shall not forget this night.
LUCY WESTENRA'S DIARY
Hillingham, 24 August.—I must imitate Mina, and keep writing
things down. Then we can have long talks when we do meet. I wonder
when it will be. I wish she were with me again, for I feel so
unhappy. Last night I seemed to be dreaming again just as I was at
Whitby. Perhaps it is the change of air, or getting home again. It
is all dark and horrid to me, for I can remember nothing. But I am
full of vague fear, and I feel so weak and worn out. When Arthur
came to lunch he looked quite grieved when he saw me, and I hadn't
the spirit to try to be cheerful. I wonder if I could sleep in
mother's room tonight. I shall make an excuse to try.
25 August.—Another bad night. Mother did not seem to take to my
proposal. She seems not too well herself, and doubtless she fears
to worry me. I tried to keep awake, and succeeded for a while, but
when the clock struck twelve it waked me from a doze, so I must
have been falling asleep. There was a sort of scratching or
flapping at the window, but I did not mind it, and as I remember no
more, I suppose I must have fallen asleep. More bad dreams. I wish
I could remember them. This morning I am horribly weak. My face is
ghastly pale, and my throat pains me. It must be something wrong
with my lungs, for I don't seem to be getting air enough. I shall
try to cheer up when Arthur comes, or else I know he will be
miserable to see me so.
LETTER, ARTHUR TO DR. SEWARD
"Albemarle Hotel, 31 August "My dear Jack,
"I want you to do me a favour. Lucy is ill, that is she has no
special disease, but she looks awful, and is getting worse every
day. I have asked her if there is any cause, I not dare to ask her
mother, for to disturb the poor lady's mind about her daughter in
her present state of health would be fatal. Mrs. Westenra has
confided to me that her doom is spoken, disease of the heart,
though poor Lucy does not know it yet. I am sure that there is
something preying on my dear girl's mind. I am almost distractedsomething preying on my dear girl's mind. I am almost distracted
when I think of her. To look at her gives me a pang. I told her I
should ask you to see her, and though she demurred at first, I know
why, old fellow, she finally consented. It will be a painful task
for you, I know, old friend, but it is for her sake, and I must not
hesitate to ask, or you to act. You are to come to lunch at
Hillingham tomorrow, two o'clock, so as not to arouse any suspicion
in Mrs. Westenra, and after lunch Lucy will take an opportunity of
being alone with you. I am filled with anxiety, and want to consult
with you alone as soon as I can after you have seen her. Do not
fail! "Arthur." TELEGRAM, ARTHUR HOLMWOOD TO SEWARD
1 September
"Am summoned to see my father, who is worse. Am writing. Write
me fully by tonight's post to Ring. Wire me if necessary."
LETTER FROM DR. SEWARD TO ARTHUR HOLMWOOD
2 September
"My dear old fellow,
"With regard to Miss Westenra's health I hasten to let you know
at once that in my opinion there is not any functal disturbance or
any malady that I know of. At the same time, I am not by any means
satisfied with her appearance. She is woefully different from what
she was when I saw her last. Of course you must bear in mind that I
did not have full opportunity of examination such as I should wish.
Our very friendship makes a little difficulty which not even
medical science or custom can bridge over. I had better tell you
exactly what happened, leaving you to draw, in a measure, your own
conclusions. I shall then say what I have done and propose
doing.
"I found Miss Westenra in seemingly gay spirits. Her mother was
present, and in a few seconds I made up my mind that she was trying
all she knew to mislead her mother and prevent her from being
anxious. I have no doubt she guesses, if she does not know, what
need of caution there is.
"We lunched alone, and as we all exerted ourselves to be
cheerful, we got, as some kind of reward for our labours, some realcheerful, we got, as some kind of reward for our labours, some real
cheerfulness amongst us. Then Mrs. Westenra went to lie down, and
Lucy was left with me. We went into her boudoir, and till we got
there her gaiety remained, for the servants were coming and
going.
"As soon as the door was closed, however, the mask fell from her
face, and she sank down into a chair with a great sigh, and hid her
eyes with her hand. When I saw that her high spirits had failed, I
at once took advantage of her reaction to make a diagnosis.
"She said to me very sweetly, `I cannot tell you how I loathe
talking about myself.' I reminded her that a doctor's confidence
was sacred, but that you were grievously anxious about her. She
caught on to my meaning at once, and settled that matter in a word.
`Tell Arthur everything you choose. I do not care for myself, but
for him!' So I am quite free.
"I could easily see that she was somewhat bloodless, but I could
not see the usual anemic signs, and by the chance ,I was able to
test the actual quality of her blood, for in opening a window which
was stiff a cord gave way, and she cut her hand slightly with
broken glass. It was a slight matter in itself, but it gave me an
evident chance, and I secured a few drops of the blood and have
analysed them.
"The qualitative analysis give a quite normal condition, and
shows, I should infer, in itself a vigorous state of health. In
other physical matters I was quite satisfied that there is no need
for anxiety, but as there must be a cause somewhere, I have come to
the conclusion that it must be something mental.
"She complains of difficulty breathing satisfactorily at times,
and of heavy, lethargic sleep, with dreams that frighten her, but
regarding which she can remember nothing. She says that as a child,
she used to walk in her sleep, and that when in Whitby the habit
came back, and that once she walked out in the night and went to
East Cliff, where Miss Murray found her. But she assures me that of
late the habit has not returned.