could look as he said,"Tomorrow, my friend, we must part. You
return to your beautiful England, I to some work which may have
such an end that we may never meet. Your letter home has been
despatched. Tomorrow I shall not be here, but all shall be ready
for your journey. In the morning come the Szgany, who have some
labours of their own here, and also come some Slovaks. When they
have gone, my carriage shall come for you, and shall bear you to
the Borgo Pass to meet the diligence from Bukovina to Bistritz. But
I am in hopes that I shall see more of you at Castle Dracula."
I suspected him, and determined to test his sincerity.
Sincerity! It seems like a profanation of the word to write it in
connection with such a monster, so I asked him pointblank, "Why may
I not go tonight?"
"Because, dear sir, my coachman and horses are away on a
mission."
"But I would walk with pleasure. I want to get away at
once."
He smiled, such a soft, smooth, diabolical smile that I knew
there was some trick behind his smoothness. He said, "And your
baggage?"
"I do not care about it. I can send for it some other time."
The Count stood up, and said, with a sweet courtesy which made
me rub my eyes, it seemed so real, "You English have a saying which
is close to my heart, for its spirit is that which rules our
boyars, `Welcome the coming, speed the parting guest.' Come with
me, my dear young friend. Not an hour shall you wait in my house
against your will, though sad am I at your going, and that you so
suddenly desire it. Come!" With a stately gravity, he, with the
lamp, preceded me down the stairs and along the hall. Suddenly he
stopped. "Hark!"
Close at hand came the howling of many wolves. It was almost as
if the sound sprang up at the rising of his hand, just as the music
of a great orchestra seems to leap under the baton of the
conductor. After a pause of a moment, he proceeded, in his stately
way, to the door, drew back the ponderous bolts, unhooked the heavy
chains, and began to draw it open.chains, and began to draw it open.
To my intense astonishment I saw that it was unlocked.
Suspiciously, I looked all round, but could see no key of any
kind.
As the door began to open, the howling of the wolves without
grew louder and angrier. Their red jaws, with champing teeth, and
their blunt-clawed feet as they leaped, came in through the opening
door. I knew than that to struggle at the moment against the Count
was useless. With such allies as these at his command, I could do
nothing.
But still the door continued slowly to open, and only the
Count's body stood in the gap. Suddenly it struck me that this
might be the moment and means of my doom. I was to be given to the
wolves, and at my own instigation. There was a diabolical
wickedness in the idea great enough for the Count, and as the last
chance I cried out, "Shut the door! I shall wait till morning." And
I covered my face with my hands to hide my tears of bitter
disappointment.
With one sweep of his powerful arm, the Count threw the door
shut, and the great bolts clanged and echoed through the hall as
they shot back into their places.
In silence we returned to the library, and after a minute or two
I went to my own room. The last I saw of Count Dracula was his
kissing his hand to me, with a red light of triumph in his eyes,
and with a smile that Judas in hell might be proud of.
When I was in my room and about to lie down, I thought I heard a
whispering at my door. I went to it softly and listened. Unless my
ears deceived me, I heard the voice of the Count.
"Back! Back to your own place! Your time is not yet come. Wait!
Have patience! Tonight is mine. Tomorrow night is yours!"
There was a low, sweet ripple of laughter, and in a rage I threw
open the door, and saw without the three terrible women licking
their lips. As I appeared, they all joined in a horrible laugh, and
ran away.
I came back to my room and threw myself on my knees. It is then
so near the end? Tomorrow! Tomorrow! Lord, help me, and those to
whom I am dear!so near the end? Tomorrow! Tomorrow! Lord, help me, and those to
whom I am dear!
30 June.—These may be the last words I ever write in this diary.
I slept till just before the dawn, and when I woke threw myself on
my knees, for I determined that if Death came he should find me
ready.
At last I felt that subtle change in the air, and knew that the
morning had come. Then came the welcome cock-crow, and I felt that
I was safe. With a glad heart, I opened the door and ran down the
hall. I had seen that the door was unlocked, and now escape was
before me. With hands that trembled with eagerness, I unhooked the
chains and threw back the massive bolts.
But the door would not move. Despair seized me. I pulled and
pulled at the door, and shook it till, massive as it was, it
rattled in its casement. I could see the bolt shot. It had been
locked after I left the Count.
Then a wild desire took me to obtain the key at any risk, and I
determined then and there to scale the wall again, and gain the
Count's room. He might kill me, but death now seemed the happier
choice of evils. Without a pause I rushed up to the east window,
and scrambled down the wall, as before, into the Count's room. It
was empty, but that was as I expected. I could not see a key
anywhere, but the heap of gold remained. I went through the door in
the corner and down the winding stair and along the dark passage to
the old chapel. I knew now well enough where to find the monster I
sought.
The great box was in the same place, close against the wall, but
the lid was laid on it, not fastened down, but with the nails ready
in their places to be hammered home.
I knew I must reach the body for the key, so I raised the lid,
and laid it back against the wall. And then I saw something which
filled my very soul with horror. There lay the Count, but looking
as if his youth had been half restored. For the white hair and
moustache were changed to dark irongrey. The cheeks were fuller,
and the white skin seemed ruby-red underneath. The mouth was redder