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there was no distraction; for had it occurred whilst we were at a

station, we might not have secured the necessary calm and isolation.

Mrs. Harker yielded to the hypnotic influence even less readily than

this morning. I am in fear that her power of reading the Count's

sensations may die away, just when we want it most. It seems to me that

her imagination is beginning to work. Whilst she has been in the trance

hitherto she has confined herself to the simplest of facts. If this goes

on it may ultimately mislead us. If I thought that the Count's power

over her would die away equally with her power of knowledge it would be

a happy thought; but I am afraid that it may not be so. When she did

speak, her words were enigmatical:--

 

"Something is going out; I can feel it pass me like a cold wind. I can

hear, far off, confused sounds--as of men talking in strange tongues,

fierce-falling water, and the howling of wolves." She stopped and a

shudder ran through her, increasing in intensity for a few seconds,

till, at the end, she shook as though in a palsy. She said no more, even

in answer to the Professor's imperative questioning. When she woke from

the trance, she was cold, and exhausted, and languid; but her mind was

all alert. She could not remember anything, but asked what she had said;

when she was told, she pondered over it deeply for a long time and in

silence.

 

* * * * *

 

_30 October, 7 a. m._--We are near Galatz now, and I may not have time

to write later. Sunrise this morning was anxiously looked for by us all.

Knowing of the increasing difficulty of procuring the hypnotic trance,

Van Helsing began his passes earlier than usual. They produced no

effect, however, until the regular time, when she yielded with a still

greater difficulty, only a minute before the sun rose. The Professor

lost no time in his questioning; her answer came with equal quickness:--

 

"All is dark. I hear water swirling by, level with my ears, and the

creaking of wood on wood. Cattle low far off. There is another sound, a

queer one like----" She stopped and grew white, and whiter still.

 

"Go on; go on! Speak, I command you!" said Van Helsing in an agonised

voice. At the same time there was despair in his eyes, for the risen sun

was reddening even Mrs. Harker's pale face. She opened her eyes, and we

all started as she said, sweetly and seemingly with the utmost

unconcern:--

 

"Oh, Professor, why ask me to do what you know I can't? I don't remember

anything." Then, seeing the look of amazement on our faces, she said,

turning from one to the other with a troubled look:--

 

"What have I said? What have I done? I know nothing, only that I was

lying here, half asleep, and heard you say go on! speak, I command you!'

It seemed so funny to hear you order me about, as if I were a bad

child!"

 

"Oh, Madam Mina," he said, sadly, "it is proof, if proof be needed, of

how I love and honour you, when a word for your good, spoken more

earnest than ever, can seem so strange because it is to order her whom I

am proud to obey!"

 

The whistles are sounding; we are nearing Galatz. We are on fire with

anxiety and eagerness.

 

 

_Mina Harker's Journal._

 

_30 October._--Mr. Morris took me to the hotel where our rooms had been

ordered by telegraph, he being the one who could best be spared, since

he does not speak any foreign language. The forces were distributed

much as they had been at Varna, except that Lord Godalming went to the

Vice-Consul, as his rank might serve as an immediate guarantee of some

sort to the official, we being in extreme hurry. Jonathan and the two

doctors went to the shipping agent to learn particulars of the arrival

of the _Czarina Catherine_.

 

* * * * *

 

_Later._--Lord Godalming has returned. The Consul is away, and the

Vice-Consul sick; so the routine work has been attended to by a clerk.

He was very obliging, and offered to do anything in his power.

 

 

_Jonathan Harker's Journal._

 

_30 October._--At nine o'clock Dr. Van Helsing, Dr. Seward, and I called

on Messrs. Mackenzie & Steinkoff, the agents of the London firm of

Hapgood. They had received a wire from London, in answer to Lord

Godalming's telegraphed request, asking us to show them any civility in

their power. They were more than kind and courteous, and took us at once

on board the _Czarina Catherine_, which lay at anchor out in the river

harbour. There we saw the Captain, Donelson by name, who told us of his

voyage. He said that in all his life he had never had so favourable a

run.

