CZM Book Club: Part Two of "The Vampyre" by John Polidori

Margaret finishes the first modern vampire, a parable about the dangers of the libertine royalty,

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Cool Zone Media book Club book Club. It's not as
fun when I'm the only one here doing that chant.
Oh well, I can do it anyway. Book Club, book Club,
book Club. It's the Cool Zone Media. Book Club, your
weekly fiction podcast that you get on a couple of

(00:24):
different podcast feeds. I'm your host, Margaret Kiljoy, And last
week we started to tell you the story of the Vampire.
The vampire story that's old enough, you know eighteen nineteen
that it's the vampire not a vampire, or like Lord Ruthven,
the Destroyer of all innocence aka Lord Byron, who I

(00:46):
may or may not be sleeping with and am jealous
of the ways that he lives his life, or Lord
Byron's an absolute terrible monster. I don't know whatever he's
certainly being presented this one. It's hard to know because
of the mists of time. But when we last left,
our hero Aubrey had been traveling with Lord Ruthven and

(01:07):
then was like, you know what, this is no good
for me. You're kind of a terrible person. And so
then he's in Greece and like he's you know, interested
in this lady and she's like, I'm afraid of vampires.
And he's like, don't be silly, I'm going to go
out a night into the vampire lands. And then he
comes across her being killed by a vampire, and he's
very nearly killed himself when he's saved by the people

(01:30):
who are out looking for aante. His his dead love interest.
That's where we left it. Oh, and he has a
dagger that he found of peculiar construction. Aubrey, being put
to bed, was seized with the most violent fever and
was often delirious. In these intervals, he would call upon

(01:51):
Lord Ruthven and upon Ayonte. By some unaccountable combination, he
seemed to beg of his former companion to spare the
being he loved. At other times he would imprecate maledictions
upon his head and curse him as her destroyer. Lord
Ruthven chanced at this time to arrive at Athens, and,
from whatever motive, upon hearing of the state of Aubrey,

(02:12):
immediately placed himself in the same house and became his
constant attendant. When the latter recovered from his delirium, he
was horrified and startled at the sight of him, whose
image he had now combined with that of a vampire.
But Lord Ruthven, by his kind words, implying almost repentance
for the fault that had caused their separation, and still

(02:32):
more by the attention, anxiety and care which he showed,
soon reconciled him to his presence. His lordship seemed quite changed.
He no longer appeared that apathetic being who had so
astonished Aubrey. But as soon as his convalescences began to
be rapid, he again gradually retired into the same state
of mind, and Aubrey perceived no difference from the former man,

(02:54):
except that at times he was surprised to meet his
gaze fixed intently upon him, with a smile of malicious
exultation played upon his lips. He knew not why, but
this smile haunted him. During the last stage of the
invalid's recovery, Lord Ruthven was apparently engaged in watching the
tideless waves raised by the cooling breeze, or in marking

(03:15):
the progress of those orbs circling like our world the
moveless sun. Indeed, he appeared to wish to avoid the
eyes of all. Aubrey's mind by this shock was much weakened,
and that elasticity of spirit, which had once so distinguished him,
now seemed to have fled forever. He was now as
much a lover of solitude and silence as Lord Ruthven.

(03:37):
But much as he wished for solitude, his mind could
not find it in the neighborhood of Athens. If he
sought it amidst the ruins he had formerly frequented Ayanthe's
form stood by his side. If he sought it in
the woods, her light step would appear, wandering amidst the
underwood in quest of the modest violet, and suddenly, turning round,
would show to his wild imagination her pale face and

(03:58):
wounded throat, with a smile upon her lips. He determined
to fly scenes, every feature of which created such bitter
associations in his mind. He proposed to Lord Ruthven, to
whom he held himself bound by the tender care he
had taken of him during his illness, that they should
visit those parts of Greece neither had yet seen. They

(04:19):
traveled in every direction, and soon sought every spot to
which a recollection could be attached. But though that they
had hastened from place to place, yet they seemed not
to heed what they gazed upon, they heard much of robbers,
but they gradually began to slight those reports, which they
imagined were only the invention of individuals whose interest was

(04:40):
to excite the generosity of those whom they defended from
pretended dangers. In consequence of thus neglecting the advice the inhabitants,
on one occasion, they traveled with only a few guards,
more to serve as guides than as defense. Upon entering, however,
a narrow defile at the bottom of which was the
beda a torrent, with large masses of rocks brought down

(05:03):
from the neighboring precipices, they had a reason to repent
their negligence, for scarcely were the whole of the party
engaged in the narrow paths when they were startled by
the whistling of bullets close to their heads and by
the echoed report of several guns. In an instant, their
guards had left them, and, placing themselves behind rocks, had
begun to fire in the direction. Whence the report came.

