DR. SEWARD'S DIARY
3 October.--The time seemed
teribly long whilst we were waiting
for the coming of Godalming and
Quincey Morris. The Professor
tried to keep our minds active
by using them all the time. I
could see his beneficent purpose,
by the side glances which he
threw from time to time at Harker.
The poor fellow is overwhelmed
in a misery that is appalling
to see. Last night he was a frank,
happy-looking man, with strong,
youthful face, full of energy,
and with dark brown hair. Today
he is a drawn, haggard old man,
whose white hair matches well
with the hollow burning eyes
and griefwritten lines of his
face. His energy is still intact.
In fact, he is like a living
flame. This may yet be his salvation,
for if all go well, it will tide
him over the despairing period.
He will then, in a kind of way,
wake again to the realities o
f life. Poor fellow, I thought
my own trouble was bad enough,
but his . . .!
The Professor knows this well
enough, and is doing his best
to keep his mind active. What
he has been saying was, under
the circumstances, of absorbing
interest. So well as I can remember,
here it is:
"I have studied,
over and over again since they
came into my
hands, all the papers relating
to this monster, and the more
I have studied, the greater seems
the necessity to utterly stamp
him out. All through there are
signs of his advance. Not only
of his power, but of his knowledge
of it. As I learned from the
researches of my friend Arminius
of Buda-Pesth, he was in life
a most wonderful man. Soldier,
statesman, and alchemist. Which
latter was the highest development
of the science knowledge of his
time. He had a mighty brain,
a learning beyond compare, and
a heart that knew no fear and
no remorse. He dared even to
attend the Scholomance, and there
was no branch of knowledge of
his time that he did not essay.
"Well, in him
the brain powers survived the
physical death.
Though it would seem that memory
was not all complete. In some
faculties of mind he has been,
and is, only a child. But he
is growing, and some things that
were childish at the first are
now of man's stature. He is experimenting,
and doing it well. And if it
had not been that we have crossed
his path he would be yet, he
may be yet if we fail, the father
or furtherer of a new order of
beings, whose road must lead
through Death, not Life."
Harker groaned
and said, "And
this is all arrayed against my
darling! But how is he experimenting?
The knowledge may help us to
defeat him!"
"He has all
along, since his coming, been
trying his power,
slowly but surely. That big child-brain
of his is working. Well for us,
it is as yet, a child-brain.
For had he dared, at the first,
to attempt certain things he
would long ago have been beyond
our power. However, he means
to succeed, and a man who has
centuries before him can afford
to wait and to go slow. Festina
lente may well be his motto."
"I fail to understand," said
Harker wearily. "Oh, do be more
plain to me! Perhaps grief and
trouble are dulling my brain."
The Professor
laid his hand tenderly on his
shoulder as he
spoke, "Ah, my child, I will
be plain. Do you not see how,
of late, this monster has been
creeping into knowledge experimentally.
How he has been making use of
the zoophagous patient to effect
his entry into friend John's
home. For your Vampire, though
in all afterwards he can come
when and how he will, must at
the first make entry only when
asked thereto by an inmate. But
these are not his most important
experiments. Do we not see how
at the first all these so great
boxes were moved by others. He
knew not then but that must be
so. But all the time that so
great child-brain of his was
growing, and he began to consider
whether he might not himself
move the box. So he began to
help. And then, when he found
that this be all right, he try
to move them all alone. And so
he progress, and he scatter these
graves of him. And none but he
know where they are hidden.
"He may have
intend to bury them deep in
the ground. So that
only he use them in the night,
or at such time as he can change
his form, they do him equal well,
and none may know these are his
hiding place! But, my child,
do not despair, this knowledge
came to him just too late! Already
all of his lairs but one be sterilize
as for him. And before the sunset
this shall be so. Then he have
no place where he can move and
hide. I delayed this morning
that so we might be sure. Is
there not more at stake for us
than for him? Then why not be
more careful than him? By my
clock it is one hour and already,
if all be well, friend Arthur
and Quincey are on their way
to us. Today is our day, and
we must go sure, if slow, and
lose no chance. See! There are
five of us when those absent
ones return."
