 CHAPTER 22 Jonathan Harker's Journal 3 October. As I must do something, or go mad, I write this diary. It is now six o'clock and we are to meet in the study half an hour and take something to eat. For Dr. Van Helsing and Dr. Seward are agreed that if we do not eat we cannot work our best. Our best will be, God knows, required to-day. I must keep writing at every chance, for I dare not stop to think. All big and little must go down. Perhaps at the end, the little things may teach us most. The teaching big or little could not have landed Mina or me anywhere worse than we are to-day. However, we must trust and hope. Paul Mina told me just now that he is running down her dear cheeks, that it is in trouble and trial that our faith is tested, that we must keep on trusting and that God will aid us to the end. The end? Oh, my God, what end? To work. To work! When Dr. Van Helsing and Dr. Seward had come back from seeing Paul Renfield, we went gravely into what was to be done. First Dr. Seward told us that when he and Dr. Van Helsing had gone down to the room below, they had found Renfield lying on the floor, all in a heap. His face was all bruised and crushed in, and the bones of the neck were broken. Dr. Seward asked the attendant who was on duty in the passage if he had heard anything. He said that he had been sitting down. He confessed to half-dosing. When he heard loud voices in the room, and then Renfield had called out loudly several times, God, God, God! After that there was the sound of falling, and when he entered the room he found him lying on the floor, face down just as the doctors had seen him. Van Helsing asked if he had heard voices, or a voice, and he said that he could not say, that at first it had seemed to him as if there were two, but as there was no one in the room it could have been only one. He could swear to it if required, that the word God was spoken by the patient. Dr. Seward said to us when we were alone that he did not wish to go into the matter, the question of an inquest had to be considered, and it would never do to put forward the truth, as no one would believe it. As it was, he thought that on the attendant's evidence he could give a certificate of death by misadventure in falling from bed. In case the coroner should demand it there would be a formal inquest necessarily to the same result. When the question began to be discussed as to what should be our next step, the very first thing we decided was that Mina should be in full confidence, that nothing of any sort, no matter how painful, should be capped from her. She herself agreed as to its wisdom, and it was pitiful to see her so brave and yet so sorrowful, and in such a depth of despair. There must be no concealment, she said, alas we have had too much already, and besides there is nothing in all the world that can give me more pain than I have already endured, than I suffer now. Whatever may happen, it must be of new hope, or of new courage to me. Van Helsing was looking at her fixedly as she spoke, and said, suddenly but quietly, but dear Madame Mina, are you not afraid, not for yourself, but for others from yourself, after what has happened? Her face grew set in its lines, but her eyes shone with the devotion of a martyr as she answered, I know, for my mind is made up. To what? he asked gently, whilst we were all very still, for each in our own way, we had a sort of vague idea of what she meant. Her answer came with direct simplicity, as though she were simply stating a fact. Because if I find in myself, and I shall watch keenly for it, a sign of harm to any that I love, I shall die. You would not kill yourself, he asked hoarsely. I would, if there were no friend who loved me, who would save me such a pain, and so desperate an effort. She looked at him meaningly as she spoke. He was sitting down, but now he rose and came close to her, and put his hand on her head, as he said solemnly. My child, there is such an one, if it were for your good. For myself, I could hold it in my account with God, to find such an euthanasia for you, even at this moment, if it were best. Nay, wired safe, but my child. For a moment he seemed choked, and a great sob rose in his throat. He gulped it down and went on. There are some who would stand between you and death. You must not die. You must not die by any hand, but least of all by your own. Until the other, who has fouled your life, is true dead. You must not die. For if he is still with the quick undead, your death would make you even as he is. No, you must live. You must struggle and strive to live. Though death would seem a boon unspeakable, you must fight death himself, though he come to you in pain or in joy, by the day or the night, in safety or in peril. On your living soul I charge you that you do not die, nay, nor think of death, till this great evil be passed. The poor dear grew white as death, and shock and shivered, as I have seen quicksand shake and shiver at the incoming of the tide. We were all silent. We could do nothing. At length she grew more calm, and, turning to him, said, sweetly, but, oh, so sorrowfully, as she held out her hand, I promise you, my dear friend, that if God will let me live, I shall strive to do so, till, if it may be in his good time, this horror may have passed away from me. She was so good and brave that we all felt our hearts were strengthened to work and endure for her, and we began to bless what we were to do. I told her that she was to have all the papers in the safe and all the papers or diaries and phonographs we might hear after use, and was to keep the record as she had done before. She was pleased with the prospect of anything to do if, pleased it could be used in connection with so grim an interest. As usual Van Helsing had thought ahead of everyone else, and was in the exact ordering of our work. It is perhaps well, he said, that our meeting after our visit to Carthage we decided not to do anything with the earth-boxes that lay there. Had we done so? The Count must have guessed our purpose, and would doubtless have taken measures in advance to frustrate such an effort with regard to the others. But now he does not know our intentions. Nay, more in all probability he does not know that such a power exists to us, as can sterilize his lairs, so that he cannot use them as of old. We are now so much further advanced in our knowledge as to their disposition that, when we have examined the house in Piccadilly, we may track the very last of them. Today, then, is ours, and in it rests our hope. The sun that rose on our sorrow this morning, guards us in its course. Until it sets tonight, that monster must retain whatever form he now has. He is confined within the limitations of his earthly envelope. He cannot melt into thin air, nor disappear through cracks or chinks or crannies. If he go through a doorway, he must open the door like a mortal, and so we have this day to hunt out all his lairs and sterilize them. So we shall, if we have not yet catch him and destroy him, drive him to bay in some place where the catching and the destroying shall be in time, sure. Here I started out for I could not contain myself at the thought that the minutes and seconds so preciously laid in with mean as a life and happiness were flying from us, since whilst we talked action was impossible, but Van Helsing held up his hand warning me. Nay, friend Jonathan, he said, in this the quickest way home is the longest way, so your proverb say. We shall all act and act with desperate quick when the time has come, but think, in all probable, the key of the situation is in that house in Piccadilly. The Count may have many houses which he has bought. Of them he will have deeds of purchase, keys, and other things. He will have paper that he write on. He will have his book of checks. There are many belongings that he must have somewhere. Why not in this place so central, so quiet, where he come and go by the front or back at all hour, when in the very vast of traffic there is none to notice. We shall go there and search that house, and when we plan what it holds, then we do what our friend Arthur call in his phrases of hunt, stop the earths, and so we run down our old fox. So is it not? Then let us come at once, I cried. We are wasting the precious, precious time. The Professor did not move, but simply said, and how are we to get into that house in Piccadilly? Anyway, I cried, we shall break in if need be. And your police, where will they be, and what will they say? I was staggered, but I knew that if he wished to delay he had good reason for it, so I said as quietly as I could. Don't wait more than need be. You know I am sure what torch I am in. Ah, my child