Dracula by Bram Stoker | Part 1/2 | Full Audiobook

Gates of imagination presents Dracula by Bram Stoker read by Arthur Lane how these papers have been placed in sequence will be made manifest in the reading of them all needless matters have been eliminated so that a history almost at variance with the possibilities of later day belief May stand forth as simple fact there is throughout No statement of past things wherein memory may ER for all the records chosen are exactly contemporary given from the standpoints and within the range of knowledge

of those who made them chapter 1. Jonathan Harker's Journal kept in shorthand 3rd of May biscuits left Munich at 8 35 pm on the 1st of May arriving at Vienna early next morning should have arrived at 6 46 but train was an hour late Budapest seems a wonderful place from the Glimpse which I got of it from the train and the little I could walk through the streets I feared to go very far from the station as we had arrived late and would start as near the correct time as possible the impression I had

was that we were leaving the west and entering the east the most western of Splendid bridges over the Danube which is here of noble width and depth took us among the traditions of Turkish rule we left in pretty good time and came after Nightfall to klausenberg here I stopped for the night at the hotel Royale I had for dinner or rather supper a chicken done up some way with red pepper which was very good but thirsty meme get recipe for Mina I asked the waiter and he said it was called paprika he

ndel and that as it was a national dish I should be able to get it anywhere along the carpathians I found my smattering of German very useful here indeed I don't know how I should be able to get on without it having had some time at my disposal when in London I had visited the British Museum and made search among the books and maps in the library regarding Transylvania it had struck me that some foreknowledge of the country could hardly fail to have some importance in dealing with a nobleman of

that country I find that the district he named is in the extreme east of the country just on the borders of three states Transylvania Moldavia and Buca Vina in the midst of the Carpathian Mountains one of the wildest and least known portions of Europe I was not able to light on any map or work giving the exact locality of the castle Dracula as there are no maps of this country as yet to compare with our own Ordnance survey Maps but I found that bistrits the post town named by Count Dracula is a

fairly well-known place I shall enter here some of my notes as they may refresh my memory when I talk over my travels with Mina in the population of Transylvania there are four distinct nationalities Saxons in the South and mixed with them the wallachs who are the descendants of the dacians magyars in the west and sikhilis in the east and north I am going among the latter who claim to be descended from Attila and the Huns this may be so for when the magyars conquered the country in the 11th cent

ury they found the Huns settled in it I read that every known Superstition in the world is gathered into the Horseshoe of the carpathians as if it were the center of some sort of imaginative Whirlpool if so my stay may be very interesting mem I must ask the count all about them I did not sleep well though my bed was comfortable enough for I had all sorts of queer dreams there was a dog howling all night under my window which may have had something to do with it or it may have been the paprika fo

r I had to drink up all the water in my carafe and was still thirsty towards morning I slept and was awakened by The Continuous knocking at my door so I guess I must have been sleeping soundly then I had for breakfast more paprika and a sort of porridge of maize flour which they said was mamaliga and eggplant stuffed with Force meat a very excellent dish which they call implantata mem get recipe for this also I had to hurry breakfast for the train started a little before eight or rather it ought

to have done so for after rushing to the station at 7 30 I had to sit in the carriage for more than an hour before we began to move it seems to me that the further east you go the more unpunctual of the trains what ought they to be in China all day long we seem to dawdle through a country which was full of beauty of every kind sometimes we saw little towns or castles on the top of steep hills such as we see in Old missiles sometimes we ran by rivers and streams which seemed from the wide Stony

margin on each side of them to be subject to Great floods it takes a lot of water and running strong to sweep the outside edge of a river clear at every station there were groups of people sometimes crowds and in all sorts of attire some of them were just like the peasants at home or those I saw coming through France and Germany with short jackets and round hats and homemade trousers but others were very picturesque the women looked pretty except when you got near them but they were very clumsy

about the waist they had all full white sleeves of some kind or other and most of them had big belts with a lot of strips of something fluttering from them like the dresses in a ballet but of course there were petticoats under them the strangest figures we saw were the slovaks who were more Barbarian than the rest with their big cowboy hats great baggy dirty white trousers white linen shirts and enormous heavy leather belts nearly a foot wide all studied over with brass nails they wore high boot

s with their trousers tucked into them and had long black hair and heavy black mustaches they are very picturesque but do not look pre-possessing on the stage they would be set down at once as some old oriental band of brigands they are however I am told very harmless and rather wanting in natural self-assertion it was on the dark side of Twilight when we got to bistritz which is a very interesting old place being practically on the frontier for the Borgo pass leads from it into bukovina it has

had a very stormy existence and it certainly shows marks of it 50 years ago a series of great fires took place which made terrible havoc on five separate occasions at the very beginning of the 17th century it underwent a Siege of three weeks and lost 13 000 people the casualties of War proper being assisted by famine and disease Count Dracula had directed me to go to the Golden Crown hotel which I found to my great Delight to be thoroughly old-fashioned for of course I wanted to see all I could

of the ways of the country I was evidently expected for when I got near the door I faced a cheery looking elderly woman in the usual peasant dress white undergarment with long double apron front and back of colored stuff fitting almost too tight for modesty when I came close she bowed and said the hair Englishman yes I said Jonathan Harker she smiled and gave some message to an elderly man in white shirt sleeves who had followed her to the door he went but immediately returned with a letter my f

riend welcome to the carpathians I'm anxiously expecting you sleep well tonight at 3 tomorrow the diligence will start for bucavina a place on it is kept for you at the Borgo pass my Carriage will await you and will bring you to me I trust that your journey from London has been a happy one and that you will enjoy your stay in my beautiful land your friend Dracula 4th of May I found that my landlord had got a letter from the count directing him to secure the best place on the coach for me but on

making inquiries as to details he seemed somewhat reticent and pretended that he could not understand my German this could not be true because up to then he had understood it perfectly at least he answered my questions exactly as if he did he and his wife the old lady who had received me looked at each other in a frightened sort of way he mumbled out that the money had been sent in a letter and that was all he knew when I asked him if he knew Count Dracula and could tell me anything of his castl

e both he and his wife crossed themselves and saying that they knew nothing at all simply refused to speak further it was so near the time of starting that I had no time to ask anyone else for it was all very mysterious and not by any means comforting just before I was leaving the old lady came up to my room and said in a very hysterical way must you go oh young here must you go she was in such an excited state that she seemed to have lost her grip of what German she knew and mixed it all up wit

h some other language which I did not know at all I was just able to follow her by asking many questions when I told her that I must go at once and that I was engaged on important business she asked again do you know what day it is I answered that it was the 4th of May she shook her head as she said again oh yes I know that I know that but do you know what day it is on my saying that I did not understand she went on it is the eve of Saint George's day do not know that tonight when the clock stri

kes midnight all the evil things in the world will have full sway do you know where you're going and what you're going to she was in such evident distress that I tried to comfort her but without effect finally she went down on her knees and implored me not to go at least to wait a day or two before starting it was all very ridiculous but I did not feel comfortable however there was business to be done and I could allow nothing to interfere with it I therefore tried to raise her up and said as Gr

avely as I could that I thanked her but my duty was imperative and that I must go she then Rose and dried her eyes and taking a crucifix from her neck offered it to me I did not know what to do for as an English Churchman I have been taught to regard such things as in some measure idolatrous and yet it seems so ungracious to refuse an old lady meaning so well and in such a state of mind she saw I suppose the doubt in my face for she put the rosary round my neck and said for your mother's sake an

d went out of the room I'm writing up this part of the Diary whilst I'm waiting for the coach which is of course late and the crucifix is still round my neck whether it is the old lady's fear or the many ghostly traditions of this place or the crucifix itself I do not know but I'm not feeling nearly as easy in my mind as usual if this book should ever reach Mina before I do let it bring my goodbye here comes the coach the 5th of May the castle the gray of the morning has passed and the Sun is hi

gh over the distant Horizon which seems Jagged whether with trees or Hills I know not for it is so far off that big things and little are mixed I am not sleepy and as I'm not to be called till I awake naturally I write till sleep comes there are many odd things to put down and lest who reads them may fancy that I dined too well before I left bisstrids let me put down my dinner exactly I dined on what they called robber stake bits of bacon onion and beef seasoned with red pepper and strung on sti

cks and roasted over the fire in the simple style of the London cat's meat the wine was golden mediash which produces a queer sting on the tongue which is however not disagreeable I had only a couple of glasses of this and nothing else when I got on the coach the driver had not taken his seat and I saw him talking with the landlady they were evidently talking of me for every now and then they looked at me and some of the people who were sitting on the bench outside the door which they call by a

name meaning word Bearer came and listened and then looked at me most of them pityingly I could hear a lot of words often repeated queer words for there were many nationalities in the crowd so I quietly got my polyglot dictionary from my bag and looked them out I must say they were not cheering to me for amongst them were ordog Satan pokol hell stragoica witch vrolock and volkoslak both of which mean the same thing one being Slovak and the other Serbian for something that is either werewolf or v

ampire mem I must ask the count about these superstitions when we started the crowd round the indoor which had by this time swelled to a considerable size all made the sign of the cross and pointed two fingers towards me with some difficulty I got a fellow passenger to tell me what they meant he would not answer it first but on learning that I was English he explained that it was a charm or guard against the evil eye this was not very pleasant for me just starting for an unknown place to meet an

unknown man but everyone seemed so kind-hearted and so sorrowful and so sympathetic that I could not but be touched I shall never forget the last Glimpse which I had of the inyard and its crowd of picturesque figures all Crossing themselves as they stood round the wide Archway with its background of Rich foliage of Oleander and orange trees in green tubs clustered in the center of the yard then our driver whose wide linen drawers covered the whole front of the box seat gotzer they call them cra

cked his big whip over his four small horses which ran abreast and we set off on our journey I soon lost sight and recollection of ghostly fears in the beauty of the scene as we drove along although had I known the language or rather languages which my fellow passengers were speaking I might not have been able to throw them off so easily before us lay a green sloping land full of forests and woods with here and there steep hills crowned with clumps of trees or with farm houses the blank Gable en

d to the road there was everywhere a bewildering mass of fruit blossom apple Plum pear cherry and as we drove by I could see the green grass under the trees Spangled with the Fallen petals in and out amongst these Green Hills of what they call here the middle land ran the road losing itself as it swept round the grassy curve or was shut out by the straggling ends of Pine Woods which here and there ran down the hillsides like tongues of flame the road was rugged but still we seemed to fly over it

with a feverish haste I could not understand then what the haste meant but the driver was evidently bent on losing no time in reaching Borgo pruned I was told that this road is in summertime excellent but that it had not yet been put in order after the winter snows in this respect it is different from the general run of roads in the carpathians for it is an old tradition that they are not to be kept in too good order of old the hospitals would not repair them lest the Turks should think that th

ey were preparing to bring in foreign troops and so hasten the war which was always really at loading point beyond the green swelling Hills of the middle land Rose Mighty slopes of forest up to the lofty Steeps of the carpathians themselves right and left of us they towered with the afternoon sun falling full upon them and bringing out all the Glorious colors of this beautiful range deep blue and purple in the shadows of the Peaks green and brown where grass and rock mingled and an endless persp

ective of jagged Rock and pointed Crags till these were themselves lost in the distance where the Snowy Peaks Rose grandly here and there seemed Mighty Rifts in the mountains through which as the sun began to sink we saw now and again the white gleam of falling water one of my companions touched my arm as we swept around the base of a hill and opened up the lofty snow-covered peak of a mountain which seemed as we wound on our Serpentine Way to be right before us look istansec God's seat and he c

rossed himself reverently as we wound on Our Endless way and the sun sank lower and lower behind us the Shadows of the evening began to creep round us this was emphasized by the fact that the snowy Mountaintop still held the sunset and seemed to Glow out with a delicate cool pink here and there we passed checks and slovaks all in picturesque attire but I noticed that goitro was painfully prevalent by the roadside were many crosses and as we swept by my companions all crossed themselves here and

there was a peasant man or woman kneeling before a shrine who did not even turn round as we approached but seemed in the self-surrender of Devotion to have neither eyes nor ears for the outer world there were many things new to me for instance hey Ricks in the trees and here and there very beautiful masses of weeping Birch their white stems shining like silver through the delicate green of the leaves now and again we passed a litter wagon the ordinary peasants cart with its long snake-like verte

bra calculated to suit the inequalities of the road on this were sure to be seated quite a group of homecoming peasants the Czechs with their white and the slovaks with their colored sheepskins the latter carrying Lance fashion their long staves with acts at end as the evening fell it began to get very cold and the growing Twilight seemed to merge into one dark mistiness the Gloom of the trees Oak Beach and Pine though in The Valleys which ran deep between the Spurs of the hills as we ascended t

hrough the pass the dark Furs stood out here and there against the background of late lying snow sometimes as the road was cut through the Pine Woods that seemed in the darkness to be closing down upon us great masses of grayness which here and there bestrued the trees produced a peculiarly weird and solemn effect which carried on the thoughts and Grim fancies engendered earlier in the evening when the falling Sunset threw into strange relief the ghost-like clouds which amongst the carpathians s

eemed to Wind ceaselessly Through The Valleys sometimes the hills were so steep that despite our driver's Haste The Horses could only go slowly I wish to get down and walk up them as we do at home but the driver would not hear of it no no he said you must not walk here the dogs are too fierce and then he added with what he evidently meant for Grim pleasantry for he looked round to catch the approving smile of the rest and you may have enough of such matters before you go to sleep the only stop h

e would make was a moment's pause to light his lamps when it grew dark there seemed to be some excitement amongst the passengers and they kept speaking to him one after the other as though urging him to further speed he lashed the horses unmercifully with his long whip and with wild cries of encouragement urged them on to further exertions then through the darkness I could see a sort of patch of gray light ahead of us as though there were a cleft in the Hills the excitement of the passengers gre

w greater the crazy coach rocked on its great leather Springs and swayed like a boat tossed on a stormy sea I had to hold on the road grew more level and we appeared to fly along then the mountains seemed to come nearer to us on each side and to frown down upon us we were entering on the Borgo pass one by one several of the passengers offered me gifts which they pressed upon me with an earnestness which would take no denial these were certainly of an odd and varied kind but each was given in sim

ple good faith with a kindly word and a blessing and that strange mixture of fear-meaning movements which I had seen outside the hotel at bistritz the sign of the cross and the guard against the evil eye then as we flew along the driver leaned forward and on each side the passengers craning over the edge of the coach peered eagerly into the darkness it was evident that something very exciting was either happening or expected but though I asked each passenger no one would give me the slightest ex

planation this state of excitement kept on for some little time and at last we saw before us the Pass opening out on the Eastern side there were dark rolling clouds overhead and in the air the heavy oppressive sense of thunder it seemed as though the mountain range had separated two atmospheres and that now we had got into the thunderous one I was now myself looking out for the conveyance which was to take me to the count each moment I expected to see the glare of lamps through the blackness but

all was dark the only light was the flickering rays of our own lamps in which the steam from our hard driven horses Rose in a white cloud we could see now the Sandy Road lying white before us but there was on it no sign of a vehicle the passengers Drew back with a sigh of gladness which seemed to mock my own disappointment I was already thinking what I'd best do when the driver looking at his watch said to the others something which I could hardly hear it was spoken so quietly and in so lower t

one I thought it was an hour less than the time then turning to me he said in German worse than my own there is no Carriage here the hair is not expected after all he will now come on to book avina and return tomorrow or the next day better the next day whilst he was speaking the horses began to Nay and snort and plunge wildly so that the driver had to hold them up then amongst A Chorus of Screams from The Peasants and a universal Crossing of themselves a kalash with four horses drove up behind

us overtook us and Drew up beside the coach I could see from the flash of our lamps as the Rays fell on them that the horses were coal black and Splendid animals they were driven by a tall man with a long brown beard and a great black hat which seemed to hide his face from us I could only see The Gleam of a pair of very bright eyes which seemed red in the Lamplight as he turned to us he said to the driver you are early tonight my friend the man stammered in reply the English hair was in a hurry

to which the stranger replied that is why I suppose you wished him to go on to book avina you cannot deceive me my friend I know too much and my horses are Swift as he spoke he smiled and the Lamplight fell on a hard-looking mouth with very red lips and sharp looking teeth as white as ivory one of my companions whispered to another the line from Burger's Lenore dendai Todd and right and Schnell for the dead travel fast the strange driver evidently heard the words for he looked up with a gleaming

smile the passenger turned his face away at the same time putting out his two fingers and Crossing himself give me the hair's luggage said the driver and with exceeding alacrity my bags were handed out and put in the kalesh then I descended from the side of the coach as the kalesh was close alongside the driver helping me with a hand which caught my arm in a grip of Steel his strength must have been prodigious without a word he shook his Reigns the horses turned and we swept into the darkness o

f the pass as I looked back I saw the steam from the horses of the coach By the Light of the lamps and projected against it the figures of my late companions Crossing themselves then the driver cracked his Whip and called to his horses and off they swept on their way to bucavina as they sank into the darkness I felt a strange chill and a lonely feeling came over me but a cloak was thrown over my shoulders and a rug across my knees and the driver said in excellent German the night is Chill mine h

air and my master the count bayed me take all care of you there's a flask of slivovits the plum brandy of the country underneath the seat if you should require it I did not take any but it was a comfort to know it was there all the same I felt a little strangely and not a little frightened I think had there been any alternative I should have taken it instead of Prosecuting that unknown night Journey The Carriage went at a hard Pace straight along then we made a complete turn and went along anoth

er straight Road it seemed to me that we were simply going over and over the same ground again and so I took note of some Salient point and found that this was so I would have liked to have asked the driver what this all meant but I really feared to do so for I thought that placed as I was any protest would have had no effect in case there had been an intention to delay by and by however as I was curious to know how time was passing I struck a match and by its flame looked at my watch it was wit

hin a few minutes of midnight this gave me a sort of shock for I suppose the general superstition about midnight was increased by my recent experiences I waited with a sick feeling of suspense then a dog began to howl somewhere in a farmhouse far down the road a long agonized whaling as if from Fear the sound was taken up by another dog and then another and another till born on the Wind which now sighed softly through the pass a wild howling began which seemed to come from all over the country a

s far as the imagination could grasp it through the Gloom of the night at the first howl the horses began to strain and rear but the driver spoke to them soothingly and they quieted down but shivered and sweated as though after a run away from Sudden fright then far off in the distance from the mountains on each side of us began a louder and a sharper howling that of wolves which affected both the horses and myself in the same way for I was minded to jump from the coalesh and run whilst they rea

red again and plunged madly so that the driver had to use all his great strength to keep them from bolting in a few minutes however myonias got accustomed to the sound and the horses so far became quiet that the driver was able to descend and to stand before them he petted and soothed them and whispered something in their ears as I have heard of horse Tamers doing and with extraordinary effect for under his caresses they became quite manageable again though they still trembled the driver again t

ook his seat and shaking his reins started off at a great pace this time after going to the far side of the pass he suddenly turned down a narrow roadway which ran sharply to the right soon we were hemmed in with trees which in place his arched right over the roadway till we passed as through a tunnel and again great frowning rocks guarded us boldly on either side though we were in shelter we could hear the rising wind for it moaned and whistled through the rocks and the branches of the trees cr

ashed together as we swept along it grew colder and colder still and fine powdery snow began to fall so that soon we and all around us were covered with a white blanket the Keen wind still carried the howling of the dogs though this grew fainter as we went on our way the baying of the Wolves sounded nearer and nearer as though they were closing round on us from every side I grew dreadfully afraid and the horses shared my fear the driver however was not in the least Disturbed he kept turning his

head to left and right but I could not see anything through the darkness suddenly away on our left I saw a faint flickering Blue Flame the driver saw it at the same moment he had once checked the horses and jumping to the ground disappeared into the darkness I did not know what to do the less as the howling of the Wolves grew closer but while I wondered the driver suddenly appeared again and without a word took his seat and we resumed our journey I think I must have fallen asleep and kept dreami

ng of the incident for it seemed to be repeated endlessly and now looking back it is like a sort of awful nightmare once the flame appeared so near the road that even in the darkness around us I could watch the driver's motions he went rapidly to where the blue flame arose it must have been very faint for it did not seem to illumine the place around it at all and Gathering a few Stones formed them into some device once there appeared a strange Optical effect when he stood between me and the flam

e he did not obstruct it for I could see its ghostly flicker all the same this startled me but as the effect was only momentary I took it that my eyes deceived me straining through the darkness then for a time there were no blue flames and we sped onwards through the Gloom with the howling of the Wolves around us as though they were following in a moving Circle at last there came a time when the driver went further afield than he had yet gone and during his absence the horses began to tremble wo

rse than ever and to snort and scream with fright I could not see any cause for it for the howling of the Wolves had ceased altogether but just then the moon sailing through the black clouds appeared Behind the Jagged crest of a beatling pine-clad rock and by its light I saw around us a ring of wolves with white teeth and lolling red tongues with long sinewy Limbs and shaggy hair they were a hundred times more terrible in the Grim silence which held them than even when they howled for myself I f

elt a sort of paralysis of fear it is only when a man feels himself face to face with such Horrors that he can understand their true import all at once the Wolves began to howl as though the Moonlight had had some peculiar effect on them the horses jumped about and reared and looked helplessly round with eyes that rolled in a way painful to see but the living Ring Of Terror encompassed them on every side and they had perforce to remain within it I call to The Coachman to come for it seemed to me

that our only chance was to try to break out through the ring and to Aid his approach I shouted and beat the side of the kalesh hoping by the noise to scare the wolves from that side so as to give him a chance of reaching the Trap how he came there I know not but I heard his voice raised in a tone of imperious command and looking towards the sound saw him stand in the roadway as he swept his long arms as though brushing aside some impalpable obstacle the Wolves fell back and back further still

just then a heavy Cloud passed across the face of the moon so that we were again in darkness when I could see again the driver was climbing into the kalesh and the Wolves had disappeared this was also strange and uncanny that a dreadful fear Came Upon me and I was afraid to speak or move the time seemed interminable as we swept on our way now in almost complete darkness for the rolling clouds obscured the moon we kept on ascending with occasional periods of quick descent but in the main always a

scending suddenly I became conscious of the fact that the driver was in the act of pulling up the horses in the courtyard of a vast ruined Castle from whose tall black windows came no ray of light and whose broken battlements showed a jagged line against the moonlit sky chapter 2. Jonathan Harker's Journal continued 5th of May I must have been asleep for certainly if I had been fully awake I must have noticed the approach of such a remarkable place in the Gloom the courtyard looked of considerab

le size and as several dark ways LED from it under great round arches it perhaps seemed bigger than it really is I have not yet been able to see it by daylight when the kalash stopped the driver jumped down and held out his hand to assist me to a light again I could not but notice his prodigious strength his hand actually seemed like a steel Vice that could have crushed mine if he had chosen then he took out my traps and placed them on the ground beside me as I stood close to a great door old an

d studied with large iron nails and set in a projecting doorway of massive Stone I could see even in the dim light that the stone was massively carved but that the carving had been much worn by time and weather as I stood the driver jumped again into his seat and shook the reins the horses started forward and trap and all disappeared down one of the dark openings I stood in silence where I was for I did not know what to do of bell or knocker there was no sign through these frowning walls and dar

k window openings it was not likely that my voice could penetrate the time I waited seemed endless and I felt doubts and fears crowding upon me what sort of place had I come to and among what kind of people what sort of grim Adventure was it on which I had embarked was this a customary incident in the life of a solicitors clerk sent out to explain the purchase of a London estate to a foreigner solicitors clerk Mina would not like that solicitor for just before leaving London I got word that my e

xamination was successful and I am now a full-blown solicitor I began to rub my eyes and pinch myself to see if I were awake it all seemed like a horrible nightmare to me and I expected that I should suddenly awake and find myself at home with the dawn struggling in through the windows as I had now and again felt in the morning after a day of overwork but my flesh answered the pinching test and my eyes were not to be deceived I was indeed awaken among the carpathians all I could do now was to be

patient and to wait the coming of the morning just as I had come to this conclusion I heard a heavy step approaching behind the great door and saw through the chinks The Gleam of a coming light then there was the sound of rattling chains and the clanking of massive bolts drawn back a key was turned with the loud grating noise of long disuse and the great door swung back within stood a tall old man clean-shaven save for a long white mustache and clad in Black from head to foot without a single S

peck of color about him anywhere he held in his hand an antique silver lamp in which the flame burned without chimney or globe of any kind throwing long quivering shadows as it flickered in the draft of the open door the old man motioned me in with his right hand with a courtly gesture saying in excellent English but with a strange intonation welcome to my house enter freely and of your own will he made no motion of stepping to meet me but stood like a statue as though his gesture of Welcome had

fixed him into stone the instant however that I had stepped over the threshold he moved impulsively forward and holding out his hand grasped mine with a strength which made me wince an effect which was not lessened by the fact that it seemed as cold as ice more like the hand of a dead than a living man he said welcome to my house come freely go safely and leave something of the happiness you bring the strength of the handshake was so much akin to that which I had noticed in the driver whose fac

e I had not seen that for a moment I doubted if it were not the same person to whom I was speaking so to make sure I said interrogatively Count Dracula he bowed in a courtly way as he replied I am Dracula and I bid you welcome Mr Harker to my house come in the night air is chill and you must need to eat and rest as he was speaking he put the lamp on a bracket on the wall and stepping out took my luggage he had carried it in before I could forestall him I protested but he insisted nay sir you are

my guest it is late and my people are not available let me see to your comfort myself he insisted on carrying my traps along the passage and then up a great Winding Stair and along another great passage on Whose Stone floor are steps rang heavily at the end of this he threw open a heavy door and I rejoiced to see within a well-lit room in which a table was spread for supper and on Whose Mighty Hearth a great fire of logs freshly replenished flamed and flared the count halted putting down my bag

s closed the door and crossing the room opened another door which led into a small octagonal room lit by a single lamp and seemingly without a window of any sort passing through this he opened another door and motioned me to enter it was a welcome sight for here was a great bedroom well lighted and warmed with another log fire also added to but lately for the top logs were fresh which sent a hollow Roar up the wide chimney the count himself left my luggage inside and withdrew saying before he cl

osed the door you will need after your journey to refresh yourself by making your toilet I trust you will find all you wish when you are ready come into the other room where you will find your supper prepared the light and warmth and the Count's courteous welcome seem to have dissipated all my doubts and fears having then reached my normal State I discovered that I was half famished with hunger so making a hasty toilet I went into the other room I found supper already laid out my host who stood

on one side of the great fireplace leaning against the stonework made a graceful wave of his hand to the table and said I pray you be seated and subh how you please you will I trust excuse me that I do not join you but I've dined already and I do not sup I handed to him the sealed letter which Mr Hawkins had entrusted to me he opened it and read it Gravely then with a charming smile he handed it to me to read one passage of it at least gave me a thrill of pleasure I must regret that an attack of

gout from which malady I am a constant sufferer forbids absolutely any traveling on my part for some time to come but I am happy to say I can send a sufficient substitute one in whom I have every possible confidence he is a young man full of energy and talent in his own way and of a very faithful disposition he is discreet and silent and has grown into manhood in my service he shall be ready to attend on you when you will during his stay and shall take your instructions in all matters the count

himself came forward and took off the cover of a dish and I fell to it once on an excellent roast chicken this with some cheese and a salad and a bottle of old Tokay of which I had two glasses was my supper during the time I was eating it the count asked me many questions as to my journey and I told him by degrees all I had experienced by this time I had finished my supper and by my host's desire had drawn up a chair by the fire and begun to smoke a cigar which he offered me at the same time ex

cusing himself that he did not smoke I had now an opportunity of observing him and found him of a very marked physiognomy his face was a strong a very strong aqualine with high bridge of the thin nose and peculiarly arched nostrils with lofty domed forehead and hair growing scantily round the temples but profusely elsewhere his eyebrows were very massive almost meeting over the nose and with bushy hair that seemed to curl in its own profusion the mouth so far as I could see it under the heavy mu

stache was fixed and rather cruel looking with peculiarly sharp white teeth these protruded over the lips whose remarkable Readiness showed astonishing Vitality in a man of his years for the rest his ears were pale and at the tops extremely pointed the chin was Broad and strong and the cheeks firm though thin the general effect was one of extraordinary power here the two I had noticed the backs of his hands as they lay on his knees in the firelight and they had seemed rather white and fine but s

eeing them now close to me I could not but notice that they were rather coarse broad with squat fingers strange to say there were hairs in the center of the Palm the nails were long and fine and cut to a sharp Point as the count leaned over me and His Hands touched me I could not repress a shudder it may have been that his breath was rank but a horrible feeling of nausea came over me which do what I would I could not conceal the count evidently noticing it drew back and with a grim sort of smile

which showed more than he had yet done his protuberant teeth sat himself down again on his own side of the fireplace we were both silent for a while and as I looked towards the window I saw the first dim streak of the coming Dawn there seemed a strange Stillness over everything but as I listened I heard as if from Down Below in the valley the howling of many wolves the Count's eyes gleamed and he said listen to them the Children of the Night what music they make seeing I suppose some expression

in my face strange to him he added ah sir you dwellers in the city cannot enter into the feelings of the Hunter then he rose and said but you must be tired your bedroom is all ready and tomorrow you shall sleep as late as you will I have to be away till the afternoon so sleep well and dream well with a courteous bow he opened for me himself the door to the octagonal room and I entered my bedroom I am all in a sea of Wonders I doubt I fear I think strange things which I dare not confess to my ow

n soul God keep me if only for the sake of those dear to me 7th of May it is again early morning but I have rested and enjoyed the last 24 hours I slept till late in the day and awoke of my own accord when I address myself I went into the room where we had slept and found a cold breakfast laid out with coffee kept hot by the pot being placed on the hearth there was a card on the table on which was written I have to be absent for a while do not wait for me d I said to and enjoyed a hearty meal wh

en I had done I looked for a bell so that I might let the servants know I had finished but I could not find one there are certainly odd deficiencies in the house considering the extraordinary evidences of wealth which around me the table service is of gold and so beautifully wrought that it must be of immense value the curtains and upholstery of the chairs and sofas and the hangings of my bed are of the costliest and most beautiful fabrics and must have been of fabulous value when they were made

for they are centuries old though in excellent order I saw something like them in Hampton Court but there they were worn and frayed and moth eaten but still in none of the rooms is there a mirror there is not even a toilet glass on my table and I had to get the little shaving glass from my bag before I could either shave or brush my hair I have not yet seen a servant anywhere or heard a sound near the castle except the howling of wolves sometime after I'd finished my meal I do not know whether

to call it breakfast or dinner for it was between five and six o'clock when I had it I looked about for something to read for I did not like to go about the castle until I had asked the counts permission there was absolutely nothing in the room book newspaper or even writing materials so I opened another door in the room and found a sort of library the door opposite mine I tried but found it locked in the library I found to my great Delight a vast number of English books whole shelves full of th

em and bound volumes of magazines and newspapers a table in the center was littered with English magazines and newspapers though none of them were a very recent date the books were of the most varied kind history geography politics political economy botany geology law all relating to England and English life and customs and manners there were even such books of reference as the London directory the red and blue books Whittaker's Almanac the Army and Navy lists and it somehow gladdened my heart t

o see it the law list whilst I was looking at the books the door opened and the count entered he saluted me in a hearty way and hoped that I had had a good night's rest then he went on I am glad you found your way in here for I'm sure there is much that will interest you these companions and he laid his hand on some of the books have been good friends to me and for some years past ever since I had the idea of going to London have given me many many hours of pleasure through them I have come to k

now your great England and to know her is to love her I long to go through the crowded streets of your Mighty London to be in the midst of the Whirl and Rush of humanity to share its life its change its death and all that makes it what it is but alas as yet I only know your tongue through books to you my friend I look that I know it to speak but count I said you know and speak English thoroughly he bowed Gravely I thank you my friend for your all too flattering estimate but yet I fear that I am

but a little way on the road I would travel true I know the grammar and the words but yet I know not how to speak them indeed I said you speak excellently not so he answered well I know that did I move and speak in your London none there are who would not know me for a stranger that is not enough for me here I am Noble I am boyar the common people know me and I am Master but a Stranger in a Strange Land he is no one men know him not and to know not is to care not for I am content if I am like th

e rest so that no man stops if he see me or pause in his speaking if he hear my words haha a stranger I have been so long master that I would be Master still or at least that none other should be Master Of Me you come to me not alone as agent of my friend Peter Hawkins of Exeter to tell me all about my new estate in London you shall I trust rest here with me a while so that by our talking I may learn the English intonation and I would that you tell me when I make error even of the smallest in my

speaking I am sorry that I had to be away so long today but you will I know forgive one who has so many important Affairs in hand of course I said all I could about being willing and asked if I might come into that room when I chose he answered yes certainly and added you may go anywhere you wish in the castle except where the doors are locked where of course you will not wish to go there is reason that all things are as they are and did you see with my eyes and know with my knowledge you would

perhaps better understand I said I was sure of this and then he went on we are in Transylvania and Transylvania is not England our ways are not your ways and there shall be to you many strange things Nay from what you have told me of your experiences already you know something of what strange things there may be this led to much conversation and as it was evident that he wanted to talk if only for talking's sake I asked him many questions regarding things that had already happened to me or come

within my notice sometimes he sheared off the subject or turned the conversation by pretending not to understand but generally he answered all I asked most frankly then as time went on and I'd got somewhat Bolder I asked him of some of the strange things of the preceding night as for instance why The Coachman went to the places where he had seen the blue flames he then explained to me that it was commonly believed that on a certain night of the year last night in fact when all evil spirits are

supposed to have unchecked sway a blue flame is seen over any place where treasure has been concealed that treasure has been hidden he went on in the region through which you came last night there can be but little doubt for it was the ground fought over for Centuries by the wallachian the Saxon and the Turk why there is hardly a foot of soil in all this region that has not been enriched by the blood of men Patriots or Invaders in old days there were stirring times when the Austrian and the Hung

arian came up in hordes and the Patriots went out to meet them men and women the Aged and the children too and waited there coming on the Rocks above the passes that they might sweep destruction on them with their artificial avalanches when the Invader was triumphant he found but little for whatever there was had been sheltered in the friendly soil but how said I can it have remained so long undiscovered when there is a sure index to it if men will but take the trouble to look the count smiled a

nd as his lips ran back over his gums the long sharp canine teeth showed out strangely he answered because your peasant is at heart a coward and a fool those Flames only appear on one night and on that night no man of this land will if he can help it stir without his doors and Dear Sir even if he did he would not know what to do why even the peasant that you tell me of who marked the place of the flame would not know where to look in daylight even for his own work even you would not I dare be sw

orn be able to find these places again there you are right I said I know no more than the dead where even to look for them then we drifted into other matters come he said at last tell me of London and of the house which you have procured for me with an apology for my remissness I went into my own room to get the papers from my bag whilst I was placing them in order I heard a rattling of China and silver in the Next Room and as I passed through notice that the table had been cleared and the lamp

lit for it was by this time deep into the dark the lamps were also lit in the study or library and I found the count lying on the sofa reading of all things in the world an English Bradshaw's guide when I came in he cleared the books and papers from the table and with him I went into plans and deeds and figures of All Sorts he was interested in everything and asked me a myriad questions about the place and its surroundings he clearly had studied beforehand all he could get on the subject of the

neighborhood for he evidently at the end knew very much more than I did when I remarked this he answered well but my friend is it not needful that I should when I go there I shall be all alone and my friend Harker Jonathan they pardon me I fall into my country's habit of putting your patronymic first my friend Jonathan Harker will not be by my side to correct and Aid me he will be an Exeter miles away probably working at papers of the law with my other friend Peter Hawkins so we went thoroughly

into the business of the purchase of the estate at purfleet when I had told him the facts and got his signature to the necessary papers and had written a letter with them ready to post to Mr Hawkins he began to ask me how I had come across so suitable a place I read to him the notes which I had made at the time and which I inscribe here at purfleet on a by Road I came across just such a place as seemed to be required and where was displayed a dilapidated notice that the place was for sale it is

surrounded by a high wall of ancient structure built of heavy stones and has not been repaired for a large number of years the closed gates are of heavy old oak and iron all eaten with rust the estate is called Carfax no doubt a Corruption of the old Quattro face as the house is four-sided agreeing with the cardinal points of the compass it contains in all some 20 acres quite surrounded by the solid stone wall above mentioned there are many trees on it which make it in places gloomy and there is

a deep dark looking Pond or small Lake evidently fed by some Springs as the water is clear and flows away in a fair-sized stream the house is very large and of all periods back I should say to Medieval Times for one parties of stone immensely thick with only a few Windows high up and heavily barred with iron it looks like part of a keep and is close to an old chapel or church I could not enter it as I had not the key of the door leading to it from the house but I have taken with my Kodak views

of it from various points the house has been added to but in a very straggling way and I can only guess at the amount of ground it covers which must be very great there are but few houses close at hand one being a very large house only recently added to and formed into a private Lunatic Asylum it is not however visible from the grounds when I had finished he said I am glad that it is old and big I myself am of an old family and to live in a new house would kill me a house cannot be made habitabl

e in a day and after all how few days go to make up a century I Rejoice also that there is a chapel of old times we Transylvania Nobles love not to think that our bones May lie amongst the common dead I seek not gaiety nor myth not the bright voluptuousness of much sunshine and Sparkling Waters which please the young and gay I'm no longer young and my heart through weary years of mourning over the dead is not attuned to Mirth moreover the walls of my castle are broken the Shadows are many and th

e wind breathes cold through the broken battlements and casements I love the shade and the shadow and would be alone with my thoughts when I may somehow his words and his look did not seem to accord or else it was that his cast of Face made his smile look malignant and satinine presently with an excuse he left me asking me to put all my papers together he was some little time away and I began to look at some of the books around me one was an atlas which I found opened naturally at England as if

