And be good to him, for he holds my heart in his breast!" I reassured her with a gentle pressure--there was no need to speak.

She then went on to tell me about her marriage, and how her husband, who had fallen into the belief that she was a Vampire, had determined to give even his soul for her; and how she had on the night of the marriage left him and gone back to the tomb to play to the end the grim comedy which she had undertaken to perform till my return; and how, on the second night after her marriage, as she was in the garden of the Castle--going, as she shyly told me, to see if all was well with her husband--she was seized secretly, muffled up, bound, and carried off.

Here she made a pause and a digression.
Evidently some fear lest her husband and myself should quarrel assailed her, for she said: "Do understand, father, that Rupert's marriage to me was in all ways regular, and quite in accord with our customs.

Before we were married I told the Archbishop of my wish.

He, as your representative during your absence, consented himself, and brought the matter to the notice of the Vladika and the Archimandrites.