that I do, and indeed there is no wish of me to add to your anguish, but just think, what can we do until all the world be at movement? Then will come our time. I have thought and thought, and it seems to me that the simplest way is the best of all. Now we wish to get into the house, but we have no key, is it not so? I nodded. Now suppose that you were, in truth, the owner of that house, and could not still get it, and think that there was, to you, no conscience of the house-breaker, what would you do? I should get a respectable locksmith and set him to work to pick the lock for me. And your police, they would interfere would they not? Oh no, not if they knew the man was properly employed. Then he looked at me as keenly as he spoke. All that is in doubt is the conscience of the employer, and the belief of your policeman as to whether or no that employer has a good conscience or a bad one. Your police must indeed be zealous man and clever, oh so clever, in reading the heart that they trouble themselves in such a matter. No, no, my friend Jonathan, you go take the lock off a hundred empty house in this, your London, or of any city in the world, and if you do it as such things are rightly done, and at the time such things are rightly done, no one will interfere. I have read of a gentleman who owned a so fine house in London, and when he went for months of summer to Switzerland and lock up his house, some burglar came and broke window at back and got in. Then he went and made open the shutters in front and walk out through the door, before the very eyes of the police. Then he have an auction in that house, and advertise it, and put up big notice, and when the day come he sell off by a great auctioneer all the goods of that other man who own them. Then he go to a builder, and he sell him that house, making an agreement that he pull it down and take away within a certain time, and your police and other authority help him all they can, and when that owner come back from his holiday in Switzerland he find only an empty hole where his house had been. This was all done in regal, and in our work we shall be in regal too. We shall not go so early that the policemen who have then little to think of shall deem it strange, but we shall go after ten o'clock, when there are many about, and such things would be done while we indeed owners of the house. I could not but see how right he was, and the terrible despair of Mina's face became relaxed a thought. There was hope in such good counsel. Van Helsing went on. When once within that house we may find more clues, at any rate some of us can remain there, whilst the rest find the other places where there may be more earth boxes, at Bermondsey and Mile End. Lord Godolming stood up. I can be of some use here, he said. I shall wire to my people to have horses and carriages where they will be most convenient. Look here old fellow, said Morris. It is a capital idea to have already in case we want to go horseback riding, but don't you think that one of your snap carriages with its heraldic adornments in a byway of Walworth and Mile End would attract too much attention for our purposes? It seems to me we ought to take cabs when we go south or east, and even leave them somewhere near the neighborhood we are going to. Friend Quincy is right, said the Professor. His head is what you call in plain with the horizon. It is a difficult thing that we go to do, and we do not want people to watch us, if so it may. Mina took a growing interest in everything, and I was rejoiced to see that the Exigency of Affairs was helping her to forget for a time the terrible experience of the night. She was very, very pale, almost ghastly, and so thin that her lips were drawn away, showing her teeth in somewhat of prominence. I did not mention this last lest it should give her needless pain, but it made my blood run cold in my veins to think of what had occurred with Paul Lucy when the Count had sucked her blood. As yet there was no sign of the teeth growing sharper, but the time, as yet, was short, and there was time for fear. When we came to the discussion of the sequence of our efforts and of the disposition of our forces there were new sources of doubt. It was finally agreed that before starting for Piccadilly we should destroy the council layer close at hand, in case he should find it out too soon. We should thus be still ahead of him in our work of destruction, and his presence in his purely material shape, and at his weakest might give us some new clue. After the disposal of forces it was suggested by the Professor that, after our visit to Kauffbach's, we should all enter the house in Piccadilly, that the two doctors and I should remain here, whilst Lord Godolming and Quincy found the layers at Warworth and Mile End and destroyed them. It was possible, if not likely, the Professor urged that the Count might appear in Piccadilly during the day, and that if so we might be able to cope with him then and there, at any rate we might be able to follow him in force. To this plan I strenuously objected, and so far as my going was concerned, for I said that I intended to stay and protect Mina. I thought that my mind was made up on the subject, but Mina would not listen to my objection. She said that there might be some law matter in which I could be useful, that amongst the Count's papers might be some clue which I could understand out of my experience in Transylvania, and that, as it was, all the strength we could muster was required to cope with the Count's extraordinary power. I had to give in, for Mina's resolution was fixed. She said that it was the last hope for her that we should all work together. As for me, she said, I have no fear. Things have been as bad as they can be, and whatever may happen must have in it some element of hope or comfort. Go, my husband. God can, if he wishes it, guard me as well alone as with anyone present. So I started up crying out, and God's name let us come at once, for we are losing time. The Count may come to Piccadilly earlier than we think. Not so, said Van Helsing holding up his hand. But why, I asked, do you forget, he said, with actually a smile, that last night he banqueted heavily and will sleep late. Did I forget? Shall I ever? Can I ever? Can any of us ever forget that terrible scene? Mina struggled hard to keep a brave countenance, but the pain over mastered her, and she put her hands before her face, and shuddered whilst she moaned. Van Helsing had not intended to recall her frightful experience. He had simply lost sight of her and her part in the affair in his intellectual effort. When it struck him what he said he was horrified at his thoughtlessness and tried to comfort her. Oh, Madame Mina, he said, dear, dear Madame Mina, alas, that I of all who so reverence you should have said anything so forgetful. These stupid old lips of mine and this stupid old head do not deserve so, but you will forget it. Will you not? He bent low beside her as he spoke. She took his hand and, looking at him through her tears, said Horsley. No, I shall not forget, for it is well that I remember, and with it I have so much in memory of you that is sweet, that I take it all together. Now you must all be going soon. Breakfast was a strange meal to us all. We tried to be cheerful and encourage each other, and Mina was the brightest and most cheerful of us. When it was over, Van Helsing stood up and said, Now, my dear friends, we go forth to our terrible enterprise. We are all armed, as we were, on that night when first we visited our enemies lair, armed against ghostly as well as carnal attack. Are we all armed, as we were, on that night when first we visited our enemies lair, armed against ghostly as well as carnal attack? We all assured him. Then it is well. Now, Madame Mina, you are in any case quite safe here until sunset, and before then we shall return. If we shall return. But before we go let me see you armed against personal attack. I have myself, since you came down prepared your chamber by the placing of things of which we know, that he may not enter. Now let me guard yourself. On your forehead I touch this piece of sacred wafer in the name of the Father, the Son, and there was a fearful scream which almost froze our hearts to hear, as he had placed the wafer on Mina's forehead. It had seared it, had burned into the flesh as though it had been a piece of white-heart metal. My poor darling's brain had told her the significance of the fact as quickly as her nerves received the pain of it, and the two so overwhelmed her, that her overwrought nature had its voice in that dreadful scream. But the words to her thought came quickly. The echo of the scream had