LETTER, DR. SEWARD TO HON. ARTHUR
HOLMWOOD
6 September
"My dear Art,
"My news today
is not so good. Lucy this morning
had gone back
a bit. There is, however, one
good thing which has arisen from
it. Mrs. Westenra was naturally
anxious concerning Lucy, and
has consulted me professionally
about her. I took advantage of
the opportunity, and told her
that my old master, Van Helsing,
the great specialist, was coming
to stay with me, and that I would
put her in his charge conjointly
with myself. So now we can come
and go without alarming her unduly,
for a shock to her would mean
sudden death, and this, in Lucy's
weak condition, might be disastrous
to her. We are hedged in with
difficulties, all of us, my poor
fellow, but, please God, we shall
come through them all right.
If any need I shall write, so
that, if you do not hear from
me, take it for granted that
I am simply waiting for news,
In haste,
"Yours ever,"
John Seward
DR. SEWARD'S DIARY
7 September.--The
first thing Van Helsing said
to me when we
met at Liverpool Street was, "Have
you said anything to our young
friend, to lover of her?"
"No," I said. "I
waited till I had seen you,
as I said in
my telegram. I wrote him a letter
simply telling him that you were
coming, as Miss Westenra was
not so well, and that I should
let him know if need be."
"Right, my friend," he said. "Quite
right! Better he not know as
yet. Perhaps he will never know.
I pray so, but if it be needed,
then he shall know all. And,
my good friend John, let me caution
you. You deal with the madmen.
All men are mad in some way or
the other, and inasmuch as you
deal discreetly with your madmen,
so deal with God's madmen too,
the rest of the world. You tell
not your madmen what you do nor
why you do it. You tell them
not what you think. So you shall
keep knowledge in its place,
where it may rest, where it may
gather its kind around it and
breed. You and I shall keep as
yet what we know here, and here." He
touched me on the heart and on
the forehead, and then touched
himself the same way. "I have
for myself thoughts at the present.
Later I shall unfold to you."
"Why not now?" I asked. "It
may do some good. We may arrive
at some decision."He looked at
me and said,"My friend John,
when the corn is grown, even
before it has ripened, while
the milk of its mother earth
is in him, and the sunshine has
not yet begun to paint him with
his gold, the husbandman he pull
the ear and rub him between his
rough hands, and blow away the
green chaff, and say to you,
'Look! He's good corn, he will
make a good crop when the time
comes.' "
I did not see
the application and told him
so. For reply he
reached over and took my ear
in his hand and pulled it playfully,
as he used long ago to do at
lectures, and said, "The good
husbandman tell you so then because
he knows, but not till then.
But you do not find the good
husbandman dig up his planted
corn to see if he grow. That
is for the children who play
at husbandry, and not for those
who take it as of the work of
their life. See you now, friend
John? I have sown my corn, and
Nature has her work to do in
making it sprout, if he sprout
at all, there's some promise,
and I wait till the ear begins
to swell." He broke off, for
he evidently saw that I understood.
Then he went on gravely, "You
were always a careful student,
and your case book was ever more
full than the rest. And I trust
that good habit have not fail.
Remember, my friend, that knowledge
is stronger than memory, and
we should not trust the weaker.
Even if you have not kept the
good practice, let me tell you
that this case of our dear miss
is one that may be, mind, I say
may be, of such interest to us
and others that all the rest
may not make him kick the beam,
as your people say. Take then
good note of it. Nothing is too
small. I counsel you, put down
in record even your doubts and
surmises. Hereafter it may be
of interest to you to see how
true you guess. We learn from
failure, not from success!"
When I described
Lucy's symptoms, the same as
before, but infinitely
more marked, he looked very grave,
but said nothing. He took with
him a bag in which were many
instruments and drugs, "the ghastly
paraphernalia of our beneficial
trade," as he once called, in
one of his lectures, the equipment
of a professor of the healing
craft.
When we were shown in, Mrs.
