +roused. He had become emaciated, his eyes had attained a glassy +lustre;---the only sign of affection and recollection remaining +displayed itself upon the entry of his sister; then he would +sometimes start, and, seizing her hands, with looks that severely +affliced her, he would desire her not to touch him. " Oh, do not +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 could rouse him. This lasted many months: gradually, however, +as the year was passing, his incoherences became less frequent, +and his mind threw off a portion of its gloom, whilst his +guardians observed, that several times in the day he would count +upon his fingers a definite number, and then smile.</p> + +<p>The time had nearly elapsed, when, upon the last day of the +year, one of his guardians entering his room, began to converse +with his physician upon the melancholy circumstance of Aubrey's +being in so awful a situation, when his sister was going next day +to be married. Instantly Aubrey's attention was attracted; he +asked anxiously to whom. Glad of this mark of returning +intellect, of which they feared he 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, Aubrey seemed +pleased, and astonished them still more by his expressing his +intention to be present tit the nuptials, and desiring to see his +sister. They answered not, but in a few minutes his sister was +with him. He was apparently again capable of being affected by +the influence of her lovely smile; for he pressed her to his +breast, and kissed her check, wet with tears, flowing at the +thought of her brother's being once more alive to the feelings of +affection. He began to speak with all his wonted warmth, and to +congratulate her upon her marriage with a person so distinguished +for rank and every accomplishment; when he suddenly perceived a +locket upon her breast; opening it, what was his surprise at +beholding the features of the monster who had so long influenced +his life. He seized the portrait in a paroxysm of rage, and +trampled it under foot. Upon her asking him why he thus destroyed +the resemblance of her future husband, he looked as if he did not +understand her---then seizing her hands, and gazing on her with a +frantic expression of countenance, he bade her swear that she +would never wed this monster, for he----But he could not +advance---it seemed as if that voice again bade him remember his +oath---he turned suddenly round, thinking Lord Ruthven was near +him but saw no one. In the meantime the guardians and physician, +who had heard 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 to delay but for one day. They, attributing this +to the insanity they imagined had taken possession of his mind, +endeavoured to pacify him, and retired.</p> + +<p>Lord Ruthven had called the morning after the drawing-room, +and had been refused with every one else. When he heard of +Aubrey's ill health, he readily understood himself to be the +cause of it; but when he learned that he was deemed insane, his +exultation and pleasure could hardly be concealed from those +among whom he had gained this information. He hastened to the +house of his former companion, and, by constant attendance, and +the pretence of great affection for the brother and interest in +his fate, he gradually won the car of Miss Aubrey. Who could +resist his power? His tongue had dangers and toils to +recount—could speak of himself as of an individual having +no sympathy with any being on the crowded earth, save with her to +whom he addressed himself;—could tell how, since he knew +her, his existence, had begun to seem worthy of preservation, if +it were merely that he might listen to her soothing +accents;—in fine, he knew so well how to use the serpent's +art, or such was the will of fate, that he gained her affections. +The title of the elder branch falling at length to him, lie +obtained an important embassy, which served as an excuse for +hastening the marriage, (in spite of her brother's deranged +state,) which was to take place the very day before his departure +for the continent.</p> + +<p>Aubrey, when he was left by the physician and his guardians, +attempted to bribe the servants, but in vain. He asked for pen +and paper; it was given him; be wrote a letter to his sister, +conjuring her, as she valued her own happiness, her own honour, +and the honour of those now in the grave, who once held her in +their arms as their hope and the hope of their house, to delay +but for a few hours that marriage, on which he denounced the most +heavy curses. The servants promised they would deliver it; but +giving it to the physician, he thought it better not 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 busy +inmates of the house; and Aubrey heard, with a horror that may +more easily be conceived than described, the notes of busy +preparation. Morning came, and the sound of carriages broke upon +his ear. Aubrey grew almost frantic. The curiosity of the +servants at last overcame their vigilance, they gradually stole +away, leaving him in the custody of an helpless old woman. He +seized the opportunity, with