This rumour existed : since the arrival of Darvulia, the Countess, in order to preserve her comeliness, took baths of human blood. True : Darvulia, being a witch, believed in the invigorating powers of the 'human fluid'. She proclaimed the merits of young girl's blood - especially if they were virgins - to vanquish the demon of senility, and the Countess accepted the treatment as meekly as if it had been a salt bath. Therefore, in the torture chamber, dorko applied herself to slicing veins and arteries; the blood was collected in pitchers and, when the victims were bled dry, Dorko would pour the red warm liquid over the body of the waiting Countess - ever so quiet, ever so white, ever so erect, ever so silent. In spite of her unchangeable beauty, time inflicted upon her some of the signs of its passing. towards 1610 Darvulia mysteriously disappeared and Erzebet, almost fifty, complained to her new witch the uselessness of the blood baths. In fact, more than complain, she threatened to kill her if she did not stop the encroaching and exerable signs of old age. The witch argued that Darvulia's method had not worked because plebeian blood had been used. She assured that changing the colour of the blood, using blue blood instead of red, would ensure the fast retreat of old age.

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