Chapter 36: In Which the Admiral is Clearly Rubbing Off on Flora

Previously in Varney the Vampire: The Admiral tries to shoot the vampire. With an arsenal.


Chapter 36 (THE CONSULTATION. -- THE DUEL AND ITS RESULTS.) contains two of my absolute favorite things in Varney the Vampire: Marchdale getting told off and Flora standing up for herself.

I'll spare you the usual recap about Flora, mainly because I'm too lazy at the moment to dig up old links. Suffice it to say that her character development has been rocky, and I'd ordinarily complain that her sudden strength in this chapter is too much, too fast except that I have nothing consistent with which to compare it.

Anyway, after a bit of narration about how awfully poor the Bannerworths are, we learn that Flora isn't as anxious after her bizarre -- and yet, oddly reassuring -- meeting with the vampire. She wants to leave Bannerworth Hall. Henry (finally) looks to her for an answer as to how they should proceed, and she responds:

"I will discover the fate of Charles Holland and then leave the Hall."

Marchdale rants on for a bit about how silly this is before flouncing, leading the Admiral to exclaim:

"You're a d -- -- d lubberly thief... the sooner you leave it the better. Why, you bad-looking son of a gun, what do you mean? I thought we'd had enough of that."

"I fully expected this abuse," said Marchdale.

"Did you expect that?" said the admiral, as he snatched up an inkstand, and threw at Marchdale.

I LOVE THIS GUY. THAT IS ALL.

But then Flora gets in on the action, too, with:

"No, let him go, he doubts Charles Holland; let all go who doubt Charles Holland."

So Marchdale goes off, Jack voices what we were all thinking ("Huzza! that's one good job"), and the Bannerworths agree to sell the hall to the Admiral, who is apparently about to team up with Flora on her search for Charles. Things are seriously looking up.

Chapter 37: In Which JMR Fails at Dramatic Irony