Dracula by Bram Stoker(16)

We could only make her happy, and so acqueisced. She
bustled off to get tea. When she had gone Van Helsing
said, ‘You see, my friends. He is close to land. He has left
his earth chest. But he has yet to get on shore. In the night
he may lie hidden somewhere, but if he be not carried on
shore, or if the ship do not touch it, he cannot achieve the
land. In such case he can, if it be in the night, change his
form and jump or fly on shore, then, unless he be carried
he cannot escape. And if he be carried, then the customs
men may discover what the box contain. Thus, in fine, if
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he escape not on shore tonight, or before dawn, there will
be the whole day lost to him. We may then arrive in time.
For if he escape not at night we shall come on him in
daytime, boxed up and at our mercy. For he dare not be
his true self, awake and visible, lest he be discovered.’
There was no more to be said, so we waited in patience
until the dawn, at which time we might learn more from
Mrs. Harker.
Early this morning we listened, with breathless anxiety,
for her response in her trance. The hypnotic stage was
even longer in coming than before, and when it came the
time remaining until full sunrise was so short that we
began to despair. Van Helsing seemed to throw his whole
soul into the effort. At last, in obedience to his will she
made reply.
‘All is dark. I hear lapping water, level with me, and
some creaking as of wood on wood.’ She paused, and the
red sun shot up. We must wait till tonight.
And so it is that we are travelling towards Galatz in an
agony of expectation. We are due to arrive between two
and three in the morning. But already, at Bucharest, we
are three hours late, so we cannot possibly get in till well
after sunup. Thus we shall have two more hypnotic
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messages from Mrs. Harker! Either or both may possibly
throw more light on what is happening.

Later.—Sunset has come and gone. Fortunately it came
at a time when there was no distraction. For had it
occurred whilst we were at a station, we might not have
secured the necessary calm and isolation. Mrs. Harker
yielded to the hypnotic influence even less readily than
this morning. I am in fear that her power of reading the
Count’s sensations may die away, just when we want it
most. It seems to me that her imagination is beginning to
work. Whilst she has been in the trance hitherto she has
confined herself to the simplest of facts. If this goes on it
may ultimately mislead us. If I thought that the Count’s
power over her would die away equally with her power of
knowledge it would be a happy thought. But I am afraid
that it may not be so.
When she did speak, her words were enigmatical,
‘Something is going out. I can feel it pass me like a cold
wind. I can hear, far off, confused sounds, as of men
talking in strange tongues, fierce falling water, and the
howling of wolves.’ She stopped and a shudder ran
through her, increasing in intensity for a few seconds, till
at the end, she shook as though in a palsy. She said no
more, even in answer to the Professor’s imperative
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questioning. When she woke from the trance, she was
cold, and exhausted, and languid, but her mind was all
alert. She could not remember anything, but asked what
she had said. When she was told, she pondered over it
deeply for a long time and in silence.
30 October, 7 A.M.—We are near Galatz now, and I
may not have time to write later. Sunrise this morning was
anxiously looked for by us all. Knowing of the increasing
difficulty of procuring the hypnotic trance, Van Helsing
began his passes earlier than usual. They produced no
effect, however, until the regular time, when she yielded
with a still greater difficulty, only a minute before the sun
rose. The Professor lost no time in his questioning.
Her answer came with equal quickness, ‘All is dark. I
hear water swirling by, level with my ears, and the
creaking of wood on wood. Cattle low far off. There is
another sound, a queer one like …’ She stopped and grew
white, and whiter still.
‘Go on, go on! Speak, I command you!’ said Van
Helsing in an agonized voice. At the same time there was
despair in his eyes, for the risen sun was reddening even
Mrs. Harker’s pale face. She opened her eyes, and we all
started as she said, sweetly and seemingly with the utmost
unconcern.
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‘Oh, Professor, why ask me to do what you know I
can’t? I don’t remember anything.’ Then, seeing the look
of amazement on our faces, she said, turning from one to
the other with a troubled look, ‘What have I said? What
have I done? I know nothing, only that I was lying here,
half asleep, and heard you say ‘go on! speak, I command
you!’ It seemed so funny to hear you order me about, as if
I were a bad child!’
‘Oh, Madam Mina,’ he said, sadly, ‘it is proof, if proof
be needed, of how I love and honour you, when a word
for your good, spoken more earnest than ever, can seem
so strange because it is to order her whom I am proud to
obey!’
The whistles are sounding. We are nearing Galatz. We
are on fire with anxiety and eagerness.
MINA HARKER’S JOURNAL
30 October.—Mr. Morris took me to the hotel where
our rooms had been ordered by telegraph, he being the
one who could best be spared, since he does not speak any
foreign language. The forces were distributed much as
they had been at Varna, except that Lord Godalming went
to the Vice Consul, as his rank might serve as an
immediate guarantee of some sort to the official, we being
in extreme hurry. Jonathan and the two doctors went to
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the shipping agent to learn particulars of the arrival of the
Czarina Catherine.
Later.—Lord Godalming has returned. The Consul is
away, and the Vice Consul sick. So the routine work has
been attended to by a clerk. He was very obliging, and
offered to do anything in his power.
JONATHAN HARKER’S JOURNAL
30 October.—At nine o’clock Dr. Van Helsing, Dr.
Seward, and I called on Messrs. Mackenzie & Steinkoff,
the agents of the London firm of Hapgood. They had
received a wire from London, in answer to Lord
Godalming’s telegraphed request, asking them to show us
any civility in their power. They were more than kind and
courteous, and took us at once on board the Czarina
Catherine, which lay at anchor out in the river harbor.
There we saw the Captain, Donelson by name, who told
us of his voyage. He said that in all his life he had never
had so favourable a run.
