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 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, wellSeward 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 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 goodby 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 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 ain 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 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 chance is gone. We have overhauled