"The branch of wild rose on his coffin keep him that he move not
from it, a sacred bullet fired into the coffin kill him so that he
be true dead, and as for the stake through him, we know already of
its peace, or the cut off head that giveth rest. We have seen it
with our eyes.
"Thus when we find the habitation of this man-that-was, we can
confine him to his coffin and destroy him, if we obey what we know.
But he is clever. I have asked my friend Arminius, of Buda-Pesth
University, to make his record, and from all the means that are, he
tell me of what he has been. He must, indeed, have been that
Voivode Dracula who won his name against the Turk, over the great
river on the very frontier of Turkey-land. If it be so, then was he
no common man, for in that time, and for centuries after, he was
spoken of as the cleverest and the most cunning, as well as the
bravest of the sons of the `land beyond the forest.' That mighty
brain and that iron resolution went with him to his grave, and are
even now arrayed against us. The Draculas were, says Arminius, a
great and noble race, though now and again were scions who were
held by their coevals to have had dealings with the Evil One. They
learned his secrets in the Scholomance, amongst the mountains over
Lake Hermanstadt, where the devil claims the tenth scholar as his
due. In the records are such words as `stregoica' witch, `ordog'
and `pokol' Satan and hell, and in one manuscript this very Dracula
is spoken of as `wampyr,'which we all understand too well. There
have been from the loins of this very one great men and good women,
and their graves make sacred the earth where alone this foulness
can dwell. For it is not the least of its terrors that this evil
thing is rooted deep in all good, in soil barren of holy memories
it cannot rest."
Whilst they were talking Mr. Morris was looking steadily at the
window, and he now got up quietly, and went out of the room. There
was a little pause, and then the Professor went on.was a little pause, and then the Professor went on.
"And now we must settle what we do. We have here much data, and
we must proceed to lay out our campaign. We know from the inquiry
of Jonathan that from the castle to Whitby came fifty boxes of
earth, all of which were delivered at Carfax, we also know that at
least some of these boxes have been removed. It seems to me, that
our first step should be to ascertain whether all the rest remain
in the house beyond that wall where we look today, or whether any
more have been removed. If the latter, we must trace … "
Here we were interrupted in a very startling way. Outside the
house came the sound of a pistol shot, the glass of the window was
shattered with a bullet, which ricochetting from the top of the
embrasure, struck the far wall of the room. I am afraid I am at
heart a coward, for I shrieked out. The men all jumped to their
feet, Lord Godalming flew over to the window and threw up the sash.
As he did so we heard Mr. Morris' voice without, "Sorry! I fear I
have alarmed you. I shall come in and tell you about it."
A minute later he came in and said, "It was an idiotic thing of
me to do, and I ask your pardon, Mrs. Harker, most sincerely, I
fear I must have frightened you terribly. But the fact is that
whilst the Professor was talking there came a big bat and sat on
the window sill. I have got such a horror of the damned brutes from
recent events that I cannot stand them, and I went out to have a
shot, as I have been doing of late of evenings, whenever I have
seen one. You used to laugh at me for it then, Art."
"Did you hit it?" asked Dr. Van Helsing.
"I don't know, I fancy not, for it flew away into the wood."
Without saying any more he took his seat, and the Professor began
to resume his statement.
"We must trace each of these boxes, and when we are ready, we
must either capture or kill this monster in his lair, or we must,
so to speak, sterilize the earth, so that no more he can seek
safety in it. Thus in the end we may find him in his form of mansafety in it. Thus in the end we may find him in his form of man
between the hours of noon and sunset, and so engage with him when
he is at his most weak.
"And now for you, Madam Mina,this night is the end until all be
well. You are too precious to us to have such risk. When we part
tonight, you no more must question. We shall tell you all in good
time. We are men and are able to bear, but you must be our star and
our hope, and we shall act all the more free that you are not in
the danger, such as we are."
All the men, even Jonathan, seemed relieved, but it did not seem
to me good that they should brave danger and, perhaps lessen their
safety, strength being the best safety, through care of me, but
their minds were made up, and though it was a bitter pill for me to
swallow, I could say nothing, save to accept their chivalrous care
of me.
Mr. Morris resumed the discussion, "As there is no time to lose,
I vote we have a look at his house right now. Time is everything
with him, and swift action on our part may save another
victim."
I own that my heart began to fail me when the time for action
came so close, but I did not say anything, for I had a greater fear
that if I appeared as a drag or a hindrance to their work, they
might even leave me out of their counsels altogether. They have now
gone off to Carfax, with means to get into the house.
Manlike, they had told me to go to bed and sleep, as if a woman
can sleep when those she loves are in danger!I shall lie down, and
pretend to sleep, lest Jonathan have added anxiety about me when he
returns.
DR. SEWARD'S DIARY
1 October, 4 a. m.—Just as we were about to leave the house, an
urgent message was brought to me from Renfield to know if I would
see him at once, as he had something of the utmost importance to
say to me. I told the messenger to say that I would attend to his
wishes in the morning, I was busy just at the moment.
The attendant added, "He seems very importunate, sir. I have
never seen him so eager. I don't know but what, if you don't see