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to call on you yourself this time, friend John." As he spoke, he was

dipping into his bag and producing the instruments for transfusion; I

had taken off my coat and rolled up my shirt-sleeve. There was no

possibility of an opiate just at present, and no need of one; and so,

without a moment's delay, we began the operation. After a time--it did

not seem a short time either, for the draining away of one's blood, no

matter how willingly it be given, is a terrible feeling--Van Helsing

held up a warning finger. "Do not stir," he said, "but I fear that with

growing strength she may wake; and that would make danger, oh, so much

danger. But I shall precaution take. I shall give hypodermic injection

of morphia." He proceeded then, swiftly and deftly, to carry out his

intent. The effect on Lucy was not bad, for the faint seemed to merge

subtly into the narcotic sleep. It was with a feeling of personal pride

that I could see a faint tinge of colour steal back into the pallid

cheeks and lips. No man knows, till he experiences it, what it is to

feel his own life-blood drawn away into the veins of the woman he loves.

 

The Professor watched me critically. "That will do," he said. "Already?"

I remonstrated. "You took a great deal more from Art." To which he

smiled a sad sort of smile as he replied:--

 

"He is her lover, her _fiance_. You have work, much work, to do for her

and for others; and the present will suffice."

 

When we stopped the operation, he attended to Lucy, whilst I applied

digital pressure to my own incision. I laid down, whilst I waited his

leisure to attend to me, for I felt faint and a little sick. By-and-by

he bound up my wound, and sent me downstairs to get a glass of wine for

myself. As I was leaving the room, he came after me, and half

whispered:--

 

"Mind, nothing must be said of this. If our young lover should turn up

unexpected, as before, no word to him. It would at once frighten him and

enjealous him, too. There must be none. So!"

 

When I came back he looked at me carefully, and then said:--

 

"You are not much the worse. Go into the room, and lie on your sofa, and

rest awhile; then have much breakfast, and come here to me."

 

I followed out his orders, for I knew how right and wise they were. I

had done my part, and now my next duty was to keep up my strength. I

felt very weak, and in the weakness lost something of the amazement at

what had occurred. I fell asleep on the sofa, however, wondering over

and over again how Lucy had made such a retrograde movement, and how

she could have been drained of so much blood with no sign anywhere to

show for it. I think I must have continued my wonder in my dreams, for,

sleeping and waking, my thoughts always came back to the little

punctures in her throat and the ragged, exhausted appearance of their

edges--tiny though they were.

 

Lucy slept well into the day, and when she woke she was fairly well and

strong, though not nearly so much so as the day before. When Van Helsing

had seen her, he went out for a walk, leaving me in charge, with strict

injunctions that I was not to leave her for a moment. I could hear his

voice in the hall, asking the way to the nearest telegraph office.

 

Lucy chatted with me freely, and seemed quite unconscious that anything

had happened. I tried to keep her amused and interested. When her mother

came up to see her, she did not seem to notice any change whatever, but

said to me gratefully:--

 

"We owe you so much, Dr. Seward, for all you have done, but you really

must now take care not to overwork yourself. You are looking pale

yourself. You want a wife to nurse and look after you a bit; that you

do!" As she spoke, Lucy turned crimson, though it was only momentarily,

for her poor wasted veins could not stand for long such an unwonted

drain to the head. The reaction came in excessive pallor as she turned

imploring eyes on me. I smiled and nodded, and laid my finger on my

lips; with a sigh, she sank back amid her pillows.

 

Van Helsing returned in a couple of hours, and presently said to me:

"Now you go home, and eat much and drink enough. Make yourself strong. I

stay here to-night, and I shall sit up with little miss myself. You and

I must watch the case, and we must have none other to know. I have grave

reasons. No, do not ask them; think what you will. Do not fear to think

even the most not-probable. Good-night."

 

In the hall two of the maids came to me, and asked if they or either of

them might not sit up with Miss Lucy. They implored me to let them; and

when I said it was Dr. Van Helsing's wish that either he or I should sit

up, they asked me quite piteously to intercede with the "foreign

gentleman." I was much touched by their kindness. Perhaps it is because

I am weak at present, and perhaps because it was on Lucy's account, that

their devotion was manifested; for over and over again have I seen

similar instances of woman's kindness. I got back here in time for a

late dinner; went my rounds--all well; and set this down whilst waiting

for sleep. It is coming.

 

* * * * *

 

_11 September._--This afternoon I went over to Hillingham. Found Van

Helsing in excellent spirits, and Lucy much better. Shortly after I had

arrived, a big parcel from abroad came for the Professor. He opened it

with much impressment--assumed, of course--and showed a great bundle of

white flowers.

