CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Dr Seward's Diary

12 October—We are currently on a train to Varna. I am writing now at the request of Jonathan Harker, who, being so upset, cannot write himself. Yesterday, before leaving for our journey, Mina called us all together.

"Tomorrow we will leave, so I must ask you all a favor before beginning our trip. Death is very near me now. My body is changing and soon there will be nothing left of the real Mina. When this happens, I want you all to promise to take my life."

The room was silent for a moment and then Quincey came to her and, taking her hand in his, promised to do as she asked. Then everyone else, one by one, did the same. Her husband, however, could hardly speak.

"Dearest Jonathan. It is you who should really be the one to free me after my death, just as Godalming did for poor Lucy."

Tears then came into Harker's face as he began to nod his head in agreement. Husband and wife then held each other for a time, and I noticed, a happy change in Mina after that. She seemed comforted by our promise.

Jonathan Harker's Journal

15 October (Varna)—We have arrived after a long four-day's journey. Mina seems healthy and strong, which pleases me a great deal. The professor has now begun to hypnotize her every day at both sunrise and sunset, for these times of day seem to be when the Count has the least power over her.

According to her answers, the Count is still at sea. Tomorrow, we will visit the police in order to arrange for permission to get on the Count's boat as soon as it arrives. Our only worry is that the boat may come at night, which would make our task much more dangerous. Hopefully, we will soon hear news about the boat's progress.

17 October—We now have full permission to board the boat and to take the box, for Godalming told them that it contained something that was stolen from him. Our plan is to open the box immediately and destroy the Count's body, even if other people are present. If we are successful, the professor said that the Count's body will burn-up and disappear. In that case, we will all be safe from the law. The police cannot arrest us without a dead body as proof of murder.

Dr Seward's Diary

24 October—News has just arrived that the Czarina Catherine has been seen passing the Dardanelles! We are all very excited! We, of course, mentioned nothing to Mina. The professor and I are quite worried about her. Although, she seems healthy, she is speaking less and less. According to Van Helsing, we need not worry too much, unless her teeth begin to sharpen. At that point, we would then have to keep our promise and take her life. Oh! How sad a day that would be!

The boat should arrive early the following morning. Therefore, we are all going to try and get a good night's sleep; although, I think I'll be too anxious.

25 October (Noon)—The boat has not yet come. We all wait very eagerly. Mina has been even quieter than usual today. Under hypnosis she still says the same thing, "the sound of water and the creaking boards of a ship." He's out there somewhere.

27 October—Still, the boat has not come. Van Helsing is terribly nervous now. He fears that the Count somehow knows we're waiting for him and is trying to get away. Mina's words today, when hypnotized, still spoke of water, but she said the sound seemed softer than usual.

28 October—News! We received a telegram today, informing us that the boat somehow changed direction and came to the town of Galatz! Immediately, Van Helsing had Godalming contacted the leaders in that town to arrange for permission to go aboard the boat. Meanwhile, we needed to find out when trains from Varna leave for Galatz. Much to our surprise, Mina had the answer: "At 6:30 in the morning!" she cried.

"How could you know such a thing?" asked Van Helsing.

"I love to study train schedules in my spare time," she answered.

So, it was decided that we would take the first train in the morning and try and catch the Count before he could get very far.

Everyone agreed that Mina seemed to be more like her old self today. She, too, said that she had not felt so good in quite a while. I was not quite sure what to think, really.

Later on, Van Helsing and I read through Jonathan Harker's old journal, paying specific attention to the time when he was staying at the Count's home. Suddenly, an idea came to the professor,

"Ah! It is all quite clear to me now! I was beginning to worry that all of our hopes were lost, however, now I see that things are quite the opposite. Modern science has taught us some things about bad people. They have weaker brains than others and this makes them repeat their behavior again and again, like a bad habit they cannot control. Our Count has quite a long history. In the past, as he was leading armies into foreign countries, when he failed, he would leave his soldiers to die and then return alone to his homeland of Transylvania to rest and plan another attack in the future. The same is true now. After many years, he finally managed to come to Britain. He, again, failed, however; and now he has run back home. And, it seems, that in an attempt to hide better from us, he releases some of his control over poor Mina. What he doesn't realize, however, is that we can still see him at sunrise and sunset, when I hypnotize her. He believes that he is completely hidden! This, of course, makes us much stronger than before. We will find him ... and quite soon."

(end of section)