"Speak your errand," gasped Flora, "or come what may, I scream for help to those who will not be slow to render it."
"I know it."
"You know I will scream?"
"No; you will hear me. I know they would not be slow to tender help to you, but you will not call for it; I will present to you no necessity."
"Say on--say on."
"You perceive I do not attempt to approach you; my errand is one of peace."
"Peace from you! Horrible being, if you be really what even now my appalled imagination shrinks from naming you, would not even to you absolute annihilation be a blessing?"
"Peace, peace. I came not here to talk on such a subject. I must be brief, Flora Bannerworth, for time presses. I do not hate you. Wherefore should I? You are young, and you are beautiful, and you bear a name which should command, and does command, some portion of my best regard."
"There is a portrait," said Flora, "in this house."
"No more--no more. I know what you would say."
"It is yours."
"The house, and all within, I covet," he said, uneasily. "Let that suffice. I have quarrelled with your brother--I have quarrelled with one who just now fancies he loves you."
"Charles Holland loves me truly."
"It does not suit me now to dispute that point with you. I have the means of knowing more of the secrets of the human heart than common men. I tell you, Flora Bannerworth, that he who talks to you of love, loves you not but with the fleeting fancy of a boy; and there is one who hides deep in his heart a world of passion, one who has never spoken to you of love, and yet who loves you with a love as far surpassing the evanescent fancy of this boy Holland, as does the mighty ocean the most placid lake that ever basked in idleness beneath a summer's sun."
There was a wonderful fascination in the manner now of Varney. His voice sounded like music itself. His words flowed from his tongue, each gently and properly accented, with all the charm of eloquence.
Despite her trembling horror of that man--despite her fearful opinion, which might be said to amount to a conviction of what he really was, Flora felt an irresistible wish to hear him speak on. Ay, despite too, the ungrateful theme to her heart which he had now chosen as the subject of his discourse, she felt her fear of him gradually dissipating, and now when he made a pause, she said,--
"You are much mistaken. On the constancy and truth of Charles Holland, I would stake my life."
"No doubt, no doubt."
"Have you spoken now that which you had to say?"
"No, no. I tell you I covet this place, I would purchase it, but having with your bad-tempered brothers quarrelled, they will hold no further converse with me."
"And well they may refuse."
"Be, that as it may, sweet lady, I come to you to be my mediator. In the shadow of the future I can see many events which are to come."
"Indeed."
"It is so. Borrowing some wisdom from the past, and some from resources I would not detail to you, I know that if I have inflicted much misery upon you, I can spare you much more. Your brother or your lover will challenge me."
"Oh, no, no."
"I say such will happen, and I can kill either. My skill as well as my strength is superhuman."
"Mercy! mercy!" gasped Flora. "I will spare either or both on a condition."
"What fearful condition?"
"It is not a fearful one. Your terrors go far before the fact. All I wish, maiden, of you is to induce these imperious brothers of yours to sell or let the Hall to me."
"Is that all?"
"It is. I ask no more, and, in return, I promise you not only that I will not fight with them, but that you shall never see me again. Rest securely, maiden, you will be undisturbed by me."
"Oh, God! that were indeed an assurance worth the striving for," said Flora.
"It is one you may have. But--"
"Oh, I knew--my heart told me there was yet some fearful condition to come."
"You are wrong again. I only ask of you that you keep this meeting a secret."
"No, no, no--I cannot."
"Nay, what so easy?"
"I will not; I have no secrets from those I love."
"Indeed, you will find soon the expediency of a few at least; but if you will not, I cannot urge it longer. Do as your wayward woman's nature prompts you."
There was a slight, but a very slight, tone of aggravation in these words, and the manner in which they were uttered.