 

"These are for you, Miss Lucy," he said.

 

"For me? Oh, Dr. Van Helsing!"

 

"Yes, my dear, but not for you to play with. These are medicines." Here

Lucy made a wry face. "Nay, but they are not to take in a decoction or

in nauseous form, so you need not snub that so charming nose, or I shall

point out to my friend Arthur what woes he may have to endure in seeing

so much beauty that he so loves so much distort. Aha, my pretty miss,

that bring the so nice nose all straight again. This is medicinal, but

you do not know how. I put him in your window, I make pretty wreath, and

hang him round your neck, so that you sleep well. Oh yes! they, like the

lotus flower, make your trouble forgotten. It smell so like the waters

of Lethe, and of that fountain of youth that the Conquistadores sought

for in the Floridas, and find him all too late."

 

Whilst he was speaking, Lucy had been examining the flowers and smelling

them. Now she threw them down, saying, with half-laughter, and

half-disgust:--

 

"Oh, Professor, I believe you are only putting up a joke on me. Why,

these flowers are only common garlic."

 

To my surprise, Van Helsing rose up and said with all his sternness, his

iron jaw set and his bushy eyebrows meeting:--

 

"No trifling with me! I never jest! There is grim purpose in all I do;

and I warn you that you do not thwart me. Take care, for the sake of

others if not for your own." Then seeing poor Lucy scared, as she might

well be, he went on more gently: "Oh, little miss, my dear, do not fear

me. I only do for your good; but there is much virtue to you in those so

common flowers. See, I place them myself in your room. I make myself the

wreath that you are to wear. But hush! no telling to others that make so

inquisitive questions. We must obey, and silence is a part of obedience;

and obedience is to bring you strong and well into loving arms that wait

for you. Now sit still awhile. Come with me, friend John, and you shall

help me deck the room with my garlic, which is all the way from Haarlem,

where my friend Vanderpool raise herb in his glass-houses all the year.

I had to telegraph yesterday, or they would not have been here."

 

We went into the room, taking the flowers with us. The Professor's

actions were certainly odd and not to be found in any pharmacopoeia

that I ever heard of. First he fastened up the windows and latched them

securely; next, taking a handful of the flowers, he rubbed them all over

the sashes, as though to ensure that every whiff of air that might get

in would be laden with the garlic smell. Then with the wisp he rubbed

all over the jamb of the door, above, below, and at each side, and round

the fireplace in the same way. It all seemed grotesque to me, and

presently I said:--

 

"Well, Professor, I know you always have a reason for what you do, but

this certainly puzzles me. It is well we have no sceptic here, or he

would say that you were working some spell to keep out an evil spirit."

 

"Perhaps I am!" he answered quietly as he began to make the wreath which

Lucy was to wear round her neck.

 

We then waited whilst Lucy made her toilet for the night, and when she

was in bed he came and himself fixed the wreath of garlic round her

neck. The last words he said to her were:--

 

"Take care you do not disturb it; and even if the room feel close, do

not to-night open the window or the door."

 

"I promise," said Lucy, "and thank you both a thousand times for all

your kindness to me! Oh, what have I done to be blessed with such

friends?"

 

As we left the house in my fly, which was waiting, Van Helsing said:--

 

"To-night I can sleep in peace, and sleep I want--two nights of travel,

much reading in the day between, and much anxiety on the day to follow,

and a night to sit up, without to wink. To-morrow in the morning early

you call for me, and we come together to see our pretty miss, so much

more strong for my 'spell' which I have work. Ho! ho!"

 

He seemed so confident that I, remembering my own confidence two nights

before and with the baneful result, felt awe and vague terror. It must

have been my weakness that made me hesitate to tell it to my friend, but

I felt it all the more, like unshed tears.

 

 

CHAPTER XI

 

_Lucy Westenra's Diary._

 

 

_12 September._--How good they all are to me. I quite love that dear Dr.

Van Helsing. I wonder why he was so anxious about these flowers. He

positively frightened me, he was so fierce. And yet he must have been

right, for I feel comfort from them already. Somehow, I do not dread

being alone to-night, and I can go to sleep without fear. I shall not

mind any flapping outside the window. Oh, the terrible struggle that I

have had against sleep so often of late; the pain of the sleeplessness,

or the pain of the fear of sleep, with such unknown horrors as it has

for me! How blessed are some people, whose lives have no fears, no

dreads; to whom sleep is a blessing that comes nightly, and brings

nothing but sweet dreams. Well, here I am to-night, hoping for sleep,

and lying like Ophelia in the play, with "virgin crants and maiden

strewments." I never liked garlic before, but to-night it is delightful!