Whilst we were speaking we
were startled by a knock at the
hall door, the double postman's
knock of the telegraph boy. We
all moved out to the hall with
one impulse, and Van Helsing,
holding up his hand to us to
keep silence, stepped to the
door and opened it. The boy handed
in a dispatch. The Professor
closed the door again, and after
looking at the direction, opened
it and read aloud.
"Look out for
D. He has just now, 12:45,
come from Carfax
hurriedly and hastened towards
the South. He seems to be going
the round and may want to see
you: Mina."
There was a
pause, broken by Jonathan Harker's
voice, "Now,
God be thanked, we shall soon
meet!"
Van Helsing
turned to him quickly and said, "God
will act in His own way and
time. Do not fear,
and do not rejoice as yet. For
what we wish for at the moment
may be our own undoings."
"I care for nothing now," he
answered hotly, "except to wipe
out this brute from the face
of creation. I would sell my
soul to do it!"
"Oh, hush, hush, my child!" said
Van Helsing. "God does not purchase
souls in this wise, and the Devil,
though he may purchase, does
not keep faith. But God is merciful
and just, and knows your pain
and your devotion to that dear
Madam Mina. Think you, how her
pain would be doubled, did she
but hear your wild words. Do
not fear any of us, we are all
devoted to this cause, and today
shall see the end. The time is
coming for action. Today this
Vampire is limit to the powers
of man, and till sunset he may
not change. It will take him
time to arrive here, see it is
twenty minutes past one, and
there are yet some times before
he can hither come, be he never
so quick. What we must hope for
is that my Lord Arthur and Quincey
arrive first."
About half an hour after we
had received Mrs. Harker's telegram,
there came a quiet, resolute
knock at the hall door. It was
just an ordinary knock, such
as is given hourly by thousands
of gentlemen, but it made the
Professor's heart and mine beat
loudly. We looked at each other,
and together moved out into the
hall. We each held ready to use
our various armaments, the spiritual
in the left hand, the mortal
in the right. Van Helsing pulled
back the latch, and holding the
door half open, stood back, having
both hands ready for action.
The gladness of our hearts must
have shown upon our faces when
on the step, close to the door,
we saw Lord Godalming and Quincey
Morris. They came quickly in
and closed the door behind them,
the former saying, as they moved
along the hall.
"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.
If, however, he doesn't turn
up by five o'clock, we must start
off. For it won't do to leave
Mrs. Harker alone after sunset."
"He will be here before long
now,' said Van Helsing, who had
been consulting his pocketbook. "Nota
bene, in Madam's telegram he
went south from Carfax. That
means he went to cross the river,
and he could only do so at slack
of tide, which should be something
before one o'clock. That he went
south has a meaning for us. He
is as yet only suspicious, and
he went from Carfax first to
the place where he would suspect
interference least. You must
have been at Bermondsey only
a short time before him. That
he is not here already shows
that he went to Mile End next.
This took him some time, for
he would then have to be carried
over the river in some way. Believe
me, my friends, we shall not
have long to wait now. We should
have ready some plan of attack,
so that we may throw away no
chance. Hush, there is no time
now. Have all your arms! Be ready!" He
held up a warning hand as he
spoke, for we all could hear
a key softly inserted in the
lock of the hall door.
I could not but admire, even
at such a moment, the way in
which a dominant spirit asserted
itself. In all our hunting parties
and adventures in different parts
of the world, Quincey Morris
had always been the one to arrange
the plan of action, and Arthur
and I had been accustomed to
obey him implicitly. Now, the
old habit seemed to be renewed
instinctively. With a swift glance
around the room, he at once laid
out our plan of attack, and without
speaking a word, with a gesture,
placed us each in position. Van
Helsing, Harker, and I were just
behind the door, so that when
it was opened the Professor could
guard it whilst we two stepped
between the incomer and the door.
Godalming behind and Quincey
in front stood just out of sight
ready to move in front of the
window. We waited in a suspense
that made the seconds pass with
nightmare slowness. The slow,
careful steps came along the
hall. The Count was evidently
prepared for some surprise, at
least he feared it.
Suddenly with a single bound
he leaped into the room. Winning
a way past us before any of us
could raise a hand to stay him.
There was something so pantherlike
in the movement, something so
unhuman, that it seemed to sober
us all from the shock of his
coming. The first to act was
Harker, who with a quick movement,
threw himself before the door
leading into the room in the
front of the house. As the Count
saw us, a horrible sort of snarl
passed over his face, showing
the eyeteeth long and pointed.
