In all your travels, and in all your reading, did you ever come across anything about vampyres ?" "About what ?" cried Charles, drawing his chair forward a little.

"About what ?" "You may well doubt the evidence of your own ears, Charles Holland, and wish me to repeat what I said.

I say, do you know anything about vampyres ?" Charles Holland looked curiously in Henry's face, and the latter immediately added,-- "I can guess what is passing in your mind at present, and I do not wonder at it.

You think I must be mad." "Well, really, Henry, your extraordinary question--" "I knew it.

Were I you, I should hesitate to believe the tale; but the fact is, we have every reason to believe that one member of our own family is one of those horrible preternatural beings called vampyres." "Good God, Henry, can you allow your judgment for a moment to stoop to such a supposition ?" "That is what I have asked myself a hundred times; but, Charles Holland, the judgment, the feelings, and all the prejudices, natural and acquired, must succumb to actual ocular demonstration.