Westenra met us. She was alarmed,
but not nearly so much as I expected
to find her. Nature in one of
her beneficient moods has ordained
that even death has some antidote
to its own terrors. Here, in
a case where any shock may prove
fatal, matters are so ordered
that, from some cause or other,
the things not personal, even
the terrible change in her daughter
to whom she is so attached, do
not seem to reach her. It is
something like the way dame Nature
gathers round a foreign body
an envelope of some insensitive
tissue which can protect from
evil that which it would otherwise
harm by contact. If this be an
ordered selfishness, then we
should pause before we condemn
any one for the vice of egoism,
for there may be deeper root
for its causes than we have knowledge
of.
I used my knowledge of this
phase of spiritual pathology,
and set down a rule that she
should not be present with Lucy,
or think of her illness more
than was absolutely required.
She assented readily, so readily
that I saw again the hand of
Nature fighting for life. Van
Helsing and I were shown up to
Lucy's room. If I was shocked
when I saw her yesterday, I was
horrified when I saw her today.
She was ghastly,
chalkily pale. The red seemed
to have gone even
from her lips and gums, and the
bones of her face stood out prominently.
Her breathing was painful to
see or hear. Van Helsing's face
grew set as marble, and his eyebrows
converged till they almost touched
over his nose. Lucy lay motionless,
and did not seem to have strength
to speak, so for a while we were
all silent. Then Van Helsing
beckoned to me, and we went gently
out of the room. The instant
we had closed the door he stepped
quickly along the passage to
the next door, which was open.
Then he pulled me quickly in
with him and closed the door. "My
god!" he said. "This is dreadful.
There is not time to be lost.
She will die for sheer want of
blood to keep the heart's action
as it should be. There must be
a transfusion of blood at once.
Is it you or me?"
"I am younger
and stronger, Professor. It
must be me."
"Then get ready
at once. I will bring up my
bag. I am prepared."
I went downstairs with him,
and as we were going there was
a knock at the hall door. When
we reached the hall, the maid
had just opened the door, and
Arthur was stepping quickly in.
He rushed up to me, saying in
an eager whisper,
"Jack, I was
so anxious. I read between
the lines of your
letter, and have been in an agony.
The dad was better, so I ran
down here to see for myself.
Is not that gentleman Dr. Van
Helsing? I am so thankful to
you, sir, for coming."
When first the Professor's
eye had lit upon him, he had
been angry at his interruption
at such a time, but now, as he
took in his stalwart proportions
and recognized the strong young
manhood which seemed to emanate
from him, his eyes gleamed. Without
a pause he said to him as he
held out his hand,
"Sir, you have come in time.
You are the lover of our dear
miss. She is bad, very, very
bad. Nay, my child, do not go
like that."For he suddenly grew
pale and sat down in a chair
almost fainting. "You are to
help her. You can do more than
any that live, and your courage
is your best help."
"What can I do?" asked Arthur
hoarsely. "Tell me, and I shall
do it. My life is hers' and I
would give the last drop of blood
in my body for her."
The Professor has a strongly
humorous side, and I could from
old knowledge detect a trace
of its origin in his answer.
"My young sir,
I do not ask so much as that,
not the last!"
"What shall I do?" There
was fire in his eyes, and his
open
nostrils quivered with intent.
Van Helsing slapped him on the
shoulder.
"Come!" he said. "You are a
man, and it is a man we want.
You are better than me, better
than my friend John." Arthur
looked bewildered, and the Professor
went on by explaining in a kindly
way.
"Young miss is bad, very bad.
She wants blood, and blood she
must have or die. My friend John
and I have consulted, and we
are about to perform what we
call transfusion of blood, to
transfer from full veins of one
to the empty veins which pine
for him. John was to give his
blood, as he is the more young
and strong than me."--Here Arthur
took my hand and wrung it hard
in silence.--"But now you are
here, you are more good than
us, old or young, who toil much
in the world of thought. Our
nerves are not so calm and our
blood so bright than yours!"
Arthur turned
to him and said, "If
you only knew how gladly I would
die for her you would understand
. . ." He stopped with a sort
of choke in his voice.
