manifested, for she point to a road and say, "This is the way."
"How know you it?" I ask.
"Of course I know it,' she answer, and with a pause, add, "Have
not my Jonathan travelled it and wrote of his travel?"
At first I think somewhat strange, but soon I see that there be
only one such byroad. It is used but little, and very different
from the coach road from the Bukovina to Bistritz, which is more
wide and hard, and more of use.
So we came down this road. When we meet other ways, not always
were we sure that they were roads at all, for they be neglect and
light snow have fallen, the horses know and they only. I give rein
to them, and they go on so patient. By and by we find all the
things which Jonathan have note in that wonderful diary of him.
Then we go on for long, long hours and hours. At the first, I tell
Madam Mina to sleep. She try, and she succeed. She sleep all the
time, till at the last, I feel myself to suspicious grow, and
attempt to wake her. But she sleep on, and I may not wake her
though I try. I do not wish to try too hard lest I harm her. For I
know that she have suffer much, and sleep at times be all-in-all to
her. I think I drowse myself, for all of sudden I feel guilt, as
though I have done something. I find myself bolt up, with the reins
in my hand, and the good horses go along jog, jog, just as ever. I
look down and find Madam Mina still asleep. It is now not far off
sunset time, and over the snow the light of the sun flow in big
yellow flood, so that we throw great long shadow on where the
mountain rise so steep. For we are going up, and up, and all is oh,
so wild and rocky, as though it were the end of the world.
Then I arouse Madam Mina. This time she wake with not much
trouble, and then I try to put her to hypnotic sleep. But she sleep
not, being as though I were not. Still I try and try, till all at
once I find her and myself in dark, so I look round, and find that
the sun have gone down. Madam Mina laugh, and I turn and look atthe sun have gone down. Madam Mina laugh, and I turn and look at
her. She is now quite awake, and look so well as I never saw her
since that night at Carfax when we first enter the Count's house. I
am amaze, and not at ease then. But she is so bright and tender and
thoughtful for me that I forget all fear. I light a fire, for we
have brought supply of wood with us, and she prepare food while I
undo the horses and set them, tethered in shelter, to feed. Then
when I return to the fire she have my supper ready. I go to help
her, but she smile, and tell me that she have eat already. That she
was so hungry that she would not wait. I like it not, and I have
grave doubts. But I fear to affright her, and so I am silent of it.
She help me and I eat alone, and then we wrap in fur and lie beside
the fire, and I tell her to sleep while I watch. But presently I
forget all of watching. And when I sudden remember that I watch, I
find her lying quiet, but awake, and looking at me with so bright
eyes. Once, twice more the same occur, and I get much sleep till
before morning. When I wake I try to hypnotize her, but alas!
Though she shut her eyes obedient, she may not sleep. The sun rise
up, and up, and up, and then sleep come to her too late, but so
heavy that she will not wake. I have to lift her up, and place her
sleeping in the carriage when I have harnessed the horses and made
all ready. Madam still sleep, and she look in her sleep more
healthy and more redder than before. And I like it not. And I am
afraid, afraid, afraid! I am afraid of all things, even to think
but I must go on my way. The stake we play for is life and death,
or more than these, and we must not flinch.
5 November, morning.—Let me be accurate in everything, for
though you and I have seen some strange things together, you may at
the first think that I, Van Helsing, am mad. That the many horrors
and the so long strain on nerves has at the last turn my brain.
All yesterday we travel, always getting closer to the mountains,All yesterday we travel, always getting closer to the mountains,
and moving into a more and more wild and desert land. There are
great, frowning precipices and much falling water, and Nature seem
to have held sometime her carnival. Madam Mina still sleep and
sleep. And though I did have hunger and appeased it, I could not
waken her, even for food. I began to fear that the fatal spell of
the place was upon her, tainted as she is with that Vampire
baptism. "Well," said I to myself, "if it be that she sleep all the
day, it shall also be that I do not sleep at night." As we travel
on the rough road, for a road of an ancient and imperfect kind
there was, I held down my head and slept.
Again I waked with a sense of guilt and of time passed, and
found Madam Mina still sleeping, and the sun low down. But all was
indeed changed. The frowning mountains seemed further away, and we
were near the top of a steep rising hill, on summit of which was
such a castle as Jonathan tell of in his diary. At once I exulted
and feared. For now, for good or ill, the end was near.
I woke Madam Mina, and again tried to hypnotize her, but alas!
unavailing till too late. Then, ere the great dark came upon us,
for even after down sun the heavens reflected the gone sun on the
snow, and all was for a time in a great twilight. I took out the
horses and fed them in what shelter I could. Then I make a fire,
and near it I make Madam Mina, now awake and more charming than
ever, sit comfortable amid her rugs. I got ready food, but she
would not eat, simply saying that she had not hunger. I did not
press her, knowing her unavailingness. But I myself eat, for I must
needs now be strong for all. Then, with the fear on me of what
might be, I drew a ring so big for her comfort, round where Madam
Mina sat. And over the ring I passed some of the wafer, and I broke
it fine so that all was well guarded. She sat still all the time,
so still as one dead. And she grew whiter and even whiter till the