But the evil smile as quickly
passed into a cold stare of lion-like
disdain. His expression again
changed as, with a single impulse,
we all advanced upon him. It
was a pity that we had not some
better organized plan of attack,
for even at the moment I wondered
what we were to do. I did not
myself know whether our lethal
weapons would avail us anything.
Harker evidently
meant to try the matter, for
he had ready
his great Kukri knife 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. A second less and the trenchant
blade had shorn through his coat,
making a wide gap whence a bundle
of bank notes 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, though I saw him throw
the terrible knife aloft again
for another stroke. Instinctively
I moved forward with a protective
impulse, holding the Crucifix
and Wafer in my left hand. I
felt a mighty power fly along
my arm, and it was without surprise
that I saw the monster cower
back before a similar movement
made spontaneously by each one
of us. It would be impossible
to describe the expression of
hate and baffled malignity, of
anger and hellish rage, which
came over the Count's face. His
waxen hue became greenish-yellow
by the contrast of his burning
eyes, and the red scar on the
forehead showed on the pallid
skin like a palpitating wound.
The next instant, with a sinuous
dive he swept under Harker's
arm, ere his blow could fall,
and grasping a handful of the
money from the floor, dashed
across the room, threw himself
at the window. Amid the crash
and glitter of the falling glass,
he tumbled into the flagged area
below. Through the sound of the
shivering glass I could hear
the "ting" of the gold, as some
of the sovereigns fell on the
flagging.
We ran over and saw him spring
unhurt from the ground. He, rushing
up the steps, crossed the flagged
yard, and pushed open the stable
door. There he turned and spoke
to us.
"You think
to baffle me, you with your
pale faces all in a
row, like sheep in a butcher's.
You shall 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! I spread it over
centuries, and time is on my
side. Your girls that you all
love are mine already. And through
them you and others shall yet
be mine, my creatures, to do
my bidding and to be my jackals
when I want to feed. Bah!"
With a contemptuous sneer,
he passed quickly through the
door, and we heard the rusty
bolt creak as he fastened it
behind him. A door beyond opened
and shut. The first of us to
speak was the Professor. Realizing
the difficulty of following him
through the stable, we moved
toward the hall.
"We have learnt
something . . . much! Notwithstanding
his
brave words, he fears us. He
fears time, he fears want! For
if not, why he hurry so? His
very tone betray him, or my ears
deceive. Why take that money?
You follow quick. You are hunters
of the wild beast, and understand
it so. For me, I make sure that
nothing here may be of use to
him, if so that he returns."
As he spoke he put the money
remaining in his pocket, took
the title deeds in the bundle
as Harker had left them, and
swept the remaining things into
the open fireplace, where he
set fire to them with a match.
Godalming and Morris had rushed
out into the yard, and Harker
had lowered himself from the
window to follow the Count. He
had, however, bolted the stable
door, and by the time they had
forced it open there was no sign
of him. Van Helsing and I tried
to make inquiry at the back of
the house. But the mews was deserted
and no one had seen him depart.
It was now
late in the afternoon, and
sunset was not far off. We
had to recognize that our game
was up. With heavy hearts we
agreed with the Professor when
he said, "Let us go back to Madam
Mina. Poor, poor dear Madam Mina.
All we can do just now is done,
and we can there, at least, protect
her. But we need not despair.
There is but one more earth box,
and we must try to find it. When
that is done all may yet be well."
I could see that he spoke as
bravely as he could to comfort
Harker. The poor fellow was quite
broken down, now and again he
gave a low groan which he could
not suppress. He was thinking
of his wife.
With sad hearts we came back
to my house, where we found Mrs.
Harker waiting us, with an appearance
of cheerfulness which did honor
to her bravery and unselfishness.
When she saw our faces, her own
became as pale as death. For
a second or two her eyes were
closed as if she were in secret
prayer.
And then she
said cheerfully, "I
can never thank you all enough.
Oh, my poor darling!"
As she spoke, she took her
husband's grey head in her hands
and kissed it.
"Lay your poor head here and
rest it. All will yet be well,
dear! God will protect us if
He so will it in His good intent." The
poor fellow groaned. There was
no place for words in his sublime
misery.