one bound was out of the room, and +in a moment found himself in the apartment where all were nearly +assembled. Lord Ruthven was the first to perceive him: lie +immediately approached, and, taking his arm by force, hurried him +from the room, speechless with rage. When on the staircase, Lord +Ruthven whispered in his ear—" Remember your oath, and +know, if not my bride to day, your sister is dishonoured. Women +are frail!" So saying, he pushed him towards his attendants, who, +roused by the old woman, had come in search of him. Aubrey could +no longer support himself; his rage not finding vent, had broken +a blood-vessel, and he was conveyed to bed. This was not +mentioned to his sister, who was not present when he entered, as +the physician was afraid of agitating her. The marriage was +solemnized, and the bride and bridegroom left London.</p> + +<p>Aubrey's weakness increased; the effusion of blood produced +symptoms of the near approach of death. He desired his sister's +guardians might be called, and when the midnight hour had struck, +he related composedly what the reader has perused—he died +immediately after.</p> + +<p>The guardians hastened to protect Miss Aubrey; but when they +arrived, it was too late. Lord Ruthven had disappeared, and +Aubrey's sister had glutted the thirst of a VAMPYRE!</p> + +<hr> +<p align="center">EXTRACT OF A LETTER,</p> + +<p align="center"><font size="-1">CONTAINING AN +ACCOUNT</font></p> + +<p align="center"><font size="-2">OF</font></p> + +<p align="center"><font size="+1">LORD BYRON'S +RESIDENCE</font></p> + +<p align="center"><font size="-2">IN THE</font></p> + +<p align="center">ISLAND OF MITYLENE.</p> + +<hr> +<p align="center">ACCOUNT</p> + +<p align="center"><font size="-2">OF</font></p> + +<p align="center"><font size="+1">LORD BYRON'S RESIDENCE, +&c.</font></p> + +<hr width="20%"> +<p align="center"><font size="-1">"The world was all before him, +where to choose his place of rest, and Providence his +guide."</font></p> + +<p>IN Sailing through the Grecian Archipelago, on board one of +his Majesty's vessels, in the year 1812, we put into the harbour +of Mitylene, in the island of that name. The beauty of this +place, and the certain supply of cattle and vegetables always to +be had there, induce many British vessels to visit it---both men +of war and merchantmen; and though it lies rather out of the +track for ships bound to Smyrna, its bounties amply repay for the +deviation of a voyage. We landed; as usual, at the bottom of the +bay, and whilst the men were employed in watering, and the purser +bargaining for cattle with the natives, the clergyman and myself +took a ramble to the cave called Homer's School, and other +places, where we had been before. On the brow of Mount Ida (a +small monticule so named) we met with and engaged a young Greek +as our guide, who told us he had come from Scio with an English +lord, who left the island four days previous to our arrival in +his felucca. "He engaged me as a pilot, " said the Greek, " and +would have taken me with him; but I did not choose to quit +Mitylene, where I am likely to get married. He was an odd, but a +very good man. The cottage over the hill, facing the river, +belongs to him, and he has left an old man in charge of it: he +gave Dominick, the wine-trader, six hundred zechines for it, +(about 250<i>l</i>. English currency,) and has resided there +about fourteen months, though not constantly; for he sails in his +felucca very often to the different islands. "</p> + +<p>This account excited our curiosity very much, and we lost no +time in hastening to the house where out countryman had resided. +We were kindly received by an old man, who conducted us over the +mansion. It consisted of four apartments on the ground-floor---an +entrance hall, a drawing-room, a sitting parlour, and a bed-room, +with a spacious closet annexed. They were all simply decorated: +plain green-stained walls, marble tables on either side, a large +myrtle in the centre, and a small fountain beneath, which could +be made to play through the branches by moving a spring fixed in +the side of a small bronze Venus in a leaning posture; a large +couch or sofa completed the furniture. In the hall stood half a +dozen English cane chairs, and an empty book-case: there were no +mirrors, nor a single painting. The bedchamber had merely a large +mattress spread on the floor, with two stuffed cotton quilts and +a pillow---the common bed throughout Greece. In the sitting-room +we observed a marble recess, formerly, the old man told us, +filled with books and papers, which were then in a large seaman's +chest in the closet: it was open, but we did not think ourselves +justified in examining the contents. On the tablet of the recess +lay Voltaire's, Shakspeare's, Boileau's, and Rousseau's works +complete; Volney's Ruins of Empires; Zimmerman, in the German +language; Klopstock's Messiah; Kotzebue's novels; Schiller's play +of the Robbers; Milton's Paradise Lost, an Italian edition, +printed at Parma in 1810; several small pamphlets from the Greek +press at Constantinople, much torn, but no English book of any +description. Most of these books were filled with marginal notes, +written with a pencil, in Italian and Latin. The Messiah was +literally scribbled all over, and marked with slips of paper, on +which also were remarks.