not ceased to ring on the air and there came the reaction, and she sank on her knees on the floor in an agony of abasement. Pulling her beautiful hair over her face as the leper of old his mantel she wailed out. Unclean, unclean, even the almighty shuns my polluted flesh. I must bear this mark of shame upon my forehead until judgment day. They all paused. I had thrown myself beside her in an agony of helpless grief, and putting my arms round her held her tight, for a few minutes our sorrowful hearts beat together whilst the friends around us turned away their eyes that ran tears silently. Then Van Helsing turned and said gravely, so gravely that I could not help feeling that he was in some way inspired and was stating things outside himself. It may be that you may have to bear that mark till God and self see fit as he most surely shall on the judgment day to redress all wrongs of the earth and of his children that he has placed thereon. And oh, Madame Mina, my dear, my dear may we who love you be there to see when that red scar the sign of God's knowledge of what has been shall pass away and leave your forehead as pure as the heart we know. For so surely as we live that scar shall pass away when God sees right to lift the burden that is hard upon us. Till then we bear our cross as his son did in obedience to his will. It may be that we are chosen instruments of his good pleasure and that we ascend to his bidding as that other through stripes and shame, through tears and blood, through doubts and fears and all that makes the difference between God and man. There was hope in his words and comfort and they made for resignation. Mina and I both felt so and simultaneously we each took one of the old man's hand and bent over and kissed it. Then without a word we all knelt down together and all holding hands swore to be true to each other. We men pledged ourselves to raise the veil of sorrow from the head of her whom each in his own way we loved and we prayed for help and guidance in a terrible task which lay before us. It was then time to start so I said farewell to Mina, a parting which neither of us shall forget to our dying day and we set out. To one thing I have made up my mind. If we find out that Mina must be a vampire in the end then she shall not go into that unknown and terrible land alone. I suppose it is thus that in all times when vampire meant many just as their hideous bodies could only rest in sacred earth so the holiest love was the recruiting surgeon for the ghastly ranks. We entered Carfax without trouble and found all things the same as on the first occasion. It was hard to believe that amongst the so prosaic surroundings we neglect and dust and decay there was any ground for such fear as already we knew. Had not our minds been made up and had there not been terrible memories to spur us on we could hardly have proceeded with our task. We found no papers or any sign of use in the house and in the old chapel the great boxes looked just as we had seen them last. Dr. Van Helsing said to us suddenly as we stood before them and now my friends here to do we must sterilise this earth so sacred of holy memories that he has brought from a far distant land for such fell use. He has chosen this earth because it has been holy. Thus we defeat him with his own weapon for we make it more holy still. It was sanctified to such use of man now we sanctify it to God. As he spoke he took from his bag a screwdriver and a wrench and very soon the top of one of the cases was thrown open. The earth smelled musty and close but we did not somehow seem to mind for our attention was concentrated on the professor. Taking from his box a piece of the sacred wafer he laid it reverently on the earth and then shutting down the lid began to screw it home weading him as he worked. One by one retreated in the same way each of the great officers and left them as we had found them to all appearance but in each was a portion of the host. When we closed the door behind us the professor said solemnly so much is already done if it may be that with all the others we can be so successful then the sunset of this evening may shine on Medan Mina's forehead all white as ivory and with no stain. As we passed across the lawn on our way to the station to catch front of the asylum I looked eagerly and in the window of my own room saw Mina. I waved my hand to her and nodded to tell that our work there was successfully accomplished. She nodded in reply to show that she understood. The last I saw she was waving her hand in farewell. It was with a heavy heart that we sought the station and just caught the train which was streaming in as we reached the platform. I've written this in the train. Piccadilly, twelve thirty o'clock. Just before we reached Fenchurch Street Lord Goodalming said to me, Quincy and I will find a locksmith. You would better not come with us in case there should be any difficulty for under the circumstances it wouldn't seem so bad for us to break into an empty house but you are solicitor and the Incorporated Law Society might tell you that you should have known better. I demurred as to my not showering any danger even of medium, but he went on. Besides it will attract less attention if there are not too many of us. My title make it all right with the locksmith and with any policeman that may come along. You had better go with Jack and the Professor and stay in the Green Park somewhere inside of the house and when you see the door opened and the Smith has gone away do you all come across. We shall be on the lookout for you and shall let you in. The advice is good, said John Helsing, so we said no more. Godolming and Morris hurried off in a cab, we following in another. At the corner of Arlington Street our contingent got out and strolled into the Green Park. My heart beat as I saw the house on which so much of our hope was centered looming up grim and silent in its deserted condition amongst its more lively and spruce looking neighbours. We sat down on a bench within good view and began to smoke cigars so as to attract mental attention as possible. The minutes seemed to pass with lead in feet as we waited for the coming of the others. At length we saw a four-wheeler drive up out of it in leisurely fashion got Lord Godolming and Morris and down from the box descended a thick-set working man with his rush-woven basket of tools. Morris paid the cabman who touched his heart and drove away. Together the two ascended the steps and Lord Godolming pointed out what he wanted done. The workman took off his coat leisurely and hung it on one of the spikes of the rail, saying something to a policeman who just then sauntered along. The policeman nodded acquiescence and the man kneeling down placed his bag beside him. After searching through it he took out a selection of tools which he produced to lay beside him in orderly fashion. Then he stood up, looked into the key-hole, blew into it and turning to his employers made some remark. Lord Godolming smiled and the man lifted a good-sized bunch of keys selecting one of them he began to probe the lock as if feeling his way with it. After fumbling about for a bit he tried a second and then a third. All at once the door opened under a slight push from him and he and the two others entered the hall. We sat still, my own cigar burnt furiously but van Helsing's went cold altogether. We waited patiently as we saw the workman come out and bring in his bag. Then he held the door partly open steadying it with his knees whilst he fitted a key into the lock. This he finally handed to Lord Godolming who took out his purse and gave him something. The man touched his hat, took his bag, put on his coat and departed. Not a soul took the slightest notice of the whole transaction. When the man had fairly gone we threw across the street and knocked at the door. It was immediately opened by Quincy Morris beside whom Lord Godolming lighting a cigar. The place smells so vile said the latter as we came in. It did indeed smell vile like the old chapel at Corfax and with our previous experience it was plain to us the Count had been using the place pretty freely. We moved to explore the house all keeping together in case of attack for we knew we had a strong and wily enemy to deal with and as yet we did not know whether the Count might not be in the house. In the dining-room which lay at the back of the hall we found eight boxes of earth, eight boxes only out of the nine which we sought. Our work was not over and it would never be until we have found the missing box. First we opened the shadows of the window which looked out across a narrow stone-flagged yard at the blank face of a stable pointed to