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“ ‘Be prepared…’ he said, now baring his nificent teeth, ‘to kill!’ He looked suddenly at the boards overhead ‘They’re going to bed up there, do you hear the which Lestat paced and I sat there ht do or say to Babette or, deeper still, for the answer to a harder question — what did I feel for Babette? After a long tiht flared beneath the door Lestat was poised to jump whoever should open it It was Babette alone and she entered with a la directly at me

“I had never seen her as she looked then; her hair was down for bed, a mass of dark waves behind her whi

te dressing gown; and her face was tight orry and fear This gave it a feverish radiance and e As I have told you, I loved her strength and honesty, the greatness of her soul And I did not feel passion for her as you would feel it But I found herthan any woown, her arms and breasts were round and soft; and she see soul clothed in rich, mysterious flesh I who am hard and spare and dedicated to a purpose, felt drawn to her irresistibly; and, knowing it could only cul if when she gazed into my eyes she found them dead and soulless

“ ‘You are the one who came to me before,’ she said now, as if she hadn’t been sure ‘And you are the owner of Pointe du Lac You are!’ I knew as she spoke that she ht, and there would be no convincing her of any lie I had used my unnatural appearance twice to reach her, to speak to her; I could not hide it or minimize it now

“ ‘I e and horses… the horses I left last night in the pasture’ She didn’t seem to hear my words; she drew closer, deterht

“And then I saw Lestat behind her, his shadowwith her shadow on the brick wall; he was anxious and dangerous ‘You will giveat me now, the lamp raised; and just when I e It went still, blank, as if her soul were losing its consciousness She closed her eyes and shook her head It occurred to o into a trance without any effort on my part ‘What are you!’ she whispered ‘You’re from the devil You were from the devil when you came to me!’

“ ‘The devil!’ I answered her This distressed ht I could be distressed If she believed this, then she would think my counsel bad; she would question herself Her life was rich and good, and I knew shepeople, she suffered always a inal outsider, a secret infidel of a certain sort And the balance by which she lived oodness She stared at ot her own vulnerable position And now Lestat, as drawn to weakness like a parched rabbed her wrist, and she screamed and dropped the lamp The flames leaped in the splattered oil, and Lestat pulled her backwards towards the open door ‘You get the carriage!’ he said to her ‘Get it now, and the horses You are in er; don’t talk of devils!’

“I sto at him to leave her He had her by both wrists, and she was furious ‘You’ll rouse the house if you don’t shut up!’ he said to e… lead us Talk to the stable boy!’ he said to her, pushing her into the open air…

“We moved slowly across the dark court, my distress almost unbearable, Lestat ahead of me; and before us both Babette, whoat us in the dark Suddenly she stopped One di!’ she said I reached for Lestat’s arm and told him I must handle this ‘She’ll reveal us to everyone unless you let me talk to her,’ I whispered to him

“ ‘Then get yourself in check,’ he said disgustedly ‘Be strong Don’t quibble with her’

“ ‘You go as I talk… go to the stables and get the carriage and the horses But don’t kill!’ Whether he’d obey me or not I didn’t know, but he darted away just as I stepped up to Babette Her face was a mixture of fury and resolution She said, ‘Get thee behind me, Satan’ And I stood there before her then, speechless, just holding her in lance as surely as she held ave no indication Her hatred for me burned me like fire

“ ‘Why do you say this to ave you bad? Did I do you harht only of you, when I had no need to think of you at all’

“She shook her head ‘But hy do you talk to me like this?’ she asked ‘I knohat you’ve done at Pointe du Lac; you’ve lived there like a devil! The slaves are ith stories! All day men have been on the river road on the way to Pointe du Lac; my husband was there! He saw the house in ruins, the bodies of slaves throughout the orchards, the fields What are you! Why do you speak tonow to the pillars of the porch and was backing slowly to the staircase Sohted

“ ‘I cannot give you such answers now,’ I said to her ‘Believe ood And would not have brought worry and care to you last night for anything, had I the choice!’ ”

The vampire stopped