3 May. Bistritz.[2] – I left Munich at 8:35 P. M. on May 1st, and arrived at Vienna early next morning. The train was an hour late. I could walk through the streets a little; Buda-Pesth[3] seems a wonderful place. We were leaving the West and entering the East. Here I stopped for the night at the Hotel Royale.[4] I had for dinner, or rather supper, chicken with red pepper, which was very good but thirsty. I asked the waiter, and he said it was a national dish. I used German here.

Before my journey, I visited the British Museum, and studied some of the books and maps in the library regarding Transylvania.[5] It was impossible to mark the exact locality of the Castle Dracula, as there were no maps of this country; but I found that Bistritz, the town named by Count Dracula,[6] was a well-known place.

I did not sleep well, though my bed was comfortable enough, for I had queer dreams. Anyway, in the morning the continuous knocking at my door woke me up. My train started at eight.

All day long we were watching beautiful views. Sometimes we saw little towns or castles on top of the hills; sometimes we ran by rivers and streams. At every station there were groups of people, sometimes crowds. The strangest figures we saw were the Slovaks[7] with their big cowboy hats, great trousers, white linen shirts, and enormous heavy leather belts. They looked like real brigands.

We got to Bistritz in the evening. It was a very interesting old place. Earlier, Count Dracula directed me to go to the Golden Krone Hotel.[8] An elderly woman in the usual peasant dress smiled, and gave me a letter:

4 May. – My landlord got a letter from the Count to give the best place on the coach[11] for me. He and his wife, the old lady who had received me, looked frightened. When I asked him if he knew Count Dracula, and could tell me anything of his castle, both he and his wife said that they knew nothing at all, and simply refused to speak further. It was all very mysterious and suspicious.

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 Herr, must you go?”

She was very excited, and mixed German with some other language which I did not know at all. When I told her that I must go at once, and that I had important business, she asked again, “Do you know what day it is? It is the eve of St. George’s Day.[12] Do you not know that tonight, when the clock strikes midnight, all the evil things in the world[13] will have full power on the earth? Do you know where you are going, and what you are 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. It was all very ridiculous but I did not feel comfortable. However, there was business to be done, and I couldn’t allow anything to interfere. I thanked her, and said that my duty was imperative, and that I must go. She then rose, dried her eyes, and gave me a little cross from her neck. She put the rosary round my neck, and said, “For your mother’s sake,[14]” and went out of the room. I am writing up this part of the diary while I am waiting for the coach, which is, of course, late; the cross is still round my neck. I think about Mina.[15] Here comes the coach!

9 May.

My dearest Lucy,

I want to be with you, and by the sea, where we can talk together freely. Jonathan and I sometimes write letters in shorthand, and he is keeping a stenographic journal of his travels abroad. When I am with you I shall keep a diary in the same way. I shall try to do what I see journalists do: interviewing and writing. I will tell you of my little plans when we meet. I have just received a few lines from Jonathan from Transylvania. He is well, and will return in about a week. It’s ten o’clock. Goodbye.

Your loving

Mina

P. S. Tell me all the news when you write. I hear rumours, and especially of a tall, handsome, curly-haired man???

17, Chatham Street,

Wednesday.

My dearest Mina,

I have nothing to tell you. There is really nothing to interest for walks and rides in the park. As to[59] the tall, curly-haired man, that is Mr. Holmwood.[60] He often comes to see us.

We met some time ago a very interesting man. He is handsome and rich. He is a doctor and really clever. He is only nine-and-twenty, and he has his own lunatic asylum.[61] Mr. Holmwood introduced him to me, and he often comes now. He seems absolutely imperturbable. Arthur is not against him. Oh, Arthur!

Mina, we have told all our secrets to each other since we were children; we have slept together and eaten together, and laughed and cried together. Oh, Mina, can you guess? I love him. Arthur. I think he loves me, too, although he has not told me so in words. But oh, Mina, I love him; I love him; I love him! Please, tell me all that you think about it.

Mina, I must stop. Goodnight. Bless me in your prayers; and, Mina, pray for my happiness.

Lucy

P. S. Of course, this is a secret. Goodnight again.

24 May.

My dearest Mina,

Thanks, and thanks, and thanks again for your sweet letter. My dear, I shall be twenty in September, and yet I never had a proposal[62] till today, not a real proposal, and today I have had three. Three proposals in one day! Isn’t it awful! I feel sorry, really and truly sorry, for two of the poor fellows. Oh, Mina, I am so happy that I don’t know what to do with myself. And three proposals!

Well, my dear, number One came just before lunch. I told you of him, Dr. John Seward,[63] the lunatic-asylum man,[64] with the strong jaw and the good forehead. He was very cool outwardly, but was nervous all the same. He spoke to me, Mina, very straightforwardly.[65] He told me how dear I was to him. He said that he was my friend. My dear, I must stop here at present, I feel so miserable, though I am so happy.

25 May. – No appetite today. I cannot eat, cannot rest. The only cure for this is work, so I went to the asylum. There is a patient there who is of great interest to me.

R. M. Renfield,[67] 59. Sanguine temperament;[68] great physical strength; morbidly excitable; periods of gloom, fixed ideas.[69]

24 July. Whitby.[70] – Lucy met me at the station, she looks sweeter and lovelier than ever. This is a lovely place. The little river, the Esk,[71] runs through a deep valley. The valley is beautifully green. The houses of the old town are all red-roofed; there is a legend that one can see a white lady in one of the windows. Between it and the town there is a church. This is the nicest spot in Whitby.

I shall go home at the moment. Lucy with her mother will be home soon.

5 June. – The case of Renfield becomes more interesting. He has certain qualities; selfishness, secrecy, and purpose.[72] He has some scheme, but what it is I do not yet know. He loves animals and insects very much, though his love is very strange. Just now his hobby is catching flies. What will he do with them? I must watch him.

26 July. – I am anxious. I am unhappy about Lucy and about Jonathan. I had not heard from Jonathan for some time; but yesterday dear Mr. Hawkins, who is always so kind, sent me a letter from him. 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 walking in her sleep.[74] Her mother has spoken to me about it, and we have decided that I must lock the door of our room every night. Mrs. Westenra is naturally anxious about Lucy, and she tells me that her husband, Lucy’s father, had the same habit.

6 July. Varna to Whitby. – We finished taking in cargo, silver sand[82] and boxes of earth. East wind, fresh. Five sailors… two mates, cook, and myself (captain).

11 July. – At dawn entered Bosphorus.[83]

12 July. – Through Dardanelles.[84] At dark passed into Archipelago.

13 July. – Passed Cape Matapan.[85] Crew dissatisfied about something. Seemed scared.

14 July. – Somewhat anxious about crew. Something wrong; crew crossed themselves.[86]

16 July. – One of crew, Petrofsky,[87] is missing. Could not find him. Men say that there was something aboard. Mate gets very impatient; feared some trouble ahead.

17 July. – Yesterday, one of the men, Olgaren,[88] came to my cabin, and in an awestruck told me that he thought there was a strange man aboard the ship. He said he saw a tall, thin man, who was not like any of the crew. That man went along the deck, and disappeared. He followed cautiously, but he found no one, and the hatchways were all closed. He was in a panic of superstitious fear, and I am afraid the panic may spread.

We searched everywhere. There were only the big wooden boxes, there were no odd corners where a man could hide. First mate scowled, but said nothing.

22 July. – Rough weather last three days – no time to be frightened. Passed Gibraltar.[89] All well.

24 July. – Last night another man lost. Like the first, he came off his watch[90] and disappeared. Men all in a panic of fear; ask to have double watch,[91] as they fear to be alone. Mate angry. Fear there will be some trouble.

28 July. – Four days in hell, maelstrom, a tempest. No sleep for any one. Men all worn out.

29 July. – Another tragedy. Second mate disappeared. Thorough search, but found no one. We are now without second mate, and crew in a panic.

30 July. – Last night. We are near England. Weather is fine. Slept soundly;[92] awaked by mate. He said that both man of watch and steersman were missing. Only myself and mate and two hands sailors left.

1 August. – Two days of fog. Mate now demoralized.

2 August, midnight. – Could see nothing in fog. Rushed on deck. No sign of man on watch. One more gone.[93] Lord, help us! Only God can guide us in the fog, which moves with us.

3 August. – I did not find the man at the wheel. After a few seconds he rushed up on deck in his flannels.[94] He looked haggard. He came close to me and whispered hoarsely, with his mouth to my ear, “It is here; I know it now. On the watch last night I saw It, like a man, tall and thin, and ghastly pale. I crept behind It, and gave It my knife;[95] 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 perhaps in one of those boxes. I’ll open them and see.” He is mad, stark, raving mad. He can’t hurt those big boxes: they are marked as “clay”. So here I stay, and write these notes. I can only trust in God and wait till the fog clears.

The mate ran up on the deck. “Save me! Save me!” he cried, and then looked round. His horror turned to despair, and in a steady voice he said, “Come with me too, captain, before it is too late. He is there. I know the secret now. The sea will save me from Him!” 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 killed the men one by one,[96] and now he has followed them himself. God help me! When I get to port! Will that ever be?

4 August. – Still fog, which the sunrise cannot pierce. I know there is sunrise because I am a sailor. 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. But I am captain, and I must not leave my ship. But I shall baffle this fiend or monster, for I shall tie my hands to the wheel, and along with them I shall tie that which He – It! – dare not touch: the cross; and then, I shall save my soul, and my honour as a captain. I am growing weaker, and the night is coming on. If He can look me in the face again, I may not have time to act…

8 August. – Lucy was very restless all night, and I, too, could not sleep. The storm was fearful. Strangely enough, Lucy did not wake; but she got up twice and dressed herself. Fortunately, each time I awoke in time and undressed her without waking her, and got her back to bed. It is a very strange thing, this sleep-walking.

Early in the morning we both got up and went down to the harbour to see if anything had happened in the night. Somehow I was glad that Jonathan was not on the sea last night, but on land. But, oh, is he on land or sea? Where is he, and how? I am getting fearfully anxious about him. If I only knew what to do, and could do anything!

12 August.

Dear Madam,

I write by desire[105] of Mr. Jonathan Harker, who is himself not strong enough to write, but he is recovering, thanks to God and St. Joseph and Ste. Mary. He has been under our care for nearly six weeks, he is suffering from a violent brain fever.[106] He is sorry for his delay, 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. He would like to pay for his staying here.

Yours, with sympathy and all blessings,

Sister Agatha.

P. S. My patient is asleep, and I want to let you know something more. He has told me all about you, and that you agree to be his wife. All blessings to you both! He has had some fearful shock – so says our doctor – and his delirium is dreadful; of wolves and poison and blood; of ghosts and demons; and I fear to say of what. Be careful with him always. He came in the train from Klausenburg, and the station-master there said that he rushed into the station and shouted for a ticket for home. They gave him a ticket for the furthest station.

He has won all hearts by his sweetness and gentleness. I have no doubt he will in a few weeks recover completely. There are, I pray God and St. Joseph and Ste. Mary, many, many, happy years for you both.

19 August. – Strange and sudden change in Renfield last night. About eight o’clock he began to get excited and sniff about[107] as a dog does. The attendant encouraged him to talk. Renfield is usually respectful to the attendant; but tonight, the man tells me, he was quite haughty. All he said was, “I don’t want to talk to you: you are nothing for me now; I have my Master.”

The attendant thinks some sudden form of religious mania has seized him. If so, he might be dangerous. At nine o’clock I visited him myself. His attitude to me was the same as that to the attendant. It looks like religious mania, and he will soon think that he himself is God.

For half an hour or more Renfield was getting excited more and more. All at once he became quite quiet, and sat on the edge of his bed, and looked into space. I tried to lead him to talk of his pets. At first he made no reply, but after he said testily, “I don’t care about them.”

“What?” I said. “You don’t care about spiders?” (Spiders at present are his hobby.)

To this he answered enigmatically, “I don’t need them anymore.”

He did not explain himself, but remained obstinately seated on his bed all the time I remained with him.

Later. – The night watchman[108] came to me and said that Renfield had escaped. I threw on my clothes and ran down at once; my patient is a very dangerous person. He was only in his night-gear,[109] and cannot go far.

The attendant told me that the patient had gone to the left, and had taken a straight line, so I ran as quickly as I could. Soon I saw a white figure. I ran back at once, told the watchman to get three or four men immediately and follow me, in case our friend might be dangerous. I could see Renfield’s figure just behind the angle of the deserted house, so I ran after him. He was talking to some one. After a few minutes, however, I could see that he did not see anything around him. I heard his words, “I am here to do Your bidding, Master. I am Your slave, and You will reward me, for I shall be faithful. I have worshipped You long. Now that You are near, I await Your commands!”

When we were trying to catch him he fought like a tiger. He is immensely strong, for he was more like 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. His cries are at times awful, but the silences that follow are even more terrible. He spoke like this, “I shall be patient, Master. It is coming – coming – coming!”

I was too excited to sleep, but this diary has quieted me, and I feel I shall get some sleep tonight.

24 August, Buda-Pesth.

My dearest Lucy,

I caught the boat to Hamburg, and then the train on here. I found my poor Jonathan, oh, so thin and pale and weak-looking! He is only a wreck of himself, and he does not remember anything that has happened to him for a long time past. He has had some terrible shock. Sister Agatha is a sweet, good soul.

I am 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 Sister Agatha, and she brought all his things. I saw that amongst them was his note-book, and was going to ask him to let me look at it. I knew that I might find some clue to his trouble. But he sent me over to the window, and said he wanted to be quite alone for a moment. Then he called me back, and when I came he put his hand over the note-book, and he said to me very solemnly, “Wilhelmina, you know, dear: there must be no secret, no concealment between husband and wife. I have had a great shock, and I do not know if it was all real or the dreaming of a madman. You know I have had brain fever. The secret is here, and I do not want to know it. I want to marry you as soon as possible, right here. Wilhelmina, here is the book. Take it and keep it, read it if you want, but never let me know.” He fell back exhausted, and I put the book under his pillow, and kissed him. I have asked Sister Agatha to let our wedding be this afternoon, and I am waiting for her reply…

She has come and told me that they sent for the chaplain of the English mission church. We will marry in an hour, or as soon after as Jonathan awakes…

Lucy, 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. The dear sisters were so kind. Please God, I shall never, never forget them.

Jonathan 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. 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 my love. And then, my dear, he kissed me, and drew me to him with his poor weak hands.

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 are very dear to me. It is my privilege to be your friend.

Goodbye, my dear. I shall post this at once, and, perhaps, write you very soon again. I must stop, for Jonathan is waking.