(05:25):
Lord Ruthven and Aubrey, imitating their example, retired for a
moment behind the sheltering turn of the defile, but ashamed
of being thus detained by a foe, who, with insulting
shouts bade them advance, and being exposed to unresisting slaughter
if any of the robbers should climb above and take
them in their rear, they determined at once to rush

(05:46):
forward in search of the enemy. Hardly had they lost
the shelter of the rock when Lord Ruthven received a
shot in the shoulder which brought him to the ground.
Aubrey hastened to his assistants, and, no longer heeding the
contest or his own pairs, girl was soon surprised by
seeing the robbers faces around him. His guards, having upon
Lord Ruthven's being wounded, immediately thrown up their arms and

(06:09):
surrendered by promises of great reward. Aubrey soon induced them
to convey his wounded friend to a neighboring cabin, and,
having agreed upon a ransom, he was no more disturbed
by their presence, they being content merely to guard the
entrance till their comrade should return with the promised sum
for which he had an order. Lord Ruthven's strength rapidly decreased.

(06:30):
In two days, mortification ensued, and death seemed advancing. With
hasty steps. His conduct and appearance had not changed. He
seemed as unconscious of pain as he had been of
the objects about him. But towards the close of the
last evening his mind became apparently uneasy, and his eye
often fixed upon Aubrey, who was induced to offer his

(06:51):
assistance with more than usual earnestness. Assist me. You may
save me. You may do more than that. I mean
not my life, the death of my existence, as little
as that of the passing day. But you may save
my honor, your friend's honor. How tell me how I
would do anything, replied Aubrey. I need but little my life,

(07:14):
ebbs apace. I cannot explain the whole. But if you
would conceal all you know of me, my honor were
free from stain in the world's mouth. And if my
death were unknown for some time in England, I I
but life it shall not be known. Swear, cried the
dying man, raising himself with exultant violence. Swear by all

(07:37):
your soul, revers by all your nature fears. Swear that
for a year and a day you will not impart
your knowledge of my crimes or death to any living
being in any way whatever may happen, or whatever you
may see, his eyes seem bursting from their sockets, I swear,
said Aubrey. He sunk, laughing upon his pillar, and breathed

(08:01):
no more. Aubrey retired to rest, but did not sleep.
The many circumstances attending his acquaintance with this man rose
upon his mind, and he knew not why. When he
remembered his oath, a cold shivering came over him, as
if from the presentiment of something horrible awaiting him. Rising
early in the morning, he was about to enter the

(08:22):
hovel in which he had left the corpse, when a
robber met him and informed him that it was no
longer there, having been conveyed by himself and comrades upon
his retiring to the pinnacle of a neighboring mount, according
to a promise they had given his lordship that it
should be exposed to the first cold ray of the
moon that rose after his death. Aubrey, astonished, and taking

(08:45):
several of the men, determined to go and bury it
upon the spot where it lay. But when they had
mounted to the summit, he found no trace of either
the corpse or the clothes. Though the robbers swore they
pointed out the identical rock upon which they had laid
the body. For a time his mind was bewildered in conjectures,
but at last he returned convinced that they had buried

(09:06):
the corpse for the sake of the clothes. And if
you want to buy new clothes, buy them from our
sponsors whatever else is being advertised to, just ask them
for clothes. Be like, but do you sell clothes and
buy clothes from them? There's those ads for clothing, And

(09:39):
we're back. Weary of a country in which he had
met with such terrible misfortunes, and which all apparently conspired
to heighten that superstitious melancholy that had seized upon his mind,
he resolved to leave it, and soon arrived at Smyrna.
While waiting for a vessel to convey him to Ontronto
or to Naples, he occupied himself in arranging those effects

(10:00):
he had with him belonging to Lord Ruthven. Amongst other things,
there was a case containing several weapons of offense, more
or less adapted to ensure the death of the victim.
There were several daggers and attigans. An atagan as a
Southwest Asian sword whilst turning them over and examining their
curious forms. What was his surprise at finding a sheath

(10:23):
apparently ornamented in the same style as the dagger discovered
in the Fatal Hut. He shuddered, hastening to gain further proof.
He found the weapon, and his horror may be imagined
when he discovered that it fitted, though peculiarly shaped, the
sheath he held in his hand. His eyes seemed to
need no further certainty. They seemed gazing to be bound

