DRACULA
Bram
Stoker
CHAPTER
XXIII.
DR.
SEWARD'S DIARY.
3 October- The time seemed terribly 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.
To-day he is a drawn, haggard old man, whose white hair matches
well with the hollow burning eyes and grief-written 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 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
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 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 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 he only 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 come to him just too late! Already all of his lairs but one be sterilise 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 we not be even
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. To-day 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 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 despatch. 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
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 to-day
shall see the end. The
time is coming for action; to-day this Vampire is limit to the powers
of man, and fill 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 pocket-book. "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 panther-like 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
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 organised 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 shorne through his heart. As it was, the point
just cut the cloth of 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 I saw that 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, as,
realising 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 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 may be of use to him, if
so that he return.- As he spoke he put the money remaining into 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 recognise 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 honour
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 only 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 right 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 for ever 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 wall 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 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 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 to-morrow to think of, and
there is no rest for me until...
Later.- I must have fallen asleep, for 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 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 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, 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. In 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 to-day!" Then turning to her, he said, cheerfully: "And
what am I do for you? For at this hour you do not want me for
nothings."
"I want you to hypnotise 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 tip-toe, 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 rachet."
"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 whilst she spoke. There are 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, though whither it may lead us we know 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
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 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 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 nothings 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.