There is peace in its smell; I feel sleep coming already. Good-night,

everybody.

 

 

_Dr. Seward's Diary._

 

_13 September._--Called at the Berkeley and found Van Helsing, as usual,

up to time. The carriage ordered from the hotel was waiting. The

Professor took his bag, which he always brings with him now.

 

Let all be put down exactly. Van Helsing and I arrived at Hillingham at

eight o'clock. It was a lovely morning; the bright sunshine and all the

fresh feeling of early autumn seemed like the completion of nature's

annual work. The leaves were turning to all kinds of beautiful colours,

but had not yet begun to drop from the trees. When we entered we met

Mrs. Westenra coming out of the morning room. She is always an early

riser. She greeted us warmly and said:--

 

"You will be glad to know that Lucy is better. The dear child is still

asleep. I looked into her room and saw her, but did not go in, lest I

should disturb her." The Professor smiled, and looked quite jubilant. He

rubbed his hands together, and said:--

 

"Aha! I thought I had diagnosed the case. My treatment is working," to

which she answered:--

 

"You must not take all the credit to yourself, doctor. Lucy's state this

morning is due in part to me."

 

"How you do mean, ma'am?" asked the Professor.

 

"Well, I was anxious about the dear child in the night, and went into

her room. She was sleeping soundly--so soundly that even my coming did

not wake her. But the room was awfully stuffy. There were a lot of those

horrible, strong-smelling flowers about everywhere, and she had actually

a bunch of them round her neck. I feared that the heavy odour would be

too much for the dear child in her weak state, so I took them all away

and opened a bit of the window to let in a little fresh air. You will be

pleased with her, I am sure."

 

She moved off into her boudoir, where she usually breakfasted early. As

she had spoken, I watched the Professor's face, and saw it turn ashen

grey. He had been able to retain his self-command whilst the poor lady

was present, for he knew her state and how mischievous a shock would be;

he actually smiled on her as he held open the door for her to pass into

her room. But the instant she had disappeared he pulled me, suddenly and

forcibly, into the dining-room and closed the door.

 

Then, for the first time in my life, I saw Van Helsing break down. He

raised his hands over his head in a sort of mute despair, and then beat

his palms together in a helpless way; finally he sat down on a chair,

and putting his hands before his face, began to sob, with loud, dry sobs

that seemed to come from the very racking of his heart. Then he raised

his arms again, as though appealing to the whole universe. "God! God!

God!" he said. "What have we done, what has this poor thing done, that

we are so sore beset? Is there fate amongst us still, sent down from the

pagan world of old, that such things must be, and in such way? This poor

mother, all unknowing, and all for the best as she think, does such

thing as lose her daughter body and soul; and we must not tell her, we

must not even warn her, or she die, and then both die. Oh, how we are

beset! How are all the powers of the devils against us!" Suddenly he

jumped to his feet. "Come," he said, "come, we must see and act. Devils

or no devils, or all the devils at once, it matters not; we fight him

all the same." He went to the hall-door for his bag; and together we

went up to Lucy's room.

 

Once again I drew up the blind, whilst Van Helsing went towards the bed.

This time he did not start as he looked on the poor face with the same

awful, waxen pallor as before. He wore a look of stern sadness and

infinite pity.

 

"As I expected," he murmured, with that hissing inspiration of his which

meant so much. Without a word he went and locked the door, and then

began to set out on the little table the instruments for yet another

operation of transfusion of blood. I had long ago recognised the

necessity, and begun to take off my coat, but he stopped me with a

warning hand. "No!" he said. "To-day you must operate. I shall provide.

You are weakened already." As he spoke he took off his coat and rolled

up his shirt-sleeve.

 

Again the operation; again the narcotic; again some return of colour to

the ashy cheeks, and the regular breathing of healthy sleep. This time I

watched whilst Van Helsing recruited himself and rested.

 

Presently he took an opportunity of telling Mrs. Westenra that she must

not remove anything from Lucy's room without consulting him; that the

flowers were of medicinal value, and that the breathing of their odour

was a part of the system of cure. Then he took over the care of the case

himself, saying that he would watch this night and the next and would

send me word when to come.

 

After another hour Lucy waked from her sleep, fresh and bright and

seemingly not much the worse for her terrible ordeal.

 

What does it all mean? I am beginning to wonder if my long habit of life

amongst the insane is beginning to tell upon my own brain.