‘Man!’ he said, ‘but it made us afeard, for we expect it
that we should have to pay for it wi’ some rare piece o’ ill
luck, so as to keep up the average. It’s no canny to run
frae London to the Black Sea wi’ a wind ahint ye, as
though the Deil himself were blawin’ on yer sail for his
ain purpose. An’ a’ the time we could no speer a thing.
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Gin we were nigh a ship, or a port, or a headland, a fog
fell on us and travelled wi’ us, till when after it had lifted
and we looked out, the deil a thing could we see. We ran
by Gibraltar wi’ oot bein’ able to signal. An’ til we came
to the Dardanelles and had to wait to get our permit to
pass, we never were within hail o’ aught. At first I inclined
to slack off sail and beat about till the fog was lifted. But
whiles, I thocht that if the Deil was minded to get us into
the Black Sea quick, he was like to do it whether we
would or no. If we had a quick voyage it would be no to
our miscredit wi’the owners, or no hurt to our traffic, an’
the Old Mon who had served his ain purpose wad be
decently grateful to us for no hinderin’ him.’
This mixture of simplicity and cunning, of superstition
and commercial reasoning, aroused Van Helsing, who
said, ‘Mine friend, that Devil is more clever than he is
thought by some, and he know when he meet his match!’
The skipper was not displeased with the compliment,
and went on, ‘When we got past the Bosphorus the men
began to grumble. Some o’ them, the Roumanians, came
and asked me to heave overboard a big box which had
been put on board by a queer lookin’ old man just before
we had started frae London. I had seen them speer at the
fellow, and put out their twa fingers when they saw him,
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to guard them against the evil eye. Man! but the
supersteetion of foreigners is pairfectly rideeculous! I sent
them aboot their business pretty quick, but as just after a
fog closed in on us I felt a wee bit as they did anent
something, though I wouldn’t say it was again the big box.
Well, on we went, and as the fog didn’t let up for five
days I joost let the wind carry us, for if the Deil wanted to
get somewheres, well, he would fetch it up a’reet. An’ if
he didn’t, well, we’d keep a sharp lookout anyhow. Sure
eneuch, we had a fair way and deep water all the time.
And two days ago, when the mornin’ sun came through
the fog, we found ourselves just in the river opposite
Galatz. The Roumanians were wild, and wanted me right
or wrong to take out the box and fling it in the river. I
had to argy wi’ them aboot it wi’ a handspike. An’ when
the last o’ them rose off the deck wi’ his head in his hand,
I had convinced them that, evil eye or no evil eye, the
property and the trust of my owners were better in my
hands than in the river Danube. They had, mind ye, taken
the box on the deck ready to fling in, and as it was marked
Galatz via Varna, I thocht I’d let it lie till we discharged in
the port an’ get rid o’t althegither. We didn’t do much
clearin’ that day, an’ had to remain the nicht at anchor.
But in the mornin’, braw an’ airly, an hour before sunup,
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a man came aboard wi’ an order, written to him from
England, to receive a box marked for one Count Dracula.
Sure eneuch the matter was one ready to his hand. He had
his papers a’ reet, an’ glad I was to be rid o’ the dam’
thing, for I was beginnin’ masel’ to feel uneasy at it. If the
Deil did have any luggage aboord the ship, I’m thinkin’ it
was nane ither than that same!’
‘What was the name of the man who took it?’ asked
Dr. Van Helsing with restrained eagerness.
‘I’ll be tellin’ ye quick!’ he answered, and stepping
down to his cabin, produced a receipt signed ‘Immanuel
Hildesheim.’ Burgen-strasse 16 was the address. We found
out that this was all the Captain knew, so with thanks we
came away.
We found Hildesheim in his office, a Hebrew of rather
the Adelphi Theatre type, with a nose like a sheep, and a
fez. His arguments were pointed with specie, we doing
the punctuation, and with a little bargaining he told us
what he knew. This turned out to be simple but
important. He had received a letter from Mr. de Ville of
London, telling him to receive, if possible before sunrise
so as to avoid customs, a box which would arrive at Galatz
in the Czarina Catherine. This he was to give in charge to
a certain Petrof Skinsky, who dealt with the Slovaks who
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traded down the river to the port. He had been paid for
his work by an English bank note, which had been duly
cashed for gold at the Danube International Bank. When
Skinsky had come to him, he had taken him to the ship
and handed over the box, so as to save porterage. That was
all he knew.
We then sought for Skinsky, but were unable to find
him. One of his neighbors, who did not seem to bear him
any affection, said that he had gone away two days before,
no one knew whither. This was corroborated by his
landlord, who had received by messenger the key of the
house together with the rent due, in English money. This
had been between ten and eleven o’clock last night. We
were at a standstill again.
Whilst we were talking one came running and
breathlessly gasped out that the body of Skinsky had been
found inside the wall of the churchyard of St. Peter, and
that the throat had been torn open as if by some wild
animal. Those we had been speaking with ran off to see
the horror, the women crying out. ‘This is the work of a
Slovak!’ We hurried away lest we should have been in
some way drawn into the affair, and so detained.
As we came home we could arrive at no definite
conclusion. We were all convinced that the box was on its
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way, by water, to somewhere, but where that might be
we would have to discover. With heavy hearts we came
home to the hotel to Mina.
When we met together, the first thing was to consult as
to taking Mina again into our confidence. Things are
getting desperate, and it is at least a chance, though a
hazardous one. As a preliminary step, I was released from
my promise to her.
MINA HARKER’S JOURNAL
30 October, evening.—They were so tired and worn
out and dispirited that there was nothing to be done till
they had some rest, so I asked them all to lie down for half
an hour whilst I should enter everything up to the
moment. I feel so grateful to the man who invented the
‘Traveller’s’ typewriter, and to Mr. Morris for getting this
one for me. I should have felt quite astray doing the work
if I had to write with a pen …
It is all done. Poor dear, dear Jonathan, what he must
have suffered, what he must be suffering now. He lies on
the sofa hardly seeming to breathe, and his whole body
appears in collapse. His brows are knit. His face is drawn
with pain. Poor fellow, maybe he is thinking, and I can
see his face all wrinkled up with the concentration of his
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thoughts. Oh! if I could only help at all. I shall do what I
can.