that map had been much used on looking at it I found in certain places little Rings marked and on examining these I noticed that one was near London on the east side manifestly where his new estate was situated the other two were Exeter and Whitby on the Yorkshire Coast it was the better part of an hour when the count returned aha he said still at your books good but you must not work always come I'm informed that your supper is ready he took my arm and we went into the next room where I found a

n excellent supper ready on the table the count again excused himself as he had dined out on his being away from home but he sat as on the previous night and chatted whilst I ate after supper I smoked as on the last evening and the count stayed with me chatting and asking questions on every conceivable subject hour after hour I felt that it was getting very late indeed but I did not say anything for I felt under obligation to meet my hosts wishes in every way I was not sleepy as the long sleep y

esterday had fortified me but I could not help experiencing that chill which comes over one at the coming of the Dawn which is like in its way the turn of the tide they say that people who are near death die generally at the change to the dawn or at the turn of the tide anyone who has when tired and tired as it were to his post experienced this change in the atmosphere can well believe it all at once we heard the crow of a [ __ ] coming up with preternatural shrillness through the clear morning

air Count Dracula jumping to his feet said why there is the morning again how remiss I am to let you stay up so long you must make your conversation regarding my dear new country of England less interesting so that I may not forget how time flies by us and with a courtly bow he quickly left me I went into my own room and Drew the curtains but there was little to notice my window opened into the courtyard all I could see was the warm gray of quickening sky so I pulled the curtains again and have

written of this day 8th of May I began to fear as I wrote in this book that I was getting too diffuse but now I'm glad that I went into detail from the first for there is something so strange about this place and all in it that I cannot but feel uneasy I wish I was safe out of it or that I had never come it may be that this strange night existence is telling on me but would that that were all if there were anyone to talk to I could bear it but there is no one I have only the count to speak with

and he I fear I am myself the only living Soul within the place let me be prosaic so far as facts can be it will help me to Bear up an imagination must not run Riot with me if it does I am lost let me say it once how I stand or seem to I only slept a few hours when I went to bed and feeling that I could not sleep anymore got up I had hung my shaving Glass by the window and was just beginning to shave suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder and heard the Count's voice saying to me good morning I st

arted for it amazed me that I had not seen him since the reflection of the glass covered the whole room behind me in starting I had cut myself slightly but did not notice it at the moment having answered the count salutation I turned to the glass again to see how I had been mistaken this time there could be no error for the man was close to me and I could see him over my shoulder but there was no reflection of him in the mirror the whole room behind me was displayed but there was no sign of a ma

n in it except myself this was startling and coming on the top of so many strange things was beginning to increase that vague feeling of uneasiness which I always have when the count is near but at the instant I saw that the cut had bled a little and the blood was trickling over my chin I laid down the razor turning as I did so half round to look for some sticking plaster when the count saw my face his eyes blazed with a sort of demoniac Fury and he suddenly made a grab at my throat I drew away

and his hand touched the string of beads which held the crucifix it made an instant change in him for the fury passed so quickly that I could hardly believe that it was ever there take care he said take care how you cut yourself it is more dangerous than you think in this country then seizing the Shaving glass he went on and this is The Wretched thing that has done the Mischief it is a foul bauble of man's vanity away with it and opening the heavy window with one wrench of his terrible hand he f

lung out the glass which was shattered into a thousand pieces on the stones of the courtyard Far Below then he withdrew without a word it is very annoying for I do not see how I am to shave unless in my watch case or the bottom of the Shaving pot which is fortunately of metal when I went into the dining room breakfast was prepared but I could not find the count anywhere so I breakfasted alone it is strange that as yet I have not seen the count eat or drink he must be a very peculiar man after br

eakfast I did a little exploring in the castle I went out on the stairs and found a room looking towards the South The View was magnificent and from where I stood there was every opportunity of seeing it the castle is on the very edge of a terrible precipice a stone falling from the window would fall a thousand feet without touching anything as far as the eye can reach is a sea of green Treetops with occasionally a deep Rift where there is a chasm here and there are silver threads where the rive

rs wind in deep Gorges through the forests but I am not in heart to describe Beauty for when I had seen the view I explored further doors doors doors everywhere and all locked and bolted in no place say from the windows in the castle walls is there an available exit the castle is a veritable prison and I am a prisoner chapter 3. Jonathan Harker's Journal continued when I found that I was a prisoner a sort of wild feeling came over me I rushed up and down the stairs trying every door and peering

out of every window I could find but after a little the conviction of my helplessness overpowered all other feelings when I look back after a few hours I think I must have been mad for the time for I behaved much as a rat does in a trap when however the conviction had come to me that I was helpless I sat down quietly as quietly as I've ever done anything in my life and began to think over what was best to be done I'm thinking still and as yet have come to no definite conclusion of one thing only

am I certain that it is no use making my ideas known to the count he knows well that I'm imprisoned and as he has done it himself and has doubtless his own motives for it he would only deceive me if I trusted him fully with the facts so far as I can see my only plan will be to keep my knowledge and my fears to myself and my eyes open I am I know either being deceived like a baby by my own fears or else I am in desperate Straits and if the latter be so I need and shall need all my brains to get

through I had hardly come to this conclusion when I heard the great door below shut and knew that the count had returned he did not come at once into the library so I went cautiously to my own room and found him making the bed this was odd but only confirmed what I had all along thought that there were no servants in the house when later I saw him through the [ __ ] of the hinges of the door laying the table in the dining room I was assured of it for if he does himself all these menial offices s

urely it is proof that there is no one else to do them this gave me a fright for if there is no one else in the castle it must have been the count himself who was the driver of the coach that brought me here this is a terrible thought for if so what does it mean that he could control the Wolves as he did by only holding up his hand in silence how was it that all the people at B Streets and on the coach had some terrible fear for me what meant the giving of the crucifix of the garlic of the Wild

Rose of the mountain ash bless that good good woman who hung the crucifix around my neck for it is a comfort and a strength to me whenever I touch it it is odd that a thing which I have been taught to regard with disfavor and as idolatrous should in a time of loneliness and trouble be of help is it that there is something in the essence of the thing itself or that it is a medium a tangible help in conveying memories of sympathy and comfort sometime if it may be I must examine this matter and try

to make up my mind about it in the meantime I must find out all I can about Count Dracula as it may help me to understand tonight he may talk of himself if I turn the conversation that way I must be very careful however not to awake his suspicion midnight I've had a long talk with the count I asked him a few questions on Transylvania history and he warmed up to the subject wonderfully in his speaking of things and people and especially of battles he spoke as if he had been present at them all t

his he afterwards explained by saying that to a Boyer the pride of his house and name is his own Pride that their glory is his glory that their fate is his fate whenever he spoke of his house he always said we and spoke almost in the plural like a king speaking I wish I could put down all he said exactly as he said it for to me it was most fascinating it seemed to have in it a whole history of the country he grew excited as he spoke and walked about the room pulling his great white mustache and

grasping anything on which he laid his hands as though he would crush it by main strength one thing he said which I shall put down as nearly as I can for it tells in its way the story of his race we saquillies have a right to be proud for in our veins flows the blood of many Brave races who fought as the lion fights for lordship here in the whirlpool of European races The ugrit Tribe bore down from Iceland the fighting Spirit which Thor and woden gave them which their Berserkers displayed to suc

h fell intent on the seaboards of Europe I and of Asia and Africa too till the peoples thought that the werewolves themselves had come here too when they came they found the Huns whose war-like Fury had swept the Earth like a living flame till the dying people's held that in their veins ran the blood of those old witches who expelled from scythia had mated with the devils in the desert fools fools what devil or what witch was ever so great as Attila whose blood is in these veins he held up his a

rms is it a wonder that we were a conquering race that we were proud that when the Magyar the Lombard the avar the bulgar or the Turk poured his thousands on our Frontiers we drove them back is it strange that when arpad and his Legions swept through the Hungarian Fatherland he found us here when he reached the frontier that the hon forglalis was completed there and when the Hungarian flood swept Eastward the secles were claimed as Kindred by the Victorious magyars and to us for centuries was tr

usted the guarding of the frontier of turkey land I and more than that endless duty of the frontier guard for as the Turks say water sleeps and enemy is Sleepless who more gladly than we throughout the four nations received the bloody sword or at its warlike call flocked quicker to the standard of the king when was redeemed that great shame of my nation the shame of cassova when the flags of the Wallach and the Magyar went down beneath the crescent who was it but one of my own race who has voiva

de crossed the Danube and beat the Turk on his own ground this was a Dracula indeed woe was it that his own unworthy brother when he had fallen sold his people to The Turk and brought the shame of slavery on them was it not this Dracula indeed who inspired that other of his race who in a later age again and again brought his forces over the Great River into turkeyland who when he was beaten back came again and again and again though he had to come alone from the bloody field where his troops wer

e being slaughtered since he knew that he alone could ultimately Triumph they said that he thought only of himself what good are peasants without a leader where ends the war without a brain and heart to conduct it again when after the battle of mohatch we threw off the Hungarian yoke we of the Dracula blood were amongst their leaders for our spirit would not Brook that we were not free ah young sir the secles and the Dracula as their hearts blood their brains and their swords can boast a record

that mushroom growths like the habsburgs and the romanovs can never reach the warlike Days Are Over blood is too precious a thing in these days of dishonorable peace and the glories of the great races are as a tale that is told it was by this time close on morning and we went to bed meme this diary seems horribly like the beginning of the Arabian Nights for everything has to break off at cockro or like the ghost of Hamlet's father 12th of May let me begin with facts bear meager facts verified by

books and figures and of which there can be no doubt I must not confuse them with experiences which will have to rest on my own observation or my memory of them last evening when the count came from his room he began by asking me questions on legal matters and on the doing of certain kinds of business I had spent the day wearily over books and simply to keep my mind occupied went over some of the matters I had been examining at Lincoln's Inn there was a certain method in the counts inquiries so

I shall try to put them down in sequence the knowledge May somehow or sometime be useful to me first he asked if a man in England might have two solicitors or more I told him he might have a dozen if he wished but that it would not be wise to have more than one solicitor engaged in one transaction as only one could act at a time and that to change would be certain to militate against his interest he seemed thoroughly to understand and went on to ask if there would be any practical difficulty in

having one man to attend say to banking and another to look after shipping in case local help were needed in a place far from the home of the banking solicitor I asked him to explain more fully so that I might not by any chance mislead him so he said I shall illustrate your friend and mine Mr Peter Hawkins from under the shadow of your beautiful cathedral at Exeter Which is far from London buys for me through your good self my place at London good now here let me say frankly lest you should thi

nk it's strange that I have sought the services of one so far off from London instead of someone resident there but my motive was that no local interest might be served to save my wish only and as one of London residents might perhaps have some purpose of himself or friend to serve I went thus a field to seek my agent whose labors should be only to my interest now suppose I who have much of Affairs wish to ship goods say to Newcastle or Durham or Harwich or Dover might it not be that it could wi

th more ease be done by consigning to one in these ports I answered that certainly it would be most easy but that we solicitors had a system of agency one for the other so that local work could be done locally on instruction from any solicitor so that the client simply placing himself in the hands of one man could have his wishes carried out by him without further trouble but said he I could be at Liberty to direct myself is it not so of course I replied and such is often done by men of business

who do not like the whole of their Affairs to be known by any one person good he said and then went on to ask about the means of making Consignments and the forms to be gone through and of all sorts of difficulties which might arise but by forethought could be guarded against I explained all these things to him to the best of my ability and he certainly left me under the impression that he would have made a wonderful solicitor for there was nothing that he did not think of or foresee for a man

who was never in the country and who did not evidently do much in the way of business his knowledge and Acumen were wonderful when he had satisfied himself on these points of which he had spoken and I had verified all as well as I could by the books available he suddenly stood up and said have you written since your first letter to our friend Mr Peter Hawkins or to any other it was with some bitterness in my heart that I answered that I had not that as yet I had not seen any opportunity of sendi

ng letters to anybody then right now my young friend he said laying a heavy hand on my shoulder write to our friend and to any other and say if it will please you that you shall stay with me until a month from now do you wish me to stay so long I asked for my heart grew cold at the thought I desire it much nay I will take no refusal when your master employer what you will engage that someone should come on his behalf it was understood that my needs only were to be consulted I have not stinted is

it not so what could I do but bow acceptance it was Mr hawkins's interest not mine and I had to think of him not myself and besides while Count Dracula was speaking there was that in his eyes and in his bearing which made me remember that I was a prisoner and that if I wished it I could have no choice the count saw his victory in my bow and his Mastery in the trouble of my face for he began at once to use them but in his own smooth resistless way I pray you my good young friend that you will no

t discourse of things other than business in your letters it will doubtless please your friends to know that you are well and that you look forward to getting home to them is it not so as he spoke he handed me three sheets of note paper and three envelopes they were all of the thinnest foreign post and looking at them then at him and noticing his quiet smile with the sharp canine teeth lying over the red under lip I understood as well as if he had spoken that I should be careful what I wrote for

he would be able to read it so I determined to write only formal notes now but to write fully to Mr Hawkins in secret and also to Mina for to her I could write in shorthand which would puzzle the count if he did see it when I had written my two letters I sat quiet reading a book whilst the count wrote several notes referring as he wrote them to some books on his table then he took up my two and placed them with his own and put by his writing materials after which the instant the door had closed

behind him I leaned over and looked at the letters which were face down on the table I felt no compunction in doing so for under the circumstances I felt that I should protect myself in every way I could one of the letters was directed to Samuel F Billington number seven the Crescent Whitby another to hair loitner Varna the third was to Coots and company London and the fourth to Heron klopstock and Bill royth Bankers Budapest the second and fourth were unsealed I was just about to look at them

when I saw the door handle move I sank back in my seat having just had time to replace the letters as they had been and to resume my book before the count holding still another letter in his hand entered the room he took up the letters on the table and stamped them carefully and then turning to me said I trust you will forgive me but I have much work to do in private this evening you will I hope find all things as you wish at the door he turned and after a moment's pause said let me advise you m

y dear young friend nay let me warn you with all seriousness that should you leave these rooms you will not by any chance go to sleep in any other part of the castle it is old and has many memories and there are bad dreams for those who sleep on wisely be warned should sleep now or ever overcome you or be like to do then haste to your own chamber or to these rooms for your rest will then be safe but if you be not careful in this respect then he finished his speech in a gruesome way for he motion

ed with his hands as if he were washing them I quite understood my only doubt was as to whether any dream could be more terrible than the unnatural horrible net of Gloom and mystery which seemed closing around me later I endorse the last words written but this time there is no doubt in question I shall not fear to sleep in any place where he is not I have placed the crucifix over the head of my bed I imagine that my rest is thus Freer from dreams and there it shall remain when he left me I went

to my room after a little while not hearing any sound I came out and went up the stone stair to where I could look out towards the South there was some sense of freedom in the vast expanse inaccessible though it was to me as compared with the narrow darkness of the courtyard looking out on this I felt that I was indeed in prison and I seem to want a breath of fresh air though it were of the night I'm beginning to feel this nocturnal existence tell on me it is destroying my nerve I start at my ow

n shadow and I'm full of all sorts of horrible imaginings God knows that there is ground for my terrible fear in this accursed place I looked out over the beautiful expanse bathed in soft yellow Moonlight till it was almost as light as day in the soft light the distant Hills became melted and the shadows in the valleys and Gorges of velvety blackness the mere Beauty seemed to cheer me there was peace and comfort in every breath I drew as I leaned from the window my eye was caught by something mo

ving a story below me and somewhat to my left where I imagined from the order of the rooms that the windows of the Count's own room would look out the window at which I stood was tall and deep Stone mully and though weather warn was still complete but it was evidently many a day since the case had been there I drew back behind the stonework and looked carefully out what I saw was the Count's head coming out from the window I did not see the face but I knew the man by the neck and the movement of

his back and arms in any case I could not mistake the hands which I had had so many opportunities of studying I was at first interested and somewhat amused for it is wonderful how small a matter will interest and amuse a man when he is a prisoner but my very feelings changed to repulsion and Terror when I saw the whole man slowly emerge from the window and begin to crawl down the castle wall over that Dreadful Abyss face down with his cloak spreading out around him like great wings at first I c

ould not believe my eyes I thought it was some trick of the Moonlight some weird effect of Shadow but I kept looking and it could be no delusion I saw the fingers and toes grasp the corners of the stones worn clear of the mortar by the stress of years and by thus using every projection and inequality moved downwards with considerable speed just as a lizard moves along a wall what manner of man is this or what manner of creature is it in the semblance of man I feel the dread of this horrible Plac

e overpowering me I am in fear in awful fear and There Is No Escape for me I am encompassed about with Terrors that I dare not think of 15th of May once more have I seen the count go out in his lizard fashion he moved downwards in a side Long Way some hundred feet down and a good deal to the left he vanished into some hole or window when his head had disappeared I leaned out to try and see more but without a veil the distance was too great to allow a proper angle of sight I knew he had left the

castle now and thought to use the opportunity to explore more than I had dared to do as yet I went back to the room and taking a lamp tried all the doors they were all locked as I had expected and the locks were comparatively new but I went down the stone stairs to the hall where I had entered originally I found I could pull back the bolts easily enough and unhook the great chains but the door was locked and the key was gone that key must be in the counts room I must watch should his door be unl

ocked so that I may get it and Escape I went on to make a thorough examination of the various stairs and passages and to try the doors that opened from them one or two small rooms near the hall were open but there was nothing to see in them except old furniture Dusty with age and moth Eaton at last however I found one door at the top of the stairway which though it seemed to be locked gave a little under pressure I tried it harder and found that it was not really locked but that the resistance c

ame from the fact that the hinges had fallen somewhat and the heavy door rested on the floor here was an opportunity which I might not have again so I exerted myself and with many efforts forced it back so that I could enter I was now in a wing of the castle further to the right than the rooms I knew and a story lower down from the windows I could see that the suite of rooms lay along to the south of the castle the windows of the end room looking out both west and south on the latter side as wel

l as to the former there was a great precipice the castle was built on the corner of a great Rock so that on three sides it was quite impregnable and great windows were placed here where sling or bow or culverin could not reach and consequently light and comfort impossible to a position which had to be guarded was secured to the West Was a great valley and then Rising Far Away Great Jagged Mountain fastnesses Rising Peak on Peak the sheer Rock studded with mountain ash and Thorne whose Roots clu

ng in cracks and crevices and crannies of the Stone this was evidently the portion of the castle occupied by the ladies in bygone days for the furniture had more air of comfort than any I had seen the windows were curtainless and the yellow Moonlight flooding in through the diamond panes enabled one to see even colors whilst it softened the wealth of dust which lay over all and disguised in some measure the ravages of time and the moth my lamp seemed to be of little effect in the brilliant Moonl

ight but I was glad to have it with me for there was a dread loneliness in the place which chilled my heart and made my nerves tremble still it was better than living alone in the rooms which I had come to hate from the presence of the count and after trying a little to school my nerves I found a soft quietude come over me here I am sitting at a little oak table where in Old Times possibly some fair lady sat to pen with much thought and many blushes her ill-spelled love letter and writing in my

diary in shorthand all that has happened since I closed it last it is 19th century up to date with a vengeance and yet unless my senses deceive me the old centuries had and have powers of their own which mere modernity cannot kill later the morning of 16th of May God preserve my sanity for to this I am reduced safety and the Assurance of safety are things of the past whilst I live on here there is but one thing to hope for that I may not go mad if indeed I'd be not mad already if I be sane then

surely it is maddening to think that of all the foul things that lurk in this hateful place the count is the least Dreadful to me that to him alone I can look for safety even though this be only whilst I can serve his purpose great God merciful god let me be calm for out of that way lies Madness indeed I begin to get new lights on certain things which have puzzled me up to now I never quite knew what Shakespeare meant when he made Hamlet say my tablets quick my tablets it is meat that I put it d

own etc for now feeling as though my own brain were unhinged or as if the shock had come which must end in its undoing I turned to my diary for a pose the habit of entering accurately must help to soothe me the Count's mysterious warning frightened me at the time it frightens me more now when I think of it for in future he has a fearful hold upon me I shall fear to doubt what he may say when I had written in my diary and had fortunately replaced the book and pen in my pocket I felt sleepy the Co

unt's warning came into my mind but I took a pleasure in disobeying it the sense of sleep was upon me and with it the obstinacy which sleep brings as outrider the soft Moonlight soothed and the wide expanse without gave a sense of Freedom which refreshed me I determined not to return tonight to the Gloom haunted rooms but to sleep here where of old ladies had sat and sung and lived sweet lives whilst their gentle breasts were sad for their men folk away in the midst of remorseless Wars I drew a

great couch out of its place near the corner so that as I lay I could look at the lovely view to east and south and unthinking of and uncaring for the dust composed myself for sleep I suppose I must have fallen asleep I hope so but I fear for all that followed was startlingly real so real that now sitting here in the broad full sunlight of the morning I cannot in the least believe that it was all sleep I was not alone the room was the same unchanged in any way since I came into it I could see al

ong the floor in the brilliant Moonlight my own footsteps marked where I had Disturbed The Long accumulation of dust in the Moonlight opposite me were three young women Ladies by their dress and manner I thought at the time that I must be dreaming when I saw them for though the Moonlight was behind them they threw no shadow on the floor they came close to me and looked at me for some time and then whispered together two were dark and had high aquiline noses like the count and great dark piercing

eyes that seemed to be almost red when contrasted with the pale yellow moon the other was fair as Fair as can be with great wavy masses of golden hair and eyes like pale sapphires I seemed somehow to know her face and to know it in connection with some dreamy fear but I could not recollect at the moment how or where all three had brilliant white teeth that Shone like pearls against the ruby of their voluptuous lips there was something about them that made me uneasy some longing and at the same

time some deadly fear I felt in my heart a wicked burning desire that they would kiss me with those red lips it is not good to note this down lest someday it should meet Mina's eyes and cause her pain but it is the truth they whispered together and then they all three laughed such a silvery musical laugh but as hard as though the sound never could have come through the softness of human lips it was like the Intolerable tingling sweetness of water glasses when played on by a cunning hand the fair

girl shook her head coquettishly and the other two urged her on CE said go on you are first and we shall follow yours is the right to begin the other added he is young and strong there are kisses for us all I lay quiet looking out under my eyelashes in an Agony of delightful anticipation the fair girl Advanced and bent over me till I could feel the movement of her breath upon me sweet it was in one sense honey sweet and sent the same tingling through the nerves as her voice but with a bitter un

derlying the sweet a bitter offensiveness as one smells in blood I was afraid to raise my eyelids but looked out and saw perfectly under the lashes the girl went on her knees and bent over me simply gloating there was a deliberate voluptuousness which was both thrilling and repulsive and as she arched her neck she actually licked her lips like an animal till I could see in the Moonlight the moisture shining on the Scarlet lips and on the red tongue as it lapped the white sharp teeth lower and lo

wer went her head as the lips went below the range of my mouth and chin and seemed about to fasten on my throat then she paused and I could hear the churning sound of her tongue as it licked her teeth and lips and could feel the hot breath on my neck then the skin of my throat began to tingle as one's flesh does when the hand that is to tickle it approaches nearer nearer I could feel the soft shivering touch of the lips on the super sensitive skin of my throat and the hard dents of two sharp tee

th just touching and pausing there I closed my eyes in a langerous ecstasy and waited waited with beating heart but at that instant another sensation swept through me as quick as Lightning I was conscious of the presence of the count and of his being as if lapped in A Storm of Fury as my eyes opened involuntarily I saw his strong hand grasp the Slender neck of the fair woman and with Giant's power draw it back the blue eyes transformed with Fury the white teeth champing with rage and the fair ch

eeks Blazing Red with passion but the count never did I imagine such wrath and fury even to the Demons of the pit his eyes were positively blazing the red light in them was lurid as if the Flames of Hellfire blazed behind them his face was deathly pale and the lines of it were hard like drawn wires the thick eyebrows that met over the nose now seemed like a heaving bar of white hot metal with a fierce sweep of his arm he hurled the woman from him and then motioned to the others as though he were

beating them back it was the same imperious gesture that I had seen used to the wolves in a voice which though low and almost in a whisper seemed to cut through the air and then ring around the room he said how dare you touch him any of you how dare you cast eyes on him when I had forbidden it back I tell you all this man belongs to me beware how you meddle with him or you'll have to deal with me the fair girl with a laugh of ribbled cockatry turned to answer him you yourself never loved you ne

ver love on this the other women joined and such a mirthless hard soulless laughter rang through the room that it almost made me faint to hear it seemed like the pleasure of fiends then the count turned after looking at my face attentively and said in a soft whisper yes I too can love you yourselves can tell it from the past is it not so well now I promise you that when I am done with him you shall kiss him at your will now go go I must awaken him for there is work to be done are we to have noth

ing tonight said one of them with a low laugh as she pointed to the bag which he had thrown upon the floor and which moved as though there was some living thing within it for answer he nodded his head one of the women jumped forward and opened it if my ears did not deceive me there was a gasp and a low whale as of a half-smothered child the women closed round whilst I was aghast with horror but as I looked they disappeared and with them the Dreadful bag there was no door near them and they could

not have passed me without my noticing they simply seemed to fade into the Rays of the Moonlight and pass out through the window for I could see outside the dim shadowy forms for a moment before they entirely faded away then the horror overcame me and I sank down unconscious chapter 4. Jonathan Harker's Journal continued I awoke in my own bed if it be that I had not dreamed the count must have carried me here I tried to satisfy myself on the subject but could not arrive at any unquestionable re

sult to be sure there were certain small evidences such as that my clothes were folded and laid by in a manner which was not my habit my watch was still Unwound and I am rigorously accustomed to wind it the last thing before going to bed and many such details but these things are no proof for they may have been evidences that my mind was not as usual and from some cause or another I had certainly been much upset I must watch for proof of one thing I'm glad if it was that the count carried me her

e and undressed me he must have been hurried in his task for my pockets are intact I'm sure this diary would have been a mystery to him which he would not have brooked he would have taken or destroyed it as I look around this room although it has been to me so full of fear it is now a sort of sanctuary for nothing can be more Dreadful than those awful women who were who are waiting to suck my blood 18th of May I've been down to look at that room again in daylight for I must know the truth when I

got to the doorway at the top of the stairs I found it closed it had been so forcibly driven against the jam that part of the woodwork was splintered I could see that the bolt of the lock had not been shot but the door is fastened from the inside I fear it was no dream and must act on this surmise 19th of May I am surely in the toils last night the count asked me in the suavist tones to write three letters one saying that my work here was nearly done and that I should start for home within a fe

w days another that I was starting on the next morning from the time of the letter and the third that I had left the castle and arrived at bistritz I would feign have rebelled but felt that in the present state of things it would be Madness to quarrel openly with the count whilst I am so absolutely in his power and to refuse would be to excite his suspicion and to arouse his anger he knows that I know too much and that I must not live lest I be dangerous to him my only chance is to prolong my op

portunities something may occur which will give me a chance to escape I saw in his eyes something of that Gathering wrath which was manifest when he hurled that fair woman from him he explained to me that posts were few and uncertain and that my writing now would ensure ease of mind to my friends and he assured me with so much impressiveness that he would countermind the later letters which would be held over at bistritz until due time in case chance would admit of my prolonging my stay that to

oppose him would have been to create new suspicion I therefore pretended to fall in with his views and asked him what dates I should put on the letters he calculated a minute and then said the first should be June 12th the 2nd June 19th and the 3rd June 29th I know now the span of my life God help me 28th of May there is a chance of Escape or at any rate of being able to send word home a band of Scania have come to the castle and are encamped in the courtyard these Scania gypsies I have notes of

them in my book they are peculiar to this part of the world though Allied to the ordinary gypsies all the world over there are thousands of them in Hungary and Transylvania who are almost outside all law they attach themselves as a rule to some great Noble or boyar and call themselves by his name they are fearless and without religion save Superstition and they talk only their own varieties of the Romani tongue I shall write some letters home and shall try to get them to have them posted I have

already spoken them through my window to begin acquaintanceship they took their hats off and made a basement in many signs which however I could not understand any more than I could their spoken language I have written the letters Mina's is in shorthand and I simply ask Mr Hawkins to communicate with her to her I have explained my situation but without the horrors which I may only surmise it would shock and frighten her to death were I to expose my heart to her should the letters not carry then

the count shall not yet know my secret or the extent of my knowledge I have given the letters I threw them through the bars of my window with a gold piece and made what signs I could to have them posted the man who took them pressed them to his heart and bowed and then put them in his cap I could do no more I stole back to the study and began to read as the count did not come in I have written here the count has come he sat down beside me and said in his smoothest voice as he opened two letters

the scani has given me these of which though I know not whence they come I shall of course take care see he must have looked at it one is from you and to my friend Peter Hawkins the other here he caught sight of the strange symbols as he opened the envelope and the dark look came into his face and his eyes blazed wickedly the other is a vile thing an outrage upon friendship and Hospitality it is not signed well so it cannot matter to us and he calmly held letter and envelope in the flame of the

lamp till they were consumed then he went on the letter to Hawkins that I shall of course send on since it is yours your letters are sacred to me your pardon my friend that unknowingly I did break the seal will you not cover it again he held out the letter to me and with a courteous bow handed me a clean envelope I could only redirect it and hand it to him in silence when he went out of the room I could hear the key turn Softly a minute later I went over and tried it and the door was locked whe

n an hour or two after the count came quietly into the room his coming awakened me for I had gone to sleep on the sofa he was very courteous and very cheery in his Manner and seeing that I had been sleeping he said so my friend you are tired get to bed there is the surest rest I may not have the pleasure to talk tonight since there are many labors to me but you will sleep I pray I passed to my room and went to bed and strange to say slept without dreaming despair has its own calms 31st of May th

is morning when I woke I thought I would provide myself with some paper and envelopes from my bag and keep them in my pocket so that I might write in case I should get an opportunity but again a surprise again a shock every scrap of paper was gone and with it all my notes my memoranda relating to Railways and travel my letter of credit in fact all that might be useful to me were I once outside the castle I sat and pondered a while and then some thought occurred to me and I made search of my port

manteau and in the wardrobe where I had placed my clothes the suit in which I had traveled was gone and also my overcoat and rug I could find no trace of them anywhere this looked like some new scheme of villainy 17th of June this morning as I was sitting on the edge of my bed cuddling my brains I heard without a cracking of whips and pounding and scraping of horses feet up the rocky path beyond the courtyard with joy I hurried to the window and saw drive into the yard two great liter wagons eac

h drawn by eight sturdy horses and at the head of each pair a Slovak with his wide hat great nail studded belt dirty sheepskin and high boots they had also their long staves in hand I ran to the door intending to descend and try and join them through the main hall as I thought that way might be open for them again a shock my door was fastened on the outside then I ran to the window and cried to them they looked up at me stupidly and pointed but just then the Hitman of the scani came out and seei

ng them pointing to my window said something at which they laughed henceforth no effort of mine no piteous cry or agonized in treaty would make them even look at me they resolutely turned away the liter wagons contained great square boxes with handles of thick rope these were evidently empty by the ease with which the slovaks handled them and by their resonance as they were roughly moved when they were all unloaded and packed in a great Heap in one corner of the yard the slovaks were given some

money by the shkani and spitting on it for luck lazily went each to his horse's head shortly afterwards I heard the cracking of their whips die away in the distance 24th of June before morning last night the count left me early and locked himself into his own room as soon as I dared I ran up the winding stare and looked out of the window which opened South I thought I would watch for the count for there is something going on the shagani are quartered somewhere in the castle and are doing work of

some kind I know it for now and then I hear a far away muffled sound as of Matic and Spade and whatever it is it must be the end of some ruthless villainy I had been at the window somewhat less than half an hour when I saw something coming out of the counts window I drew back and watched carefully and saw the whole man emerge it was a new shock to me to find that he had on the suit of clothes which I had worn whilst traveling here and slung over his shoulder the terrible bag which I had seen th

e women take away there could be no doubt as to his quest and in my Garb too this then is his new scheme of evil that he will allow others to see me as they think so that he may both leave evidence that I have been seen in the towns or Villages posting my own letters and that any wickedness which he may do shall by the local people be attributed to me it makes me rage to think that this can go on and whilst I am shut up here a veritable prisoner but without that protection of the law which is ev

en a criminal's right and consolation I thought I would watch for the Count's return and for a long time sat doggedly at the window then I began to notice that there were some quaint little specks floating in the Rays of the moonlight they were like the tiniest grains of dust and they Whirled round and gathered in clusters in a nebulous sort of way I watched them with a sense of soothing and a sort of calm stole over me I leaned back in the embrasure in a more comfortable position so that I coul

d enjoy more fully the aerial gambling something made me start up a low piteous howling of dogs somewhere Far Below in the valley which was hidden from my sight louder it seemed to ring in my ears and the floating moats of dust to take new shapes to the sound as they danced in the Moonlight I felt myself struggling to awake to some Call of my instincts name my very Soul was struggling and my half-remembered sensibilities were striving to answer the call I was becoming hypnotized quicker and quic

ker danced the dust the Moonbeams seemed to quiver as they went by me into the massive Gloom Beyond more and more they gathered till they seemed to take dim Phantom shapes and then I started broad awaken in full possession of my senses and ran screaming from the place the Phantom shapes which were becoming gradually materialized from the Moon beams were those of the three ghostly women to whom I was doomed I fled and felt somewhat safer in my own room where there was no Moonlight and where the l

amp was Burning Brightly when a couple of hours had passed I heard something stirring in the council room something like a sharp whale quickly suppressed and then there was silence deep awful silence which chilled me with a beating heart I tried the door but I was locked in my prison and could do nothing I sat down and simply cried as I sat I heard a sound in the courtyard without the agonized Cry of a woman I rushed to the window and throwing it up peered out between the bars there indeed was a

woman with disheveled hair holding her hands over her heart as one distressed with running she was leaning against a corner of the Gateway when she saw my face at the window she threw herself forward and shouted in a voice Laden with Menace monster okay my child she threw herself on her knees and raising up her hands cried the same words in tones which rung my heart then she tore her hair and beat her breast and abandoned herself to all the violences of extravagant emotion finally she threw her

self forward and though I could not see her I could hear the beating of her naked hands against the door somewhere High overhead probably on the tower I heard the voice of the count calling in his harsh metallic whisper his calls seem to be answered from far and wide by the howling of wolves before many minutes had passed a pack of them poured like a pent-up Dam when liberated through the wide entrance into the courtyard there was no cry from the woman and the howling of the Wolves was but short

before long they streamed away singly licking their lips I could not pity her for I knew now what had become of her child and she was better dead what shall I do what can I do how can I escape from this Dreadful thing of night and Gloom and fear 25th of June morning no man knows till he has suffered from the night how sweet and how dear to his heart and eye the morning can be when the sun grew so high this morning that it struck the top of the great Gateway opposite my window the high spot whic

h it touched seemed to me as if the dove from the ark had lighted there my fear fell from me as if it had been a vaporous garment which dissolved in the warmth I must take action of some sort whilst the courage of the day is upon me last night one of my post-dated letters went to post the first of that fatal series which is to blot out the very traces of my existence from the Earth let me not think of it action it has always been at night time that I have been molested or threatened or in some w

ay in danger or in fear I have not yet seen the count in the daylight can it be that he sleeps when others wake that he may be awake whilst they sleep if I could only get into his room but there is no possible way the door is always locked no way for me yes there is a way if one dares to take it where his body has gone why may not another body go I have seen him myself crawl from his window why should not I imitate him and go in by his window the chances are desperate but my need is more despera

te still I shall risk it at the worst it can only be death and a man's death is not a calfs and the dreaded Hereafter may still be open to me God help me in my task goodbye Mina if I fail goodbye my faithful friend and second father goodbye all and last of all Mina same day later I have made the effort and God helping me have come safely back to this room I must put down every detail in order I went whilst my courage was fresh straight to the window on the south side and it once got outside on t

he narrow ledge of stone which runs around the building on this side the stones are big and roughly cut and the mortar has by process of time been washed away between them I took off my boots and ventured out on the desperate way I looked down once so as to make sure that a sudden glimpse of the awful depth would not overcome me but after that kept my eyes away from it I knew pretty well the direction and distance of the Count's window and made for it as well as I could having regard to the oppo

rtunities available I did not feel dizzy I suppose I was too excited and the time seemed ridiculously short till I found myself standing on the windowsill and trying to raise up the sash I was filled with agitation however when I bent down and slid feet foremost in through the window then I looked around for the count but with surprise and gladness made a discovery the room was empty it was barely furnished with odd things which seemed to have never been used the furniture was something the same

style as that in the South rooms and was covered with dust I looked for the key but it was not in the lock and I could not find it anywhere the only thing I found was a great heap of gold in one corner gold of all kinds Roman and British and Austrian and Hungarian and Greek and Turkish money covered with a film of dust as though it had laid long in the ground none of it that I noticed was less than 300 years old there were also chains and ornaments some jeweled but all of them old and stained a

t one corner of the room was a heavy door I tried it for since I could not find the key of the room or the key of the outer door which was the main object of my search I must make further examination or all my efforts would be in vain it was open and led through a stone passage to a circular stairway which went steeply down I descended minding carefully where I went for the stairs were Dark Being only lit by loopholes in the heavy Masonry at the bottom there was a dark tunnel-like Passage throug

h which came a deathly sickly odor the odor of old Earth newly turned as I went through the passage the smell grew closer and heavier At Last I pulled open a heavy door which stood ajar and found myself in an old ruined Chapel which had evidently been used as a graveyard the roof was broken and in two places were steps leading to volts but the ground had recently been dug over and the Earth placed in great wooden boxes manifestly those which had been brought by the slovaks there was nobody about