 

"Man!" he said, "but it made us afeard, for we expeckit that we should

have to pay for it wi' some rare piece o' ill luck, so as to keep up the

average. It's no canny to run frae London to the Black Sea wi' a wind

ahint ye, as though the Deil himself were blawin' on yer sail for his

ain purpose. An' a' the time we could no speer a thing. Gin we were nigh

a ship, or a port, or a headland, a fog fell on us and travelled wi' us,

till when after it had lifted and we looked out, the deil a thing could

we see. We ran by Gibraltar wi'oot bein' able to signal; an' till we

came to the Dardanelles and had to wait to get our permit to pass, we

never were within hail o' aught. At first I inclined to slack off sail

and beat about till the fog was lifted; but whiles, I thocht that if the

Deil was minded to get us into the Black Sea quick, he was like to do it

whether we would or no. If we had a quick voyage it would be no to our

miscredit wi' the owners, or no hurt to our traffic; an' the Old Mon who

had served his ain purpose wad be decently grateful to us for no

hinderin' him." This mixture of simplicity and cunning, of superstition

and commercial reasoning, aroused Van Helsing, who said:--

 

"Mine friend, that Devil is more clever than he is thought by some; and

he know when he meet his match!" The skipper was not displeased with the

compliment, and went on:--

 

"When we got past the Bosphorus the men began to grumble; some o' them,

the Roumanians, came and asked me to heave overboard a big box which had

been put on board by a queer lookin' old man just before we had started

frae London. I had seen them speer at the fellow, and put out their twa

fingers when they saw him, to guard against the evil eye. Man! but the

supersteetion of foreigners is pairfectly rideeculous! I sent them aboot

their business pretty quick; but as just after a fog closed in on us I

felt a wee bit as they did anent something, though I wouldn't say it was

agin the big box. Well, on we went, and as the fog didn't let up for

five days I joost let the wind carry us; for if the Deil wanted to get

somewheres--well, he would fetch it up a'reet. An' if he didn't, well,

we'd keep a sharp lookout anyhow. Sure eneuch, we had a fair way and

deep water all the time; and two days ago, when the mornin' sun came

through the fog, we found ourselves just in the river opposite Galatz.

The Roumanians were wild, and wanted me right or wrong to take out the

box and fling it in the river. I had to argy wi' them aboot it wi' a

handspike; an' when the last o' them rose off the deck wi' his head in

his hand, I had convinced them that, evil eye or no evil eye, the

property and the trust of my owners were better in my hands than in the

river Danube. They had, mind ye, taken the box on the deck ready to

fling in, and as it was marked Galatz _via_ Varna, I thocht I'd let it

lie till we discharged in the port an' get rid o't althegither. We

didn't do much clearin' that day, an' had to remain the nicht at anchor;

but in the mornin', braw an' airly, an hour before sun-up, a man came

aboard wi' an order, written to him from England, to receive a box

marked for one Count Dracula. Sure eneuch the matter was one ready to

his hand. He had his papers a' reet, an' glad I was to be rid o' the

dam' thing, for I was beginnin' masel' to feel uneasy at it. If the Deil

did have any luggage aboord the ship, I'm thinkin' it was nane ither

than that same!"

 

"What was the name of the man who took it?" asked Dr. Van Helsing with

restrained eagerness.

 

"I'll be tellin' ye quick!" he answered, and, stepping down to his

cabin, produced a receipt signed "Immanuel Hildesheim." Burgen-strasse

16 was the address. We found out that this was all the Captain knew; so

with thanks we came away.

 

We found Hildesheim in his office, a Hebrew of rather the Adelphi

Theatre type, with a nose like a sheep, and a fez. His arguments were

pointed with specie--we doing the punctuation--and with a little

bargaining he told us what he knew. This turned out to be simple but

important. He had received a letter from Mr. de Ville of London, telling

him to receive, if possible before sunrise so as to avoid customs, a box

which would arrive at Galatz in the _Czarina Catherine_. This he was to

give in charge to a certain Petrof Skinsky, who dealt with the Slovaks

who traded down the river to the port. He had been paid for his work by

an English bank note, which had been duly cashed for gold at the Danube

International Bank. When Skinsky had come to him, he had taken him to

the ship and handed over the box, so as to save porterage. That was all

he knew.

 

We then sought for Skinsky, but were unable go find him. One of his

neighbours, who did not seem to bear him any affection, said that he had

gone away two days before, no one knew whither. This was corroborated by

his landlord, who had received by messenger the key of the house

together with the rent due, in English money. This had been between ten

and eleven o'clock last night. We were at a standstill again.

 

Whilst we were talking one came running and breathlessly gasped out that

the body of Skinsky had been found inside the wall of the churchyard of

St. Peter, and that the throat had been torn open as if by some wild

animal. Those we had been speaking with ran off to see the horror, the

women crying out "This is the work of a Slovak!" We hurried away lest we

should have been in some way drawn into the affair, and so detained.