I have asked Dr. Van Helsing, and he has got me all the
papers that I have not yet seen. Whilst they are resting, I
shall go over all carefully, and perhaps I may arrive at some
conclusion. I shall try to follow the Professor’s example,
and think without prejudice on the facts before me …
I do believe that under God’s providence I have made a
discovery. I shall get the maps and look over them.
I am more than ever sure that I am right. My new
conclusion is ready, so I shall get our party together and
read it. They can judge it. It is well to be accurate, and
every minute is precious.
MINA HARKER’S MEMORANDUM
(ENTERED IN HER JOURNAL)
Ground of inquiry.—Count Dracula’s problem is to get
back to his own place.
(a) He must be brought back by some one. This is
evident. For had he power to move himself as he wished
he could go either as man, or wolf, or bat, or in some
other way. He evidently fears discovery or interference, in
the state of helplessness in which he must be, confined as
he is between dawn and sunset in his wooden box.
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(b) How is he to be taken?—Here a process of
exclusions may help us. By road, by rail, by water?
1. By Road.—There are endless difficulties, especially
in leaving the city.
(x) There are people. And people are curious, and
investigate. A hint, a surmise, a doubt as to what might be
in the box, would destroy him.
(y) There are, or there may be, customs and octroi
officers to pass.
(z) His pursuers might follow. This is his highest fear.
And in order to prevent his being betrayed he has repelled,
so far as he can, even his victim, me!
2. By Rail.—There is no one in charge of the box. It
would have to take its chance of being delayed, and delay
would be fatal, with enemies on the track. True, he might
escape at night. But what would he be, if left in a strange
place with no refuge that he could fly to? This is not what
he intends, and he does not mean to risk it.
3. By Water.—Here is the safest way, in one respect,
but with most danger in another. On the water he is
powerless except at night. Even then he can only summon
fog and storm and snow and his wolves. But were he
wrecked, the living water would engulf him, helpless, and
he would indeed be lost. He could have the vessel drive to
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land, but if it were unfriendly land, wherein he was not
free to move, his position would still be desperate.
We know from the record that he was on the water, so
what we have to do is to ascertain what water.
The first thing is to realize exactly what he has done as
yet. We may, then, get a light on what his task is to be.
Firstly.—We must differentiate between what he did in
London as part of his general plan of action, when he was
pressed for moments and had to arrange as best he could.
Secondly we must see, as well as we can surmise it from
the facts we know of, what he has done here.
As to the first, he evidently intended to arrive at Galatz,
and sent invoice to Varna to deceive us lest we should
ascertain his means of exit from England. His immediate
and sole purpose then was to escape. The proof of this, is
the letter of instructions sent to Immanuel Hildesheim to
clear and take away the box before sunrise. There is also
the instruction to Petrof Skinsky. These we must only
guess at, but there must have been some letter or message,
since Skinsky came to Hildesheim.
That, so far, his plans were successful we know. The
Czarina Catherine made a phenomenally quick journey.
So much so that Captain Donelson’s suspicions were
aroused. But his superstition united with his canniness
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played the Count’s game for him, and he ran with his
favouring wind through fogs and all till he brought up
blindfold at Galatz. That the Count’s arrangements were
well made, has been proved. Hildesheim cleared the box,
took it off, and gave it to Skinsky. Skinsky took it, and
here we lose the trail. We only know that the box is
somewhere on the water, moving along. The customs and
the octroi, if there be any, have been avoided.
Now we come to what the Count must have done
after his arrival, on land, at Galatz.
The box was given to Skinsky before sunrise. At sunrise
the Count could appear in his own form. Here, we ask
why Skinsky was chosen at all to aid in the work? In my
husband’s diary, Skinsky is mentioned as dealing with the
Slovaks who trade down the river to the port. And the
man’s remark, that the murder was the work of a Slovak,
showed the general feeling against his class. The Count
wanted isolation.
My surmise is this, that in London the Count decided
to get back to his castle by water, as the most safe and
secret way. He was brought from the castle by Szgany, and
probably they delivered their cargo to Slovaks who took
the boxes to Varna, for there they were shipped to
London. Thus the Count had knowledge of the persons
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who could arrange this service. When the box was on
land, before sunrise or after sunset, he came out from his
box, met Skinsky and instructed him what to do as to
arranging the carriage of the box up some river. When this
was done, and he knew that all was in train, he blotted out
his traces, as he thought, by murdering his agent.
I have examined the map and find that the river most
suitable for the Slovaks to have ascended is either the
Pruth or the Sereth. I read in the typescript that in my
trance I heard cows low and water swirling level with my
ears and the creaking of wood. The Count in his box,
then, was on a river in an open boat, propelled probably
either by oars or poles, for the banks are near and it is
working against stream. There would be no such if
floating down stream.
Of course it may not be either the Sereth or the Pruth,
but we may possibly investigate further. Now of these
two, the Pruth is the more easily navigated, but the Sereth
is, at Fundu, joined by the Bistritza which runs up round
the Borgo Pass. The loop it makes is manifestly as close to
Dracula’s castle as can be got by water.
MINA HARKER’S JOURNAL—CONTINUED
When I had done reading, Jonathan took me in his
arms and kissed me. The others kept shaking me by both
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hands, and Dr. Van Helsing said, ‘Our dear Madam Mina
is once more our teacher. Her eyes have been where we
were blinded. Now we are on the track once again, and
this time we may succeed. Our enemy is at his most
helpless. And if we can come on him by day, on the
water, our task will be over. He has a start, but he is
powerless to hasten, as he may not leave this box lest those
who carry him may suspect. For them to suspect would be
to prompt them to throw him in the stream where he
perish. This he knows, and will not. Now men, to our
Council of War, for here and now, we must plan what
each and all shall do.’