Your ever-loving

Mina Harker

30 August, Whitby.

My dearest Mina,

Oceans of love and millions of kisses, and may you soon be in your own home with your husband. The strong air would soon restore Jonathan; it has quite restored me. I am full of life, and sleep well. You will be glad to know that I have quite given up walking in my sleep.[110] Arthur says I am 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.

P. P. S. We are to be married on 28 September.

20 August. – The case of Renfield grows even more interesting. One night, just as the moon rose, he grew quiet, and murmured 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. I was satisfied with his present condition. Tonight he does not want to speak. Even the offer of a kitten or even a cat does not tempt him. He only says, “I’m not interested in cats. I have more to think of now,[111] and I can wait; I can wait.”

After a while I left him. The attendant tells me that he was quiet until just before dawn, and that then he began to get uneasy, until at last he fell into a paroxysm.

… Three nights the same thing happened – violent all day then quiet from moonrise to sunrise. What is the cause? Some influence which came and went. Happy thought! We shall tonight play with him. He escaped before without our help; tonight he shall escape with it. We shall give him a chance, and we shall watch him.

24 August. Hillingham.[113] – I must imitate Mina and keep a diary. Without her I feel so unhappy. Last night I was dreaming something dark and horrid, I can remember nothing; but I am full of vague fear, and I feel so weak. I shall try to sleep in mother’s room tonight.

31 August, Albemarle Hotel.[114]

My dear Jack,

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. To disturb the poor lady’s mind about her daughter in her present state of health will be fatal. Mrs. Westenra has disease of the heart – though poor Lucy does not know it yet. I am sure that there is something with my dear girl’s mind. Please come to see her. It will be a painful task for you, I know, old friend, but it is for her sake,[115] and I must not hesitate to ask, or you to act. Please come to lunch at Hillingham tomorrow, two o’clock. I shall come in for tea, and we can go away together; I am filled with anxiety, and want to consult with you alone.

Arthur

1 September.

My father is worse, I must go to see him. Write me fully by tonight’s post to Ring.

2 September.

My dear old fellow,

Regarding Miss Westenra’s health. In my opinion there is not any functional disturbance or any malady. At the same time, I am not satisfied with her appearance; she is different from what she was when I saw her last. I shall tell you exactly what happened.

I could easily see that she is somewhat bloodless, but I could not see the usual anæmic signs,[116] and I was actually able to test the quality of her blood. In physical matters I was quite satisfied, there is no need for anxiety. I have come to the conclusion that it must be something mental. She complains of difficulty in breathing at times, and of heavy, lethargic sleep, with dreams that frighten her, but she can remember nothing.

I am in doubt, and so I have written to my old friend and master, Professor Van Helsing, of Amsterdam,[117] who knows much about obscure diseases. I have asked him to come. I have mentioned to him who you are and your relations to Miss Westenra. He is a philosopher and a metaphysician,[118] and one of the most advanced scientists of our days. He has, I believe, an absolutely open mind. I have asked him to come at once. I shall see Miss Westenra tomorrow again.

Yours always,

John Seward

2 September.

My good Friend,

I have received your letter and I am already coming to you. Have rooms for me at the Great Eastern Hotel,[122] so that I may be near. I want to see the young lady tomorrow. If you want, I shall come again in three days, and stay longer.

Goodbye, my friend John.

Van Helsing

3 September.

My dear Art,

Van Helsing has come and gone. He came on with me to Hillingham, Lucy’s mother was lunching out, so we were alone with her. Van Helsing made a very careful examination of the patient. He is, I fear, much concerned, but says he must think. When I told him of our friendship and how you trust to 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. I am not joking. This is no joke, but life and death, perhaps more.” I asked what he meant by that, for he was very serious. But he did not say more. You must not be angry with me, Arthur. He will tell when the time comes, be sure.

Well, about the visit. Lucy was cheerful, and certainly looked better. She had lost the ghastly look, and her breathing was normal. She was very sweet to the professor (as she always is), though I could see that the poor girl was making a hard struggle for it. Van Helsing began to talk about all things except ourselves and diseases. Then he said, “My dear young miss, I have a great pleasure to talk to you. They told me you were were of a ghastly pale. To them I say: “Pouf!” 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 – “know anything of a young ladies? He has no wife, nor daughter, and the young do not tell themselves[123] 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 away to smoke the cigarette in the garden. And we shall have a little talk.” I went out, and soon 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. There has been much blood lost;[124] it has been, but is not. The disease interests me, and the sweet young lady, she interests me too. I shall come for her again.”

As I tell you, he did not say a word more, even when we were alone. And so now, Art, you know all I know.

Yours always,

John Seward

4 September. – The patient still keeps up our interest in him. His screams while in the paroxysm are really terrible; for the sounds disturb even me, though I am some distance away. My patient sits in a corner, with a dull, sullen look in his face. I cannot quite understand it.

Same day, later. – Another change in my patient. At five o’clock I came to him. He was catching flies and eating them. When he saw me, he apologized for his bad conduct and asked to be led back to his room. He is in there with the window open. He has the sugar on the window sill, and he is hunting flies. He is 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 talk about the past few days; but he did not rise. For a moment or two he looked very sad, and said rather to himself than to me, “All over! All over! He has deserted me!”

Then he suddenly turned to me, and said, “Doctor, can I have a little more sugar? I think it will be good for me.”

“And the flies?” I said.

“Yes! The flies like it, too, and I like the flies; therefore I like it.”

Same day, midnight. – Another change in him. I had visited Miss Westenra, whom I found much better, and had just returned, and was standing and looking at the sunset, when I heard his voice. He was yelling. As his room is on this side of the house, I could hear it better than in the morning. I came to him just as the sun was going down, and from his window saw the red disc. As it sank he became less and less frenzied; and finally he slid on the floor. But within a few minutes he stood up quite calmly and looked around him. I said to the attendants not to hold him. He went straight over to the window and brushed out the crumbs of sugar;[125] then he took his fly-box, and emptied it outside, and threw away the box. Then he shut the window, and 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 is a wonderfully interesting study. Stop; there may be a clue after all, if we can find why today his paroxysms came on at noon and at sunset. Can it be a malign influence of the sun?

We shall see.

4 September.

Patient still better today.

5 September.

Patient greatly improved. Good appetite; sleeps naturally; good spirits; colour coming back.

6 September.

Terrible change for the worse. Come at once; do not lose an hour.

6 September.

My dear Art,

My news today is not so good. Lucy is getting worse and worse. My old master, Van Helsing, the great specialist, is coming to stay with me, and I shall put her in his charge.[126] Miss Westenra is not very well. Lucy’s weak condition might be disastrous to her. We meet difficulties, all of us, my poor old fellow; but, please God, we shall come through them all right. If you do not hear from me, I am simply waiting for news.

Yours ever,

John Seward

7 September. – The first thing Van Helsing said to me when we met at Liverpool Street[127] was “Have you said anything to our young friend, the lover of her?”

“No,” I said. “I waited. I wrote him a letter. I simply told him that you were coming, and that Miss Westenra was not so well.”

“Right, my friend,” he said, “Quite right! And, my good friend John, let me caution you. You deal with the madmen. All men are mad in some way or the other.[128] You don’t tell your madmen what you do nor why you do it; you don’t tell them what you think.” 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 asked. “It may do some good; we may arrive at some decision.”

He stopped and looked at me, and said, “My friend John, you were always a careful student. You were only student then; now you are master. Remember, my friend, that knowledge is stronger than memory. Write down everything. Nothing is too small.[129] Put down 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 many instruments and drugs.

Mrs. Westenra met us. She invited us to Lucy’s room. If I was shocked when I saw her yesterday, I was horrified when I saw her today. She was ghastly pale; the red seemed to have gone[130] even from her lips and gums, and the bones of her face stood out prominently; her breathing was painful to see or hear. Lucy lay motionless, and did not 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. Then he pulled me quickly in with him and closed the door.

“My God!” he said, “This is dreadful. There is no time to lose. She will die for sheer want of blood[131] to keep the heart’s action. 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 there was a knock at the hall-door. When we reached the hall the maid had just opened the door, and Arthur was coming quickly in. He rushed up to me, and said 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.[132] Is not that gentleman Dr. Van Helsing? I am so thankful to you, sir, for coming.”

Van Helsing said to him, “Sir, you have come in time. You are the lover of our dear miss. She is bad, very, very bad. You are here to help her. You can do more than any one, and your courage is your best help.”

“What can I do?” asked Arthur hoarsely. “Tell me, and I shall do it. My life is hers, and I will give the last drop of blood in my body for her.”

The Professor answered, “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 explained 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; and we are ready to perform the transfusion of blood – to transfer from full veins of one to the empty veins. John was to give his blood,[133] as he is younger and stronger than me” – here Arthur took my hand in silence – “but, now you are here, you are better than us. Our nerves are not so calm and our blood is not so bright as yours!”

Arthur turned to him and said, “I will be glad to die for her.”

“Good boy!” said Van Helsing. “You will be happy that you have done all for your lover. Come now and be silent. Say no word to Madame; you know how it is with her! There must be no shock. Come!”

We all went up to Lucy’s room. Arthur remained outside. Lucy turned her head and looked at us, but said nothing. She was not asleep, but she was simply very weak. Her eyes spoke to us; that was all. Van Helsing took some things from his bag and laid them on a little table. Then he came over to the bed, and said cheerily, “Now, little miss, here is your medicine. Drink it off, like a good child. Yes.”

She had made the effort with success.

Soon Lucy fell into a deep sleep. When the Professor was satisfied he called Arthur into the room, and said, “You may kiss her. Friend John, help me”

Van Helsing turned to me, and said, “He is so young and strong and his blood is pure.”

Then with swiftness, Van Helsing performed the operation. Life came back to poor Lucy’s cheeks. When all was over I could see how much Arthur was weakened. Van Helsing said, “The brave lover, I think, deserves another kiss, which he will have very soon.”

And as he had now finished his operation, he adjusted the pillow to the patient’s head. Then Van Helsing showed a red mark on Lucy’s throat. Van Helsing said, “Now our brave young lover must go home and rest, sleep much and eat much. He must not stay here. Hold a moment! Sir, you have saved her life this time, and you can go home and rest easily. I shall tell her all when she is well. Goodbye.”

When Arthur had gone I went back to the room. Lucy was sleeping gently, but her breathing was stronger. By the bedside sat Van Helsing, he was looking at her intently. I asked the Professor in a whisper, “What do you think of that mark on her throat?”

“And what do you think of it?”

“I have not examined it yet,” I answered. Just over the external jugular vein there were two punctures. There was no sign of disease, but the edges were white.

“Well?” said Van Helsing.

“Well,” said I, “I don’t understand.”

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.”

“Can I have a nurse?” I asked.

“We are the best nurses, you and I. You must not sleep all the night. 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 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, “Remember, she is your charge.[134] If you leave her, you will not be able to sleep easy hereafter!”

9 September. – I feel so happy tonight. I have been so miserably weak. Oh Arthur, my dear, good Dr. Seward is watching me. And tonight I shall not fear to sleep, since he is close and within call. Thank everybody, they are so good to me! Thank God! Goodnight, Arthur.

10 September. – I felt the Professor’s hand on my head, and woke up in a second. That is one of the things that we learn in an asylum.

“And how is our patient?”

“Well, when I left her, or rather when she left me,” I answered.

“Come, let us see,” he said. And together we went into the room.

Van Helsing stepped over to the bed. Then he moved back, and I heard his exclamation of horror. He raised his hand and pointed to the bed, and his iron face was white. My knees began to tremble.

There on the bed, lay poor Lucy, more horribly white than ever. Even the lips were white, and she looked like a corpse after a prolonged illness.

“Quick!” said Van Helsing. “Bring the brandy.”

I flew to the dining-room, and returned with the bottle. He wetted the poor white lips with it, and together we rubbed palm and wrist and heart. He felt her heart, and said, “It is not too late. It beats feebly. All our work is undone;[136] we must begin again. There is no young Arthur here now; so you will help us, friend John.”

As he spoke, he was dipping into his bag and producing the instruments for transfusion. I had taken off my coat and rolled up my shirt sleeve.[137] Van Helsing held up a warning finger.

“Do not stir,” he said, “I fear that with growing strength she may wake. I shall give her hypodermic injection of morphia.[138]”

The effect on Lucy was not bad. Pallid cheeks and lips became rosy again. The Professor watched me critically.

“That will do,[139]” he said.

“Already?” I remonstrated. “You took a great deal more from Arthur.”

He smiled and replied, “He is her lover, her fiancé. You have work, much work, to do for her and for others.”

When we stopped the operation, I laid down, for I felt faint and a little sick. As I was leaving the room, he came after me, and whispered, “Remember: no word about this. If our young lover appears, as before, no word to him. It will at once frighten him, too. So!”

When I came back he looked at me carefully, and then said, “Go into the room, and lie on your sofa, and rest awhile; then have much breakfast, and come here to me.”

I followed out his orders, for I knew how right and wise they were. I had done my part, and now my next duty was to have my strength back again. I felt very weak, and in the weakness lost something of the amazement at what had occurred. I fell asleep on the sofa.

Lucy slept well. When Van Helsing had seen her, he went out for a walk, and left me in charge, with strict injunctions not to leave her for a moment. In the hall he asked the way to the nearest telegraph office.

Lucy chatted with me freely, and was quite unconscious that anything had happened. When her mother came up to see her, she did not seem to notice any change whatever, but said to me gratefully, “Thank you very much, Dr. Seward, for all you have done, but you really must rest. You are looking pale yourself. You need a wife to nurse and look after you!”

As she spoke, Lucy turned crimson,[140] I smiled and laid my finger on my lips.

Van Helsing returned in a couple of hours, and 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. I have grave reasons. No, do not ask them; think what you will. Goodnight.”

12 September. – How good they all are to me. I like that dear Dr. Van Helsing very much. I wonder why he was so anxious about these flowers. He positively frightened me, he was so fierce. And he is right, for I feel comfort from them already. Somehow, I can go to sleep without fear. How blessed are some people, whose lives have no fears, no dreads; to whom sleep brings nothing but sweet dreams. Well, here I am tonight. I am lying like Ophelia[144] in the play. I never liked garlic before, but tonight it is delightful! There is peace in its smell. Goodnight, everybody.

13 September. – I called at the Berkeley[145] and found Van Helsing. The hotel ordered the carriage, it was waiting. The Professor took his bag, which he always brings with him now.

Van Helsing and I arrived at Hillingham at eight o’clock. It was a lovely morning; the bright sunshine and the fresh feeling of early autumn. When we entered we met Mrs. Westenra. She was 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, not to disturb her.”

The Professor smiled, and looked quite jubilant. He rubbed his hands together, and said, “Aha! I thought I had diagnosed the case. My treatment is working.”