(10:44):
to the dagger. Yet still he wished to disbelieve. But
the particular form, the same varying tints upon the haft
and sheath were alike in splendor on both and left
no room for doubt. There were also drops of blood
on each. He left Smyrna, and on his way home
at Rome, his first inquiries were concerning the lady he

(11:04):
had attempted to snatch from Lord Ruthven's seductive arts. Her
parents were in distress, their fortune ruined, and she had
not been heard of since the departure of his lordship.
Aubrey's mind became almost broken under so many repeated horrors.
He was afraid that this lady had fallen a victim
to the destroyer of Eanthe. He became morose and silent,

(11:26):
and his only occupation consisted in urging the speed of
his postilions, as if he were going to save the
life of someone he held dear. He arrived in Calais.
A breeze which seemed obedient to his will, soon wafted
him to the English shores, and he hastened to the
mansion of his father's, and there, for a moment appeared
to lose in the embraces and caresses of his sister

(11:48):
all memory of the past. If she before, by her
infantine caresses had gained his affection, now that the woman
began to appear, she was still more attaching. As a companion.
Miss Aubrey had not that winning grace which gains the
grays and applause of the drawing room assemblies. There was
none of that light brilliancy which only exists in the

(12:09):
heated atmosphere of a crowded apartment. Her blue eye was
never lit up by the levity of the mind beneath.
There was a melancholy charm about it, which did not
seem to arise from misfortune, but from some feeling within
that appeared to indicate a sole conscious of a brighter realm.
Her step was not that light footing which strays where'er

(12:29):
a butterfly or a color may attract. It was sedate
and pensive when alone, Her face was never brighted by
the smile of joy. But when her brother breathed to
her his affection, and would, in her presence forget those
griefs she knew destroyed his rest, who would have exchanged
her smile for that of a voluptuary. It seemed as
if those eyes that face were then playing in the

(12:52):
light of their own native sphere. She was yet only eighteen,
and had not been presented to the world. It having
been thought by her guardians more or fit that her
presentation should be delayed until her brother's return from the continent,
when he might be her protector. It was now therefore
resolved that the next drawing room, which was fast approaching,
should be the epoch of her entry into the busy scene.

(13:15):
Aubrey would rather have remained in the mansion of his
father's and fed upon the melancholy which overpowered him. He
could not feel interest about the friviolities of fashionable strangers
when his mind had been so torn by the events
he had witnessed, but he determined to sacrifice his own
comfort for the protection of his sister. They soon arrived
in town and prepared for the next day, which had

(13:37):
been announced as a drawing room. The crowd was excessive,
a drawing room had not been held for a long time,
and all who were anxious to bask in the smile
of royalty hastened thither. Aubrey was there with his sister.
While he was standing in a corner by himself, heedless
of all around him, engaged in the remembrance of the
first time he had seen Lord Ruthven was in that
very place, he felt himself suddenly seized by the arm

(14:00):
and a voice he recognized too well sounded in his ear.
Remember your oath. He had hardly courage to turn, fearful
of seeing a specter that would blast him. When he perceived,
at a little distance the same figure which had attracted
his notice on this spot upon his first entry into society,
he gazed till his limbs almost refused to bear their weight.

(14:22):
He was obliged to take the arm of a friend,
and forcing a passage through the crowd, he threw himself
into his carriage and was driven home. He paced the
room with hurried steps and fixed his hands upon his head,
as if he were afraid. His thoughts were bursting from
his brain. Lord Ruthven again before him. Circumstance started up
in dreadful array, the dagger his oath. He roused himself.

(14:44):
He could not believe it possible the dead rise again.
He thought his imagination had conjured up the image his
mind was resting upon. It was impossible that it could
be real. He determined therefore to go again into society.
For though he attempted to ask concerning Lord Ruthven, the
name hung upon his lips and he could not succeed

(15:04):
in gaining information. He went a few nights after his
sister to the assembly of a near relation, leaving her
under the protection of a matron. He retired into a
recess and there gave himself up to his own devouring thoughts.
Perceiving at last that many were leaving, he roused himself, and,
entering another room, found his sister surrounded by several apparently

(15:27):
in earnest conversation. He attempted to pass and get near her,
when one whom he had requested to move, turned round,
and revealed to him those features he most abhorred. He
sprang forward, seized his sister's arm, and with hurried step,
forced her towards the street. At the door, he found
himself impeded by a crowd of servants who were waiting

(15:47):
for their lords. And while he was engaged in passing them,
he again heard the voice whisper close to him, Remember
your oath. He did not dare to turn, but, hurrying
to his sister, soon reached home. Aubrey became almost distracted.
If before his mind had been absorbed by one subject,

