This was seen to be the case, and in about a couple of minutes they had taken up their positions on the wall, and, although the height was but trifling, they found that they had a much more extensive view than they could have obtained by any other means.

“To contemplate the beauty of such a night as this,” said Mr. Chillingworth, “is amply sufficient compensation for coming the distance I have.”

“And who knows,” remarked Marchdale, “we may yet see something which may throw a light upon our present perplexities God knows that I would give all I can call mine in the world to relieve you and your sister, Henry Bannerworth, from the fearful effect which last night’s proceedings cannot fail to have upon you.”

“Of that I am well assured, Mr. Marchdale,” said Henry.  “If the happiness of myself and family depended upon you, we should be happy indeed.”

“You are silent, Mr. Chillingworth,” remarked Marchdale, after a slight pause.

“Hush!” said Mr. Chillingworth—­“hush—­hush!”

“Good God, what do you hear?” cried Henry.

The doctor laid his hand upon Henry’s arm as he said,—­

“There is a young lime tree yonder to the right.”

“Yes—­yes.”

“Carry your eye from it in a horizontal line, as near as you can, towards the wood.”

Henry did so, and then he uttered a sudden exclamation of surprise, and pointed to a rising spot of ground, which was yet, in consequence of the number of tall trees in its vicinity, partially enveloped in shadow.

“What is that?” he said.

“I see something,” said Marchdale.  “By Heaven! it is a human form lying stretched there.”

“It is—­as if in death.”

“What can it be?” said Chillingworth.

“I dread to say,” replied Marchdale; “but to my eyes, even at this distance, it seems like the form of him we chased last night.”

“The vampyre?”

“Yes—­yes.  Look, the moonbeams touch him.  Now the shadows of the trees gradually recede.  God of Heaven! the figure moves.”

Henry’s eyes were riveted to that fearful object, and now a scene presented itself which filled them all with wonder and astonishment, mingled with sensations of the greatest awe and alarm.

As the moonbeams, in consequence of the luminary rising higher and higher in the heavens, came to touch this figure that lay extended on the rising ground, a perceptible movement took place in it.  The limbs appeared to tremble, and although it did not rise up, the whole body gave signs of vitality.

“The vampyre—­the vampyre!” said Mr. Marchdale.  “I cannot doubt it now.  We must have hit him last night with the pistol bullets, and the moonbeams are now restoring him to a new life.”

Henry shuddered, and even Mr. Chillingworth turned pale.  But he was the first to recover himself sufficiently to propose some course of action, and he said,—­