CHAPTER TWO

Jonathan Harker's Journal Continued

I was left alone with my luggage in the courtyard of the castle. My situation seemed so terribly strange to me. When I began my career in real estate, I never imagined being sent to such a place as this. At any moment, I believed that I would wake up from a horrible dream and find myself asleep in my London bedroom.

The great castle doors suddenly began to slowly open. Soon, before me, stood an elderly man. He wore all black and his skin was extremely white as if it had never once been touched by sunlight. The man addressed me in nearly perfect English.

"Please, come into my home," he said, offering me his hand. It felt very cold, like touching the dead.

"Are you Count Dracula?" I asked.

"Yes, I am," he said with a bow. Then, picking up my bags, he added, "Please follow me."

Soon, after walking through a long, dark hallway—full of spider webs—I found myself led to a, surprisingly, comfortable bedroom.

"You've had quite a long trip," the Count said, "Take some time to wash yourself and then come to the next room. I have dinner ready and waiting there."

I was soon alone again, but now feeling much better about my situation. The Count seemed a very pleasant fellow.

After a quick wash, I went to the dining hall, next door, and found a table of food waiting for me.

"Please, eat as much as you wish," Count Dracula said from a dark corner of the room, "I, myself, have already had dinner."

Before sitting down, I gave the Count the contract from my company. He looked it over briefly and then handed it back to me. Setting it aside, I immediately began to eat.

After dinner, the Count and I sat down near the fire to relax and chat. In the firelight, I could see that his appearance was quite strange. His skin was extraordinarily white, but his lips were a deep red. When he smiled, his teeth appeared to be very pointed. His ears, too, ended in a point. When he leaned over and placed his hand on mine, I could not prevent myself from showing obvious discomfort. His breath was terrible and his skin felt like ice. The night was very quiet except for the occasional cry of a wolf. Hearing this, the Count commented, "Such beautiful singing." Then, seeing that I felt quite different about the noise outside, he added, "We hunters look at things so differently from you city people. Forgive me, if I made you uncomfortable."

He then showed me to my room and told me that he would not be available to meet with me until late afternoon the following day. Until then, I was to relax and make myself at home. Of course, this will be impossible, now that this evening's observations have so strongly brought back my fears.

7 May—Today, I woke up very late and had a sort of breakfast-dinner at about five o'clock. There were no servants anywhere that I could see. I decided to have a look around. After a while, I found myself in a large library full of English books. A voice then came from behind me.

"These books have been my teachers over the years," spoke the Count, "They taught me to speak English and introduced me to the culture of your beautiful country. Come, let's talk for a while, so that you may correct my English."

The Count and I spoke for quite a long time. He was curious about the home we were selling him in London, so I got the contract from my room and talked it over with him. His new home was named Carfax and it lay on a large piece of land. There were no other homes nearby except for one, which had been made into a hospital for the mentally ill.

"It sounds very much like my home, here," he said, "That makes me very happy."

I then gave him the papers to sign. As he wrote his name, I noticed on a map of England nearby, three circles that had been made by the Count. One was around London's east end, and two others were around the towns of Exeter and Whitby.

We talked until very late. It seemed to me that the Count would never stop talking. However, when the sound of a rooster was heard welcoming the morning sun, the Count immediately apologized for keeping me up so late and quickly went to his room to sleep.

8 May—I now regret coming to this place. I'm afraid that it is only the Count and myself here in this castle. And he is not ordinary!

I did not sleep well. After only an hour I got up from the bed and began to shave in a small mirror I had brought with me. Moments later, I felt someone touch my shoulder and I turned around in great fright, for I had not seen anyone approach in the mirror.

"Hello, Mr Harker."

It was the Count. I turned back toward the mirror, but still could not see him in it, even though he was standing directly behind me! At the same time, I noticed that in my fright I had cut myself shaving. Blood was running down my chin. When the Count noticed this, himself, he suddenly reached for my neck, but I quickly moved away. Seeing the cross I was wearing, he quickly calmed and said, "You must be careful not to hurt yourself. We are a long way from any doctor." Then picking up my small mirror, he threw it out of the window, saying, "Useless!" and left the room.

After shaving, I had breakfast alone. I thought it strange that the Count never ate with me. Then I took a walk around the inside of the castle. Every door I came to was locked. Only the windows were available for me to look out of. I could see that I was many miles from anywhere. I felt like an animal held in a large cage.

(end of section)