To which she answered, “You must not take all the credit to yourself, doctor. Lucy’s state this morning is due in part to me.[146]”

“What you do mean, ma’am?” asked 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 I 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. The heavy odour is too much for the dear child in her weak state. So I took them all away and opened the window. She needed a little fresh air. You will be pleased with her, I am sure.”

She left. But as she had spoken, I watched the Professor’s face. It turned grey. For the first time in my life, I saw Van Helsing so sad. He raised his hands over his head in despair. Then he sat down on a chair, and put his hands before his face. He began to sob, with loud, dry sobs. Then he raised his arms.

“God! God! God!” he said. “This poor mother does so much harm. But we must not tell her, we must not even warn her, or she die, and then both die. Oh, 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 does not matter; we fight him all the same.”

He went for his bag; and together we went up to Lucy’s room. Van Helsing went towards the bed. He looked on the poor face with a look of stern sadness and infinite pity.

“As I expected,” he murmured. Without 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 recognized the necessity, and begun 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 weak already.”

As he spoke he took off his coat and rolled up his shirt sleeve.

Again the operation; again some return of colour to the ashy cheeks, and the regular breathing of healthy sleep. Van Helsing told Mrs. Westenra that she must not remove anything from Lucy’s room; that the flowers were of medicinal value, and that their odour was a part of the system of cure. He decided to watch this night and the next one.

After another hour Lucy waked from her sleep, fresh and bright. What does it all mean?

17 September. – Four days and nights of peace. I am getting strong again. 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. Since Dr. Van Helsing has been with me, all this bad dreaming have passed away. Tonight Dr. Van Helsing is going away, as he has to be for a day in Amsterdam. But I am well enough, he can leave me alone. Thank God for mother’s sake, and dear Arthur’s, and for all our friends who have been so kind! Last night Dr. Van Helsing slept in his chair. I found him asleep twice when I awoke; but I did not fear to go to sleep again, although bats napped angrily against the window panes.

17 September. – I was studying my books. Suddenly the door was open, and my patient rushed in. His face was distorted with passion. 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, he had struck at me and cut my left wrist rather severely. Before he could strike again, however, I used my right hand and he fell down on the floor. My wrist bled freely. When the attendants came in, we saw strange behaviour. The patient was lying on his belly on the floor, and he was licking up, like a dog, the blood which had fallen from my wounded wrist. To my surprise, he went with the attendants quite placidly. He was repeating over and over again, “The blood is the life! The blood is the life!”

I cannot lose blood just at present; I have lost too much. I am over-excited and weary, and I need rest, rest, rest.

17 September.

Please be at Hillingham tonight. If you cannot watch all the time, visit and see that flowers are present; it is very important. I shall be with you as soon as possible after arrival.

18 September. – Van Helsing’s telegram filled me with dismay. A whole night lost, and I know 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.

17 September, night. – I write this and leave it. This is an exact record of what took place tonight. I feel I am dying of weakness, and do not have strength to write.

I went to bed as usual, the flowers were placed as Dr. Van Helsing directed, and soon fell asleep.

I was waked by the flapping[147] at the window. I was not afraid, but it’s a pity that Dr. Seward is not in the next room. I tried to go to sleep, but could not. The old fear of sleep came to me, and I determined to keep awake.[148] I feared to be alone, I opened my door and called out, “Is there anybody there?” There was no answer. I was afraid to wake my mother, and so I closed my door again.

I heard a sort of howl like a dog’s, but more fierce and deeper. I went to the window and looked out, but could see nothing, except a big bat, it was 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 mother looked in. She had seen that I was not asleep. She came in, and sat by me.

I asked her to sleep with me, so she came into bed, and lay down beside me. As she lay there, the flapping and buffeting came to the window again. She was frightened, and cried out, “What is that?” I tried to pacify her, and at last succeeded, and she lay quiet.

After a while there was the low howl again, and shortly after there was a crash at the window, and a lot of broken glass was hurled on the floor. I saw the head of a great grey wolf. Mother cried out in a fright, and clutched wildly at anything that would help her.[149] Amongst other things, she clutched the wreath of flowers round my neck, and tore it away from me. For a second or two she sat up, she was pointing at the wolf, and there was a strange and horrible gurgling in her throat. Then she fell over, and her head hit my forehead and made me dizzy for a moment or two. The wolf disappeared, and a whole myriad of little insects came through the broken window. I tried to move, but there was some spell upon me, and dear mother’s poor body, which grew cold already – for her dear heart had ceased to beat – weighed me down. I remembered no more for a while.

The time did not seem long, but very, very awful, till I recovered consciousness again. I was dazed and stupid with pain and terror and weakness, but the sound of the nightingale was like the voice of my dead mother. The sounds awakened the maids, too. 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. They lifted off the body of my dear mother, and laid her on the bed, and covered up with a sheet. They were all very frightened and nervous. The maids shrieked, and then went to the dining room. 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 four lay helpless on the floor, they were breathing heavily. There was a queer, acrid smell about. I was suspicious, and examined the decanter on the table. It smelt of laudanum, and I found that the bottle which mother’s doctor uses for her – oh! did use – was empty. What to do? What to do? I came back. I cannot leave my mother, and I am alone. The servants are sleeping, I’m alone with the dead! I dare not go out, for I can hear the low howl of the wolf through the broken window.

What to do? I shall hide this paper in my breast, where they can find it when they come to lay me out.[150] My dear mother gone! It is time that I go too. Goodbye, dear Arthur. God keep you, dear, and God help me!

18 September. – I drove at once to Hillingham and arrived early. I knocked gently and rang as quietly as possible, for I feared to disturb Lucy or her mother. No answer. After a while, I knocked and rang again; still no answer. I cursed the laziness of the servants – for it was now ten o’clock – and so rang and knocked again, but more impatiently, but still without response. Hitherto I had blamed only the servants, but now a terrible fear began to assail me. Was it indeed a house of death to which I had come, too late? I went round the house to try to find an entrance.

Every window and door was fastened and locked, and I returned to the porch. As I did so, I heard the horses. They stopped at the gate, and a few seconds later I met Van Helsing. When he saw me, he cried out, “Then it was you, and just arrived. How is she? Are we too late? Did you get my telegram?”

I answered quickly that I had only got his telegram early in the morning, and had not lost a minute, and that I don’t hear any one in the house. He paused and raised his hat as he said solemnly, “Then I fear we are too late.” With his usual energy, he went on, “Come. Time is all for 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 handed it to me. He pointed to the iron bars which guarded the window. I attacked them at once and had very soon cut through three of them. Then with a long, thin knife we opened the window. Professor came in, and I followed him.

There was no one in the kitchen or in the servants’ rooms. We tried all the rooms as we went along, and in the dining room, we found four servant women, they were lying on the floor. They were breathing and there was the acrid smell of laudanum in the room. Van Helsing and I looked at each other, and as he said, “Later.”

Then we ascended to Lucy’s room. 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. Her mother was covered with a white sheet. By her side lay Lucy, with face white. The garlic flowers were upon her mother’s bosom, and her throat was bare. It was showing the two little wounds which we had noticed before, but they were looking horribly white and mangled.

Without a word the Professor bent over the bed, his head almost touched poor Lucy’s breast. Then he cried out to me, “It is not too late! Quick! Quick! Bring the brandy!”

I flew downstairs and returned with it. The maids were still breathing, but more restlessly. I did not stay with them, but returned to Van Helsing. He rubbed the brandy 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. Please wake those maids. This poor soul is nearly as cold as her mother. We must heat her before we can do anything more.”

I went at once, and woke three of the women. The fourth was only a young girl, and the drug had evidently affected her more strongly, so I lifted her on the sofa and let her sleep. The maids prepared fire and water. Fortunately, there was no lack of hot water.

While we were busy with Lucy, there was a knock at the hall door. One of the maids ran off, and opened it. Then she returned and whispered to us that there was a gentleman who had come with a message from Mr. Holmwood. I told her that he must wait, for we could see no one now. She went away with the message, and I forgot about him.

Suddenly Lucy’s lungs had a perceptible movement. Van Helsing’s face almost beamed, and he said to me, “We win!”

We took Lucy into another room, and laid her in bed. Van Helsing tied a soft silk handkerchief round her throat. Van Helsing called in one of the women, and told her to stay with her till we returned.

“We must consult as to what to do,” he said as we descended the stairs. In the hall he opened the dining room door, and we passed in, he closed the door carefully behind him.

“What to do now? Where to go for help? We must have another transfusion of blood, and soon. You are exhausted already; I am exhausted too. I fear to trust those women. What shall we do for someone who will open his veins for her?”

“What about 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 Quincey 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, “Quincey Morris!” and rushed towards him.

“What brought you here?” I cried.

“I guess Arthur is the cause.”

He handed me a telegram:

“I think I came just in time. Tell me what to do.”

Van Helsing strode forward, and took his hand, and looked him straight in the eyes as he said, “A brave man’s blood 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, but God sends us men when we want them.”

Once again we went through that ghastly operation.

The Professor watched while I went downstairs with Quincey Morris. Then I went back to the 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. There was a look of grim satisfaction in his face. He handed me the paper saying only, “It dropped from Lucy’s breast when we carried her to the bath.”

When I had read it, I asked the Professor, “In God’s name, what does it all mean? Was 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, “Forget it for the present. You shall know and understand it all in good time;[151] but it will be later. And now what did you want 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 inquest. I hope that we need no inquest, for if can surely kill poor Lucy. I know, and you know, and the other doctor who attended her knows, 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.”

“Good, oh my friend John! Truly Miss Lucy has got good friends that love her. One, two, three, all open their veins for her, besides one old man. Ah yes, I know, friend John; I am not blind! I love you for it! Now go.”

In the hall I met Quincey Morris, with a telegram for Arthur telling him that Mrs. Westenra 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 said, “When you come back, Jack, may I have two words with you?”

I nodded in reply and went out. I arranged everything.

When I got back Quincey was waiting for me. I went up to Lucy’s room. She was still sleeping. So I went down to Quincey and took him into the breakfast room. When we were alone, he said to me, “Jack Seward, I don’t want to shove myself[152] 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 past and gone. What is it that’s wrong with her? The Dutchman 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. 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 take 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. Listen; one day I had a horse, and one of those big bats that they call vampires had got at it[153] in the night, and there wasn’t enough blood in her, and I had to put a bullet through her as she lay. Jack, tell me, Arthur was the first, is not that so?”

As he spoke the poor fellow looked terribly anxious. His heart was bleeding, I paused before answering, he knew so much, and guessed so much, so I answered, “That’s so.”

“And how long… you know…?”

“About ten days.”

“Ten days! Then I guess, Jack Seward, that that poor pretty lady that we all love has the blood of four strong men. Where did the blood go?”

I shook my head.

“That,” I said, “is the question. Van Helsing is simply frantic about it, and I don’t understand anything. Here we stay until all be well – or ill.”

Quincey held out his hand.

“Count me in,[154]” he said. “You and the Dutchman will tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.”

Lucy woke late in the afternoon. Her eye then on Van Helsing and on me too, and gladdened. Then she looked around the room, and 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 her mother’s death; so we tried to comfort her.

Towards dusk she fell asleep. Here a very odd thing occurred. While still asleep she took the paper from her breast and tore it in two. Van Helsing stepped over and took the pieces from her. He seemed surprised, but said nothing.

19 September. – All last night she slept badly, she was afraid to sleep, and weaker when she woke from it. The Professor and I never left her for a moment. Quincey Morris patrolled round and round the house all night long.

When the day came, poor Lucy became very weak. She was hardly able to turn her head. At times she slept, and both Van Helsing and I noticed the difference in her. While asleep she looked stronger, although more haggard, and her breathing was softer; her open mouth showed the pale gums drawn 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 telegraphed for him. Quincey went off to meet him at the station.

When he arrived it was nearly six o’clock. When he saw her, Arthur was simply choking with emotion, and none of us could speak. Arthur’s presence, however, acted as a stimulant; Lucy spoke to him more brightly than she had done since we arrived.

God help us all.

17 September.

My dearest Lucy,

It seems an age since I heard from you, or indeed since I wrote. You will pardon me, I know. Well, my husband came back, it’s all right. Mr. Hawkins 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. I know you both from children. Now I want you to make your home here with me. I have neither relatives nor children; all are gone, and in my will I have left you everything.[155]”

I cried, Lucy dear, as Jonathan and the old man clasped hands. Our evening was a very, very happy one.

So here we are, in this beautiful old house, and from both my bedroom and the drawing room I can see the great elms of the cathedral. 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? Jonathan is beginning to put some flesh on his bones again, but he was terribly weakened by the long illness. And now I have told you my news, let me ask yours. When are you marry and where? Who will perform the ceremony? What will you wear? Is it to be a public or a private wedding? Tell me all about it, dear; tell me all about everything. Goodbye, my dearest Lucy, and all blessings on you.

Yours,

Mina Harker

20 September.

My dear Sir,

In accordance with your wishes, I enclose report of the conditions of the patient, Renfield. He has had another outbreak. This afternoon a carrier’s cart with two men visited the empty house – 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 looking out of the window. One of them came up to the house. As he passed the window of Renfield’s room, the patient began to call him all the foul names he could lay his tongue to. I opened the window and signed to the man not to notice. Then he asked his way civilly enough, and I told him where the gate of the empty house was; he went away. I went down. I found Renfield, to my astonishment, quite composed.

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 the attendants, and ran after him. I saw the same cart, there were some great wooden boxes on it. The men were wiping their foreheads, it was a hard job, I suppose. The patient rushed at them, and pulled one of them off the cart, then he began to knock his head against the ground.

The other fellow jumped down and struck Renfield over the head with his heavy whip. It was a terrible blow; but Renfield did not even move. He seized him also, and struggled with the three of us. At first he was silent; but as we began to win, he began to shout, “I’ll frustrate them! They won’t rob me! They won’t murder me! I’ll fight for my Lord and Master!” and all sorts of similar incoherent ravings. One of the attendants, Hardy,[158] had broken a finger.

Just in case, I took the two carriers’ names and addresses. They are as follows: Jack Smollet, of Dudding’s Rents, King George’s Road, Great Walworth,[159] and Thomas Snelling, Peter Farley’s Row, Guide Court, Bethnal Green.[160] They are both in the employment of Harris & Sons,[161] Moving and Shipment Company, Orange Master’s Yard, Soho.[162]

Believe me,[163] dear Sir,

Yours faithfully,

Patrick Hennessey

18 September.

My dearest Lucy,

Such a sad event! Mr. Hawkins has died very suddenly. You know, we had lost a father. I never knew either father or mother, so that the dear old man’s death is a real shock to me. Jonathan is greatly distressed. He feels sorrow, deep sorrow, for the dear, good man has treated him like[164] his own son and left him a fortune.[165] I shall come to London, as we must do the day after tomorrow; for poor Mr. Hawkins left in his will that he wanted to be buried in the grave with his father. I shall try to see you, dearest, if only for a few minutes.