</p> + +<p>The old man said: " The lord had been reading these books the +evening before he sailed, and forgot to place them with the +others; but, " said he, " there they must lie until his return; +for he is so particular, that were I to move one thing without +orders, he would frown upon me for a week together; he is +otherways very good. I once did him a service; and I have the +produce of this farm for the trouble of taking care of it, except +twenty zechines which I pay to an aged Armenian who resides in a +small cottage in the wood, and whom the lord brought here from +Adrianople; I don't know for what reason. "</p> + +<p>The appearance of the house externally was pleasing. The +portico in front was fifty paces long and fourteen broad, and the +fluted marble pillars with black plinths and fret-work cornices, +(as it is now customary in Grecian architecture,) were +considerably higher than the roof. The roof, surrounded by a +light stone balustrade, was covered by a fine Turkey carpet, +beneath an awning of strong coarse linen. Most of the house-tops +are thus furnished, as upon them the Greeks pass their evenings +in smoking, drinking light wines, such as " lachryma christi, " +eating fruit, and enjoying the evening breeze.</p> + +<p>On the left hand as we entered the house, a small streamlet +glided away, grapes, oranges and limes were clustering together +on its borders, and under the shade of two large myrtle bushes, a +marble scat with an ornamental wooden back was placed, on which +we were told, the lord passed many of his evenings and nights +till twelve o'clock, reading, writing, and talking to himself. " +I suppose, " said the old man, "<i>praying</i>" for he was very +devout, and always attended our church twice a week, besides +Sundays. "</p> + +<p>The view from this seat was what may be termed " a bird's-eye +view. " A line of rich vineyards led the eye to Mount Calcla, +covered with olive and myrtle trees in bloom, and on the summit +of which an ancient Greek temple appeared in majestic decay. A +small stream issuing from the ruins descended in broken cascades, +until it was lost in the woods near the mountain's base. The sea +smooth as glass, and an horizon unshadowed by a single cloud, +terminates the view in front; and a little on the left, through a +vista of lofty chesnut and palm-trees, several small islands were +distinctly observed, studding the light blue wave with spots of +emerald green. I seldom enjoyed a view more than I did this; but +our enquiries were fruitless as to the name of the person who had +resided in this romantic solitude: none knew his name but +Dominick, his banker, who had gone to Candia. " The Armenian, " +said our conductor, " could tell, but I am sure he will +not,"---"And cannot you tell, old friend?" said I---" If I can, " +said he, " I dare not. " We had not time to visit the Armenian, +but on our return to the town we learnt several particulars of +the isolated lord. He had portioned eight young girls when he was +last upon the island, and even <i>danced</i> with them at the +nuptial feast. He gave a cow to one man, horses to others, and +cotton and silk to the girls who live by weaving these articles. +He also bought a new boat for a fisherman who had lost his own in +a gale, and he often gave Greek Testaments to the poor children. +In short, he appeared to us, from all we collected, to have been +a very eccentric and benevolent character. One circumstance we +learnt, which our old friend at the cottage thought proper not to +disclose. He had a most beautiful daughter, with whom the lord +was often seen walking on the sea-shore, and he had bought her a +piano-forte, and taught her himself the use of it.</p> + +<p>Such was the information with which we departed from the +peaceful isle of Mitylene; our imaginations all on the rack, +guessing who this rambler in Greece could be. He had money it was +evident: he had philanthropy of disposition, and all those +eccentricities which mark peculiar genius. Arrived at Palermo, +all our doubts were dispelled. Falling in company with Mr. +FOSTER, the architect, a pupil of WYATT'S, who had been +travelling in Egypt and Greece, " The individual, " said he, " +about whom you are so anxious, is Lord Byron; I met him in my +travels on the island of Tenedos, and I also visited him at +Mitylene. " We had never then heard of his lordship's fame, as we +had been some years from home; but "Childe Harolde" being put +into our hands we recognized the recluse of Calcla in every page. +Deeply did we regret not having been more curious in our +researches at the cottage, but we consoled ourselves with the +idea of returning to Mitylene on some future day; but to me that +day will never return. I make this statement, believing it not +quite uninteresting, and in justice to his lordship's good name, +which