(16:08):
how much more completely it was engrossed now that the
certainty of the monster's living again pressed upon his thoughts.
His sister's attentions were now unheeded, and it was in
vain that she entreated him to explain to her what
had caused his abrupt conduct. He only uttered a few words,
and those terrified her. The more he thought, the more
he was bewildered. His oath startled him. Was he then

(16:29):
to allow this monster to roam bearing ruin upon his
breath amidst all he held dear, and not avert its progress.
His very sister might have been touched by him. But
even if he were to break his oath and disclose
his suspicions, who would believe him. He soon thought of
employing his own hand to free the world from such

(16:51):
a wretch. But death, he remembered, had already been mocked.
For days, he remembered, in his state, shut up in
his room, he saw no one, and ate only when
his sister came, who, with eyes streaming from her tears,
besought him for her sake to support nature. At last,
no longer capable of bearing stillness and solitude, he left

(17:12):
his house roamed from street to street, anxious to fly
that image which haunted him. His dress became neglected, and
he wandered oz as often exposed to the noonday sun
as to the midnight damps, he was no longer to
be recognized. At first He returned with the evening to
the house, but at last he laid him down to
rest wherever fatigue overtook him. His sister, anxious for his safety,

(17:36):
employed people to follow him, but they were soon distanced
by him, who fled from a pursuer swifter than any
From thought. His conduct, however, soon suddenly changed, struck with
the idea that he had left by his absence the
whole of his friends, with a fiend amongst them, of
whose presence they were unconscious. He determined to enter again
into society to watch him closely, anxious to forewarn, in

(17:58):
spite of his oath, all all whom Lord Ruthven approached
with intimacy. But when he entered into a room, his
haggard and suspicious looks were so striking, his inward shuddering
so visible, that his sister was at last obliged to
beg of him to abstain from seeking, for her sake
a society which affected him so strongly. When, however, remonstrance

(18:20):
proved unavailing, the guardians thought proper to interpose, and, fearing
that his mind was becoming alienated, they thought it high
time to resume again that trust which had been before
imposed upon them by Aubrey's parents. It's also high time
that you hear from today's sponsors and Rebecca. Desirous of

(18:59):
saving him from the injuries and sufferings he had daily
encountered in his wanderings, and preventing him from exposing to
the general eye those marks of what they considered folly,
they engaged a physician to reside in the house and
take constant care of him. He hardly appeared to notice it,
so completely was his mind absorbed by one terrible subject.
His incoherence became at last so great that he was

(19:21):
confined to his chamber. There he would often lie for days,
incapable of being roused. He had become emaciated, his eyes
had attained a glassy luster. The only sign of affection
and recollection remaining displayed itself upon the entry of his sister.
Then he would sometimes start and seizing her hands with
looks that severely afflicted her. He would desire her not

(19:43):
to touch him. Oh, do not touch him. If your
love for me is aught, do not go near him. When, however,
she inquired to whom he referred, his only answer was true, true,
And again he sank into a state whence not even
she could him. This lasted many months. Gradually, however, as

(20:04):
the year was passing, his incoherences became less frequent, and
his mind threw off a portion of its gloom. Whilst
his guardians observed that several times in the day he
would count upon his fingers a definite number, then smile.
The time had nearly elapsed. Then, when, upon the last
day of the year, one of his guardians, entering his room,

(20:25):
began to converse with his physician upon the melancholy circumstances
of Aubrey's being in so awful a situation when his
sister was going next day to be married. Instantly Aubrey's
attention was attracted. He asked anxiously to whom glad of
this mark of returning intellect, of which they feared he
had been deprived. They mentioned the name of the Earl

(20:46):
of Marsden, thinking this was a young earl whom he
had met with in society. Aubrey seemed pleased, and astonished
them still more by his expressing his attention to be
present of the nuptials and desiring to see his sister.
They answered not, But in a few minutes his sister
was with him. He was apparently again incapable of being
affected by the influence of a loving smile, for he

(21:09):
pressed her to his breast and kissed her cheek. Wet
with tears flowing at the thought of her brother's being
once more alive to the feelings of affection. He began
to speak with all his wonted warmth, and to congratulate
her upon her marriage with a person so distinguished for
rank and every accomplishment. When he suddenly perceived a locket
upon her breast, opening it, what was his surprise at

(21:30):
beholding the features of the monster who had so long
influenced his life. He seized the portrait in a paroxym
of rage and trampled it under foot. Upon her asking
him why he thus destroyed the resemblance of her future husband,
He looked as if he did not understand her. Then,
seizing her hands, gazing on her with a frantic expression