"Good boy!" said Van Helsing. "In
the not-so-far-off you will be
happy that you have done all
for her you love. Come now and
be silent. You shall kiss her
once before it is done, but then
you must go, and you must leave
at my sign. Say no word to Madame.
You know how it is with her.
There must be no shock, any knowledge
of this would be one. Come!"
We all went up to Lucy's room.
Arthur by direction remained
outside. Lucy turned her head
and looked at us, but said nothing.
She was not asleep, but she was
simply too weak to make the effort.
Her eyes spoke to us, that was
all.
Van Helsing
took some things from his bag
and laid them on
a little table out of sight.
Then he mixed a narcotic, and
coming over to the bed, said
cheerily, "Now, little miss,
here is your medicine. Drink
it off, like a good child. See,
I lift you so that to swallow
is easy. Yes." She had made the
effort with success.
It astonished
me how long the drug took to
act. This, in fact,
marked the extent of her weakness.
The time seemed endless until
sleep began to flicker in her
eyelids. At last, however, the
narcotic began to manifest its
potency, and she fell into a
deep sleep. When the Professor
was satisfied, he called Arthur
into the room, and bade him strip
off his coat. Then he added, "You
may take that one little kiss
whiles I bring over the table.
Friend John, help to me!" So
neither of us looked whilst he
bent over her.
Van Helsing,
turning to me, said, "He is
so young and strong, and of
blood so pure that we
need not defibrinate it."
Then with swiftness, but with
absolute method, Van Helsing
performed the operation. As the
transfusion went on, something
like life seemed to come back
to poor Lucy's cheeks, and through
Arthur's growing pallor the joy
of his face seemed absolutely
to shine. After a bit I began
to grow anxious, for the loss
of blood was telling on Arthur,
strong man as he was. It gave
me an idea of what a terrible
strain Lucy's system must have
undergone that what weakened
Arthur only partially restored
her.
But the Professor's
face was set, and he stood
watch in hand,
and with his eyes fixed now on
the patient and now on Arthur.
I could hear my own heart beat.
Presently, he said in a soft
voice, "Do not stir an instant.
It is enough. You attend him.
I will look to her."
When all was
over, I could see how much
Arthur was weakened.
I dressed the wound and took
his arm to bring him away, when
Van Helsing spoke without turning
round, the man seems to have
eyes in the back of his head,"The
brave lover, I think, deserve
another kiss, which he shall
have presently." And as he had
now finished his operation, he
adjusted the pillow to the patient's
head. As he did so the narrow
black velvet band which she seems
always to wear round her throat,
buckled with an old diamond buckle
which her lover had given her,
was dragged a little up, and
showed a red mark on her throat.
Arthur did
not notice it, but I could
hear the deep hiss of
indrawn breath which is one of
Van Helsing's ways of betraying
emotion. He said nothing at the
moment, but turned to me, saying, "Now
take down our brave young lover,
give him of the port wine, and
let him lie down a while. He
must then go home and rest, sleep
much and eat much, that he may
be recruited of what he has so
given to his love. He must not
stay here. Hold a moment! I may
take it, sir, that you are anxious
of result. Then bring it with
you, that in all ways the operation
is successful. You have saved
her life this time, and you can
go home and rest easy in mind
that all that can be is. I shall
tell her all when she is well.
She shall love you none the less
for what you have done. Goodbye."
When Arthur
had gone I went back to the
room. Lucy was sleeping
gently, but her breathing was
stronger. I could see the counterpane
move as her breast heaved. By
the bedside sat Van Helsing,
looking at her intently. The
velvet band again covered the
red mark. I asked the Professor
in a whisper, "What do you make
of that mark on her throat?"
"What do you
make of it?"
"I have not examined it yet," I
answered, and then and there
proceeded to loose the band.