With all blessings,

Your loving

Mina Harker

20 September. – I am miserable, low-spirited, sick of the world and all in it, including life itself. I changed Van Helsing in his watch over Lucy. At first, Arthur refused to go to rest. But I told him that we wanted him to help us during the day. 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. You must not be alone; come to the drawing room, where there is a big fire, and there are two sofas. You will lie on one, and I on the other, and our sympathy will be comfort to each other, even though we do not speak, and even if we sleep.”

Lucy lay in her pillow, almost whiter than the lawn. She lay quite still. Lucy’s 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[166] 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. There was a full moonlight, and I could see that the noise was made by a great bat, which wheeled round – 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, and watched her.

Presently she woke, and I gave her food, as Van Helsing had prescribed. She took some. 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, she put the flowers from her; but that when she waked she clutched them close.

At six o’clock Van Helsing came. When he saw Lucy’s face, he said to me in a sharp whisper, “I want light!” Then he bent down, and examined Lucy carefully. He removed the flowers and lifted the silk handkerchief from her throat. The wounds on the throat had absolutely disappeared!

For fully five minutes Van Helsing stood. He was looking at her, then he turned to me and said calmly, “She is dying. It will not be long now. It will be much difference, whether she dies conscious or in her sleep. Wake that poor boy, and let him come; he trusts us, and we have promised him.”

I went to the dining room and waked Arthur. 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, while 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:[167] it will be best and easiest for her.”

When we came into Lucy’s room, she opened her eyes, and 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.[168] “No,” he whispered, “not yet! Hold her hand; it will comfort her more.”

So Arthur took her hand and knelt beside her. Then she sank to sleep.

And then there came the strange change which I had noticed in the night. Her mouth opened, and the pale gums made the teeth look longer and sharper than ever. In a 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 had 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, was startled by her voice, swooped upon him, caught him by the neck with both hands, and dragged him back with a fury of strength, 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.

Arthur did not know what to do or say; he stood silent, waiting.

We saw a spasm of rage like a shadow over her face; the sharp teeth champed together. Then her eyes closed, and she breathed heavily. Very shortly after she opened her eyes, and put out her poor, pale, thin hand. She took Van Helsing’s great brown hand; drew it to her, and kissed it.

“My true friend,” she said, in a faint voice, “My true friend, and his! Oh, guard him, and give me peace!”

“I swear it!” he said solemnly. 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 took Arthur’s arm, and drew him away. And then Lucy’s breathing 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.

I went back to the room. Van Helsing was 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 pallor. 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.”

The funeral was arranged, Lucy and her mother might be buried together. I attended to all the ghastly formalities. The woman who performed the last offices for the dead remarked to me, in a confidential way, “She makes a very beautiful corpse, sir. It’s quite a privilege to attend on her.”

There were no relatives; and as Arthur had to be back the next day to attend at his father’s, Lord Godalming’s,[169] funeral. Van Helsing insisted upon looking over Lucy’s papers. I asked him why. He answered me, “You forget that I am a lawyer as well as a doctor. Try to avoid the coroner.[170] There may be papers more – such as this.”

As he spoke he took from his pocket-book the memorandum which was in Lucy’s breast, and which she had torn in her sleep.

“I will search for her papers. Her thoughts must not go into the hands of strangers.”

In half hour I had found the name and address of Mrs. Westenra’s solicitor and had written to him. All the poor lady’s papers were in order; explicit directions regarding the place of burial were given. I had hardly sealed the letter, when, to my surprise, Van Helsing walked into the room, and said, “Can I help you, friend John? I am free, and if I may, my service is 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 hoped to find some letters and a few memoranda, and a diary. Here they are. I have them here, and we shall say nothing of them. I shall see that poor lad tomorrow evening, and, with his sanction, I shall use some.”

Then he said to me, “And now, friend John, I think we may go to bed. We want to sleep, both you and I. Tomorrow we shall have much to do. Alas!”

Before going to sleep we went to look at poor Lucy. 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. Then he took from his neck, inside his collar, a little gold cross, and placed it over the mouth. He restored the sheet to its place, and we came away.

I was undressing in my own room, when he entered, and at once began to speak, “Tomorrow bring me, before night, a set of post-mortem knives.[171]”

“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. Ah! You a surgeon, and so shocked! You, whom I have seen with no tremble of hand or heart, 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[172] 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: and then replace all, none will know.”

“But why do it at all? The girl is dead. Why mutilate her poor body without need? It’s no good to her, to us, to science, to human knowledge – why do it? It is monstrous.”

For answer he put his hand on my shoulder, and said, with infinite tenderness, “Friend John, there are things that you don’t know, but that you will know. John, my child, you have been my friend now many years, I may err – I am but man; but I believe in all I do. Yes! Were you not amazed, or horrified, when I did not 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 rough old hand and blessed me? Yes! Well, I have good reason now for all I want to do. You have for many years trusted me. Believe me yet a little, friend John. If you trust me not, then I must tell what I think; and that is not perhaps well.” 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. 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. He went into his room and closed the door. As I stood without moving, I saw how one of the maids passed silently along the passage – she did not see me – and went into the room where Lucy lay. The sight touched me. Devotion is so rare.

I slept long and soundly, for it was broad daylight when Van Helsing waked me. He came over to my bedside and said, “You need not trouble about the knives; we shall not do it.”

“Why not?” I asked.

“Because,” he said sternly, “it is too late – or too early. See!” Here he held up the little golden cross. “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 maid who stole it, from the woman who robbed the dead and the living. Her punishment will surely come, but not through me. She does not know what she did, she only stole. Now we must wait.”

He went away.

The forenoon was a dreary time, but at noon the solicitor came, Mr. Marquand.[173] 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 the whole estate was left absolutely to Arthur Holmwood. A certain property of Lucy’s father’s went back to a distant branch of the family.

Mr. Marquand did not remain long, but said he would come to see Lord Godalming. Arthur was expected at five o’clock. Poor fellow! He looked desperately sad and broken. With me he was warm as ever, and to Van Helsing he was sweetly courteous; but I saw that there was some constraint with him. He took my arm and said huskily, “You loved her too, old fellow; she told me all about it, and you were her best friend. 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, 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. I stood still and silent, 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. It frightened and amazed me somewhat; and as for Arthur, he 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. He came away, fondly looking back over his shoulder at her.

Van Helsing was in the drawing room. When he came out of the room, I told him of Arthur’s question, and he replied, “I am not surprised. Just now I doubted for a moment myself!”

We all dined together, and I could see that poor Art was trying to make the best of things. Van Helsing was silent all dinner time; but later 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 used that name because I was in doubt. I must not call you ‘Mr.,’ 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 thank you for your goodness to my poor dear Lucy.” He paused a moment, and went on, “I know that she understood your goodness even better than I do; and if I was rude at that time you acted so, you remember” – the Professor nodded – “you must forgive me.”

The Professor answered with a grave kindness, “I know it was hard for you to quite trust me then. But the time will come when your understand everything.”

“And, indeed, indeed, sir,” said Arthur warmly, “I shall in all ways trust you. I know and believe you have a very noble heart, and you are Jack’s friend, and you were her friends. You can do what you like.”

The Professor 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. But can I get your permission to read all Miss Lucy’s papers and letters? Believe me, it is no idle curiosity. I have a motive. I have them all here. I took them before we knew that all was yours. I shall keep them, if I may; even you may not see them yet, but I shall keep them safe. 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, “Dr. Van Helsing, you may do what you want. 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 sweet. 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[174] and was never out of sight of the room where Lucy lay in her coffin.

22 September. – We are on the train to Exeter. Jonathan is sleeping. Now I am married to him. Jonathan is a solicitor, a partner, he is rich, master of his business, Mr. Hawkins is dead and buried, and Jonathan has another attack that may harm him. Some day he may ask me about it.

The funeral was very simple and very solemn. There were only ourselves and the servants there, one or two his old friends from Exeter, his London agent, and a gentleman representing Sir John Paxton,[175] 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, we took a bus to Hyde Park Corner. Then we walked down Piccadilly.[176] Jonathan was holding me by the arm. 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 on we walked. I was looking at a very beautiful girl, in a big cart-wheel hat.[177] Suddenly Jonathan clutched my arm so tight that he hurt me, and he said, “My God!” I am always anxious about Jonathan, so I turned to him quickly, and asked him what it was that disturbed him.

He was very pale, half in terror and half in amazement, he gazed at a tall, thin man, with a beaky nose and black moustache and pointed beard, who was also observing the pretty girl. He was looking at her, and he did not see either of us, and so I had 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 was staring at him. He looked so fierce and nasty. I asked Jonathan why he was disturbed, and he answered, “Do you see who it is?”

“No, dear,” I said. “I don’t know him; who is it?”

His answer shocked and thrilled me.

“It is the man himself![178]”

Jonathan was evidently terrified at something – very, greatly terrified. He was staring; a man came out of the shop with a small parcel, and gave it to the lady, who then drove off. When the carriage moved up Piccadilly he followed in the same direction. Jonathan said, as if to himself, “I believe it is the Count, but he has grown young. My God! 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. So I did not ask him any questions, I remained silent. I drew him away quietly. He was holding my arm, and came easily. We walked a little further, and then went in and sat for a while in the Green Park. It was a hot day for autumn, and there was a comfortable seat in a shady place.

After a while Jonathan’s eyes closed, and he went quietly into a sleep, with his head on my shoulder. I thought it was the best thing for him, so did not disturb him. In about twenty minutes he woke up, and said to me quite cheerfully, “Why, Mina, have I been asleep! Oh, please forgive me, I was so rude. Come, and we’ll have a cup of tea somewhere.”

He had evidently forgotten all about the dark stranger. I must not ask him, I shall do more harm than good. But I must somehow learn the facts of his journey abroad. The time is come,[179] 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.[180]

Same day, later. – Jonathan still pale and dizzy under a slight relapse of his malady; and now a telegram from Van Helsing, whoever he may be, “Mrs. Westenra died five days ago, and Lucy died the day before yesterday. They were both buried today.”

Poor Mrs. Westenra! Poor Lucy! Gone, gone, they will never return to us! And poor, poor Arthur, he has lost such sweetness of his life!

22 September. – It is all over. Arthur has gone back to Ring, and has taken Quincey Morris with him. What a fine fellow is Quincey! I believe that he suffered as much about Lucy’s death as any of us. Van Helsing is lying down, he is having a rest. He goes over to Amsterdam tonight, but says he returns tomorrow night. He only wants to make some arrangements. He will stay at my place; he says he has work to do in London which may take him some time.

Poor old fellow![181] When the burial was all over, we were standing beside Arthur, who, poor fellow, was speaking of his part in the operation. I could see Van Helsing’s face: it was growing white and purple.

Arthur and Quincey went away together to the station, and Van Helsing and I came on here. He laughed till he cried; 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; but it had no effect. When his face grew grave and stern again I asked him why his mirth,[182] and why at such a time. His reply 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. The laughter who knocks at your door and says, ‘May I come in?’ is not the true laughter. No! The true laughter comes when and how it likes. It does not choose the time of suitability. It says, ‘I am here.’ Oh, that poor sweet young girl! I gave her my blood, though I am old; I gave her my time, my skill, my sleep. And yet I can laugh at her grave. Even at such moment King Laugh comes to me and shouts and bellows in my ear, ‘Here I am! here I am!’ Oh, friend John, it is a strange world, a sad world, a world full of miseries, and woes, and troubles. And believe me, friend John, that King Laugh comes like the sunshine.”

I did not yet understand the cause of his laughter, so I asked him. As he answered me his face grew stern, and he said in quite a different tone, “Oh, it was the grim irony of it all – this so lovely lady garlanded with flowers;[183] she laid in that fine marble house in that lonely churchyard, with the mother who loved her, and whom she loved; and the sacred bell said ‘Toll! Toll! Toll![184]’… And all for what? She is dead; so! Is it not?”

“Well, Professor,” I said, “I can’t see anything funny in all that. Your explanation makes it a harder puzzle than before. But even if the burial service was comic, what about poor Arthur and his trouble? His heart was simply breaking.”

“Just so. Friend John, forgive me. Why do I laugh? Because I know!”

So I can finish this diary; and God only knows if I shall ever begin another.

A Hampstead Mystery.[185]

During the past two or three days several cases have occurred: young children were straying from home or neglecting to return home. In all these cases the children were talking about a “bloofer lady[186]”. The children disappeared late in the evening, and on two occasions they came home early in the following morning. The police think that the children were playing “bloofer lady”, that’s all.

There is, however, a serious side to the question. Some of the children have slight wounds in the throat. These wounds might be made by a rat or a small dog. The police have the instruction to watch straying children, especially when very young, and stray dogs in and around Hampstead Heath.[187]

Extra Special[188]. The Hampstead Horror.

Another Child Injured

The “Bloofer Lady”

We have just received information that another child, missed last night, was only discovered late in the morning under a bush at the Shooter’s Hill[189]side of Hampstead Heath. The child has the same tiny wound in the throat. He was terribly weak, and told the common story about the “bloofer lady.”

23 September. – Jonathan is better after a bad night. I am so glad that he has plenty of work to do. My household work is done, so I shall take his foreign journal, and lock myself up in my room and read it…

24 September.

Dear Madam,

I pray you to pardon my writing I sent to you sad news of Miss Lucy Westenra’s death. By the kindness of Lord Godalming, I am allowed to read her letters and papers, for I am deeply concerned about certain matters. In her papers I found some letters from you, which show how great friends you were and how you loved her. Oh, Madam Mina, please, help me. May I see you? You can trust me. I am a friend of Dr. John Seward and of Lord Godalming (that was Arthur). I can come to Exeter to see you at once if you are not against it; please, tell me where and when. I have read your letters to poor Lucy, and know how good you are and how your husband suffers; so I pray you, don’t tell him anything. Again your pardon, and forgive me.

Van Helsing

25 September.

Come today by quarter-past ten train if you can catch it. I can see you any time you call.

Wilhelmina Harker.

25 September. – I feel terribly excited before the visit of Dr. Van Helsing. 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 about her. But the reason of his arrival is Lucy, and not Jonathan. Then I shall never know the real truth now! How silly I am. That awful journal… Of course it is about Lucy. I had almost forgotten how ill she was.

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 am so glad I have type-written out my own journal,[190] so that, if he asks about Lucy, I can hand it to him.