(21:52):
of countenance, he bade her swear that she would never
wed this monster for he. But he could not advance.
It seemed as if the voice again bade him remember
his oath. He turned suddenly round, thinking Lord Ruthven was
near him, but saw no one. In the meantime, the
guardians and physician, who had heard the whole and thought
this was but a return of his disorder, entered and

(22:14):
forcing him, for Miss Aubrey desired her to leave him.
He fell upon his knees to them, he implored, He
begged of them to delay, but for one day. They,
attributing this to the insanity, they imagined had taken possession
of his mind, endeavored to pacify him, and retired. Lord
Ruthven had called the morning after the drawing room, and

(22:36):
had been refused with everyone else. When he heard of
Aubrey's ill health, he readily understood himself to be the
cause of it. But when he learned that he was
deemed insane, his exultation and pleasure could hardly be concealed
from those among whom he had gained this information. He
hastened to the house of his former companion, and, by
constant attendants and pretense of great affection for his brother

(22:59):
and interest in his fate, he gradually won the ear
of Miss Aubrey, who could resist his power, his tongue
at dangers and toils to recount, could speak of himself
as an individual, having no sympathy with any being on
the crowded earth, save with her, to whom he addressed himself,
could tell how, since he knew her, his existence had

(23:20):
begun to seem worthy of preservation, if it were merely
that he might listen to her soothing accents. In fine,
he knew so well how to use the serpent's act,
or such was the will of fate that he gained
her affections, the title of the elder branch falling at
length to him. He obtained an important embassy, which served

(23:41):
as an excuse for hastening the marriage in spite of
her brother's deranged state, which was to take place the
very day before his departure for the continent. Aubrey, when
he was left by the physician and his guardians, attempted
to bribe the servants, but in vain he asked for
pen and paper. It was given him a letter to
his sister, conjuring her, as she valued her own happiness,

(24:04):
her own honor, and the honor of those now in
the grave who once held her in their arms, and
the hope of their house, to delay but for a
few hours that marriage, on which he denounced the most
heavy curses. The servants promised they would deliver it, but
giving it to the physician, he thought it better not
to harass any more the mind of miss Aubrey by
what he considered the ravings of a maniac. Night passed

(24:27):
on without rest to the busy inmates of the house,
and Aubrey heard with a horror that may more easily
be convinced than described the notes of busy preparation. Morning
came and the sound of carriages broke upon his ear.
Aubrey grew almost frantic the curiosity of the servants. At
last overcame their vigilance. They gradually stole away, leaving him

(24:47):
in the custody of a helpless old woman. He seized
the opportunity. With one bound, he was out of the
room in a moment. He found himself in the apartment
where all were nearly assembled. Lord Ruthven was the first
to perceive him. He immediately approached, and taking his arm
by force, hurried him from the room, speechless with rage.

(25:08):
When on the staircase, Lord Ruthven whispered in his ear,
remember your oath, and know if not my bride to day,
your sister is dishonored. Women are frail, so saying, he
pushed himself towards his attendants, who, roused by the old woman,
had come in search of him. Aubrey could no longer

(25:29):
support himself. His rage, not finding vent, had broken a
blood vessel, and he was conveyed to bed. This was
not mentioned to his sister, who was not present when
he entered, as the physician was afraid of agitating her.
The marriage was solemnized and the bride and bridegroom left London.
Aubrey's weakness increased, the effusion of blood produced symptoms of

(25:53):
the near approach of death. He desired his sister's guardians
might be called, and when the midnight hour had struck
he related composedly what the reader has perused. He died
immediately after. The guardians hastened to protect miss Aubrey, but
when they arrived it was too late. Lord Ruthven had disappeared,

(26:13):
and Aubrey's sister had glutted the thirst of a vampire.
In case anyone's curious, vampires in all caps in that
last line, that's the end of the story. That's the
first vampire story. There's other vampire stories that come before,
but this is the first that is recognizably the aristocratic vampire.
I already told you all of this at the beginning,

(26:35):
and I would also say, I guess it's a lesson
to all of us. Don't sign nine non disclosure agreements
or exclusivity clauses. I mean, I don't know. Maybe I have,
maybe I haven't. Maybe there's a vampire I'm not telling
you about. Maybe that Vampire works for cool Zone Media,

(26:58):
but I can't say channel. It could Happen here as
a production of cool Zone Media. For more podcasts from
cool Zone Media, visit our website coolzonemedia dot com or
check us out on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or
wherever you listen to podcasts. You can find sources for

(27:19):
It could Happen Here, updated monthly at coolzonemedia dot com
slash sources. Thanks for listening.