look like the front of a miniature house. There were no windows in it so we were not afraid of being overlooked. We did not lose any time in examining the chests with the tools which we had brought with us we opened them one by one and treated them as we had treated those others in the old chapel. It was evident to us that the Count was not at present in the house and we proceeded to search for any of his effects. After our cursory glance at the rest of the rooms from basement to attic dining-room contained any effects which might belong to the Count and so we proceeded to minutely examine them. There lay in a sort of orderly disorder on the great dining-room table there were title-deeds of the Piccadilly house in a great bundle deeds of the purchase of the house at mile end and bemonsey note-paper, envelopes and pens and ink. All were covered up in thin repping paper to keep them from the dust. There were also a clothes-brush, a comb, and a jug and basin the latter containing dirty water which was reddened as if with blood. Last of all was a little heap of keys of all sorts and sizes probably those belonging to the other houses. When we had examined this last find Lord Godoming and Quincy Morris taking accurate notes of the various addresses of the houses in the east and the south took with them the keys in a great bunch and set out to destroy the boxes in these places the rest of us are, with what patients we can waiting their return or the coming of the count End of Chapter 22 Recording by Corinne LePage Chapter 23 Doctor Seward's Diary Third October the time seemed terrible long whilst we were waiting for the coming of Godoming and Quincy Morris the professor tried to keep our minds active by using them all the time to 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 grief written lines of his face in fact in fact he is like a living flame this may be yet his salvation for if it all go well it will tide him over the despairing period he will then in a kind of way wake again to the realities of 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 and many years of Budapest 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 school and there was no branch of knowledge in his time that he did not well in him the brain power 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 father of a new order of beings whose road must lead through death not life harker groaned and said and this is all a raid 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 warily 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 zuophages patient to affect 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 there to buy 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 tried to move them all alone and so he progress and he scattered these graves of him and none but he know where they are hidden he may have intended to bury them deep in the ground so that he only use them in the night or at such time as he can change his form they do them equal well and none may know these are his hiding place but my child do not despair this knowledge come to him just too late already all of his layers but one be sterilized as for him and before the sunset this shall be so then we have no place where he can move and hide I delay this morning so that we might be share is there not more at stake for us then for him why we not be even more careful than him by my clock it is one hour and already if all be well friend Arthur and Quincy are on the 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 he was speaking we were startled by a knock at the whole 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 the dispatch the professor closed the door again and after looking at the direction opened it and read it aloud look out for D he has just now 1245 come from Carfax hurriedly and hastened towards the south he seems to be going the round they 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 undoings I care for nothing now he answered hotly I would not get rude from the face of creation I would sell my soul to do it our 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 madame Mina think you how her pain would be doubled did she 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 sometimes before he can hither come be he never so quick what we must hope for is that my lord Arthur and Quincy arrive first about half an hour after we had received Mrs. Harker's telegram there came a quiet resolute knock at the whole door it was just an ordinary knock such as is given hourly by the thousands of gentlemen but it made the professor's heart and mind 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 Goodalming and Quincy Morris they came quickly in and closed the door behind them the former saying as they moved along the hall is all right we found both places in each and we destroyed them all destroyed asked the professor for him we was silent for a minute and then Quincy said there's nothing to do but 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 at Dan'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 but 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 could all hear a key softly inserted in the lock of the whole 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 Quincy 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 had once laid out our plan of attack and without speaking a word with a gesture placed us each in position then Helsing, Hark and I were just behind the door so that when it opened the professor could guard it whilst we too stepped between the encumber and the door Godolming behind and Quincy 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 away past us before any of us could raise a hand to stay him there was something so panther-like in the movement something so unhuman that it seemed to sober us all from the shock of his coming the first act was Harker who with a quick movement threw himself before the door leading into the room in front of the house as the count saw us a horrible sort of snarl passed over his face showing the eye-teeth 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 had myself know whether our lethal weapons would avail us anything Harker evidently meant to try the matter for he had ready his great kookery 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 heart as it was the point just cut the cloth of his coat making a wide gap whence 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 though I saw him throw the terrible knife loft again for another stroke instinctively I moved forward with a protective impulse holding the crucifix in wafer in my left hand I felt a mighty power fly log 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 wax and 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 falling glass he tumbled into the flagged area below through the sound of the shivering glass I could hear that ting of some 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 butchers you shall be sore yet each one of you you think you have left me without a place to rest but I have more my revenge has just begun I spread it over centuries and time is on my side your girls that you all love are mine already 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 as realising the difficulty of following him through the stable we have learnt something much notwithstanding his brave words he fears us he fear time he fear 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 wild beast and understand it so for me I make sure that nothing here is mine if so, that he return as he spoke he put the money remaining into his pocket took the title deeds in a bundle as Harker had left them and swept the remaining things into the open fireplace where he set fire to them with a march Godolming 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 housing and I tried to make inquiry at the back of the house but the muse 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 recognise that our game was up with heavy hearts we agreed with the professor when he said let us go back to Madame Mina poor poor dear Madame 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 honour to her bravery and unselfishness when she saw our faces her own became as pale as death for 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 and 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 all the sense of companionship may have helped us but anyhow we were all less miserable and we 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 council 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 matters had been brought right up to the present time then without letting go of 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 once 