and I made search for any further outlet but there was none then I went over every inch of the ground so as not to lose a chance I went down even into the vaults where the dim light struggled although to do so was a dread to my very soul into two of these I went but saw nothing except fragments of old coffins and piles of dust in the third however I made a discovery there in one of the great boxes of which there were 50 and all on a pile of newly dug Earth lay the count he was either dead or as

leep I could not say witch for the eyes were open and Stony but without the glassiness of death and the cheeks had the warmth of life through all their power the lips were as red as ever but there was no sign of movement no pulse no breath no beating of the heart I bent over him and tried to find any sign of life but in vain he could not have laid there long for the earthy smell would have passed away in a few hours by the side of the box was its cover pierced with holes here and there I thought

he might have the keys on him but when I went to search I saw the dead eyes and in them dead though they were such a look of hate though unconscious of me or my presence that I fled from the place and leaving the counts room by the window crawled again up the castle wall regaining my room I threw myself panting upon the bed and tried to think 29th June today is the date of my last letter and the count has taken steps to prove that it was genuine for again I saw him leave the castle by the same

window and in my clothes as he went down the wall lizard fashion I wished I had a gun or some Lethal Weapon that I might destroy him but I fear that no weapon wrought Alone by man's hand would have any effect on him I dared not wait to see him return for I feared to see those weird sisters I came back to the library and read there till I fell asleep I was awakened by the count who looked at me as grimly as a man can look as he said tomorrow my friend we must part you return to your beautiful Eng

land I to some work which may have such an end that we may never meet your letter home has been dispatched tomorrow I shall not be here but all shall be ready for your journey in the morning come the scani who have some labors of their own here and also come some slovaks when they have gone my Carriage shall come for you and shall bear you to the Borgo pass to meet the diligence from Buca Vina to bistritz but I am in hopes that I shall see more of you at Castle Dracula I suspected him and determ

ined to test his sincerity sincerity it seems like a profanation of the word to write it in connection with such a monster so asked him Point Blank why may I not go tonight because Dear Sir my Coachmen and horses are away on a mission but I would walk with pleasure I want to get away at once he smiled such a soft smooth diabolical smile that I knew there was some trick behind his smoothness he said and your baggage I do not care about it I can send for it some other time the count stood up and s

aid with a sweet courtesy which made me rub my eyes it seemed so real you English have a saying which is close to my heart for its spirit is that which rules our boyars welcome the coming Speed The Parting guest come with me my dear young friend not an hour shall you wait in my house against your will though sad am I at your going and that you so suddenly desire it come with a stately gravity he with the lamp preceded me down the stairs and along the hall suddenly he stopped hark close at hand c

ame the howling of many wolves it was almost as if the sound sprang up at the rising of his hand just as the music of a great Orchestra seems to LEAP under the Baton of the conductor after a pause of a moment he proceeded in his stately way to the door Drew back the ponderous bolts unhooked the heavy chains and began to draw it open to my intense astonishment I saw that it was unlocked suspiciously I looked all round but could see no key of any kind as the door began to open the howling of the W

olves without grew louder and angrier their red jaws with champing teeth and their blunt clawed feet as they leapt came in through the opening door I knew then that to struggle at the moment against the count was useless with such allies as these at his command I could do nothing but still the door continued slowly to open and only the Count's body stood in the gap suddenly it struck me that this might be the moment and means of my Doom I was to be given to the wolves and at my own instigation t

here was a diabolical wickedness in the idea great enough for the count and as a last chance I cried out shut the door I shall wait till morning and covered my face with my hands to hide my tears of bitter disappointment with One Sweep of his powerful arm the count through the door shut and the great bolts clanged and echoed through the hall as they shot back into their places in silence we return to the library and after a minute or two I went to my own room the last I saw of Count Dracula was

his kissing his hand to me with a red light of Triumph in his eyes and with a smile that Judas in Hell might be proud of when I was in my room and about to lie down I thought I heard a whispering at my door I went to it softly and listened unless my ears deceived me I heard the voice of the count back back to your own place your time is not yet come wait have patience tonight is mine tomorrow night is yours there was a low sweet Ripple of laughter and in a rage I threw open the door and saw with

out the three terrible women licking their lips as I appeared they all joined in a horrible laugh and ran away I came back to my room and threw myself on my knees it is then so near the end tomorrow tomorrow Lord help me and those to whom I am dear 30th of June morning these may be the last words I ever write in this diary I slept till just before the dawn and when I woke through myself on my knees for I determined that if death came he should find me ready At Last I felt that subtle change in t

he air I knew that the morning had come then came the welcome [ __ ] Crow and I felt that I was safe with a glad heart I opened my door and ran down to the hall I had seen that the door was unlocked and now Escape was before me with hands that trembled with eagerness I unhooked the chains and Drew back the massive bolts but the door would not move despair seized me I pulled and pulled at the door and shook it till massive as it was it rattled in its casement I could see the bolt shot it had been

locked after I left the count then a wild desire took me to obtain that key at any risk and I determined then and there to scale the wall again and gain the counts room he might kill me but death now seemed the happier choice of evils without a pause I rushed up to the east window and scrambled down the wall as before into the counts room it was empty but that was as I expected I could not see a key anywhere but the Heap of gold remained I went through the door in the corner and down the Windin

g Stair and along the dark passage to the old chapel I knew now well enough where to find the monster I sought the great box was in the same place close against the wall but the lid was laid on it not fastened down but with the nails ready in their places to be hammered home I knew I must reach the body for the key so I raised the lid and laid it back against the wall and then I saw something which filled my very soul with horror there lay the count but looking as if his youth had been half rene

wed for the white hair and mustache would change to dark iron gray the cheeks were Fuller and the white skin seemed ruby red underneath the mouth was redder than ever for on the lips were gouts of fresh blood which trickled from the corners of the mouth and ran over the chin and neck even the Deep burning eyes seemed set amongst swollen flesh for the lids and pouches underneath were bloated it seemed as if the whole awful creature was simply gorged with blood he lay like a filthy leech exhausted

with his repletion I shudded as I bent over to touch him and every sense in me revolted at the contact but I had to search or I was lost the coming night might see my own body a banquet in a similar way to those horrid three I felt all over the body but no sign could I find of the key then I stopped and looked at the count there was a mocking smile on the bloated face which seemed to drive me mad this was the being I was helping to transfer to London where perhaps for centuries to come he might

amongst its teeming Millions satiate his Lust For Blood and create a new and ever widening circle of semi-demons to Baton on the helpless the very thought drove me mad a terrible desire Came Upon me to rid the world of such a monster there was no Lethal Weapon at hand but I seized a shovel which the workmen had been using to fill the cases and lifting it high struck with the edge downward at the hateful face but as I did so the head turned and the eyes fell full upon me with all their blaze of

Basilisk horror the sights seemed to paralyze me and the shovel turned in my hand and glanced from the face merely making a deep gash above the forehead the shovel fell from my hand across the box and as I pulled it away the flange of the blade caught the edge of the lid which fell over again and hid the horrid thing from my sight the last Glimpse I had was of the bloated face Blood Stained and fixed with a grin of malice which would have held its own in the nethermost hell I thought and thought

what should be my next move but my brain seemed on fire and I waited with a despairing feeling growing over me as I waited I heard in the distance a gypsy song sung by merry voices coming closer and through their song The Rolling of Heavy Wheels and the cracking of whips the shagani and the slovaks of whom the count had spoken were coming with a last look around and at the box which contained the vile body I ran from the place and gained the counts room determined to rush out at the moment the

door should be opened with strained ears I listened and heard downstairs the grinding of the key in the great lock and the falling back of the heavy door there must have been some other means of Entry or someone had a key for one of the locked doors Then There came the sound of many feet tramping and dying away in some passage which sent up a clanging Echo I turned to run down again towards the Vault where I might find the new entrance but at the moment there seemed to come a violent puff of win

d and the door to the Winding Stair blew two with a shock that set the dust from the lintels flying when I ran to push it open I found that it was hopelessly fast I was again a prisoner and the net of Doom was closing around me more closely as I write there is in the passage below a sound of many tramping feet and the crash of Weights being set down heavily doubtless the boxes with their Freight of Earth there is a sound of hammering it is the Box being nailed down I can hear the heavy feat tram

ping again along the hall with many other idle feet coming behind them the door is shut and the chains rattle there is a grinding of the key in the lock I can hear the key withdraw then another door opens and shuts I hear the creaking of Lock and Bolt hark in the courtyard and down the rocky way the role of Heavy Wheels the crack of whips and the chorus of the Scania as they pass into the distance I am alone in the castle with those awful women 4. Mina is a woman and there is not in common they

are devils of the pit I shall not remain alone with them I shall try to scale the castle wall farther than I have yet attempted I shall take some of the gold with me lest I want it later I may find a way from this Dreadful place and then away for home away to the quickest and nearest train away from this cursed spot from this cursed land where the devil and his children still walk with Earthly feet at least God's Mercy is better than that of these monsters and the precipice is steep and high at

its foot a man may sleep as a man goodbye all Mina chapter 5 letter from Miss Mina Murray to Miss Lucy westenra 9th of May dearest Lucy forgive my long delay in writing but I have been simply overwhelmed with work the life of an assistant school mistress is sometimes trying I'm longing to be with you and by the Sea where we can talk together freely and build our Castles in the Air I've been working very hard lately because I want to keep up with Jonathan's studies and I've been practicing shorth

and very assiduously when we are married I shall be able to be useful to Jonathan and if I can stenograph well enough I can take down what he wants to say in this way and write it out for him on the typewriter at which also I'm practicing very hard he and I sometimes write letters in shorthand and he's keeping a stenographic journal of his travels abroad when I am with you I shall keep a diary in the same way I don't mean one of those two pages to the week with Sunday ski eased in a corner Diari

es but a sort of Journal which I can write in whenever I feel inclined I do not suppose there will be much of interest to other people but it is not intended for them I may show it to Jonathan someday if there is in it anything worth sharing but it is really an exercise book I shall try to do what I see Lady journalists do interviewing and writing descriptions and trying to remember conversations I am told that with a little practice one can remember all that goes on or that one hears said durin

g a day however we shall see I will tell you of my little plans when we meet I have just had a few hurried lines from Jonathan from Transylvania he is well and will be returning in about a week I'm longing to hear all his news it must be so nice to see strange countries I wonder if we I mean Jonathan and I shall ever see them together there is the 10 o'clock bell ringing goodbye you're loving Mina tell me all the news when you write you have not told me anything for a long time I hear rumors and

especially of a tall handsome curly-haired man letter Lucy westenra to mina Murray 17 Chatham Street Wednesday my dearest Mina I must say you taxed me very unfairly with being a bad correspondent I wrote to you twice since we parted and your last letter was only your second besides I have nothing to tell you there is really nothing to interest you town is very pleasant just now and we go a good deal to picture galleries and for walks and rides in the park as to the tall curly-haired man I suppo

se it was the one who was with me at the last pop someone has evidently been telling tales that was Mr Holmwood he often comes to see us and he and mama get on very well together they have so many things to talk about in common we met some time ago a man that would just do for you if you were not already engaged to Jonathan he is an excellent party being handsome well-off and of good birth he is a doctor and really clever just fancy he is only 9 and 20 and he has an immense Lunatic Asylum all un

der his own care Mr Holm would introduced him to me and he called here to see us and often comes now I think he's one of the most Resolute men I ever saw and yet the most calm he seems absolutely imperturbable I can fancy what a wonderful power he must have over his patients he has a curious habit of looking one straight in the face as if trying to read one's thoughts he tries this on very much with me but I flatter myself he has got a tough nut to crack I know that from my glass do you ever try

to read your own face I do and I can tell you it is not a bad study and gives you more trouble than you can well fancy if you have never tried it he says that I afford him a curious psychological study and I humbly think I do I do not as you know take sufficient interest in dress to be able to describe the new fashions dress is a boar that is slang again but never mind Arthur says that every day there it is all out Mina we have told all our secrets to each other since we were children we have s

lept together and eaten together and laughed and cried together and now though I have spoken I would like to speak more omina couldn't you guess I love him I am blushing as I write for although I think he loves me he has not told me so in words but oh Mina I love him I love him I love him there that does me good I wish I were with you dear sitting by the fire undressing as we used to sit and I would try to tell you what I feel I do not know how I'm writing this even to you I am afraid to stop or

I should tear up the letter and I don't want to stop for I do so want to tell you all let me hear from you at once and tell me all that you think about it Mina I must stop good night bless me in your prayers and Mina pray for my happiness Lucy P.S I need not tell you this is a secret good night again l letter Lucy westenra to mina Murray the 24th of May my dearest Mina thanks and thanks and thanks again for your sweet letter it was so nice to be able to tell you and to have your sympathy my dea

r it never rains but it pours how true the old Proverbs Are Here Am I who shall be 20 in September and yet I never had a proposal till today not a real proposal and today I've had three just fancy three proposals in one day isn't it awful I feel sorry really and truly sorry for two of the poor fellows omena I'm so happy that I don't know what to do with myself and three proposals but for goodness sake don't tell any of the girls or they would be getting all sorts of extravagant ideas and imagini

ng themselves injured and slighted if in their very first day at home they did not get six at least some girls are so vain you and I mean a deer who are engaged and are going to settle down soon soberly into old married women can despise vanity well I must tell you about the three but you must keep it a secret deer from everyone except of course Jonathan you will tell him because I would if I were in your place certainly tell Arthur a woman ought to tell her husband everything don't you think so

dear and I must be fair men like women certainly their wives to be quite as Fair as they are and women I am afraid are not always quite as Fair as they should be well my dear number one came just before lunch I told you of him Dr John Seward The Lunatic Asylum man with the strong jaw and the good forehead he was very cool outwardly but was nervous all the same he had evidently been schooling himself as to all sorts of little things and remembered them but he almost managed to sit down on his si

lk hat which men don't generally do when they are cool and then when he wanted to appear at ease he kept playing with a Lancet in a way that made me nearly scream he spoke to me Mina very straightforwardly he told me how dear I was to him though he had known me so little and what his life would be with me to help and cheer him he was going to tell me how unhappy he would be if I did not care for him but when he saw me cry he said that he was a brute and would not add to my present trouble then h

e broke off and asked if I could love him in time and when I shook my head his hands trembled and then with some hesitation he asked me if I cared already for anyone else he put it very nicely saying that he did not want to ring my confidence from me but only to know because if a woman's heart was free a man might have hope and then Mina I felt a sort of Duty to tell him that there was someone I only told him that much and then he stood up and he looked very strong and very grave as he took both

my hands in his and said he hoped I would be happy and that if I ever wanted a friend I must count him one of my best oh Mina dear I can't help crying and you must excuse this letter being all blotted being proposed to is all very nice and all that sort of thing but it isn't at all a Happy thing when you have to see a poor fellow whom you know loves you honestly going away and looking all broken-hearted and to know that no matter what he may say at the moment you are passing quite out of his li

fe my dear I must stop here at present I feel so miserable though I'm so happy evening Arthur has just gone and I feel in better spirits than when I left off so I can go on telling you about the day well my dear number two came after lunch he is such a nice fellow an American from Texas and he looks so young and so fresh that it seems almost impossible that he has been to so many places and has had such Adventures I sympathize with poor Desdemona when she had such a dangerous stream poured in he

r ear even by a black man I suppose that we women are such cowards that we think a man will save us from fears and we marry him I know now what I would do if I were a man and wanted to make a girl love me no I don't for there was Mr Morris telling us his stories and Arthur never told any and yet my dear I am somewhat previous Mr Quincy P Morris found me alone it seems that a man always does find a girl alone no he doesn't for Arthur tried twice to make a chance and I helping him all I could I'm

not ashamed to say it now I must tell you beforehand that Mr Morris doesn't always speak slang that is to say he never does so to strangers or before them for he is really well educated and has Exquisite manners but he found out that it amused me to hear him talk American slang and whenever I was present and there was no one to be shocked he said such funny things I'm afraid my dear he has to invent it all for it fits exactly into whatever else he has to say but this is a way slang has I do not

know myself if I shall ever speak slang I do not know if Arthur likes it as I have never heard him use any as yet well Mr Morris sat down beside me and looked as happy and jolly as he could but I could see all the same that he was very nervous he took my hand in his and said ever so sweetly Miss Lucy I know I ain't good enough to regulate the fixings of your little shoes but I guess if you wait till you find a man that is you will go join them seven young women with the lamps when you quit won't

you just hitch up alongside of me and let us go down the long road together driving and double harness well he did look so good humid and so jolly that it didn't seem half so hard to refuse him as it did poor Dr Seward so I said as lightly as I could that I did not know anything of hitching and that I wasn't broken to harness at all yet then he said that he had spoken in a light Manner and he hoped that if he had made a mistake in doing so on so grave so momentous an occasion for him I would fo

rgive him he really did look serious when he was saying it and I couldn't help feeling a bit serious too I know Mina you will think me a horrid flirt though I couldn't help feeling a sort of exaltation that he was number two in one day and then my dear before I could say a word he began pouring out a perfect torrent of lovemaking laying his very Heart and Soul at my feet he looked so Earnest over it that I shall never again think that a man must be playful always and never Earnest because he is

Merry at times I suppose he saw something in my face which checked him for he suddenly stopped and said with a sort of manly fervor that I could have loved him for if I'd been free Lucy you are an honest-hearted girl I know I should not be here speaking to you as I am now if I did not believe you clean grit right through to the very depths of your soul tell me like one good fellow to another is there anyone else that you care for and if there is I'll never trouble you a hair's breath again but w

e'll be if you will let me a very faithful friend my dear Mina why are men so Noble when we women are so little worthy of them here was I almost making fun of this great-hearted true gentleman I burst into tears I am afraid my dear you will think this a very sloppy letter in more ways than one and I really felt very badly why can't they let a girl marry three men or as many as want her and save all this trouble but this is heresy and I must not say it I am glad to say that though I was crying I

was able to look into Mr Morris's Brave eyes and I told him out straight yes there is someone I love though he has not told me yet that he even loves me I was right to speak to him so frankly for quite a light came into his face and he put out both his hands and took mine I think I put them into his and said in a hearty way that's my Brave girl it's better worth being late for a chance of winning you than being in time for any other girl in the world don't cry my dear if it's for me I'm a hard n

ut to crack and I take it standing up if that other fellow doesn't know his happiness well he'd better look for it soon or he'll have to deal with me little girl your honesty and pluck have made me a friend and that's rarer than a lover it's more unselfish anyhow my dear I'm going to have a pretty lonely walk between this and Kingdom Come won't you give me one kiss it'll be something to keep off the darkness now and then you can you know if you like for that other good fellow he must be a good f

ellow my dear and a fine fellow or you could not love him hasn't spoken yet that quite won me Mina for it was Brave and sweet of him and Noble too to a rival wasn't it and he's so sad so I lent over and kissed him he stood up with my two hands in his and as he looked down into my face I am afraid I was blushing very much he said little girl I hold your hand and you've kissed me and if these things don't make us friends nothing ever will thank you for your sweet honesty to me and goodbye he rung

my hand and taking up his hat went straight out of the room without looking back without a tear or a quiver or a pause and I am crying like a baby Oh Why must a man like that be made unhappy when there are lots of girls about who would worship the very ground he trod on I know I would if I were free only I Don't Want to Be Free my dear this quite upset me and I feel I cannot write of Happiness just at once after telling you of it and I don't wish to tell of the number three until it can be all h

appy ever you're loving Lucy P.S oh about number three I needn't tell you of number three need I besides it was also confused it seemed only a moment from his coming into the room till both his arms were around me and he was kissing me I am very very happy and I don't know what I've done to deserve it I must only try in the future to show that I am not ungrateful to God for all his goodness to me and sending to me such a lover such a husband and such a friend goodbye Dr Seward's diary kept in ph

onograph 25 May ebb tied in appetite today cannot eat cannot rest so diary instead since my rebuff of yesterday I have a sort of empty feeling nothing in the world seems of sufficient importance to be worth the doing as I knew that the only cure for this sort of thing was work I went down amongst the patients I picked out one who has afforded me a study of much interest he is so quaint that I am determined to understand him as well as I can today I seem to get nearer than ever before to the hear

t of his mystery I questioned him more fully than I had ever done with a view to making myself Master of the facts of his hallucination in my manner of doing it there was I now see something of Cruelty I seem to wish to keep him to the point of his Madness a thing which I avoid with the patience as I would the mouth of Hell meme under what circumstances would I not avoid the pit of Hell Omnia Romeo suit hell has its price verb sap if there be anything behind this Instinct it will be valuable to

trace it afterwards accurately so I had better commence to do so therefore r m Renfield a attack 59. sanguine temperament great physical strength morbidly excitable periods of Gloom ending in some fixed idea which I cannot make out I presume that the sanguine temperament itself and the disturbing influence end in a mentally accomplished finish a possibly dangerous man probably dangerous if unselfish in selfish men caution is a secure an armor for their foes as for themselves what I think of on t

his point is when self is the fixed point the centripetal force is balanced with the centrifugal when Duty a cause Etc is the fixed point the latter force is Paramount and only accident or a series of accidents can balance it letter Quincy P Morris to honorable Arthur Homewood the 25th of May my dear art we've told Yarns by the campfire in the Prairies and dressed one another's wounds after trying a landing at the Marquesas and drunk healths on the shore of Titicaca there are more Yarns to be to

ld and other wounds to be healed and another Health to be drunk won't you let this be at my campfire tomorrow night I have no hesitation in asking you as I know a certain lady is engaged to a certain dinner party and that you are free there will only be one other our old pal at the career Jack Seward he's coming too and we both want to mingle our weeps over the wine cup and to drink her health with all our hearts to the happiest man in all the wide world who has won the noblest heart that God ha

s made and the best worth winning we promise you a hearty welcome and a loving greeting and a health as true as your own right hand we shall both swear to leave you at home if you drink too deep to a certain pair of eyes come yours as ever and always Quincy P Morris telegram from Arthur Homewood to Quincy P Morris the 26th of May count me in every time I bear messages which will make both your ears tingle art chapter 6 minamari's journal the 24th of July Whitby Lucy met me at the station looking

sweeter and Lovelier than ever and we drove up to the house at the Crescent in which they have rooms this is a lovely place the Little River the esk runs through a deep valley which broadens out as it comes near the harbor a great Viaduct runs across with high peers through which the view seems somehow further away than it really is the valley is beautifully green and it is so steep that when you're on the Highland on either side you look right across it unless you are near enough to see down t

he houses of the Old Town the side away from us are all red roofed and seem piled up one over the other anyhow like the pictures we see of Nuremberg right over the town is the ruin of Whitby Abbey which was sacked by the Danes and which is the scene of part of Marmion where the girl was built up in the wall it is a most noble ruin of immense size and full of beautiful and romantic bits there is a legend that a white lady is seen in one of the windows between it and the town there is another chur

ch the parish one round which is a big graveyard all full of tombstones this is to my mind the nicest spot in Whitby for it lies right over the town and has a full view of the harbor and all up the bay to where the Headland called kettleness stretches out into the sea it descends so steeply over the harbor that part of the bank has fallen away and some of the graves have been destroyed in one place part of the stonework of the graves stretches out over the Sandy pathway Far Below there are walks

with seats beside them through the churchyard and people go and sit there all day long looking at the beautiful view and enjoying the breeze I shall come and sit here very often myself and work indeed I'm writing now with my book on my knee and listening to the talk of three old men who are sitting beside me they seem to do nothing all day but sit up here and talk the harbor lies below me with On The Far Side one long Granite wall stretching out into the sea with a curve outwards at the end of

it in the middle of which is a lighthouse a heavy sea wall runs along outside of it on the near side the sea wall makes an elbow crooked inversely and its end too has a lighthouse between the two Piers there is a narrow opening into the harbor which then suddenly widens it is nice at high water but when the tide is out it Shoals away to nothing and there is merely the stream of the esk running between Banks of sand with rocks here and there outside the harbor on this side there Rises for about h

alf a mile a great reef the sharp edge of which runs straight out from behind the South lighthouse at the end of it is a boy with a bell which swings in bad weather and sends in a mournful sound on the Wind they have a legend here that when a ship is lost bells are heard out at sea I must ask the old man about this he is coming this way he is a funny old man he must be awfully old for his face is all gnarled and twisted like the bark of a tree he tells me that he is nearly a hundred and that he

was a sailor in the Greenland fishing fleet when Waterloo was fought he is I'm afraid of very skeptical person for when I asked him about the bells at Sea and the white lady at the Abbey he said very bruskly I wouldn't fash maisel about the Miss then things be all wore out mind I don't say that they never was but I do say that they wasn't in my time they'd be all very well for comers and Trippers and the like but not for a nice young lady like you then feed folks from York and leads that be alwa

ys eating cured herons and drinking tea and looking out to buy cheap jet with credort I wonder maisel who'd be bothered telling lies to them even the newspapers which is full of full talk I thought he would be a good person to learn interesting things from so I asked him if he would mind telling me something about the whale fishing in the old days he was just settling himself to begin when the Clock Struck six whereupon he labored to get up and said I must gang Aegean Woods home now miss my gran

ddaughter doesn't like to be kept waiting when the tea is ready for it takes me time to cram laboon the grease for there be a many of them and Miss I lack belly Timber Sailing by the clock he hobbled away and I could see him hurrying as well as he could down the steps the steps are a great feature on the place they lead from the town up to the church there are hundreds of them I do not know how many and they wind up in a delicate curve the slope is so gentle that a horse could easily walk up and

down them I think they must originally have had something to do with the Abbey I shall go home too Lucy went out visiting with her mother and as they were only duty calls I did not go they will be home by this one August I came up here an hour ago with Lucy and we had a most interesting talk with my old friend and the two others who always come and join him he is evidently the sir Oracle of them and I should think must have been in his time a most dictatorial person he will not admit anything a

nd down faces everybody if he can't out argue them he bullies them and then takes their silence for agreement with his views Lucy was looking sweetly pretty in her white lawn frock she's got a beautiful color since she's been here I noticed that the old men did not lose any time in coming up and sitting near her when we sat down she's so sweet with old people I think they all fell in love with her on the spot even my old man succumbed and did not contradict her but gave me double share instead I

got him on the subject of the Legends and he went off at once into a sort of sermon I must try to remember it and put it down it'd be all full talk Lock Stock and Barrel that's what it be and now tells these bands and wafts and bow ghosts and Bargas and bogles and all in Anthem is only fit to set bands and dizzy women of beldrin they'd be now but air blebs they in all Grims and signs and warnings be all invented by Parsons and ilsembuke bodies and Railway toutors to scare and scanner halflings

and to get folks to do something that they don't other incline to it makes me awful to think of them why it's them that not content with printing lies on paper and preaching them out of pulpits does want to be cutting them on the tombstones look here all around you in what air you will all them steams holding up their heads as well as they can out of their pride is a cant simply tumbling down with the weight of the lies wrote on them here lies the body or sacred to the memory wrote on all of the

m and yet in nigh half of them there be no bodies at all and the memories of them being cared a pinch of snuff about much less sacred lies all of them nothing but lies of one kind or another my Gog but it'll be a queer scoutament at the day of judgment when they come tumbling up in their death socks all duped together and trying to drag their tomb steams with them to prove how good they was some of them trembling and dithering with their hands that dozened and slippy from lying in the sea that t

hey can't even keep their grub of them I could see from the old fellow's self-satisfied Heir and the way in which he looked round for the approval of his cronies that he was showing off so I put in a word to keep him going oh Mr swales you can't be serious surely these tombstones are not all wrong s there may be a poorish few not wrong saving where they make out the people too good for there be folk that do think a barn Bowl be like the sea if only it be their own the whole thing be only lies no

w look you here you come here a stranger and you see this Kirk Garth I nodded for I thought it better to ascend though I did not quite understand his dialect I knew it had something to do with the church he went on and you can say that all these steams be a boon folk that be happier snod and snog I ascended again then that be just where the lie comes in why there be scores of these lay beds that be tumors old duns back a box on Friday night he nudged one of his companions and they all laughed an

d my Gog how could they be otherwise look at that one The Afters to Bath the beer Bank read it I went over and read Edward Spencer Master Mariner murdered by Pirates off the coast of Andres April 1854 a at 30. when I came back Mr swales went on who brought him home I wonder to have him here murdered off the coast of Andrus and you can stated his body lay under why I could name you a dozen whose bones lie in the Greenland sees above he pointed northwards or where the currents may have drifted the

m there be the steens around you you can with your young eyes read the small print of the lies from here this Braithwaite Lowry I knew his father lost in the Lively off Greenland in 20. or Andrew Woodhouse drowned in the same seas in 1777. or John Paxton drowned off Cape farewell a year later or old John Rawlings whose grandfather sailed with me drowned in the Gulf of Finland in 50. do you think that all these men will have to make a rush to Whitby when the trumpet sounds I have me antharums abo

ut it I tell you that when they got here they'd be jomlin and jostle in one another that way that it you'd be like a fight up on the ice in the old days when we'd be at one another from daylight to dark and trying to tie up our Cuts By the Light of the Aurora Borealis this was evidently local pleasantry for the old man cackled over it and his cronies joined in with gusto but I said surely you are not quite correct for you start on the assumption that all the poor people or their spirits will hav

e to take their tombstones with them on the day of judgment do you think that will be really necessary well what else be they tombstones for answer me that Miss to please their relatives I suppose to please their relatives you suppose this he said with intense scorn how will it pleasure their relatives to know that lies is wrote over them and that everybody in the place knows that they be lies he pointed to a stone at our feet which had been laid down as a slab on which the seat was rested close

to the edge of the cliff read the lies on that thrusting he said the letters were upside down to me from where I sat but Lucy was more opposite to them so she Lent over and read sacred to the memory of George Cannon who died in the hope of a glorious Resurrection on July 29 1873 falling from the rocks at kettleness this tomb was erected by his Sorrowing mother to her dearly beloved Son he was the only son of his mother and she was a widow really Mr swales I don't see anything very funny in that

she spoke her comment very Gravely and somewhat severely you don't see ought funny ha ha but that's because you don't gorm the sorrow in mother was a Hellcat that hated him because he was a crooked a regular lavator he was and he hated her so that he committed suicide in order that she might get an insurance she put on his life he blew neither top of his head off with an Old Musket that they had for scaring the crows with to want for Crows then for it brought the clegs and the doubts to him tha

t's the way he fell off the rocks and as to hopes of a glorious Resurrection I've often heard him say maisel that he hoped he'd go to hell for his mother was so Pious that she'd be sure to go to heaven and he didn't want to add all where she was Now isn't that Steen at any rate he hammered it with his stick as he spoke a pack of lies and won't it make Gabriel keckle when Geordie comes panting up the grease with the tombstone balanced on his hump and asks it to be took as evidence I did not know

what to say but Lucy turned the conversation as she said rising up oh why did you tell us of this it is my favorite seat and I cannot leave it and now I find I Must Go On sitting over the grave of a suicide that won't harm you my pretty and it may make poor Geordie glad some to have so trim a lass sitting on his lap that won't hurt you why I've sat here off and on for now 20 years past and it hasn't done me no harm don't you fash about them as lies under you or that doesn't lie there either it'l

l be time for you to be getting scarred when you see the Tombstones all run away with and the places bear as a Stubblefield there's the clock and I must gang my service to you ladies and off he hobbled Lucy and I sat a while and it was all so beautiful before us that we took hands as we sat and she told me all over again about Arthur and their coming marriage that made me just a little heart sick for I haven't heard from Jonathan for a whole month the same day I came up here alone for I'm very s

ad there was no letter for me I hope there cannot be anything that matter with Jonathan the clock has just struck nine I see the lights scattered all over the town sometimes in rows where the streets are and sometimes singly they run right up the esk and die away in the curve of the valley to my left the view is cut off by a black line of roof of the old house next The Abbey the sheep and Lambs are bleating in the fields away behind me and there is a clatter of a donkey's Hooves up the paved Roa

d below the band on the pier is playing a harsh Waltz in good time and further along the key there is a Salvation Army meeting in a back street neither of the Bands hears the other but up here I hear and see them both I wonder where Jonathan is and if he is thinking of me I wish he were here Dr Seward's diary 5 June the case of Renfield grows more interesting the more I get to understand the man he has certain qualities very largely developed selfishness secrecy and purpose I wish I could get it

what is the object of the latter he seems to have some settled scheme of his own but what it is I do not yet know his redeeming quality is a Love of Animals though indeed he has such curious turns in it that I sometimes imagine he is only abnormally cruel his pets are of odd sorts just now his hobby is catching flies he has at present such a quantity that I have had myself to expostulate to my astonishment he did not break out into a fury as I expected but took the matter in simple seriousness

he thought for a moment and then said may I have three days I shall clear them away of course I said that would do I must watch him 18 June he has turned his mind now to spiders and has got several very big fellows in a box he keeps feeding them with his flies and the number of the latter is becoming sensibly diminished although he has used half his food in attracting more flies from outside to his room 1 July his spiders are now becoming as great a nuisance as his flies and today I told him tha

t he must get rid of them he looked very sad at this so I said that he must clear out some of them at all events he cheerfully acquiesced in this and I gave him the same time as before for reduction he disgusted me much while with him for when a horrid blowfly bloated with some carrion food buzzed into the room he caught it held it exultantly for a few moments between his finger and thumb and before I knew what he was going to do put it in his mouth and ate it I scolded him for it but he argued

quietly that it was very good and very wholesome that it was life strong life and gave life to him this gave me an idea or the rudiment of one I must watch how he gets rid of his spiders he has evidently some deep problem in his mind for he keeps a little notebook in which he is always jotting down something whole pages of it are filled with masses of figures generally single numbers added up in batches and then the totals added in batches again as though he were focusing some account as the Aud

itors put it 8 July there is a method in his Madness and the rudimentary idea in my mind is growing it will be a whole idea soon and then oh unconscious celebration you will have to give the wall to your conscious brother I kept away from my friend for a few days so that I might notice if there were any change things remain as they were except that he has parted with some of his pets and got a new one he has managed to get a sparrow and has already partially tamed it his means of taming is simpl

e for already the spiders have diminished those that do remain however are well fed for he still brings in the Flies by tempting them with his food 19 July we are progressing my friend has now a whole colony of sparrows and his flies and spiders are almost obliterated when I came in he ran to me and said he wanted to ask me a great favor a very very great favor and as he spoke he fawned on me like a dog I asked him what it was and he said with a sort of rapture in his voice and bearing a kitten

a nice little Sleek playful kitten that I can play with and teach and feed and feed and feed I was not unprepared for this request for I had noticed how his pets went on increasing in size and vivacity but I did not care that his pretty family of tame sparrows should be wiped out in the same manner as the Flies and the spiders so I said I would see about it and asked him if he would not rather have a cat than a kitten his eagerness betrayed him as he answered oh yes I would like a cat I only ask

ed for a kitten unless you should refuse me a cat no one would refuse me a kitten would they I shook my head and said that at present I feared it would not be possible but that I would see about it his face fell and I could see a warning of danger in it for there was a sudden Fierce side-long look which meant killing the man is an undeveloped homicidal maniac I shall test him with his present craving and see how it will work out then I shall know more 10 P.M I have visited him again and found hi

m sitting in a corner brooding when I came in he threw himself on his knees before me and implored me to let him have a cat that his salvation depended upon it I was firm however and told him that he could not have it whereupon he went without a word and sat down gnawing his fingers in the corner where I had found him I shall see him in the morning early 20 July visited Renfield very early before the attendant went his rounds found him up and humming a tune he was spreading out his sugar which h

e had saved in the window and was manifestly beginning his fly-catching again and beginning it cheerfully and with a good grace I looked around for his birds and not seeing them asked him where they were he replied without turning round that they had all flown away there were a few feathers about the room and on his pillow a drop of blood I said nothing but went and told the keeper to report to me if there were anything odd about him during the day 11 am the attendant has just been to me to say

that Renfield has been very sick and has discouraged a whole lot of feathers my belief is doctor he said that he has eaten his birds and that he just took and ate them raw 11 pm I gave Renfield a strong opiate tonight enough to make even him sleep and took away his pocketbook to look at it the thought that has been buzzing about my brain lately is complete and the theory proved my homicidal maniac is of a peculiar kind I shall have to invent a new classification for him and call him a xoophagus

life-eating maniac what he desires is to absorb as many lives as he can and he has laid himself out to achieve it in a cumulative way he gave many flies to one spider and many spiders to one bird and then wanted a cat to eat the many birds what would have been his later steps it would almost be worthwhile to complete the experiment it might be done if there were only a sufficient cause men sneered at vivisection and yet look at its results today why not Advance science in its most difficult and

vital aspect the knowledge of the brain had I even the secret of one such mind did I hold the key to the fancy of even One Lunatic I might Advance my own branch of science to a pitch compared with which burden sanderson's physiology or faria's brain knowledge would be as nothing if only there were a sufficient cause I must not think too much of this or I may be tempted a good cause might turn the scale with me for may not I too be of an exceptional brain congenitally how well the man reasoned lu

natics always do within their own scope I wonder at how many lives he values a man or if it only won he has closed the account most accurately and today begun a new record how many of us begin a new record with each day of Our Lives to me it seems only yesterday that my whole life ended with my new hope and that truly I began a new record so it will be until the great recorder sums me up and closes my ledger account with a balance to profit or loss oh Lucy Lucy I cannot be angry with you nor can