Just over the external jugular
vein there were two punctures,
not large, but not wholesome
looking. There was no sign of
disease, but the edges were white
and worn looking, as if by some
trituration. It at once occurred
to me that that this wound, or
whatever it was, might be the
means of that manifest loss of
blood. But I abandoned the idea
as soon as it formed, for such
a thing could not be. The whole
bed would have been drenched
to a scarlet with the blood which
the girl must have lost to leave
such a pallor as she had before
the transfusion.
"Well?" said
Van Helsing.
"Well," said I. "I
can make nothing of it."
The Professor
stood up. "I
must go back to Amsterdam tonight," he
said "There are books and things
there which I want. You must
remain here all night, and you
must not let your sight pass
from her."
"Shall I have a nurse?" I
asked.
"We are the
best nurses, you and I. You
keep watch all night.
See that she is well fed, and
that nothing disturbs her. You
must not sleep all the night.Later
on we can sleep, you and I. I
shall be back as soon as possible.
And then we may begin."
"May begin?" I said. "What
on earth do you mean?"
"We shall see!" he answered,
as he hurried out. He came back
a moment later and put his head
inside the door and said with
a warning finger held up, "Remember,
she is your charge. If you leave
her, and harm befall, you shall
not sleep easy hereafter!"
DR. SEWARD'S DIARY--CONTINUED
8 September.--I sat up all
night with Lucy. The opiate worked
itself off towards dusk, and
she waked naturally. She looked
a different being from what she
had been before the operation.
Her spirits even were good, and
she was full of a happy vivacity,
but I could see evidences of
the absolute prostration which
she had undergone. When I told
Mrs. Westenra that Dr. Van Helsing
had directed that I should sit
up with her, she almost pooh-poohed
the idea, pointing out her daughter's
renewed strength and excellent
spirits. I was firm, however,
and made preparations for my
long vigil. When her maid had
prepared her for the night I
came in, having in the meantime
had supper, and took a seat by
the bedside.
She did not in any way make
objection, but looked at me gratefully
whenever I caught her eye. After
a long spell she seemed sinking
off to sleep, but with an effort
seemed to pull herself together
and shook it off. It was apparent
that she did not want to sleep,
so I tackled the subject at once.
"You do not
want to sleep?"
"No. I am afraid."
"Afraid to
go to sleep! Why so? It is
the boon we all crave
for."
"Ah, not if
you were like me, if sleep
was to you a presage
of horror!"
"A presage
of horror! What on earth do
you mean?"
"I don't know.
Oh, I don't know. And that
is what is so
terrible. All this weakness comes
to me in sleep, until I dread
the very thought."
"But, my dear
girl, you may sleep tonight.
I am here watching
you, and I can promise that nothing
will happen."
"Ah, I can trust you!" she
said.
I seized the
opportunity, and said, "I promise
that if I see any evidence
of bad dreams I
will wake you at once."
"You will? Oh, will you really?
How good you are to me. Then
I will sleep!" And almost at
the word she gave a deep sigh
of relief, and sank back, asleep.
All night long I watched by
her. She never stirred, but slept
on and on in a deep, tranquil,
life-giving, healthgiving sleep.
Her lips were slightly parted,
and her breast rose and fell
with the regularity of a pendulum.
There was a smile on her face,
and it was evident that no bad
dreams had come to disturb her
peace of mind.
In the early morning her maid
came, and I left her in her care
and took myself back home, for
I was anxious about many things.
I sent a short wire to Van Helsing
and to Arthur, telling them of
the excellent result of the operation.
My own work, with its manifold
arrears, took me all day to clear
off. It was dark when I was able
to inquire about my zoophagous
patient. The report was good.
He had been quite quiet for the
past day and night. A telegram
came from Van Helsing at Amsterdam
whilst I was at dinner, suggesting
that I should be at Hillingham
tonight, as it might be well
to be at hand, and stating that
he was leaving by the night mail
and would join me early in the
morning.
9 September.--I was pretty
tired and worn out when I got
to Hillingham. For two nights
I had hardly had a wink of sleep,
and my brain was beginning to
feel that numbness which marks
cerebral exhaustion. Lucy was
up and in cheerful spirits. When
she shook hands with me she looked
sharply in my face and said,
"No sitting
up tonight for you. You are
worn out. I am quite
well again. Indeed, I am, and
if there is to be any sitting
up, it is I who will sit up with
you."