 

As we came home we could arrive at no definite conclusion. We were all

convinced that the box was on its way, by water, to somewhere; but where

that might be we would have to discover. With heavy hearts we came home

to the hotel to Mina.

 

When we met together, the first thing was to consult as to taking Mina

again into our confidence. Things are getting desperate, and it is at

least a chance, though a hazardous one. As a preliminary step, I was

released from my promise to her.

 

 

_Mina Harker's Journal._

 

_30 October, evening._--They were so tired and worn out and dispirited

that there was nothing to be done till they had some rest; so I asked

them all to lie down for half an hour whilst I should enter everything

up to the moment. I feel so grateful to the man who invented the

"Traveller's" typewriter, and to Mr. Morris for getting this one for

me. I should have felt quite; astray doing the work if I had to write

with a pen....

 

It is all done; poor dear, dear Jonathan, what he must have suffered,

what must he be suffering now. He lies on the sofa hardly seeming to

breathe, and his whole body appears in collapse. His brows are knit; his

face is drawn with pain. Poor fellow, maybe he is thinking, and I can

see his face all wrinkled up with the concentration of his thoughts. Oh!

if I could only help at all.... I shall do what I can.

 

I have asked Dr. Van Helsing, and he has got me all the papers that I

have not yet seen.... Whilst they are resting, I shall go over all

carefully, and perhaps I may arrive at some conclusion. I shall try to

follow the Professor's example, and think without prejudice on the facts

before me....

 

* * * * *

 

I do believe that under God's providence I have made a discovery. I

shall get the maps and look over them....

 

* * * * *

 

I am more than ever sure that I am right. My new conclusion is ready, so

I shall get our party together and read it. They can judge it; it is

well to be accurate, and every minute is precious.

 

 

_Mina Harker's Memorandum._

 

(Entered in her Journal.)

 

_Ground of inquiry._--Count Dracula's problem is to get back to his own

place.

 

(_a_) He must be _brought back_ by some one. This is evident; for had he

power to move himself as he wished he could go either as man, or wolf,

or bat, or in some other way. He evidently fears discovery or

interference, in the state of helplessness in which he must be--confined

as he is between dawn and sunset in his wooden box.

 

(_b_) _How is he to be taken?_--Here a process of exclusions may help

us. By road, by rail, by water?

 

1. _By Road._--There are endless difficulties, especially in leaving the

city.

 

(_x_) There are people; and people are curious, and investigate. A hint,

a surmise, a doubt as to what might be in the box, would destroy him.

 

(_y_) There are, or there may be, customs and octroi officers to pass.

 

(_z_) His pursuers might follow. This is his highest fear; and in order

to prevent his being betrayed he has repelled, so far as he can, even

his victim--me!

 

2. _By Rail._--There is no one in charge of the box. It would have to

take its chance of being delayed; and delay would be fatal, with enemies

on the track. True, he might escape at night; but what would he be, if

left in a strange place with no refuge that he could fly to? This is not

what he intends; and he does not mean to risk it.

 

3. _By Water._--Here is the safest way, in one respect, but with most

danger in another. On the water he is powerless except at night; even

then he can only summon fog and storm and snow and his wolves. But were

he wrecked, the living water would engulf him, helpless; and he would

indeed be lost. He could have the vessel drive to land; but if it were

unfriendly land, wherein he was not free to move, his position would

still be desperate.

 

We know from the record that he was on the water; so what we have to do

is to ascertain _what_ water.

 

The first thing is to realise exactly what he has done as yet; we may,

then, get a light on what his later task is to be.

 

_Firstly._--We must differentiate between what he did in London as part

of his general plan of action, when he was pressed for moments and had

to arrange as best he could.

 

_Secondly_ we must see, as well as we can surmise it from the facts we

know of, what he has done here.

 

As to the first, he evidently intended to arrive at Galatz, and sent

invoice to Varna to deceive us lest we should ascertain his means of

exit from England; his immediate and sole purpose then was to escape.

The proof of this, is the letter of instructions sent to Immanuel

Hildesheim to clear and take away the box _before sunrise_. There is

also the instruction to Petrof Skinsky. These we must only guess at; but

there must have been some letter or message, since Skinsky came to

Hildesheim.

 

That, so far, his plans were successful we know. The _Czarina Catherine_

made a phenomenally quick journey--so much so that Captain Donelson's

suspicions were aroused; but his superstition united with his canniness

played the Count's game for him, and he ran with his favouring wind

through fogs and all till he brought up blindfold at Galatz. That the

Count's arrangements were well made, has been proved. Hildesheim cleared

the box, took it off, and gave it to Skinsky. Skinsky took it--and here

we lose the trail. We only know that the box is somewhere on the water,

moving along. The customs and the octroi, if there be any, have been

avoided.

