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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 there, that her eyes may not
see. We men here, all save Jonathan, have seen with their own eyes what
is 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 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 the 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 it is properly applied; and what might it do
when basely used. I felt so thankful that Lord Godalming is rich, and
that 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 kinds that can be had. Professor
Van Helsing and I are to leave by the 11:40 train to-night 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 good-bye 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._
_October 30. 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 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 the 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--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 movable 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....
* * * * *