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 an 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 worse part than his better part may have spiritual immorality it 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 was 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 he stopped speaking he leapt 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 good god don't say such things Jonathan my husband or you will crush me with fear and horror just think my dear I've been thinking all this long long day of it that perhaps someday 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 hot broken whale 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 councils had prevailed her husband flung himself on his knees beside her and putting his arms around her hit his face in the faults of her dress then housing back into us and we stall 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 then housing had placed at hand a bell which either of them was to sound in case of any emergency when they had retired Quincy, Godolming 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 Quincy so the rest of us shall be off to bed as soon as we can Godolming has already turned in for his is the second watch now that my work is done let's 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 discuss what our next step was to be but we could arrive at a 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 love 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 would not permit the world to be the poor 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 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'm not sleepy myself though I am wary wary 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 I was awaked 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 open the door just outside stretched on a mattress lay Mr. Morris wide awake he raised a warning hand for silence and whispered to me hush go back to bed it is alright 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 around me and said softly thank god for good brave men with a sigh she sang back again to sleep and now as I am not sleepy though I must try again for October morning once again during the night I was awakened by Mina this time we had all had a good sleep for the grave 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 hurdly go call the professor I want to see him at once why I asked I suppose it must have come in the night and matured without my knowing it he must hypnotise 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 an 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 in two or three minutes later Van Helsing was in the room in his dressing-gown and Mr. Morris and Lord Godolming 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 Madame Mina this is indeed a change see, front Jonathan we have got our dear Madame Mina as of old back to us today then turning to her he said cheerfully and what am I do for you for out this hour you do not want me for nothings 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 upon the 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 in 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 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 short end 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 man 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 upon me in his 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. Morrison, 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 whilst she spoke there were many ships 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 but whether it may lead us we do not we have been blind somewhat blind after the manner of men since when 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 isn't a puddle is it not we can see now what was in the Count's mind when he sees 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 to take his last earth box on board a ship and he leave the land he think to escape but no we follow him telly 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 wile in mean time we may rest and in peace for there are waters 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 to us let us take bath and dress and have breakfast which we all need 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 has gone away from us he took her hand and patted it as he replied ask me nothings as yet 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 madame 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 he 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 mock upon your throat I was just in time to catch her as she fell forward in a faint Chapter 24 Dr. Seward's phonograph diary spoken by Van Helsing This to Jonathan Harker You are to stay with your dear madame Mina we shall go to make our search if I can call it so for it is not search but knowing and we seek confirmation only but do you stay and take care of her today this is your best and most holiest office this day nothing can find him here let me tell you that you will know what we for know already for I tell them he, our enemy, have gone away he have gone back to his castle in Transylvania I know it so well that if a great hand of fire wrote it on the wall he have prepared for this in some way the last earth box was ready to ship some theirs for this he took the money for this he hurried at the last lest we catch him before the sun go down it was his last hope save that he might hide in the tomb that he think poor Miss Lucy being as he sought like him keep open to him but there was not of time when he fail that he make straight for his last resource his last earth work might say that I wish double entente he is so clever oh so clever he knows that his game here was finished and so he decide to go back home he find ship going by the route he came and he go in it we go off now to find that ship and visit bound when we have discover that we come back and tell you all then we will comfort you and poor dear Madam Mina with new hope for it will be hope when you think it over that all is not lost this very creatures that we pursue he take hundreds of years to get so far as London and yet in one day when we know the disposal of him we drive him out he is finite so he is powerful to do much harm and suffers not as we do we are strong each in our purpose and we are all more strong together take heart afresh dear husband of Madam Mina this battle is but begun and in the end we shall win so sure as that God sits on high to watch over his children therefore be of much comfort till we return Van Helsing Jonathan Harker's Journal for October when I read to Mina Van Helsing's message in the phonograph the poor God brightened up considerably already the certainty that the count is out of the country has given her comfort and comfort is strength to her for my own part now that his horrible danger is not face to face with us it seems almost impossible to believe in it even my own terrible experiences in castle Dracula seem like a long forgotten dream here in the crisp autumn air in the bright sunlight alas! how can I disbelieve? in the midst of my thought my eye fell on the red scar and my poor darling's white forehead whilst that lasts there can be no disbelief and afterwards the very mammary of it will keep faith crystal clear mean and I fear to be idle so we have been all over the diaries again and again somehow although the reality seems greater each time the pain and fear seem less there is something of a guiding purpose manifest throughout which is comforting Mina says that perhaps we are the instruments of ultimate good it may be I shall try to think as she does we have never spoken to each other yet of the future it is better to wait till we see the professor and the others after the investigations the day is running by more quickly than I ever thought a day could run for me again it is now three o'clock Mina Harker's Journal 5 October 5pm our meeting for report present Professor Van Helsing Lord Godalming Dr. Seward Mr. Quincy Morris Dr. Van Helsing described what steps were taken during the day to discover on what boat and with a bound Count Dracula made his escape as I knew that he wanted to get back to Transylvania I felt sure that he must go by the Danube mouth or by somewhere in the Black Sea since by that way he come it was a dreary blank that was before us Omne Ignotium Pro Magnifico and so with heavy hearts we start to find what ships leave for the Black Sea last night he was in sailing ship since Madame Mina tell of sales being set these not so important as to go in your list of the shipping in the times and so we go by suggestion of Lord Godalming to your Lloyds which are note of all ships that sail however so small there we find