already. I am exhausted too. I fear to trust those women, even if
they would have courage to submit. What are we to do for some one
who will open his veins for her?"
"What's the matter with me, anyhow?"
The voice came from the sofa across the room, and its tones
brought relief and joy to my heart, for they were those of Quincey
Morris.
Van Helsing started angrily at the first sound, but his face
softened and a glad look came into his eyes as I cried out,
"Quincey Morris!" and rushed towards him with outstretched
hands.
"What brought you her?" I cried as our hands met.
"I guess Art is the cause."
He handed me a telegram.— `Have not heard from Seward for three
days, and am terribly anxious. Cannot leave. Father still in same
condition. Send me word how Lucy is. Do not delay.—Holmwood.'
"I think I came just in the nick of time. You know you have only
to tell me what to do."
Van Helsing strode forward, and took his hand, looking him
straight in the eyes as he said, "A brave man's blood is the best
thing on this earth when a woman is in trouble. You're a man and no
mistake. Well, the devil may work against us for all he's worth,
but God sends us men when we want them."
Once again we went through that ghastly operation. I have not
the heart to go through with the details. Lucy had got a terrible
shock and it told on her more than before, for though plenty of
blood went into her veins, her body did not respond to the
treatment as well as on the other occasions. Her struggle back into
life was something frightful to see and hear. However, the action
of both heart and lungs improved, and Van Helsing made a
sub-cutaneous injection of morphia, as before, and with good
effect. Her faint became a profound slumber. The Professor watched
whilst I went downstairs with Quincey Morris, and sent one of the
maids to pay off one of the cabmen who were waiting.
I left Quincey lying down after having a glass of wine, and told
the cook to get ready a good breakfast. Then a thought struck me,the cook to get ready a good breakfast. Then a thought struck me,
and I went back to the room where Lucy now was. When I came softly
in, I found Van Helsing with a sheet or two of note paper in his
hand. He had evidently read it, and was thinking it over as he sat
with his hand to his brow. There was a look of grim satisfaction in
his face, as of one who has had a doubt solved. He handed me the
paper saying only, "It dropped from Lucy's breast when we carried
her to the bath."
When I had read it, I stook looking at the Professor, and after
a pause asked him, "In God's name, what does it all mean? Was she,
or is she, mad, or what sort of horrible danger is it?" I was so
bewildered that I did not know what to say more. Van Helsing put
out his hand and took the paper, saying,
"Do not trouble about it now. Forget if for the present. You
shall know and understand it all in good time, but it will be
later. And now what is it that you came to me to say?" This brought
me back to fact, and I was all myself again.
"I came to speak about the certificate of death. If we do not
act properly and wisely, there may be an inquest, and that paper
would have to be produced. I am in hopes that we need have no
inquest, for if we had it would surely kill poor Lucy, if nothing
else did. I know, and you know, and the other doctor who attended
her knows, that Mrs. Westenra had disease of the heart, and we can
certify that she died of it. Let us fill up the certificate at
once, and I shall take it myself to the registrar and go on to the
undertaker."
"Good, oh my friend John! Well thought of! Truly Miss Lucy, if
she be sad in the foes that beset her, is at least happy in the
friends thatlove her. One, two, three, all open their veins for
her, besides one old man. Ah, yes, I know, friend John. I am not
blind! I love you all the more for it! Now go."
In the hall I met Quincey Morris, with a telegram for Arthur
telling him that Mrs. Westenra was dead, that Lucy also had been
ill, but was now going on better, and that Van Helsing and I wereill, but was now going on better, and that Van Helsing and I were
with her. I told him where I was going, and he hurried me out, but
as I was going said, "When you come back, Jack, may I have two
words with you all to ourselves?" I nodded in reply and went out. I
found no difficulty about the registration, and arranged with the
local undertaker to come up in the evening to measure for the
coffin and to make arrangements.
When I got back Quincey was waiting for me. I told him I would
see him as soon as I knew about Lucy, and went up to her room. She
was still sleeping, and the Professor seemingly had not moved from
his seat at her side. From his putting his finger to his lips, I
gathered that he expected her to wake before long and was afraid of
fore-stalling nature. So I went down to Quincey and took him into
the breakfast room, where the blinds were not drawn down, and which
was a little more cheerful, or rather less cheerless, than the
other rooms.
When we were alone, he said to me, "Jack Seward, I don't want to
shove myself in anywhere where I've no right to be, but this is no
ordinary case. You know I loved that girl and wanted to marry her,
but although that's all past and gone, I can't help feeling anxious
about her all the same. What is it that's wrong with her? The
Dutchman, and a fine old fellow is is, I can see that, said that
time you two came into the room, that you must have another
transfusion of blood, and that both you and he were exhausted. Now
I know well that you medical men speak in camera, and that a man
must not expect to know what they consult about in private. But
this is no common matter, and whatever it is, I have done my part.
Is not that so?"
"That's so," I said, and he went on.
"I take it that both you and Van Helsing had done already what I
did today. Is not that so?"
"That's so."
"And I guess Art was in it too. When I saw him four days ago
down at his own place he looked queer. I have not seen anything
pulled down so quick since I was on the Pampas and had a mare that