I be angry with my friend whose happiness is yours but I must only wait on hopeless and work work work work If I Only Could have a stronger cause as my poor mad friend there a good unselfish cause to make me work that would be indeed happiness Mina Murray's Journal 26 July I'm anxious and it soothes me to express myself here it's like whispering to oneself and listening at the same time and there is also something about the shorthand symbols that makes it different from writing I am unhappy abo

ut Lucy and about Jonathan I had not heard from Jonathan for some time and was very concerned but yesterday Dear Mr Hawkins who is always so kind sent me a letter from him I had written asking him if he had heard and he said the enclosed had just been received it is only a line dated from Castle Dracula and says that he is just starting for home that is not like Jonathan I do not understand it and it makes me uneasy then too Lucy although she is so well has lately taken to her old habit of walki

ng in her sleep her mother has spoken to me about it and we have decided that I am to lock the door of our room every night Mrs westenra has got an idea that Sleepwalkers always go out on roofs of houses and along the edges of cliffs and then get suddenly awakened and fall over with a despairing cry that Echoes all over the place poor dear she is naturally anxious about Lucy and she tells me that her husband Lucy's father had the same habit that he would get up in the night and dress himself and

go out if he were not stopped Lucy is to be married in the Autumn and she is already planning out her dresses and how her house is to be arranged I sympathize with her for I do the same only Jonathan and I will start in life in a very simple way and she'll have to try to make both ends meet Mr Holmwood he is The Honorable Arthur Homewood only son of Lord godelming is coming up here very shortly as soon as he can leave town for his father is not very well and I think dear Lucy is counting the mo

ments till he comes she wants to take him up to the seat on the churchyard cliff and show him the beauty of Whitby I dare say it is the waiting which disturbs her she will be all right when he arrives 27 July no news from Jonathan I'm getting quite uneasy about him though why should I do not know but I do wish that he would write if it were only a single line Lucy walks more than ever and each night I'm awakened by her moving about the room fortunately the weather is so hot that she cannot get c

old but still the anxiety and the perpetually being awakened is beginning to tell on me and I'm getting nervous and wake for myself thank God Lucy's health keeps up Mr Holmwood has been suddenly called to Ring to see his father who has been taken seriously ill Lucy Frets at the postponement of seeing him but it does not touch her looks she is a trifle stouter and her cheeks are a lovely rose pink she has lost that anemic look which she had I pray it will all last 3 August another week gone and n

o news from Jonathan not even to Mr Hawkins from whom I have heard oh I do hope he is not ill he surely would have written I look at that last letter of his but somehow it does not satisfy me it does not read like him and yet it is his writing there is no mistake of that Lucy has not walked much in her sleep the last week but there is an odd concentration about her which I do not understand even in her sleep she seems to be watching me she tries the door and finding it locked goes about the room

searching for the key 6 August another three days and no news this suspense is getting Dreadful if I only knew where to write to or where to go to I should feel easier but no one has heard a word of Jonathan since that last letter I must only pray to God for patience Lucy is more excitable than ever but is otherwise well last night was very threatening and the fishermen say that we are in for a storm I must try to watch it and learn the weather signs today is a gray day and the Sun as I write i

s hidden in thick clouds high over kettleness everything is gray except the green grass which seems like Emerald amongst it gray earthy Rock gray clouds tinged with the Sunburst at the far Edge hang over the gray sea into which the sand points stretch like gray fingers the sea is tumbling in over the shallows and the Sandy Flats with a roar muffled in the sea Mists drifting Inland The Horizon is lost in a gray Mist all is vastness the clouds are piled up like giant rocks and there is a Brule ove

r the sea that sounds like some presage of Doom dark figures are on the beach here and there sometimes half shrouded in the mist and seem men like trees walking the fishing boats are racing for home and rise and dip in the ground swell as they sweep into the harbor bending to the scuppers Here Comes old Mr swales he is making straight for me and I can see by the way he lifts his hat that he wants to talk I have been quite touched by the change in the poor old man when he sat down beside me he sa

id in a very gentle way I want to say something to you Miss I could see he was not at ease so I took his poor old wrinkled hand in mine and asked him to speak fully so he said leaving his hand in mine I'm afraid my Deary that I must have shocked you by all the wicked things I've been saying about the dead and such like for weeks past but I didn't mean them and I want you to remember that when I'm gone we awed folks that be daffled and with one foot above the crocool don't altogether like to thin

k of it and we don't want to feel scarred of it and that's why I've took to making light of it so that I'd cheer up my own heart a bit but Lord love you Miss I ain't afraid of dying not a bit only I don't want to die if I can help it my time must be nigh at hand now for ibeored and a hundred years is too much for any man to expect and I'm so night that the old man is already wet in his scythe you see I can't get out of the habit of caffeine about it all at once the shafts will wag as they be use

d to someday soon the angel of death will sound his trumpet for me but don't you duel and greet my dearie for he saw that I was crying if he should come this very night I'd not refuse to answer his call for Life B after all only are waiting for something else than what we're doing and death be all that we can rightly depend on but I'm content for it's coming to me my Deary and coming quick it may be coming while we be looking and wondering maybe it's in that wind out over the sea that's bringing

with it loss and wreck and saw distress and sad hearts look look he cried suddenly there's something in that wind and in the host beyond that sounds and looks and tastes and smells like death it's in the air I feel it coming Lord make me answer cheerful when my call comes he held up his arms devoutly and raised his hat his mouth moved as though he were praying after a few minutes silence he got up shook hands with me and blessed me and said goodbye and hobbled off it all touched me and upset me

very much I was glad when the Coast Guard came along with his Spyglass under his arm he stopped to talk with me as he always does but all the time kept looking at a strange ship I can't make her out he said she's a Russian by the look of her but she's knocking about in the queerest way she doesn't know her mind a bit she seems to see the storm coming but can't decide whether to run up north in the open or to put in here look there again she steered Mighty strangely for she doesn't mind the hand

on the wheel change is about with every puff of wind we'll hear more of her before this time tomorrow chapter 7 cutting from the daily graph the 8th of August pasted in Mina Murray's Journal from a correspondent Whitby one greatest and suddenest storms on record has just been experienced here with results both strange and unique the weather had been somewhat sultry but not to any degree uncommon in the month of August Saturday evening was as fine as was ever known and the great body of holiday

makers laid out yesterday for visits to mulgrave Woods Robin Hood's Bay rigmill runswick States and the various trips in the neighborhood of Whitby the Steamers emmer and Scarborough made trips up and down the coast and there was an unusual amount of tripping both to and from Whitby the day was unusually fine till the afternoon when some of the gossips who frequent the East Cliff churchyard and from that commanding Eminence watched the wide sweep of sea visible to the north and east called atten

tion to a sudden show of Mare's Tales high in the sky to the northwest the wind was then blowing from the southwest in the mild degree which in barometrical languages ranked natu light Breeze the Coast Guard on Duty at once made report and one old fisherman who for more than half a century has kept watch on weather signs from the East Cliff foretold in an emphatic manner the coming of a sudden storm the approach of sunset was so very beautiful so Grand in its masses of splendidly colored clouds

that there was quite an assemblage on the walk along the cliff in the old churchyard to enjoy the beauty before the sun dipped below the black mass of kettleness standing boldly a thwart the Western sky its downward way was marked by Myriad clouds of every sunset color flame purple pink green Violet and all the tints of gold with here and there Mass is not large but of seemingly absolute blackness in all sorts of shapes as well outlined as colossal silhouettes the experience was not lost on the

painters and doubtless some of the sketches of the Prelude to the great storm will Grace the ra and RI walls in May next more than one Captain made up his mind then and there that his Cobble or his mule as they termed the different classes of boats would remain in the harbor till the storm had passed the wind fell away entirely during the evening and at midnight there was a dead calm a sultry heat and that prevailing intensity which on the approach of Thunder affects persons of a sensitive natur

e there were but few lights in sight at sea for even the coasting Steamers which usually hug the shore so closely kept well to seaward and but few fishing boats were in sight the only sale noticeable was a foreign Schooner with all sales set which was seemingly going westwards the full hardiness or ignorance of her officers was a prolific theme for comment while she remained in sight and efforts were made to Signal her to reduce sale in face of her Danger before the night shut down she was seen

with sails idly flapping as she gently rolled on the undulating swell of the sea as Idol as a painted ship upon a painted ocean shortly before 10 o'clock the Stillness of the air grew quite oppressive and the silence was so marked that the bleating of a sheep Inland or The Barking of a dog in the town was distinctly heard and the band on the pier with its Lively French air was like a Discord in the great Harmony of Nature's silence a little after midnight came a strange sound from Over the Sea a

nd high overhead the air began to carry a strange faint Hollow booming then without warning The Tempest broke with a rapidity witch at the time seemed incredible and even afterwards is impossible to realize the whole aspect of nature at once became convulsed the waves Rose in growing Fury each over topping its fellow till in a very few minutes the lately glassy sea was like a roaring and devouring monster white crested waves beat madly on the level Sands and rushed up the shelving Cliffs others

broke over the piers and with their spumes swept the lanterns of the lighthouses which rise from the end of either Pier of Whitby Harbor the wind roared like thunder and blue with such force that it was with difficulty that even strong men kept their feet or clung with grim clasp to the iron stanchions it was found necessary to clear the entire Piers from the mass of onlookers or else the fatalities of the night would have been increased manifold to add to the difficulties and dangers of the tim

e masses of sea fog came drifting Inland white wet clouds which swept by in ghostly fashion so dank and damp and cold that it needed but little effort of imagination to think that the spirits of those lost at sea were touching their living Brethren with the clammy hands of death and many are one shuddered as the wreaths of Sea Mist swept by at times the Mist cleared and the Sea for some distance could be seen in the glare of the lightning which now came thick and fast followed by such sudden pee

ls of Thunder that the whole Sky overhead seemed trembling under the shock of the footsteps of the storm some of the scenes thus revealed were of immeasurable Grandeur and of absorbing interest the sea running mountains High through skywards with each wave Mighty masses of white foam which The Tempest seemed to snatch at and Whirl Away into space here and there a fishing boat with a rag of sail running madly for shelter before the blast now and again the white wings of a storm-tossed seabird on

the summit of the East Cliff the new Searchlight was ready for experiment but had not yet been tried the officers in charge of it got it into working order and in the pauses of the in-rushing Mist swept with it the surface of the sea once or twice its service was most effective as when a fishing boat with gunnel underwater rushed into the harbor Able by the guidance of the Sheltering light to avoid the danger of Dashing against the piers as each boat achieved the safety of the port there was a s

hout of Joy from the mass of people on Shore a shout which for a moment seemed to cleave the Gale and was then swept away in its Rush before long the Searchlight discovered some distance away a schooner with all sails set apparently the same vessel which had been noticed earlier in the evening the wind had by this time back to the East and there was a shudder amongst the Watchers on the cliff as they realized the terrible danger in which she now was between her and the port lay the great flat Re

ef on which so many good ships have from time to time suffered and with the wind blowing from its present quarter it would be quite impossible that she should fetch the entrance of the harbor it was now nearly the hour of high tide but the waves were so great that in their troughs the shallows of the shore were almost visible and the Schooner with all sails set was rushing with such speed that in the words of one Old Salt she must fetch up somewhere if it was only in hell then came another Rush

of sea fog greater than any hitherto a massive dank Mist which seemed to close on all things like a gray pool and left available to men only the organ of hearing for the Roar of the Tempest and the crash of the Thunder and the booming of the mighty Billows came through the damp Oblivion even louder than before the Rays of the Searchlight were kept fixed on the Harbor mouth across the East pier where the shock was expected and Men waited Breathless the wind suddenly shifted to the Northeast and t

he remnant of the sea fog melted in the blast and then mirabile dictu between the piers leaping from wave to wave as it rushed at head-long speed swept the strange Schooner before the blast with all sails set and gained the safety of the harbor the Searchlight followed her and a shadow ran through all who saw her for lash to the helm was a corpse with drooping head which swung horribly to and fro at each motion of the ship no other form could be seen on deck at all a great ore came on all as the

y realized that the ship as if by a miracle had found the harbor unsteered saved by the hand of a dead man however all took place more quickly than it takes to write these words the Schooner paused not but rushing across the harbor pitched herself on that accumulation of sand and gravel Washed by many tides and many storms into the southeast corner of the pier jutting under the East Cliff known locally as Tate Hill Pier there was of course a considerable concussion as the vessel drove up on the

sand Heap every Spa rope and stay was strained and some of the top Hammer Came Crashing Down But strangest of all the very instant the shore was touched an immense dog sprang up on Deck From Below as if shot up by the concussion and running forward jumped from the bow on the sand making straight for the Steep Cliff where the churchyard hangs over the laneway to the East Pierce so steeply that some of the flat tombstones thrusts steens or through Stones as they call them in the Whitby vernacular

actually project over where the sustaining Cliff has fallen away it disappeared in the darkness which seemed intensified just beyond the focus of the Searchlight it so happened that there was no one at the moment on Tate Hill Pier as all those whose houses are in close proximity were either in bed or were out on the heights above thus the Coast Guard on duty on the Eastern side of the harbor who at once ran down to the little pier was the first to climb on board the men working the Searchlight a

fter scouring the entrance of the harbor without seeing anything then turn the light on the derelict and kept it there the Coast Guard ran aft and when he came beside the wheel bent over to examine it and recoiled it once as though under some sudden emotion this seemed to pique General curiosity and quite a number of people began to run it is a good way round from the West Cliff by the drawbridge to Tate Hill Pier but your correspondent is a fairly good runner and came well ahead of the crowd wh

en I arrived however I found already assembled on the pier a crowd whom the Coast Guard and police refused to allow to come on board by the courtesy of the chief Boatman I was as your correspondent permitted to climb on deck and was one of a small group who saw the dead seamen whilst actually lashed to the wheel it was no wonder that the Coast Guard was surprised or even awed for not often can such a site have been seen the man was simply fastened by his hands tied one over the other to a spoke

of the wheel between the inner hand and the wood was a crucifix the set of beads on which it was fastened being around both wrists and wheel and all kept fast by The Binding cords the poor fellow may have been seated at one time but the flapping and buffeting of the sails had worked through the rudder of the wheel and dragged him to and fro so that the cords with which he was tied had cut the flesh to the Bone accurate note was made of the state of things and a Doctor Surgeon J.M cathin of 33 Ea

st Elliott Place who came immediately after me declared after making examination that the man must have been dead for quite two days in his pocket was a bottle carefully corked empty safe for a little roll of paper which proved to be the addendum to the log the Coast Guard said the man must have tied up his own hands fastening the knots with his teeth the fact that a coast guard was the first on board May save some complications later on in the admiralty court for coast guards cannot claim the S

alvage which is the right of the first civilian entering on a derelict already however the legal tongues are wagging and one young law student is loudly asserting that the rights of the owner are already completely sacrificed his property being held in contravention of the statutes of mortmane since the tiller as emblemship if not proof of delegated possession is held in a dead hand it is needless to say that the dead steersman has been reverently removed from the place where he held his honorab

le watch and Ward till death a steadfastness as Noble as that of the young casabianca and placed in the mortuary to awaiting Quest already the sudden Storm Is Passing and its fierceness is abating Crowds Are scattering Homewood and the sky is beginning to Redden over the Yorkshire worlds I shall send in time for your next issue further details of the derelict ship which found her way so miraculously into Harbor in the storm Whitby 9 August the sequel to The Strange arrival of the derelict in the

storm last night is almost more startling than the thing itself it turns out that the Schooner is a Russian from Varna and is called the demita she is almost entirely in ballast of silver sand with only a small amount of cargo a number of great wooden boxes filled with mold this cargo was consigned to a Whitby solicitor Mr SF Billington of seven the Crescent who this morning went aboard and formally took possession of the goods consigned to him the Russian Consul 2 acting for the charter party

took formal possession of the ship and paid all Harbor dues Etc nothing is talked about here today except the strange coincidence the officials of the Board of Trade have been most exacting in seeing that every compliance has been made with existing regulations as the matter is to be a nine days Wonder they are evidently determined that there shall be no cause of after complaint a good deal of Interest was abroad concerning the dog which landed when the ship struck and more than a few of the mem

bers of the SPCA which is very strong in Whitby have tried to befriend the animal to the general disappointment however it was not to be found it seems to have disappeared entirely from the town it may be that it was frightened and made its way onto the Moors where it is still hiding in Terror there are some who look with Dread on such a possibility less later on it should in itself become a danger for it is evidently a fierce Brute early this morning a large dog a half-bred Mastiff belonging to

a coal Merchant close to Tate Hill Pier was found dead in the roadway opposite to its Master's yard it had been fighting and manifestly had had a Savage opponent for its throat was torn away and its belly was slit open as if with a Savage claw later by the kindness of the Board of Trade inspector I have been permitted to look over the log book of the Demeter which was in order up to within three days but contained nothing of special interest except as to facts of missing men the greatest intere

st however is with regard to the paper found in the bottle which was today produced at the inquest and a more strange narrative than the two between them unfold it has not been my lot to come across as there is no motive for concealment I am permitted to use them and accordingly send you a rescript simply omitting technical details of seamanship and super cargo it almost seems as though the captain had been seized with some kind of mania before he had got well into blue water and that this had d

eveloped persistently throughout the voyage of course my statement must be taken come Grano since I'm writing from the dictation of a clerk of the Russian Consul who kindly translated for me time being short log of the Demeter Varna to Whitby written the 18th of July things so strange happening that I shall keep accurate note henceforth till we land on the 6th of July we finished taking in cargo silver sand and boxes of Earth at noon set sail East Wind fresh crew five hands two mates cook and my

self captain on the 11th of July at dawn entered Bosphorus boarded by Turkish Customs officers bakshish all correct underway at 4pm on the 12th of July through Dardanelles more Customs officers and flag boat of guarding Squadron back sheesh again work of officers thorough but quick want us off soon a dark passed into archipelago on the 13th of July past Cape matapan crew dissatisfied about something seemed scared but would not speak out on the 14th of July was somewhat anxious about crew men all

steady fellows who sailed with me before mate could not make out what was wrong they only told him there was something and crossed themselves mate lost temper with one of them that day and struck him expected Fierce quarrel but all was quiet on the 16th of July mate reported in the morning that one of crew petrovsky was missing could not account for it took larbert watch eight Bells last night was relieved by abramov but did not go to bunk men more downcast than ever all said they expected some

thing of the kind but would not say more than there was something aboard mate getting very impatient with them feared some trouble ahead on the 17th of July yesterday one of the men olgaren came to my cabin and in an awestruck way confided to me that he thought there was a strange man aboard the ship he said that in his watch he'd been Sheltering behind the deck house as there was a rainstorm when he saw a tall thin man who was not like any of the crew come up the companion way and go along the

deck forward and disappear he followed cautiously but when he got to Bowes found no one and the hatchways were all closed he was in a panic of superstitious fear and I'm afraid the Panic May spread to allay it I shall today search entire ship carefully from stem to stern later in the day I got together the whole crew and told them as they evidently thought there was someone in the ship we would search from stem to stern first mate angry said it was Folly and to yield to such foolish ideas would

demoralize the men said he would engage to keep them out of trouble with a hand Spike I let him take the helm while the rest began thorough search all keeping abreast with lanterns we left no corner unsearched as they were only the big wooden boxes there were no odd Corners where a man could hide men much relieved when search over and went back to work cheerfully first mate scowled but said nothing 22 July rough weather last three days and all hands busy with sales no time to be frightened men s

eem to have forgotten their dread mate cheerful again and all on good terms praised men for work in bad weather past Gibraltar and out through Straits all well 24 July there seemed some Doom over this ship already a hand short and entering on the Bay of Biscay with wild weather ahead and yet last night another man lost disappeared like the first he came off his watch and was not seen again men all in a panic of fear sent around Robin asking to have double watch as they fear to be alone mate angr

y fear there will be some trouble as either he or the men will do some violence 28 July four days in Hell knocking about in a sort of maelstrom and the wind a tempest no sleep for anyone men all worn out hardly know how to set a watch since no one fit to go on second mate volunteered to steer and watch and let men snatch a few hours sleep when debating see is still terrific but feel them less a ship is steadier 29 July another tragedy had single watch tonight as crew too tired to double when mor

ning watch came on Deck could find no one except steersman raised outcry and all came on Deck thorough search but no one found are now without second mate and crew in a panic mate and I agreed to go armed henceforth and wait for any sign of cause 30 July last night rejoiced we are nearing England where the fine all sales set retired worn out slept soundly awaked by mate telling me that both man of watch and steersman missing only self and mate and two hands left to work ship one August two days

of fog and not a sale-sighted had hoped when in the English Channel to be able to signal for help or get in somewhere not having power to work sales have to run before wind dare not lower as could not raise them again we seem to be drifting to some terrible Doom mate now more demoralized than either of men his stronger nature seems to have worked inwardly against himself men are Beyond fear working solidly and patiently with Minds made up to worst they are Russian he Romanian the 2nd of August m

idnight woke up from few minutes sleep by hearing a cry seemingly outside my port could see nothing in fog rushed on deck and ran against mate tells me heard cry and ran but no sign of man on watch one more gone Lord help us mate says we must be past Straits of Dover as in a moment of fog lifting he saw North Fallen just as he heard the man cry out if so we are now off in the North Sea and Only God Can guide us in the fog which seems to move with us and God seems to have deserted us three August

at midnight I went to relieve the man at the wheel and when I got to it found no one there the wind was steady and as we ran before it there was no yawing I dared not leave it so shouted for the mate after a few seconds he rushed up on deck in his flannels he looked wild eyed and Haggard and I greatly fear his reason has given way he came close to me and whispered hoarsely with his mouth to my ear as though fearing the very air might hear it is here I know it now on the watch last night I saw i

t like a man tall and thin and ghastly pale it was in the bows and looking out I crept behind it and gave it my knife but the knife went through it empty as the air and as he spoke he took his knife and drove it savagely into space then he went on but it is here and I'll find it it is in the hold perhaps in one of those boxes I'll unscrew them one by one and see you work the helm and with a warning look and his finger on his lip he went below there was springing up a choppy wind and I could not

leave the helm I saw him come out on Deck again with a tool chest and a lantern and go down the forward hatchway he is mad Stark raving mad and it's no use my trying to stop him he can't hurt those big boxes they are invoiced as clay and to pull them about is as harmless a thing as he can do so here I stay and mine the helm and write these notes I can only trust in God and wait till the fog clears then if I can't steer to any Harbor With The Wind that is I shall cut down sails and Lie by and sig

nal for help it is nearly all over now just as I was beginning to hope that the mate would come out calmer for I heard him knocking away at something in the hold and work is good for him there came up the hatchway a sudden startled scream which made my blood run cold and up on the deck he came as if shot from a gun a raging madman with his eyes rolling and his face convulsed with fear save me save me he cried and then looked round on the blanket of fog his horror turned to Despair and in a stead

y voice he said you had better come to Captain before it is too late he is there I know the secret now the sea will save me from him and it is all that is left before I could say a word or move forward to seize him he sprang on the bulwark and deliberately threw himself into the sea I suppose I know the secret too now it was this madman who had got rid of the men one by one and now he has followed them himself God help me how am I to account for all these Horrors when I get to Port when I get to

Port will that ever be for August still fog which the sunrise cannot Pierce I know there is sunrise because I'm a sailor why else I know not I dared not go below I dared not leave the helm so here all night I stayed and in the dimness of the night I saw it him God forgive me but the mate was right to jump overboard it was better to die like a man to die like a sailor in Blue Water no man can object but I am captain and I must not leave my ship but I shall baffle this fiend or Monster for I shal

l tie my hands to the wheel when my strength begins to fail and along with them I shall tie that which he it dare not touch and then come good wind or foul I shall save my soul and my honor as a captain I'm growing weaker and the night is coming on if he can look me in the face again I may not have time to act if we are wrecked mayhap this bottle may be found and those who find it may understand if not well then all men shall know that I have been true to my trust God and the Blessed Virgin and

the Saints help a poor ignorant Soul trying to do his duty of course the verdict was an open one there is no evidence to a deuce and whether or not the man himself committed the murders there is now none to say the folk here hold almost universally that the captain is simply a hero and he is to be given a public funeral already it is arranged that his body is to be taken with a train of boats up the esk for a piece and then brought back to Tate Hill pier and up the Abbey steps for he is to be bu

ried in the churchyard on the cliff the owners of more than a hundred boats have already given in their names as wishing to follow him to the Grave no Trace has ever been found of the great dog at which there is much mourning for with public opinion in its present State he would I believe be adopted by the town tomorrow we'll see the funeral and so we'll end this one more mystery of the sea Mina Murray's Journal 8 August Lucy was very restless all night and I too could not sleep the storm was fe

arful and as it boomed loudly among the chimney pots it made me shudder when a sharp puff came it seemed to be like a distant gun strangely enough Lucy did not wake but she got up twice and dressed herself fortunately each time I awoke in time and managed to undress her without waking her and got her back to bed it is a very strange thing this sleepwalking for as soon as her will is thwarted in any physical way her intention if there be any disappears and she yields herself almost exactly to the

routine of her life early in the morning we both got up and went down to the harbor to see if anything had happened in the night there were very few people about and though the sun was bright and the air clear and fresh the big Grim looking waves that seemed dark themselves because the foam that topped them was like snow forced themselves in through the narrow mouth of the harbor like a bullying man going through a crowd somehow I felt glad that Jonathan was not on the sea last night but on lan

d but oh is he on land or sea where is he and how I'm getting fearfully anxious about him if I only knew what to do and could do anything 10 August the funeral of the poor sea captain today was most touching every boat in the harbor seemed to be there and the coffin was carried by captains all the way from Tate Hill Pier up to the churchyard Lucy came with me and we went early to our old seat whilst the Cortez of boats went up the river to the viaduct and came down again we had a lovely View and

saw the procession nearly all the way the poor fellow was laid to rest quite near our seat so that we stood on it when the time came and saw everything poor Lucy seemed much upset she was restless and uneasy all the time and I cannot but think that her dreaming at night is telling on her she is quite odd in one thing she will not admit to me that there is any cause for restlessness or if there be she does not understand it herself there is an additional cause in that poor old Mr swales was foun

d dead this morning on our seat his neck being broken he had evidently as the doctor said Fallen back in the seat in some sort of fright for there was a look of fear and horror on his face that the men said made them shudder poor dear old man perhaps he had seen death with his dying eyes Lucy is so sweet and sensitive that she feels influences more acutely than other people do just now she was quite upset by a little thing which I did not much heed though I am myself very fond of animals one of

the men who came up here often to look for the boats was followed by his dog the dog is always with him they're both quiet persons and I never saw the man angry nor heard the dog bark during the service the dog would not come to its master who was on the seat with us but kept a few yards off barking and howling its Master spoke to it gently and then harshly and then angrily but it would neither come nor cease to make a noise it was in a sort of Fury with its eyes Savage and all its hairs bristli

ng out like a cat's tail when puss is on the warpath finally the man too got angry and jumped down and kicked the dog and then took it by the Scruff of the neck and half dragged and half threw it on the tombstone on which the seat is fixed the moment it touched the stone the poor thing became quiet and fell all into a tremble it did not try to get away but crouched down quivering and cowering and was in such a pitiable state of Terror that I tried though without effect to comfort it Lucy was ful

l of pity too but she did not attempt to touch the dog but looked at it in an agonized sort of way I greatly fear that she is of two super sensitive in nature to go through the world without trouble she will be dreaming of this tonight I'm sure the whole agglomeration of things the ship steered into Port by a dead man his attitude tied to the wheel with a crucifix and Beads the touching funeral the dog now Furious and now in Terror will all afford material for her dreams I think it will be best

for her to go to bed tired out physically so I shall take her for a long walk by The Cliffs to Robin Hood's Bay and back she ought not to have much inclination for sleepwalking then chapter 8. Mina Murray's Journal same day 11 o'clock P.M oh but I am tired if it were not that I had made my diary a duty I should not open it tonight we had a lovely walk Lucy after a while was in gay Spirits owing I think to some dear cows who came nosing towards us in a field close to the lighthouse and frightened

the wits out of us I believe we forgot everything except of course personal fear and it seemed to wipe the Slate clean and give us a fresh start we had a capital severe tea at Robin Hood's Bay in a sweet little old-fashioned Inn with a bow window right over the seaweed covered rocks of the Strand I believe we should have shocked the new woman with our appetites men are more tolerant bless them then we walked home with some or rather many stoppages to rest and with our hearts full of a constant

dread of wild bulls Lucy was really tired and we intended to creep off to bed as soon as we could the young curate came in however and Mrs westenra asked him to stay for supper Lucy and I had both a fight for it with the dusty miller I know it was a hard fight on my part and I am quite heroic I think that someday the Bishops must get together and see about breeding up a new class of curates who don't take supper no matter how they may be pressed to and who will know when girls are tired Lucy is

asleep and breathing Softly she has more color in her cheeks than usual and looks oh so sweet if Mr Holm would fell in love with her seeing her only in the drawing room I wonder what he would say if he saw her now some of the new women writers will someday start an idea that men and women should be allowed to see each other asleep before proposing or accepting but I suppose the new woman won't condescend in future to accept she will do the proposing herself and a nice job she will make of it too

there's some consolation in that I'm so happy tonight because dear Lucy seems better I really believe she's turned the corner and that we are over her troubles with dreaming I should be quite happy if I only knew if Jonathan God bless and keep him the 11th of August 3 A.M diary again no sleep now so I may as well write I'm too agitated to sleep we have had such an adventure such an agonizing experience I fell asleep as soon as I'd closed my diary suddenly I became broad awake and sat up with a

horrible sense of fear upon me and of some feeling of emptiness around me the room was dark so I could not see Lucy's bed I stole a cross and felt for her the bed was empty I lit a match and found that she was not in the room the door was shut but not locked as I had left it I feared to wake her mother who has been more than usually ill lately so threw on some clothes and got ready to look for her as I was leaving the room it struck me that the clothes she wore might give me some clue to her dre

aming intention dressing gown would mean house dress outside dressing gown and dress were both in their places thank God I said to myself she cannot be far as she is only in her night dress I ran downstairs and looked in the sitting room not there then I looked in all the other open rooms of the house with an ever-growing fear chilling my heart finally I came to the hall door and found it open it was not wide open but the catch of the lock had not caught the people of the house are careful to lo

ck the door every night so I feared that Lucy must have gone out as she was there was no time to think of what might happen a vague over mastering fear obscured all details I took a big heavy shawl and ran out the Clock Was striking one as I was in the crescent and there was not a soul in sight I ran along the north Terrace but could see no sign of the white figure which I expected at the edge of the West Cliff above the pier I looked across the harbor to the East Cliff in the Hope or fear I don

't know which of seeing Lucy in our favorite seat there was a bright full moon with heavy black driving clouds which threw the whole scene into a fleeting diorama of light and shade as they sailed across for a moment or two I could see nothing as the shadow of a cloud obscured Saint Mary's Church and all around it then as the cloud passed I could see the ruins of the Abbey coming into view and as the edge of a narrow band of light as sharp as a sword cut moved along the church and the churchyard

became gradually visible whatever my expectation was it was not disappointed for there on our favorite seat the silver light of the Moon struck a half reclining figure snowy white the coming of the cloud was too quick for me to see much for Shadows shut down on light almost immediately but it seemed to me as though something dark stood behind the seat where the white figure Shone and bent over it what it was whether man or beast I could not tell I did not wait to catch another glance but flew d

own the Steep steps to the pier and Along by the fish market to the bridge which was the only way to reach the East Cliff the town seemed as dead for not a soul did I see I rejoiced that it was so for I wanted no witness of poor Lucy's condition the time and distance seemed endless and my knees trembled and my breath came labored as I toiled up the endless steps to The Abbey I must have gone fast and yet it seemed to me as if my feet were weighted with lead and as though every joint in my body w

ere Rusty when I got almost to the top I could see the seat and the white figure for I was now close enough to distinguish it even through the Spells of shadow there was undoubtedly something long and black bending over the half reclining white figure I called in Fright Lucy Lucy and something raised ahead and from where I was I could see a white face and red gleaming eyes Lucy did not answer and I ran onto the entrance of the churchyard as I entered the church was between me and the seat and fo

r a minute or so I lost sight of her when I came in view again the cloud had passed and the Moonlight struck so brilliantly that I could see Lucy half reclining with her head lying over the back of the seat she was quite alone and there was not a sign of any living thing about when I bent over her I could see that she was still asleep her lips were parted and she was breathing not softly as usual with her but in Long heavy gasps as though striving to get her lungs full at every breath as I came

close she put up her hand in her sleep and pulled the collar of her night dress close around her throat while she did so there came a little shudder through her as though she felt the cold I flung The warm shawl over her and Drew the edges tight around her neck for I dreaded less she should get some deadly Chill from the night air unclad as she was I feared to wake her all at once so in order to have my hands free that I might help her I fastened the shawl at her throat with a big safety pin but

I must have been clumsy in my anxiety and pinched or pricked her with it for by and by when her breathing became quieter she put her hand to her throat again and moaned when I had her carefully wrapped up I put my shoes on her feet and then began very gently to wake her At first she did not respond but gradually she became more and more uneasy in her sleep moaning and sighing occasionally at last as time was passing fast and for many other reasons I wish to get her home at once I shook her more

forcibly till finally she opened her eyes and awoke she did not seem surprised to see me as of course she did not realize all at once where she was Lucy always wakes prettily and even at such a time when her body must have been chilled with cold and her mind somewhat appalled at waking unclad in a churchyard at night she did not lose her grace she trembled a little and clung to me when I told her to come at once with me home she rose without a word with The Obedience of a child as we passed alo

ng the gravel hurt my feet and Lucy noticed me wince she stopped and wanted to insist upon my taking my shoes but I would not however when we got to the pathway outside the churchyard where there was a puddle of water remaining from the storm I dorbed my feet with mud using each foot in turn on the other so that as we went home no one in case we should meet anyone should notice my bare feet Fortune favored us and we got home without meeting a soul once we saw a man who seemed not quite sober pas

sing along a street in front of us but we hid in a door till he had disappeared up an opening such as there are here steep little closes or winds as they call them in Scotland my heart beats so loud all the time that sometimes I thought I should faint I was filled with anxiety about Lucy not only for her health lest she should suffer from the exposure but for her reputation in case the story should get wind when we got in and had washed our feet and had said a prayer of thankfulness together I t

ucked her into bed before falling asleep she asked even implored me not to say a word to anyone even her mother about her sleepwalking Adventure I hesitated at first to promise but on thinking of the state of her mother's health and how the knowledge of such a thing would fret her and thinking too of how such a story might become distorted nay infallibly would in case it should leak out I thought it wiser to do so I hope I did right I have locked the door and the key is tied to my wrist so perha

ps I shall not be again Disturbed Lucy is sleeping soundly The Reflex of the Dawn is high and Far Over the Sea same day noon all goes well Lucy slept till I woke her and seemed not to have even changed her side the adventure of the night does not seem to have harmed her on the contrary it has benefited her for she looks better this morning than she has done for weeks I was sorry to notice that my clumsiness with the safety pin hurt her indeed it might have been serious for the skin of her throat

was pierced I must have pinched up a piece of loose skin and have transfixed it for there are two little red points like pinpricks and on the band of her night dress was a drop of blood when I apologized and was concerned about it she laughed and petted me and said she did not even feel it fortunately it cannot leave a scar as it is so tiny same day night we passed a happy day the air was clear and the Sun bright and there was a cool breeze we took our lunch to mulgrave Woods Mrs westenra drivi

ng by the road and Lucy and I walking by the cliff path and joining her at the gate I felt a little sad myself for I could not but feel how absolutely happy it would have been had Jonathan been with me but there I must only be patient in the evening we strolled in the casino Terrace and heard some good music by Spore and Mackenzie and went to bed early Lucy seems more restful than she has been for some time and fell asleep at once I shall lock the door and secure the key the same as before thoug

h I do not expect any trouble tonight 12 August my expectations were wrong for twice during the night I was awakened by Lucy trying to get out she seemed even in her sleep to be a little impatient at finding the door shut and went back to bed under a sort of protest I woke with the Dawn and heard the birds chirping outside of the window Lucy woke too and I was glad to see was even better than on the previous morning all her old gaiety of Mana seemed to have come back and she came and snuggled in

beside me and told me all about Arthur I told her how anxious I was about Jonathan and then she tried to comfort me well she succeeded somewhat for those sympathy can't alter facts it can help to make them more bearable 13 August another quiet day and to bed with the key on my wrist as before again I awoke in the night and found Lucy sitting up in bed still asleep pointing to the window I got up quietly and pulling aside the blind looked out it was brilliant Moonlight and the soft effect of the

light over the sea and sky merged together in one great silent mystery was beautiful beyond words between me and the Moonlight flitted a great bat coming and going in great whirling circles once or twice it came quite close but was I suppose frightened at seeing me and flitted away across the harbor towards the Abbey when I came back from the window Lucy Had laying down again and was sleeping peacefully she did not stir again all night 14 August on the East Cliff reading and writing all day Luc

y seems to have become as much in love with the spot as I am and it is hard to get her away from it when it is time to come home for lunch or tea or dinner this afternoon she made a funny remark we were coming home for dinner and had come to the top of the steps up from the West pier and stopped to look at the view as we generally do the Setting Sun low down in the sky was just dropping behind kettleness the red light was thrown over on the east cliff and the Old Abbey and seemed to bathe everyt

hing in a beautiful Rosy Glow we were silent for a while and suddenly Lucy murmured as if to herself his red eyes again they're just the same it was such an odd expression coming apropos of nothing that it quite startled me I slewed round a little so as to see Lucy well without seeming to stare at her and saw that she was in a half-dreamy state with an odd look on her face that I could not quite make out so I said nothing but followed her eyes she appeared to be looking over at our own seat wher

e on was a dark figure seated alone I was a little startled myself for it seemed for an instant as if the stranger had great eyes like burning flames but a second look dispelled the illusion the red sunlight was shining on the Windows of Saint Mary's Church behind our seat and as the sun dipped there was just sufficient change in the refraction and reflection to make it appear as if the light moved I called Lucy's attention to The Peculiar effect and she became herself with a start but she looke

d sad all the same it may have been that she was thinking of that terrible night up there we never refer to it so I said nothing and we went home to dinner Lucy had a headache and went early to bed I saw her asleep and went out for a little stroll myself I walked along the cliffs to the westward and was full of sweet sadness for I was thinking of Jonathan when coming home it was then bright moonlight so bright that though the front of our part of the Crescent was in Shadow everything could be we

ll seen I threw a glance up at our window and saw Lucy's head leaning out I thought that perhaps she was looking out for me so I opened my handkerchief and waved it she did not notice or make any movement whatever just then the Moonlight crept round an angle of the building and the light fell on the window their distinctly was Lucy with her head lying up against the side of the windowsill and her eyes shut she was fast asleep and by her seated on the windowsill was something that looked like a g

ood-sized bird I was afraid she might get a chill so I ran upstairs but as I came into the room she was moving back to her bed fast asleep and breathing heavily she was holding her hand to her throat as though to protect it from cold I did not wake her but tucked her up warmly I've taken care that the door is locked and the window securely fastened she looks so sweet as she sleeps but she is paler than is her won't and there is a drawn Haggard look under her eyes which I do not like I fear she i

s fretting about something I wish I could find out what it is 15 August Rose later than usual Lucy was languid and tired and slept on after we had been called we had a happy surprise at breakfast Arthur's father is better and wants the marriage to come off soon Lucy is full of quiet joy and her mother is glad and sorry at once later on in the day she told me the cause she is grieved to lose Lucy as her very own but she is rejoiced that she is soon to have someone to protect her poor dear sweet l

ady she confided to me that she has got her death warrant she has not told Lucy and made me promise secrecy her doctor told her that within a few months at most she must die for her heart is weakening at any time even now a sudden shock would be almost sure to kill her ah we were wise to keep from her the affair of the Dreadful night of Lucy's sleepwalking 17 August no diary for two whole days I have not had the heart to write some sort of shadowy pool seems to be coming over our happiness no ne

ws from Jonathan and Lucy seems to be growing weaker whilst her mother's hours are numbering to a close I do not understand Lucy's fading away as she is doing she eats well and sleeps well and enjoys the fresh air but all the time the roses in her cheeks are fading and she gets weaker and more languid day by day at night I hear her gasping as if for air I keep the key of our door always fastened to my wrist at night but she gets up and walks about the room and sits at the open window last night

