Summary

Portrait of Sabine Baring-Gould Sabine Baring-Gould In Troubadour-Land — Chapter XXI: Vienne (1891)

Just as when one is on a height, a nervous, uncontrollable impulse fills some men to throw themselves down out of very fear of falling, so did this great artist in horrors work up the feelings of his audience to such tension that it became insupportable, they must go headlong in, and see the vampire, if they died for it.
"The vampire is to be seen—smacking his lips—thirsting, ravening, for BLOOD. A live rabbit will be offered him; he will roll his eyes, look at the human beings present, try the bars of his cage—he cannot reach them. En fin, a rabbit is better than nothing!
Source: Wikisource

Portrait of Sabine Baring-Gould Sabine Baring-Gould In Troubadour-Land — Chapter XXI: Vienne (1891)

But surely, the proper study of mankind is man, so I resolved on seeing the fair first, and after that of studying the antiquities, and indulging in antiquarian and historic dreams.
The weather was sorry: wind and threatenings of rain. Moreover it was cold and overcast. Yet nothing damped the ardour of the sellers, and the acquisitiveness of the buyers. But—had I come upon a nursery of hallelujah lasses? Were the nights to be made hideous with Salvation Army howls? On all sides of me were great girls and little girls, matrons and maids, in Salvation Army straws.
Source: Wikisource

Portrait of Sabine Baring-Gould Sabine Baring-Gould In Troubadour-Land — Chapter XXI: Vienne (1891)

The sight of a human babe rouses in the vampire the sanguinary passion to a paroxysm of frenzy. In its natural state the vampire sucks the blood of men. This vampire has sucked that of KINGS, and to have to descend to—RABBIT!"
I did not expend my sous to see the wretched bat, but I did lavish thirty centimes on the amphitrite next door.
Source: Wikisource

Get perspective with Kwize: daily news enlightened by great literature