has been grossly slandered. He has been described as of an +unfeeling disposition, averse to associating with human nature, +or contributing in any way to sooth its sorrows, or add to its +pleasures. The fact is directly the reverse, as may be plainly +gathered from these little anecdotes. All the finer feelings of +the heart, so elegantly depicted in his lordship's poems, seem to +have their seat in his bosom. Tenderness, sympathy, and charity +appear to guide all his actions: and his courting the repose of +solitude is an additional reason for marking him as a being on +whose heart Religion hath set her seal, and over whose head +Benevolence hath thrown her mantle. No man can read the preceding +pleasing "traits" without feeling proud of him as a countryman. +With respect to his loves or pleasures, I do not assume a right +to give an opinion. Reports are ever to be received with caution, +particularly when directed against man's moral integrity; and he +who dares justify himself before that awful tribunal where all +must appear, alone may censure the errors of a fellow-mortal. +Lord Byron's character is worthy of his genius. To do good in +secret, and shun the world's applause, is the surest testimony of +a virtuous heart and self-approving conscience.</p> + +<p align="center"><font size="-1">THE END</font></p> + +<pre> +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE VAMPYRE, A TALE *** + +This file should be named vampy10h.htm or vampy10h.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, vampy11h.htm +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, vampy10ah.htm + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we usually do not +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +We are now trying to release all our eBooks one year in advance +of the official release dates, leaving time for better editing. +Please be encouraged to tell us about any error or corrections, +even years after the official publication date. + +Please note neither this listing nor its contents are final til +midnight of the last day of the month of any such announcement. +The official release date of all Project Gutenberg eBooks is at +Midnight, Central Time, of the last day of the stated month. A +preliminary version may often be posted for suggestion, comment +and editing by those who wish to do so. + +Most people start at our Web sites at: +<a href="http://gutenberg.net">http://gutenberg.net</a> or +<a href="http://promo.net/pg">http://promo.net/pg</a> + +These Web sites include award-winning information about Project +Gutenberg, including how to donate, how to help produce our new +eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter (free!). + + +Those of you who want to download any eBook before announcement +can get to them as follows, and just download by date. This is +also a good way to get them instantly upon announcement, as the +indexes our cataloguers produce obviously take a while after an +announcement goes out in the Project Gutenberg Newsletter. + +<a href= +"http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext04">http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext04</a> or +<a href= +"ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/gutenberg/etext03">ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/gutenberg/etext03</a> + +Or /etext03, 02, 01, 00, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90 + +Just search by the first five letters of the filename you want, +as it appears in our Newsletters. + + +Information about Project Gutenberg (one page) + +We produce about two million dollars for each hour we work. The +time it takes us, a rather conservative estimate, is fifty hours +to get any eBook selected, entered, proofread, edited, copyright +searched and analyzed, the copyright letters written, etc. Our +projected audience is one hundred million readers. If the value +per text is nominally estimated at one dollar then we produce $2 +million dollars per hour in 2002 as we release over 100 new text +files per month: 1240 more eBooks in 2001 for a total of 4000+ +We are already on our way to trying for 2000 more eBooks in 2002 +If they reach just 1-2% of the world's population then the total +will reach over half a trillion eBooks given away by year's end. + +The Goal of Project Gutenberg is to Give Away 1 Trillion eBooks! +This is ten thousand titles each to one hundred million readers, +which is only about 4% of the present number of computer users. + +Here is the briefest record of our progress (* means estimated): + +eBooks Year Month + + 1 1971 July + 10 1991 January + 100 1994 January + 1000 1997 August + 1500 1998 October + 2000 1999 December + 2500 2000 December + 3000 2001 November + 4000 2001 October/November + 6000 2002 December* + 9000 2003 November* +10000 2004 January* + + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been created +to secure a future for Project Gutenberg into the next millennium. