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The Theatre des Vampires was born。
And worthless shell that I was； dressed up like a human with less claim to that title than ever in all my years of failure； I became its mentor。
It was the least I could do for my orphans of the Old Faith； giddy and happy as they were in a gaudy and Godless world on the verge of political revolution。
Why I governed this palladian theater so long； why I remained year after long year with this Coven of sorts； I know not except that I needed it； needed it as surely as I'd ever needed Marius and our household in Venice； or Allesandra and the Coven beneath the Paris Cemetery of Les Innocents。 I needed a place to turn my steps before sunrise where I knew others of my kind were safely at rest。
And I can say truthfully that my vampire followers needed me。
They needed to believe in my leadership； and when worst came to worst I did not fail them； exercising some restraint upon those careless immortals who now and then endangered us by public displays of supernatural power or extreme cruelty； and by managing with the arithmetical skill of an idiot savant our business affairs with the world。
Taxes； tickets； handbills； heating fuel； foot lamps； the fostering of ferocious fabulists； I managed it all。
And now and then； I took exquisite pride and pleasure in it。
With the seasons we grew； as did our audiences； crude benches giving way to velvet seats； and penny pantomimes to more poetical productions。
Many a night as I took my place alone in my velvet…curtained box； a gentleman of obvious means in the narrow trousers of the age； with fitted waistcoat of printed silk and close…cut coat of bright wool； my hair bed back beneath a black ribbon or finally trimmed above my high stiff white collar； I thought upon those lost centuries of rancid ritual and demonic dreams as one might think back on a long painful illness in a lightless room amid bitter medicines and pointless incantations。 It could not have been real； all that； the ragged plague of predatory paupers that we were； singing of Satan in the rimy gloom。
And all the lives I'd lived； and worlds I'd known； seemed even less substantial。
What lurked beneath my fancy frills； behind my quiet unquestioning eyes？ Who was I？ Had I no remembrance of a warmer flame than that which gave its silvery glow to my faint smile at those who asked it of me？ I remembered no one who had ever lived and breathed within my quietly moving form。 A crucifix with painted blood； a saccharine Virgin on a prayer book page or made of pastel…painted bisque； what were these things but vulgar remnants of a coarse； unfathomable time when powers now dismissed had hovered in the chalice of gold； or blazed most fearfully inside a face above a glowing altar。
I knew nothing of such things。 The crosses snatched from virgin necks were melted down to make my golden rings。 And rosaries cast aside with other paste as thieving fingers； mine； tore off a victim's diamond buttons。
I developed in those eight decades of the Theatre des Vampires… we weathered the Revolution with amazing resiliency； the public clamoring to our seemingly frivolous and morbid entertainments…and maintained； long after the theatre was gone； into the late twentieth century a silent； concealed nature； letting my childlike face deceive my adversaries； my would…be enemies （I rarely took them seriously） and my vampire slaves。
I was the worst of leaders； that is； the indifferent cold leader who strikes fear in the hearts of everyone but bothers to love no one； and I maintained the Theatre des Vampires； as we called it well into the 1870s； when Lestat's child Louis came wandering into it； seeking the answers which his cocky insolent maker had never given him to the age…old questions： Where do we vampires e from？ Who made us and for what？
Ah； but before I discourse on the ing of the famous and irresistible vampire Louis； and his small exquisite paramour； the vampire Claudia； let me relate one tiny incident that happened to me in the earlier years of the nineteenth century。
It may mean nothing； or perhaps it is the betrayal of another's secret existence。 I don't know。 I relate it only because it touches fancifully； if not certainly； upon one who has played a dramatic role in my tale。
I cannot mark the year of this little event。 Let me say only that Chopin's lovely； dreamy piano music was well revered in Paris； that the novels of George Sand were the rage； and that women had already given up the slender lascivious gowns of the Empire to wear the huge heavy…skirted； small…waisted taffeta dresses in which they appear so often in old shining daguerreotypes。
The theatre was booming as one would say in modern parlance； and I； the manager； having grown tired of its performances； was wandering alone one night in the wooded land just beyond the glow of Paris； not far from a country house full of merry voices and blazing chandeliers。
It was there that I came upon another vampire。
I knew her immediately by her silence； lack of scent and the near divine grace with which she made her way through the wild brush； managing a fall flowing cape and abundant skirt with small pale hands； her goal the nearby brilliantly lighted and beckoning windows。
She realized my presence almost as quickly as I sensed hers； quite alarming to me at my age and with my powers。 She froze without turning her head。
Though the vicious vampire players of the theatre maintained their right to do away with mavericks or intruders among the Undead； I； the leader； after my years as deluded saint； did not give a damn for such things。
I meant the creature no harm； and； carelessly； I tossed out in a soft casual voice； speaking in French； a warning。
〃Ravaged territory； my dear。 No game unbespoken here。 Make for a safer city before sunup。〃
No human ear could have heard this。
The creature made no reply； her taffeta hood drooping as she had obviously bowed her head。 Then； turning； she revealed herself to me in the long shafts of golden light falling from the multipaned glass windows beyond her。
I knew this creature。 I knew her face。 I knew it。
And in a dreadful second…a fateful second…I perceived that she might not know me； not with my hair nightly clipped short for these times； not in these sombre trousers and dull coat； not in this tragic moment when I posed as a man； so utterly transformed from the lushly adorned child she'd known； she couldn't。
Why didn't I cry out？ Bianca！
But I couldn't grasp it； couldn't believe in it； couldn't rouse my dulled heart to triumph in what my eyes told me to be true； that the exquisite oval face surrounded by its golden hair and taffeta hood was hers； most definitely； framed exactly as it might have been in those days； and it was she； she whose face had been etched into my fevered soul before and after any Dark Gift had ever been given me。
Bianca。
She was gone！ For less than a second I saw her wide wary eyes； full of vampiric alarm； more urgent and menacing than any human could ever evince； and then the figure was vanished； disappeared fr