‘I shall get a steam launch and follow him,’ said Lord
Godalming.
‘And I, horses to follow on the bank lest by chance he
land,’ said Mr. Morris.
‘Good!’ said the Professor, ‘both good. But neither
must go alone. There must be force to overcome force if
need be. The Slovak is strong and rough, and he carries
rude arms.’ All the men smiled, for amongst them they
carried a small arsenal.
Said Mr. Morris, ‘I have brought some Winchesters.
They are pretty handy in a crowd, and there may be
wolves. The Count, if you remember, took some other
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precautions. He made some requisitions on others that
Mrs. Harker could not quite hear or understand. We must
be ready at all points.’
Dr. Seward said, ‘I think I had better go with Quincey.
We have been accustomed to hunt together, and we two,
well armed, will be a match for whatever may come
along. You must not be alone, Art. It may be necessary to
fight the Slovaks, and a chance thrust, for I don’t suppose
these fellows carry guns, would undo all our plans. There
must be no chances, this time. We shall not rest until the
Count’s head and body have been separated, and we are
sure that he cannot reincarnate.’
He looked at Jonathan as he spoke, and Jonathan
looked at me. I could see that the poor dear was torn
about in his mind. Of course he wanted to be with me.
But then the boat service would, most likely, be the one
which would destroy the … the … Vampire. (Why did I
hesitate to write the word?)
He was silent awhile, and during his silence Dr. Van
Helsing spoke, ‘Friend Jonathan, this is to you for twice
reasons. First, because you are young and brave and can
fight, and all energies may be needed at the last. And again
that it is your right to destroy him. That, which has
wrought such woe to you and yours. Be not afraid for
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Madam Mina. She will be my care, if I may. I am old. My
legs are not so quick to run as once. And I am not used to
ride so long or to pursue as need be, or to fight with lethal
weapons. But I can be of other service. I can fight in other
way. And I can die, if need be, as well as younger men.
Now let me say that what I would is this. While you, my
Lord Godalming and friend Jonathan go in your so swift
little steamboat up the river, and whilst John and Quincey
guard the bank where perchance he might be landed, I
will take Madam Mina right into the heart of the enemy’s
country. Whilst the old fox is tied in his box, floating on
the running stream whence he cannot escape to land,
where he dares not raise the lid of his coffin box lest his
Slovak carriers should in fear leave him to perish, we shall
go in the track where Jonathan went, from Bistritz over
the Borgo, and find our way to the Castle of Dracula.
Here, Madam Mina’s hypnotic power will surely help, and
we shall find our way, all dark and unknown otherwise,
after the first sunrise when we are near that fateful place.
There is much to be done, and other places to be made
sanctify, so that that nest of vipers be obliterated.’
Here Jonathan interrupted him hotly, ‘Do you mean to
say, Professor Van Helsing, that you would bring Mina, in
her sad case and tainted as she is with that devil’s illness,
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right into the jaws of his deathtrap? Not for the world!
Not for Heaven or Hell!’
He became almost speechless for a minute, and then
went on, ‘Do you know what the place is? Have you seen
that awful den of hellish infamy, with the very moonlight
alive with grisly shapes, and every speck of dust that whirls
in the wind a devouring monster in embryo? Have you
felt the Vampire’s lips upon your throat?’
Here he turned to me, and as his eyes lit on my
forehead he threw up his arms with a cry, ‘Oh, my God,
what have we done to have this terror upon us?’ and he
sank down on the sofa in a collapse of misery.
The Professor’s voice, as he spoke in clear, sweet tones,
which seemed to vibrate in the air, calmed us all.
‘Oh, my friend, it is because I would save Madam Mina
from that awful place that I would go. God forbid that I
should take her into that place. There is work, wild work,
to be done before that place can be purify. Remember
that we are in terrible straits. If the Count escape us this
time, and he is strong and subtle and cunning, he may
choose to sleep him for a century, and then in time our
dear one,’ he took my hand, ‘would come to him to keep
him company, and would be as those others that you,
Jonathan, saw. You have told us of their gloating lips. You
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heard their ribald laugh as they clutched the moving bag
that the Count threw to them. You shudder, and well
may it be. Forgive me that I make you so much pain, but
it is necessary. My friend, is it not a dire need for that
which I am giving, possibly my life? If it were that any
one went into that place to stay, it is I who would have to
go to keep them company.’
‘Do as you will,’ said Jonathan, with a sob that shook
him all over, ‘we are in the hands of God!’
Later.—Oh, it did me good to see the way that these
brave men worked. How can women help loving men
when they are so earnest, and so true, and so brave! And,
too, it made me think of the wonderful power of money!
What can it not do when basely used. I felt so thankful
that Lord Godalming is rich, and both he and Mr. Morris,
who also has plenty of money, are willing to spend it so
freely. For if they did not, our little expedition could not
start, either so promptly or so well equipped, as it will
within another hour. It is not three hours since it was
arranged what part each of us was to do. And now Lord
Godalming and Jonathan have a lovely steam launch, with
steam up ready to start at a moment’s notice. Dr. Seward
and Mr. Morris have half a dozen good horses, well
appointed. We have all the maps and appliances of various
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kinds that can be had. Professor Van Helsing and I are to
leave by the 11:40 train tonight for Veresti, where we are
to get a carriage to drive to the Borgo Pass. We are
bringing a good deal of ready money, as we are to buy a
carriage and horses. We shall drive ourselves, for we have
no one whom we can trust in the matter. The Professor
knows something of a great many languages, so we shall
get on all right. We have all got arms, even for me a large
bore revolver. Jonathan would not be happy unless I was
armed like the rest. Alas! I cannot carry one arm that the
rest do, the scar on my forehead forbids that. Dear Dr.
