The Vampire

The ball was very crowded. After the noisy waltz, Руневский led his lady to her place and began walking through the rooms, glancing at different groups of guests. What caught his eye was a man, apparently still quite young, but pale and almost completely gray-haired. He stood leaning against the fireplace, watching one corner of the hall with such attention that he did not notice his coat tail brushing against the fire and beginning to smoke. Руневский, excited by the stranger’s strange appearance, took advantage of the situation to start a conversation with him: “You must be looking for someone,” he said, “and yet your clothes are going to start burning soon.”

The stranger looked around, stepped away from the fireplace, and, after fixing his gaze on Руневский, answered: “No, I’m not looking for anyone. I find it strange that at today’s ball I can see vampires!”