that only one Black Sea bound ship go out with the tide she is the Serena Catherine and she sail from Duelitosworth for Varna and thence on to other parts and up the Danube so said I this is the ship where on is the Count so off we go to Duelitosworth and there we find a man in an office of wood so small that the man look bigger than the office from him we inquire of the goings on of the Serena Catherine he swore much and he read face and louder voice but he good fellow all the same and when Quincy gave him something from his pocket which crackle as he roll it up and put it in a so small bag which he have hid deep in his clothing he still better fellow and humble servant to us he come with us and ask many men who are rough and hot these be better fellows too when they have been no more thirsty they say much of blood and bloom and of others which I comprehend not though I guess what they mean but nevertheless they tell us things which we want to know they make known to us among them how last afternoon at about five o'clock comes a man so hurry a tall man thin and pale with high nose and teeth so white and eyes that seem to be burning that he be all in black except he have a heart of straw which not suit him nor the sails for the black sea and for where some took him to the office and then to the ship where he will not go aboard but halt at shore at end of gangplank and ask the captain come to him when told he will be pay well and though he swear much at first he agreed to time then the thin man go and someone tell him where horse and cart can be hired he go there and soon he come again himself driving cart on which a great box this he himself lift down though it take several to put it on truck for the ship he give much talk to captain as to how and where his box is to be place captain like it not and swear at him in many tongues and tell him that if he like he can come and see where it shall be but he say no that he come not yet for that he have much to do where upon the captain tell him that he had better be quick with blood for that his ship will leave the place of blood before the turn of the tide with blood and say that of course he must go when he think fit but he will be surprise if he go quite so soon the captain swear again polyglot and the thin man make him bow and thank him and say he will so far intrude on his kindness as to come aboard before sailing final the captain more red than ever and in more tongues tell him that he doesn't want no Frenchman with bloom upon them and also with blood on his ship with blood on her also and so after asking where there might be close at hand a ship where he might purchase ship forms he departed no one knew where he went or Blumen were cared as they said for they had something else to think of well with blood again for it soon became apparent to all that the Tsarina Catherine had not sail as was expected a thin mist began to creep up from the river and it grew and grew till soon a dense fog enveloped the ship and all around her the captain swore polyglot very polyglot polyglot with bloom and blood but he could do nothing the water rose and rose and he began to fear that he would lose the tide all together he was in no friendly mood when just at full tide the thin man came up the gangplank again and asked to see where his box had been stowed then the captain replied that he wished he and his box old and with much bloom and blood were in hell but the thin man did not be a friend and went down with the mate and saw where it was place and came up and stood a while on deck in fog he must have come off by himself for none notice him indeed they thought not of him but soon the fog began to melt away and all was clear again my friends of the thirst and the language that was of bloom and blood laughed as they told how the captain swears exceeded even his usual polyglot and was more than ever full of picturesque when on questioning other mariners who were on movement up and down on the river that hour he found that few of them had seen any fog at all however the ship went out on the ebb tide and was doubtless by morning far down the river mouth she was by then when they told us well out to sea and so my dear Madame Mina it is that we have to rest for a time for our enemy is on the sea with the fog at his command on his way to the Danube mouth to sail a ship takes time go she never so quick and then we start we go on land more quick and we meet him there our best hope is to come on him when in the box between sunrise and sunset for then he can make no struggle and we may deal with him as we should there are days for us in which we can make ready our plan we know all about where he go for we have seen the owner of the ship who have shown us invoices and all papers that can be the box we seek is to be landed in Varna and be given to an agent one Ristix who will there present his credentials and so our merchant friend will have done his part but he asked if there be any wrong for that so he can telegraph and have inquiry made at Varna we say no for what is to be done is not for police or of the customs we must be done by us alone and in our own way when Dr. Van Helsing had done speaking I asked him if he were certain that the count had remained on board the ship he replied we have the best proof of that your own evidence when in the hypnotic trance this morning I asked him again if it were really necessary that they should pursue the count for oh I dread Jonathan leaving me and I know that he would surely go if the others went he answered in growing passion at first quietly however he grew more angry and more forceful till in the end we could not but see where in was at least some of the personal dominance which made him so long a master amongst men yes it is necessary necessary necessary for your sake in the first and then for the sake of humanity this monster has done much harm already in the narrow scope where he find himself at such time when as yet he was only as a body groping his so small measure in darkness and not knowing all this I have told these others you my dear Madame Mina will learn it on the photograph of my friend John or in that of your husband I have told them how the measure of leaving his own barren land barren of peoples and coming to a new land where life of man teams till they are like the multitude of standing corn was the work of centuries where another of the undead like him to try to do what he has done perhaps not all the centuries of the world that have been all that will be could aid him with this one all the forces of nature that are occult and deep and strong must have worked together in some wondrous way the very place where he have been alive undead all the centuries is full of strangeness of the geologic and chemical world there are deep caverns and fissures that reach none no wither there have been volcanoes some of whom's openings still sent out waters of strange properties and gases that kill or make to vivify doubtless there is something magnetic or electric in some of these combinations of occult forces which work for physical life in strange way and in himself were from the first some great qualities in a hard and war like time he was a celebrate that he have more iron nerve more subtle brain more braver heart than any man in him some vital principle have in strange way found there utmost and as his body keep strong and grow and thrive so his brain grow too all this without that diabolical aid which is surely to him for it have to yield to the powers that come from and are symbolic of good and now this is what he is to us he have infect you oh forgive me my dear that I must say such but it is for good of you that I speak he infect you in such wise that even if he do no more you have only to live to live your own old sweet way and so in time death which is of man's common lot with God's sanction shall make you like to him this must not be we have swan together that it must not thus we are ministers of God's own wish that the world and man for whom his son die will not be given over to monsters existence would defame him he have allowed us to redeem one soul already and we go out as the old knights of the cross to redeem more like them we shall travel towards the sunrise and like them if we fall we fall in good cause he paused and I said but will not the count take his rebuff wisely since he has been driven from England will he not avoid it as a tiger does the village from which he has been hunted aha he said your smile of the tiger good for me and I shall adopt him your man eater as they of India call the tiger who has once tasted the blood of the human care no more for the other prey but prowl unceasingly