I found her leaning out when I woke up and when I tried to wake her I could not she was in a faint when I managed to restore her she was as weak as water and cried silently between long painful struggles for breath when I asked her how she came to be at the window she shook her head and turned away I trust her feeling ill may not be from that unlucky prick of the safety pin I looked at her throat just now as she lay asleep and the tiny wounds seem not to have healed they are still open and if an

ything larger than before and the edges of them are faintly white they are like little white dots with red centers unless they heal within a day or two I shall insist on the doctor seeing about them letter Samuel F Billington and Son solicitors Whitby to Mrs Carter Patterson and company London the 17th of August dear sirs herewith please receive invoice of goods sent by Great Northern Railway same are to be delivered at Carfax near purfleet immediately on receipt at good station King's cross the

house is at present empty but enclosed please find Keys all of which are labeled you will please deposit the boxes 50 in number which form the consignment in the partially ruined building forming part of the house and Mark day on rough diagram enclosed your agent will easily recognize the locality as it is the ancient Chapel of the Mansion the goods leave by the train at 9 30 tonight and will be due at King's cross at 4 30 tomorrow afternoon as our client Wishes the delivery made as soon as pos

sible we shall be obliged by your having teams ready at King's cross at the time named and fourth with conveying the goods to destination in order to obviate any delays possible through any routine requirements as to payment in your departments we enclose check here with for 10 pounds pound 10 receipt of which please acknowledge should the charge be less than this amount you can return balance if greater we shall at once send check for difference on hearing from you you are to leave the keys on

coming away in the main hall of the house where the proprietor may get them on his entering the house by means of his duplicate key pray do not take us as exceeding the bounds of business courtesy and pressing you in all ways to use the utmost Expedition we are dear sirs Faithfully Yours Samuel F Billington and son letter Mrs Carter Patterson and company London to Mrs Billington and Son Whitby the 21st of August dear sirs we beg to acknowledge pound 10 received and to return checkpound 117 s9d a

mount of overplus as shown in receipted account herewith goods are delivered in exact accordance with instructions and keys left in parcel in main hall as directed we are dear sirs yours respectfully Pro Carter Patterson and Company Mina Murray's Journal 18 August I'm happy today and right sitting on the seat in the churchyard Lucy is ever so much better last night she slept well all night and did not disturb me once the Roses seem coming back already to her cheeks though she is still sadly pale

and one looking if she were in any way anemic I could understand it but she is not she is in gay spirits and full of life and cheerfulness all the morbid reticence seems to have passed from her and she has just reminded me as if I needed any reminding of that night and that it was here on this very seat I found her asleep as she told me she tapped playfully with the heel of her boot on the stone slab and said my poor little feet didn't make much noise then I dare say poor old Mr swales would ha

ve told me that it was because I didn't want to wake up Geordie as she was in such a communicative humor I asked her if she had dreamed at all that night before she answered that sweet puckered look came into her forehead which Arthur I call him Arthur from her habit says he loves and indeed I don't wonder that he does then she went on in a half dreaming kind of way as if trying to recall it to herself I didn't quite dream but it all seemed to be real I only wanted to be here in this spot I don'

t know why for I was afraid of something I don't know what I remember though I suppose I was asleep passing through the streets and over the bridge a fish leapt as I went by and I leaned over to look at it and I heard a lot of dogs howling the whole town seemed as if it must be full of dogs all howling at once as I went up the steps then I had a vague memory of something long and dark with red eyes just as we saw in the sunset and something very sweet and very bitter all around me at once and th

en I seemed sinking into deep green water and there was a singing in my ears as I have heard there is to drowning men and then everything seemed passing away from me my soul seemed to go out from my body and Float about the air I seem to remember that once the West Lighthouse was right under me and then there was a sort of agonizing feeling as if I were in an earthquake and I came back and found you shaking my body I saw you do it before I felt you then she began to laugh it seemed a little unca

nny to me and I listened to her breathlessly I did not quite like it and thought it better not to keep her mind on the subject so we drifted onto other subjects and Lucy was like her old self again when we got home the fresh Breeze had braced her up and her pale cheeks were really more Rosy her mother rejoiced when she saw her and we all spent a very happy evening together 19 August joy joy joy although not all joy at last news of Jonathan the dear fellow has been ill that is why he did not writ

e I'm not afraid to think it or say it now that I know Mr Hawkins sent me on the letter and wrote himself oh so kindly I'm to leave in the morning and go over to Jonathan and to help to nurse him if necessary and to bring him home Mr Hawkins says it would not be a bad thing if we were to be married out there I've cried over the good sister's letter till I can feel it wet against my bosom where it lies it is of Jonathan and must be next my heart for he is in my heart my journey is all mapped out

and my luggage ready I'm only taking one change of dress Lucy will bring my trunk to London and keep it till I send for it for it may be that I must write no more I must keep it to say to Jonathan my husband the letter that he has seen and touched must comfort me till we meet letter sister Agatha hospital of Saint Joseph and Saint Mary Budapest to miss Wilhelmina Murray the 12th of August dear madam I write by desire of Mr Jonathan Harker who is himself not strong enough to write though progress

ing well thanks to God and Saint Joseph and Saint Mary he has been under our care for nearly six weeks suffering from a violent brain fever he wishes me to convey his love and to say that by this post I write for him to Mr Peter Hawkins Exeter to say with his dutiful respects that he is sorry for his delay and that all of his work is completed he will require some few weeks rest in our sanatorium in the Hills but will then return he wishes me to say that he has not sufficient money with him and

that he would like to pay for his staying here so that others who need shall not be wanting for help believe me yours with sympathy and all blessings sister Agatha P.S my patient being asleep I open this to let you know something more he has told me all about you and that you are shortly to be his wife all blessings to you both he has had some fearful shock so says our doctor and in his delirium his ravings have been Dreadful of wolves and poison and blood of ghosts and demons and I fear to say

of what be careful with him always that there may be nothing to excite him of this kind for a long time to come the traces of such an illness as his do not lightly die away we should have written long ago but we knew nothing of his friends and there was on him nothing that anyone could understand he came in the train from klausenberg and the guard was told by the station Master there that he rushed into the station shouting for a ticket for home seeing from his violent demeanor that he was Engli

sh they gave him a ticket for the furthest station on the way thither that the train reached be assured that he is well cared for he has won all Hearts by his sweetness and gentleness he is truly getting on well and I have no doubt will in a few weeks be all himself but be careful of him for safety's sake there are I pray God in Saint Joseph and Saint Mary many many happy years for you both Dr Seward's diary 19 August strange and Sudden Change in Renfield last night about eight o'clock he began

to get excited and sniff about as a dog does when setting the attendant was struck by his Manner and knowing my interest in him encouraged him to talk he is usually respectful to the attendant and at times servile but tonight the man tells me he was quite haughty would not condescend to talk with him at all all he would say was I don't want to talk to you you don't count now the master is at hand the attendant thinks it is some sudden form of religious mania which has seized him if so we must lo

ok out for schools for a strong man with homicidal and religious mania at once might be dangerous the combination is a dreadful one at nine o'clock I visited him myself his attitude to me was the same as that to the attendant in his Sublime self-feeling the difference between myself and attendant seemed to him as nothing it looks like religious mania and he will soon think that he himself is God these infinitesimal distinctions between man and man are too poultry for an omnipotent being how thes

e Mad Men give themselves away the real God taketh heed Lester Sparrow fall but the God created from Human vanity sees no difference between an eagle and a sparrow oh if men only knew for half an hour or more Renfield kept getting excited in greater and greater degree I did not pretend to be watching him but I kept strict observation all the same all at once that Shifty look came into his eyes which we always see when a Madman has seized an idea and with it the Shifty movement of the head and ba

ck which Asylum attendants come to know so well he became quite quiet and went and sat on the edge of his bed resignedly and looked into space with lackluster eyes I thought I would find out if his apathy were real or only assumed and tried to lead him to talk of his pets a theme which had never failed to excite his attention at first he made no reply but at length said testily bother them all I don't care a pin about them what I said you don't mean to tell me you don't care about spiders spider

s at present are his Hobby and the notebook is filling up with Columns of small figures to this he answered enigmatically the bride maidens Rejoice the eyes that wait the coming of the Bride but when the bride draweth nigh then the maidens shine not to the eyes that are filled he would not explain himself but remained obstinately Seated on his bed all the time I remained with him I am weary tonight and low in spirits I cannot but think of Lucy and how different things might have been if I don't

sleep at once chloral the modern Morpheus c2hcl 3082o I must be careful not to let it grow into a habit no I shall take none tonight I have thought of Lucy and I shall not dishonor her by mixing the two if need be tonight she'll be Sleepless later glad I made the resolution glad that I kept to it I had Lane tossing about and had heard the clock strike only twice when the night Watchman came to me sent up from the Ward to say that Renfield had escaped I threw on my clothes and ran down at once my

patient is too dangerous a person to be roaming about those ideas of his might work out dangerously with strangers the attendant was waiting for me he said he had seen him not 10 minutes before seemingly asleep in his bed when he had looked through the observation trap in the door his attention was called by the sound of the window being wrenched out he ran back and saw his feet disappear through the window and had it once sent up for me he was only in his night gear and cannot be far off the a

ttendant thought it would be more useful to watch where he should go than to follow him as he might lose sight of him whilst getting out of the building by the door he is a bulky man and couldn't get through the window I am thin so with his Aid I got out but feet foremost and as we were only a few feet above ground landed unhurt the attendant told me the patient had gone to the left and had taken a straight line so I ran as quickly as I could as I got through the belt of trees I saw a white figu

re scale the high wall which separates our grounds from those of the deserted house I ran back at once told the Watchman to get three or four men immediately and follow me into the grounds of Carfax in case our friend might be dangerous I got a ladder myself and crossing the wall dropped down on the other side I could see renfield's figure just disappearing behind the angle of the house so I ran after him on the far side of the house I found him pressed close against the old iron-bound oak door

of the chapel he was talking apparently to someone but I was afraid to go near enough to hear what he was saying lest I might frighten him and he should run off chasing an errant swarm of bees is nothing to following a naked lunatic when the fit of escaping is upon him after a few minutes however I could see that he did not take note of anything around him and so ventured to draw nearer to him the more so as my men had now crossed the wall and were closing him in I heard him say I am here to do

your bidding master I am your slave and you will reward me for I shall be faithful I have worshiped you long and are far off now that you are near I await your commands and you will not pass me by will you dear master in your distribution of good things he is a selfish old beggar anyhow he thinks of the Loaves and Fishes even when he believes he is in a real presence his manias make a startling combination when we closed in on him he fought like a tiger he is immensely strong for he was more lik

e a wild beast than a man I never saw a lunatic in such a paroxysm of rage before and I hope I shall not again it is a mercy that we have found out his strength and his danger in good time with strength and determination like his he might have done wild work before he was caged he is safe now at any rate Jack Shepherd himself couldn't get free from the straight waistcoat that keeps him restrained and he's chained to the wall in the padded room his cries are at times awful but the silences that f

ollow are more deadly still for he means murder in every turn and movement just now he spoke coherent words for the first time I shall be patient Master it is coming coming so I took the hint and came to I was too excited to sleep but this diary has quieted me and I feel I shall get some sleep tonight chapter 9. letter Mina Haka to Lucy westenra Budapest the 24th of August my dearest Lucy I know you will be anxious to hear all that has happened since we parted at the railway station at Whitby we

ll my dear I got to hollow right and caught the boat to Hamburg and then the Train on here I feel that I can hardly recall anything of the journey except that I knew I was coming to Jonathan and that as I should have to do some nursing I had better get all the sleep I could I found my dear one oh so thin and pale and weak looking all the resolution has gone out of his dear eyes and that quiet dignity which I told you was in his face has vanished he is only a wreck of himself and he does not reme

mber anything that has happened to him for a long time past at least he wants me to believe so and I shall never ask he has had some terrible shock and I fear it might tax his poor brain if he were to try to recall it sister Agatha who is a good creature and a born nurse tells me that he raved of dreadful things whilst he was off his head I wanted her to tell me what they were but she would only cross herself and say she would never tell that the ravings of the sick were the secrets of God and t

hat if a nurse through her vocation should hear them she should respect her Trust she is a sweet good soul and the next day when she saw I was troubled she opened up the subject again and after saying that she could never mention what my poor dear raved about added I can tell you this much my dear that it was not about anything which he has done wrong himself and you as his wife to be have no cause to be concerned he has not forgotten you or what he owes to you his fear was of great and terrible

things which no mortal can treat of I do believe the dear Soul thought I might be jealous lest my poor dear should have fallen in love with any other girl the idea of my being jealous about Jonathan and yet my dear let me whisper I felt a thrill of Joy through me when I knew that no other woman was a cause of trouble I'm now sitting by his bedside where I can see his face while he sleeps he is waking when he woke he asked me for his coat as he wanted to get something from the pocket I asked sis

ter Agatha and she brought all his things I saw that amongst them was his notebook and was going to ask him to let me look at it for I knew then that I might find some clue to his trouble but I suppose he must have seen my wish in my eyes for he sent me over to the window saying he wanted to be quite alone for a moment then he called me back and when I came he had his hand over the notebook and he said to me very solemnly Willow Mina I knew then that he was in deadly Earnest for he has never cal

led me by that name since he asked me to marry him you know dear my ideas of the trust between husband and wife there should be no secret no concealment I have had a great shock and when I try to think of what it is I feel my head spin round and I do not know if it was all real or the dreaming of a Madman you know I have had brain fever and that is to be mad the secret is here and I do not want to know it I want to take up my life here with our marriage for my dear we had decided to be married a

s soon as the formalities are complete are you willing Wilhelmina to share my ignorance here is the book take it and keep it read it if you will but never let me know unless indeed some solemn Duty should come upon me to go back to the bitter hours asleep or awake sane or mad recorded here he fell back exhausted and I put the book under his pillow and kissed him I have asked sister Agatha to beg the superior to let our wedding be this afternoon and I'm waiting her reply she has come and told me

that the chaplain of the English Mission church has been sent for we are to be married in an hour or as soon after as Jonathan awakes Lucy the time has come and gone I feel very solemn but very very happy Jonathan woke a little after the hour and all was ready and he sat up in bed propped up with pillows he answered his I will firmly and strongly I could hardly speak my heart was so full that even those words seemed to choke me the dear sisters were so kind please God I shall never never forget

them nor the grave and sweet responsibilities I have taken upon me I must tell you of my wedding present when the chaplain and the sisters had left me alone with my husband oh Lucy it is the first time I have written the words my husband left me alone with my husband I took the book from under his pillow and wrapped it up in white paper and tied it with a little bit of pale blue ribbon which was round my neck and sealed it over the knot with sealing wax and for my seal I used my wedding ring the

n I kissed it and showed it to my husband and told him that I would keep it so and then it would be an outward and visible sign for us all our lives that we trusted each other that I would never open it unless it were for his own dear sake or for the sake of some Stern Duty then he took my hand in his and oh Lucy it was the first time he took his wife's hand and said that it was the dearest thing in all the wide world and that he would go through all the past again to win it if need be the poor

deer meant to have said a part of the past but he cannot think of time yet and I shall not wonder if at first he mixes up not only the month but the year well my dear what could I say I could only tell him that I was the happiest woman in all the wide world and that I had nothing to give him except myself my life and my trust and that with these went my love and Duty for all the days of my life and my dear when he kissed me and Drew me to him with his poor weak hands it was like a very solemn pl

edge between us Lucy dear do you know why I tell you all this it is not only because it is all sweet to me but because you have been and are very dear to me it was my privilege to be your friend and guide when you came from the school room to prepare for the world of life I want you to see now and with the eyes of a very happy wife with a duty has led me so that in your own married life you too may be all happy as I am my dear please almighty God your life may be all it promises a long day of su

nshine with no harsh wind no forgetting Duty no distrust I must not wish you no pain for that can never be but I do hope you will be always as happy as I am now goodbye my dear I shall post this at once and perhaps write you very soon again I must stop for Jonathan is waking I must attend to my husband your ever-loving Mina haka letter Lucy westenra Tamina haka Whitby the 30th of August my dearest Mina oceans of love and millions of kisses and may you soon be in your own home with your husband I

wish you could be coming home soon enough to stay with us here the strong air would soon restore Jonathan it has quite restored me I have an appetite like a Cormorant and full of life and sleep well you will be glad to know that I have quite given up walking in my sleep I think I have not stirred out of my bed for a week that is when I once got into it at night Arthur says I'm getting fat by the way I forgot to tell you that Arthur is here we have such walks and drives and rides and Rowing and

tennis and fishing together and I love him more than ever he tells me that he loves me more but I doubt that for at first he told me that he couldn't love me more than he did then but this is nonsense there he is calling to me so no more just at present from your loving Lucy P.S mother sends her love she seems better poor dear PPS we are to be married on the 28th of September Dr Seward's diary 20 August the case of Renfield grows even more interesting he is now so far quieted that there are spel

ls of cessation from his passion for the first week after his attack he was perpetually violent then one night just as the moon Rose he grew quiet and kept murmuring to himself now I can wait now I can wait the attendant came to tell me so I ran down at once to have a look at him he was still in the straight waistcoat and in the padded room but the suffused look had gone from his face and his eyes had something of their old pleading I might almost say cringing softness I was satisfied with his p

resent condition and directed him to be relieved the attendance hesitated but finally carried out my wishes without protest it was a strange thing that the patient had humor enough to see their distrust for coming close to me he said in a whisper all the while looking furtively at them they think I could hurt you fancy me hurting you the fools it was soothing somehow to the feelings to find myself dissociated even in the mind of this poor madman from the others but all the same I do not follow h

is thought am I to take it that I have anything in common with him so that we are as it were to stand together or has he to gain from me some good so stupendous that my well-being is needful to him I must find out later on tonight he will not speak even the offer of a kitten or even a full-grown cat will not tempt him he will only say I don't take any stock in cats I have more to think of now and I can wait I can wait after a while I left him the attendant tells me that he was quiet until just b

efore Dawn and that then he began to get uneasy and at length violent until at last he fell into a paroxysm which exhausted him so that he swooned into a sort of coma three nights as the same thing happened violent all day then quiet from moonrise to Sunrise I wish I could get some clue to the cause it would almost seem as if there was some influence which came and went happy thought we shall tonight Place sane wits against mad once he escaped before without our help tonight he shall escape with

it we shall give him a chance and have the men ready to follow in case they are required 23 August the unexpected always happens how well did Israeli knew life our bird when he found the cage open would not fly so all our subtle Arrangements were for naught at any rate we have proved one thing that the Spells of quietness last a reasonable time we shall in future be able to ease his bonds for a few hours each day I have given orders to the night attendant merely to shut him in the padded room w

hen once he is quiet until an hour before sunrise the poor Soul's body will enjoy the relief even if his mind cannot appreciate it hark the unexpected again I am called the patient has once more escaped later another night adventure Renfield artfully waited until the attendant was entering the room to inspect then he dashed out past him and flew down the passage I sent word for the attendance to follow again he went into the grounds of the deserted house and we found him in the same place presse

d against the old chapel door when he saw me he became Furious and had not the attendant seized him in time he would have tried to kill me as we were holding him a strange thing happened he suddenly redoubled his efforts and then a suddenly grew calm I looked round instinctively but could see nothing then I caught the patient's eye and followed it but could trace nothing as it looked into the moonlit Sky except a big bat which was flapping its silent and ghostly way to the West bats usually whee

l and flit about but this one seemed to go straight on as if it knew where it was bound for or had some intention of its own the patient grew calma every instant and presently said you needn't tie me I shall go quietly without trouble we came back to the house I feel there is something ominous in his calm and shall not forget this night Lucy westenra's diary hillingham 24 August I must imitate Mina and keep writing things down then we can have long talks when we do meet I wonder when it will be

I wish you were with me again for I feel so unhappy last night I seemed to be dreaming again just as I was at Whitby Perhaps it is the change of air or getting home again it is all dark and horrid to me for I can remember nothing but I am full of vague fear and I feel so weak and worn out when Arthur came to lunch he looked quite grieved when he saw me and I hadn't the spirit to try to be cheerful I wonder if I could sleep in mother's room tonight I shall make an excuse and try 25 August another

bad night mother did not seem to take to my proposal she seems not too well herself and doubtless she fears to worry me I tried to keep awake and succeeded for a while but when the Clock Struck twelve it waked me from a dose so I must have been falling asleep there was a sort of scratching or flapping at the window but I did not mind it and as I remember no more I suppose I must then have fallen asleep more bad dreams I wish I could remember them this morning I'm horribly weak my face is ghastl

y pale and my throat pains me it must be something wrong with my lungs for I don't seem ever to get air enough I shall try to cheer up when Arthur comes or else I know he will be miserable to see me so letter Arthur Homewood to Dr Seward Albemarle Hotel the 31st of August my dear Jack I want you to do me a favor Lucy is ill that is she has no special disease but she looks awful and is getting worse every day I have asked her if there is any cause I do not dare to ask her mother for to disturb th

e poor lady's mind about her daughter in her present state of health would be fatal Mrs westenra has confided to me that her Doom is spoken disease of the heart though poor Lucy does not know it yet I'm sure that there is something preying on my dear girl's mind I am almost distracted when I think of her to look at her gives me a Pang I told her I should ask you to see her and though she demurred at first I know why old fellow she finally consented it will be a painful task for you I know old fr

iend but it is for her sake and I must not hesitate to ask or you to act you are to come to lunch at hillingham tomorrow two o'clock so as not to arouse any suspicion in Mrs westenra and after lunch Lucy will take an opportunity of being alone with you I shall come in for tea and we can go away together I am filled with anxiety and want to consult with you alone as soon as I can after you have seen her do not fail Arthur telegram Arthur Homewood to Seward the 1st of September I'm summoned to see

my father who is worse I'm writing write me fully by tonight's post to ring why me if necessary letter from Dr Seward to Arthur Homewood the 2nd of September my dear old fellow with regard to miss westernra's health I hasten to let you know at once that in my opinion there is not any functional disturbance or any malady that I know of at the same time I'm not by any means satisfied with her appearance she is woefully different from what she was when I saw her last of course you must bear in min

d that I did not have full opportunity of examination such as I should wish our very friendship makes a little difficulty which not even medical science or custom can bridge over I had better tell you exactly what happened leaving you to draw in a measure your own conclusions I shall then say what I have done and proposed doing I found Miss Western RAR in seemingly gay spirits her mother was present and in a few seconds I made up my mind that she was trying all she knew to mislead her mother and

prevent her from being anxious I have no doubt she guesses if she does not know what need of caution there is we lunched alone and as we all exerted ourselves to be cheerful we got as some kind of reward for our labors some real cheerfulness amongst us then Mrs westenra went to lie down and Lucy was left with me we went into her Boudoir until we got there her gaiety remained for the servants were coming and going as soon as the door was closed however the mask fell from her face and she sank do

wn into a chair with a great sigh and hid her eyes with her hand when I saw that her High Spirits had failed I had once took advantage of her reaction to make a diagnosis she said to me very sweetly I cannot tell you how I loathed talking about myself I reminded her that a doctor's confidence was sacred but that you were grievously anxious about her she caught onto my meaning at once and settled that matter in a word tell Arthur everything you choose I do not care for myself but all for him so I

am quite free I could easily see that she is somewhat bloodless but I could not see the usual anemic signs and by a chance I was actually able to test the quality of her blood for in opening a window which was stiff a cord gave way and she cut her hand slightly with broken glass it was a slight matter in itself but it gave me an evident chance and I secured a few drops of the blood and have analyzed them the qualitative analysis gives a quite normal condition and shows I should infer in itself

a vigorous state of health in other physical matters I was quite satisfied that there is no need for anxiety but as there must be a cause somewhere I have come to the conclusion that it must be something mental she complains of difficulty in breathing satisfactorily at times and of heavy lethargic sleep with dreams that frighten her but regarding which she can remember nothing she says that as a child she used to walk in her sleep and that when in Whitby The Habit came back and that once she wal

ked out in the night and went to East Cliff where Miss Murray found her but she assures me that of late The Habit has not returned I am in doubt and so I've done the best thing I know of I have written to my old friend and master Professor Van Helsing of Amsterdam who knows as much about obscure diseases as anyone in the world I have asked him to come over and as you told me that all things were to be at your charge I have mentioned to him who you are and your relations to miss westenra this my

dear fellow is in obedience to your wishes for I'm only too proud and happy to do anything I can for her Van Helsing would I know do anything for me for a personal reason so no matter on what ground he comes we must accept his wishes he is a seemingly arbitrary man but this is because he knows what he's talking about better than anyone else he is a philosopher and a metaphysician and one of the most advanced scientists of his day and he has I believe an absolutely open mind this with an iron ner

ve a temper of the ice Brook an indomitable resolution self-command and Toleration exalted from virtues to blessings and the kindliest and truest heart that beats these form his equipment for the noble work that he's doing for mankind work both in theory and practice for his views are as wide as his all-embracing sympathy I tell you these facts that you may know why I have such confidence in him I have asked him to come at once I shall see Miss westonra tomorrow again she has to meet me at the s

tores so that I may not alarm her mother by too early a repetition of my call yours always John Seward letter Abraham Van Helsing MDD PhD litty etc etc to Dr Seward the second of September my good friend when I have received your letter I'm already coming to you by Good Fortune I can leave just at once without wrong to any of those who have trusted me were fortune other then it were bad for those who have trusted for I come to my friend when he call me to Aid those he holds dear tell your friend

that when that time you suck from my wound so swiftly the poison of the gangrene from that knife that our other friend too nervous let's slip you did more for him when he wants my AIDS and you call for them than all his great Fortune could do but it is pleasure added to do for him your friend it is to you that I come have then rooms for me at the Great Eastern Hotel so that I may be near to hand and please it's so arranged that we may see the young lady not too late on tomorrow for it is likely

that I may have to return here that night but if need be I shall come again in three days and stay longer if it must till then goodbye my friend John Van Helsing letter Dr Seward to honorable Arthur Homewood the 3rd of September my dear art Van Helsing has come and gone he came on with me to hillingham and found that by Lucy's discretion her mother was lunching out so that we were alone with her Van Helsing made a very careful examination of the patient he is to report to me and I shall advise

you for of course I was not present all the time he is I fear much concerned but says he must think when I told him of our friendship and how you trust me in the matter he said you must tell him all you think tell him what I think if you can guess it if you will nay I'm not jesting this is no jest but life and death perhaps more I asked what he meant by that for he was very serious this was when we had come back to town and he was having a cup of tea before starting on his return to Amsterdam he

would not give me any further clue you must not be angry with me art because his very reticence means that all his brains are working for her good he will speak plainly enough when the time comes be sure so I told him I would simply write an account of our visit just as if I were doing a descriptive special article for the Daily Telegraph he seemed not to notice but remarked that the smuts in London were not quite so bad as they used to be when he was a student here I'm to get his report tomorr

ow if he can possibly make it in any case I am to have a letter well as to the visit Lucy was more cheerful than on the day I first saw her and certainly looked better she had lost something of the ghastly look that so upset you and her breathing was normal she was very sweet to the professor as she always is and tried to make him feel at ease though I could see that the poor girl was making a hard struggle for it I believe Van Helsing saw it too for I saw the quick look under his bushy brows th

at I knew of old then he began to chat of all things except ourselves and diseases and with such an infinite geniality that I could see poor Lucy's pretense of Animation merge into reality then without any seeming change he brought the conversation gently around to his visit and suavely said my dear young Miss I have the so great pleasure because you are so much beloved that is much my dear ever were there that which I do not see they told me you were down in the spirit and that you were of a gh

astly pale to them I say poof and he snapped his fingers at me and went on but you and I shall show them how wrong they are how can he and he pointed at me with the same look and gesture as that with which once he pointed me out to his class on or rather after a particular occasion which he never fails to remind me of know anything of a young ladies he has his madmans to play with and to bring them back to happiness and to those that love them it is much to do and oh but there are rewards in tha

t we can bestow such happiness but the young ladies he has no wife nor daughter and the young do not tell themselves to the young but to the old like me who have known so many sorrows and the causes of them so my dear we will send him a way to smoke the cigarette in the garden whilst you and I have little talk all to ourselves I took the hint and strolled about and presently the professor came to the window and called me in he looked grave but said I have made careful examination but there is no

functional cause with you I agree that there has been much blood lost it has been but is not but the conditions of her are in no way anemic I've asked her to send me her maid that I may ask just one or two question that so I may not chance to miss nothing I know well what she will say and yet there is cause there is always cause for everything I must go back home and think you must send to me the telegram every day and if there be cause I shall come again the disease for not to be all well is a

disease interest me in the sweet young dear she interests me too she Charmed me and for her if not for you or disease I come as I tell you he would not say a word more even when we were alone and so now art you know all I know I shall keep Stern watch I trust your poor father is rallying it must be a terrible thing to you my dear old fellow to be placed in such a position between two people who are both so dear to you I know your idea of Duty to your father and you are right to stick to it but

if need be I shall send you word to come at once to Lucy so do not be over anxious unless you hear from me Dr Seward's diary for September zoophagus patient still keeps up our interest in him he had only one outburst and that was yesterday at an unusual time just before the stroke of noon he began to grow Restless the attendant knew the symptoms and at once summoned Aid fortunately the men came at a run and were just in time for at the stroke of noon he became so violent that he took all their s

trength to hold him in about five minutes however he began to get more and more quiet and finally sank into a sort of melancholy in which state he has remained up to now the attendant tells me that his screams whilst in the paroxysm were really appalling I found my hands full when I got in attending to some of the other patients who were frightened by him indeed I can quite understand the effect for the sounds Disturbed even me though I was some distance away it is now after the dinner hour of t

he Asylum and as yet my patient sits in a corner brooding with a dull Sullen woe begone look in his face which seems rather to indicate than to show something directly I cannot quite understand it later another change in my patient at five o'clock I looked in on him and found him seemingly as happy and contented as he used to be he was catching flies and eating them and was keeping note of his capture by making nail marks on the edge of the door between the Ridges of padding when he saw me he ca

me over and apologized for his bad conduct and asked me in a very humble cringing way to be led back to his own room and to have his notebook again I thought it well to humor him so he is back in his room with the window open he has the sugar of his tea spread out on the windowsill and is reaping quite a harvest of flies he's not now eating them but putting them into a box as of old and is already examining the corners of his room to find a spider I tried to get him to talk about the past few da

ys for any clue to his thoughts would be of immense help to me but he would not rise for a moment or two he looked very sad and said in a sort of far away voice as though saying it rather to himself than to me all over all over he has deserted me no hope for me now unless I do it for myself then suddenly turning to me in a Resolute way he said doctor won't you be very good to me and let me have a little more sugar I think it would be good for me and the Flies I said yes the flies like it too and

I like the Flies therefore I like it and there are people who know so little as to think that mad men do not argue I procured him a double Supply and left him as happier man as I suppose any in the world I wish I could fathom his mind midnight another change in him I had been to see Miss westernra whom I found much better and had just returned and was standing at our own gate looking at the sunset when once more I heard him yelling as his room is on this side of the house I could hear it better

than in the morning it was a shock to me to turn from the wonderful Smoky beauty of a sunset over London with its lurid lights and Inky shadows and all the marvelous tints that come on foul clouds even as on foul water and to realize all the Grim sternness of my own Cold Stone building with its wealth of breathing misery and my own desolate heart to endure it all I reached him just as the sun was going down and from his window saw the red disc sink as it sank he became less and less frenzied an

d just as it dipped he slid from the hands that held him an inert Mass on the floor it is wonderful however what intellectual recuperative power lunatics have for within a few minutes he stood up quite calmly and looked around him I signaled to the attendance not to hold him for I was anxious to see what he would do he went straight over to the window and brushed out the crumbs of sugar then he took his fly box and emptied it outside and threw away the Box then he shut the window and crossing ov

er sat down on his bed all this surprised me so I asked him are you not going to keep flies anymore no said he I am sick of all that rubbish he certainly has a wonderfully interesting study I wish I could get some glimpse of his mind or of the cause of his sudden passion stop there may be a clue after all if we can find why today his paroxysms came on at High Noon and at sunset can it be that there is a malign influence of the Sun at periods which affects certain Natures as at times the moon doe

s others we shall see telegram sued London to Van Helsing Amsterdam for September patients still better today telegram Seward London to Van Helsing Amsterdam 5 September patient greatly improved good appetite sleeps naturally good spirits color coming back telegram Seward London to Van Helsing Amsterdam 6 September terrible change for the worse come at once do not lose an hour I hold over telegram to Homewood till I've seen you chapter 10. letter Dr Seward to honorable Arthur Homewood the 6th of

