3 October.—The time seemed teribly long whilst we were waiting
for the coming of Godalming and Quincey Morris. The Professor tried
to keep our minds active by using them all the time. I could see
his beneficent purpose, by the side glances which he threw from
time to time at Harker. The poor fellow is overwhelmed in a misery
that is appalling to see. Last night he was a frank, happy-looking
man, with strong, youthful face, full of energy, and with dark
brown hair. Today he is a drawn, haggard old man, whose white hair
matches well with the hollow burning eyes and griefwritten lines of
his face. His energy is still intact. In fact, he is like a living
flame. This may yet be his salvation, for if all go well, it will
tide him over the despairing period. He will then, in a kind of
way, wake again to the realities of life. Poor fellow, I thought my
own trouble was bad enough, but his … !
The Professor knows this well enough, and is doing his best to
keep his mind active. What he has been saying was, under the
circumstances, of absorbing interest. So well as I can remember,
here it is:
"I have studied, over and over again since they came into my
hands, all the papers relating to this monster, and the more I have
studied, the greater seems the necessity to utterly stamp him out.
All through there are signs of his advance. Not only of his power,
but of his knowledge of it. As I learned from the researches of my
friend Arminius of Buda-Pesth, he was in life a most wonderful man.
Soldier, statesman, and alchemist. Which latter was the highest
development of the science knowledge of his time. He had a mighty
brain, a learning beyond compare, and a heart that knew no fear and
no remorse. He dared even to attend the Scholomance, and there was
no branch of knowledge of his time that he did not essay.
"Well, in him the brain powers survived the physical death.
Though it would seem that memory was not all complete. In some
faculties of mind he has been, and is, only a child. But he isfaculties of mind he has been, and is, only a child. But he is
growing, and some things that were childish at the first are now of
man's stature. He is experimenting, and doing it well. And if it
had not been that we have crossed his path he would be yet, he may
be yet if we fail, the father or furtherer of a new order of
beings, whose road must lead through Death, not Life."
Harker groaned and said, "And this is all arrayed against my
darling! But how is he experimenting? The knowledge may help us to
defeat him!"
"He has all along, since his coming, been trying his power,
slowly but surely. That big child-brain of his is working. Well for
us, it is as yet, a child-brain. For had he dared, at the first, to
attempt certain things he would long ago have been beyond our
power. However, he means to succeed, and a man who has centuries
before him can afford to wait and to go slow. Festina lente may
well be his motto."
"I fail to understand," said Harker wearily. "Oh, do be more
plain to me! Perhaps grief and trouble are dulling my brain."
The Professor laid his hand tenderly on his shoulder as he
spoke, "Ah, my child, I will be plain. Do you not see how, of late,
this monster has been creeping into knowledge experimentally. How
he has been making use of the zoophagous patient to effect his
entry into friend John's home. For your Vampire, though in all
afterwards he can come when and how he will, must at the first make
entry only when asked thereto by an inmate. But these are not his
most important experiments. Do we not see how at the first all
these so great boxes were moved by others. He knew not then but
that must be so. But all the time that so great child-brain of his
was growing, and he began to consider whether he might not himself
move the box. So he began to help. And then, when he found that
this be all right, he try to move them all alone. And so he
progress, and he scatter these graves of him. And none but he know
where they are hidden.
"He may have intend to bury them deep in the ground. So thatwhere they are hidden.
"He may have intend to bury them deep in the ground. So that
only he use them in the night, or at such time as he can change his
form, they do him equal well, and none may know these are his
hiding place! But, my child, do not despair, this knowledge came to
him just too late! Already all of his lairs but one be sterilize as
for him. And before the sunset this shall be so. Then he have no
place where he can move and hide. I delayed this morning that so we
might be sure. Is there not more at stake for us than for him? Then
why not be more careful than him? By my clock it is one hour and
already, if all be well, friend Arthur and Quincey are on their way
to us. Today is our day, and we must go sure, if slow, and lose no
chance. See! There are five of us when those absent ones
return."
Whilst we were speaking we were startled by a knock at the hall
door, the double postman's knock of the telegraph boy. We all moved
out to the hall with one impulse, and Van Helsing, holding up his
hand to us to keep silence, stepped to the door and opened it. The
boy handed in a dispatch. The Professor closed the door again, and
after looking at the direction, opened it and read aloud.
"Look out for D. He has just now, 12:45, come from Carfax
hurriedly and hastened towards the South. He seems to be going the
round and may want to see you: Mina."
There was a pause, broken by Jonathan Harker's voice, "Now, God
be thanked, we shall soon meet!"
Van Helsing turned to him quickly and said, "God will act in His
own way and time. Do not fear, and do not rejoice as yet. For what
we wish for at the moment may be our own undoings."
"I care for nothing now," he answered hotly, "except to wipe out
this brute from the face of creation. I would sell my soul to do
it!"
"Oh, hush, hush, my child!" said Van Helsing. "God does not
purchase souls in this wise, and the Devil, though he may purchase,
does not keep faith. But God is merciful and just, and knows your
pain and your devotion to that dear Madam Mina. Think you, how her