Van Helsing comforts me by telling me that I am fully
armed as there may be wolves. The weather is getting
colder every hour, and there are snow flurries which come
and go as warnings.
Later.—It took all my courage to say goodbye to my
darling. We may never meet again. Courage, Mina! The
Professor is looking at you keenly. His look is a warning.
There must be no tears now, unless it may be that God
will let them fall in gladness.
JONATHAN HARKER’S JOURNAL
30 October, night.—I am writing this in the light from
the furnace door of the steam launch. Lord Godalming is
firing up. He is an experienced hand at the work, as he has
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had for years a launch of his own on the Thames, and
another on the Norfolk Broads. Regarding our plans, we
finally decided that Mina’s guess was correct, and that if
any waterway was chosen for the Count’s escape back to
his Castle, the Sereth and then the Bistritza at its junction,
would be the one. We took it, that somewhere about the
47th degree, north latitude, would be the place chosen for
crossing the country between the river and the
Carpathians. We have no fear in running at good speed up
the river at night. There is plenty of water, and the banks
are wide enough apart to make steaming, even in the dark,
easy enough. Lord Godalming tells me to sleep for a
while, as it is enough for the present for one to be on
watch. But I cannot sleep, how can I with the terrible
danger hanging over my darling, and her going out into
that awful place …
My only comfort is that we are in the hands of God.
Only for that faith it would be easier to die than to live,
and so be quit of all the trouble. Mr. Morris and Dr.
Seward were off on their long ride before we started.
They are to keep up the right bank, far enough off to get
on higher lands where they can see a good stretch of river
and avoid the following of its curves. They have, for the
first stages, two men to ride and lead their spare horses,
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four in all, so as not to excite curiosity. When they dismiss
the men, which shall be shortly, they shall themselves look
after the horses. It may be necessary for us to join forces. If
so they can mount our whole party. One of the saddles has
a moveable horn, and can be easily adapted for Mina, if
required.
It is a wild adventure we are on. Here, as we are
rushing along through the darkness, with the cold from
the river seeming to rise up and strike us, with all the
mysterious voices of the night around us, it all comes
home. We seem to be drifting into unknown places and
unknown ways. Into a whole world of dark and dreadful
things. Godalming is shutting the furnace door …
31 October.—Still hurrying along. The day has come,
and Godalming is sleeping. I am on watch. The morning
is bitterly cold, the furnace heat is grateful, though we
have heavy fur coats. As yet we have passed only a few
open boats, but none of them had on board any box or
package of anything like the size of the one we seek. The
men were scared every time we turned our electric lamp
on them, and fell on their knees and prayed.
1 November, evening.—No news all day. We have
found nothing of the kind we seek. We have now passed
into the Bistritza, and if we are wrong in our surmise our
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chance is gone. We have overhauled every boat, big and
little. Early this morning, one crew took us for a
Government boat, and treated us accordingly. We saw in
this a way of smoothing matters, so at Fundu, where the
Bistritza runs into the Sereth, we got a Roumanian flag
which we now fly conspicuously. With every boat which
we have overhauled since then this trick has succeeded.
We have had every deference shown to us, and not once
any objection to whatever we chose to ask or do. Some of
the Slovaks tell us that a big boat passed them, going at
more than usual speed as she had a double crew on board.
This was before they came to Fundu, so they could not
tell us whether the boat turned into the Bistritza or
continued on up the Sereth. At Fundu we could not hear
of any such boat, so she must have passed there in the
night. I am feeling very sleepy. The cold is perhaps
beginning to tell upon me, and nature must have rest some
time. Godalming insists that he shall keep the first watch.
God bless him for all his goodness to poor dear Mina and
me.
2 November, morning.—It is broad daylight. That
good fellow would not wake me. He says it would have
been a sin to, for I slept peacefully and was forgetting my
trouble. It seems brutally selfish to me to have slept so
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long, and let him watch all night, but he was quite right. I
am a new man this morning. And, as I sit here and watch
him sleeping, I can do all that is necessary both as to
minding the engine, steering, and keeping watch. I can
feel that my strength and energy are coming back to me. I
wonder where Mina is now, and Van Helsing. They
should have got to Veresti about noon on Wednesday. It
would take them some time to get the carriage and horses.
So if they had started and travelled hard, they would be
about now at the Borgo Pass. God guide and help them! I
am afraid to think what may happen. If we could only go
faster. But we cannot. The engines are throbbing and
doing their utmost. I wonder how Dr. Seward and Mr.
Morris are getting on. There seem to be endless streams
running down the mountains into this river, but as none
of them are very large, at present, at all events, though
they are doubtless terrible in winter and when the snow
melts, the horsemen may not have met much obstruction.
I hope that before we get to Strasba we may see them. For
if by that time we have not overtaken the Count, it may
be necessary to take counsel together what to do next.
DR. SEWARD’S DIARY
2 November.—Three days on the road. No news, and
no time to write it if there had been, for every moment is
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precious. We have had only the rest needful for the horses.
But we are both bearing it wonderfully. Those
adventurous days of ours are turning up useful. We must
push on. We shall never feel happy till we get the launch
in sight again.
3 November.—We heard at Fundu that the launch had
gone up the Bistritza. I wish it wasn’t so cold. There are
signs of snow coming. And if it falls heavy it will stop us.
In such case we must get a sledge and go on, Russian
fashion.
4 November.—Today we heard of the launch having
been detained by an accident when trying to force a way
up the rapids. The Slovak boats get up all right, by aid of a
rope and steering with knowledge. Some went up only a
few hours before. Godalming is an amateur fitter himself,
and evidently it was he who put the launch in trim again.
Finally, they got up the rapids all right, with local help,
and are off on the chase afresh. I fear that the boat is not
any better for the accident, the peasantry tell us that after
she got upon smooth water again, she kept stopping every
now and again so long as she was in sight. We must push
on harder than ever. Our help may be wanted soon.