September my dear art my news today is not so good Lucy this morning had gone back a bit there is however one good thing which has arisen from it Mrs westonrow was naturally anxious concerning Lucy and has consulted me professionally about her I took advantage of the opportunity and told her that my old Master Van Helsing the great specialist was coming to stay with me and that I would put her in his charge conjointly with myself so now we can come and go without alarming her unduly for a shock

to her would mean sudden death and this in Lucy's weak condition might be disastrous to her we are hedged in with difficulties all of us my poor old fellow but please God we shall come through them all right if any need I shall write so that if you do not hear from me take it for granted that I am simply waiting for news in haste yours ever John Seward Dr Seward's diary 7 September the first thing Van Helsing said to me when we met at Liverpool Street was have you said anything to our young fri

end the lover of her no I said I waited till I had seen you as I said in my Telegram I wrote him a letter simply telling him that you were coming as Miss westenra was not so well and that I should let him know if need be right my friend he said quite right better he not knows yet Perhaps he shall never know I pray so but if it be needed then he shall know all and my good friend John let me caution you you deal with the madman all men are mad in some way or the other and in as much as you deal di

screetly with your madman so deal with God's Mad Men too the rest of the world you tell not your madman what you do nor why you do it you tell them not what you think so you shall keep knowledge in its place where it may rest where it may gather its kind around it and breed you and I shall keep as yet what we know here and here he touched me on the heart and on the forehead and then touched himself the same way I have for myself thoughts at the present later I shall unfold to you why not now I a

sked it may do some good we may arrive at some decision he stopped and looked at me and said my friend John when the corn is grown even before it has ripened while the milk of its mother earth is in him and the sunshine has not yet begun to paint him with his gold the husbandman he pulled the ear and rub him between his rough hands and blow away the green chaff and say to you look he's good corn he will make good crop when the time comes I did not see the application and told him so for reply he

reached over and took my ear in his hand and pulled it playfully as he used long ago to do at lectures and said the good husbandman tell you so then because he knows but not till then but you do not find the good husbandman dig up his planted corn to see if he grow that is for the children who play at husbandry and not for those who take it as of the work of their life see you now friend John I have sown my corn and nature has her work to do in making it Sprout if he Sprout at all there's some

promise and I wait till the ear begins to swell he broke off for he evidently saw that I understood then he went on and very Gravely you were always a careful student and your case book was ever more full than the rest you were only student then now you are master and I trust that good habit have not failed remember my friend that knowledge is stronger than memory and we should not trust the weaker even if you have not kept a good practice let me tell you that this case of our Dear Miss is one t

hat may be mind I say maybe of such interest to us and others that all the rest may not make him kick the beam as your people say take then good note of it nothing is too small I counsel you put down in record even your doubts and surmises Hereafter it may be of interest to you to see how true you guess we learn from failure not from success when I described Lucy's symptoms the same as before but infinitely more marked he looked very grave but said nothing he took with him a bag in which were ma

ny instruments and drugs the ghastly paraphernalia of our beneficial trade as he once called in one of his lectures the equipment of a professor of the healing craft when we were shown in Mrs Weston ramettes she was alarmed but not nearly so much as I expected to find her nature in one of her beneficent moods has ordained that even death has some antidote to its own terrors here in a case where any shock may prove fatal matters are so ordered that from some cause or other the things not personal

even the terrible change in her daughter to whom she is so attached do not seem to reach her it is something like the way Dame nature gathers around a foreign body an envelope of some insensitive tissue which can protect from Evil that which it would otherwise harm by contact if this be an ordered selfishness then we should pause before we condemn anyone for the vice of egoism for there may be deeper root for its causes than we have knowledge of I used my knowledge of this phase of spiritual pa

thology and laid down a rule that she should not be present with Lucy or think of her illness more than was absolutely required she ascended readily so readily that I saw again the hand of nature fighting for life Van Helsing and I were shown up to Lucy's room if I was shocked when I saw her yesterday I was horrified when I saw her today she was ghastly chalkily pale the red seemed to have gone even from her lips and gums and the bones of her face stood out prominently her breathing was painful

to see or hear van helsing's face grew set as marble and his eyebrows converged till they almost touched over his nose Lucy lay motionless and did not seem to have strength to speak so for a while we were all silent then Van Helsing beckoned to me and we went gently out of the room the instant we had closed the door he stepped quickly along the passage to the next door which was open then he pulled me quickly in with him and closed the door my God he said this is Dreadful there is no time to be

lost she will die for sheer want of blood to keep the heart's action as it should be there must be transfusion of blood at once is it you or me I am younger and stronger Professor it must be me then get ready at once I will bring up my bag I am prepared I went downstairs with him and as we were going there was a knock at the hall door when we reached the hall the maid had just opened the door and Arthur was stepping quickly in he rushed up to me saying in an eager whisper Jack I was so anxious I

read between the lines of your letter and have been in an agony the dad was better so I ran down here to see for myself is not that gentleman Dr Van Helsing I am so thankful to you sir for coming when first the professor's eye had lit upon him he had been angry at his Interruption at such a Time but now as he took in his stalwood proportions and recognized the strong Young Manhood which seemed to emanate from him his eyes gleamed without a pause he said to him Gravely as he held out his hand si

r you have come in time you are the lover of our Dear Miss she is bad very very bad name my child do not go like that for he suddenly grew pale and sat down in a chair almost fainting you are to help her you can do more than any that live and your courage is your best help what can I do asked Arthur Horsley tell me and I shall do it my life is hers and I would give the last drop of blood in my body for her the professor has a strongly humorous side and I could from old knowledge detect a trace o

f its origin in his answer my young sir I do not ask so much as that not the last what shall I do there was fire in his eyes and his open nostril quivered with intent Van Helsing slapped him on the shoulder come he said you are a man and it is a man we want you are better than me better than my friend John Arthur looked bewildered and the professor went on by explaining in a kindly way young Miss is bad very bad she wants blood and blood she must have or die my friend John and I have consulted a

nd we are about to perform what we call transfusion of blood to transfer from Full veins of one to the empty veins which Pine for him John was to give his blood as he is the more young and strong than me here Arthur took my hand and rung it hard in silence but now you are here you are more good than us old or young who toil much in the world of thought our nerves are not so calm and our blood not so bright than yours Arthur turned to him and said if you only knew how gladly I would die for her y

ou would understand he stopped with a sort of Choke in his voice good boy said Van Helsing in the not so far off you will be happy that you have done all for her you love come now and be silent you shall kiss her once before it is done but then you must go and you must leave at my sign say no word to Madame you know how it is with her there must be no shock any knowledge of this would be one come we all went up to Lucy's room Arthur by Direction remained outside Lucy turned her head and looked a

t us but said nothing she was not asleep but she was simply too weak to make the effort her eyes spoke to us that was all Van Helsing took some things from his bag and laid them on a little table out of sight then he mixed a narcotic and coming over to the bed said cheerily now little miss here is your medicine drink it off like a good child see I lift you so that to swallow is easy yes she had made the effort with success it astonished me how long the drug took to act this in fact marked the ex

tent of her weakness the time seemed endless until sleep began to flicker in her eyelids at last however the narcotic began to manifest its potency and she fell into a deep sleep when the professor was satisfied he called Arthur into the room and bade him strip off his coat then he added you may take that one little kiss whilst I bring over the table friend John help to me so neither of us looked whilst he bent over her Van Helsing turning to me said he is so young and strong and of blood so pur

e that we need not defibrinated then with swiftness but with absolute method Van Helsing performed the operation as the transfusion went on something like life seemed to come back to poor Lucy's cheeks and through Arthur's Growing Power the joy of his face seemed absolutely to shine after a bit I began to grow anxious for the loss of blood was telling on Arthur strong man as he was it gave me an idea of what a terrible strain Lucy's system must have undergone that what weakened Arthur only parti

ally restored her but the professor's face was set and he stood watch in hand and with his eyes fixed now on the patient and now on Arthur I could hear my own heartbeat presently he said in a soft voice do not stir an instant it is enough you attend him I will look to her when all was over I could see how much Arthur was weakened I dressed the wound and took his arm to bring him away when Van Helsing spoke without turning round the man seems to have eyes in the back of his head the brave lover I

think deserve another kiss which he shall have presently and as he had now finished his operation He adjusted the pillow to the patient's head as he did so the narrow Black Velvet band which she seems always to wear around her throat buckled with an old Diamond Buckle which her lover had given her was dragged a little up and showed a red mark on her throat Arthur did not notice it but I could hear the Deep hiss of in-drawn breath which is one of Van helsing's ways of betraying emotion he said n

othing at the moment but turned to me saying now take down our Brave Young lover give him of the port wine and let him lie down a while he must then go home and rest sleep much and eat much that he may be recruited of what he has so given to his love he must not stay here hold a moment I may take it sir that you are anxious of result then bring it with you that in all ways the operation is successful you have saved her life this time and you can go home and rest easy in mind that all that can be

is I shall tell her all when she is well she shall love you nonetheless for what you have done goodbye when Arthur had gone I went back to the room Lucy was sleeping gently but her breathing was Stronger I could see the counterpane move as her breast heaved by the bedside sat Van Helsing looking at her intently The Velvet band again covered the red mark I asked the professor in a whisper what do you make of that Mark on her throat what do you make of it I have not examined it yet I answered and

then and there proceeded to loose the band just over the external jugular vein there were two punctures not large but not wholesome looking there was no sign of disease but the edges were white and worn looking as if by some trituration it at once occurred to me that this wound or whatever it was might be the means of that manifest loss of blood but I abandoned the idea as soon as formed for such a thing could not be the whole bed would have been drenched to a Scarlet with the blood which the g

irl must have lost to leave such a power as she had before the transfusion well said Van Helsing well said I I can make nothing of it the professor stood up I must go back to Amsterdam tonight he said there are books and things there which I want you must remain here all the night and you must not let your sight pass from her shall I have a nurse I asked we are the best nurses you and I you keep watch all night see that she is well fed and that nothing disturbs her you must not sleep all the nig

ht later on we can sleep you and I I shall be back as soon as possible and then we may begin May begin I said what on Earth do you mean we shall see he answered as he hurried out he came back a moment later and put his head inside the door and said with warning finger held up remember she is your charge if you leave her and harm befall you shall not sleep easy hereafter Dr Seward's diary continued 8 September I sat up all night with Lucy the opiate worked itself off towards Dusk and she waked na

turally she looked a different being from what she had been before the operation her spirits even were good and she was full of a happy vivacity but I could see evidences of the absolute prostration which she had undergone when I told Mrs westenra that Dr Van Helsing had directed that I should sit up with her she almost poo pooed the idea pointing out her daughter's renewed strength and excellent spirits I was firm however and made preparations for my long vigil when her maid had prepared her fo

r the night I came in having in the meantime had supper and took a seat by the bedside she did not in any way make objection but looked at me gratefully whenever I caught her eye after a long spell she seemed sinking off to sleep but with an effort seemed to pull herself together and shook it off this was repeated several times with greater effort and with shorter pauses as the time moved on it was apparent that she did not want to sleep so I tackled the subject at once you do not want to go to

sleep no I'm afraid afraid to go to sleep why so it is the Boon we all crave for ah not if you were like me if sleep was to you a presage of Horror a pressage of Horror what on Earth do you mean I don't know oh I don't know and that is what is so terrible all this weakness comes to me in sleep until I dread the very thought but my dear girl you may sleep tonight I'm here watching you and I can promise that nothing will happen ah I can trust you I seized the opportunity and said I promise you tha

t if I see any evidence of bad dreams I will wake you at once you will oh will you really how good you are to me then I will sleep and almost at the word she gave a deep sigh of relief and sank back asleep all night long I watched by her she never stirred but slept on and on in a deep tranquil life-giving health-giving sleep her lips were slightly parted and her breast Rose and fell with the regularity of a pendulum there was a smile on her face and it was evident that no bad dreams had come to

disturb her peace of mind in the early morning her maid came and I left her in her care and took myself back home for I was anxious about many things I sent a short wire to Van Helsing and to Arthur telling them of the excellent result of the operation my own work with its manifold arrears took me all day to clear off it was dark when I was able to inquire about my zoophagus patient the report was good he had been quite quiet for the past day and night a telegram came from Van Helsing at Amsterd

am whilst I was at dinner suggesting that I should be at hillingham tonight as it might be well to be at hand and stating that he was leaving by the night mail and would join me early in the morning 9 September I was pretty tired and worn out when I got to hillingham for two nights I'd hardly had a wink of sleep and my brain was beginning to feel that numbness which marks cerebral exhaustion Lucy was up and in cheerful spirits when she shook hands with me she looked sharply in my face and said n

o sitting up tonight for you you are worn out I'm quite well again indeed I am and if there is to be any sitting up it is I who will sit up with you I would not argue the point but went and had my supper Lucy came with me and enlivened by her Charming presence I made an excellent meal and had a couple of glasses of the more than excellent Port then Lucy took me upstairs and showed me a room next to her own where a cozy fire was burning now she said you must stay here I shall leave this door open

and my door too you can lie on the sofa for I know that nothing would induce any of you doctors to go to bed whilst there is a patient above the horizon if I want anything I shall call out and you can come to me at once I could not but acquiesce for I was dog tired and could not have sat up had I tried so on her renewing her promise to call me if she should want anything I lay on the sofa and forgot all about everything Lucy westendra's diary 9 September I feel so happy tonight I've been so mis

erably weak that to be able to think and move about is like feeling Sunshine after a long spell of East Wind out of a steel sky somehow Arthur feels very very close to me I seem to feel his presence warm about me I suppose it is that sickness and weakness are selfish things and turn our inner eyes and sympathy on ourselves whilst health and strength Give Love rain and in thought and feeling he can wander where he Wills I know where my thoughts are if Arthur only knew my dear my dear your ears mu

st tingle as you sleep as mine do waking oh the Blissful rest of last night how I slept with that dear good doctor Seward watching me and tonight I shall not fear to sleep since he is close at hand and within call thank everybody for being so good to me thank God good night Arthur Dr Seward's diary 10 September I was conscious of the professor's hand on my head and started a way call in a second that is one of the things that we learn in an asylum at any rate and how is our patient well when I l

eft her or rather when she left me I answered come let us see he said and together we went into the room the blind was down and I went over to raise it gently whilst Van Helsing stepped with his soft cat-like tread over to the bed as I raised the Blind and the morning sunlight flooded the room I heard the professor's low hiss of inspiration and knowing its Rarity a deadly fear shot through my heart as I passed over he moved back and his exclamation of horror got in himmel needed no enforcement f

rom his agonized face he raised his hand and pointed to the bed and his iron face was drawn and Ash and white I felt my knees begin to tremble there on the bed seemingly in a swoon lay poor Lucy more horribly white and one looking than ever even the lips were white and the gums seemed to have shrunken back from the teeth as we sometimes see in a corpse after a prolonged illness Van Helsing raised his foot to stamp in anger but the Instinct of his life and all the long years of habit stood to him

and he put it down again softly quick he said bring the Brandy I flew to the dining room and returned with the decanter he wetted the poor white lips with it and together we rubbed palm and wrist and heart he felt her heart and after a few moments of agonizing suspense said it is not too late it beats though but feebly all our work is undone we must begin again there is no young Arthur here now I have to call on you yourself this time friend John as he spoke he was dipping into his bag and prod

ucing the instruments for transfusion I had taken off my coat and rolled up my shirt sleeve there was no possibility of an opiate just at present and no need of one and so without a moment's delay we began the operation after a time it did not seem a short time either for the draining away of one's blood no matter how willingly it be given is a terrible feeling Van Helsing held up a warning finger do not stir he said but I fear that with growing strength she may wake and that would make danger o

h so much Danger but I shall precaution take I shall give hypodermic injection of morphia he proceeded then swiftly and deftly to carry out his intent the effect on Lucy was not bad for the faint seemed to merge subtly into the narcotic sleep it was with a feeling of personal Pride that I could see a faint tinge of color steal back into the pallid cheeks and lips no man knows Tilly experiences it what it is to feel his own lifeblood drawn away into the veins of the woman he loves the professor w

atched me critically that will do he said already I remonstrated you took a great deal more from art to which he smiled a sad sort of Smile as he replied he is her lover her fiancee you have work much work to do for her and for others and the present will suffice when we stopped the operation he attended to Lucy whilst I applied digital pressure to my own incision I laid down whilst I waited his leisure to attend to me for I felt faint and a little sick by and by he bound up my wound and sent me

downstairs to get a glass of wine for myself as I was leaving the room he came after me and half whispered mind nothing must be said of this if our young lover should turn up unexpected as before no word to him it would at once frighten him and then jealous him too there must be none so when I came back he looked at me carefully and then said you are not much the worse go into the room and lie on your sofa and rest a while then have much breakfast and come here to me I followed out his orders f

or I knew how right and wise they were I had done my part and now my next Duty was to keep up my strength I felt very weak and in the weakness lost something of the amazement at what had occurred I fell asleep on the sofa however wandering over and over again how Lucy had made such a retrograde movement and how she could have been drained of so much blood with no sign anywhere to show for it I think I must have continued my Wonder In My Dreams for sleeping and waking my thoughts always came back

to the little punctures in her throat and the Ragged exhausted appearance of their edges tiny though they were Lucy slept well into the day and when she woke she was fairly well and strong though not nearly so much so as the day before when Van Helsing had seen her he went out for a walk leaving me in charge with strict injunctions that I was not to leave her for a moment I could hear his voice in the hall asking the way to the nearest Telegraph office Lucy chatted with me freely and seemed qui

te unconscious that anything had happened I tried to keep her amused and interested when her mother came up to see her she did not seem to notice any change whatever but said to me gratefully we owe you so much Dr Seward for all you have done but you really must now take care not to overwork yourself you are looking pale yourself you want a wife to nurse and look after you a bit that you do as she spoke Lucy turned Crimson though it was only momentarily for her poor wasted veins could not stand

for long such an unwanted drain to the Head the reaction came in excessive power as she turned imploring eyes on me I smiled and nodded and laid my finger on my lips with a sigh she sank back amid her pillows Van Helsing returned in a couple of hours and presently said to me now you go home and eat much and drink enough Make Yourself Strong I stay here tonight and I shall sit up with little Miss myself you and I must watch the case and we must have none other to know I have grave reasons no do n

ot ask them think what you will do not fear to think even the most not probable good night in the hall two of the maids came to me and asked if they or either of them might not sit up with Miss Lucy they implored me to let them and when I said it was Dr Van helsing's wish that either he or I should sit up they asked me quite piteously to intercede with the foreign gentleman I was much touched by their kindness Perhaps it is because I am weak at present and perhaps because it was on Lucy's accoun

t that their devotion was manifested for over and over again have I seen similar instances of woman's kindness I got back here in time for a late dinner went my rounds all well and set this down whilst waiting for sleep it is coming 11 September this afternoon I went over to hillingham found Van Helsing in excellent spirits and Lucy much better shortly after I had arrived a big parcel from abroad came for the professor he opened it with much impressment assumed of course and showed a great bundl

e of white flowers these are for you Miss Lucy he said for me oh Dr Van Helsing yes my dear but not for you to play with these are medicines here Lucy made a wry face nay but they are not to take in a decoction or in nauseous form so you need not snub that so Charming nose or I shall point out to my friend Arthur what woes he may have to endure in seeing so much beauty that he so loves so much distort aha my pretty miss that bring the so nice nose all straight again this is medicinal but you do

not know how I put him in your window I make pretty wreath and hang him around your neck so that you sleep well oh yes they like the lotus flower make your trouble forgotten it smells so like the Waters of Lethy and of that Fountain of Youth that the Conquistador is sought for in the floridas and find him all too late whilst he was speaking Lucy had been examining the flowers and smelling them now she threw them down saying with half laughter and half disgust oh Professor I believe you are only

putting up a joke on me why these flowers are only common garlic to my surprise Van Helsing rose up and said with all his sternness his Iron Jaw set and his bushy eyebrows meeting no trifling with me I never jest there is grim purpose in all I do and I warn you that you do not thwart me take care for the sake of others if not for your own then seeing poor Lucy scared as she might well be he went on more gently oh little miss my dear do not fear me I only do for your good but there is much virtue

to you in those so common flowers see I place them myself in your room I make myself the wreath that you are to wear but hush no telling to others that make so inquisitive questions we must obey and silence is a part of obedience and obedience is to bring you strong and well into loving arms that wait for you now sit still a while come with me friend John and you shall help me deck the room with my garlic which is all the way from Harlem where my friend Vanderpool raised Herb in his glass house

s all the year I had to Telegraph yesterday or they would not have been here we went into the room taking the flowers with us the professor's actions were certainly odd and not to be found in any pharmacopoeia that I ever heard of first he fastened up the windows and latched them securely next taking a handful of the flowers he rubbed them all over the sashes as though to ensure that every whiff of air that might get in would be Laden with the garlic smell then with the Wisp he rubbed all over t

he jam of the door above below and at each side and round the fireplace in the same way it all seemed grotesque to me and presently I said well Professor I know you always have a reason for what you do but this certainly puzzles me it is well we have no skeptic here or he would say that you were working some spell to keep out an evil spirit perhaps I am he answered quietly as he began to make the wreath which Lucy was to wear around her neck we then waited whilst Lucy made her toilet for the nig

ht and when she was in bed he came and himself fixed the wreath of garlic around her neck the last words he said to her were take care you do not disturb it and even if the room feel close do not tonight open the window or the door I promise said Lucy and thank you both a thousand times for all your kindness to me oh what have I done to be blessed with such friends as we left the house in my fly which was waiting Van Helsing said tonight I can sleep in peace and sleep I want two nights of travel

much reading in the day between and much anxiety on the day to follow and a night to sit up without to wink tomorrow in the morning early you call for me and we come together to see our pretty Miss so much more strong for my spell which I have work ho ho he seemed so confident that I remembering my own confidence two nights before and with the painful result felt awe and vague Terror it must have been my weakness that made me hesitate to tell it to my friend but I felt it all the more like unsh

ed tears chapter 11 Lucy westenra's diary 12 September how good they all are to me I quite love that dear Dr Van Helsing I wonder why he was so anxious about these flowers he positively frightened me he was so Fierce and yet he must have been right for I feel comfort from them already somehow I do not dread being alone tonight and I can go to sleep without fear I shall not mind any flapping outside the window oh the terrible struggle that I have had against sleep so often of late the pain of the

sleeplessness or the pain of the fear of sleep with such unknown Horrors as it has for me how blessed are some people whose lives have no fears no dreads to whom sleep is a blessing that comes nightly and brings nothing but sweet dreams well here I am tonight hoping for sleep and lying like a failure in the play with Virgin Krantz and Maiden struments I never liked garlic before but tonight it is delightful there is peace in its smell I feel sleep coming already good night everybody Dr Seward's

diary 13 September called it the Barkley and found Van Helsing as usual up to time The Carriage ordered from the hotel was waiting the professor took his bag which he always brings with him now let all be put down exactly Van Helsing and I arrived at hillingham at eight o'clock it was a lovely morning the bright sunshine and all the fresh feeling of Early Autumn seemed like the completion of Nature's annual work the leaves were turning to all kinds of beautiful colors but had not yet begun to d

rop from the trees when we entered we met Mrs westenra coming out of the morning room she is always an early riser she greeted us warmly and said you will be glad to know that Lucy is better the dear child is still asleep I looked into her room and saw her but did not go in lest I should disturb her the professor smiled and looked quite jubilant he rubbed his hands together and said aha I thought I'd diagnosed the case my treatment is working to which she answered you must not take all the credi

t to yourself doctor Lucy's State this morning is due in part to me how you do mean mum ask the professor well I was anxious about the dear child in the night and went into her room she was sleeping soundly so soundly that even my coming did not wake her but the room was awfully stuffy there were a lot of those horrible strong smelling flowers about everywhere and she had actually a bunch of them round her neck I feared that the heavy odor would be too much for the dear child in her weak state s

o I took them all away and opened a bit of the window to let in a little fresh air you will be pleased with her I'm sure she moved off into her Boudoir where she usually breakfasted early as she had spoken I watched the professor's face and saw it turn Ash and gray he had been able to retain his self-command whilst the poor lady was present for he knew her State and how mischievous a shock would be he actually smiled on her as he held open the door for her to pass into her room but the instant s

he had disappeared he pulled me suddenly and forcibly into the dining room and closed the door then for the first time in my life I saw Van Helsing break down he raised his hands over his head in a sort of mute Despair and then beat his palms together in a helpless way finally he sat down on a chair and putting his hands before his face began to sob with loud dry sobs that seemed to come from the very racking of his heart then he raised his arms again as though appealing to the whole universe Go

d God he said what have we done what has this poor thing done that we are so sore beset is there fate amongst us still sent down from the Pagan world of old that such things must be and in such way this poor mother all unknowing and all for the best as she think does such thing as lose her daughter body and soul and we must not tell her we must not even warn her or she die and then both die oh how we are beset how are all the powers of the Devils against us suddenly he jumped to his feet come he

said come we must see and act Devils or no Devils or all the Devils at once it matters not we fight him all the same he went to the hall door for his bag and together we went up to Lucy's room once again I drew up the blind whilst Van Helsing went Towards the bed this time he did not start as he looked on the poor face with the same awful wax and power as before he wore a look of stern sadness and infinite pity as I expected he murmured with that hissing inspiration of his which meant so much w

ithout a word he went and locked the door and then began to set out on the little table the instruments for yet another operation of transfusion of blood I had long ago recognized the necessity and began to take off my coat but he stopped me with a warning hand no he said today you must operate I shall provide you are weakened already as he spoke he took off his coat and rolled up his shirt sleeve again the operation again the narcotic again some return of color to the ashy cheeks and the regula

r breathing of healthy sleep this time I watched whilst Van Helsing recruited himself and rested presently he took an opportunity of telling Mrs westenra that she must not remove anything from Lucy's room without consulting him that the flowers were of medicinal value and that the breathing of their odor was a part of the system of cure then he took over the care of the case himself saying that he would watch this night and the next and would send me word when to come after another hour Lucy wak

ed from her sleep fresh and bright and seemingly not much the worse for her terrible ordeal what does it all mean I'm beginning to wonder if my long habit of Life amongst the insane is beginning to tell upon my own brain Lucy westenra's diary 17 September four days and nights of peace I am getting so strong again that I hardly know myself it is as if I had passed through some long nightmare and had just awakened to see the beautiful sunshine and feel the fresh air of the morning around me I have

a dim half remembrance of long anxious times of waiting and fearing darkness in which there was not even the pain of Hope to make present distress more poignant and then long spells of Oblivion and the rising Back to Life as a diver coming up through a great press of water since however Dr Van Helsing has been with me all this bad dreaming seems to have passed away the noises that used to frighten me out of my wits the flapping against the windows the distant voices which seemed so close to me

the harsh sounds that came from I know not where and commanded me to do I know not what have all ceased I go to bed now without any fear of sleep I do not even try to keep awake I've grown quite fond of the garlic and a box full arrives for me every day from Harlem tonight Dr Van Helsing is going away as he has to be for a day in Amsterdam but I need not be watched I am well enough to be left alone thank God for mother's sake and dear Arthurs and for all our friends who have been so kind I shall

not even feel the change for last night Dr Van Helsing slept in his chair a lot of the time I found him asleep twice when I awoke but I did not fear to go to sleep again although the bowels or bats or something napped almost angrily against the window panes the Palm Al Gazette the 18th of September the escaped wolf perilous adventure of our interviewer interview with the keeper in the Zoological Gardens after many inquiries and almost as many refusals and perpetually using the words Paul malgaz

ette as a sort of Talisman I managed to find The Keeper of the section of the Zoological Gardens in which the wolf department is included Thomas builder lives in one of the Cottages in the enclosure behind the elephant house and was just sitting down to his tea when I found him Thomas and his wife are hospitable folk elderly and without children and if the specimen I enjoyed of their Hospitality be of the average kind their lives must be pretty comfortable the keeper would not enter on what he c

alled business until the supper was over and we were all satisfied then when the table was cleared and he had lit his pipe he said now sir you can go on and ask me what you want you'll excuse me refusing to talk of professional subjects of four meals I give the Wolves and the jackals and the hyenas in all our section their tea before I begins to ask them questions how do you mean ask them questions I queried Wishful to get him into a talkative humor hitting of them over the head with a pole is o

ne way scratching of their hears is another when gents as his flush wants a bit of a show-off to their gals I don't so much mind the first getting with a polar for I chucks in their dinner but I wait till they've had their Sherry and coffee so to speak before I tries on with the ear scratching mind you he added philosophically there's a deal of the same nature in us as in them their animalies ears you are coming and asking of me questions about my business am I that grumpy like that only for you

r blooming off quit I'd have seen you blowed fast for I'd answer not even when you ask me sarcastic like if I'd like you to ask the superintendent if you might ask me questions without offense did I tell you to go to hell you did and when you said you'd report me for using of obscene language that was it in me over the head but the off quit made that all right I weren't going to fight so I waited for the food and did with my owl as the wolves and lions and tigers does but Lord love your art now

that the old woman has stuck a chunk of her tea cake in me and rinsed me out with her blooming old teapot and I've lit up you may scratch my ears for all your worth and won't get even a growl out of me drive along with your questions I know what you're coming at that are escaped wolf exactly I want you to give me your view of it just tell me how it happened and when I know the facts I'll get you to say what you consider was the cause of it and how you think the whole Affair will end all right Go

vernor this dare is about the old story that a wolf what we called bersica was one of three gray ones that came from Norway to jam racks which we bought off him four years ago he was a nice well-behaved wolf that never gave no trouble to talk of I'm more surprised at him for wanting to get out nor any other animal in the place but there you can't trust wolves no more nor women don't you mind him sir broken Mrs Tom with a cheery laugh he's got mind in the animal he's so long that blessed if he ai

n't like a old wolf himself but there ain't no arm in him well sir it was about two hours after feeding yesterday when I first hear my disturbance I was making up a litter in the monkey house for a young Puma which is ill but when I heard the Yelp in an owl and I came away straight there was bersic or a tearing like a mad thing at the bars as if he wanted to get out there wasn't much people about that day and close at hand was only one man a tall thin chap with a wook nose and a pointed beard wi

th a few white hairs running through it he had an odd cold look and red eyes and I took a sort of mislike to him for it seemed as if it was him as they was irritated at white kid gloves on Essence and he pointed out the animales to me and says keeper these wolves seem upset at something maybe it's you says I for I did not like The Heirs as he give his self he didn't get angry as I hoped he would but he smiled a kind of insolent smile with a mouth full of white sharp teeth oh no they wouldn't lik

e me he says oh yes they would says I a imitating of him they always likes a bone or two to clean their teeth on about tea time which use a bag full well it was an odd thing but when the animelis see us are talking they lay down and when I went over to bersica he let me stroke his ears same as ever that their man came over and blessed but if he didn't put in his hand and stroke the old Wolf's ears too tight care says I bersica is quick never mind he says I'm used to him are you in the business y

ourself I says taking off my hat for a man what trades in wolves ansitura is a good friend to keepers no says he not exactly in the business but I've made pets of several and with that he lifts his at as per light as a Lord and walks away old bersica kept a look in art room till he was out of sight and then went and laid down in a corner and wouldn't come out the old evening well last night so soon as the moon was up the Wolves here all began at owling there weren't nothing for them to Owl at th

ere weren't no one near except someone that was evidently a call in a dog somewhere as Outback of the guardings in the Park Road once or twice I went out to see that all was right and it was and then the owling stopped just before 12 o'clock I just took a look round before turning in and bust me but when I came opposite to Old bersica's cage I see the rails broken and twisted about and the cage empty and that's all I know for certain did anyone else see anything one of our gardeners was a coming

home about that time from our Harmony when he sees a big gray dog coming out through the guarding edges at least so he says but I don't give much for it myself for if he didn't ever said a word about it to his misses when he got on and it was only after The Escape of the wolf was made known and we had been up all night a hunting of the park for bersica that he remembered seeing anything my own belief was that the harmony had got into his head now Mr Builder can you account in any way for The Es

cape of the Wolf well sir he said with a suspicious sort of modesty I think I can but I don't know is how you'd be satisfied with the theory certainly I shall if a man like you who knows the animals from experience can't Hazard a good guess at any rate who is even to try well then sir I account for it this way it seems to me that a wolf escaped simply because he wanted to get out from the hearty way that both Thomas and his wife laughed at the joke I could see that it had done service before and

that the whole explanation was simply an elaborate cell I couldn't COPE in bad image with the worthy Thomas but I thought I knew a sure away to his heart so I said now Mr Builder will consider that first half Sovereign worked off and this brother of his is waiting to be claimed when you've told me what you think will happen right yeah sir he said briskly you'll excuse me I know for a chaffing of you but the old woman here winked at me which was as much as telling me to go on well I never said t

he old lady my opinion is this that Airwolf is a Aiden of somewheres The Gardener what didn't remember said he was a Gallop in Northwood faster than a horse could go but I don't believe him for you see sir wolves don't Gallop no more nor dogs does they not being built that way wolves is find things in a storybook and I just say when they get some packs and does be chippy in something that's more a feared than they is they can make a devil of a noise and chop it up whatever it is but law bless yo

u in real life a wolf is only a low creature not half so clever or bold as a good dog and not half a quarter so much fight in him this one ain't been used to fighting or even to provide him for his self and more like he's somewhere around the Parker Aiden and a shivering of and if he thinks at all wondering where he is to get his breakfast from or maybe he's got down some area and is in a coal cellar my eye won't some cook get a rum start when she sees his green eyes are shining at her out of th

e dark if he can't get food he's bound to look for it and may happy May chance to light on a butcher's shop in time if he doesn't and some nurse maid goes are walking off with a soldier leave another infant in the perambulator well then I shouldn't be surprised if the census is one babby the less that's all I was handing him the half Sovereign when something came bobbing up against the window and Mr Builder's face doubled its natural length with surprise God bless me he said if there ain't old B

ursa could come back by himself he went to the door and opened it a most unnecessary proceeding it seemed to me I've always thought that a wild animal never looked so well as when some Obstacle of pronounced durability is between us a personal experience has intensified rather than diminished that idea after all however there is nothing like custom for neither Builder nor his wife thought any more of the wolf than I should of a dog the animal itself was as peaceful and well-behaved as that fathe

r of all picture wolves Red Riding Hood's Quantum friend whilst moving her confidence in masquerade the whole scene was an unutterable mixture of comedy and pathos the Wicked Wolf that for half a day had paralyzed London and set all the children in the town shivering in their shoes was there in a sort of penitent mood and was received and petted like a sort of valpine Prodigal Son old Builder examined him all over with most tender solicitude and when he had finished with his penitence said there