I would not argue the point,
but went and had my supper. Lucy
came with me, and, enlivened
by her charming presence, I made
an excellent meal, and had a
couple of glasses of the more
than excellent port. Then Lucy
took me upstairs, and showed
me a room next her own, where
a cozy fire was burning.
"Now," she said. "You
must stay here. I shall leave
this
door open and my door too. You
can lie on the sofa for I know
that nothing would induce any
of you doctors to go to bed whilst
there is a patient above the
horizon. If I want anything I
shall call out, and you can come
to me at once."
I could not but acquiesce,
for I was dog tired, and could
not have sat up had I tried.
So, on her renewing her promise
to call me if she should want
anything, I lay on the sofa,
and forgot all about everything.
LUCY WESTENRA'S DIARY
9 September.--I feel so happy
tonight. I have been so miserably
weak, that to be able to think
and move about is like feeling
sunshine after a long spell of
east wind out of a steel sky.
Somehow Arthur feels very, very
close to me. I seem to feel his
presence warm about me. I suppose
it is that sickness and weakness
are selfish things and turn our
inner eyes and sympathy on ourselves,
whilst health and strength give
love rein, and in thought and
feeling he can wander where he
wills. I know where my thoughts
are. If only Arthur knew! My
dear, my dear, your ears must
tingle as you sleep, as mine
do waking. Oh, the blissful rest
of last night! How I slept, with
that dear, good Dr. Seward watching
me. And tonight I shall not fear
to sleep, since he is close at
hand and within call. Thank everybody
for being so good to me. Thank
God! Goodnight Arthur.
DR. SEWARD'S DIARY
10 September.--I was conscious
of the Professor's hand on my
head, and started awake all in
a second. That is one of the
things that we learn in an asylum,
at any rate.
"And how is
our patient?"
"Well, when I left her, or
rather when she left me," I answered.
"Come, let us see," he
said. And together we went
into the
room.
The blind was down, and I went
over to raise it gently, whilst
Van Helsing stepped, with his
soft, cat-like tread, over to
the bed.
As I raised
the blind, and the morning
sunlight flooded
the room, I heard the Professor's
low hiss of inspiration, and
knowing its rarity, a deadly
fear shot through my heart. As
I passed over he moved back,
and his exclamation of horror, "Gott
in Himmel!" needed no enforcement
from his agonized face. He raised
his hand and pointed to the bed,
and his iron face was drawn and
ashen white. I felt my knees
begin to tremble.
There on the bed, seemingly
in a swoon, lay poor Lucy, more
horribly white and wan-looking
than ever. Even the lips were
white, and the gums seemed to
have shrunken back from the teeth,
as we sometimes see in a corpse
after a prolonged illness.
Van Helsing raised his foot
to stamp in anger, but the instinct
of his life and all the long
years of habit stood to him,
and he put it down again softly.
"Quick!" he said. "Bring
the brandy."
I flew to the dining room,
and returned with the decanter.
He wetted the poor white lips
with it, and together we rubbed
palm and wrist and heart. He
felt her heart, and after a few
moments of agonizing suspense
said,
"It is not too late. It beats,
though but feebly. All our work
is undone. We must begin again.
There is no young Arthur here
now. I have to call on you yourself
this time, friend John." As he
spoke, he was dipping into his
bag, and producing the instruments
of transfusion. I had taken off
my coat and rolled up my shirt
sleeve. There was no possibility
of an opiate just at present,
and no need of one. and so, without
a moment's delay, we began the
operation.
After a time,
it did not seem a short time
either, for the
draining away of one's blood,
no matter how willingly it be
given, is a terrible feeling,
Van Helsing held up a warning
finger. "Do not stir," he said. "But
I fear that with growing strength
she may wake, and that would
make danger, oh, so much danger.
But I shall precaution take.