MINA HARKER’S JOURNAL
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31 October.—Arrived at Veresti at noon. The
Professor tells me that this morning at dawn he could
hardly hypnotize me at all, and that all I could say was,
‘dark and quiet.’ He is off now buying a carriage and
horses. He says that he will later on try to buy additional
horses, so that we may be able to change them on the
way. We have something more than 70 miles before us.
The country is lovely, and most interesting. If only we
were under different conditions, how delightful it would
be to see it all. If Jonathan and I were driving through it
alone what a pleasure it would be. To stop and see people,
and learn something of their life, and to fill our minds and
memories with all the colour and picturesqueness of the
whole wild, beautiful country and the quaint people! But,
alas!
Later.—Dr. Van Helsing has returned. He has got the
carriage and horses. We are to have some dinner, and to
start in an hour. The landlady is putting us up a huge
basket of provisions. It seems enough for a company of
soldiers. The Professor encourages her, and whispers to me
that it may be a week before we can get any food again.
He has been shopping too, and has sent home such a
wonderful lot of fur coats and wraps, and all sorts of warm
things. There will not be any chance of our being cold.
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We shall soon be off. I am afraid to think what may
happen to us. We are truly in the hands of God. He alone
knows what may be, and I pray Him, with all the strength
of my sad and humble soul, that He will watch over my
beloved husband. That whatever may happen, Jonathan
may know that I loved him and honoured him more than
I can say, and that my latest and truest thought will be
always for him.
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Chapter 27
MINA HARKER’S JOURNAL
1 November.—All day long we have travelled, and at a
good speed. The horses seem to know that they are being
kindly treated, for they go willingly their full stage at best
speed. We have now had so many changes and find the
same thing so constantly that we are encouraged to think
that the journey will be an easy one. Dr. Van Helsing is
laconic, he tells the farmers that he is hurrying to Bistritz,
and pays them well to make the exchange of horses. We
get hot soup, or coffee, or tea, and off we go. It is a lovely
country. Full of beauties of all imaginable kinds, and the
people are brave, and strong, and simple, and seem full of
nice qualities. They are very, very superstitious. In the first
house where we stopped, when the woman who served us
saw the scar on my forehead, she crossed herself and put
out two fingers towards me, to keep off the evil eye. I
believe they went to the trouble of putting an extra
amount of garlic into our food, and I can’t abide garlic.
Ever since then I have taken care not to take off my hat or
veil, and so have escaped their suspicions. We are
travelling fast, and as we have no driver with us to carry
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tales, we go ahead of scandal. But I daresay that fear of the
evil eye will follow hard behind us all the way. The
Professor seems tireless. All day he would not take any
rest, though he made me sleep for a long spell. At sunset
time he hypnotized me, and he says I answered as usual,
‘darkness, lapping water and creaking wood.’ So our
enemy is still on the river. I am afraid to think of Jonathan,
but somehow I have now no fear for him, or for myself. I
write this whilst we wait in a farmhouse for the horses to
be ready. Dr. Van Helsing is sleeping. Poor dear, he looks
very tired and old and grey, but his mouth is set as firmly
as a conqueror’s. Even in his sleep he is intense with
resolution. When we have well started I must make him
rest whilst I drive. I shall tell him that we have days before
us, and he must not break down when most of all his
strength will be needed … All is ready. We are off shortly.
2 November, morning.—I was successful, and we took
turns driving all night. Now the day is on us, bright
though cold. There is a strange heaviness in the air. I say
heaviness for want of a better word. I mean that it
oppresses us both. It is very cold, and only our warm furs
keep us comfortable. At dawn Van Helsing hypnotized
me. He says I answered ‘darkness, creaking wood and
roaring water,’ so the river is changing as they ascend. I do
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hope that my darling will not run any chance of danger,
more than need be, but we are in God’s hands.
2 November, night.—All day long driving. The
country gets wilder as we go, and the great spurs of the
Carpathians, which at Veresti seemed so far from us and so
low on the horizon, now seem to gather round us and
tower in front. We both seem in good spirits. I think we
make an effort each to cheer the other, in the doing so we
cheer ourselves. Dr. Van Helsing says that by morning we
shall reach the Borgo Pass. The houses are very few here
now, and the Professor says that the last horse we got will
have to go on with us, as we may not be able to change.
He got two in addition to the two we changed, so that
now we have a rude four-in-hand. The dear horses are
patient and good, and they give us no trouble. We are not
worried with other travellers, and so even I can drive. We
shall get to the Pass in daylight. We do not want to arrive
before. So we take it easy, and have each a long rest in
turn. Oh, what will tomorrow bring to us? We go to seek
the place where my poor darling suffered so much. God
grant that we may be guided aright, and that He will deign
to watch over my husband and those dear to us both, and
who are in such deadly peril. As for me, I am not worthy
in His sight. Alas! I am unclean to His eyes, and shall be
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until He may deign to let me stand forth in His sight as
one of those who have not incurred His wrath.
MEMORANDUM BY ABRAHAM VAN HELSING
4 November.—This to my old and true friend John
Seward, M.D., of Purfleet, London, in case I may not see
him. It may explain. It is morning, and I write by a fire
which all the night I have kept alive, Madam Mina aiding
me. It is cold, cold. So cold that the grey heavy sky is full
of snow, which when it falls will settle for all winter as the
ground is hardening to receive it. It seems to have affected
Madam Mina. She has been so heavy of head all day that
she was not like herself. She sleeps, and sleeps, and sleeps!
She who is usual so alert, have done literally nothing all
the day. She even have lost her appetite. She make no
entry into her little diary, she who write so faithful at
every pause. Something whisper to me that all is not well.
However, tonight she is more vif. Her long sleep all day
have refresh and restore her, for now she is all sweet and
bright as ever. At sunset I try to hypnotize her, but alas!
with no effect. The power has grown less and less with
each day, and tonight it fail me altogether. Well, God’s
will be done, whatever it may be, and whithersoever it
may lead!