 

Now we come to what the Count must have done after his arrival--_on

land_, at Galatz.

 

The box was given to Skinsky before sunrise. At sunrise the Count could

appear in his own form. Here, we ask why Skinsky was chosen at all to

aid in the work? In my husband's diary, Skinsky is mentioned as dealing

with the Slovaks who trade down the river to the port; and the man's

remark, that the murder was the work of a Slovak, showed the general

feeling against his class. The Count wanted isolation.

 

My surmise is, this: that in London the Count decided to get back to his

castle by water, as the most safe and secret way. He was brought from

the castle by Szgany, and probably they delivered their cargo to Slovaks

who took the boxes to Varna, for there they were shipped for London.

Thus the Count had knowledge of the persons who could arrange this

service. When the box was on land, before sunrise or after sunset, he

came out from his box, met Skinsky and instructed him what to do as to

arranging the carriage of the box up some river. When this was done, and

he knew that all was in train, he blotted out his traces, as he thought,

by murdering his agent.

 

I have examined the map and find that the river most suitable for the

Slovaks to have ascended is either the Pruth or the Sereth. I read in

the typescript that in my trance I heard cows low and water swirling

level with my ears and the creaking of wood. The Count in his box, then,

was on a river in an open boat--propelled probably either by oars or

poles, for the banks are near and it is working against stream. There

would be no such sound if floating down stream.

 

Of course it may not be either the Sereth or the Pruth, but we may

possibly investigate further. Now of these two, the Pruth is the more

easily navigated, but the Sereth is, at Fundu, joined by the Bistritza

which runs up round the Borgo Pass. The loop it makes is manifestly as

close to Dracula's castle as can be got by water.

 

 

_Mina Harker's Journal--continued._

 

When I had done reading, Jonathan took me in his arms and kissed me. The

others kept shaking me by both hands, and Dr. Van Helsing said:--

 

"Our dear Madam Mina is once more our teacher. Her eyes have been where

we were blinded. Now we are on the track once again, and this time we

may succeed. Our enemy is at his most helpless; and if we can come on

him by day, on the water, our task will be over. He has a start, but he

is powerless to hasten, as he may not leave his box lest those who carry

him may suspect; for them to suspect would be to prompt them to throw

him in the stream where he perish. This he knows, and will not. Now men,

to our Council of War; for, here and now, we must plan what each and all

shall do."

 

"I shall get a steam launch and follow him," said Lord Godalming.

 

"And I, horses to follow on the bank lest by chance he land," said Mr.

Morris.

 

"Good!" said the Professor, "both good. But neither must go alone. There

must be force to overcome force if need be; the Slovak is strong and

rough, and he carries rude arms." All the men smiled, for amongst them

they carried a small arsenal. Said Mr. Morris:--

 

"I have brought some Winchesters; they are pretty handy in a crowd, and

there may be wolves. The Count, if you remember, took some other

precautions; he made some requisitions on others that Mrs. Harker could

not quite hear or understand. We must be ready at all points." Dr.

Seward said:--

 

"I think I had better go with Quincey. We have been accustomed to hunt

together, and we two, well armed, will be a match for whatever may come

along. You must not be alone, Art. It may be necessary to fight the

Slovaks, and a chance thrust--for I don't suppose these fellows carry

guns--would undo all our plans. There must be no chances, this time; we

shall, not rest until the Count's head and body have been separated, and

we are sure that he cannot re-incarnate." He looked at Jonathan as he

spoke, and Jonathan looked at me. I could see that the poor dear was

torn about in his mind. Of course he wanted to be with me; but then the

boat service would, most likely, be the one which would destroy the...

the... the... Vampire. (Why did I hesitate to write the word?) He was

silent awhile, and during his silence Dr. Van Helsing spoke:--

 