till he get him this that we hunt from our village is a tiger too a man eater and he never prowl nay in himself he is not one to retire and stay afar in his life his living life he go over the tucky frontier and attack his enemy on his own ground he be beaten back but did he stay no he come again and again and again look at his persistence and endurance with the child brain that was to him he have long since conceived the idea of coming to a great city what does he do he find out the place of all the world most of promise for him then he deliberately set himself down to prepare for the task he find in patience just how is his strength and what are his powers he study new tongues he learn new social life new environment of old ways the politic the law the finance the science the habit of a new land and have a new people since he was his glimpse that he have had wet his appetite only and in keen his desire nay it help him to grow as to his brain for it all proved to him how right he was at the first in his surmises he have done this alone all alone from a rune tomb in a forgotten land what more may he not do when the greater world of thought is open to him that he can smile at death as we know him who can flourish in the midst of diseases that kills off whole peoples or if such an one was to come from God and not the devil what a force for good might he not be in this old world of ours but we are pledged to set the world free our toil must be in silence and our efforts all in secret for in this enlightened age when men believe not even what they see the doubting of wise men would be his greatest strength it would be at once his sheath and his armour and his weapons to destroy us his enemies who are willing to peril even our own souls for the safety of one we love for the good of mankind and for the honour and glory of God after a general discussion it was determined that for tonight nothing be definitely settled that we should all sleep on the facts and try to think out the proper conclusions tomorrow at breakfast we are to meet again and after making our conclusions known to one another we shall decide on some definite colours of action I feel a wonderful peace and rest tonight it is as if some haunting presence were removed from me perhaps my surmise was not finished could not be for I caught sight of the red mark upon my forehead and I knew that I was still unclean Dr. Seward's Diary 5 October we all rose early and I think that sleep did much for each and all of us when we met at early breakfast there was more general cheerfulness than any of us had ever expected to experience again it is really wonderful how much resilience there is in human nature let any obstructing cause no matter what be removed in any way even by death and we fly back to the first principles of hope and enjoyment more than once we sat round the table my eyes opened in wonder whether the whole of the past days had not been a dream it was only when I caught sight of the red blotch on Mrs. Harker's forehead that I was brought back to reality even now when I am gravely revolving the matter it is almost impossible to realise that the cause of all our troubles is still existent even Mrs. Harker seems to lose sight of her trouble for whole spells it is only now and again when something recalls to her mind that she thinks of her terrible scar we are to meet here in my study in half an hour and decide on our course of action I see only one immediate difficulty I know it by instinct rather than reason we shall all have to speak frankly and yet I fear that in some mysterious way poor Mrs. Harker's tongue is tied I know that she forms conclusions of her own and from all that has been I can guess how brilliant and how true they must be but she will not or cannot give them utterance I have mentioned this to Van Helsing and he and I are to talk it over when we are alone I suppose it is some of that horrid poison which has got into her veins beginning to work the Count had his own purposes when he gave her what Van Helsing called the vampire's baptism of blood well there may be a poison that distills itself out of good things in an age when the existence of toe mains is a mystery we should not wonder at anything one thing I know that if my instinct be true regarding poor Mrs. Harker's silences then there is a terrible difficulty an unknown danger in the work before us the same power that compels her silence may compel her speech I dare not think further for so I should in my thoughts dishonour a noble woman Van Helsing is coming to my study a little before the others I shall try to open the subject with him later when the professor came in we talked over the state of things I could see that he had something on his mind which he wanted to say but felt some hesitancy in broaching the subject after beating about the bush a little he said suddenly friend John there is something that you and I must talk of alone just at the first in any rate we have to take the others into our confidence then he stopped so I waited he went on with the sad experience of Miss Lucy we must this time be warned before things go too far our task is now in reality more difficult than ever a new trouble makes every hour of the direst importance I can see the characteristics of the vampire coming in her face it is now but very very slight but it is to be seen if we have eyes to notice without to prejudge her teeth are some sharper and at times her eyes more hard but these are not all there is to her the silence now often as so it was with Miss Lucy she did not speak she wrote that which she wished to be known later now my fear is this if it be she can by a hypnotic trance tell what the count see and hear is it not more true that he who have hypnotise her first and who have drink of her very blood and make her drink of his should if he will compel her mind to disclose to him that which she know I nodded acquiescence she went on then what we must do is to prevent this we must keep her ignorant of our intent and so she cannot tell what she know not this is a painful task oh so painful that it heart break me to think of but it must be when today we meet I must tell her that for reason which we will not to speak she must not more be of our council she must be simply guarded by us he wiped his forehead which had broken out in profuse perspiration at the thought of the pain which he might have to inflict upon the poor soul already so tortured I knew that it would be some sort of comfort to him if I told him that I also had come to the same conclusion for it any rate it would take away the pain of doubt I told him and the effect was as I expected it is now close to the time of our general gathering Van Helsing has gone away to prepare for the meeting and his painful part of it I really believe his purpose is to be able to pray alone later at the very outset of our meeting a great personal relief was experienced by both Van Helsing and myself Mrs. Harker had sent a message by her husband to say she would not join us at present as she thought it better that we should be free to discuss our movements without a present virus us the professant I looked at each other for an instant and somehow we both seemed relieved for my own part I thought that if Mrs. Harker realized the danger herself it was much pain as well as much danger averted under the circumstances we agreed by a questioning look and answer with finger on lip to preserve the silence in our suspicions until we should have been able to confer alone again we went at once into our plan of campaign Van Helsing roughly put the facts before us first that Serena Catherine left the Thames yesterday morning it will take her at the quickest speed she has ever made at least three weeks to reach Varna but we can travel over land to the same place in three days now if we allow for two days less for the ship's voyage owing to such weather influences as we know that the count can bring to bear and if we allow for a whole day and night for any delays which may occur to us then we have a margin of nearly two weeks thus in order to be quite safe we must leave here on 17th at latest then we shall at any rate be in Varna a day before the ship arrives and able to make such preparations as may be necessary of course we shall go armed armed against evil things spiritual as well as physical here Quincy Morris added I understand that the count comes from a wolf country and it may be that he shall get there before us I propose that we add Winchester to our armament I have a kind of belief in a Winchester when there is any trouble of that sort around do you remember art when we had the pack after us in Tobolsk what wouldn't we have given