 

 

_Lucy Westenra's Diary._

 

_17 September._--Four days and nights of peace. I am getting so strong

again that I hardly know myself. It is as if I had passed through some

long nightmare, and had just awakened to see the beautiful sunshine and

feel the fresh air of the morning around me. I have a dim

half-remembrance of long, anxious times of waiting and fearing; darkness

in which there was not even the pain of hope to make present distress

more poignant: and then long spells of oblivion, and the rising back to

life as a diver coming up through a great press of water. Since,

however, Dr. Van Helsing has been with me, all this bad dreaming seems

to have passed away; the noises that used to frighten me out of my

wits--the flapping against the windows, the distant voices which seemed

so close to me, the harsh sounds that came from I know not where and

commanded me to do I know not what--have all ceased. I go to bed now

without any fear of sleep. I do not even try to keep awake. I have grown

quite fond of the garlic, and a boxful arrives for me every day from

Haarlem. To-night Dr. Van Helsing is going away, as he has to be for a

day in Amsterdam. But I need not be watched; I am well enough to be left

alone. Thank God for mother's sake, and dear Arthur's, and for all our

friends who have been so kind! I shall not even feel the change, for

last night Dr. Van Helsing slept in his chair a lot of the time. I found

him asleep twice when I awoke; but I did not fear to go to sleep again,

although the boughs or bats or something napped almost angrily against

the window-panes.

 

 

_"The Pall Mall Gazette," 18 September._

 

THE ESCAPED WOLF.

 

PERILOUS ADVENTURE OF OUR INTERVIEWER.

 

_Interview with the Keeper in the Zooelogical Gardens._

 

After many inquiries and almost as many refusals, and perpetually using

the words "Pall Mall Gazette" as a sort of talisman, I managed to find

the keeper of the section of the Zooelogical Gardens in which the wolf

department is included. Thomas Bilder lives in one of the cottages in

the enclosure behind the elephant-house, and was just sitting down to

his tea when I found him. Thomas and his wife are hospitable folk,

elderly, and without children, and if the specimen I enjoyed of their

hospitality be of the average kind, their lives must be pretty

comfortable. The keeper would not enter on what he called "business"

until the supper was over, and we were all satisfied. Then when the

table was cleared, and he had lit his pipe, he said:--

 

"Now, sir, you can go on and arsk me what you want. You'll excoose me

refoosin' to talk of perfeshunal subjects afore meals. I gives the

wolves and the jackals and the hyenas in all our section their tea afore

I begins to arsk them questions."

 

"How do you mean, ask them questions?" I queried, wishful to get him

into a talkative humour.

 

"'Ittin' of them over the 'ead with a pole is one way; scratchin' of

their hears is another, when gents as is flush wants a bit of a show-orf

to their gals. I don't so much mind the fust--the 'ittin' with a pole

afore I chucks in their dinner; but I waits till they've 'ad their

sherry and kawffee, so to speak, afore I tries on with the

ear-scratchin'. Mind you," he added philosophically, "there's a deal of

the same nature in us as in them theer animiles. Here's you a-comin' and

arskin' of me questions about my business, and I that grumpy-like that

only for your bloomin' 'arf-quid I'd 'a' seen you blowed fust 'fore I'd

answer. Not even when you arsked me sarcastic-like if I'd like you to

arsk the Superintendent if you might arsk me questions. Without offence

did I tell yer to go to 'ell?"

 

"You did."

 

"An' when you said you'd report me for usin' of obscene language that

was 'ittin' me over the 'ead; but the 'arf-quid made that all right. I

weren't a-goin' to fight, so I waited for the food, and did with my 'owl

as the wolves, and lions, and tigers does. But, Lor' love yer 'art, now

that the old 'ooman has stuck a chunk of her tea-cake in me, an' rinsed

me out with her bloomin' old teapot, and I've lit hup, you may scratch

my ears for all you're worth, and won't git even a growl out of me.

Drive along with your questions. I know what yer a-comin' at, that 'ere

escaped wolf."

 

"Exactly. I want you to give me your view of it. Just tell me how it

happened; and when I know the facts I'll get you to say what you

consider was the cause of it, and how you think the whole affair will

end."

 

"All right, guv'nor. This 'ere is about the 'ole story. That 'ere wolf

what we called Bersicker was one of three grey ones that came from

Norway to Jamrach's, which we bought off him four years ago. He was a

nice well-behaved wolf, that never gave no trouble to talk of. I'm more

surprised at 'im for wantin' to get out nor any other animile in the

place. But, there, you can't trust wolves no more nor women."

