# Zero Hour explained — Short Fiction

> Chapter companion for Short Fiction by Manly Wade Wellman.

## What happens

Pursuivant reveals to Connatt that the flyleaf of a witch's book contains a pact pledging the infant Lord Byron to a coven for 150 years, explaining Byron's unnatural longevity and his current identity as Varduk. They deduce that Varduk intends to transfer the curse to Sigrid Holgar during the performance of 'Ruthven' through a witch's initiation ritual. Pursuivant devises a plan to intervene with the prop sword, and the chapter ends as the play begins.

## Themes in this chapter

### Supernatural Evil and Occultism

The coven pact, witch initiation ritual, and Varduk's undead existence embody occult evil.

### Sacrifice and Redemption

Byron's apparent repentance and sacrificial death for Greek liberty is contrasted with his continued cursed existence.

### The Power of Belief and Ritual

The play's lines and stage actions are revealed to be a genuine witch ceremony with binding power.

## Character check-ins

### Keith Pursuivant

Reveals the Byron pact and Varduk's plan; devises a countermeasure using the prop sword.

### Mr. Connatt

Narrator and actor playing Aubrey; learns the truth and retrieves the sword despite Davidson's objection.

### Varduk

Revealed to be the living Lord Byron; intends to transfer his curse to Sigrid during the play.

### Miss Holgar

Sigrid Holgar, the actress playing Mary; unknowingly about to undergo a witch initiation.

### Elmo Davidson

Stage manager; reluctantly allows Connatt to take the prop sword.

### Jake Switz

Grinning good wishes to Connatt as the play begins.

## Key lines

> There, on the flyleaf of a book sacred to witches and utterly abhorrent to honest folk, was written an instrument pledging the body and soul of a baby to a 'coeven'—that is, a congregation of evil sorcerers—for one hundred and fifty years.

On the flyleaf of a witch's book, a pact was written dedicating an infant's body and soul to a coven for 150 years.

_Pursuivant explains the nature of the Byron pact._

> The master of the coven touched the head of the neophyte and said that all beneath his hand now belonged to the powers of darkness.

The coven leader touched the initiate's head and declared everything under his hand belonged to evil.

_Pursuivant describes the witch initiation ritual that Varduk will perform on Sigrid._

> Think what will follow if we let Miss Holgar take this oath, accept this initiation, however unwittingly. At once she will assume the curse that Varduk—Byron—lays down.

If Sigrid unknowingly takes the oath, she will inherit Byron's curse.

_Pursuivant warns Connatt of the stakes._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/xiv-zero-hour
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_37_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters