Clarimonde or The Dead Leman (La morte Amoreuse is the original title in French) is a short vampire romance tale . It tells the story of a young priest, Romauld, who falls in love with a beautiful woman, Clarimonde, who turns out to be a vampire. This tale, written by Theophile Gautier, is a classic of vampire litrature. Rich in psychological complexity, intertwining the world of dreams and reality, Clarimonde is meant to spellbind the reader.