Кармилла
Conclusion
Theypresent,inthegrave,andwhentheyshowthemselvesinhumansociety,theappearanceofhealthylife.Whendisclosedtolightintheircoffins,theyexhibitallthesymptomsthatareenumeratedasthosewhichprovedthevampire-lifeofthelong-deadCountessKarnstein.
Howtheyescapefromtheirgravesandreturntothemforcertainhourseveryday,withoutdisplacingtheclayorleavinganytraceofdisturbanceinthestateofthecoffinorthecerements,hasalwaysbeenadmittedtobeutterlyinexplicable.Theamphibiousexistenceofthevampireissustainedbydailyrenewedslumberinthegrave.Itshorriblelustforlivingbloodsuppliesthevigorofitswakingexistence.Thevampireispronetobefascinatedwithanengrossingvehemence,resemblingthepassionoflove,byparticularpersons.Inpursuitoftheseitwillexerciseinexhaustiblepatienceandstratagem,foraccesstoaparticularobjectmaybeobstructedinahundredways.Itwillneverdesistuntilithassatiateditspassion,anddrainedtheverylifeofitscovetedvictim.Butitwill,inthesecases,husbandandprotractitsmurderousenjoymentwiththerefinementofanepicure,andheightenitbythegradualapproachesofanartfulcourtship.Inthesecasesitseemstoyearnforsomethinglikesympathyandconsent.Inordinaryonesitgoesdirecttoitsobject,overpowerswithviolence,andstranglesandexhaustsoftenatasinglefeast.
Thevampireis,apparently,subject,incertainsituations,tospecialconditions.
