so still as one dead. And she grew whiter and even whiter till the
snow was not more pale, and no word she said. But when I drew near,
she clung to me, and I could know that the poor soul shook her from
head to feet with a tremor that was pain to feel.
I said to her presently, when she had grown more quiet, "Will
you not come over to the fire?" for I wished to make a test of what
she could. She rose obedient, but when she have made a step she
stopped, and stood as one stricken.
"Why not go on?" I asked. She shook her head, and coming back,
sat down in her place. Then, looking at me with open eyes, as of
one waked from sleep, she said simply,"I cannot!" and remained
silent. I rejoiced, for I knew that what she could not, none of
those that we dreaded could. Though there might be danger to her
body, yet her soul was safe!
Presently the horses began to scream, and tore at their tethers
till I came to them and quieted them. When they did feel my hands
on them, they whinnied low as in joy,and licked at my hands and
were quiet for a time. Many times through the night did I come to
them, till it arrive to the cold hour when all nature is at lowest,
and every time my coming was with quiet of them. In the cold hour
the fire began to die, and I was about stepping forth to replenish
it, for now the snow came in flying sweeps and with it a chill
mist. Even in the dark there was a light of some kind, as there
ever is over snow, and it seemed as though the snow flurries and
the wreaths of mist took shape as of women with trailing garments.
All was in dead, grim silence only that the horses whinnied and
cowered, as if in terror of the worst. I began to fear, horrible
fears. But then came to me the sense of safety in that ring wherein
I stood. I began too, to think that my imaginings were of the
night, and the gloom, and the unrest that I have gone through, and
all the terrible anxiety. It was as though my memories of all
Jonathan's horrid experience were befooling me. For the snow flakesJonathan's horrid experience were befooling me. For the snow flakes
and the mist began to wheel and circle round, till I could get as
though a shadowy glimpse of those women that would have kissed him.
And then the horses cowered lower and lower, and moaned in terror
as men do in pain. Even the madness of fright was not to them, so
that they could break away. I feared for my dear Madam Mina when
these weird figures drew near and circled round. I looked at her,
but she sat calm, and smiled at me. When I would have stepped to
the fire to replenish it, she caught me and held me back, and
whispered, like a voice that one hears in a dream, so low it
was.
"No! No! Do not go without. Here you are safe!"
I turned to her, and looking in her eyes said, "But you? It is
for you that I fear!"
Whereat she laughed, a laugh low and unreal, and said, "Fear for
me! Why fear for me? None safer in all the world from them than I
am,"and as I wondered at the meaning of her words, a puff of wind
made the flame leap up, and I see the red scar on her forehead.
Then, alas! I knew. Did I not, I would soon have learned, for the
wheeling figures of mist and snow came closer, but keeping ever
without the Holy circle. Then they began to materialize till, if
God have not taken away my reason, for I saw it through my eyes.
There were before me in actual flesh the same three women that
Jonathan saw in the room, when they would have kissed his throat. I
knew the swaying round forms, the bright hard eyes, the white
teeth, the ruddy color, the voluptuous lips. They smiled ever at
poor dear Madam Mina. And as their laugh came through the silence
of the night, they twined their arms and pointed to her, and said
in those so sweet tingling tones that Jonathan said were of the
intolerable sweetness of the water glasses, "Come, sister. Come to
us. Come!"
In fear I turned to my poor Madam Mina, and my heart with
gladness leapt like flame. For oh! the terror in her sweet eyes,
the repulsion, the horror, told a story to my heart that was all ofthe repulsion, the horror, told a story to my heart that was all of
hope. God be thanked she was not, yet of them. I seized some of the
firewood which was by me, and holding out some of the Wafer,
advanced on them towards the fire. They drew back before me, and
laughed their low horrid laugh. I fed the fire, and feared them
not. For I knew that we were safe within the ring, which she could
not leave no more than they could enter. The horses had ceased to
moan, and lay still on the ground. The snow fell on them softly,
and they grew whiter. I knew that there was for the poor beasts no
more of terror.
And so we remained till the red of the dawn began to fall
through the snow gloom. I was desolate and afraid, and full of woe
and terror. But when that beautiful sun began to climb the horizon
life was to me again. At the first coming of the dawn the horrid
figures melted in the whirling mist and snow. The wreaths of
transparent gloom moved away towards the castle, and were lost.
Instinctively, with the dawn coming, I turned to Madam Mina,
intending to hypnotize her. But she lay in a deep and sudden sleep,
from which I could not wake her. I tried to hypnotize through her
sleep, but she made no response, none at all, and the day broke. I
fear yet to stir. I have made my fire and have seen the horses,
they are all dead. Today I have much to do here, and I keep waiting
till the sun is up high. For there may be places where I must go,
where that sunlight, though snow and mist obscure it, will be to me
a safety.
I will strengthen me with breakfast, and then I will do my
terrible work. Madam Mina still sleeps, and God be thanked! She is
calm in her sleep …
JONATHAN HARKER'S JOURNAL
4 November, evening.—The accident to the launch has been a
terrible thing for us. Only for it we should have overtaken the
boat long ago, and by now my dear Mina would have been free. I fear
to think of her, off on the wolds near that horrid place. We have
got horses, and we follow on the track. I note this whilst