Dracula

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"I can see nothing. We are still. There are no waves lapping, but
only a steady swirl of water softly running against the hawser. I can
hear men's voices calling, near and far, and the roll and creak of
oars in the rowlocks. A gun is fired somewhere, the echo of it seems
far away. There is tramping of feet overhead, and ropes and chains
are dragged along. What is this? There is a gleam of light. I can
feel the air blowing upon me."

Here she stopped. She had risen, as if impulsively, from where she
lay on the sofa, and raised both her hands, palms upwards, as if
lifting a weight. Van Helsing and I looked at each other with
understanding. Quincey raised his eyebrows slightly and looked at her
intently, whilst Harker's hand instinctively closed round the hilt of
his Kukri. There was a long pause. We all knew that the time when
she could speak was passing, but we felt that it was useless to say
anything.

Suddenly she sat up, and as she opened her eyes said sweetly, "Would
none of you like a cup of tea? You must all be so tired!"

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 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 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 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.

"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 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. 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, 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, 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 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 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
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.

(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 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 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 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 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 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 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, 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.

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