Same day, later. – He has come and gone. Oh, what a strange meeting! Can it be all possible, or even a part of it? Poor, poor, dear Jonathan! How he suffered. I shall try to save him from trouble. Dr. Van Helsing must be a good man as well as a clever one if he is Arthur’s friend and Dr. Seward’s. 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.

It was half-past two o’clock when the knock came. 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, a broad, deep chest and. The head is noble, well-sized, broad, and large behind the ears. The face, clean-shaven, shows a hard, square chin, a large, resolute, mobile mouth, a good-sized nose, rather straight, but with quick, sensitive nostrils, bushy brows. The forehead is broad and fine, big, dark blue eyes. He said to me, “Mrs. Harker, is it not?” I bowed assent.[191]

“That was Miss Mina Murray?” Again I assented.

“I came to see Madam Mina Murray that was a friend of that poor dear child Lucy Westenra.”

“Sir,” I said, “you were a friend and helper of Lucy Westenra. This is the best recommendation for me.” And I held out my hand. He took it and said tenderly, “Oh, Madam Mina, I knew that the friend of that poor girl must be good, but – ” He finished his speech with a courtly bow.

I asked him what it was that he wanted to see me about, so he at 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 began after you had left. So I kindly ask you to tell me all that you can remember.”

“I can tell you, I think, Dr. Van Helsing, all about Lucy.”

“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, Madam Mina, I will be grateful; you will do me much favour.”

“Here it is: I have written something for you.”

He took my diary and his eyes glistened.

“You are so good,” he said. “And may I read it now? I may want to ask you some things when I have read.”

“Yes, of course,” I said, “read it over while I order lunch; and then you can ask me questions while we eat.”

He bowed and settled himself in a chair, and became absorbed in the papers, while I went to see after lunch. When I came back, he was walking hurriedly up and down the room. He rushed up to me and took me by both hands.

“Oh, Madam Mina,” he said, “how can I say what I owe to you? This paper is as sunshine. It opens the gate to me. But that you do not, cannot, comprehend. Oh, but I am grateful to you, you so clever woman. Madam” – 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 a pleasure and delight if I may serve you as a friend. All I can ever do shall be for you and those you love. You will have happy life and good life, and your husband will be blessed.”

“But, doctor, you praise me too much, and – and you do not know me.”

“Oh, I am old, and have studied all my life men and women! I have read your diary that you have written for me. Oh, Madam Mina, your husband is noble nature, and you are noble too. And your husband – tell me of him. Is he quite well? Is he strong and hearty?”

“He was almost recovered, but was greatly upset by Mr. Hawkins’s death.”

Van Helsing interrupted, “Oh, yes, I know, I know. I have 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 shock.”

“A shock, 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.”

Van Helsing took my hands, and made me sit on the sofa,[192] and sat by me. He held my hand in his, and said to me with, oh, such infinite sweetness, “I am glad, glad, that I may be here of some use to you; for if your husband suffers, he suffers 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 your life happy. You have told me all about Lucy. I shall stay in Exeter tonight, and I shall ask you questions, if I may. And then, too, you will tell me of husband Jonathan’s trouble. You must eat now; afterwards you will tell me all.”

After lunch, when we went back to the drawing room, he said to me, “And now tell me all about him.”

I began to fear: he can think me a weak fool,[193] and Jonathan a madman – that journal is all so 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 queer that you must not laugh at me or at my husband. You must be kind to me, and not think me foolish.”

He reassured me by his manner as well as his words when he said, “Oh, my dear, I have tried to keep an open mind.”

“Thank you, thank you, a thousand times! 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. 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. “In the morning, I shall come to see you and your husband, if I may.”

“Jonathan will be here at half-past eleven, and you must come to lunch with us and see him then. You could catch the quick 3:34 train, which will leave you at Paddington[194] before eight.”

So he took the papers with him and went away, and I sit here thinking, thinking I don’t know what.

25 September, 6 p.m.

Dear Madam Mina,

I have read your husband’s wonderful diary. You may sleep without doubt. Strange and terrible as it is, it is true! It may be worse for others; but for him and you there is no dread. He is a noble fellow. His brain and his heart are all right; I swear. I shall ask him some questions. I must think.

Yours the most faithful,

Abraham Van Helsing

25 September, 6:30 p.m.

My dear Dr. Van Helsing,

A thousand thanks for your kind letter. And yet, if it is true, what terrible things there are in the world! Is that man, that monster, really in London? I fear to think. Jonathan leaves by the 6:25 tonight from Launceston[195] and will be here at 10:18. Will you 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 bring you to Paddington by 2:35.

Believe me,

Your faithful and grateful friend,

Mina Harker

26 September. – When I got home last night Mina told me of Van Helsing’s visit. She gave him the two diaries copied. She showed me the doctor’s letter, all I wrote down was true. I felt impotent, and in the dark, and distrustful. But, now that I know, I am not afraid, even of the Count. He has come to London, and I saw him. He has got younger,[196] and how? Van Helsing will unmask him. We sat late, and talked it all 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, “But Madam Mina told me you were ill, that you had had a shock.”

It was so funny to hear “Madam Mina” from this old man. I smiled, and said, “I was ill, I have had a shock; but you have cured me already.”

“And how?”

“By your letter to Mina last night. I was in doubt, and I did not know what to trust, even the evidence of my own senses. I did not know what to do. I mistrusted myself. Doctor, you don’t know what it is to doubt everything, even yourself. No, you don’t; you couldn’t.”

He laughed as he said, “So! I learn more here with each hour. I am coming to you to breakfast with much pleasure; and, oh, sir, you are blessed in your wife.[197]”

I simply nodded and stood silent.

“She is one of God’s women, 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. You will give me your hand, will you not? And let us be friends.”

We shook hands, and he was earnest and kind.

“And now,” he said, “may I ask you for some help? I have a great task to do. You can help me here. Can you tell me what was before your going to Transylvania? Later on I may ask for more help, and of a different kind; but at first this will do.”

“Look here, sir,[198]” I said, “does it concern the Count?”

“It does,” he said solemnly.

“Then I am with you heart and soul. I shall give you some papers. You can take them with you and read them in the train.”

After breakfast we went to the station. When we were parting he said, “Perhaps you will come to London if I send for you, and take Madam Mina too.”

“We shall both come when you want,” I said.

I bought him the morning papers and the London papers of the previous night. His eyes suddenly caught something in one of them, the Westminster Gazette – and he grew white. He read something intently.

“Mein Gott! Mein Gott! So soon! So soon!”

He leaned out of the window and waved his hand.

“Love to Madam Mina; I shall write soon.”

26 September. – Truly there is no such thing as finality. I am starting to write again, or rather going on with the same record. Renfield had become as sane as he ever was. I had a letter from Arthur, and from it I knew that he was well. Quincey Morris is with him.

Van Helsing went to Exeter yesterday, and stayed there all night. Today he came back, and came into the room at about half-past five o’clock, and gave me Westminster Gazette.

“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. He pointed out a paragraph about children and small punctured wounds on their throats. An idea struck me, and I looked up.

“Well?” he said.

“It is like poor Lucy’s.”

“And what do you think?”

“Tell me!” I said. “I have no opinion. I do not know what to think.”

“Do you know, friend John, what poor Lucy died of?[199]”

“Of nervous prostration[200] following on great loss or waste of blood.”

“But how did the blood lost or waste happen?”

I shook my head. He stepped over and sat down beside me, and went on, “You are clever man, friend John; you reason well, but you are too prejudiced. You do not let your eyes see nor your ears hear. Don’t you think that there are things which you cannot understand; that some people see things that others cannot? Materialization, astral bodies, reading of thought, hypnotism… There are always mysteries in life. Why did Methuselah[201] live nine hundred years, and poor Lucy, with four men’s blood in her poor veins, could not live even one day? Do you know all the mystery of life and death? Do you know that in the Pampas[202] there are bats that come at night and open the veins of cattle and horses and suck their veins? Do you know that in some islands of the Western seas there are bats which hang on the trees all day, and when the sailors sleep on the deck, flit down on them?[203]”

“Good God, Professor!” I said, starting up. “Do you mean that Lucy was bitten by such a bat; and that such a thing is here in London in the nineteenth century?”

He waved his hand for silence, and went on, “Can you tell me why men in all ages and places believe that there are men and women who cannot die? Do you think that those 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. Alas! No. It is worse, far, far worse.”

“In God’s name, Professor Van Helsing, what do you mean?” I cried.

He placed his elbows on the table, and said, “They were made by Miss Lucy!”

I rose up and I said to him, “Dr. Van Helsing, are you mad?”

He raised his head and looked at me, and somehow the tenderness of his face calmed me at once.

“Alas!” he said. “Madness is easier than the truth like this. Tonight I’m going to prove it. Will you come with me?”

This staggered me. Nobody likes to prove such a truth. He saw my hesitation, and spoke, “The logic is simple. I’ll tell you what I think: first, we shall go and see that child in the hospital. And then – ”

“And then?”

He took a key from his pocket and held it up.

“And then we spend the night, you and I, in the churchyard where Lucy lies. This is the key that locks the tomb. I took it from the coffin-man.[204]”

…The child had had a sleep and taken some food, and altogether was going on well. Dr. Vincent took the bandage from its throat, and showed us the punctures. There was no mistake. The punctures were small, and the edges looked fresh; that was all.

“I hope,” said Van Helsing, “that when you send the child home you will caution his parents to watch him. If the child remains out another night, it can probably be fatal. But in any case I suppose you will not let him be away[205] for some days?”

“Certainly not, not for a week at least; maybe longer.”

Our visit to the hospital took much time, and the sun had dipped before we came out. When Van Helsing saw how dark it was, he said, “No hurry. It is later than I thought. Come, let us eat somewhere, and then we shall go on.”

We dined, and about ten o’clock we started. It was then very dark, but the Professor knew where to go. As we went further, we met fewer and fewer people. At last we reached the wall of the churchyard, which we climbed over. With some little difficulty – for it was very dark – we found the Westenra’s tomb. The Professor took the key, and opened the creaky door. Then he fumbled in his bag, and took out a matchbox, a piece of candle and a turnscrew.

“What are you going to do?” I asked.

“To open the coffin. You will be convinced.”

He opened the coffin. I drew near and looked. The coffin was empty!

It was certainly a surprise to me, and gave me a considerable shock, but Van Helsing was unmoved.

“Are you satisfied now, friend John?” he asked.

I answered him, “I am satisfied that Lucy’s body is not in that coffin; but that only proves one thing.”

“And what is that, friend John?”

“That it is not there.”

“That is good logic,” he said, “But why?”

“Perhaps someone has stolen it,” I suggested. It was the only real cause which I could suggest. The Professor sighed.

“Ah well!” he said, “We must have more proof. Come with me.”

He put on the coffin lid again, gathered up all his things and placed them in the bag, blew out the light,[206] and placed the candle also in the bag. We opened the door, and went out. Behind us he closed the door and locked it.

We began to wait. It was a lonely vigil. I was very cold and sleepy. I had a dreary, miserable time.

Suddenly, as I turned round, I saw something like a white streak. It was moving between two dark trees at the side of the churchyard farthest from the tomb; at the same time a dark mass moved from the Professor’s side of the ground, and hurriedly went towards it. Then I too moved. A white, dim figure flitted in the direction of the tomb. The tomb itself was hidden by trees, and I could not see where the figure disappeared. I saw the Professor. He was holding in his arms a tiny child. When he saw me, and said, “Are you satisfied now?”

“No,” I said.

“Don’t you see the child?”

“Yes, it is a child, but who brought him here? And is he wounded?” I asked.

“We shall see,” said the Professor, and we took our way out of the churchyard. Van Helsing was carrying the sleeping child. When we had got some little distance away, we looked at the child’s throat. It was without any scratch or scar.

“Was I right?” I asked triumphantly.

“We were just in time,[207]” said the Professor thankfully.

We decided to take the child to the Heath and to leave him near the police station. We waited and watched until the policemen saw the child. We heard their exclamations of astonishment, and then we went away silently.

I cannot sleep. Van Helsing will come at noon. I shall go with him on another expedition.

27 September.

Friend John,

I write this just in case.[210] I go alone to watch in the churchyard. I hope that the undead, Miss Lucy, will not leave tonight. Therefore I shall fix some things she doesn’t like – garlic and a cross – and I shall so seal up[211] the door of the tomb. I shall watch all the night from dusk till dawn. I’m not afraid of Miss Lucy; but there is another one, who made her undead. He is cunning, he has the strength of twenty men. But I hope he will not find me.

If something happens… Take these papers, the diaries of Harker and the rest, and read them, and then find this great Undead, and cut off his head and burn his heart or drive a stake through it.

Just in case, farewell.

Van Helsing

28 September. – Yesterday I was ready to accept Van Helsing’s monstrous ideas; but now they seem strange. I have no doubt that he believes it all. It’s a pity if Van Helsing got mad; but anyhow I shall watch him carefully.

29 September. – I went down to Dr. Seward’s study. I said, “You helped to attend dear Lucy at the end. Let me hear how she died, I shall be very grateful. She was very, very dear to me.”

To my surprise, he answered, with a horrorstruck look in his face, “Tell you of her death? No, no, no!”

“Why not?” I asked. He paused, and then he said, “You see, I have kept the diary, you may read it.”

Now I shall learn something, I am sure; for it will tell me the other side of the story…

29 September. – I was absorbed in the diary of Jonathan Harker and that other of his wife. I had just finished Mrs. Harker’s diary, when she came in. She looked sweetly pretty, but very sad, and her eyes were flushed with crying.

“It is a part of the terrible story,” she said, “a part of poor dear Lucy’s death. In your record there are many lights to this dark mystery.”

29 September. – After dinner I came with Dr. Seward to his study. The terrible story of Lucy’s death was done.

“We must be ready for Dr. Van Helsing when he comes. I have sent a telegram to Jonathan to come on here when he arrives in London from Whitby. You tell me that Lord Godalming and Mr. Morris are coming too.”

Dr. Seward is good and thoughtful; the world is full of good men – even if there are monsters in it.

30 September. – Mr. Harker arrived at nine o’clock. He is uncommonly clever, and full of energy. If this journal is true, he must be a man of great nerve. After lunch Harker and his wife went back to their own room. He is now reading my diary.

Strange, the next house might be the Count’s hiding place! And the Count is connected with the patient Renfield! Harker says that by dinner time they will be able to show a whole connected narrative.[233]

Renfield was sitting placidly in his room and smiling. I sat down and talked with him. He wants to come back home.

29 September, on train to London. – I want to trace that horrid Count’s cargo to its place in London. Dracula was prepared for every obstacle.