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Now to the historical, for as Madam Mina write not in
her stenography, I must, in my cumbrous old fashion, that
so each day of us may not go unrecorded.
We got to the Borgo Pass just after sunrise yesterday
morning. When I saw the signs of the dawn I got ready
for the hypnotism. We stopped our carriage, and got
down so that there might be no disturbance. I made a
couch with furs, and Madam Mina, lying down, yield
herself as usual, but more slow and more short time than
ever, to the hypnotic sleep. As before, came the answer,
‘darkness and the swirling of water.’ Then she woke,
bright and radiant and we go on our way and soon reach
the Pass. At this time and place, she become all on fire
with zeal. Some new guiding power be in her manifested,
for she point to a road and say, ‘This is the way.’
‘How know you it?’ I ask.
‘Of course I know it,’ she answer, and with a pause,
add, ‘Have not my Jonathan travelled it and wrote of his
travel?’
At first I think somewhat strange, but soon I see that
there be only one such byroad. It is used but little, and
very different from the coach road from the Bukovina to
Bistritz, which is more wide and hard, and more of use.
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So we came down this road. When we meet other
ways, not always were we sure that they were roads at all,
for they be neglect and light snow have fallen, the horses
know and they only. I give rein to them, and they go on
so patient. By and by we find all the things which
Jonathan have note in that wonderful diary of him. Then
we go on for long, long hours and hours. At the first, I tell
Madam Mina to sleep. She try, and she succeed. She sleep
all the time, till at the last, I feel myself to suspicious grow,
and attempt to wake her. But she sleep on, and I may not
wake her though I try. I do not wish to try too hard lest I
harm her. For I know that she have suffer much, and sleep
at times be all-in-all to her. I think I drowse myself, for all
of sudden I feel guilt, as though I have done something. I
find myself bolt up, with the reins in my hand, and the
good horses go along jog, jog, just as ever. I look down
and find Madam Mina still asleep. It is now not far off
sunset time, and over the snow the light of the sun flow in
big yellow flood, so that we throw great long shadow on
where the mountain rise so steep. For we are going up,
and up, and all is oh, so wild and rocky, as though it were
the end of the world.
Then I arouse Madam Mina. This time she wake with
not much trouble, and then I try to put her to hypnotic
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sleep. But she sleep not, being as though I were not. Still I
try and try, till all at once I find her and myself in dark, so
I look round, and find that the sun have gone down.
Madam Mina laugh, and I turn and look at her. She is
now quite awake, and look so well as I never saw her
since that night at Carfax when we first enter the Count’s
house. I am amaze, and not at ease then. But she is so
bright and tender and thoughtful for me that I forget all
fear. I light a fire, for we have brought supply of wood
with us, and she prepare food while I undo the horses and
set them, tethered in shelter, to feed. Then when I return
to the fire she have my supper ready. I go to help her, but
she smile, and tell me that she have eat already. That she
was so hungry that she would not wait. I like it not, and I
have grave doubts. But I fear to affright her, and so I am
silent of it. She help me and I eat alone, and then we wrap
in fur and lie beside the fire, and I tell her to sleep while I
watch. But presently I forget all of watching. And when I
sudden remember that I watch, I find her lying quiet, but
awake, and looking at me with so bright eyes. Once,
twice more the same occur, and I get much sleep till
before morning. When I wake I try to hypnotize her, but
alas! Though she shut her eyes obedient, she may not
sleep. The sun rise up, and up, and up, and then sleep
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come to her too late, but so heavy that she will not wake.
I have to lift her up, and place her sleeping in the carriage
when I have harnessed the horses and made all ready.
Madam still sleep, and she look in her sleep more healthy
and more redder than before. And I like it not. And I am
afraid, afraid, afraid! I am afraid of all things, even to think
but I must go on my way. The stake we play for is life and
death, or more than these, and we must not flinch.
5 November, morning.—Let me be accurate in
everything, for though you and I have seen some strange
things together, you may at the first think that I, Van
Helsing, am mad. That the many horrors and the so long
strain on nerves has at the last turn my brain.
All yesterday we travel, always getting closer to the
mountains, and moving into a more and more wild and
desert land. There are great, frowning precipices and
much falling water, and Nature seem to have held
sometime her carnival. Madam Mina still sleep and sleep.
And though I did have hunger and appeased it, I could
not waken her, even for food. I began to fear that the fatal
spell of the place was upon her, tainted as she is with that
Vampire baptism. ‘Well,’ said I to myself, ‘if it be that she
sleep all the day, it shall also be that I do not sleep at
night.’ As we travel on the rough road, for a road of an
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ancient and imperfect kind there was, I held down my
head and slept.
Again I waked with a sense of guilt and of time passed,
and found Madam Mina still sleeping, and the sun low
down. But all was indeed changed. The frowning
mountains seemed further away, and we were near the top
of a steep rising hill, on summit of which was such a castle
as Jonathan tell of in his diary. At once I exulted and
feared. For now, for good or ill, the end was near.
I woke Madam Mina, and again tried to hypnotize her,
but alas! unavailing till too late. Then, ere the great dark
came upon us, for even after down sun the heavens
reflected the gone sun on the snow, and all was for a time
in a great twilight. I took out the horses and fed them in
what shelter I could. Then I make a fire, and near it I
make Madam Mina, now awake and more charming than
ever, sit comfortable amid her rugs. I got ready food, but
she would not eat, simply saying that she had not hunger.
I did not press her, knowing her unavailingness. But I
myself eat, for I must needs now be strong for all. Then,
with the fear on me of what might be, I drew a ring so big
for her comfort, round where Madam Mina sat. And over
the ring I passed some of the wafer, and I broke it fine so
that all was well guarded. She sat still all the time, so still as
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one dead. And she grew whiter and even whiter till the
snow was not more pale, and no word she said. But when
I drew near, she clung to me, and I could know that the
poor soul shook her from head to feet with a tremor that
was pain to feel.
