“She didn’t die. No, no. She never died. And here she haunts me, and there she haunts him too; and oftentimes she clutches at my breast with her strong fingers, and some day she will tear my heart away and suck my life blood. Oh! if you have any mercy take me home.” But even as she spoke her voice and hands had lost their power and she fell backwards. “She had no mercy herself, yet would solicit yours. She is not yet cured,” my companion remarked. The light flickered on the wall beside the crucifix, and stretched upon it I saw the woman’s figure; but as I looked I saw the crucifix had turned from wood into the shape of a man, and the woman hung upon his body, nailed to it as if it had been lifeless wood. We went away and there was utter silence in the cell. From there Vestné guided me into a low, darkened chamber, rather different in shape from the others I had seen. A long low table stood in the midst, and instead of the pale light which flickered through the other dreary cells strange, curious flames and darts of fire floated and danced from side to side. I cannot tell whether it was owing to the lurid, unreal glare these lights cast, but the ghastly sight that met us horrified me more than any I had seen yet. There on the table lay the form of the woman I had watched drawn thither when I was with Plucritus. She lay insensible, and it was well, since about her crowded many fearful demons, and they were all gnawing the flesh away, or rather, to those who can understand it better, the spirit. Their hideous, hungry, cruel faces lost nothing by the glaring lights that shone upon them as they floated past. From beneath came strains of weird, inhuman music. I understood more clearly now the meaning of these terrible things. So intent were they upon their prey that they never noticed us. “This is the Vampire’s Feast,” said Vestné, turning to me. “Do they absorb the whole?” I asked. “Oh, no. They are only allowed those parts which are of no use to us. When she is in a fit condition she will be placed in a common cell to suffer the just punishment. It is really a term of refinement and purification; after that she will be fit food for us, and servant too.” I said nothing, but watched the hideous creatures at their meal. On the whole they interfered little with each other, still now and then a savage growl would break out when one usurped, even in the least, another’s portion. “They should do good work after this,” said Vestné. “They have been feeding here for days. Come away, they are not very beautiful to behold even at the best of times.” So we went out again. “You have locked the door?” I asked. “Oh, yes. They can get out without keys, all except the prisoner.” And from thence we passed on to another cell, in which we found another woman. What struck me most about her was her beauty. Thin and gaunt she might be (so were they all), but despite all this hers was a beauty of a very unusual order.