When I came to London, I asked the station-master about the arrival of the boxes. He introduced me to the proper officials. I found that all the boxes which arrived at Whitby from Varna in the Demeter were safely deposited in the old chapel at Carfax.[234] I shall try to see the man who took away the boxes from Carfax when Renfield attacked them.

30 September. – Mrs. Harker gave us a cup of tea, and said, “Dr. Seward, may I ask a favour? I want to see your patient, Mr. Renfield. Let me see him. What you have said of him in your diary interests me so much!”

She looked so appealing and so pretty that I could not refuse her; so I took her with me.

“Good evening, Mr. Renfield,” said she. “You see, I know you, for Dr. Seward has told me of you.”

He made no immediate reply, but in a minute he said, “You’re not the girl the doctor wanted to marry, are you? You can’t be, you know, for she’s dead.”

Mrs. Harker smiled sweetly as she replied, “Oh no! I have a husband of my own. I am Mrs. Harker.”

“Then what are you doing here?”

“My husband and I are staying on a visit with Dr. Seward.”

“Then don’t stay.”

“But why not?”

Renfield did not reply.

…Van Helsing stepped from the carriage. He saw me at once, and said, “Ah, friend John, how are you doing? Well? So! Madam Mina is with you? Yes. And her fine husband? And Arthur and my friend Quincey, they are with you, too? Good!”

As I drove to the house I told him of what had passed. Professor interrupted me, “Ah, that wonderful Madam Mina! She has man’s brain and a woman’s heart. Friend John, tomorrow she must say goodbye to this work, and we go alone.”

I agreed heartily with him, and then I told him what we had found in his absence: that the house which Dracula had bought was the very next one to my own. He was amazed. Then he fell into a silence that lasted till we entered my own gateway.

30 September. – We met in Dr. Seward’s study two hours after dinner. Professor Van Helsing said, “I suppose, we all know the facts that are in these papers. I shall tell you something about our enemy. There are such beings as vampires. The vampire which is amongst us is as strong as twenty men; he is very cunning; he knows necromancy.[235] He is a brute; he is a devil, he has no heart; he can appear whenever and wherever he wants. He can direct the elements; the storm, the fog, the thunder; he can command the rats, and the owls, and the bats, and the foxes, and the wolves. He can grow and become small; and he can vanish and come again. How can we destroy him? How shall we find him? My friends, this is very difficult; it is a terrible task. For if we lose he will surely win. Shall we think? For me, I say, no; but I am old, you are young. What will you say?”

“I answer for Mina and myself,” said Jonathan.

“Count me in, Professor,” said Mr. Quincey Morris.

“I am with you,” said Lord Godalming. “For Lucy’s sake.”

Dr. Seward simply nodded. The Professor stood up, “Good. Our vampire is very dangerous. His vital faculties grow strenuous, but he cannot flourish without this diet. He throws no shadow; he makes no reflection in the mirror. He can transform himself to wolf; he can be as bat, as Madam Mina saw him on the window at Whitby. He can come in mist which he creates. He can come out from anything or into anything. He can see in the dark. He can do all these things, but he is not free. He cannot go where he wants; he must obey some nature’s laws. He may not enter anywhere unless they invite him. His power ceases in the morning. If he is not at his territory, he can only change himself at noon or at sunrise or sunset. There are things that diminish his power: the garlic, the cross, and so on. The branch of wild rose[236] on his coffin keeps him away; a sacred bullet fired into the coffin kills him and he will be really dead; the cut-off head will give him rest. We have seen it with our eyes.

Thus when we find his habitation, we can confine him to his coffin and destroy him. But he is clever. Our enemy is that Voivode Dracula,[237] Prince Vlad III, who won his name against the Turk.[238] He was the cleverest and the most cunning, as well as the bravest man of his land. The Draculas were a great and noble race, though some of them dealt with the Evil One.

And now we must decide what to do. Fifty boxes of earth came from the castle to Whitby, all of them were delivered at Carfax. Some of these boxes have been removed. Our first step is to ascertain whether all the rest boxes remain in the house or not. We must trace each of these boxes; and when we are ready, we must kill this monster in his lair.”

Mr. Morris resumed the discussion, “As there is no time to lose, let’s have a look at his house right now. Time is everything.”

1 October, 4 a.m. – Just as we were about to leave the house, an urgent message from Renfield arrived. He wanted to see him at once, as he had something very important to say to me.

“Take me with you, friend John,” said the Professor.

“May I come also?” asked Lord Godalming.

“Me too?” said Quincey Morris.

“May I come?” said Harker.

I nodded, and we all went down the passage together.

We all four went into the room. Renfield was very excited, and requested to be released him from the asylum at once. So I made a general statement that I would talk to him in the morning. This did not at all satisfy him, for he said quickly, “I fear, Dr. Seward, that you hardly apprehend my wish. I desire to go at once, here, now, this very hour, this very moment, if I may. Let me ask for this concession, boon, privilege, what you will.”

I went towards the door.

“Come, my friends, we have work to do. Goodnight.”

“Dr. Seward, oh, send me away! You don’t know what you do. I am speaking from the depths of my heart – of my very soul. You don’t know whom you wrong, or how; and I may not tell. I may not tell. Take me out and save my soul! Can’t you hear me? Can’t you understand? Don’t you know that I am sane and earnest now; I am no lunatic! Oh, hear me! Hear me! Let me go, let me go, let me go!”

“Oh,” I said sternly, “no more of this; we have had quite enough already. Get to your bed and try to behave more discreetly.”

1 October, 5 a.m. – I went with my friends to search the house. When we got to the porch the Professor opened his bag and took out a lot of things, which he laid on the step. Then he spoke, “My friends, we are going into a terrible danger, and we need protection. Remember that our enemy has the strength of twenty men. We can be hurt by him. We must, therefore, guard ourselves from his touch. Keep this near your heart” – as he spoke he lifted a little silver cross and held it out to me – “put these flowers round your neck” – here he handed to me a wreath of garlic blossoms – “for other enemies this revolver and this knife. And these small electric lamps, which you can fasten to your breast; and take this, too.”

This was a portion of Sacred Wafer, which he put in an envelope and handed to me. Each of the friends was similarly equipped.[239]

We pressed on the door of the house, the rusty hinges creaked, and it slowly opened. The Professor was the first to move forward, and stepped into the open door.

We closed the door behind us. The Professor carefully tried the lock, we all lit our lamps and proceeded on our search.

The whole place was thick with dust.[240] The walls were fluffy and heavy with it, and in the corners were masses of spider’s webs. On a table in the hall was a great bunch of keys.

“This is the spot,” said the Professor as he turned his lamp on a small map of the house, copied from the original correspondence regarding the purchase.[241] With a little trouble we found the key on the bunch and opened the next door.

As we were opening the door a faint, malodorous air exhaled through the gaps. But as to the odour itself, how shall I describe it? There was an earthy smell, as of some dry miasma,[242] which came through the fouler air. Such a stench of blood, of corruption.

We made an accurate examination of the place, the Professor said, “The first thing is to see how many boxes are left; we must then examine every hole and every corner.”

There were only twenty-nine boxes! I looked out of the vaulted door into the dark passage beyond, and for an instant my heart stood still. I saw the high lights[243] of the Count’s evil face, the ridge of the nose, the red eyes, the red lips, the awful pallor. It was only for a moment, for, as Lord Godalming said, “I thought I saw a face, but it was only the shadows,” I turned my lamp in the direction, and stepped into the passage. There was no sign of any one; and as there were no corners, no doors, no aperture of any kind, but only the solid walls of the passage.

A few minutes later we saw a whole mass of phosphorescence,[244] which twinkled like stars. We all instinctively drew back. The whole place was becoming alive with rats. The rats were multiplying in thousands, and we moved out.

It was early morning when we went out the house. Dr. Van Helsing had taken the key of the hall-door from the bunch, and locked the door.

“So,” he said, “our night has been successful. We know how many boxes are missing. Good! And now let us go home.”

I came into our own room, and found Mina asleep. She was paler than usual.

Quincey and Arthur went to trace the missing boxes.

1 October. – Last night I went to bed when the men had gone. I didn’t feel sleepy. Oh, why did I ever go to Whitby? I can’t quite remember how I fell asleep last night. I remember a lot of queer sounds from Mr. Renfield’s room, which is somewhere under mine. And then there was silence, silence so profound that it startled me, and I got up and looked out of the window. All was dark and silent. I lay a while, but could not quite sleep, so I got out and looked out of the window again. The mist was spreading, and was close up to the house. It was lying thick against the wall, as though it were stealing up to the windows. The poor Mr. Renfield was louder than ever. Then there was the sound of a struggle. I was so frightened that I crept into bed, and pulled the clothes over my head, and I put my fingers in my ears.

I thought that I was asleep. I was waiting for Jonathan. I was very anxious about him, and I was powerless to act; my feet, and my hands, and my brain were weighted. And so I slept uneasily and thought. The air was heavy, and dank, and cold. I put back the clothes from my face, and found, to my surprise, that all was dim around. I wanted to get up, but some leaden lethargy chained my limbs and even my will. I lay still and endured; that was all. I closed my eyes, but could still see through my eyelids. The mist grew thicker and thicker and I could see now how it came in, for I could see it like smoke – pouring in, not through the window, but through the joinings of the door.[245] It got thicker and thicker, till it concentrated into a pillar of cloud in the room, through the top of which I could see a red eye. Suddenly the horror burst upon me. Jonathan himself saw those awful women through the mist in the moonlight. The last I saw was a livid white face which was bending over me out of the mist. Last night tired me a lot.

1 October, evening. – I found the man was carrying the boxes. Mr. Joseph Smollet[247] is a decent, intelligent fellow, a good, reliable type. He remembered all about the cargo, he gave me the destinations of the boxes. There were, he said, six which he took from Carfax and left at 197, Chicksand Street,[248] Mile End New Town,[249] and another six which he deposited at Jamaica Lane, Bermondsey.[250] I asked Smollet if he knew anything about the other boxes. He replied, “Well, sir, I’ll tell you all I know. There was a house in Piccadilly…”

I asked him if he could tell me the number of that house in Piccadilly, to which he replied, “Well, sir, I forgot the number, but it was only a few doors from a big white church. It was a dusty old house. And there was an old man who helped me to lift the boxes and put them in the dray. Curse me![251] But he was the strongest chap I have ever seen, and he is an old fellow, with a white moustache, a very thin chap, but very strong. He took the end of the box like it was a pound of tea!”

“Were the boxes left in the hall?”

“Yes; it was a big hall, and there was nothing else in it.”

“And you can’t remember the number of the house?”

“No, sir. But you will find it. It’s a high house with a stone front, and high steps up to the door.” I started off for Piccadilly. At Piccadilly Circus I walked westward, and soon found the house, this was the next of the lairs arranged by Dracula.

I found my friends at home. Mina was looking tired and pale, but she made a gallant effort to be bright and cheerful. After dinner I took Mina to her room and left her to go to bed. When I came down again I found the others round the fire in the study. In the train I had written my diary, so I simply read them all the information. When I had finished Van Helsing said, “This was a great day, friend Jonathan. Missing boxes! If we find them all in that house, then our work is near the end.”

1 October. – Renfield’s moods change very rapidly. This morning, when I went to see him, I asked, “Would you like some sugar to get your flies round again?”

He shook his head. With a laugh he replied, “No! flies are poor things, after all!”

“And spiders?” I went on.

“Spiders! What’s the use of spiders? There isn’t anything in them to eat or – “, he stopped suddenly, as though reminded of a forbidden topic.

“So, so!” I thought to myself. “He has suddenly stopped at the word ‘drink’; what does it mean?” Renfield went on.

“All that nonsense is in the past.”

“I see,” I said. “You want big things. What about an elephant for breakfast?”

“What ridiculous nonsense you are talking!”

“I wonder,” I said, “what an elephant’s soul is like!”

“I don’t want an elephant’s soul, or any soul at all!” he cried.

For a few moments he sat despondently. Suddenly he jumped to his feet.

“To hell with you and your souls!” he shouted. “Why do you plague me about souls? I can’t think about souls! I shall acquire a higher life!”

3 October. – It is now six o’clock, in half an hour we are going to meet in the study and take something to eat. Dr. Seward told us that when he and Dr. Van Helsing had gone down to the room below they had found Renfield dead. He was lying on the floor. His face was all bruised and crushed in, and the bones of the neck were broken. Dr. Seward said to us, when we were alone, that he did not wish to go into the matter.[255] He can give a certificate of death.[256]

As usual Van Helsing knew what to do.

“The key of the situation is in that house in Piccadilly,” he said, “We shall go there and search that house; and then we shall run down our old fox![257]”

“Then let us come at once!” I cried, “We are wasting the precious, precious time!”

It was then time to start. So I said farewell to Mina; and we set out.

We entered Carfax without trouble and found all things the same as on the first occasion. Dr. Van Helsing said to us solemnly, “And now, my friends, we must sterilize this earth, now we shall sanctify it to God.”

As he spoke he took from his bag a screwdriver and a wrench, and soon opened the top of the first box. The earth smelled musty; but we did not mind, for our attention was concentrated on the Professor. He took from his box a piece of the Sacred Wafer and laid it reverently on the earth, Then he shut down the lid, we were aiding him.

One by one we did the same thing with all boxes. In each was a portion of the Host.

As we passed across the lawn on our way to the station to catch our, in the window I saw Mina. I nodded to tell that our work there was successfully accomplished.

Piccadilly, 12:30 a.m. – Morris paid the cabman, who touched his hat and drove away. Lord Godalming smiled, and probed the lock. All at once the door opened, and he and the two others entered the hall.

“The place smells so vilely,” said Lord Godalming as we came in. We knew we had a strong and wily enemy. In the dining room, which lay at the back of the hall, we found eight boxes of earth. We did not lose time, we began to examine the chests. With our tools we opened them, one by one, and treated them as we had treated those others in the old chapel.[258] It was evident to us that the Count was not at present in the house. We found the papers of the purchase of the houses at Mile End and Bermondsey and a great bunch of keys of all sorts and sizes. Lord Godalming and Quincey Morris them the keys and set out to destroy the boxes in these places. The rest of us began to wait for their return – or for the Count.

3 October. – The Professor was saying, “I have studied all the papers relating to this monster. He was a most wonderful man. Soldier, statesman, and alchemist,[259] he had the highest knowledge of his time. He had a mighty brain, and a heart that knew no fear and no remorse. He even attended the Scholomance,[260] and there was no branch of knowledge of his time that he did not know. His brain powers survived the physical death.”

Harker groaned and said, “And this is against my darling!”

“But, my child, do not despair! All his lairs but one are destroyed; and before the sunset we shall find the last one. Then he will have no place where he can move and hide.”

