CHAPTER TWENTY

Dr Seward's Diary

3 October—Poor Jonathan Harker. These are such difficult times for him. The professor and I both did our best to keep him from thinking too much about the situation while we waited for our friends to come back.

"In my recent studies," Van Helsing said, "I have learned a good deal about the Count. He was an extremely intelligent man and a brave soldier before he became a vampire. It is good that we have met him, for had we not, he would now be busy turning the people of London into terrible, blood-sucking monsters like himself!"

Just then, there was a knock at the door. The professor went to see who it was and found a boy with a telegram waiting for him. It was a warning from Mina, saying that she had seen the Count had just left Carfax quickly and that he seemed to be heading south, toward Piccadilly.

"He's coming!" cried Van Helsing.

"Good! I'm ready for him," said Harker, angrily.

"Don't be so sure of yourself. He could kill each of us very easily."

A half-hour later, another knock came at the front door. My heart began to beat very loudly. The three of us walked slowly to the door and, prepared for battle, opened it quickly. Happily, it was Godalming and Quincey, back after successfully destroying twelve more boxes.

Right away we told them about Mina's telegram, and Quincey, being the great hunter that he is, immediately began to make a plan for us to follow when the Count appears. However, there was no time, for at the moment we heard the sound of a key entering the lock of the front door.

Quickly, we all hid in separate parts of the first room, just down the hallway from the entranceway. Slow, careful footsteps could soon be heard. The Count knew we were inside. Before we could make a move, he jumped far into the room. We were all greatly surprised by his speed and strength. He turned and saw Harker move into the hall in order to prevent the Count's escape. Harker then rushed at the man with his knife and took a large swing. The Count jumped backward just in time to avoid being cut. On his face was a look of pure anger. Then all five of us ran at him. Seeing that he was outnumbered, the Count ran toward the window and jumped through it, sending glass flying in all directions. He ran to a wooden barn in back of the house and just before going inside, turned back toward us and shouted, "Just like your female friends, you blood shall soon be mine!" Then he disappeared inside.

"He speaks fearful words, but, trust me, he is the one who is most afraid," said Van Helsing.

Godalming and Quincey ran to the barn and tried to follow the Count, however, the door was locked. Meanwhile, the professor gathered all of the counts papers and personal items in the house and threw them into the fire.

"He has only one box left. He is weak now. However, our fight today is over. We must get back to dear Mina. She will need us."

Returning to Mina was difficult. She had very high hopes and her disappointment showed very clearly. She was, however, extremely proud of us for having tried our best.

After dinner, we decided to take turns staying up and keeping watch over Mina's room. So, now I write, for it seems our day is done.

Jonathan Harker's Journal

3 October (midnight)—I feel so helpless! We have no idea where the Count's last box is. He could hide from us for many years and one day surprise each of us, one by one. Ah! Worrying like this will not make things better. I must sleep. I am very tired.

4 October—This morning, about an hour before sunrise, Mina woke up suddenly and asked me to get the professor. I jumped out of bed and went to get him. Soon, everyone was gathered in our room.

"What is it, Mina?" the professor asked.

"You must hypnotize me now, before the sun comes up! I feel that there are things I might be able to tell you! Quick!"

Right away, Van Helsing sat down in front of her and began to move his hands before her eyes, in order to hypnotize her. Within a few minutes, her eyes closed and then opened again. She did not seem like her usual self at that moment. It was as if she were dreaming with her eyes open. Van Helsing began to ask her questions.

"Can you tell me where you are?" he asked.

I'm not sure," she answered, "I can't see anything but darkness. However, there is the sound of water nearby."

"Are you on a boat?"

"Yes, I am."

"And what are you doing on this boat?"

"I'm lying very quietly in the darkness. Very quietly."

Then a ray of light suddenly passed threw the window and announced the coming of day. Mina's eyes closed and then opened again. She was now awake.

"Thank you, dear Mina. You have, once again, proven to be a very big help! It seems that our Count is now running away. He's gathered his one remaining box and placed it on a boat, hoping to leave Britain. However, we will go after him!"

Mina Harker's Journal

5 October (Meeting notes)—The six of us met this evening to discuss what we had each discovered after the day's search about town. The professor reported having found the name of the ship the Count left on. It is called the Czarina Catherine and it is heading for Varna, the same place the Count originally sailed from. We now know that he is clearly heading back to his castle in Transylvania. Once the boat arrives, a man named Ristics is to pick up the box and deliver it to the castle.

Sadly, the five men will leave me, and travel by land to meet the Count's ship in Varna. The ship will sail slowly, so there will be plenty of time for them to get there.

When I asked if it was necessary for them to kill the Count, the professor grew very serious and said, "Absolutely! If he is not destroyed, all the world will one day suffer. And you, too, dear Mina ... I'm sorry to say, but you too will suffer for all time, if we cannot stop him. You have been bitten, and so you will become like him after your death. However, you need not worry, for we will do everything in our power to stop him. We are in a very good position to attack him. He, the hunter, has now become the hunted!"

Dr Seward's Diary

5 October—Today, after breakfast, I talked with Van Helsing about something that has been bothering me lately. I have noticed something different about Mrs Harker. She's begun to talk less. Often, she will just sit and listen to us speak. Hearing this, he simply nodded his head and then told me something that saddened me very much.

"My dear friend, Mina is slowly turning into a vampire. Her skin is becoming whiter, and her teeth are getting longer. It is very possible that those silent moments you have observed are moments when the Count has hypnotized her. Just as we can find him through Mina's thoughts, so can he also know what we are doing. Therefore, from now on, we must no longer tell Mina what we know."

A little while later we all met to make our final plans about how to deal with the Count. Luckily, Mina had decided on her own to allow us to meet without her. In the meeting, we decided to leave after two days. And, because of the dangerous countryside, we would take guns.

The professor suggested that Mr Harker remain with his wife, instead of coming with us. Mr Harker said that he would talk with her first and then let us know his decision in the morning.

Jonathan Harker's Journal

5 October—This evening, I found Mina resting in our bed. However, as soon as I sat down next to her she opened her eyes and spoke to me.

"My love! You must make a promise to me that you will never tell me about the plans you and the others make together. As long as I have this scar on my forehead, you must keep these things from me. Do you understand?"

I promised not to tell her and this made her very happy. She then asked to speak with the professor. I called him into the room and he approached Mina with his kind eyes.

"Professor, I've called you here to tell you that I must accompany all of you on your journey. My situation is a terrible one. I can very easily come under the control of the Count whenever he decides. If he calls for me, I will have no choice but to go to him. I believe it would be safer for me this way."

"You're right, dearest Mina," Van Helsing said with a smile, "You shall come with us. I don't know why I didn't think of this, myself. You should gather your things then, quickly. For soon we shall leave."

May God have pity on all of us and allow us to, one day, return to our homeland.

(end of section)