I knew the poor old chap would get into some kind of trouble didn't I say it all along is his head all cut and full of broken glass he's been a getting over some blooming wall or other it's a shame that people are allowed to top their walls with broken bottles this airs what comes of it come along bersica he took the wolf and locked him up in a cage with a piece of meat that satisfied in quantity at any rate the elementary conditions of the fatted calf and went off to report I came off too to r

eport the only exclusive information that is given today regarding the strange Escapade at the zoo Dr Seward's diary 17 September I was engaged after dinner in my study posting up my books which through press of other work and the many visits to Lucy had fallen sadly into a rear suddenly the door was burst open and in rushed my patient with his face distorted with passion I was Thunderstruck for such a thing as a patient getting of his own accord into the superintendent's study is almost unknown

without an instance pause he made straight at me he had a dinner knife in his hand and as I saw he was dangerous I tried to keep the table between us he was too quick and too strong for me however for before I could get my balance he had struck at me and cut my left wrist rather severely before he could strike again however I got in my right and he was sprawling on his back on the floor my wrist bled freely and quite a little pool trickled onto the carpet I saw that my friend was not intent on

further effort and occupied myself binding up my wrist keeping a weary eye on the prostrate figure all the time when the attendants rushed in and we turned our attention to him his employment positively sickened me he was lying on his belly on the floor licking up like a dog the blood which had fallen from my wounded wrist he was easily secured and to my surprise went with the attendance quite placidly simply repeating over and over again the blood is the life the blood is the life I cannot affo

rd to lose blood just at present I've lost too much of late for my physical good and then the prolonged strain of Lucy's illness and its horrible phases is telling on me I'm over excited and weary and I need rest rest happily Van Helsing has not summoned me so I need not forego my sleep tonight I could not well do without it telegram Van Helsing Antwerp to Seward Carfax sent to Carfax Sussex as no County given delivered late by 22 hours 17 September do not fail to be at hillingham tonight if not

watching all the time frequently visit and see that flowers are as placed very important do not fail shall be with you as soon as possible after arrival Dr Seward's diary 18 September just off the train to London the arrival of Van helsing's telegram filled me with dismay a whole night lost and I know by bitter experience what may happen in a night of course it is possible that all may be well but what may have happened surely there is some horrible Doom hanging over us that every possible acci

dent should thwart Us in all we try to do I shall take this cylinder with me and then I can complete my entry on Lucy's phonograph memorandum left by Lucy westenra the 17th of September night I write this and leave it to be seen so that no one may by any chance get into trouble through me this is an exact record of what took place tonight I feel I'm dying of weakness and have barely strength to write but it must be done if I die in the doing I went to bed as usual taking care that the flowers we

re placed as Dr Van Helsing directed and soon fell asleep I was waked by the flapping at the window which had begun after that sleep walking on the cliff at Whitby when Mina saved me and which now I know so well I was not afraid but I did wish that Dr Seward was in the Next Room as Dr Van Helsing said he would be so that I might have called him I tried to go to sleep but could not Then There came to me the old fear of sleep and I determined to keep awake perversely sleep would try to come then w

hen I did not want it so as I feared to be alone I opened my door and called out is there anybody there was no answer I was afraid to wake mother and so closed my door again then outside in the Shrubbery I heard a sort of howl like a dogs but more Fierce and deeper I went to the window and looked out but could see nothing except a big bat which had evidently been buffeting its wings against the window so I went back to bed again but determined not to go to sleep presently the door opened and mot

her looked in seeing by my moving that I was not asleep came in and sat by me she said to me even more sweetly and softly than her won't I was uneasy about you darling and came in to see that you were all right I feared she might catch cold sitting there and asked her to come in and sleep with me so she came into bed and lay down beside me she did not take off her dressing gown for she said she would only stay a while and then go back to her own bed as she lay there in my arms and I in hers the

flapping and buffeting came to the window again she was startled and a little frightened and cried out what is that I tried to pacify her and at last succeeded and she lay quiet but I could hear her poor dear heart still beating terribly after a while there was the low howl again out in the shrubbery and shortly after there was a crash at the window and a lot of broken glass was hurled on the floor the window blind blew back with the wind that rushed in and in the aperture of the broken pains th

ere was the head of a great gaunt gray wolf mother cried out in a fright and struggled up into a sitting posture and clutched wildly at anything that would help her amongst other things she clutched the wreath of flowers that Dr Van Helsing insisted on my wearing round my neck and tore it away from me for a second or two she sat up pointing at the wolf and there was a strange and horrible gurgling in her throat then she fell over as if struck with lightning and her head hit my forehead and made

me dizzy for a moment or two the room and all round seemed to spin round I kept my eyes fixed on the window but the wolf drew his head back and a whole Myriad of little specks seemed to come blowing in through the broken window and wheeling and circling round like the pillar of dust that Travelers describe when there is a samoon in the desert I tried to stir but there was some spell upon me and dear mother's poor body which seemed to grow cold already for her Dear Heart had ceased to beat weighe

d me down and I remembered no more for a while the time did not seem long but very very awful till I recovered Consciousness again somewhere near a passing Bell was tolling the dogs all around the neighborhood were howling and in our Shrubbery seemingly just outside a nightingale was singing I was Dazed and stupid with pain and Terror and weakness but the sound of the Nightingale seemed like the voice of my dead mother come back to comfort me The Sounds seem to have awakened the maids too for I

could hear their bare feet pattering outside my door I called to them and they came in and when they saw what had happened and what it was that lay over me on the bed they screamed out the wind rushed in through the broken window and the door slammed too they lifted off the body of my dear Mother and laid her covered up with a sheet on the bed after I had got up they were all so frightened and nervous that I directed them to go to the dining room and have each a glass of wine the door flew open

for an instant and closed again the maids shrieked and then went in a body to the dining room and I laid what flowers I had on my dear mother's breast when they were there I remembered what Dr Van Helsing had told me but I didn't like to remove them and besides I would have some of the servants to sit up with me now I was surprised that the maids did not come back I called them but got no answer so I went to the dining room to look for them my heart sank when I saw what had happened they all fou

r lay helpless on the floor breathing heavily the decanter of Sherry was on the table half full but there was a queer acrid smell about I was suspicious and examined the decanter it smelt of Lord in them and looking on the sideboard I found that the bottle which mother's doctor uses for her oh did use was empty what am I to do what am I to do I'm back in the room with mother I cannot leave her and I am alone saved for the sleeping servants whom someone has drugged alone with the dead I dare not

go out for I can hear the low howl of the wolf through the broken window the air seems full of specks floating and circling in the draft from the window and the lights burn blue and dim what am I to do God Shield me from harm this night I shall hide this paper in my breast where they shall find it when they come to lay me out my dear Mother gone it is time that I go too goodbye dear Arthur if I should not survive this night God keep you dear and God help me chapter 12 Dr Seward's diary 18th Sept

ember I drove it once to hillingham and arrived early keeping my cab at the gate I went up the Avenue alone I knocked gently and rang as quietly as possible for I feared to disturb Lucy or her mother and hope to only bring a servant to the door after a while finding no response I knocked and rang again still no answer I cursed the laziness of the servants that they should lie a bed at such an hour for it was now 10 o'clock and so rang and knocked again but more impatiently but still without resp

onse hitherto I had blamed only the servants but now a terrible fear began to assail me was this desolation but another Link in the chain of Doom which seemed drawing tight around us was it indeed a house of death to which I had come too late I knew that minutes even seconds of delay might mean hours of danger to Lucy if she had had again one of those frightful relapses and I went round the house to try if I could find by chance an entry anywhere I could find no means of Ingress every window and

door was fastened and locked and I returned baffled to the porch as I did so I heard the rapid pit pat of a swiftly driven horse's feet they stopped at the gate and a few seconds later I met Van Helsing running up the Avenue when he saw me he gasped out then it was you and just arrived how is she are we too late did you not get my Telegram I answered as quickly and coherently as I could that I'd only got his telegram early in the morning and had not lost a minute in coming here and that I could

not make anyone in the house hear me he paused and raised his hat as he said solemnly then I fear we are too late Gods will be done with his usual recuperative energy he went on come if there be no way open to get in we must make one time is All In All To Us now we went round to the back of the house where there was a kitchen window the professor took a small surgical saw from his case and handing it to me pointed to the iron bars which guarded the window I attacked them at once and it very soo

n cut through three of them then with a long thin knife we pushed back the fastening of the sashes and opened the window I helped the professor in and followed him there was no one in the kitchen or in the servants rooms which were close at hand we tried all the rooms as we went along and in the dining room dimly lit by rays of light through the shutters found four servant women lying on the floor there was no need to think them dead for their sturteress breathing and the acrid smell of laudanum

in the room left no doubt as to their condition Van Helsing and I looked at each other and as we moved away he said we can attend to them later then we ascended to Lucy's room for an instant or two we paused at the door to listen but there was no sound that we could hear with white faces and Trembling Hands we opened the door gently and entered the room how shall I describe what we saw on the bed lay two women Lucy and her mother the latter lay farthest in and she was covered with a white sheet

the edge of which had been blown back by the draft through the broken window showing the drawn white face with a look of Terror fixed upon it by her side lay Lucy with face white and still more drawn the flowers which had been around her neck we found upon her mother's bosom and her throat was Bare showing the two little wounds which we had noticed before but looking horribly white and mangled without a word the professor bent over the bed his head almost touching poor Lucy's breast then he gav

e a quick turn of his head as of one who listens and leaping to his feet he cried out to me it's not yet too late quick quick bring the Brandy I flew downstairs and returned with it taking care to smell and taste it lest it too were drugged like the decanter of Sherry which I found on the table the maids were still breathing but more restlessly and I fancied that the narcotic was wearing off I did not stay to make sure but return to Van Helsing he rubbed the Brandy as on another occasion on her

lips and gums and on her wrists and the palms of her hands he said to me I can do this all that can be at the present you go wake those Maids flick them in the face with a wet towel and flick them hard make them get heat and fire and a warm bath this poor soul is nearly as cold as that beside her she will need be heated before we can do anything more I went at once and found little difficulty in waking three of the women the fourth was only a young girl and the drug had evidently affected her mo

re strongly so I lifted her on the sofa and let her sleep the others were dazed at first but as remembrance came back to them they cried and sobbed in a hysterical manner I was Stern with them however and would not let them talk I told them that one life was bad enough to lose and that if they delayed they would sacrifice Miss Lucy so sobbing and crying they went about their way half clad as they were and prepared fire and water fortunately the kitchen and boiler fires were still alive and there

was no lack of hot water we got a bath and carried Lucy out as she was and placed her in it whilst we were busy chafing her limbs there was a knock at the hall door one of the maids ran off hurried on some more clothes and opened it then she returned and whispered to us that there was a gentleman who would come with a message from Mr Holmwood I bait her simply tell him that he must wait for we could see no one now she went away with the message and engrossed with our work I clean forgot all abo

ut him I never saw in all my experience the professor work in such deadly earnest I knew as he knew that it was a stand-up fight with death and in a pause told him so he answered me in a way that I did not understand but with the sternest look that his face could wear if that were all I would stop here where we are now and let her Fade Away into peace for I see no light in life over her Horizon he went on with his work with if possible renewed and more frenzied vigor presently we both began to b

e conscious that the heat was beginning to be of some effect Lucy's heart beat a trifle more audibly to the stethoscope and her lungs had a perceptible movement van helsing's face almost beamed and as we lifted her from the bath and rolled her in a hot sheet to dry her he said to me the first Gain Is Ours check to the king we took Lucy into another room which had by now been prepared and laid her in bed and forced a few drops of Brandy down her throat I noticed that Van Helsing tied a soft silk

handkerchief around her throat she was still unconscious and was quite as bad as if not worse than we'd ever seen her Van Helsing called in one of the women and told her to stay with her and not to take her eyes off her till we returned and then beckoned me out of the room we must consult as to what is to be done he said as we descended the stairs in the hall he opened the dining room door and we passed in he closing the door carefully behind him the shutters had been opened but the blinds were

already down with that obedience to the etiquette of death which the British woman of the lower classes always rigidly observes the room was therefore dimly dark it was however light enough for our purposes Van Helsing sternness was somewhat relieved by a look of perplexity he was evidently torturing his mind about something so I waited for an instant and he spoke what are we to do now where are we to turn for help we must have another transfusion of blood and that soon or that poor Girl's Life

won't be worth an hour's purchase you are exhausted already I am exhausted too I fear to trust those women even if they would have courage to submit what are we to do for someone who will open his veins for her what's the matter with me anyhow The Voice came from the sofa across the room and its tones brought relief and joy to my heart for they were those of Quincy Morris Van Helsing started angrily at the first sound but his face softened and a glad look came into his eyes as I cried out Quincy

Morris and rushed towards him with outstretched hands what brought you here I cried as our hands met I guess art is the cause he handed me a telegram have not heard from Seward for three days and am terribly anxious cannot leave father still in same condition send me word how Lucy is do not delay Homewood I think I came just in the nick of time you know you have only to tell me what to do Van Helsing Strode forward and took his hand looking him straight in the eyes as he said a brave man's bloo

d is the best thing on this earth when a woman is in trouble you're a man and no mistake well the devil may work against us for all he's worth but God sends us men when we want them once again we went through that ghastly operation I have not the heart to go through with the details Lucy had got a terrible shock and it told on her more than before though plenty of blood went into her veins her body did not respond to the treatment as well as on the other occasions her struggle back into life was

something frightful to see and hear however the action of both heart and lungs improved and Van Helsing made a subcutaneous injection of morphea as before and with good effect her faint became a profound slumber the professor watched whilst I went downstairs with Quincy Morris and sent one of the maids to pay off one of the cat men who were waiting I left Quincy lying down after having a glass of wine and told the cook to get ready a good breakfast then a thought struck me and I went back to th

e room where Lucy now was when I came softly in I found Van Helsing with a sheet or two of Note Paper in his hand he had evidently read it and was thinking it over as he sat with his hand to his brow there was a look of grim satisfaction in his face as of one who has had a doubt solved he handed me the paper saying only it dropped from Lucy's breast when we carried her to the bath when I'd read it I stood looking at the professor and after a pause asked him in God's name what does it all mean wa

s she or is she mad or what sort of horrible danger is it I was so bewildered that I did not know what to say more Van Helsing put out his hand and took the paper saying do not trouble about it now forget it for the present you shall know and understand it all in good time but it will be later and now what is it that you came to me to say this brought me back to fact and I was all myself again I came to speak about the certificate of death if we do not act properly and wisely there may be an inq

uest and that paper would have to be produced I'm in hopes that we need have no inquest for if we had it would surely kill poor Lucy if nothing else did I know and you know and the other doctor who attended her nose that Mrs westenra had disease of the heart and we can certify that she died of it let us fill up the certificate at once and I shall take it myself to the registrar and go on to the Undertaker good oh my friend John well thought of truly miss Lucy if she be sad in the foes that beset

her is at least happy in the friends that love her one two three all open their veins for her besides one old man ah yes I know friend John I'm not blind I love you all the more for it now go in the hall I met Quincy Morris with a telegram for Arthur telling him that Mrs westenrow was dead that Lucy also had been ill but was now going on better and that Van Helsing and I were with her I told him where I was going and he hurried me out but as I was going said when you come back Jack may I have t

wo words with you all to ourselves I nodded in reply and went out I found no difficulty about the registration and arranged with the local Undertaker to come up in the evening to measure for the coffin and to make arrangements when I got back Quincy was waiting for me I told him I would see him as soon as I knew about Lucy and went up to her room she was still sleeping and the professor seemingly had not moved from his seat at her side from his putting his finger to his lips I gathered that he e

xpected her to wake before long and was afraid of forestalling nature so I went down to Quincy and took him into the breakfast room where the blinds were not drawn down and which was a little more cheerful or rather less cheerless than the other rooms when we were alone he said to me Jack Seward I don't want to shove myself in anywhere where I've no right to be but this is no ordinary case you know I loved that girl and wanted to marry her but although that's all passed and gone I can't help fee

ling anxious about her all the same what is it that's wrong with her the Dutchman and a fine old fellow he is I can see that said that time you two came into the room that you must have another transfusion of blood and that both you and he were exhausted now I know well that you medical men speak in camera and that a man must not expect to know what they consult about in private but this is no common matter and whatever it is I have done my part is not that so that's so I said and he went on I t

ake it that both you and Van Helsing had done already what I did today is not that so that's so and I guess art was in it too when I saw him four days ago down at his own place he looked queer I've not seen anything pulled down so quick since I was on the pampus and had a mare that I was fond of go to grass all in a night one of those big bats that they call vampires had got at her in the night and what with his Gorge and the vein left open there wasn't enough blood in her to let her stand up an

d I had to put a bullet through her as she lay Jack if you may tell me without betraying confidence Arthur was the first is not that so as he spoke the poor fellow looked terribly anxious he was in a torture of suspense regarding the woman he loved and his utter ignorance of the terrible mystery which seemed to surround her intensified his pain his very heart was bleeding and it took all the manhood of him and there was a royal lot of it too to keep him from breaking down I paused before answeri

ng for I felt that I must not betray anything which the professor wished kept secret but already he knew so much and guessed so much that there could be no reason for not answering so I answered in the same phrase that's so and how long has this been going on about 10 days 10 days then I guess Jack Seward that that poor pretty creature that we all love has had put into her veins within that time the blood of four strong men alive her whole body wouldn't hold it then coming close to me he spoke i

n a fierce half whisper what took it out I shook my head that I said is the Crux Van Helsing is simply frantic about it and I'm at my wit's end I can't even Hazard a guess there's been a series of little circumstances which have thrown out all our calculations as to Lucy being properly watched but these shall not occur again here we stay until all be well or ill Quincy held out his hand Count Me In he said you and the Dutchman will tell me what to do and I'll do it when she woke late in the afte

rnoon Lucy's first movement was to feel in her breast and to my surprise produced the paper which Van Helsing had given me to read the careful Professor had replaced it where it had come from lest on waking she should be alarmed her eye then lit on Van Helsing and on me too and gladdened then she looked around the room and seeing where she was shuddered she gave a loud cry and put her poor thin hands before her pale face we both understood what that meant that she had realized to the full her mo

ther's death so we tried what we could to comfort her doubtless sympathy eased her somewhat but she was very low in thought and spirit and wept silently and weakly for a long time we told her that either or both of us would now remain with her all the time and that seemed to comfort her towards dusk she fell into a dose here a very odd thing occurred while still asleep she took the paper from her breast and tore it in too Van Helsing stepped over and took the pieces from her all the same however

she went on with the action of tearing as though the material was still in her hands finally she lifted her hands and opened them as though scattering the fragments Van Helsing seemed surprised and his brows gathered as if in thought but he said nothing 19 September all last night she slept fitfully being always afraid to sleep and something weaker when she woke from it the professor and I took it in turns to watch and we never left her for a moment unattended Quincy Morris said nothing about h

is intention but I knew that all night long he patrolled round and round the house when the day came its searching light showed the ravages in poor Lucy's strength she was hardly able to turn her head and the little nourishment which she could take seemed to do her no good at times she slept and both Van Helsing and I noticed the difference in her between sleeping and waking whilst asleep she looked stronger although more Haggard and her breathing was softer her open mouth showed the pale gums d

rawn back from the teeth which thus looked positively longer and sharper than usual when she woke the softness of her eyes evidently changed the expression for she looked her own self although a dying one in the afternoon she asked for Arthur and we Telegraph for him Quincy went off to meet him at the station when he arrived it was nearly six o'clock and the sun was setting full and warm and the red light streamed in through the window and gave more color to the pale cheeks when he saw her Arthu

r was simply choking with emotion and none of us could speak in the hours that had passed the fits of sleep or the comatose condition that passed for it had grown more frequent so that the pauses when conversation was possible were shortened Arthur's presence however seemed to act as a stimulant she rallied a little and spoke to him more brightly than she had done since we arrived he too pulled himself together and spoke as cheerily as he could so that the best was made of everything it was now

nearly one o'clock and he and Van Helsing are sitting with her I'm to relieve them in a quarter of an hour and I'm entering this on Lucy's phonograph until six o'clock they are to try to rest I fear that tomorrow will end our watching for the shock has been too great the poor child cannot rally God help us all letter Mina Haka to Lucy westenra unopened by her the 17th of September my dearest Lucy it seems an age since I heard from you or indeed since I wrote you will pardon me I know for all my

faults when you have read all my budget of news well I got my husband back all right when we arrived at Exeter there was a carriage waiting for us and in it though he had an attack of gout Mr Hawkins he took us to his house where there were rooms for us all nice and comfortable and we dined together after dinner Mr Hawkins said my dears I want to drink your health and prosperity and may every blessing attend you both I know you both from children and have with love and pride seen you grow up now

I want you to make your home here with me I've left me neither chick nor child all are gone and in my will I have left you everything I cried Lucy dear as Jonathan and the old man clasped hands our evening was a very very happy one so here we are installed in this beautiful old house and from both my bedroom and the drawing room I can see the great Elms of the cathedral close with their great black stems standing out against the old Yellowstone of the cathedral and I can hear the Rooks overhead

coring and calling and chattering and gossiping all day after the manner of Rooks and humans I am busy I need not tell you arranging things and housekeeping Jonathan and Mr Hawkins are busy all day for now that Jonathan is a partner Mr Hawkins wants to tell him all about the clients how is your dear Mother getting on I wish I could run up to town for a day or two to see you dear but I dare not go yet with so much on my shoulders and Jonathan wants looking after still he's beginning to put some

flesh on his bones again but he was terribly weakened by the long illness even now he sometimes starts out of his sleep in a sudden way and awakes all trembling until I can coax him back to his usual placidity however thank God these occasions grow less frequent as the days go on and they will in time pass away altogether I trust and now I have told you my news let me ask yours when are you to be married and where and who is to perform the ceremony and what are you to wear and is it to be a publ

ic or a private wedding tell me all about it dear tell me all about everything for there is nothing which interests you which will not be dear to me Jonathan asks me to send his respectful Duty but I do not think that is good enough from the junior partner of the important firm Hawkins and Harker and so as you love me and he loves me and I love you with all the moods and tenses of the verb I send you simply his love instead goodbye my dearest Lucy and all blessings on you yours Mina haka report

from Patrick Hennessey MD Marcy slkqcpi etc etc to John Seward MD the 20th of September my dear sir in accordance with your wishes I enclose report of the conditions of everything left in my charge with regard to Patient Renfield there is more to say he has had another outbreak which might have had a dreadful ending but which as it fortunately happened was unattended with any unhappy results this afternoon a carrier's cart with two men made a call at the empty house whose grounds are butt on our

s the house to which you will remember the patient twice ran away the men stopped at our gate to ask the porter their way as they were strangers I Was Myself looking out of the study window having a smoke after dinner and saw one of them come up to the house as he passed the window of renfield's room the patient began to rate him from within and called him all the foul names he could lay his tongue to the man who seemed a decent fellow enough contented himself by telling him to shut up for a fou

l-mouthed beggar where on our man accused him of robbing him and wanting to murder him and said that he would hinder him if he were to swing for it I opened the window and signed to the man not to notice so he contented himself after looking the place over and making up his mind as to what kind of a place he had got to by saying Lord bless you sir I wouldn't mind what was said to me in a bloom in madhouse I pity ye and the governor for having to live in the house with a wild beast like that then

he asked his way civilly enough and I told him where the Gate of the empty house was he went away followed by threats and curses and revilings from our man I went down to see if I could make out any cause for his anger since he is usually such a well-behaved man and except his violent fits nothing of the kind had ever occurred I found him to my astonishment quite composed and most genial in his manner I tried to get him to talk of the incident but he blandly asked me questions as to what I mean

t and led me to believe that he was completely oblivious of the affair it was I'm sorry to say however only another instance of his cunning for within half an hour I heard of him again this time he had broken out through the window of his room and was running down the Avenue I called to the attendants to follow me and ran after him for I feared he was intent on some mischief my fear was justified when I saw the same cart which had passed before coming down the road having on it some great wooden

boxes the men were wiping their foreheads and were flushed in the face as if with violent exercise before I could get up to him the patient rushed at them and pulling one of them off the cart began to knock his head against the ground if I had not seized him just at the moment I believe he would have killed the man there and then the other fellow jumped down and struck him over the head with the butt end of his heavy whip it was a terrible blow but he did not seem to mind it but seized him also

and struggled with the three of us pulling us to and fro as if we were kittens you know I am no lightweight and the others were both Burly men at first he was silent in his fighting but as we began to master him and the attendants were putting a straight waistcoat on him he began to shout I'll frustrate them they shan't rob me they shan't Murder Me by inches I'll fight for my Lord and Master and all sorts of similar incoherent ravings it was with very considerable difficulty that they got him b

ack to the house and put him in the padded room one of the attendants Hardy had a finger broken however I said it all right and he is going on well the two carriers were at first loud in their threats of actions for damages and promised to rain all the penalties of the law on us their threats were however mingled with some sort of indirect apology for the defeat of the two of them by a feeble Madman they said that if it had not been for the way their strength had been spent in carrying and raisi

ng the heavy boxes to the cart they would have made short work of him they gave us another reason for their defeat the extraordinary state of drought to which they had been reduced by the dusty nature of their occupation and the reprehensible distance from the scene of their labors of any place of public entertainment I quite understood their drift and after a stiff glass of Grog or rather more of the same and with each a sovereign in hand they made light of the attack and swore that they would

encounter a worse madman any day for the pleasure of meeting so blooming good a bloke as your correspondent I took their names and addresses in case they might be needed they are as follows Jack Smollett of dudding's rents King George's Road Great Woolworth and Thomas Snelling Peter Farley's row guide Court bethnal green they are both in the employment of Harris and Sons Moving and shipment company orange Masters yard Soho I shall report to you any matter of Interest occurring here and shall wir

e you at once if there is anything of importance believe me dear sir Yours Faithfully Patrick Hennessy letter Mina Haka to Lucy westenra unopened by her the 18th of September my dearest Lucy such a sad blow has befallen us Mr Hawkins has died very suddenly some may not think it's so sad for us but we had both come to so love him that it really seems as though we had lost a father I never knew either father or mother so that the dear old man's death is a real blow to me Jonathan is greatly distre

ssed it is not only that he feels sorrow deep sorrow for the dear good man who has befriended him all his life and now at the end has treated him like his own son and left him a fortune which to people of our modest bringing up is Wealth Beyond the dream of avarice but Jonathan feels it on another account he says the amount of responsibility which it puts upon him makes him nervous he begins to doubt himself I try to cheer him up and my belief in him helps him to have a belief in himself but it

is here that the grave shock that he experienced tells upon him the most oh it is too hard that a sweet simple Noble strong nature such as his a nature which enabled him by our dear good friends Aid to rise from Clark to master in a few years should be so injured that the very essence of its strength is gone forgive me dear if I worry you with my troubles in the midst of your own happiness but Lucy dear I must tell someone for the strain of keeping up a brave and cheerful appearance to Jonathan

tries me and I have no one here that I can confide in I dread coming up to London as we must do the day after tomorrow for poor Mr Hawkins left in his will that he was to be buried in the grave with his father as there are no relations at all Jonathan will have to be chief mourner I shall try to run over to see you dearest if only for a few minutes forgive me for troubling you with all blessings you're loving Mina haka Dr Seward's diary 20 September only resolution and habit can let me make an e

ntry tonight I am too miserable too low-spirited too sick of the world and all in it including life itself that I would not care if I heard this moment the flapping of the wings of the Angel of Death and he has been flapping those Grim Wings to some purpose of late Lucy's mother and Arthur's father and now let me get on with my work ideally relieved Van Helsing in his watch over Lucy we wanted Arthur to go to rest also but he refused at first it was only when I told him that we should want him t

o help us during the day and that we must not all break down for want of rest lest Lucy should suffer that he agreed to go Van Helsing was very kind to him come my child he said come with me you are sick and weak and have had much sorrow and much mental pain as well as that tax on your strength that we know of you must not be alone for to be alone is to be full of fears and alarms come to the drawing room where there is a big fire and there are two sofas you shall lie on one and I on the other a

nd our sympathy will be Comfort to each other even though we do not speak and even if we sleep Arthur went off with him casting back a longing look on Lucy's face which lay in her pillow almost whiter than the lawn she lay quite still and I looked around the room to see that all was as it should be I could see that the professor had carried out in this room as in the other his purpose of using the garlic the whole of the window sashes reeked with it and round Lucy's neck over the silk handkerchi

ef which Van Helsing made her keep on was a rough Chaplet of the same odorous flowers Lucy was breathing somewhat sturterously and her face was at its worst for the open mouth showed the pale gums her teeth in the dim uncertain light seemed longer and sharper than they had been in the morning in particular by some trick of the light the canine teeth looked longer and sharper than the rest I sat down by her and presently she moved uneasily at the same moment there came a sort of dull flapping or

buffeting at the window I went over to it softly and peeped out by the corner of the blind there was a full Moonlight and I could see that the noise was made by a great bat which wheeled round doubtless attracted by the Light although so dim and every now and again struck the window with its wings when I came back to my seat I found that Lucy had moved slightly and had torn away the garlic flowers from her throat I replaced them as well as I could and sat watching her presently she woke and I ga

ve her food as Van Helsing had prescribed she took but a little and that languidly there did not seem to be with her now the unconscious struggle for life and strength that had hitherto so marked her illness it struck me as curious that the moment she became conscious she pressed the garlic flowers close to her it was certainly odd that whenever she got into that lethargic state with the sturtorous breathing she put the flowers from her but that when she waked she clutched them close there was n

o possibility of making any mistake about this for in the long hours that followed she had many spells of sleeping and waking and repeated both actions many times at six o'clock Van Helsing came to relieve me Arthur had then fallen into a dose and he mercifully let him sleep on when he saw Lucy's face I could hear the sissing in draw of his breath and he said to me in a sharp whisper draw up the blind I want light then he bent down and with his face almost touching Lucy's examined her carefully

he removed the flowers and lifted the silk handkerchief from her throat as he did so he started back and I could hear his ejaculation mine got as it was smothered in his throat I bent over and looked too and as I noticed some queer chill came over me the wounds on the throat had absolutely disappeared for fully five minutes Van Helsing stood looking at her with his face at its sternest then he turned to me and said calmly she is dying it will not be long now it will be much difference Mark me wh

ether she dies conscious or in her sleep wake that poor boy and let him come and see the last he trusts us and we have promised him I went to the dining room and waked him he was Dazed for a moment but when he saw the sunlight streaming in through the edges of the shutters he thought he was late and expressed his fear I assured him that Lucy was still asleep but told him as gently as I could that both Van Helsing and I feared that the end was near he covered his face with his hands and slid down

on his knees by the sofa where he remained perhaps a minute with his head buried praying whilst his shoulders shook with grief I took him by the hand and raised him up come I said my dear old fellow summon all your fortitude it will be best and easiest for her when we came into Lucy's room I could see that Van Helsing had with his usual forethought been putting matters straight and making everything look as pleasing as possible he had even brushed Lucy's hair so that it lay on the pillow in its

usual Sunny ripples when we came into the room she opened her eyes and seeing him whispered Softly Arthur oh my love I am so glad you have come he was stooping to kiss her when Van Helsing motioned him back no he whispered not yet hold her hand it will comfort her more so Arthur took her hand and knelt beside her and she looked her best with all the soft lines matching the Angelic beauty of her eyes then gradually her eyes closed and she sank to sleep for a little bit her breast heaved softly a

nd her breath came and went like a tired child's And Then insensibly There came the strange change which I had noticed in the night her breathing grew sterterous the mouth opened and the pale gums drawn back made the teeth look longer and sharper than ever in a sort of sleep waking vague unconscious way she opened her eyes which were now dull and hard at once and said in a soft voluptuous Voice such as I'd never heard from her lips Arthur oh my love I am so glad you have come kiss me Arthur bent

eagerly over to kiss her but at that instant Van Helsing who like me had been startled by her voice swooped upon him and catching him by the neck with both hands dragged him back with a fury of strength which I never thought he could have possessed and actually hurled him almost across the room not for your life he said not for your living soul and hers and he stood between them like a lion at Bay Arthur was so taken aback that he did not for a moment know what to do or say and before any impul

se of violence could seize him he realized the place and the occasion and stood silent waiting I kept my eyes fixed on Lucy as did Van Helsing and we saw a spasm as of Rage flit like a shadow over her face the sharp teeth chapped together then her eyes closed and she breathed heavily very shortly after she opened her eyes in all their softness and putting out her poor pale thin hand took van helsing's great brown one drawing it to her she kissed it my true friend she said in a faint voice but wi

th untellable pathos my true friend and his o guard him and give me peace I swear it he said solemnly kneeling beside her and holding up his hand as one who registers an oath then he turned to Arthur and said to him come my child take her hand in yours and kiss her on the forehead and only once their eyes met instead of their lips and so they parted Lucy's eyes closed and Van Helsing who had been watching closely took Arthur's arm and Drew him away and then Lucy's breathing became sturtorous aga

in and all at once it ceased it is all over said Van Helsing she is dead I took Arthur by the arm and led him away to the drawing room where he sat down and covered his face with his hands sobbing in a way that nearly broke me down to Sea I went back to the room and found Van Helsing looking at poor Lucy and his face was Sterner than ever some change had come over her body death had given back part of her beauty for her brow and cheeks had recovered some of their flowing lines even the lips had

lost their deadly power it was as if the blood no longer needed for the working of the heart had gone to make the harshness of death as little rude as might be we thought her dying while she slept and sleeping when she died I Stood Beside Van Helsing and said ah well poor girl there is peace for her at last it is the end he turned to me and said with grave solemnity not so alas not so it is only the beginning when I asked him what he meant he only shook his head and answered we can do nothing as

yet wait and see chapter 13 Dr Seward's diary continued the funeral was arranged for the next succeeding day so that Lucy and her mother might be buried together I attended to all the ghastly formalities and the Urbane Undertaker proved that his staff were Afflicted or blessed with something of his own obsequious suavity even the woman who performed the last officers for the dead remarked to me in a confidential brother professional way when she had come out from the death chamber she makes a v

ery beautiful corpse sir it's quite a privilege to attend on her it's not too much to say that she will do credit to our establishment I noticed that Van Helsing never kept far away this was possible from the disordered state of things in the household there were no relatives at hand and as Arthur had to be back the next day to attend at his father's funeral we were unable to notify anyone who should have been bitten under the circumstances Van Helsing and I took it upon ourselves to examine pap

ers Etc he insisted upon looking over Lucy's papers himself I asked him why for I feared that he being a foreigner might not be quite aware of English legal requirements and so might in ignorance makes some unnecessary trouble he answered me I know I know you forget that I am a lawyer as well as a doctor but this is not all together for the law you knew that when you avoided the coroner I have more than him to avoid there may be papers more such as this as he spoke he took from his pocketbook th

e memorandum which had been in Lucy's breast and which she had torn in her sleep when you find anything of the solicitor who is for the late Mrs westenra seal all her papers and write him tonight for me I watch here in the room and in Miss Lucy's old room all night and I myself search for what may be it is not well that her very thoughts go into the hands of strangers I went on with my part of the work and in another half hour had found the name and address of Mrs westenra's solicitor and had wr

itten to him all the poor ladies papers were in order explicit directions regarding the place of burial were given I had hardly sealed the letter went to my surprise Van Helsing walked into the room saying can I help you friend John I am free and if I may my services to you have you got what you looked for I asked to which he replied I did not look for any specific thing I only hope to find and find I have all that there was only some letters and a few memoranda and a diary new begun but I have

them here and we shall for the present say nothing of them I shall see that poor lad tomorrow evening and with his sanction I shall use some when we had finished the work in hand he said to me and now friend John I think we made to bed we want sleep both you and I and rest to recuperate tomorrow we shall have much to do but for the tonight there is no need of us alas before turning in we went to look at poor Lucy The Undertaker had certainly done his work well for the room was turned into a smal

l Chapel ardant there was a Wilderness of beautiful white flowers and death was made as little repulsive as might be the end of the winding sheet was laid over the face when the professor bent over and turned it gently back we both started at the beauty before us the tall wax candles showing a sufficient light to note it well all Lucy's loveliness had come back to her in death and the hours that had passed instead of leaving traces of decays if facing fingers had but restored the beauty of Life

till positively I could not believe my eyes that I was looking at a corpse the professor looked sternly grave he had not loved her as I had and there was no need for Tears in his eyes he said to me remain till I return and left the room he came back with a handful of wild garlic from the box waiting in the hall but which had not been opened and placed the flowers amongst the others on and around the bed than he took from his neck inside his collar a little gold crucifix and placed it over the mo

uth He restored the sheet to its place and we came away I was undressing in my own room when with a Promontory tap at the door he entered and at once began to speak tomorrow I want you to bring me before night a set of post-mortem knives must we make an autopsy I asked yes and no I want to operate but not as you think let me tell you now but not a word to another I want to cut off her head and take out her heart are you a surgeon and so shocked you whom I have seen with no tremble of hand or hea

rt do operations of life and death that make the rest shudder oh but I must not forget my dear friend John that you loved her and I have not forgotten it for it is I that shall operate and you must only help I would like to do it tonight but for Arthur I must not he will be free after his father's funeral tomorrow and he will want to see her to see it then when she is coffined ready for the next day you and I shall come when all sleep we shall unscrew the coffin lid and shall do our operation an

d then replace all so that none know save we alone but why do it at all the girl is dead why mutilate her poor body without need and if there is no necessity for a post-mortem and nothing to gain by it no good to her to us to science to human knowledge why do it without such it is monstrous for answer he put his hand on my shoulder and said with infinite tenderness friend John I pity your poor bleeding heart and I love you the more because it does so bleed if I could I would take on myself the b

urden that you do bear but there are things that you know not but that you shall know and bless me for knowing though they are not pleasant things John my child you have been my friend now many years and yet did you ever know me to do any without good cause I may ER I am but man but I believe in all I do was it not for these causes that you send for me when the Great trouble came yes were you not amazed nay horrified when I would not let Arthur kiss his love though she was dying and snatched him

away by all my strength yes and yet you saw how she thanked me with her so beautiful dying eyes her voice too so weak and she kissed my ruffled hand and bless me yes and did you not hear me swear promise to her that so she closed her eyes grateful yes well I have good reason now for all I want to do you have for many years trust me you have believed me weeks past when there be things so strange that you might have well doubt believe me yet a little friend John if you trust me not then I must te

ll what I think and that is not perhaps well and if I work as work I shall no matter trust or no trust without my friend trust in me I work with heavy heart and feel oh so lonely when I want all help and courage that may be he paused a moment and went on solemnly friend John there are strange and terrible days before us let us not be two but one that so we work to a good end will you not have faith in me I took his hand and promised him I held my door open as he went away and watched him go into

his room and close the door as I stood without moving I saw one of the maids passed silently along the passage she had her back towards me so did not see me and go into the room where Lucy lay the sight touched me devotion is so rare and we are so grateful to those who show it unassed to those we love here was a poor girl putting aside the Terrors which she naturally had of death to go watch Alone by the beer of the mistress whom she loved so that the poor clay might not be lonely till late to

Eternal rest I must have slept long and soundly for it was broad daylight when Van Helsing waked me by coming into my room he came over to my bedside and said you need not trouble about the knives we shall not do it why not I asked for his solemnity of the night before had greatly impressed me because he said sternly it is too late or too early see here he held up the little golden crucifix this was stolen in the night how stolen I asked in Wonder since you have it now because I get it back from

the worthless wretch who stole it from the woman who robbed the dead and the living her punishment will surely come but not through me she knew not altogether what she did and thus unknowing she only stole now we must wait he went away on the word leaving me with a new mystery to think of a new puzzle to Grapple with the four noon was a dreary time but at noon the solicitor came Mr Marquand of Holman Sons Marquand and lidderdale he was very genial and very appreciative of what we had done and t

ook off our hands all cares as to details during lunch he told us that Mrs westenra had for some time expected sudden death from her heart and had put her Affairs in absolute order he informed us that with the exception of a certain entailed property of Lucy's fathers which now in default of direct issue went back to a distant branch of the family the whole estate real and personal was left absolutely to Arthur Holmwood when he had told us so much he went on frankly we did our best to prevent su

ch a testamentary disposition and pointed out certain contingencies that might leave her daughter either penniless or not so free as she should be to act regarding a matrimonial Alliance indeed we pressed the matter so far that we almost came into Collision for she asked us if we were or were not prepared to carry out her wishes of course we had then no alternative but to accept we were right in principle and 99 times out of a hundred we should have proved by the logic of events the accuracy of

our judgment frankly however I must admit that in this case any other form of disposition would have rendered impossible the carrying out of her wishes for by her pre-deceasing her daughter the latter would have come into possession of the property and even had she only survived her mother by five minutes her property would in case there were no will and a will was a practical impossibility in such a case have been treated at her decease as under intestacy in which case Lord godelming though so

dear a friend would have had no claim in the world and the inheritors being remote would not be likely to abandon their just rights for sentimental reasons regarding an entire stranger I assure you my dear sirs I am rejoiced at the result perfectly rejoiced he was a good fellow but is rejoicing at the one little part in which he was officially interested of so great a tragedy was an object lesson in the limitations of sympathetic understanding he did not remain long but said he would look in lat

er in the day and see Lord godelming his coming however had been a certain Comfort to us since it assured us that we should not have to dread hostile criticism as to any of our Acts Arthur was expected at five o'clock so a little before that time we visited the death chamber it was so in very Truth for now both mother and daughter lay in it the Undertaker true to his craft had made the best display he could of his goods and there was a mortuary Heir about the place that lowered our Spirits at on

ce Van Helsing ordered the former arrangement to be adhered to explaining that as Lord godelming was coming very soon it would be less harrowing to his feelings to see all that was left of his fiancee quite alone The Undertaker seemed shocked at his own stupidity and exerted himself to restore things to the condition in which we left them the night before so that when Arthur came such shocks to his feelings as we could avoid was saved poor fellow he looked desperately sad and broken even his sta

lwart manhood seemed to have shrunk somewhat under the strain of his much tried emotions he had I knew been very genuinely and devotedly attached to his father and to lose him and at such a time was a bitter blow to him with me he was warm as ever and to Van Helsing he was sweetly courteous but I could not help seeing that there was some constraint with him the professor noticed it too and motioned me to bring him upstairs I did so and left him at the door of the room as I felt he would like to

be quite alone with her but he took my arm and led me in saying huskily you loved her two old fellow she told me all about it and there was no friend had a closer place in her heart than you I don't know how to thank you for all you have done for her I can't think yet here he suddenly broke down and threw his arms around my shoulders and laid his head on my breast crying oh Jack Jack what shall I do the whole of life seems gone from me all at once and there is nothing in the wide world for me to

live for I comforted him as well as I could in such cases men do not need much expression a grip of the hand the tightening of an arm over the shoulder a sob in unison are expressions of sympathy dear to a man's heart I Stood Still and Silent till his sobs died away and then I said softly to him come and look at her together we moved over to the bed and I lifted the lawn from her face God how beautiful she was every hour seemed to be enhancing her loveliness it frightened and amazed me somewhat

and as for Arthur he fell a trembling and finally was shaken with doubt as with an ague at last after a long pause he said to me in a faint whisper Jack is she really dead I assured him sadly that it was so and went on to suggest for I felt that such a horrible doubt should not have life for a moment longer than I could help that it often happened that after death faces became softened and even resolved into their youthful Beauty that this was especially so when death had been preceded by any a

cute or prolonged suffering it seemed to quite do away with any doubt and after kneeling beside the couch for a while and looking at her lovingly and long he turned aside I told him that that must be goodbye as the coffin had to be prepared so he went back and took her dead hand in his and kissed it and bent over and kissed her forehead he came away fondly looking back over his shoulder at her as he came I left him in the drawing room and told Van Helsing that he had said goodbye so the latter w

ent to the kitchen to tell the Undertaker's men to proceed with the preparations and to screw up the coffin when he came out of the room again I told him of Arthur's question and he replied I'm not surprised just now I doubted for a moment myself we all dine together and I could see that poor art was trying to make the best of things Van Helsing had been silent all dinner time but when we had lit our cigars he said Lord but Arthur interrupted him no no not that for God's sake not yet at any rate

forgive me sir I did not mean to speak offensively it is only because my loss is so recent the professor answered very sweetly I only use that name because I was in doubt I must not call you mister and I have grown to love you yes my dear boy to love you as Arthur Arthur held out his hand and took the old man's warmly call me what you will he said I hope I may always have the title of a friend and let me say that I'm at a loss for words to thank you for your goodness to my poor dear he paused a

moment and went on I know that she understood your goodness even better than I do and if I was rude or in any way wanting at that time you acted so you remember the professor nodded you must forgive me he answered with a grave kindness I know it was hard for you to quite trust me then for to trust such violence needs to understand and I take it that you do not that you cannot trust me now for you do not yet understand and there may be more times when I shall want you to trust when you cannot an

d may not and must not yet understand but the time will come when your trust shall be whole and complete in me and when you shall understand as though the sunlight himself Shone through then you shall bless me from first to last for your own sake and for the sake of others and for her dear sake to whom I swore to protect and indeed indeed sir said Arthur warmly I shall in always trust you I know and believe you have a very Noble heart and you are Jack's friend and you were hers you shall do what

you like the professor cleared his throat a couple of times as though about to speak and finally said may I ask you something now certainly you know that Mrs westenra left you all her property no poor dear I never thought of it and as it is all yours you have a right to deal with it as you will I want you to give me permission to read all Miss Lucy's papers and letters believe me it is no idle curiosity I have a motive of which be sure she would have approved I have them all here I took them be

fore we knew that all was yours so that no strange hand might touch them no strange eye look through words into her soul I shall keep them if I may even you may not see them yet but I shall keep them safe no word shall be lost and in the good time I shall give them back to you it's a hard thing I ask but you will do it will you not for Lucy's sake Arthur spoke out heartily like his old self Dr Van Helsing you may do what you will I feel that in saying this I am doing what my dear one would have

approved I shall not trouble you with questions till the time comes the old Professor stood up as he said solemnly and you are right there will be pain for us all but it will not be all pain nor will this pain be the last we and you too you most of all my dear boy will have to pass through the bitter water before we reach the suite but we must be brave of heart and unselfish and do our duty and all will be well I slept on a sofa in Arthur's room that night Van Helsing did not go to bed at all he

went to and fro as if patrolling the house and was never out of sight of the room where Lucy lay in her coffin strewn with the wild garlic flowers which sent through the odor of Lillian Rose a heavy overpowering smell Into the Night minahaka's Journal 22 September in the train to Exeter Jonathan sleeping it seems only yesterday that the last entry was made and yet how much between then in Whitby and all the world before me Jonathan away and no news of him and now married to Jonathan Jonathan a

solicitor a partner Rich master of his business Mr Hawkins dead and buried and Jonathan with another attack that may harm him someday he may ask me about it down it all goes I am Rusty in my shorthand see what unexpected Prosperity does for us so it may be as well to freshen it up again with an exercise anyhow the service was very simple and very solemn they were only ourselves and the servants there one or two old friends of his from Exeter his London agent and a Gentleman representing Sir John