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +As of February, 2002, contributions are being solicited from people +and organizations in: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, +Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, +Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, +Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New +Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, +Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South +Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West +Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. + +We have filed in all 50 states now, but these are the only ones +that have responded. + +As the requirements for other states are met, additions to this list +will be made and fund raising will begin in the additional states. +Please feel free to ask to check the status of your state. + +In answer to various questions we have received on this: + +We are constantly working on finishing the paperwork to legally +request donations in all 50 states. If your state is not listed and +you would like to know if we have added it since the list you have, +just ask. + +While we cannot solicit donations from people in states where we are +not yet registered, we know of no prohibition against accepting +donations from donors in these states who approach us with an offer to +donate. + +International donations are accepted, but we don't know ANYTHING about +how to make them tax-deductible, or even if they CAN be made +deductible, and don't have the staff to handle it even if there are +ways. + +Donations by check or money order may be sent to: + +Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +PMB 113 +1739 University Ave. +Oxford, MS 38655-4109 + +Contact us if you want to arrange for a wire transfer or payment +method other than by check or money order. + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been approved by +the US Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) organization with EIN +[Employee Identification Number] 64-622154. Donations are +tax-deductible to the maximum extent permitted by law. As fund-raising +requirements for other states are met, additions to this list will be +made and fund-raising will begin in the additional states. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +You can get up to date donation information online at: + +<a href= +"http://www.gutenberg.net/donation.html">http://www.gutenberg.net/donation.html</a> + + +*** + +If you can't reach Project Gutenberg, +you can always email directly to: + +Michael S. Hart <hart@pobox.com> + +Prof. Hart will answer or forward your message. + +We would prefer to send you information by email. + + +**The Legal Small Print** + + +(Three Pages) + +***START**THE SMALL PRINT!**FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS**START*** +Why is this "Small Print!" statement here? You know: lawyers. +They tell us you might sue us if there is something wrong with +your copy of this eBook, even if you got it for free from +someone other than us, and even if what's wrong is not our +fault. So, among other things, this "Small Print!" statement +disclaims most of our liability to you. It also tells you how +you may distribute copies of this eBook if you want to. + +*BEFORE!* YOU USE OR READ THIS EBOOK +By using or reading any part of this PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +eBook, you indicate that you understand, agree to and accept +this "Small Print!" statement. If you do not, you can receive +a refund of the money (if any) you paid for this eBook by +sending a request within 30 days of receiving it to the person +you got it from. If you received this eBook on a physical +medium (such as a disk), you must return it with your request. + +ABOUT PROJECT GUTENBERG-TM EBOOKS +This PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook, like most PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBooks, +is a "public domain" work distributed by Professor Michael S. Hart +through the Project Gutenberg Association (the "Project"). +Among other things, this means that no one owns a United States copyright +on or for this work, so the Project (and you!) can copy and +distribute it in the United States without permission and +without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth +below, apply if you wish to copy and distribute this eBook +under the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark. + +Please do not use the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark to market +any commercial products without permission. + +To create these eBooks, the Project expends considerable +efforts to identify, transcribe and proofread public domain +works. Despite these efforts, the Project's eBooks and any +medium they may be on may contain "Defects". Among other +things, Defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other +intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged +disk or other eBook medium, a computer virus, or computer +codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. + +LIMITED WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES +But for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described below, +[1] Michael Hart and the