We had a sort of perfunctory
supper together, and I think
it cheered us all up somewhat.
It was, perhaps, the mere animal
heat of food to hungry people,
for none of us had eaten anything
since breakfast, or the sense
of companionship may have helped
us, but anyhow we were all less
miserable, and saw the morrow
as not altogether without hope.
True to our promise, we told
Mrs. Harker everything which
had passed. And although she
grew snowy white at times when
danger had seemed to threaten
her husband, and red at others
when his devotion to her was
manifested she listened bravely
and with calmness. When we came
to the part where Harker had
rushed at the Count so recklessly,
she clung to her husband's arm,
and held it tight as though her
clinging could protect him from
any harm that might come. She
said nothing, however, till the
narration was all done,and matters
had been brought up to the present
time.
Then without letting go her
husband's hand she stood up amongst
us and spoke. Oh, that I could
give any idea of the scene. Of
that sweet, sweet, good, good
woman in all the radiant beauty
of her youth and animation, with
the red scar on her forehead,
of which she was conscious, and
which we saw with grinding of
our teeth, remembering whence
and how it came. Her loving kindness
against our grim hate. Her tender
faith against all our fears and
doubting. And we, knowing that
so far as symbols went, she with
all her goodness and purity and
faith, was outcast from God.
"Jonathan," she said, and the
word sounded like music on her
lips it was so full of love and
tenderness, "Jonathan dear, and
you all my true, true friends,
I want you to bear something
in mind through all this dreadful
time. I know that you must fight.
That you must destroy even as
you destroyed the false Lucy
so that the true Lucy might live
hereafter. But it is not a work
of hate. That poor soul who has
wrought all this misery is the
saddest case of all. Just think
what will be his joy when he,
too, is destroyed in his worser
part that his better part may
have spiritual immortality. You
must be pitiful to him, too,though
it may not hold your hands from
his destruction."
As she spoke I could see her
husband's face darken and draw
together, as though the passion
in him were shriveling his being
to its core. Instinctively the
clasp on his wife's hand grew
closer, till his knuckles looked
white. She did not flinch from
the pain which I knew she must
have suffered, but looked at
him with eyes that were more
appealing than ever.
As she stopped speaking he
leaped to his feet, almost tearing
his hand from hers as he spoke.
"May God give
him into my hand just for long
enough to destroy
that earthly life of him which
we are aiming at. If beyond it
I could send his soul forever
and ever to burning hell I would
do it!"
"Oh, hush!
Oh, hush in the name of the
good God. Don't say
such things, Jonathan, my husband,
or you will crush me with fear
and horror. Just think, my dear
. . . I have been thinking all
this long, long day of it . .
. that . . . perhaps . . .some
day . . . I, too, may need such
pity, and that some other like
you, and with equal cause for
anger, may deny it to me! Oh,
my husband! My husband, indeed
I would have spared you such
a thought had there been another
way. But I pray that God may
not have treasured your wild
words, except as the heart-broken
wail of a very loving and sorely
stricken man. Oh, God, let these
poor white hairs go in evidence
of what he has suffered, who
all his life has done no wrong,
and on whom so many sorrows have
come."
We men were all in tears now.
There was no resisting them,
and we wept openly. She wept,
too, to see that her sweeter
counsels had prevailed. Her husband
flung himself on his knees beside
her, and putting his arms round
her, hid his face in the folds
of her dress. Van Helsing beckoned
to us and we stole out of the
room, leaving the two loving
hearts alone with their God.
Before they retired the Professor
fixed up the room against any
coming of the Vampire, and assured
Mrs. Harker that she might rest
in peace. She tried to school
herself to the belief, and manifestly
for her husband's sake, tried
to seem content. It was a brave
struggle, and was, I think and
believe, not without its reward.
Van Helsing had placed at hand
a bell which either of them was
to sound in case of any emergency.
When they had retired, Quincey,
Godalming, and I arranged that
we should sit up, dividing the
night between us, and watch over
the safety of the poor stricken
lady. The first watch falls to
Quincey, so the rest of us shall
be off to bed as soon as we can.
Godalming has already turned
in, for his is the second watch.
Now that my work is done I, too,
shall go to bed.