Suddenly came a resolute knock at the hall door. We looked at each other, and together moved out into the hall. Van Helsing pulled back the latch, and we saw Lord Godalming and Quincey Morris. They came quickly in and closed the door behind them. Quincey said, “It is all right. We found both places; six boxes in each and we destroyed them all!”

“Destroyed?” asked the Professor.

“For him!”

We were silent for a minute, and then Quincey said, “There’s nothing to do but to wait here.”

“He will be here very soon,” said Van Helsing. “Have all your arms![261] Be ready!”

We heard how someone inserted a key in the lock of the hall door. The Professor, with a gesture, placed us each in position. Van Helsing, Harker, and I were just behind the door, Godalming behind and Quincey in front stood just out of sight ready to move in front of the window. We waited.

Suddenly the Count leaped into the room, like a panther. Harker took his great Kukri knife[262] and made a fierce and sudden cut at him. The blow was a powerful one; only the diabolical quickness of the Count’s leap back saved him. The point just cut the cloth of his coat, a bundle of banknotes and a stream of gold fell out. The expression of the Count’s face was so hellish, that for a moment I feared for Harker. Instinctively I moved forward. I was holding the Cross and Wafer in my left hand. It is impossible to describe the expression of hate and malignity – of anger and hellish rage – which came over the Count’s face. The next instant, he ran under Harker’s arm, took some money from the floor, dashed across the room, and threw himself at the window.

We ran over. The Count crossed the flagged yard already, and opened the stable door.

There he turned and spoke to us, “You think to baffle me, you! You will be sorry yet, each one of you! You think you have left me without a place to rest; but I have more. My revenge is just begun! Time is on my side. Your girls that you all love are mine already; and through them you and others will be mine!”

With a contemptuous sneer, he passed quickly through the door. A door beyond opened and shut. We moved toward the hall. The Professor shouted, “We have learnt something – much! In spite of his brave words, he fears us; he fears time! Why hurry so? Why did he run away? Why did he take the money from the floor? We are hunters of wild beast.”

With sad hearts we came back to my house. Mrs. Harker was waiting us. When she saw our faces, her own became as pale as death.

4 October, morning. – I was wakened by Mina. She said to me hurriedly, “Go, call the Professor. I want to see him at once.”

“Why?” I asked.

“I have an idea. He must hypnotize me before the dawn, and then I shall be able to speak, without Count’s influence. Go quick, dearest.”

I went to the door. Dr. Seward sprang to his feet.

“Is anything wrong?” he asked.

“No,” I replied, “but Mina wants to see Dr. Van Helsing at once.”

“I will go,” he said, and hurried into the Professor’s room.

In two or three minutes later Van Helsing was in the room, and Mr. Morris and Lord Godalming were with Dr. Seward at the door. The Professor rubbed his hands as he said, “Oh, my dear Madam Mina, what can I do for you?”

“I want you to hypnotize me!” she said. “Do it before the dawn, for I feel that then I can speak, and speak freely. Be quick, for the time is short!”

Without a word he motioned her to sit up in bed. He commenced to make passes[263] in front of her, from over the top of her head downward. Mina gazed at him fixedly for a few minutes. Gradually her eyes closed, and she sat still. The Professor made a few more passes and then stopped. Mina opened her eyes; but she did not seem the same woman. There was a far-away look in her eyes,[264] and her voice had a sad dreaminess. Van Helsing asked her, “Where are you?”

“I do not know. It is all strange to me!”

“What do you see?”

“I can see nothing; it is all dark.”

“What do you hear?”

“The water. Little waves. I can hear them on the outside.”

“Then you are on a ship?”

We all looked at each other, we were afraid to think. The answer came quick, “Oh, yes!”

“What are you doing?”

“I am still, oh, so still. It is like death!”

The voice faded away. Dr. Van Helsing placed his hands on Mina’s shoulders, and laid her head down softly on her pillow. She lay for a few moments, and then, with a long sigh, awoke.

The Professor said, “My friends, the Count seized the money, so he wanted to escape. London is not a good place for him. His last earth-box is on a ship. We shall follow him.”

Mina asked faintly, “Why?”

“Because,” he answered, “he can live for centuries, and you are just a mortal woman. And he put a mark upon your throat.”

5 October, 5 p.m. – Our meeting for report. Present: Professor Van Helsing, Lord Godalming, Dr. Seward, Mr. Quincey Morris, Jonathan Harker, Mina Harker.

Dr. Van Helsing described what steps were taken during the day.

“The Count wants to get back to Transylvania. I am sure that he take the way he came here. With heavy hearts we started to find what ships left for the Black Sea[265] last night. So we found that only one Black-Sea-bound ship went out yesterday. It is the Czarina Catherine.[266] ‘So!’ said I, ‘this is the ship whereon is the Count.’ So off we went to Doolittle’s Wharf,[267] and there we found a man in an office. He said that last afternoon at five o’clock a man came to him. A tall man, thin and pale, with a high nose and white teeth, and burning eyes. He was in black. That man was inquiring what ship sailed for the Black Sea. They took him to the office and then to the ship. He brought a great box; he himself lifted it and moved it to the ship.

And so, my dear Madam Mina, our enemy is on the sea. We know where he goes. The box is to be landed in Varna,[268] and then an agent, Ristics,[269] will take it.”

5 October. – I rose early. When the Professor came in, he said, “Friend John, Madam Mina, our poor, dear Madam Mina is changing. I can see the characteristics of the vampire in her face. Her teeth are sharper, and her eyes are harder. And I fear if she in hypnotic trance can tell us what the Count sees and hears, it is probable that she can tell Dracula about our plans. Then, to prevent this, we must keep her ignorant[270] of our intent, and so she will not be able to tell the Count what she does not know. This is a painful task! But she can’t attend our meetings anymore.”

He wiped his forehead.

Same day, later. – Van Helsing said, “The Czarina Catherine left the Thames. It will take at least three weeks to reach Varna; but we can travel overland to the same place in three days. Thus, we must leave here on 17th. Then we shall be in Varna a day before the ship arrives, and able to make necessary preparations. In the meantime we can do nothing here; and as I think that Varna is not familiar to any of us, why not go there sooner? Tomorrow we can get ready, and then we four can go.”

“We four?” said Harker.

“Of course!” answered the Professor quickly. “You must remain to take care of your sweet wife!”

5 October. – Mina is sleeping now, calmly and sweetly like a little child. Her face beams with happiness. How strange it all is. All at once Mina opened her eyes, and said, “Jonathan, I want you to promise me something.”

“I promise!” I said, and for a moment she looked happy. She said, “Promise me that you will not tell me anything of the plans against the Count. Not by word, or inference, or implication!”

I said solemnly, “I promise!”

27 October, noon. – Strange; no news yet of the ship. Where is it? Mrs. Harker reported last night and this morning as usual, “Waves and water,” though she added that “the waves were very faint.”

30 October. – At nine o’clock Dr. Van Helsing, Dr. Seward, and I met the agents. They were more than kind and courteous, and took us at once on board the Czarina Catherine, which lay at anchor out in the river harbour. There we saw the Captain, who told us of the box.

“In the morning, an hour before sunrise, a man came aboard with an order from England, to receive a box marked for the Count Dracula. I was glad to get rid of it!”

“What was the name of the man who took it?” asked Dr. Van Helsing.

“Immanuel Hildesheim. Burgen-strasse, 16[274] was the address.”

We found Hildesheim in his office. He told us what he knew. He had received a letter from London – to receive, if possible before sunrise, a box which would arrive at Galatz in the Czarina Catherine. Then to give it to Petro Skinsky,[275] who dealt with the Slovaks. When Skinsky had come to him, he had taken him to the ship and handed over the box,[276] so as to save porterage. That was all he knew.

We were unable to find Skinsky. One of his neighbours said that he had gone away two days before, no one knew whither.

While we were talking a man came and said that the body of Skinsky was found inside the wall of the churchyard of St. Peter, and that the throat was torn open as if by some wild animal.

The box was on its way, but where? With heavy hearts we came home to the hotel to Mina.

When I had read this, Dr. Van Helsing said, “Our dear Madam Mina is once more our teacher. Now men, here and now, we must plan what we shall do.”

“I shall get a steam launch and follow him,” said Lord Godalming.

“And I, horses to follow on the bank,” said Mr. Morris.

“Good!” said the Professor, “Both good. But no one must go alone. The Slovak is strong and rough, and he carries rude arms.”

Mr. Morris said, “I have brought some Winchesters.[280]”

Dr. Seward said, “I think I shall go with Quincey. But you must not be alone, Arthur.”

He looked at Jonathan as he spoke, and Jonathan looked at me. He was silent awhile, and during his silence Dr. Van Helsing spoke, “Friend Jonathan, this is a case for you. First, because you are young and brave and can fight. Be not afraid for Madam Mina; she will stay with me. I am old. My legs are not so quick; and I can’t fight with lethal weapons. But I can fight in other way. You, my Lord Godalming and friend Jonathan, will go in your little steamboat up the river, while John and Quincey will guard the bank where he may land. I will take Madam Mina right into the heart of the enemy’s country. We shall follow Jonathan – from Bistritz over the Borgo, and then to the Castle of Dracula. After the first sunrise we shall try to come to that fateful place.”

Oh, this wonderful power of money! I am so glad that Lord Godalming is rich, and that both he and Mr. Morris, who also has plenty of money, are ready to spend it so freely. Lord Godalming and Jonathan have a lovely steam launch, Dr. Seward and Mr. Morris have half a dozen good horses. We have all the necessary maps. Professor Van Helsing and I will leave by the 11:40 train tonight for Veresti, where we can get a carriage to the Borgo Pass. We are bringing much money to buy a carriage and horses. We shall drive ourselves, for we have no one whom we can trust. The Professor knows many languages, so we shall get on all right.[281]

30 October, night. – We finally decided that Mina’s guess was correct: the Sereth and then the Bistritza. We are running at good speed up the river at night. Morris and Dr. Seward left before we started. It is a wild adventure.

2 November. – Three days on the road. No news, and no time to write, for every moment is precious.

31 October. – Arrived at Veresti at noon. We are truly in the hands of God. He alone knows what may be.

5 November, afternoon. – I left Mina at a safe place, and took my way to the castle. The hammer which I took in the carriage from Veresti was useful; though the doors were all open I broke them. I remembered Jonathan’s diary and found my way to the old chapel. I heard the howl of wolves.

I knew that there were at least three graves to find – and I found one of them. The woman lay there in her vampire sleep. Then I found the tombs of her sisters. By this time I had searched all the tombs in the chapel; and there was one great tomb; it was huge. On it was just one word: DRACULA.

This then was the home of the King Vampire. Of course, it was empty. I laid in Dracula’s tomb some of the Wafer. Then I began my terrible task, and I dreaded it. Oh, my friend John, it was butcher’s work. Thank God, my nerve stood. It is over!

Before I left the castle I fixed its entrances. The Count won’t be able to enter it. When I came back to Madam Mina, she cried out in pain.

“Come!” she said, “Come away from this awful place! Let us go to my husband who is, I know, near.”

She was and pale and weak, but her eyes were pure. So with trust and hope, and yet full of fear. We go eastward to meet our friends – and him.

6 November. – It was late in the afternoon when the Professor and I took our way towards the east. We did not go fast, though the way was downhill. When we had gone about a mile, I was tired and sat down to rest. Then I looked back and saw the Dracula’s castle. Dr. Van Helsing was searching about to seek a strategic point. In a little while the Professor signaled to me, so I got up and joined him. He had found a wonderful spot, a natural hollow in a rock, with an entrance like a doorway between two boulders. He took me by the hand and drew me in. “See!” he said, “Here you will be in shelter.” He took his field glasses[282] from the case, stood on the top of the rock, and began to search the horizon. Suddenly he called out, “Look! Madam Mina, look! Look!” Straight in front of us and not far off came a group of horsemen. In the midst of them was a cart. I could see from the men’s clothes that they were peasants or gypsies.

On the cart was a great square chest. My heart leaped as I saw it, for I felt that the end was coming. In fear I turned to the Professor; however, he was not there. I saw him below me. Round the rock he had drawn a circle. When he had completed it he said, “At least you will be safe here!”

He took the glasses from me.

“See,” he said, “they come quickly; they are racing for the sunset.[283] We may be too late. But look! Look! Look! See, two horsemen follow fast! It must be Quincey and John.”

I looked. The two men were Dr. Seward and Mr. Morris. Neither of them was Jonathan. At the same time I knew that Jonathan was not far off. I looked around and I saw on the north side two other men. They were riding at breakneck speed.[284] One of them was Jonathan, and the other, of course, was Lord Godalming. They, too, were pursuing the party with the cart.

All at once two voices shouted out, “Halt![285]” One was my Jonathan’s, the other Mr. Morris’. The gypsies reined in, and at the instant Lord Godalming and Jonathan dashed up[286] at one side and Dr. Seward and Mr. Morris on the other. At the same moment Dr. Van Helsing and I rose behind the rock and pointed our weapons at them.

Jonathan had jumped upon the cart, and, with a strength which seemed incredible, raised the great box, and flung it over the wheel to the ground.[287] In the meantime, Mr. Morris passed through the ring of gypsies. But I saw that the blood was spurting through his fingers: he was hurt. Jonathan, with desperate energy, attacked one end of the chest, and attempted to lift the lid with his great Kukri knife. Mr. Morris attacked the other end with his bowie.[288] Under the efforts of both men the lid began to yield; and the top of the box was thrown back.[289]

By this time the gypsies made no resistance. I saw the Count. He was lying within the box upon the earth. He was deathly pale, just like a waxen image, and the red eyes glared with the horrible vindictive look.

But, on the instant, came the sweep and flash of Jonathan’s great knife. I shrieked; while at the same moment Mr. Morris’s bowie knife plunged into the heart. It was like a miracle; the whole body crumbled into dust and passed from our sight.

The gypsies turned, without a word, and rode away as fast as they could. Mr. Morris fell down, leaned on his elbow; the blood still gushed through his fingers. I flew to him, Jonathan knelt behind him and the wounded man laid back his head on his shoulder. With a sigh he smiled and said, “I am happy that I helped you. Oh, God!”

And, to our bitter grief, with a smile and in silence, he died.

Our boy’s birthday is the same day as that on which Morris died. We call our son Quincey. Godalming and Seward are both happily married. Last summer we made a journey to Transylvania. It was almost impossible to believe that the things which we had seen with our own eyes and heard with our own ears were truths.

Van Helsing summed it all up[290] as he said, with our boy on his knee, “We want no proofs; we ask none to believe us! Some day this boy will know everything.”

