so clever, in reading the heart, that they trouble themselves in
such matter. No, no, my friend Jonathan, you go take the lock off a
hundred empty houses in this your London, or of any city in the
world, and if you do it as such things are rightly done, and at the
time such things are rightly done, no one will interfere. I have
read of a gentleman who owned a so fine house in London, and when
he went for months of summer to Switzerland and lock up his house,
some burglar come and broke window at back and got in. Then he went
and made open the shutters in front and walk out and in through the
door, before the very eyes of the police. Then he have an auction
in that house, and advertise it, and put up big notice. And when
the day come he sell off by a great auctioneer all the goods of
that other man who own them. Then he go to a builder, and he sell
him that house, making an agreement that he pull it down and take
all away within a certain time. And your police and other authority
help him all they can. And when that owner come back from his
holiday in Switzerland he find only an empty hole where his house
had been. This was all done en regle, and in our work we shall be
en regle too. We shall not go so early that the policemen who have
then little to think of, shall deem it strange. But we shall go
after ten o'clock, when there are many about, and such things would
be done were we indeed owners of the house."
I could not but see how right he was and the terrible despair of
Mina's face became relaxed in thought. There was hope in such good
counsel.
Van Helsing went on, "When once within that house we may find
more clues. At any rate some of us can remain there whilst the rest
find the other places where there be more earth boxes, at
Bermondsey and Mile End."
Lord Godalming stood up. "I can be of some use here," he said.
"I shall wire to my people to have horses and carriages where they
will be most convenient."
"Look here, old fellow," said Morris, "it is a capital idea towill be most convenient."
"Look here, old fellow," said Morris, "it is a capital idea to
have all ready in case we want to go horse backing, but don't you
think that one of your snappy carriages with its heraldic
adornments in a byway of Walworth or Mile End would attract too
much attention for our purpose? It seems to me that we ought to
take cabs when we go south or east. And even leave them somewhere
near the neighborhood we are going to."
"Friend Quincey is right!" said the Professor. "His head is what
you call in plane with the horizon. It is a difficult thing that we
go to do, and we do not want no peoples to watch us if so it
may."
Mina took a growing interest in everything and I was rejoiced to
see that the exigency of affairs was helping her to forget for a
time the terrible experience of the night. She was very, very pale,
almost ghastly, and so thin that her lips were drawn away, showing
her teeth in somewhat of prominence. I did not mention this last,
lest it should give her needless pain, but it made my blood run
cold in my veins to think of what had occurred with poor Lucy when
the Count had sucked her blood. As yet there was no sign of the
teeth growing sharper, but the time as yet was short, and there was
time for fear.
When we came to the discussion of the sequence of our efforts
and of the disposition of our forces, there were new sources of
doubt. It was finally agreed that before starting for Piccadilly we
should destroy the Count's lair close at hand. In case he should
find it out too soon, we should thus be still ahead of him in our
work of destruction. And his presence in his purely material shape,
and at his weakest, might give us some new clue.
As to the disposal of forces, it was suggested by the Professor
that, after our visit to Carfax, we should all enter the house in
Piccadilly. That the two doctors and I should remain there, whilst
Lord Godalming and Quincey found the lairs at Walworth and Mile End
and destroyed them. It was possible, if not likely, the Professorand destroyed them. It was possible, if not likely, the Professor
urged, that the Count might appear in Piccadilly during the day,
and that if so we might be able to cope with him then and there. At
any rate, we might be able to follow him in force. To this plan I
strenuously objected, and so far as my going was concerned, for I
said that I intended to stay and protect Mina. I thought that my
mind was made up on the subject, but Mina would not listen to my
objection. She said that there might be some law matter in which I
could be useful. That amongst the Count's papers might be some clue
which I could understand out of my experience in Transylvania. And
that, as it was, all the strength we could muster was required to
cope with the Count's extraordinary power. I had to give in, for
Mina's resolution was fixed. She said that it was the last hope for
her that we should all work together.
"As for me," she said, "I have no fear. Things have been as bad
as they can be. And whatever may happen must have in it some
element of hope or comfort. Go, my husband! God can, if He wishes
it, guard me as well alone as with any one present."
So I started up crying out, "Then in God's name let us come at
once, for we are losing time. The Count may come to Piccadilly
earlier than we think."
"Not so!" said Van Helsing, holding up his hand.
"But why?" I asked.
"Do you forget," he said, with actually a smile, "that last
night he banqueted heavily, and will sleep late?"
Did I forget! Shall I ever … can I ever! Can any of us ever
forget that terrible scene! Mina struggled hard to keep her brave
countenance, but the pain overmastered her and she put her hands
before her face, and shuddered whilst she moaned. Van Helsing had
not intended to recall her frightful experience. He had simply lost
sight of her and her part in the affair in his intellectual
effort.
When it struck him what he said, he was horrified at his
thoughtlessness and tried to comfort her.
"Oh, Madam Mina," he said,"dear, dear, Madam Mina, alas! That I