I said to her presently, when she had grown more
quiet, ‘Will you not come over to the fire?’ for I wished
to make a test of what she could. She rose obedient, but
when she have made a step she stopped, and stood as one
stricken.
‘Why not go on?’ I asked. She shook her head, and
coming back, sat down in her place. Then, looking at me
with open eyes, as of one waked from sleep, she said
simply, ‘I cannot!’ and remained silent. I rejoiced, for I
knew that what she could not, none of those that we
dreaded could. Though there might be danger to her
body, yet her soul was safe!
Presently the horses began to scream, and tore at their
tethers till I came to them and quieted them. When they
did feel my hands on them, they whinnied low as in joy,
and licked at my hands and were quiet for a time. Many
times through the night did I come to them, till it arrive
to the cold hour when all nature is at lowest, and every
time my coming was with quiet of them. In the cold hour
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the fire began to die, and I was about stepping forth to
replenish it, for now the snow came in flying sweeps and
with it a chill mist. Even in the dark there was a light of
some kind, as there ever is over snow, and it seemed as
though the snow flurries and the wreaths of mist took
shape as of women with trailing garments. All was in dead,
grim silence only that the horses whinnied and cowered,
as if in terror of the worst. I began to fear, horrible fears.
But then came to me the sense of safety in that ring
wherein I stood. I began too, to think that my imaginings
were of the night, and the gloom, and the unrest that I
have gone through, and all the terrible anxiety. It was as
though my memories of all Jonathan’s horrid experience
were befooling me. For the snow flakes and the mist
began to wheel and circle round, till I could get as though
a shadowy glimpse of those women that would have kissed
him. And then the horses cowered lower and lower, and
moaned in terror as men do in pain. Even the madness of
fright was not to them, so that they could break away. I
feared for my dear Madam Mina when these weird figures
drew near and circled round. I looked at her, but she sat
calm, and smiled at me. When I would have stepped to
the fire to replenish it, she caught me and held me back,
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and whispered, like a voice that one hears in a dream, so
low it was.
‘No! No! Do not go without. Here you are safe!’
I turned to her, and looking in her eyes said, ‘But you?
It is for you that I fear!’
Whereat she laughed, a laugh low and unreal, and said,
‘Fear for me! Why fear for me? None safer in all the world
from them than I am,’ and as I wondered at the meaning
of her words, a puff of wind made the flame leap up, and I
see the red scar on her forehead. Then, alas! I knew. Did I
not, I would soon have learned, for the wheeling figures
of mist and snow came closer, but keeping ever without
the Holy circle. Then they began to materialize till, if God
have not taken away my reason, for I saw it through my
eyes. There were before me in actual flesh the same three
women that Jonathan saw in the room, when they would
have kissed his throat. I knew the swaying round forms,
the bright hard eyes, the white teeth, the ruddy colour,
the voluptuous lips. They smiled ever at poor dear Madam
Mina. And as their laugh came through the silence of the
night, they twined their arms and pointed to her, and said
in those so sweet tingling tones that Jonathan said were of
the intolerable sweetness of the water glasses, ‘Come,
sister. Come to us. Come!’
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In fear I turned to my poor Madam Mina, and my
heart with gladness leapt like flame. For oh! the terror in
her sweet eyes, the repulsion, the horror, told a story to
my heart that was all of hope. God be thanked she was
not, yet of them. I seized some of the firewood which was
by me, and holding out some of the Wafer, advanced on
them towards the fire. They drew back before me, and
laughed their low horrid laugh. I fed the fire, and feared
them not. For I knew that we were safe within the ring,
which she could not leave no more than they could enter.
The horses had ceased to moan, and lay still on the
ground. The snow fell on them softly, and they grew
whiter. I knew that there was for the poor beasts no more
of terror.
And so we remained till the red of the dawn began to
fall through the snow gloom. I was desolate and afraid, and
full of woe and terror. But when that beautiful sun began
to climb the horizon life was to me again. At the first
coming of the dawn the horrid figures melted in the
whirling mist and snow. The wreaths of transparent gloom
moved away towards the castle, and were lost.
Instinctively, with the dawn coming, I turned to
Madam Mina, intending to hypnotize her. But she lay in a
deep and sudden sleep, from which I could not wake her.
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I tried to hypnotize through her sleep, but she made no
response, none at all, and the day broke. I fear yet to stir. I
have made my fire and have seen the horses, they are all
dead. Today I have much to do here, and I keep waiting
till the sun is up high. For there may be places where I
must go, where that sunlight, though snow and mist
obscure it, will be to me a safety.
I will strengthen me with breakfast, and then I will do
my terrible work. Madam Mina still sleeps, and God be
thanked! She is calm in her sleep …
JONATHAN HARKER’S JOURNAL
4 November, evening.—The accident to the launch
has been a terrible thing for us. Only for it we should have
overtaken the boat long ago, and by now my dear Mina
would have been free. I fear to think of her, off on the
wolds near that horrid place. We have got horses, and we
follow on the track. I note this whilst Godalming is getting
ready. We have our arms. The Szgany must look out if
they mean to fight. Oh, if only Morris and Seward were
with us. We must only hope! If I write no more Goodby
Mina! God bless and keep you.
DR. SEWARD’S DIARY
5 November.—With the dawn we saw the body of
Szgany before us dashing away from the river with their
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leiter wagon. They surrounded it in a cluster, and hurried
along as though beset. The snow is falling lightly and there
is a strange excitement in the air. It may be our own
feelings, but the depression is strange. Far off I hear the
howling of wolves. The snow brings them down from the
mountains, and there are dangers to all of us, and from all
sides. The horses are nearly ready, and we are soon off.
We ride to death of some one. God alone knows who, or
where, or what, or when, or how it may be …
DR. VAN HELSING’S MEMORANDUM