I shall give hypodermic injection
of morphia." He proceeded then,
swiftly and deftly, to carry
out his intent.
The effect on Lucy was not
bad, for the faint seemed to
merge subtly into the narcotic
sleep. It was with a feeling
of personal pride that I could
see a faint tinge of color steal
back into the pallid cheeks and
lips. No man knows, till he experiences
it, what it is to feel his own
lifeblood drawn away into the
veins of the woman he loves.
The Professor
watched me critically. "That
will do," he said. "Already?" I
remonstrated. "You took a great
deal more from Art." To which
he smiled a sad sort of smile
as he replied,
"He is her
lover, her fiance. You have
work, much work to do
for her and for others, and the
present will suffice.
When we stopped the operation,
he attended to Lucy, whilst I
applied digital pressure to my
own incision. I laid down, while
I waited his leisure to attend
to me, for I felt faint and a
little sick. By and by he bound
up my wound, and sent me downstairs
to get a glass of wine for myself.
As I was leaving the room, he
came after me, and half whispered.
"Mind, nothing
must be said of this. If our
young lover should
turn up unexpected, as before,
no word to him. It would at once
frighten him and enjealous him,
too. There must be none. So!"
When I came
back he looked at me carefully,
and then said, "You
are not much the worse. Go into
the room, and lie on your sofa,
and rest awhile, then have much
breakfast and come here to me."
I followed out his orders,
for I knew how right and wise
they were. I had done my part,
and now my next duty was to keep
up my strength. I felt very weak,
and in the weakness lost something
of the amazement at what had
occurred. I fell asleep on the
sofa, however, wondering over
and over again how Lucy had made
such a retrograde movement, and
how she could have been drained
of so much blood with no sign
any where to show for it. I think
I must have continued my wonder
in my dreams, for, sleeping and
waking my thoughts always came
back to the little punctures
in her throat and the ragged,
exhausted appearance of their
edges, tiny though they were.
Lucy slept well into the day,
and when she woke she was fairly
well and strong, though not nearly
so much so as the day before.
When Van Helsing had seen her,
he went out for a walk, leaving
me in charge, with strict injunctions
that I was not to leave her for
a moment. I could hear his voice
in the hall, asking the way to
the nearest telegraph office.
Lucy chatted with me freely,
and seemed quite unconscious
that anything had happened. I
tried to keep her amused and
interested. When her mother came
up to see her, she did not seem
to notice any change whatever,
but said to me gratefully,
"We owe you so much, Dr. Seward,
for all you have done, but you
really must now take care not
to overwork yourself. You are
looking pale yourself. You want
a wife to nurse and look after
you a bit, that you do!" As she
spoke, Lucy turned crimson, though
it was only momentarily, for
her poor wasted veins could not
stand for long an unwonted drain
to the head. The reaction came
in excessive pallor as she turned
imploring eyes on me. I smiled
and nodded, and laid my finger
on my lips. With a sigh, she
sank back amid her pillows. Van
Helsing returned in a couple
of hours, and presently said
to me. "Now you go home, and
eat much and drink enough. Make
yourself strong. I stay here
tonight, and I shall sit up with
little miss myself. You and I
must watch the case, and we must
have none other to know. I have
grave reasons. No, do not ask
the. Think what you will. Do
not fear to think even the most
not-improbable. Goodnight."
In the hall two of the maids
came to me, and asked if they
or either of them might not sit
up with Miss Lucy. They implored
me to let them, and when I said
it was Dr. Van Helsing's wish
that either he or I should sit
up, they asked me quite piteously
to intercede with the`foreign
gentleman'. I was much touched
by their kindness. Perhaps it
is because I am weak at present,
and perhaps because it was on
Lucy's account, that their devotion
was manifested. For over and
over again have I seen similar
instances of woman's kindness.
I got back here in time for a
late dinner, went my rounds,
all well, and set this down whilst
waiting for sleep. It is coming.
11 September.--This afternoon
I went over to Hillingham. Found
Van Helsing in excellent spirits,
and Lucy much better. Shortly
after I had arrived, a big parcel
from abroad came for the Professor.