Foundation (and any other party you may +receive this eBook from as a PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook) disclaims +all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including +legal fees, and [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR +UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, +INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE +OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE +POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. + +If you discover a Defect in this eBook within 90 days of +receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) +you paid for it by sending an explanatory note within that +time to the person you received it from. If you received it +on a physical medium, you must return it with your note, and +such person may choose to alternatively give you a replacement +copy. If you received it electronically, such person may +choose to alternatively give you a second opportunity to +receive it electronically. + +THIS EBOOK IS OTHERWISE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS". NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS +TO THE EBOOK OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT +LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A +PARTICULAR PURPOSE. + +Some states do not allow disclaimers of implied warranties or +the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the +above disclaimers and exclusions may not apply to you, and you +may have other legal rights. + +INDEMNITY +You will indemnify and hold Michael Hart, the Foundation, +and its trustees and agents, and any volunteers associated +with the production and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm +texts harmless, from all liability, cost and expense, including +legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the +following that you do or cause: [1] distribution of this eBook, +[2] alteration, modification, or addition to the eBook, +or [3] any Defect. + +DISTRIBUTION UNDER "PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm" +You may distribute copies of this eBook electronically, or by +disk, book or any other medium if you either delete this +"Small Print!" and all other references to Project Gutenberg, +or: + +[1] Only give exact copies of it. Among other things, this + requires that you do not remove, alter or modify the + eBook or this "small print!" statement. You may however, + if you wish, distribute this eBook in machine readable + binary, compressed, mark-up, or proprietary form, + including any form resulting from conversion by word + processing or hypertext software, but only so long as + *EITHER*: + + [*] The eBook, when displayed, is clearly readable, and + does *not* contain characters other than those + intended by the author of the work, although tilde + (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may + be used to convey punctuation intended by the + author, and additional characters may be used to + indicate hypertext links; OR + + [*] The eBook may be readily converted by the reader at + no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent + form by the program that displays the eBook (as is + the case, for instance, with most word processors); + OR + + [*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at + no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the + eBook in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC + or other equivalent proprietary form). + +[2] Honor the eBook refund and replacement provisions of this + "Small Print!" statement. + +[3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Foundation of 20% of the + gross profits you derive calculated using the method you + already use to calculate your applicable taxes. If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation" + the 60 days following each date you prepare (or were + legally required to prepare) your annual (or equivalent + periodic) tax return. Please contact us beforehand to + let us know your plans and to work out the details. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +Project Gutenberg is dedicated to increasing the number of +public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed +in machine readable form. + +The Project gratefully accepts contributions of money, time, +public domain materials, or royalty free copyright licenses. +Money should be paid to the: +"Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +If you are interested in contributing scanning equipment or +software or other items, please contact Michael Hart at: +<a href="mailto:hart@pobox.com">hart@pobox.com</a> + +[Portions of this eBook's header and trailer may be reprinted only +when distributed free of all fees. Copyright (C) 2001, 2002 by +Michael S. Hart. Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be +used in any sales of Project Gutenberg eBooks or other materials be +they hardware or software or any other related product without +express permission.] + +*END THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS*Ver.02/11/02*END* + + + +</pre> +</body> +</html> + |