 

"Don't you mind him, sir!" broke in Mrs. Tom, with a cheery laugh. "'E's

got mindin' the animiles so long that blest if he ain't like a old wolf

'isself! But there ain't no 'arm in 'im."

 

"Well, sir, it was about two hours after feedin' yesterday when I first

hear my disturbance. I was makin' up a litter in the monkey-house for a

young puma which is ill; but when I heard the yelpin' and 'owlin' I kem

away straight. There was Bersicker a-tearin' like a mad thing at the

bars as if he wanted to get out. There wasn't much people about that

day, and close at hand was only one man, a tall, thin chap, with a 'ook

nose and a pointed beard, with a few white hairs runnin' through it. He

had a 'ard, cold look and red eyes, and I took a sort of mislike to him,

for it seemed as if it was 'im as they was hirritated at. He 'ad white

kid gloves on 'is 'ands, and he pointed out the animiles to me and says:

'Keeper, these wolves seem upset at something.'

 

"'Maybe it's you,' says I, for I did not like the airs as he give

'isself. He didn't git angry, as I 'oped he would, but he smiled a kind

of insolent smile, with a mouth full of white, sharp teeth. 'Oh no, they

wouldn't like me,' 'e says.

 

"'Ow yes, they would,' says I, a-imitatin' of him. 'They always likes a

bone or two to clean their teeth on about tea-time, which you 'as a

bagful.'

 

"Well, it was a odd thing, but when the animiles see us a-talkin' they

lay down, and when I went over to Bersicker he let me stroke his ears

same as ever. That there man kem over, and blessed but if he didn't put

in his hand and stroke the old wolf's ears too!

 

"'Tyke care,' says I. 'Bersicker is quick.'

 

"'Never mind,' he says. 'I'm used to 'em!'

 

"'Are you in the business yourself?' I says, tyking off my 'at, for a

man what trades in wolves, anceterer, is a good friend to keepers.

 

"'No' says he, 'not exactly in the business, but I 'ave made pets of

several.' And with that he lifts his 'at as perlite as a lord, and walks

away. Old Bersicker kep' a-lookin' arter 'im till 'e was out of sight,

and then went and lay down in a corner and wouldn't come hout the 'ole

hevening. Well, larst night, so soon as the moon was hup, the wolves

here all began a-'owling. There warn't nothing for them to 'owl at.

There warn't no one near, except some one that was evidently a-callin' a

dog somewheres out back of the gardings in the Park road. Once or twice

I went out to see that all was right, and it was, and then the 'owling

stopped. Just before twelve o'clock I just took a look round afore

turnin' in, an', bust me, but when I kem opposite to old Bersicker's

cage I see the rails broken and twisted about and the cage empty. And

that's all I know for certing."

 

"Did any one else see anything?"

 

"One of our gard'ners was a-comin' 'ome about that time from a 'armony,

when he sees a big grey dog comin' out through the garding 'edges. At

least, so he says, but I don't give much for it myself, for if he did 'e

never said a word about it to his missis when 'e got 'ome, and it was

only after the escape of the wolf was made known, and we had been up all

night-a-huntin' of the Park for Bersicker, that he remembered seein'

anything. My own belief was that the 'armony 'ad got into his 'ead."

 

"Now, Mr. Bilder, can you account in any way for the escape of the

wolf?"

 

"Well, sir," he said, with a suspicious sort of modesty, "I think I can;

but I don't know as 'ow you'd be satisfied with the theory."

 

"Certainly I shall. If a man like you, who knows the animals from

experience, can't hazard a good guess at any rate, who is even to try?"

 

"Well then, sir, I accounts for it this way; it seems to me that 'ere

wolf escaped--simply because he wanted to get out."

 

From the hearty way that both Thomas and his wife laughed at the joke I

could see that it had done service before, and that the whole

explanation was simply an elaborate sell. I couldn't cope in badinage

with the worthy Thomas, but I thought I knew a surer way to his heart,

so I said:--

 

"Now, Mr. Bilder, we'll consider that first half-sovereign worked off,

and this brother of his is waiting to be claimed when you've told me

what you think will happen."

 

"Right y'are, sir," he said briskly. "Ye'll excoose me, I know, for

a-chaffin' of ye, but the old woman here winked at me, which was as much

as telling me to go on."

 

"Well, I never!" said the old lady.

 

"My opinion is this: that 'ere wolf is a-'idin' of, somewheres. The

gard'ner wot didn't remember said he was a-gallopin' northward faster

than a horse could go; but I don't believe him, for, yer see, sir,

wolves don't gallop no more nor dogs does, they not bein' built that







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