JONATHAN HARKER'S JOURNAL
3-4 October, close to midnight.--I
thought yesterday would never
end. There was over me a yearning
for sleep, in some sort of blind
belief that to wake would be
to find things changed, and that
any change must now be for the
better. Before we parted, we
discussed what our next step
was to be, but we could arrive
at no result. All we knew was
that one earth box remained,
and that the Count alone knew
where it was. If he chooses to
lie hidden, he may baffle us
for years. And in the meantime,
the thought is too horrible,
I dare not think of it even now.
This I know, that if ever there
was a woman who was all perfection,
that one is my poor wronged darling.
I loved her a thousand times
more for her sweet pity of last
night, a pity that made my own
hate of the monster seem despicable.
Surely God will not permit the
world to be the poorer by the
loss of such a creature. This
is hope to me. We are all drifting
reefwards now, and faith is our
only anchor. Thank God! Mina
is sleeping, and sleeping without
dreams. I fear what her dreams
might be like, with such terrible
memories to ground them in. She
has not been so calm, within
my seeing, since the sunset.
Then, for a while, there came
over her face a repose which
was like spring after the blasts
of March. I thought at the time
that it was the softness of the
red sunset on her face, but somehow
now I think it has a deeper meaning.
I am not sleepy myself, though
I am weary . . . weary to death.
However, I must try to sleep.
For there is tomorrow to think
of, and there is no rest for
me until . . .
Later--I must
have fallen asleep, for I was
awakened by Mina, who
was sitting up in bed, with a
startled look on her face. I
could see easily, for we did
not leave the room in darkness.
She had placed a warning hand
over my mouth, and now she whispered
in my ear, "Hush! There is someone
in the corridor!" I got up softly,
and crossing the room, gently
opened the door.
Just outside,
stretched on a mattress, lay
Mr. Morris, wide
awake. He raised a warning hand
for silence as he whispered to
me, "Hush! Go back to bed. It
is all right. One of us will
be here all night. We don't mean
to take any chances!"
His look and
gesture forbade discussion,
so I came back and
told Mina. She sighed and positively
a shadow of a smile stole over
her poor, pale face as she put
her arms round me and said softly, "Oh,
thank God for good brave men!" With
a sigh she sank back again to
sleep. I write this now as I
am not sleepy, though I must
try again.
4 October, morning.--Once again
during the night I was wakened
by Mina. This time we had all
had a good sleep, for the grey
of the coming dawn was making
the windows into sharp oblongs,
and the gas flame was like a
speck rather than a disc of light.
She said to
me hurriedly, "Go,
call the Professor. I want to
see him at once."
"Why?" I asked.
"I have an
idea. I suppose it must have
come in the night,
and matured without my knowing
it. He must hypnotize me before
the dawn, and then I shall be
able to speak. Go quick, dearest,
the time is getting close."
I went to the door. Dr. Seward
was resting on the mattress,
and seeing me, he sprang to his
feet.
"Is anything wrong?" he
asked, in alarm.
"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.
Two or three minutes later
Van Helsing was in the room in
his dressing gown, and Mr. Morris
and Lord Godalming were with
Dr. Seward at the door asking
questions. When the Professor
saw Mina a smile, a positive
smile ousted the anxiety of his
face.
He rubbed his
hands as he said, "Oh,
my dear Madam Mina, this is indeed
a change. See! Friend Jonathan,
we have got our dear Madam Mina,
as of old, back to us today!" Then
turning to her, he said cheerfully, "And
what am I to do for you? For
at this hour you do not want
me for nothing."
"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.
Looking fixedly at her, he
commenced to make passes in front
of her, from over the top of
her head downward, with each
hand in turn. Mina gazed at him
fixedly for a few minutes, during
which my own heart beat like
a trip hammer, for I felt that
some crisis was at hand. Gradually
her eyes closed, and she sat,
stock still. Only by the gentle
heaving of her bosom could one
know that she was alive. The
Professor made a few more passes
and then stopped, and I could
see that his forehead was covered
with great beads of perspiration.
Mina opened her eyes, but she
did not seem the same woman.
There was a far-away look in
her eyes, and her voice had a
sad dreaminess which was new
to me. Raising his hand to impose
silence, the Professor motioned
to me to bring the others in.