then for a repeater apiece good, said Van Helsing Winchester's it shall be Quincy's head is level at all times but most so when there is to hunt metaphor be more dishonour to science than wolves be of danger to man 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 more soon it is as long to wait here as there, tonight and tomorrow we can get ready and then, if all be well we four can set out on our journey we four, said Harko interrogatively looking from one to the other of us of course answered the professor quickly you must remain to take care of your so sweet wife Harko was silent for a while and then said in a hollow voice let us talk of that part of it in the morning I want to consult with Mina I thought that now was the time for Van Helsing to warn him not to disclose our plans to her but he took no notice I looked at him significantly and coughed for answer he put his finger on his lips and turned away Jonathan Harko's journal 5 October afternoon for some time after our meeting this morning I could not think the new phases of things leave my mind in a state of wonder which allows no room for active thought Mina's determination not to take a part in the discussion set me thinking and as I could not argue the matter with her I could only guess I am as far as ever from a solution now the way the others received it too puzzled me the last time we talked of the subject we agreed that there was to be no more concealment of anything amongst us Mina is sleeping now calmly and sweetly like a little child her lips are curved and her face beams with happiness thank god there are such moments still for her later what strange it all is I sat watching Mina's happy sleep and came as near to being happy myself as I suppose I shall ever be as the evening drew on and the earth took its shadows from the sun sinking lower the silence of the room grew more and more solemn to me all at once Mina opened her eyes and looking at me tenderly said Jonathan I want you to promise me something on your word of honour a promise made to me but made holily in god's hearing and not to be broken though I should go down on my knees and implore you with bitter tears quick you must make it to me at once Mina I said a promise like that I cannot make at once I may have no right to make it but dear one she said with such spiritual intensity that her eyes were like pole stars it is I who wish it and it is not for myself you can ask Dr. Van Helsing if I am not right she disagrees you may do as you will nay more if you all agree later you are absolved from the promise I promise I said and for a moment she looked supremely happy though to me all happiness for her was denied by the red scar on her forehead she said promise me that you will not tell me anything of the plans formed for the campaign against the Count not by word or inference or implication she asked this remains to me and she solemnly pointed to the scar I saw that she was an earnest and said solemnly I promise and as I said it I felt that from that instant her door had been shut between us later midnight Mina has been bright and cheerful all the evening so much so that all the rest seem to take courage as if infected somewhat by her gaiety as a result even I myself felt as if the pall of gloom which weighs us down was somewhat lifted we all retired early Mina is now sleeping like a little child it is a wonderful thing that her faculty of sleep remains to her in the midst of her terrible trouble thank God for it for then at least she can forget her care perhaps her example may affect me as her gaiety did tonight I shall try it oh for a dreamless sleep 6 October morning another surprise Mina woke me early about the same time as yesterday to ask me to bring Dr. Van Helsing I thought that it was another occasion for hypnotism and without question went for the professor he had evidently expected some such call for I found him dressed in his room his door was ajar so that he could hear the opening of the door of our room he came at once as he passed into the room he asked Mina if the others might come too no she said quite simply it will not be necessary you can tell them just as well I must go with you on your journey Dr. Van Helsing was as startled as I was after a moment's pause he asked but why you must take me with you I am safer with you and you shall be safer too but why dear Madame Mina you know that your safety is our soulless duty I must go into danger to which you are or may be more liable than any of us from from circumstances things that have been he paused embarrassed as she replied she raised her finger and pointed to her forehead I know that is why I must go I can tell you now whilst the sun is coming up I may not be able again I know that when the Count wills me I must go in secret I must come by while by any device to hoodwink even Jonathan God saw the look that she turned on me as she spoke and if there be indeed a recording angel that look is noted to an everlasting honour I could only clasp her hand I could not speak my emotion was too great for even the relief of tears she went on you men are brave and strong you are strong in your numbers I must go by that which would break down the human endurance of one who had to guard alone besides I may be of service since you can hypnotise me and so learn that which even I myself do not know Dr. Van Helsing said very gravely Madam Mina you are as always most wise you shall with us come and together we shall do that which we go forth to achieve when he had spoken Mina's long spell of silence made me look at her she had fallen back on her pillow asleep she did not even wake when I had pulled up the blind and let in the sunlight which flooded the room Van Helsing motioned to me to come with him quietly we went to his room and within a minute Lord Godalming, Dr. Seward and Mr. Morris were with us also he told them what Mina had said and went on in the morning we shall leave for Vana we have now to deal with a new factor Madam Mina oh but her soul is true it is to her agony to tell her so much as she has done but it is most right and we are warned in time there must be no chance lost and in Vana we must be ready to act the instant that the ship arrives what shall we do exactly asked Mr. Morris laconically the professor paused before replying we shall at the first board ship, then when we have identified the box we shall place a branch of the wild rose on it this we shall fasten for when it is there none can emerge so at least says superstition and so superstition must we trust at the first it was man's faith in the early and it have its root in faith still then when we get the opportunity that we seek when none are near to see we shall open the box and all will be well I shall not wait for any opportunity said Morris when I see the box I shall open it and destroy the monster though there were a thousand men looking on and if I am to be wiped out for it next moment I grasped his hand instinctively and found it as firm as a piece of steel I think he understood my look I hope he did good boy brave boy Quincy is all man God bless him for it my child believe me none of us shall lag behind or pause from any fear I do but say what we may do what we must do but indeed indeed we cannot say what we shall do there are so many things which may happen and their ways and their ends are so various that until the moment we may not say we shall be armed in all ways and when the time for the end has come our effort shall not be lack now let us today put all our affairs in order let all things which touch on others dear to us and who upon us depend be complete for none of us can tell what or when or how the end may be as for me my own affairs are regular there is nothing else to do I shall go make arrangements for the travel I shall have all tickets and so forth for our journey there was nothing further to be said and reparted I shall now settle up all my affairs of earth and be ready for whatever may come later it is all done my will is made and all complete Mina if she survive is my sole heir if it should not be so those who have been so good to us shall have remainder it is now drawing towards the sunset Mina's uneasiness calls my attention to it I am sure that there is something on her mind which the time of exact sunset will reveal these occasions are becoming harrowing times for us all for each sunrise and sunset opens up some new danger some new path which, however, may in God's will be means to a good end I write all these things in the diary since my darling must not hear them now but if it may be that she can see them again they shall be ready she is calling to me End of Chapter 24 Recording by Corinne LePage