1. Choose the correct sentence:

1. The Dracula novel begins in the 18th century.

2. The Dracula novel begins in the 20th century.

3. The Dracula novel begins in the late 19th century.

4. The Dracula novel begins in the late 18th century.

1. The Dracula novel begins in the late 19th century.

2. Arthur.

3. a newly qualified English solicitor

4. three

5. Prince Vlad III

6. the central part of Romania

7. The gypsy man took the Harker’s letters, pressed them to his heart and bowed, and then put them in his cap.

8. Stop!

9. Van Helsing, Seward, Holmwood and Morris.

Jonathan Harker – Джонатан Харкер

Bistritz – Бистрица (город на западе Румынии в Трансильвании на реке Бистрица)

Buda-Pesth (Budapest) – Будапешт

Hotel Royale – отель «Ройяль»

Transylvania – Трансильвания (историческая область на северо-западе Румынии)

Count Dracula – граф Дракула

the Slovaks – словаки

Golden Krone Hotel – гостиница «Золотая крона»

Carpathians – Карпаты

Borgo Pass – перевал Борго

the best place on the coach – лучшее место в дилижансе

the eve of St. George’s Day – канун Св. Георгия

all the evil things in the world – вся нечисть этого мира

For your mother’s sake – Ради вашей матери

Mina – Мина

werewolf – оборотень

a fellow passenger – попутчик

a grip of steel – стальная хватка

mein Herr – мой господин (нем.)

slivovitz – сливовица

as if from fear – как будто от страха

by daylight – при дневном свете

a steel vice – стальные тиски

a solicitor’s clerk – помощник стряпчего

from head to foot – с головы до ног

a log fire – камин

Mr. Hawkins – мистер Хокинс

and take your instructions in all matters – и выполнит все ваши распоряжения

arched nostrils – изогнутые ноздри

at the tops extremely pointed – сильно заострённые кверху

for a while – ненадолго

in a hearty way – сердечно

the people will know me for a stranger – люди узнают во мне иностранца

not alone as – не только как

Purfleet – Перфлит

certain places marked with little rings – некоторые места обведены кружками

Exeter – Эксетер (главный город английского графства Девоншир)

Whitby – Уитби (город в английском графстве Норт-Йоркшир)

Yorkshire coast – йоркширское побережье

all at once – вдруг, внезапно

the cut had bled a little – ранка слегка кровоточила

Take care! – Будьте осторожны!

as if he had been present at them all – как будто он сам в них участвовал

on the doing of certain kinds of business – о совершении различных дел

my needs only were to be consulted – принимались бы во внимание только мои интересы

in shorthand – с помощью стенографии

after a little while – вскоре

I kept looking – я продолжал смотреть

in his lizard fashion – на манер ящерицы

moth-eaten – изъеденная молью

urged her on – уговаривали её

there are kisses for us all – поцелуев хватит на всех нас

drew it back – оттащил ёё назад

How dare you touch him?! – Как вы смеете его трогать?!

I sank down unconscious – я потерял сознание

in the toils – в западне

a band of gypsies – цыганский табор

Lucy Westenra – Люси Вестенра

as to – что касается

Holmwood – Холмвуд

lunatic asylum – психиатрическая больница

I never had a proposal – мне никогда не делали предложения

Dr. John Seward – доктор Джон Сьюворд

lunatic-asylum man – психиатр

very straightforwardly – весьма прямолинейно

Mr. Quincey P. Morris – мистер Квинси П. Моррис

R. M. Renfield – Р. М. Ренфилд

sanguine temperament – сангвинический темперамент

fixed ideas – навязчивые идеи

Whitby – Уитби (город в английском графстве Норт-Йоркшир).

the Esk – Эск (название реки)

purpose – здесь: целеустремлённость

he has managed to get a sparrow – ему удалось поймать воробья

old habit of walking in sleep – старая привычка ходить во сне

coastguard – охранник береговой службы

spyglass – подзорная труба

changes about with every puff of wind – меняет направление с каждым порывом ветра

Demeter – «Деметра» (название корабля)

Mr. S. F. Billington – мистер С. Ф. Биллингтон

The Crescent – Кресент (улица в Лондоне)

Log of the Demeter – Судовой журнал «Деметры»

silver sand – серебристый песок

Bosphorus – Босфор (пролив между Европой и Малой Азией, соединяющий Чёрное море с Мраморным).

Dardanelles – Дарданеллы (пролив между европейским полуостровом Галлиполи и западной частью Малой Азии)

Cape Matapan – мыс Матапан

to cross oneself – креститься

Petrofsky – Петровский

Olgaren – Олгарен

Gibraltar – Гибралтар (небольшое государство на юге Пиренейского полуострова)

came off his watch – закончил свою вахту

to have double watch – нести вахту вдвоём

slept soundly – спал крепко

One more gone. – Пропал ещё один.

in his flannels – в нижнем белье

gave It my knife – ударил Его своим ножом

one by one – одного за другим

safety pin – английская булавка

Mulgrave Woods – Малгрейв-Вудс

Spohr and Mackenzie – Шпор и Маккензи

half-dreamy state – полусонное состояние

St. Mary’s Church – церковь Святой Марии

day by day – день за днём

good Sister – сестра милосердия

Hospital of St. Joseph and Ste. Mary – больница Святого Иосифа и Святой Марии

I write by desire – я пишу по просьбе

brain fever – горячка

sniff about – принюхиваться

night watchman – ночной дежурный

night-gear – ночная рубашка

I have quite given up walking in my sleep – я совершенно прекратила ходить во сне

I have more to think of now – сейчас у меня есть нечто поважнее

Disraeli – Дизраэли (английский государственный деятель, писатель, 1804–1881)

Hillingham – Хиллингем

Albemarle Hotel – отель «Албермарл»

it is for her sake – ради её блага

anæmic signs – признаки анемии

Van Helsing, of Amsterdam – Ван Хелсинг из Амстердама

metaphysician – метафизик

M. D. – доктор медицины

D. Ph. – доктор философии

D. Lit. – доктор литературы

Great Eastern Hotel – Большой Восточный Отель

tell themselves – откровенничают

much blood lost – большая потеря крови

brushed out the crumbs of sugar – смахнул остатки сахара

I shall put her in his charge – я поручу её ему

Liverpool Street – Ливерпул-стрит

in some way or the other – так или иначе

Nothing is too small. – Важна любая мелочь.

the red seemed to have gone – казалось, краска сошла

for sheer want of blood – от недостатка крови

to see for myself – чтобы увидеть всё своими глазами

John was to give his blood – Джон собирался дать свою кровь

she is your charge – ты за неё отвечаешь

vigil – бдение

All our work is undone. – Вся наша работа пошла насмарку.

rolled up my shirt sleeve – засучил рукав своей рубашки

hypodermic injection of morphia – подкожная инъекция морфия

That will do. – Хватит.

turned crimson – покраснела

for the sake of others – ради других

Haarlem – Харлем (город на западе Нидерландов)

Vanderpool – Вандерпул

Ophelia – Офелия (героиня трагедии У. Шекспира «Гамлет»)

I called at the Berkeley – я заехал в Беркли

is due in part to me – отчасти обязана и мне

I was waked by the flapping – меня разбудило хлопанье крыльев

I determined to keep awake – я решила бодрствовать

clutched wildly at anything that would help her – судорожно хваталась за всё, что попадалось под руку

to lay me out – прибирать меня к похоронам

in good time – в своё время

to shove myself – совать свой нос

had got at it – напала на неё

Count me in. – Можете рассчитывать на меня.

in my will I have left you everything – я всё оставляю вам в своём завещании

Patrick Hennessey – Патрик Хеннесси

M. R. C. S. L. K. Q. C. P. I. – абб. член Королевского медицинского колледжа, выпускник медицинского колледжа Короля и Королевы

Hardy – Харди

Jack Smollet, of Dudding’s Rents, King George’s Road, Great Walworth – Джек Смоллетт, дома Дадингтона, Киг-Джордж-ройд, Грейт-Уолворт

Thomas Snelling, Peter Farley’s Row, Guide Court, Bethnal Green – Томас Снеллинг, дома Питера Фарли, Гайд-Корт, Бетнел-Грин

Harris & Sons – «Харрис и сыновья»

Orange Master’s Yard, Soho – Орандж Мастерс-Ярд, Сохо

believe me – располагайте мной

has treated him like – обращался с ним как

left him a fortune – оставил ему состояние

canine teeth – клыки

summon all your fortitude – собери всё своё мужество

motioned him back – остановил его жестом

Lord Godalming – лорд Годалминг

coroner – коронер (должностное лицо, расследующее смерти, имеющие необычные обстоятельства или произошедшие внезапно)

a set of post-mortem knives – набор инструментов для вскрытия

for Arthur – из-за Артура

Mr. Marquand – мистер Маркенд

to and fro – взад-вперёд

Sir John Paxton – сэр Джон Пакстон

Piccadilly – Пикадилли

big cart-wheel hat – шляпа с широкими полями

It is the man himself! – Это же Он сам!

the time is come – пришло время

it is for your own dear sake – всё это ради тебя

Poor old fellow! – Бедный старик!

why his mirth – отчего такое веселье

garlanded with flowers – украшенная цветами

Toll! Toll! Toll! – Бом! Бом! Бом!

A Hampstead Mystery – «Тайна Хампстеда»

bloofer lady – лесная фея

in and around Hampstead Heath – в районе Хампстед-Хит

Extra Special – Экстренный выпуск

Shooter’s Hill – Шутерский холм

I have type-written out my own journal – я напечатал свой дневник на машинке

I bowed assent. – Я кивнула в знак согласия.

made me sit on the sofa – усадил меня на диван

a weak fool – слабоумная дурочка

Paddington – Паддингтон (крупный вокзал в северо-западной части Лондона)

Launceston – Лаунстон

he has got younger – он помолодел

you are blessed in your wife – вам повезло с женой

Look here, sir. – Скажите, сэр.

what poor Lucy died of? – от чего умерла бедняжка Люси?

nervous prostration – нервное истощение

Methuselah – Мафусаил (один из праотцов человечества, прославившийся своим долголетием)

Pampas – Пампасы (степь на юго-востоке Южной Америки)

flit down on them – набрасываются на них

coffin-man – гробовщик

you will not let him be away – вы не отпустите его

blew out the light – задул свечу

We were just in time. – Мы оказались как раз вовремя.

Undead – живой мертвец, ходячий труп

I shall drive a stake through her body – я вобью в её тело кол

just in case – на всякий случай

seal up – запечатать

talked it over – обсуждали его

what I think good – что я считаю необходимым

and that’s good enough for me – и этого для меня достаточно

buy a pig in a poke – покупать свинью (=кота) в мешке

I want you to come with me – я хочу, чтобы вы пошли со мной

the desecration of the grave – осквернение могилы

Then there can be no wrong to her. – Тогда ей не будет причинено никакого вреда.

crumbled the wafer up fine – покрошил облатки

The Host – Святые Дары (хлеб и вино, освященные и преложенные в Плоть и Кровь Христовы во время совершения литургии)

I have an Indulgence. – У меня есть индульгенция. (в католической церкви освобождение от кары за грехи, в которых грешник уже покаялся, и вина за которые уже прощена в таинстве исповеди)

the cerements of the grave – погребальные одежды

stained the purity of her lawn death-robe – запятнала белизну её савана

threw himself on his knees – рухнул на колени

passed in through the interstice – просочилась сквозь щель

a foul Thing – мерзкое существо

you will see her as she was, and is – вы увидите, какой она была, и какая есть

a soldering iron – паяльник

plumbing solder – свинцовый припой

nosferatu – носферату («неумерший», рум.)

with all his might – изо всей силы

blood-curdling screech – леденящий душу крик

to show a whole connected narrative – восстановить всю последовательность событий

Carfax – Карфакс

necromancy – некромантия (магическое искусство, который предполагает общение с душами умерших)

wild rose – шиповник

Voivode Dracula – воевода Дракула

won his name against the Turk – прославился в борьбе с турками

was similarly equipped – был так же оснащён

was thick with dust – было покрыто толстым слоем пыли

correspondence regarding the purchase – документы для покупки (дома)

miasma – миазмы (устаревший медицинский термин, которым обозначались обитающие в окружающей среде «заразительные начала», о природе которых ничего не было известно, использовавшийся до открытия болезнетворных микроорганизмов)

high lights – силуэт, контуры

a whole mass of phosphorescence – множество светящихся точек

joinings of the door – дверные щели

a sleeping draught – снотворное

Mr. Joseph Smollet – мистер Джозеф Смоллет

Chicksand Street – Чиксенд-стрит

Mile End New Town – Майл-Энд Нью-Таун

Jamaica Lane, Bermondsey – Джамайка-лэйн, Бермондси

Curse me! – Чёрт возьми!

he found him lying on his face – он нашёл его лежащим ничком

it had been beaten against the floor – его били об пол

a depressed fracture of the skull – перелом основания черепа

to go into the matter – углубляться в это дело

a certificate of death – свидетельство о смерти

run down the fox – гнать лису (охотн.)

treated them as we had treated those others in the old chapel – делали с ними то же самое, что и с другими ящиками в старой часовне

alchemist – алхимик

Scholomance – Шоломанс (легендарная школа чёрной магии в Трансильвании под управлением самого Дьявола)

Have all your arms! – Приготовьте оружие!

Kukri knife – нож кхукри (национальный непальский нож)

to make passes – делать пассы

far-away look in her eyes – отсутствующий взгляд

the Black Sea – Чёрное море

the Czarina Catherine – «Царица Екатерина»

Doolittle’s Wharf – Дулитлская пристань

is to be landed in Varna – должен быть выгружен в Варне

Ristics – Ристикс

we must keep her ignorant – мы должны скрывать от неё

Charing Cross – Чаринг-кросс (железнодорожный вокзал Лондона, расположенный на центральной улице Стрэнд)

Orient Express – Восточный экспресс

Galatz – Галац (город и порт на востоке Румынии, в устье Дуная)

Immanuel Hildesheim. Burgen-strasse, 16 – Иммануил Хильдесхайм, Бурген-штрассе 16

Petro Skinsky – Петро Скинский

handed over the box – забрали ящик

By road, by rail, by water? – По суше, на поезде, по воде?

Pruth or the Sereth – Прут или Сирет

propelled probably either by oars or poles – управляемая вёслами или шестами

Winchesters – винчестеры (винтовки)

we shall get on all right – мы со всем прекрасно справимся

field glasses – бинокль

they are racing for the sunset – они хотят успеть до заката

were riding at breakneck speed – скакали во весь опор

Halt! – Стой!

dashed up – нагнали

flung it over the wheel to the ground – швырнул его на землю

bowie – охотничий нож

the top of the box was thrown back – крышка ящика была сорвана

summed it all up – подвёл итог