He opened it with much impressment,
assumed, of course, and showed
a great bundle of white flowers.
"These are for you, Miss Lucy," he
said.
"For me? Oh,
Dr. Van Helsing!"
"Yes, my dear, but not for
you to play with. These are medicines." Here
Lucy made a wry face. "Nay, but
they are not to take in a decoction
or in nauseous form, so you need
not snub that so charming nose,
or I shall point out to my friend
Arthur what woes he may have
to endure in seeing so much beauty
that he so loves so much distort.
Aha, my pretty miss, that bring
the so nice nose all straight
again. This is medicinal, but
you do not know how. I put him
in your window, I make pretty
wreath, and hang him round your
neck, so you sleep well. Oh,
yes! They, like the lotus flower,
make your trouble forgotten.
It smell so like the waters of
Lethe, and of that fountain of
youth that the Conquistadores
sought for in the Floridas, and
find him all too late."
Whilst he was speaking, Lucy
had been examining the flowers
and smelling them. Now she threw
them down saying, with half laughter,
and half disgust,
"Oh, Professor,
I believe you are only putting
up a joke on
me. Why, these flowers are only
common garlic."
To my surprise, Van Helsing
rose up and said with all his
sternness, his iron jaw set and
his bushy eyebrows meeting,
"No trifling with me! I never
jest! There is grim purpose in
what I do, and I warn you that
you do not thwart me. Take care,
for the sake of others if not
for your own." Then seeing poor
Lucy scared, as she might well
be, he went on more gently, "Oh,
little miss, my dear, do not
fear me. I only do for your good,
but there is much virtue to you
in those so common flowers. See,
I place them myself in your room.
I make myself the wreath that
you are to wear. But hush! No
telling to others that make so
inquisitive questions. We must
obey, and silence is a part of
obedience, and obedience is to
bring you strong and well into
loving arms that wait for you.
Now sit still a while. Come with
me, friend John, and you shall
help me deck the room with my
garlic, which is all the war
from Haarlem, where my friend
Vanderpool raise herb in his
glass houses all the year. I
had to telegraph yesterday, or
they would not have been here."
We went into
the room, taking the flowers
with us. The Professor's
actions were certainly odd and
not to be found in any pharmacopeia
that I ever heard of. First he
fastened up the windows and latched
them securely. Next, taking a
handful of the flowers, he rubbed
them all over the sashes, as
though to ensure that every whiff
of air that might get in would
be laden with the garlic smell.
Then with the wisp he rubbed
all over the jamb of the door,
above, below, and at each side,
and round the fireplace in the
same way. It all seemed grotesque
to me, and presently I said, "Well,
Professor, I know you always
have a reason for what you do,
but this certainly puzzles me.
It is well we have no sceptic
here, or he would say that you
were working some spell to keep
out an evil spirit."
"Perhaps I am!" He
answered quietly as he began
to make the
wreath which Lucy was to wear
round her neck.
We then waited whilst Lucy
made her toilet for the night,
and when she was in bed he came
and himself fixed the wreath
of garlic round her neck. The
last words he said to her were,
"Take care
you do not disturb it, and
even if the room feel
close, do not tonight open the
window or the door."
"I promise," said Lucy. "And
thank you both a thousand times
for all your kindness to me!
Oh, what have I done to be blessed
with such friends?"
As we left
the house in my fly, which
was waiting, Van Helsing
said,"Tonight I can sleep in
peace, and sleep I want, two
nights of travel, much reading
in the day between, and much
anxiety on the day to follow,
and a night to sit up, without
to wink. Tomorrow in the morning
early you call for me, and we
come together to see our pretty
miss, so much more strong for
my `spell' which I have work.
Ho, ho!"
He seemed so confident that
I, remembering my own confidence
two nights before and with the
baneful result, felt awe and
vague terror. It must have been
my weakness that made me hesitate
to tell it to my friend, but
I felt it all the more, like
unshed tears. |