They came on tiptoe, closing
the door behind them, and stood
at the foot of the bed, looking
on. Mina appeared not to see
them. The stillness was broken
by Van Helsing's voice speaking
in a low level tone which would
not break the current of her
thoughts.
"Where are you?" The
answer came in a neutral way.
"I do not know. Sleep has no
place it can call its own." For
several minutes there was silence.
Mina sat rigid, and the Professor
stood staring at her fixedly.
The rest of us hardly dared
to breathe. The room was growing
lighter. Without taking his eyes
from Mina's face, Dr. Van Helsing
motioned me to pull up the blind.
I did so, and the day seemed
just upon us. A red streak shot
up, and a rosy light seemed to
diffuse itself through the room.
On the instant the Professor
spoke again.
"Where are
you now?"
The answer came dreamily, but
with intention. It were as though
she were interpreting something.
I have heard her use the same
tone when reading her shorthand
notes.
"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?" I
could detect the strain in
the Professor's
patient voice.
"The lapping
of water. It is gurgling by,
and little waves
leap. I can hear them on the
outside."
"Then you are
on a ship?'"
We all looked at each other,
trying to glean something each
from the other. We were afraid
to think.
The answer
came quick, "Oh,
yes!"
"What else
do you hear?"
"The sound
of men stamping overhead as
they run about. There
is the creaking of a chain, and
the loud tinkle as the check
of the capstan falls into the
ratchet."
"What are you
doing?"
"I am still, oh so still. It
is like death!" The voice faded
away into a deep breath as of
one sleeping, and the open eyes
closed again.
By this time the sun had risen,
and we were all in the full light
of day. Dr. Van Helsing placed
his hands on Mina's shoulders,
and laid her head down softly
on her pillow. She lay like a
sleeping child for a few moments,
and then, with a long sigh, awoke
and stared in wonder to see us
all around her.
"Have I been talking in my
sleep?" was all she said. She
seemed, however, to know the
situation without telling,though
she was eager to know what she
had told. The Professor repeated
the conversation, and she said, "Then
there is not a moment to lose.
It may not be yet too late!"
Mr. Morris and Lord Godalming
started for the door but the
Professor's calm voice called
them back.
"Stay, my friends.
That ship, wherever it was,
was weighing
anchor at the moment in your
so great Port of London. Which
of them is it that you seek?
God be thanked that we have once
again a clue, though whither
it may lead us we know not. We
have been blind somewhat. Blind
after the manner of men, since
we can look back we see what
we might have seen looking forward
if we had been able to see what
we might have seen! Alas, but
that sentence is a puddle, is
it not? We can know now what
was in the Count's mind, when
he seize that money, though Jonathan's
so fierce knife put him in the
danger that even he dread. He
meant escape. Hear me, ESCAPE!
He saw that with but one earth
box left, and a pack of men following
like dogs after a fox, this London
was no place for him. He have
take his last earth box on board
a ship, and he leave the land.
He think to escape, but no! We
follow him. Tally Ho! As friend
Arthur would say when he put
on his red frock! Our old fox
is wily. Oh! So wily, and we
must follow with wile. I, too,
am wily and I think his mind
in a little while. In meantime
we may rest and in peace, for
there are between us which he
do not want to pass, and which
he could not if he would. Unless
the ship were to touch the land,
and then only at full or slack
tide. See, and the sun is just
rose, and all day to sunset is
us. Let us take bath, and dress,
and have breakfast which we all
need, and which we can eat comfortably
since he be not in the same land
with us."
Mina looked
at him appealingly as she asked, "But
why need we seek him further,
when he is
gone away from us?"
He took her
hand and patted it as he replied, "Ask me nothing
as yet. When we have breakfast,
then I answer all questions." He
would say no more, and we separated
to dress.
After breakfast
Mina repeated her question.
He looked at her
gravely for a minute and then
said sorrowfully, "Because my
dear, dear Madam Mina, now more
than ever must we find him even
if we have to follow him to the
jaws of Hell!"
She grew paler
as she asked faintly, "Why?"
"Because," he answered solemnly, "he
can live for centuries, and you
are but mortal woman. Time is
now to be dreaded, since once
he put that mark upon your throat."
I was just in time to catch
her as she fell forward in a
faint. |