"Friend Jonathan, this is to you for twice reasons. First, because you

are young and brave and can fight, and all energies may be needed at the

last; and again that it is your right to destroy him--that--which has

wrought such woe to you and yours. Be not afraid for Madam Mina; she

will be my care, if I may. I am old. My legs are not so quick to run as

once; and I am not used to ride so long or to pursue as need be, or to

fight with lethal weapons. But I can be of other service; I can fight in

other way. And I can die, if need be, as well as younger men. Now let

me say that what I would is this: while you, my Lord Godalming and

friend Jonathan go in your so swift little steamboat up the river, and

whilst John and Quincey guard the bank where perchance he might be

landed, I will take Madam Mina right into the heart of the enemy's

country. Whilst the old fox is tied in his box, floating on the running

stream whence he cannot escape to land--where he dares not raise the lid

of his coffin-box lest his Slovak carriers should in fear leave him to

perish--we shall go in the track where Jonathan went,--from Bistritz

over the Borgo, and find our way to the Castle of Dracula. Here, Madam

Mina's hypnotic power will surely help, and we shall find our way--all

dark and unknown otherwise--after the first sunrise when we are near

that fateful place. There is much to be done, and other places to be

made sanctify, so that that nest of vipers be obliterated." Here

Jonathan interrupted him hotly:--

 

"Do you mean to say, Professor Van Helsing, that you would bring Mina,

in her sad case and tainted as she is with that devil's illness, right

into the jaws of his death-trap? Not for the world! Not for Heaven or

Hell!" He became almost speechless for a minute, and then went on:--

 

"Do you know what the place is? Have you seen that awful den of hellish

infamy--with the very moonlight alive with grisly shapes, and every

speck of dust that whirls in the wind a devouring monster in embryo?

Have you felt the Vampire's lips upon your throat?" Here he turned to

me, and as his eyes lit on my forehead he threw up his arms with a cry:

"Oh, my God, what have we done to have this terror upon us!" and he sank

down on the sofa in a collapse of misery. The Professor's voice, as he

spoke in clear, sweet tones, which seemed to vibrate in the air, calmed

us all:--

 

"Oh, my friend, it is because I would save Madam Mina from that awful

place that I would go. God forbid that I should take her into that

place. There is work--wild work--to be done there, that her eyes may not

see. We men here, all save Jonathan, have seen with their own eyes what

is to be done before that place can be purify. Remember that we are in

terrible straits. If the Count escape us this time--and he is strong and

subtle and cunning--he may choose to sleep him for a century, and then

in time our dear one"--he took my hand--"would come to him to keep him

company, and would be as those others that you, Jonathan, saw. You have

told us of their gloating lips; you heard their ribald laugh as they

clutched the moving bag that the Count threw to them. You shudder; and

well may it be. Forgive me that I make you so much pain, but it is

necessary. My friend, is it not a dire need for the which I am giving,

possibly my life? If it were that any one went into that place to stay,

it is I who would have to go to keep them company."

 

"Do as you will," said Jonathan, with a sob that shook him all over, "we

are in the hands of God!"

 

* * * * *

 

_Later._--Oh, it did me good to see the way that these brave men worked.

How can women help loving men when they are so earnest, and so true, and

so brave! And, too, it made me think of the wonderful power of money!

What can it not do when it is properly applied; and what might it do

when basely used. I felt so thankful that Lord Godalming is rich, and

that both he and Mr. Morris, who also has plenty of money, are willing

to spend it so freely. For if they did not, our little expedition could

not start, either so promptly or so well equipped, as it will within

another hour. It is not three hours since it was arranged what part each

of us was to do; and now Lord Godalming and Jonathan have a lovely steam

launch, with steam up ready to start at a moment's notice. Dr. Seward

and Mr. Morris have half a dozen good horses, well appointed. We have

all the maps and appliances of various kinds that can be had. Professor

Van Helsing and I are to leave by the 11:40 train to-night for Veresti,

where we are to get a carriage to drive to the Borgo Pass. We are

bringing a good deal of ready money, as we are to buy a carriage and

horses. We shall drive ourselves, for we have no one whom we can trust

in the matter. The Professor knows something of a great many languages,

so we shall get on all right. We have all got arms, even for me a

large-bore revolver; Jonathan would not be happy unless I was armed like

the rest. Alas! I cannot carry one arm that the rest do; the scar on my

forehead forbids that. Dear Dr. Van Helsing comforts me by telling me

that I am fully armed as there may be wolves; the weather is getting

colder every hour, and there are snow-flurries which come and go as

warnings.

 

* * * * *

 

_Later._--It took all my courage to say good-bye to my darling. We may

never meet again. Courage, Mina! the Professor is looking at you keenly;

his look is a warning. There must be no tears now--unless it may be that

God will let them fall in gladness.

 

 

_Jonathan Harker's Journal._

 

_October 30. Night._--I am writing this in the light from the furnace

door of the steam launch: Lord Godalming is firing up. He is an

experienced hand at the work, as he has had for years a launch of his

own on the Thames, and another on the Norfolk Broads. Regarding our