Paxton the president of the Incorporated Law Society Jonathan and I stood hand in hand and we felt that our best and dearest friend was gone from us we came back to town quietly taking a bus to Hyde Park corner Jonathan thought it would interest me to go into the row for a while so we sat down but there were very few people there and it was sad looking and desolate to see so many empty chairs it made us think of the empty chair at home so we got up and walked down Piccadilly Jonathan was holdin

g me by the arm the way he used to in old days before I went to school I felt it very improper if you can't go on for some years teaching etiquette and decorum to other girls without the pedantry of it biting into yourself a bit but it was Jonathan and he was my husband and we didn't know anybody who saw us and we didn't care if they did so when we walked I was looking at a very beautiful girl in a big cartwheel hat sitting in a Victoria outside giliano's when I felt Jonathan clutch my arm so ti

ght that he hurt me and he said under his breath my God I'm always anxious about Jonathan for I fear that some nervous fit may upset him again so I turned to him quickly and asked him what it was that Disturbed him he was very pale and his eyes seemed bulging out as half in Terror and half in amazement he gazed at a tall thin man with a beaky nose and black mustache and pointed beard who was also observing the pretty girl he was looking at her so hard that he did not see either of us and so I ha

d a good view of him his face was not a good face it was hard and cruel and sensual and his big white teeth that looked all the whiter because his lips were so red were pointed like an animal's Jonathan kept staring at him till I was afraid he would notice I feared he might take it ill he looked so Fierce and nasty I asked Jonathan why he was Disturbed and he answered evidently thinking that I knew as much about it as he did do you see who it is no dear I said I don't know him who is it his answ

er seemed to shock and thrill me for it was said as if he did not know that it was to me Mina to whom he was speaking it is the man himself the poor deer was evidently terrified at something very greatly terrified I do believe that if he had not had me to lean on and to support him he would have sunk down he kept staring a man came out of the shop with a small parcel and gave it to the lady who then drove off the dark man kept his eyes fixed on her and when the carriage moved up Piccadilly he fo

llowed in the same direction and hailed a handsome Jonathan kept looking after him and said as if to himself I believe it is the count but he has grown young my God if this be so oh my God my God if I only knew if I only knew he was distressing himself so much that I feared to keep his mind on the subject by asking him any questions so I remained silent I drew him away quietly and he holding my arm came easily we walked a little further and then went in and sat for a while in the Green Park it w

as a hot day for Autumn and there was a comfortable seat in a shady place after a few minutes staring at nothing Jonathan's eyes closed and he went quietly into asleep with his head on my shoulder I thought it was the best thing for him so did not disturb him in about 20 minutes he woke up and said to me quite cheerfully why Mina have I been asleep oh do forgive me for being so rude come and we'll have a cup of tea somewhere he had evidently forgotten all about the dark stranger as in his illnes

s he had forgotten all that this episode had reminded him of I don't like this lapsing into forgetfulness it may make or continue some injury to the brain I must not ask him for fear I shall do more harm than good but I must somehow learn the facts of his journey abroad the time has come I fear when I must open that parcel and know what is written oh Jonathan you will I know forgive me if I do wrong but it is for your own dear sake later a sad Homecoming in every way the house empty of the dear

Soul who was so good to us Jonathan still pale and dizzy under a slight relapse of his Melody and now a telegram from Van Helsing whoever he may be you will be grieved to hear that Mrs westenra died five days ago and that Lucy died the day before yesterday they were both buried today oh what a wealth of sorrow in a few words poor Mrs westenra poor Lucy gone gone never to return to us and poor poor Arthur to have lost such sweetness out of his life God help us all to Bear our troubles Dr Seward's

diary 22 September it is all over Arthur has gone back to ring and has taken Quincy Morris with him What a fine fellow is Quincy I believe in my heart of hearts that he suffered as much about Lucy's death as any of us but he bore himself through it like a moral Viking if America can go on breeding men like that she will be a power in the world indeed Van Helsing is lying down having a rest Preparatory to his journey he goes over to Amsterdam tonight but says he returns tomorrow night that he on

ly wants to make some arrangements which can only be made personally he has to stop with me then if he can he says he has work to do in London which may take him some time poor old fellow I fear that the strain of the past week has broken down even his iron strength all the time of the burial he was I could see putting some terrible restraint on himself when it was all over we were standing beside Arthur Who poor fellow was speaking of his part in the operation where his blood had been transfuse

d to his Lucy's veins I could see van helsing's face grow white and purple by turns Arthur was saying that he felt since then as if they too had been really married and that she was his wife in the sight of God none of us said a word of the other operations and none of us ever shall Arthur and Quincy went away together to the station and Van Helsing and I came on here the moment we were alone in the carriage he gave way to a regular fit of hysterics he has denied to me since that it was hysteric

s and insisted that it was only his sense of humor asserting itself under very terrible conditions he laughed till he cried and I had to draw down the blinds lest anyone should see us and misjudge and then he cried till he laughed again and laughed and cried together just as a woman does I tried to be Stern with him as one is to a woman under the circumstances but it had no effect men and women are so different in manifestations of nervous strength or weakness then when his face grew grave and S

tern again I asked him why his mirth and why at such a time his reply was in a way characteristic of him for it was logical and forceful and mysterious he said ah you don't comprehend friend John do not think that I am not sad though I laugh see I have cried even when the laugh did choke me but no more think that I'm all sorry when I cry for the laugh he come just the same keep it always with you that laughter who knock at your door and say may I come in is not the true laughter no he is a king

and he come when and how he like he asked no person he choose no time of suitability he say I am here behold in example I grieve my heart out for that so sweet young girl I give my blood for her though I'm old and worn I give my time my skill my sleep I let my other sufferers want that so she may have all and yet I can laugh at her very grave laugh when the clay from the Spade of the sexton drop upon a coffin and say thud thud to my heart till it send back the blood from my cheek my heart bleed

for that poor boy that dear boy so of the age of mine own boy had I been so blessed that he live and with his hair and eyes the same there you know now why I love him so And yet when he say things that touch my husband heart to the quick and make my father heart yearn to him as to no other man not even to you friend John for we are more level in experiences than father and son yet even at such moment King laugh he come to me and shout and Bellow in my ear here I am here I am till the blood Come

Dance back and bring some of the sunshine that he carry with him to my cheek oh friend John it is a strange World a sad world a world full of miseries and woes and troubles and yet when King laugh come he make them all dance to the tune he play Bleeding Hearts and dry bones of the churchyard and tears that burn as they fall all dance together to the music that he make with that smileless mouth of him and believe me friend John that he is good to come and kind are we men and women are like ropes

drawn tight with strain that pull us different ways then tears come and like the rain on the ropes they brace us up until perhaps The Strain become too great and we break but King laugh he come like the sunshine and he ease off the strain again and we bear to go on with our labor what it may be I did not like to wound him by pretending not to see his idea but as I did not yet understand the cause of his laughter I asked him as he answered me his face grew Stern and he said in quite a different t

one oh it was the Grim irony of it all this so lovely lady garlanded with flowers that looked so fair as life till one by one we wondered if she were truly dead she laid in that so fine Marble House in that lonely churchyard where rest so many of her kin laid there with the mother who loved her and whom she loved and that sacred Bell going tall tall so sad and slow and those holy men with the white garments of the Angel pretending to read books and yet all the time their eyes never on the page a

nd all of us with the bowed head and all for what she is dead so is it not well for the life of me Professor I said I can't see anything to laugh at in all that while your explanation makes it a harder puzzle than before but even if the burial service was comic what about poor art and his trouble why his heart was simply breaking just so said he not that the transfusion of his blood to her veins had made her truly his bride yes and it was a sweet and comforting idea for him quite so but there wa

s a difficulty friend John if so that then what about the others ho ho then this so sweet maid is a polyandrist and me with my poor wife dead to me but Alive by Church's law though no wits all gone even I who am faithful husband to this now no wife and bigamist I don't see where the joke comes in there either I said and I did not feel particularly pleased with him for saying such things he laid his hand on my arm and said friend John forgive me if I pain I showed not my feeling to others when it

would wound but only to you my old friend whom I can trust if you could have looked into my very heart then when I want to laugh if you could have done so when the laugh arrived if you could do so now when King laugh of pack up his crown and all that is to him for he go far far away from me and for a long long time maybe you would perhaps pity me the most of all I was touched by the tenderness of his tone and asked why because I know and now we are all scattered and for many a long day loneline

ss will sit over our roofs with brooding wings Lucy lies in the Tomb of her kin a lordly Death House in a lonely churchyard away from teaming London where the air is fresh and the sun rises over Hampstead Hill and where wild flowers grow of their own accord so I can finish this diary and God only knows if I shall ever begin another if I do or if I even open this again it will be to deal with different people and different themes for here at the end where the romance of my life is told air I go b

ack to take up the thread of my life work I say sadly and without hope Venus the Westminster Gazette the 25th of September a Hampstead mystery the neighborhood of Hampstead is just at present exercised with a series of events which seem to run on lines parallel to those of what was known to the writers of headlines as the Kensington horror or the stabbing woman or The Woman in Black during the past two or three days several cases have occurred of young children straying from home or neglecting t

o return from their playing on the Heath in all these cases the children were too young to give any properly intelligible account of themselves but the consensus of their excuses is that they had been with a blue for lady it has always been late in the evening when they have been missed and on two occasions the children have not been found until early in the following morning it is generally supposed in the neighborhood that as the first child missed gave as his reason for being away that a blue

for lady had asked him to come for a walk the others had picked up the phrase and used it as occasion served this is the more natural as the favorite game of the little ones at present is luring each other Away by Wiles a correspondent writes us that to see some of the Tiny Tots pretending to be the blue for lady is supremely funny some of our caricaturists might he says take a lesson in the irony of grotesque by comparing the reality and the picture it is only in accordance with general princi

ples of human nature that the blue for lady should be the popular role at these Alfresco performances our correspondent naively says that even Ellen Terry could not be so winningly attractive as some of these grubby-faced little children pretend and even imagine themselves to be there is however possibly a serious side to the question for some of the children indeed all who have been missed at night have been slightly torn or wounded in the throat the wounds seems such as might be made by a rat

or a small dog and although of not much importance individually would tend to show that whatever animal inflicts them has a system or method of its own the police of the division have been instructed to keep a sharp lookout for straying children especially when very young in and around Hampstead Heath and for any stray dog which may be about the Westminster Gazette the 25th of September extra special the Hampstead horror another child injured the blue for lady we have just received intelligence

that another child missed last night was only discovered late in the morning under a furs Bush at the shooter's Hillside of Hampstead Heath which is perhaps less frequented than the other parts it has the same tiny wound in the throat as has been noticed in other cases it was terribly weak and looked quite emaciated it too when partially restored had the common story to tell of being lured Away by the bloofer lady chapter 14. Mina haka's Journal 23 September Jonathan is better after a bad night

I'm so glad that he has plenty of work to do for that keeps his mind off the terrible things and oh I am rejoiced that he is not now weighed down with the responsibility of his new position I knew he would be true to himself and now how proud I am to see my Jonathan rising to the height of his advancement and keeping Pace in all ways with the duties that come upon him he will be away all day till late for he said he could not lunch at home my household work is done so I shall take his foreign jo

urnal and lock myself up in my room and read it 24 September I hadn't the heart to write last night that terrible record of Jonathan's upset me so poor dear how he must have suffered whether it be true or only imagination I wonder if there is any truth in it at all did he get his brain fever and then write all those terrible things or had he some cause for it all I suppose I shall never know for I dare not open the subject to him and yet that man we saw yesterday he seemed quite certain of him p

oor fellow I suppose it was the funeral upset him and sent his mind back on some train of thought he believes it all himself I remember how on our wedding day he said unless some solemn Duty come upon me to go back to the bitter hours asleep or awake mad or sane there seems to be through it all some thread of continuity that fearful count was coming to London if it should be and he came to London with his teeming Millions there may be a solemn Duty and if it come we must not shrink from it I sha

ll be prepared I shall get my typewriter this very hour and begin transcribing then we shall be ready for other eyes if required and if it be wanted then perhaps if I am ready poor Jonathan may not be upset for I can speak for him and never let him be troubled or worried with it at all if ever Jonathan quite gets over the nervousness he may want to tell me of it all and I can ask him questions and find out things and see how I may comfort him letter Van Helsing to Mrs Harker the 24th of Septembe

r confidence dear madam I pray you to pardon my writing in that I am so far friend as that I sent to you sad news of Miss Lucy westenra's death by the kindness of Lord godelming I am empowered to read her letters and papers for I am deeply concerned about certain matters vitally important in them I find some letters from you which show how great friends you were and how you love her Oh madamina by that love I implore you help me it is for others good that I ask to redress great wrong and to lift

much and terrible troubles that may be more great than you can know may it be that I see you you can trust me I am friend of Dr John Seward and of Lord godelming that was Arthur of Miss Lucy I must keep it private for the present from all I should come to Exeter to see you at once if you tell me I am privileged to come and where and when I implore your pardon Madam I've read your letters to poor Lucy and know how good you are and how your husbands suffer so I pray you if it may be Enlighten him

not lest it may harm again your pardon and forgive me Van Helsing telegram Mrs Harker to Van Helsing 25 September Come Today by quarter past 10 train if you can catch it can see you anytime you call Wilhelmina Haka Mina haka's Journal 25 September I cannot help feeling terribly excited as the time draws near for the visit of Dr Van Helsing for somehow I expect that it will throw some light upon Jonathan's sad experience and as he attended poor dear Lucy in her last illness he can tell me all ab

out her that is the reason of his coming it is concerning Lucy and her sleepwalking and not about Jonathan then I shall never know the real truth now how silly I am that awful Journal gets hold of my imagination and tinges everything with something of its own color of course it is about Lucy that habit came back to the poor dear and that awful night on the cliff must have made her ill I'd almost forgotten in my own Affairs how ill she was afterwards she must have told him of her sleepwalking Adv

enture on the cliff and that I knew all about it and now he wants me to tell him what she knows so that he may understand I hope I did right in not saying anything of it to Mrs westenra I should never forgive myself if any Act of mine were it even a negative one brought harm on poor dear Lucy I hope too Dr Van Helsing will not blame me I have had so much trouble and anxiety of late that I feel I cannot bear more just at present I suppose a cry does us all good at times clears the air as other ra

in does perhaps it was reading the journal yesterday that upset me and then Jonathan went away this morning to stay away from me a whole day and night the first time we've been parted since our marriage I do hope the dear fellow will take care of himself and that nothing will occur to upset him it is two o'clock and the doctor will be here soon now I shall say nothing of Jonathan's Journal unless he asks me I'm so glad I have typewritten out my own journal so that in case he asks about Lucy I ca

n hand it to him it will save much questioning later he has come and gone oh what a strange meeting and how it all makes my head whirl round I feel like one in a dream can it be all possible or even a part of it if I had not read Jonathan's Journal first I should never have accepted even a possibility poor poor dear Jonathan how he must have suffered please the good God all this may not upset him again I shall try to save him from it but it may be even a consolation and a help to him terrible th

ough it be and awful in its consequences to know for certain that his eyes and ears and brain did not deceive him and that it is all true it may be that it is the doubt which haunts him that when the doubt is removed no matter which waking or dreaming may prove the truth he will be more satisfied and better able to Bear the shock Dr Van Helsing must be a good man as well as a clever one if he is Arthur's friend and Dr sewards and if they brought him all the way from Holland to look after Lucy I

feel from having seen him that he is good and kind and of a noble nature when he comes tomorrow I shall ask him about Jonathan and then please God all this sorrow and anxiety may lead to a good end I used to think I would like to practice interviewing Jonathan's friend on the Exeter news told him that memory was everything in such work that you must be able to put down exactly almost every word spoken even if you had to refine some of it afterwards here was a rare interview I shall try to record

it verbatim it was half past two o'clock when the knock came I took my courage at Duma and waited in a few minutes Mary opened the door and announced Dr Van Helsing I Rose and bowed and he came towards me a man of medium weight strongly built with his shoulders set back over a broad deep chest and a neck well balanced on the trunk as the head is on the neck the Poise of the head strikes one at once as indicative of thought and power the head is Noble well-sized Broad and large behind the ears t

he face clean shaven shows a hard Square chin a large Resolute mobile mouth a good sized nose rather straight but with quick sensitive nostrils that seem to broaden as the big bushy brows come down and the mouth tightens the forehead is Broad and fine rising at first almost straight and then sloping back above two bumps or ridges wide apart such a forehead that the reddish hair cannot possibly tumble over it but Falls naturally back and to the sides big dark blue eyes are set widely apart and ar

e quick and tender or Stern with the man's moods he said to me Mrs Harker is it not I bowed a scent that was Miss Mina Murray again I ascended it is Mina Murray that I came to see that was friend of that poor dear child Lucy westenra madamina it is on account of the Dead I come sir I said you could have no better claim on me than that you were a friend and helper of Lucy westendra and I held out my hand he took it and said tenderly oh madamina I knew that the friend of that poor Lily girl must b

e good but I had yet to learn he finished his speech with a courtly bow I asked him what it was that he wanted to see me about so he had once began I have read your letters to Miss Lucy forgive me but I had to begin to inquire somewhere and there was none to ask I know that you were with her at Whitby she sometimes kept a diary you need not look surprised Madam Mina it was begun after you had left and was an imitation of you and in that diary she Traces by inference certain things to a sleepwalk

ing in which she puts down that you saved her in great perplexity then I come to you and ask you out of your so much kindness to tell me all of it that you can remember I can tell you I think Dr Van Helsing all about it ah then you have good memory for facts for details it is not always so with young ladies no doctor but I wrote it all down at the time I can show it to you if you like oh madamina I will be grateful you will do me much favor I could not resist the temptation of mystifying him a b

it I suppose it is some of the taste of the original Apple that remains still in our mouths so I handed him the shorthand diary he took it with a grateful bow and said may I read it if you wish I answered as demurely as I could he opened it and for an instant his face fell then he stood up and bowed oh you so clever woman he said I knew long that Mr Jonathan was a man of much thankfulness but see his wife have all the good things and will you not so much honor me and so help me as to read it for

me alas I know not the shorthand by this time my little joke was over and I was almost ashamed so I took the typewritten copy from my work basket and handed it to him forgive me I said I could not help it but I'd been thinking that it was of dear Lucy that you wish to ask and so that you might not have time to wait not on my account but because I know your time must be precious I have written it out on the typewriter for you he took it and his eyes glistened you are so good he said and may I re

ad it now I may want to ask you some things when I've read by all means I said read it over whilst I order lunch and then you can ask me questions whilst we eat he bowed and settled himself in a chair with his back to the light and became absorbed in the papers whilst I went to see after lunch chiefly in order that he might not be disturbed when I came back I found him walking hurriedly up and down the room his face all Ablaze with excitement he rushed up to me and took me by both hands oh madam

ina he said how can I say what I owe to you this paper is a sunshine it opens the gate to me I am Daze I am dazzle with so much light and yet clouds roll in behind the light every time but that you do not cannot comprehend oh but I am grateful to you you so clever woman he said this very solemnly if ever Abraham Van Helsing can do anything for you or yours I trust you will let me know it will be pleasure and Delight if I may serve you as a friend as a friend but all I have ever learned all I can

ever do shall be for you and those you love there are darknesses in life and there are lights you are one of the lights you will have happy life and good life and your husband will be blessed in you but doctor you praise me too much and and you do not know me not know you I who am old and who have studied all my life men and women I who have made my specialty the brain and all that belongs to him and all that follow from him and I have read your diary that you have so goodly written for me and

which breathes out truth in every line I who have read your so sweet letter to poor Lucy of your marriage and your trust not know you oh madamina good women tell all their lives and by day and by hour and by minute such things that angels can read and we men who wish to know have in us something of angel's eyes your husband is Noble nature and you are noble too for you trust and Trust cannot be where there is mean nature and your husband tell me of him is he quite well is all that fever gone and

is he strong and hearty I saw here an opening to ask him about Jonathan so I said he was almost recovered but he has been greatly upset by Mr hawkins's death he interrupted oh yes I know I know I've read your last two letters I went on I suppose this upset him for when we were in town on Thursday last he had a sort of shock and after brain fever so soon that was not good what kind of a shock was it he thought he saw someone who recalled something terrible something which led to his brain fever

and here the whole thing seemed to overwhelm me in a rush the pity for Jonathan the horror which he experienced the whole fearful mystery of his diary and the fear that has been brooding over me ever since all came in a tumult I suppose I was hysterical for I threw myself on my knees and held up my hands to him and implored him to make my husband well again he took my hands and raised me up and made me sit on the sofa and sat by me he held my hand in his and said to me with oh such infinite swee

tness my life is a Barren and lonely one and so full of work that I've not had much time for friendships but since I've been summoned to here by my friend John Seward I've known so many good people and seen such nobility that I feel more than ever and it has grown with my advancing years the loneliness of my life believe me then that I come here full of respect for you and you have given me hope hope not in what I am seeking of but that there are good women still left to make life happy good wom

en whose lives and whose truths may make good lesson for the children that are to be I am glad glad that I may hear be of some use to you for if your husbands suffer he suffer within the range of my study and experience I promise you that I will gladly do all for him that I can all to make his life strong and manly and your life a happy one now you must eat you are overwrought and perhaps over anxious husband Jonathan would not like to see you so pale and what he like not where he love is not to

his good therefore for his sake you must eat and smile you have told me all about Lucy and so now we shall not speak of it lest it distress I shall stay in Exeter tonight for I want to think much over what you have told me and when I have thought I will ask you questions if I may and then two you will tell me of husband Jonathan's trouble so far as you can but not yet you must eat now afterwards you shall tell me all after lunch when we went back to the drawing room he said to me and now tell m

e all about him when it came to speaking to this great learned man I began to fear that he would think me a weak fool and Jonathan a Madman that journal is also strange and I hesitated to go on but he was so sweet and kind and he had promised to help and I trusted him so I said Dr Van Helsing what I have to tell you is so clear that you must not laugh at me or at my husband I have been since yesterday in a sort of fever of doubt you must be kind to me and not think me foolish that I have even ha

lf believed some very strange things he reassured me by his manner as well as his words when he said oh my dear if you only know how strange is the matter regarding which I'm here it is you who would laugh I've learned not to think little of anyone's belief no matter how strange it'd be I've tried to keep an open mind and it is not the ordinary things of life that could close it but the strange things the extraordinary things the things that make one doubt if they be mad or sane thank you thank

you a thousand times you've taken a weight off my mind if you will let me I shall give you a paper to read it is long but I have typewritten it out it will tell you my trouble and Jonathan's it is the copy of his journal when abroad and all that happened I dare not say anything of it you will read for yourself and judge and then when I see you perhaps you will be very kind and tell me what you think I promise he said as I gave him the papers I shall in the morning so soon as I can come to see yo

u and your husband if I may Jonathan will be here at half past 11 and you must come to lunch with us and see him then you could catch the quick 334 train which will leave you at Paddington before 8. he was surprised at my knowledge of the trains offhand but he does not know that I have made up all the trains to and from Exeter so that I may help Jonathan in case he is in a hurry so he took the papers with him and went away and I sit here thinking thinking I don't know what letter by hand Van Hel

sing to Mrs Harker the 25th of September six o'clock dear Madam Mina I've read your husband so wonderful diary you may sleep without doubt strange and terrible as it is it is true I will pledge my life on it it may be worse for others but for him and you there is no dread he is a noble fellow and let me tell you from experience of men that one who would do as he did in going down that wall into that room I and going a second time is not one to be injured in permanence by a shock his brain and hi

s heart Are All Right This I Swear before I have even seen him so be at rest I shall have much to ask him of other things I am blessed that today I come to see you for I have learned all at once so much that again I am dazzle dazzle more than ever and I must think yours the most faithful Abraham Van Helsing letter Mrs Harker to Van Helsing the 25th of September 6 30 pm my dear Dr Van Helsing a thousand thanks for your kind letter which has taken a great weight off my mind and yet if it be true w

hat terrible things there are in the world and what an awful thing if that man that monster be really in London I fear to think I have this moment whilst writing had a wire from Jonathan saying that he leaves by the 6 25 tonight from Launceston and will be here at 10 18 so that I shall have no fear tonight will you therefore instead of luncheon with us please come to breakfast at eight o'clock if this be not too early for you you can get away if you are in a hurry by the 10 30 train which will b

ring you to Paddington by 2 35. do not answer this as I shall take it that if I do not hear you will come to breakfast believe me your faithful and grateful friend Mina Haka Jonathan Harker's Journal 26 September I thought never to write in this diary again but the time has come when I got home last night Mina had supper ready and when we had sucked she told me of Van helsing's visit and of her having given him the two Diaries copied out and of how anxious she has been about me she showed me in

the doctor's letter that all I wrote down was true it seems to have made a new man of me it was the doubt as to the reality of the whole thing that knocked me over I felt impotent and in the dark and distrustful but now that I know I'm Not Afraid even of the count he has succeeded after all then in his design in getting to London and it was he I saw he has got younger and how Van Helsing is the man to unmask him and hunt him out if he is anything like what Mina says we sat late and talked it all

over Mina is dressing and I shall call at the hotel in a few minutes and bring him over he was I think surprised to see me when I came into the room where he was and introduced myself he took me by the shoulder and turned my face round to the light and said after a sharp scrutiny but madamina told me you were ill that you had had a shock it was so funny to hear my wife called madamina by this kindly strong-faced old man I smiled and said I was Ill I've had a shock but you have cured me already

and how by your letter to mina last night I was in doubt and then everything took a hue of unreality and I did not know what to trust even the evidence of my own senses not knowing what to trust I did not know what to do and so had only to keep on working in what had hitherto been the groove of my life the groove ceased to Avail me and I mistrusted myself doctor you don't know what it is to doubt everything even yourself no you don't you couldn't with eyebrows like yours he seemed pleased and la

ughed as he said so you are physiognomist I learn more here with each hour I'm with so much pleasure coming to you to breakfast and oh sir you will pardon praise from an old man but you are blessed in your wife I would listen to him go on praising Mina for a day so I simply nodded and stood silent she is one of God's women fashioned by his own hand to show us men and other women that there is a heaven where we can enter and that its light can be here on Earth so true so sweet so Noble so little

an egoist and that let me tell you is much in this age so skeptical and selfish and you sir I have read all the letters to poor Miss Lucy and some of them speak of you so I know you since some days from The Knowing of others but I've seen your true self since last night you will give me your hand will you not and let us be friends for all our lives we shook hands and he was so Earnest and so kind that it made me quite chokey and now he said may I ask you for some more help I have a great task to

do and at the beginning it is to know you can help me here can you tell me what went before you're going to Transylvania later on I may ask more help and of a different kind but at first this will do look here sir I said does what you have to do concern the count it does he said solemnly then I am with you heart and soul as you go by the 10 30 train you will not have time to read them but I shall get the bundle of papers you can take them with you and read them in the train after breakfast I sa

w him to the station when we were partying he said perhaps you will come to town if I send to you and take madamina too we shall both come when you will I said I had got him the morning papers and the London papers of the previous night and while we were talking at the carriage window waiting for the train to start he was turning them over his eyes suddenly seemed to catch something in one of them the Westminster Gazette I knew it by the color and he grew quite White he read something intently g

roaning to himself mine got mine got so soon so soon I do not think he remembered me at the moment just then the whistle blew and the train moved off this recalled him to himself and he leaned out of the window and waved his hand calling out love to madamina I shall write so soon as ever I can Dr Seward's diary 26 September truly there is no such thing as finality not a week since I said Phyllis and yet here I am starting fresh again or rather going on with the same record until this afternoon I

had no cause to think of what is done Renfield had become to all intents as sane as he ever was he was already well ahead with his fly business and he had just started in the spider line also so he had not been of any trouble to me I had a letter from Arthur written on Sunday and from it I gather that he is bearing up wonderfully well Quincy Morris is with him and that is much of a help for he himself is a bubbling well of good spirits Quincy wrote me a line too and from him I hear that Arthur

is beginning to recover something of his old buoyancy so as to them all my mind is at rest as for myself I was settling down to my work with the enthusiasm which I used to have for it so that I might fairly have said that the wound which poor Lucy left on me was becoming secretarized everything is however now reopened and what is to be the end God only knows I have an idea that Van Helsing thinks he knows too but he will only let out enough at a time to wet curiosity he went to Exeter yesterday

and stayed there all night today he came back and almost bounded into the room at about half past five o'clock and thrust last night's Westminster Gazette into my hand what do you think of that he asked as he stood back and folded his arms I looked over the paper for I really did not know what he meant but he took it from me and pointed out a paragraph about children being decoyed away at Hampstead it did not convey much to me until I reached a passage where it described small punctured wounds o

n their throats an idea struck me and I looked up well he said it is like poor Lucy's and what do you make of it simply that there is some cause in common whatever it was that injured her has injured them I did not quite understand his answer that is true indirectly but not directly how do you mean Professor I asked I was a little inclined to take his seriousness Lightly for after all four days of rest and freedom from burning harrowing anxiety does help to restore one's spirits but when I saw h

is face it sobered me never even in the midst of our despair about poor Lucy had he looked more Stern tell me I said I can Hazard no opinion I do not know what to think and I have no data on which to found a conjecture do you mean to tell me friend John that you have no suspicion as to what poor Lucy died of not after all the hints given not only by events but by me of nervous prostration following on great loss or waste of blood and how the blood lost or waste I shook my head he stepped over an

d sat down beside me and went on you a clever man friend John you reason well and your wit is bold but you're too prejudiced you do not let your eyes seen or your ears hear and that which is outside your daily life is not of account to you do you not think that there are things which you cannot understand and yet which are that some people see things that others cannot but there are things old and new which must not be contemplated by men's eyes because they know or think they know some things w

hich other men have told them ah it is the fault of our science that it wants to explain all and if it explain not then it says there is nothing to explain but yet we see around us every day the growth of new beliefs which think themselves new and which are yet but the old which pretend to be young like the fine ladies at the Opera I suppose now you do not believe in corporeal transference no nor immaterialization no nor in astral bodies no nor in the reading of thought no nor in hypnotism yes I

said Sharko has proved that pretty well he smiled as he went on then you are satisfied as to it yes and of course then you understand how it act and can follow the mind of the great charcoal alas that he is no more into the very soul of the patient that he influence no then friend John am I to take it that you simply accept fact and are satisfied to let from premise to conclusion be a blank no then tell me for I am student of the brain how you accept the hypnotism and reject the thought reading

let me tell you my friend that there are things done today in electrical science which would have been deemed Unholy by the very men who discovered electricity who would themselves not so long before have been burned as Wizards there are always mysteries in life why was it that Methuselah lived 900 years and old pars 169. and yet that poor Lucy with four men's blood in her poor veins could not live even one day for had she lived one more day we could have saved her do you know all the mystery o

f life and death do you know the altogether of comparative anatomy and can say wherefore the qualities of brutes are in some men and not in others can you tell me why when other spiders die small and soon that one great spider lived for centuries in the tower of the old Spanish church and grew and grew till on descending he could drink the oil of all the church lamps can you tell me why in the Pampas I and elsewhere there are bats that come at night and open the veins of cattle and horses and su

ck dry their veins how in some islands of the western Seas there are bats which hang on the trees all day and those who have seen describe as like giant nuts or pods and that when the sailors sleep on the deck because that it is hot flip down on them and then and then in the morning I found dead men white as even Miss Lucy was good God Professor I said starting up do you mean to tell me that Lucy was bitten by such a bat and that such a thing is here in London in the 19th century he waved his ha

nd for silence and went on can you tell me why the tortoise lives more long than generations of men why the elephant goes on and on till you've seen dynasties and why the parrot never die only of bite of cat or dog or other complaint can you tell me why men believe in all ages and places that there are some few who live on always if they be permit that there are men and women who cannot die we all know because science has vouched for the fact that there have been toads shut up in rocks for thous

ands of years shut in one so small hole that only hold him since the Youth of the world can you tell me how the Indian [ __ ] here can make himself to die and have been buried and his grave sealed and corn sewed on it and the corn reaped and be cut and sown and reaped and cut again and then men come and take away the unbroken seal and that there lie the Indian fakir not dead but that rise up and walk amongst them as before here I interrupted him I was getting bewildered he's so crowded on my min

d his list of Nature's eccentricities and possible impossibilities that my imagination was getting fired I had a dim idea that he was teaching me some lesson as long ago he used to do in his study at Amsterdam but he used then to tell me the thing so that I could have the object of thought in mind all the time but now I was without this help yet I wanted to follow him so I said Professor let me be your pet student again tell me the thesis so that I may apply your knowledge as you go on at presen

t I am going in my mind from point to point as a madman and not a sane one follows an idea I feel like a novice lumbering through a bog in a Mist jumping from one tussock to another in the mere blind effort to move on without knowing where I am going that is good image he said well I shall tell you my thesis is this I want you to believe to believe what to believe in things that you cannot let me illustrate I heard once of an American who so defined faith that faculty which enables us to believe

things which we know to be untrue for one I follow that man he meant that we shall have an open mind and not let a little bit of Truth check the rush of a big truth like a small rock does a railway truck we get the small truth first good we keep him and we value him but all the same we must not let him think himself all the truth in the universe then you want me not to let some previous conviction injure the receptivity of my mind with regard to some strange matter do I read your lesson or writ

e ah you are my favorite pupil still it is worth to teach you now that you are willing to understand you have taken the first step to understand you think then that those so small holes in the children's throats were made by the same that made the hole in Miss Lucy I suppose so he stood up and said solemnly then you are wrong oh would it was so but alas no it is worse far far worse in God's name Professor Van Helsing what do you mean I cried he threw himself with a despairing gesture into a chai

r and placed his elbows on the table covering his face with his hands as he spoke they were made by Miss Lucy end of part one to continue follow the link displayed on the screen