Victorian Anthology
Extract from “The Blood of the Vampire”
Florence Marryat
By Florence Marryat (1897)
As she spoke, however, the chair opposite was sharply pulled into place, and a young lady seated herself on it, and looked boldly (though not brazenly) up and down the tables, and at her neighbours on each side of her. She was a remarkable looking girl — more remarkable, perhaps, than beautiful, for her beauty did not strike one at ﬁrst sight. Her ﬁgure was tall but slight and lissom. It looked almost boneless as she swayed from side to side of her chair. Her skin was colourless but clear. Her eyes were long-shaped, dark, and narrow, with heavy lids and thick black lashes which lay upon her cheeks. Her brows were arched and delicately pencilled, and her nose was straight and small. Not so her mouth however, which was large, with lips of deep blood colour, small white teeth. To crown all, her head was covered with mass of soft, dull, blue-black hair, which was twisted in careless masses about the nape of her neck, and looked as if it was unaccustomed to comb or hairpin. She was dressed very simply in a white cambric frock, but there was not a woman present, who had not discovered in ﬁve minutes, that the lace with which it was profusely trimmed was Valenciennes, and that was clasped at her throat with brilliants. The newcomer did not seem in the least abashed by the numbers of eyes which were upon her, but the scrutiny very calmly, smiling in a sort of furtive way at everybody, until the entre’es were handed round, when she riveted all her attention upon the contents of her plate. Miss Leyton thought she had never seen any young person devour her food with so much avidity and enjoyment. She could not help watching her…It was not so much that she ate rapidly and with evident appetite, but that she kept her eyes fixed upon her food, as if she feared some one might deprive her of it……..
“I wonder who that girl remarked Mrs. Pullen as soon as they were out of hearing. “I don’t know whether I like her or not, but there is something rather distinguished-looking about her!”
“Do you think?” said Miss Leyton, “I thought she only distinguished herself by eating like a cormorant! I never saw anyone in society her food in such a manner! She made me positively sick!”
(later)
Elinor Leyton’s was an exceptionally cold face, and it matched her disposition. She had attractive features; -a delicate nose, carved as if in ivory — brown eyes, a fair rose-tinted complexion, and a small mouth with thin, ﬁrmly closed lips. Her hair was bronze-coloured, and it was always dressed to perfection. She had a good ﬁgure with small hands and feet — and she was robed in excellent taste. She was pre-eminently a woman for a man to be proud of as the mistress of his and the head of his table. She might be trusted never to say or do an unladylike thing – before all, she was cognizant of the obligations which devolved upon her as the daughter of Lord Walthamstowe and a member of the British aristocracy. But in disposition she was undoubtedly cold.
(one of many similes for Harriet)
Harriet Brandt meanwhile, sitting almost opposite to the stranger, was regarding him from under the thick lashes of her slumberous eyes, like a lynx watching its prey. She had never seen so good-looking and aristocratic man before.
(Harriet and children)
“Harriet is very fond of children,” she said, “but she has never seen any — there were no children at the Convent under ten years of age, so she does not know how to make enough of them when she meets them. She wants to kiss everyone. Sometimes, I tell her, I think she would like to eat them. But she only means to be kind!”
(Harriet kissing)
Ralph felt the slight form beside him lean upon his shoulder till their faces almost touched. He threw his arm about her waist. Her hot breath fanned his cheek.
“Kiss me!” she murmured in a dreamy voice. Captain Pullen was not slow to accept the invitation conﬁdingly extended. What Englishman would be? He turned his face to Harriet Brandt’s, and her full red lips met his own, in a long-drawn kiss, that seemed to sap his vitality. As he raised his head again, he felt faint and sick, but quickly recovering himself, he gave her a second kiss more passionate, if possible, than the ﬁrst. Then the following whispered conversation ensued between them. “Do you he commenced, with his head close to hers, “that you are the very jolliest girl that I have ever met!”